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Section IV: Programs
Comprehensive Standard for Graduate Programs

IV-19. The institution has an appropriate means for determining admission and completion of graduate and post-baccalaureate professional degree requirements. These requirements conform to commonly accepted standards and practices of institutions offering graduate and post-baccalaureate professional degree programs.

JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Yes, East Tennessee State University is able to provide a portfolio of evidence supporting compliance.

STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

East Tennessee State University defines appropriate and commonly accepted standards and practices for admission and completion requirements according to the standards of quality established by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), the Council of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS), and the Tennessee Conference of Graduate Schools (TCGS). The CGS sets and continuously evaluates national standards of graduate education, which are then validated and implemented by the regional and state organizations. In addition, systematic evaluations of all ETSU graduate requirements are completed on a five-year cycle, for both accredited and non-accredited programs, as part of a larger review of all aspects of each graduate program (ETSU Guidelines for Academic Program Review, Standards for Evaluating Graduate Programs; SACS Standard IV-17).

Admission Requirements, ETSU School Of Graduate Studies

Admission to the ETSU School of Graduate Studies rests with the graduate dean, upon the recommendation of academic departments or degree programs. The faculty of individual programs determine their own admission requirements, both qualitative and quantitative. To earn approval by the institution, graduate programs must show clear evidence that national standards are met. New or revised requirements are reviewed and approved by ETSU Graduate and Academic councils (ETSU Curriculum Process Manual; SACS Standard IV-1a) and by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR).

Minimum Criteria

Minimum criteria for admission to the ETSU School of Graduate Studies (ETSU Graduate Catalog, Admissions and Document Requirements) are determined by the graduate council, which is composed of graduate faculty representatives from the various colleges and schools. Minimally, students must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 2.5 grade point average (GPA) for admission. International students for whom English is not their first language must also meet a minimum score on the Test Of English for Foreign Languages (TOEFL). For applicants with degrees from non-accredited institutions, admissions personnel in the ETSU School of Graduate Studies review transcripts on an individual basis. The associate dean of graduate studies carefully reviews all transcripts for international applicants to verify that they have the equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate degree. All reviews are closely monitored by personnel in the graduate office.

The faculty of each academic department of discipline determines criteria for admission to specific degree programs (ETSU Graduate Catalog, see specific programs). All program-specific admission criteria, or changes to those criteria, are reviewed and approved by the ETSU Graduate and Academic councils and the TBR (ETSU Curriculum Process Manual). These criteria may include minimum scores on standardized tests (e.g., GMAT or GRE); minimum GPA values; letters of recommendation; and/or interviews (required for Communicative Disorders, Counseling, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Liberal Studies, Master of Arts in Teaching, and Physical Therapy). The faculty of each program are responsible for evaluation of these criteria. The graduate office is responsible for the receipt and verification of official documents.

Documentation

The ETSU School of Graduate Studies requires official transcripts of credit earned from all institutions of higher education previously attended (ETSU Graduate Catalog, Admission Requirements). In 1998, the ETSU Graduate Council approved electronic verification of transcripts for students who receive undergraduate degrees from ETSU. Official documentation of scores from nationally recognized tests (e.g., GRE, GMAT), when required, is overseen by the graduate office staff, who exercise due diligence to ensure that all required documents are official. Official TOEFL scores also are required of all international students for whom English is not their first language. When conditional admission is granted pending documentation, unconditional status is not awarded until official scores are reported to the graduate office.

Conditional Admission

In the event an applicant does not meet established admission criteria or has not submitted required documents, a program may admit the student conditionally, with the approval of the dean of graduate studies. Students may remain in conditional status for 15 credit hours or one calendar year, whichever is later. Decisions to grant conditional admissions are monitored closely by the graduate office staff, who also ensure that the student meets specified conditions in a timely manner.

Denial or Dismissal

 Students denied admission to or dismissed from the ETSU School of Graduate Studies for academic reasons may address a written request for reinstatement to the chair of their department or program. The request must include specific reasons why admission or readmission should be granted. The appropriate department will review the request and make a recommendation to the dean of the Graduate School (ETSU Graduate Catalog, 2001-2002, Admission Requirements). If the request is denied at the departmental level, the student may then appeal in writing directly to the Dean of the Graduate School. Final decisions are made in accordance with policies established by the Graduate Council (ETSU Graduate Catalog, 2001-2002, Admission Requirements).

Admission Requirements, ETSU James H. Quillen College of Medicine

Admission to the ETSU James H. Quillen College of Medicine is recommended to the dean of the college based on a competitive selection process among applicants that meet minimum requirements. Minimum admission requirements include completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours (from an accredited college or university), which must consist of a suite of specified courses in the sciences and communication, and official scores from the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) not more than two years old (ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Catalog, Requirements for Admission, Specific Academic Requirements, Medical College Admission Test). This college also requires minimum physical and health criteria (ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Catalog, Technical Standards for Admission, Health Requirements for Entering Students). Students seeking admission must submit a standard application from the American Medical College Application Service and selected applicants submit a supplementary application and recommendations (ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Catalog, Application, Application Procedure).

The competitive selection process is overseen by the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Admissions Committee, who also is responsible for interviewing well-qualified applicants (ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Catalog, Selection Criteria, Interviews). The process includes careful review and scrutiny of both academic and non-academic credentials and interview results, and focuses on those attributes demonstrated to predict success in medical school and the practice of medicine (ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Catalog, Admissions). The admissions committee is appointed by the dean and is representative of all constituencies. The membership, policies, activities, and results of all committee actions are monitored carefully by the COM administration and faculty, and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). All applicants not accepted are offered personal and individual counseling, which emphasize positive suggestions for improvement, and advised that they may appeal the committee decision based on the presentation of significant new evidence not available at the time of the original decision.

Completion Requirements, ETSU School Of Graduate Studies

East Tennessee State University has established policies governing all aspects of completion requirements for graduate degrees, including criteria for satisfactory academic progress toward the degree (ETSU Graduate Catalog, specific degree program requirements). Minimum completion requirements also are reviewed and approved by the ETSU Graduate and Academic councils and the TBR. Completion and progress requirements (ETSU Graduate Catalog, sections specified below) include the following:

• specified period of time for degree completion (Timetable);

• requirements governing residency (Residency Requirements);

• thesis and dissertation requirements (Degree and Graduation Requirements);

• minimum number of credit hours required (Degree and Graduation Requirements, and see specific degree program sections);

• minimum acceptable grade-point average (3.0 or higher; Grades, Academic Requirements, and specific departmental/program sections);

• level of academic progress at which students should obtain approval of their advisory committees and programs of study (Timetable);

• standards for satisfactory academic progress (Grades, and see specific degree program sections);

• level of academic progress at which the student should apply for candidacy (Admission of Candidacy, Approval of the Program of Study); and

• types of qualifying and exit examinations the candidate must pass (Timetable, see specific degree program sections).

All appropriate reporting documents required by the graduate school are available in electronic, editable formats (ETSU School of Graduate Studies Forms, Graduate Degree Application). The student's advisor and/or graduate coordinator, and the dean of graduate studies must approve all documents. Graduate school staff work closely with students and faculty to ensure that all committee members hold graduate faculty status and that a student's program of study meets all degree requirements. Fulfillment of all requirements is monitored closely by the school of graduate studies in association with the office of the registrar (ETSU School of Graduate Studies, Student Records).

Completion Requirements, ETSU James H. Quillen College of Medicine

The M.D. degree is awarded by the TBR upon certification by the faculty of ETSU that the student has successfully completed all requirements. Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Medicine (ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Catalog, Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Medicine) include successful completion of the specified curriculum, two years of which must be completed at ETSU, passing grades on parts 1 and 2 of the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam, and completion of specified commencement objectives, as overseen by the faculty Medical Student Education Committee (ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Handbook for Medical Students, Commencement Objectives).

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