Northeastern University Graduate Catalog 2012–2013 Contents THE UNIVERSITY 1 CURRICULUM AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS 49 BY PROGRAM General Admission and Transfer Credit 2 Academic Calendars 2 College of Arts, Media and Design 50 Regulations Applying to All Degree Programs 2 School of Architecture 50 Regulations Applying Only to PhD Programs 4 Art + Design 52 General Regulations and Requirements 4 School of Journalism 52 for NonDegree Certificate Programs Music 53 that Appear on the Transcript General Regulations and Requirements 4 D’Amore-McKim School of Business 55 for the Master’s Degree Master of Science 55 General Regulations and Requirements 5 Master of Business Administration 57 for the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study Dual Degrees 59 General Regulations and Requirements 5 for the Doctoral Degree College of Computer and Information Science 62 General Regulations and Requirements 5 Computer Science 64 for Interdisciplinary Graduate Degrees Health Informatics 65 Information Assurance 67 Information for Entering Students 7 New Graduate Student Information 7 College of Engineering 68 International Student Information 7 Bioengineering 69 Academic Resources 8 Chemical Engineering 69 Information Services 10 Civil and Environmental Engineering 70 Campus Resources 12 Computer Systems Engineering 73 Electrical and Computer Engineering 75 College Expenses 20 Energy Systems 76 Tuition and Fees 20 Engineering Leadership 78 Student Refunds 20 Engineering Management 78 Financial Aid Assistance 21 Industrial Engineering 79 Bill Payment 23 Information Systems 80 Mechanical Engineering 81 Academic Policies and Procedures 24 Operations Research 82 Graduate Schools Academic Policies 24 Telecommunication Systems Management 83 College of Professional Studies Academic Policies 26 Student Records and Transcripts 32 Bouvé College of Health Sciences 84 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) 34 Counseling and Applied Educational Psychology 84 Student Right-to-Know Act 35 Health Sciences 89 Appeals Policies and Procedures 35 School of Nursing 90 General Regulations 38 School of Pharmacy (Pharmaceutical Sciences) 96 Students’ Bill of Academic Rights and Responsibilities 46 Physical Therapy 98 Physician Assistant 100 Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology 101 Interdisciplinary 103 College of Professional Studies 105 APPENDIX 169 Accounting 105 Applied Nutrition 106 Commerce and Economic Development 107 Governing Board and Officers of Northeastern 170 Construction Management 108 Officers of the Corporation and Board of Trustees 170 Criminal Justice 108 Members of the Board of Trustees 170 Digital Media 109 Other Members of the Corporation 171 Education 112 Financial Markets and Institutions 125 University Leadership 172 Geographic Information Systems 126 Officers of the University 172 Global Studies and International Affairs 127 Academic Deans 172 Health Management 129 Vice Provosts 172 Human Resource Management 130 Vice Presidents 172 Human Services 130 Other Administrative Leaders 172 Informatics 131 Information Security 132 Faculty 173 Law and Policy 133 Leadership 134 Nonprofit Management 136 Code of Student Conduct 192 Organizational Communication 138 Applicability of Code 192 Physical Therapy 140 Applicability of Code of Conduct Off Campus 192 Project Management 142 Decision-Making Authority 192 Regulatory Affairs 144 General Expectations 192 Remote Sensing 147 Standards of Conduct 193 Respiratory Care 147 Violations 193 Technical Communication 149 Sanctions 197 Structure and Procedure of the Conduct Process 198 Student Conduct Board Hearings 200 College of Science 150 Student Conduct Board Hearing Procedures 201 Biology 150 Procedures for Student Appeals 202 Chemistry and Chemical Biology 152 Maintenance of Disciplinary Records 202 Mathematics 153 Interpretation and Revision 203 Physics 155 Psychology 157 Statements of Accreditation 204 Accreditation 204 College of Social Sciences and Humanities 158 State Licensure 206 School of Criminology and Criminal Justice 158 Approvals, Authorizations, and Exemptions 206 Economics 160 English 162 Institutional Calendars and Online Resources 207 History 163 Institutional Calendars 207 Law and Public Policy 164 Other Online Resources 207 Political Science 165 Sociology 166 Urban and Regional Policy 167 The University 2 The University General Admission and Transfer Credit ACADEMIC CALENDARS registered during the semester in which they complete all requirements for their degree. The graduate schools’ programs are offered on a semester calendar When circumstances warrant, e.g., medical exigency, a consisting of fifteen weeks. The College of Professional Studies student may seek a leave of absence. graduate programs are offered on a quarter calendar consisting of The university parental leave policy is available in the twelve weeks. University Policies section of the Office of the Provost website. QUARTER PROGRAMS For student records that include quarter hours, the approved Transfer Credit semester-hour conversion rate is (quarter hours) ¥ 0.750. For A maximum of 9 semester hours of credit (or 12 quarter hours) example, a 4-credit quarter course is equivalent to a 3-credit obtained at another institution may be accepted toward the degree, semester course. provided the credits consist of work taken at the graduate level for graduate credit, carry grades of 3.000 or better, have been earned SEMESTER PROGRAMS at an accredited institution, and have not been used toward any Traditional semester hours apply. baccalaureate or advanced degree or certificate at another institution. Transfer credits must be no more than five academic years REGULATIONS APPLYING TO ALL DEGREE PROGRAMS old at the time the student is admitted to graduate study. Courses older than five years will be accepted only in rare circumstances. A copy of each graduate degree program as approved by the Board Grades earned in transferred credits are not counted as part of of Trustees and as officially amended is on file in the Office of the the overall grade point average earned at Northeastern. Provost. This record contains the goals of all requirements for the Transfer credits will only be accepted at the discretion of the program. All descriptions of the program in the university, academic department and the college’s graduate office. college, and department publications must conform to this officially approved record. Descriptions of PlusOne programs are College of Professional Studies also on file in the provost’s office. Standards of admission are specific to degree programs. Transfer Credit Policies The College of Professional Studies (CPS) awards transfer credits for courses successfully completed at regionally and Admission Requirements programmatically accredited institutions. The Council for Higher Prior to beginning a graduate program, students must meet one of Education Accreditation provides information about the the following conditions: organizations responsible for these two forms of accreditation. • Have received a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an Official transcripts from all institutions should be sent directly to accredited college or university the CPS Office of Admissions at the time of application. • Have received a master’s degree or equivalent degree from an Transfer credits earned at institutions outside of the United accredited college or university States are considered on a case-by-case basis. Students should • Have received a first professional or equivalent degree from an submit an official English evaluation completed by an approved accredited college or university credential evaluator. Course descriptions and/or syllabi also • Be enrolled in a PlusOne program at Northeastern University should be translated into English and submitted to the CPS Office of Admissions. Registration Graduate courses will not be evaluated for transfer credit if Northeastern University has a policy of continuous registration they were earned to fulfill an academic requirement for a graduate while enrolled full-time in a graduate degree program. degree program. All graduate transfer credit awards are made on a All students must register for course work, research, thesis, case-by-case basis at the discretion of the graduate program dissertation, or continuation courses for each semester in order to director. With specified exceptions, a maximum of 8 quarter hours be in good standing in the program. Registration is continuous or two courses is allowed as graduate transfer credits toward a with the exception of summer. A student must be registered in graduate degree; a maximum of 4 quarter hours or one course is summer only if he or she will be graduating in the summer or allowed toward a graduate certificate. holds an award that requires registration. A student must be Assessment of Prior Learning (APL) credits are not awarded at the graduate level. NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY General Admission and Transfer Credit 3 In the CPS, to be accepted as transfer credit, prior course • Students who hold stipended graduate assistantships will be work must be: considered full-time if enrolled for a minimum of 6 semester • At the graduate level hours of credit. • A minimum course grade of B, or 3.000 on a 4.000 scale • Students for whom English is a second language, at the • Not be older than seven years discretion of their departments, will be considered full-time if they are enrolled in a minimum of 8 semester hours or three GRADUATE CERTIFICATE courses, whichever is less. TRANSFER CREDIT POLICIES • Students holding Dean’s scholarships,