Graduate Handbook

1. ADMISSION TO GRADUATE STUDY

A. ADMISSION PROCEDURES

Graduate programs have the responsibility of receiving credentials from prospective graduate students and making recommendations on admission. Correspondence regarding admission to the Graduate School should thus be addressed to the appropriate graduate program, which will provide information on program admission requirements and any required supplementary forms. Applicants should complete the online application and submit the application and application fee electronically via the Graduate School website at http://www.k-state.edu/grad. The Graduate School will record all applications and application fees and then forward a copy of the application form to the appropriate degree program for a recommendation. The applicant should submit all required documents and credentials (i.e. official transcripts statement of objectives, references, etc.) to the appropriate graduate program at least three months before the applicant expects to enroll. This time period may be longer for degree programs with early deadlines and for international students applying for student visas. If the applicant is uncertain which graduate program should receive his or her correspondence, it may be addressed to the Graduate School.

One official copy of the applicant's transcript from each college or university attended must be submitted with every application. A transcript is official only when it is sent directly from the university or college in question and bears the institution's seal. For each applicant admitted, an official transcript showing the conferral of all previous degrees must be submitted to the Graduate School. All transcripts become part of the applicant's official file and are not returned.

If the graduate faculty of a graduate program decide to recommend admission, the application, transcripts, and supporting materials are sent to the Graduate School for final review. If the graduate program decides against admission, it notifies the applicant by letter. The decision is made as expeditiously as possible. In the event of delay, applicants are given an approximate date on which they can expect notification.

Admission to graduate study does not imply admission to candidacy for an advanced degree. For a doctoral degree, such candidacy is confirmed only upon successful completion of preliminary examinations.

B. ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

An applicant to the Graduate School at Kansas State University must have a bachelor's degree substantially the same as the ones granted by Kansas State University. That is, it must represent a broad range of courses in the basic academic disciplines. Applicants whose degrees do not meet these standards may be denied admission to graduate degree programs at Kansas State University. Admission is denied to applicants holding bachelor's degrees with a significant amount of credit for work that was not supervised by a faculty member of an accredited college or university or evaluated in units that identify the academic content. A limited amount of credit for experience, when awarded as an acceptable part of a bachelor's degree for internships, fieldwork, or the like, is not a cause for denial but must be clearly identified as graded work.

All students admitted to the Graduate School must meet the following requirements:

1. Graduates from colleges and universities in the United States

1. A bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited by the cognizant regional accrediting agency,

2. Undergraduate preparation in the proposed major field equivalent to that acquired by a graduate of Kansas State University, or evidence of an appropriate background for undertaking an advanced degree program, and

3. Grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours of coursework. This GPA is based only on courses graded on a multi-level scale, usually A, B, C, D, F.
   
   See section 1-C: Admission Categories.

2. Graduates of foreign colleges and universities

All international students admitted to the Graduate School must demonstrate the same level of achievement as U.S. students. That is, they must hold a degree from an established institution comparable to a college or university in the United States, have an outstanding undergraduate record, have the demonstrated ability to do graduate work, and provide evidence of language proficiency sufficient for the pursuit of a graduate degree. Admission may be denied to students from technical schools, which may provide excellent training in special areas, but do not offer degrees equivalent to those of colleges and universities. As a rule, students from abroad are not admitted to nondegree status (that is, as special students). Questions about the qualifications of international students should be directed to the Graduate School.

The Graduate School requires each international applicant whose native language is not English to demonstrate competence in the English language by achieving a satisfactory score (defined below) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The TOEFL or IELTS is required to ensure that the student’s progress toward a degree is not jeopardized by language barriers. The TOEFL (K-State TOEFL school code 6334) is offered several times a year throughout the world by the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey. International applicants are advised to take the TOEFL as early as possible to avoid delays in the processing of their applications for admission. An applicant who has received a degree in the last two years from a United States college or university is exempt from this requirement. However, individual programs may require demonstration of English language proficiency.

Applicants who are submitting a TOEFL iBT (internet based) score must have a minimum of 79 to be considered for admission to a graduate program. Applicants with part scores of less than 20 on any one of the reading, writing, or listening sections may be considered for provisional admission and required to take the English Proficiency Test (EPT) prior to enrolling in their first semester. Applicants will be required to enroll in the designated course(s) based on EPT scores and the recommendation of the K-State English Language Program.

Applicants who are submitting a TOEFL paper-based test score must have a minimum of 550 to be considered for admission to a graduate program. Applicants with scores 550 through 599 may be admitted provisionally and must take the EPT prior to enrolling in their first semester. Applicants will be required to enroll in designated course(s) based on EPT scores and the recommendation of the K-State English Language Program. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date.

Some programs require a TOEFL score higher than the Graduate School minimum. Those who do not meet the program's minimum proficiency standard may be recommended for enrollment in University English courses or for part-time English courses offered by the K-State English Language Program.

Applicants who are submitting an IELTS score must have a minimum of 6.1 to be considered for admission to a graduate program. Applicants with a score 6.1 through 6.9 may be admitted provisionally and must take the EPT prior to enrolling in their first semester. Applicants will be required to enroll in designated course(s) based on EPT scores and the recommendation of the K-State English Language Program. Those who do not meet the minimum proficiency standard may be recommended for enrollment in University English courses or for part-time English courses offered by the K-State English Language Program. IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date.

C. ADMISSION CATEGORIES

All new graduate students, domestic or foreign, are assigned to one of four categories upon admission:

C.1 Full standing

1. Undergraduate training essentially the same as that at Kansas State University.

2. B average or higher in junior and senior years.

1. Transcript evaluation uncertain, as is sometimes the case with international students.

2. B average or higher in junior and senior years, but some course deficiencies in undergraduate work.

3. Final transcripts indicating award of a degree not yet in hand; applicant completing degree; other criteria for full standing met.

1. Grade point average from 2.65 to 2.99 (A=4.00) in last two years
   If work has shown a marked improvement in later semesters and there are grades of B or better in demanding courses in major and related areas, admission is considered.
   

2. Grade point average below 2.65 in last two years
   Admission is considered only upon documentation that the student is now qualified to do graduate work. Evidence may include: (1) satisfactory grades on a GRE Advanced Test or Miller Analogies Test; (2) satisfactory work at another graduate school; or (3) outstanding professional experience that demonstrates the ability to handle academic work in the major area.

Probationary and provisional students are advised of deficiencies and of other conditions to be met to achieve full standing. Their status is reviewed after completing 9 hours of course work at Kansas State University. Those who have earned grades of B or higher and GPAs of 3.0 or higher for the first 9 hours, exclusive of individualized study, and removed all deficiencies specified at the time of admission, will be placed in good standing.

C.4 Special
Students who have a bachelor's degree but do not plan to work for an advanced degree may be admitted to graduate study as special students. No more than 9 credit hours earned as a special student may be applied toward an advanced degree. Special students are required to meet the same academic standards as other graduate students. Special students who later wish to work for an advanced degree must make a formal application to the appropriate department or interdepartmental program and be formally admitted by the Graduate School as a student with full standing status.

D. REGISTRATION AND ENROLLMENT

Students who have been admitted to the Graduate School must register and pay their fees during the regular registration periods. Changes in enrollment must be approved by an advisor and the Dean of the Graduate School.

All graduate students who have matriculated at Kansas State University and are using faculty time or University facilities for research or other academic pursuits must be enrolled. The enrollment should reflect, as accurately as possible, the demands made on faculty time and the use made of University facilities. Further, a graduate degree candidate must be enrolled during the semester in which the degree requirements are completed.

E. GRADUATE ASSISTANTS

The principal objective of a graduate student is to pursue a concerted program of study that will normally lead to an advanced degree in the chosen academic discipline. To assist students to pursue their studies full-time, the University makes available financial assistance through a limited number of graduate teaching assistantships (GTA), graduate research assistantships (GRA) and graduate assistantships (GA). These assistantship appointments carry with them a service requirement, typically directed at improving professional skills in their academic fields. Award of an assistantship is based on the student's ability and promise and is usually made for either nine or twelve months. The maximum appointment is 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE), but appointments for lesser fractions may be made. Continuation of appointments is subject to academic performance and the availability of funds. Information on applying for graduate assistantships may be obtained from the department concerned.

Students holding GTA, GRA, or GA appointments from September 1 through November 17 receive tuition benefits for the fall term, and students holding GTA, GRA, or GA appointments from February 1 through April 17 receive tuition benefits for the spring term. If a graduate appointment does not begin by these dates or terminates before these ending dates, all tuition benefits will be lost. The student then is responsible for the total tuition payment.

GTAs and GRAs on a 0.5 FTE appointment are eligible to participate in the Kansas Board of Regents GTA/GRA health insurance plan. Information about enrollment in the health insurance plan is available from Human Resources.

The maximum number of credit hours in which a graduate student employed on an assistantship can enroll is 12 hours for the fall and spring terms and 9 hours during the summer. Students desiring to enroll in credit hours exceeding the maximum number permitted should be in good academic standing and obtain permission from their advisor and forward the permission to the Graduate School for final approval. To fulfill the obligation that students pursue studies full-time, graduate assistants must be enrolled for a minimum of 6 hours of credit during fall and spring terms. The Graduate School does not require that graduate students be enrolled during the summer. Individual departments may require minimum enrollment in any term. Information pertaining to minimum enrollment during the summer may be obtained from the department concerned.

Tuition responsibilities for graduate students appointed for 0.5 FTE depends on the nature of the appointment. Students holding a 0.5 FTE GRA, GTA, or GA appointments (or any combination of these appointments) are assessed tuition at the resident rate according to an established schedule.

Graduate students appointed as a GTA are eligible for a tuition waiver. Graduate students appointed on a full-time GTA appointment (0.5 FTE) receive a tuition waiver for a maximum of 10 hours in the fall and spring terms and 6 hours in the summer term. Hours taken during January intersession are counted in the total number of hours for the tuition waiver paid in the spring term. Hours taken during May and August intersessions are counted in the total number of hours for the tuition waiver paid in the summer term. Graduate students holding a 0.5 total FTE appointment during the fall, spring, or summer terms but an appointment of less than 0.5 FTE as a GTA are eligible to receive a partial tuition waiver based on the proportion of the teaching appointment. For example, a graduate student with a 0.2 GTA and 0.3 GRA for all three terms will receive a tuition waiver of 4 hours in each of the fall and spring terms and 2 hours tuition waiver for the summer term. Graduate students with a 20% (.1) GTA and 80% (.4) GRA appointment will be eligible to receive a tuition waiver of 2 hours in the fall and spring terms. Those with an 80% (.4) GTA and 20% (.1) GRA appointment will be eligible to receive a tuition waiver of 8 hours in the fall and spring terms. In all cases, the student will be responsible for paying the remainder of the tuition at the resident rate. GTA tuition waivers are provided for tuition benefits only; students will be responsible for campus privilege fees (student health, activity fees, etc).

The Kansas Board of Regents requires all prospective GTAs who are non-native speakers of English to achieve a:

minimum score of 50 on the TSE (Test of Spoken English)
OR
minimum score of 50 on the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK)
OR
minimum score of 22 on the speak section of the Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT)

Disputes concerning graduate assistants (GTA/GRA/GA) are employment matters that should be originated with the appointing department and be addressed through normal supervisory channels. The student should begin addressing the concern with the assigned supervisor of the assistantship and, if necessary, proceed to the department or unit head. If the matter is not resolved at the department or unit level, the student may present it to the Dean of the College in which the (GTA/GRA/GA) is employed. Formal grievance procedures do not apply to these appointments.

Individuals should contact Affirmative Action or the Office of Student Life regarding employment disputes believed to constitute discrimination or harassment, as defined in the "Policy and Procedure for Discrimination and Harassment Complaints" section of the University Handbook.

F. GRADUATE STUDY BY SENIORS AND UNDERGRADUATE SPECIAL STUDENTS

Seniors at Kansas State University who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on prior undergraduate work and are within two semesters of receiving a bachelor's degree may take up to 9 hours for graduate credit in courses numbered in the 500, 600, and 700 sequences.

Enrollment in courses at the 800 level and above is normally restricted to students admitted to the Graduate School. In exceptional circumstances, highly qualified students may enroll in courses numbered 800 and above after obtaining permission from the instructor of the course, the head of the department offering the course, and the Graduate Dean.

Those wishing to take more than 9 semester hours must apply for admission to, and be accepted by, the Graduate School. Following the award of a bachelor's degree, courses taken for undergraduate credit may not be changed to graduate credit.

A student enrolled as an undergraduate special student may not take courses for graduate credit.

G. GRADUATE WORK BY FACULTY AND STAFF

Full-time faculty and staff, with the approval of their department heads or deans, may enroll in graduate or undergraduate work not to exceed 6 credit hours in a regular semester or 3 credit hours during the summer session.

Full-time faculty and staff of the University may audit classes without cost if they have permission of their deans and the deans of the colleges in which the courses are offered.

Kansas State University does not permit the awarding of advanced degrees to its faculty who hold the rank of assistant professor or higher within their own departments or as requirements for promotion or tenure. ROTC personnel are excluded from this policy.