College of Graduate Studies
Academic Probation or Suspension
Instructions for Filing an Academic Suspension Appeal
To appeal an academic suspension, a student must contact his/her own academic program director and department office for further instructions on required actions and submitted materials.
Academic Programs will notify the College of Graduate Studies of their appeal decisions by the first Thursday in fall and spring semesters and by the second Thursday of summer terms. Late fees may apply for registration.
For students identified by the program as failing to make satisfactory academic progress, the program may recommend dismissal to the College of Graduate Studies with clear documentation as to the reason for this recommendation. Action on this recommendation will be made by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. Appeals of this dismissal would be made to the College of Graduate Studies and considered by the Graduate Council Suspension Appeals Committee. The action of the Academic Suspension Appeals Committee is final.
Readmission by Academic Suspension Appeals does not imply reinstatement of financial aid, if applicable.
Academic Standards
Degree-seeking students are expected to take appropriate courses and make satisfactory progress towards their degree objectives as determined by the graduate program. A graduate student at the master or specialist level must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 for all graduate work completed at MTSU as well as in the major. A doctoral student must maintain a minimum GPA of at least 3.25. Six semester hours of C grade (C+, C, or C-) coursework may be applied toward a master’s or specialist’s degree; seven hours of C grade may count toward a Ph.D. degree requirements. A graduate student failing to meet the applicable minimum cumulative graduate GPA retention standard will be placed on academic probation for the subsequent term. Probation in itself has no serious consequences other than to alert the student of potential academic problems, and the requirement to (re)establish satisfactory academic status. Once on probation, a student has three consecutive semesters in which to restore the cumulative GPA to the minimum required. If the student fails to attain the required GPA at the close of the third semester of probation, the student will be suspended automatically. A student placed on suspension will not be allowed to continue coursework during the subsequent semester. In order to re-enroll, a suspended student must formally appeal the suspension to their graduate program by following established requirements within the program. In the event that a student is suspended and subsequently upon appeal is granted permission to re-enroll, should the student fail to maintain the minimum cumulative GPA, there will be no second probationary period. The student will be terminated at the close of the semester and no longer eligible for matriculation in any program at MTSU.
NOTE: Individual graduate programs may propose higher minimum grade standards than the above.