Article 3: Academic Policies

1. Regulations of the University
2. General Education Requirements for the Bachelor of Health Science Degree
3. Admission
4. Acceptance of Transfer Credit
5. Credit by Examination
6. Academic Advising
7. Normal Course Load
8. Add/Drop & Withdrawal
9. Grading
10. Penalties for Scholastic Deficiency
11. Appeal and Revision of Records
12. Academic Progress/Standing
13. Appeal of Student Dismissal
14. Independent Study
15. Admission to Professional Curricula
16. Attendance
17. Personal Qualifications
18. Requirements for the Bachelor of Health Science Degree
19. Honor Roll Criteria
20. Honors Designation for the Bachelor of Health Science Degree
21. Student Health
22. Notice of Nondiscrimination
23. Undergraduate Assessment

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Article 3a: Regulations of the University

1. All students in the School of Health Professions are subject to the general regulations of the University.
   
   
2. Policies of the School of Health Professions incorporate those of the University of Missouri; however, in some instances, the faculty of the School of Health Professions have approved policy that is more stringent than that of the University.

Revised October 10, 1995

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Article 3b: General Education Requirements
Bachelor of Health Science Degree

1. The School of Health Professions incorporates all General Education Requirements as specified by the MU campus.
   
   
2. Effective fall, 1999, all students in the School of Health Professions with at least 55 hours of college credit must have completed Math 10 and English 20, or their equivalent, with grades in the "C" range or higher. Students who do not meet this requirement, will not be eligible to register the following semester.
   
   
3. Effective fall, 1999, a transfer student with at least 55 hours of college credit will not be eligible for acceptance into the School of Health Professions if the equivalent of English 20 and Math 10 have not been completed with grades in the "C" range or higher.

I & II Approved February 3, 1998
Revised April 2, 1996
Revised November 18, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Revised January 31, 1995
Revised January 14, 1994
Revised January 26, 1987
Approved December 2, 1980

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Article 3c: Admission

1. Students seeking admission to one of the programs offered by the School of Health Professions should make application to the University and enroll in the School of Health Professions as "Pre-Health Professions Students."
   
   
2. Students may make application for admission to the professional component of the program of their choice at a time specified by that program.
   
   
3. Prospective applicants to the School of Health Professions must meet requirements of individual pre-professional and professional programs. In addition, applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Test of Written English (TWE), and Test of Spoken English (TSE-A). Applicants should refer to specific department or program requirements for minimum scores in each type of test. Scores must be received by the application deadline.
   
   
4. The School of Health Professions will accept first-time freshmen who have received the Quartile 1, 2, or 3 designation. Quartile 4 designees who desire enrollment in the School may inquire after two successful semesters. The School recommends that Quartile 4 designees with an interest in a health profession, enroll initially in the College of Arts and Science.

Revised April 17, 2001
Revised October 21, 1997
Revised October 30, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Revised October 12, 1993
Revised November 10, 1992
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3d: Acceptance of Transfer Credit

1. Course work completed at an accredited institution of higher education and oriented toward a baccalaureate degree normally will be accepted at MU if the grade was C or better. However, not all credits transferred to MU fulfill specific requirements for a particular degree.
   
   
2. Work completed at a school which is not accredited (e.g. some technical schools, hospital schools, and foreign institutions) will require validation and evaluation for advanced standing.
   
   
3. A maximum of 64 semester hours of credit completed at a junior/community college may be applied toward the baccalaureate degree. Course work completed at an accredited four-year institution will be accepted without limitation, but the student must complete all coursework required by the degree program. Students must complete the final 24 semester hours of credit enrolled at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Revised October 30, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3e: Credit by Examination

1. Students may be awarded advanced standing credit on the basis of the following:
   
   
   1. The Advanced Placement Program (APP) of the College Entrance Examination Board
      
      
   2. The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) subject examinations
      
      
   3. University of Missouri-Columbia Departmental Examinations
      
      
      
2. Students with previous training and/or experience may be allowed to earn advanced standing credit through challenge examination or equivalency evaluation in certain programs offered by the School of Professions.
   
   
3. Advanced standing credit awarded on the basis of examination is not assigned a letter grade.

Revised October 30, 1995 (Policy Committee
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3f: Academic Advising

1. Academic advisement is considered a major responsibility of faculty advisors and academic advisors in the School of Health Professions, and each student will be assigned to a faculty member and/or academic advisor for advisement at both the preprofessional and the professional level of a degree program.
   
   
2. The School of Health Professions shall organize and maintain a system for Annual Review of Academic Advisement Performance.
   1. The purpose of the system will be to improve the quality of academic advising.
      
      
   2. The review process will allow faculty advisors, academic advisors, and administrators of the School of Health Professions to periodically assess advising roles and performance in order to strengthen and improve program goals which will be consistent with those of the School and the University of Missouri.
      
      
   3. Faculty advisors, academic advisors, and adminstrators should be aware of the specific procedures involved in the review process.
      
      
   4. The results of the evaluations will be incorporated into the CBHE Campus Based Program Review that occurs at 5-year intervals.
      
      
      
3. Implementation
   
   
   1. A student should meet at least once per semester with his/her academic advisor. Departments/programs should notify the students of this responsiblility at the start of each semester.
      
      
   2. Every student who is advised within a department must be given the opportunity to evaluate his/her advisor. The evaluation should be conducted once per year during Winter Semester.
      
      
   3. Departments should use the School of Health Professions evaluation form. However, individual departments may adapt the form to meet specific departmental needs. Variance from the School of Health Professions form will require prior approval from the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Regardless of which form is used, all students in the department must use the same form.
      
      
   4. The forms may be distributed to the students in any manner the department/unit decides. However, the procedure must ensure that every student who is advised is given a form and has the opportunity to complete it in a confidential manner.
      
      
   5. Evaluation forms will be sent to the Office of Student Affairs for tabuation. Individual forms should be sorted and returned to their respective departments and programs.

Revised February 12, 2002
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3g: Normal Course Load

1. Normal registration for undergraduate students during fall and winter semesters is 12-15 hours of credit. An undergraduate may not enroll in a course load of more than 17 semester hours of credit without prior written approval signed by an individual program director and the director of the School of Health Professions.
   
   
2. During summer sessions students may not enroll for more than 9 semester hours of credit during the combined two 4-week sessions and/or the 8-week session.

Revised October 30, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3h: Add/Drop & Withdrawal

1. The adding and/or dropping of courses after enrollment may be initiated only by the student. Cessation of attendance in a given course does not constitute formal withdrawal from that course, and course attendance without officially enrolling does not entitle a student to receive credit for that course. Add/Drops are not approved retroactively; therefore, changes in class schedules will be affected immediately.
   
   
2. Students may not add any course, other than Problems, Special Readings, or Research, after the expiration of two weeks following the first day of class in a regular session or the equivalent in a shorter session
   
   
3. A student who officially withdraws from a course on or after the 26th day is required to obtain the signature of the course instructor on the Add/Drop form and a grade of W or WF will be assigned at that time.
   
   
4. Students may not withdraw from a course or from MU after the published deadlines.
   
   
5. No grade will be assigned to a student who withdraws from a course prior to the beginning of the 5th week (25th day) of a semester or an equivalent period of time in a summer session, and no notation of enrollment in that course will be made on the transcript. Withdrawal from a course after the beginning of the 5th week (on or after the 25th day) and who is doing failing (F) work will be assigned the grade WF (WF's are counted as an F in the term grade point average). If the quality of the student's work is not judged to be failing at the time of withdrawal, the grade of W will be reported.

Revised October 30, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3i: Grading

1. The University of Missouri-Columbia has a limited Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading system which operates along with the A+ thru F grading system. A student who elects to begin a course under the S/U system is to be graded under that system upon completion of the course. Conversely, a student who begins a course under the A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F system is to be graded under that system upon completion of the course. A student may not elect to change from one system to the other following the close of the tenth day of classes in a given semester.
   
   
2. Students in the School of Health Professions may select one course outside their major per semester to be graded S/U in addition to any course so designated by a department.
   
   
3. In no case may more than 20 percent of the semester hours of credit applicable toward the degree be graded S/U.

Revised November 28, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Revised October 30, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3j: Penalties for Scholastic Deficiency

1. Students enrolled in the School of Health Professions are subject to the regulations of the University concerning scholastic probation, suspension, and dismissal (see Academic Regulations, Article VIII).
   
   
2. A student on academic probation must establish a 2.0 MU term grade point average in a minimum of twelve graded hours and a 2.0 cumulative grade point average within two successive terms of enrollment; otherwise, he or she is ineligible to re-enroll.

Revised November 5, 1996
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3k: Appeal and Revision of Records

1. Appeal of a grade is initially made to the instructor. Appeal then is to the program director. (See Academic Regulations, Article VII).
   
   
2. Appeal for correction of an academic record is made to the campus committee on Revision of Records. Such an appeal must be initiated through the Associate Director for Student Affairs.

Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3l: Academic Standing

1. To maintain enrollment in the School of Health Professions, students must demonstrate academic progress toward their declared degree program. Academic progress will be defined using the following guidelines:
   
   
   1. Students must make application to their professional program in accordance with the admission guidelines delineated by each program.
      
      
   2. Students who have not been accepted into the professional component of a program, must maintain both a term and cumulative GPA at or above 2.50.
      
      
      
2. Students transferring into the School of Health Professions from other divisions on campus and students from other institutions must have a cumulative GPA at or above 2.50 and meet any additional criteria stipulated by the program to which they intend to apply.
   
   
3. All students should be aware that the academic requirements of the individual professional programs vary and may be higher than the minimum stated above. It is, therefore, strongly recommended that students stay in close contact with the program they wish to enter regarding GPA requirements.

Revised November 28, 1995
Approved November 29, 1989

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Article 3m: Appeal of Student Dismissal

1. Programs/Departments must keep written documentation and follow due process (as described in M book) in regard to disciplinary steps which may lead to dismissal from a program/department in the School of Health Professions.
   
   
2. The Program Director/Department Chair will inform the student by certified mail, signature required, of the dismissal and the student appeal process.
   
   
3. If the student wishes to appeal this action, he/she must file a written appeal to the Dean of the School of Health Professions within 10 working days. Throughout this Article, the term “working days” shall not include days between the last day of the final examination period and the first day of the succeeding semester. Within 20 working days of receiving the appeal, the Dean shall decide to uphold the dismissal, reverse it, or refer the matter to the School of Health Professions Student Affairs Committee.
   
   
4. If the dismissal decision is upheld by the Dean, then the student has a right to appeal the decision to the Chair of School of Health Professions Student Affairs Committee. An appeal of dismissal must be made by the student in writing to the Chair of the School of Health Professions Student Affairs Committee within 10 working days of receiving notification of the decision of the Dean.
   
   
5. Whether the matter is referred to the Student Affairs Committee by the Dean, or an appeal of the Dean’s decision is submitted by the student, the following procedures will be put into place:
   
   
   1. When an appeal is presented to the Student Affairs Committee, that committee will convene a Student Appeals Committee within 10 working days of receiving the appeal. The Student Appeals Committee will consist of five (5) voting faculty who will render a decision and one (1) staff who will serve as recorder. No member of the Student Appeals Committee faculty shall hold an appointment in the program involved in the appeal. The committee’s first order of business shall be to elect a chair and then to proceed with the procedure described below.
      
      
   2. The Student Appeals Committee shall set a hearing date no sooner than 10 working days or later than 20 working days from its initial meeting. The student and his/her program director shall each submit a written statement of his/her position regarding the appeal to the Student Appeals Committee no later than five (5) working days prior to the hearing. Failure of the student to meet the deadline shall result in dismissal of the appeal. Failure of the program director to meet the deadline shall result in reversal of the action prompting the appeal. Both parties may submit names of individuals they wish to have testify on their behalf. The decision to invite an individual to testify shall be left to the discretion of the committee. The statements and lists of potential witnesses shall be addressed to: Chair, Student Appeals Committee, School of Health Professions, 504 Lewis Hall, Columbia, MO 65211.
      
      
   3. Following receipt of each written statement and list of individuals identified to testify, copies will be made and sent to the student and program director by the committee chairperson using the most rapid method practical under the circumstances.
      
      
   4. Upon request, copies of relevant transcripts, correspondence and university/school/program policies regarding retention/probation/dismissal will be made available to the student, program director, and Student Appeals Committee.
      
      
   5. The committee shall invite the student and the program director to all hearings. The student and the program director may choose to be accompanied by one advisor. The committee may call those whose participation in the hearing is considered relevant to give testimony and to answer questions of committee members.
      
      
   6. All faculty of the Student Appeals Committee are under an obligation to commit themselves to follow procedures consistent with fairness to all parties concerned. Members of the committee will not discuss the appeal with anyone outside of the hearing process. Their findings will be based only upon the evidence presented to them in meetings at which all affected parties are present.
      
      
   7. The committee shall set forth the rules for the hearing. The chairperson may, for good cause and with concurrence of a majority of the entire committee, authorize deviation from the suggested format. In all such cases, the principal parties shall be notified promptly.
      
      
      1. In each phase of a hearing the student shall be heard first and shall be primarily responsible for the presentation of his/her position.
         
         
      2. An advisor of the student may advise and briefly explain his/her position but shall not address the committee beyond this introduction until the end of the testimony.
         
         
      3. The program director shall be heard second in each phase of a hearing and shall be primarily responsible for the presentation of the position of the program.
         
         
      4. A reasonable time limit shall be established for all testimony, and it will be made known to the principals when the written statements are distributed.
         
         
      5. Every effort should be made to conduct the hearing as expeditiously as possible, with fairness to both parties.
         
         
      6. In order to promote the truthful, unfettered exchange of information and ideas, all testimony pertaining to the hearing shall be held in confidence.
         
         
      7. Only evidence and testimony relevant to the hearing may be introduced. The chairperson shall decide questions regarding the admissibility of evidence.
         
         
      8. Brief summary statements may be made by the student, program director and each advisor.
         
         
   8. A confidential recording of the student hearing shall be made and a transcript will be accessible to the parties involved and authorized representatives if requested.
      
      
   9. At the conclusion of the hearing, the members of the committee shall meet in closed session to deliberate upon their findings. A majority vote of the entire committee shall be required on all decisions. The Student Appeals Committee shall make written notification of its decision to the student by certified mail, signature required, and to the program director and Dean of the School of Health Professions within seven (7) working days from the closing the date of the hearing.
      
      
6. Failure of the student to meet any deadline will result in dismissal of the appeal.

Approved April 15, 2004
Revised February 24, 2004
Revised November 28, 1995
Approved November 21, 1989

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Article 3n: Independent Study

1. Students enrolled in the School of Health Professions must obtain the prior approval of the academic advisor and the Associate Director for Student Affairs before enrolling in an Independent Study Course. Without such prior approval, the school is under no obligation to accept the work as applicable toward the degree.
   
   
2. Normally, a student may apply no more than 30 semester hours of credit earned through independent study and/or extension toward the 120 semester hours of credit required for the degree; nor enroll in an independent study or extension course within the last 24 semester hours of the degree program.

Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3o: Admission to Professional Curricula

1. Each program in the School of Health Professions has a selection procedure and each has a time period during which students may make formal application for admission to the professional component of a program.
   
   
2. Selection for participation in the professional component of a program is a formal process governed by the program admission committee using established procedures and criteria.
   
   
3. Priority for admission to programs with limited enrollment must go to qualified residents of the state of Missouri as defined by the Rules of the Coordinating Board for Higher Education which were adopted by the Board of Curators on November 16, 1979. This policy applies to students who begin their higher education at the University as well as to those who wish to transfer to enroll in one of the programs in the School of Health Professions.
   
   
4. Neither the School of Health Professions nor any program in the school participates in decisions regarding residence. Questions concerning residence must be directed to the Admissions Office, 230 Jesse Hall.
   
   
5. Admission to the University and advisement by faculty of the School of Health Professions does not constitute nor guarantee admission to the professional component of any program.

Revised October 30, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3p: Attendance

1. Students enrolled in the School of Health Professions are expected to attend classes regularly and may be dismissed for inattention to their academic responsibilities. A faculty member may use attendance, or lack of attendance, as a criterion in the determination of a course grade. School of Health Professions students are subject to University policy and procedure as stated in the M-Book.
   
   
2. Permission to make up classwork missed as a result of absence is granted at the discretion of the individual instructor. Normally, students who have been absent from classes due to illness or hospitalization will be allowed an opportunity to make up work missed. If more than 3 weeks of class in a regular semester have been missed, students will be encouraged to withdraw from the University.

Revised October 30, 1995
Revised February 13, 1990
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3q: Personal Qualifications

1. In addition to the academic and clinical education requirements of a program, students must possess and exhibit those personal qualities and characteristics associated with patient welfare and professional trust. These elements are a part of the overall evaluation process for the professional component of each program. Students judged to be deficient in these elements are subject to dismissal from a program.

Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3r: Requirements for the Bachelor of Health Science Degree

1. To be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Health Science from the School of Health Professions, the student must have:
   
   
   1. Satisfactorily completed a minimum of 120 semester hours of credit including: MU general education requirements, preprofessional requirements, and courses required for the major.
      
      
   2. Completed the final 24 semester hours enrolled in a degree program in the School of Health Professions.
      
      
   3. Acquired a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0.
      
      
   4. Completed the requirements for the major with the minimum grades designated for each course by that program. Completion of all requirements for the degree according to the regulations of the School of Health Professions is the responsibility of the student.
      
      
      
2. Students with a baccalaureate degree may be awarded the Bachelor of Health Science degree as a second degree by:
   
   
   1. Completing all requirements for the major in the School of Health Professions that were not met in the first degree.
      
      
   2. Completing a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit enrolled in a degree program in the School of Health Professions.

Revised October 30, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Approved April 21, 1981

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Article 3s: Honor Roll Criteria

1. Criteria for the Honor Roll (Dean's List) for the School of Health Professions requires a term GPA of 3.3 or above on a 4.0 scale for a full-time enrollment of 12 or more graded semester hours of credit during a regular semester or a full-time enrollment of 6 or more graded semester hours of credit during a summer session

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Article 3t: Honors Designation for the Bachelor of Health Science Degree

1. The School of Health Professions shall utilize the three recognized honors designations (SUMMA CUM LAUDE, MAGNA CUM LAUDE, and CUM LAUDE) to formally acknowledge outstanding academic performance on the part of students at the baccalaureate level.
   
   
   1. The basis for honors designation shall be cumulative grade point average as opposed to certain percentage of the graduating class.
      
      
   2. Qualification for a laude degree will require a minimum of 50 graded semester hours completed on the Columbia Campus while enrolled in the School of Health Professions.
      
      
   3. Qualification for a laude degree shall be based upon either the last 50 graded semester hours completed on the Columbia Campus or the overall cumulative grade point average for work completed on the Columbia Campus, whichever is higher.
      
      
   4. In no case will a laude degree be conferred on an individual whose overall grade point average for work completed on the Columbia Campus is less than 3.00.
      
      
   5. Criteria for graduation with honors will be reviewed every two years.
      
      
      
2. Procedure.
   
   
   1. Preliminary List
      
      The Student Affairs Office forwards a compiled list to the Office of the Registrar. This preliminary list includes the name of each prospective graduate as it is to appear on the diploma and includes any honors designation for which it appears the student may qualify. The list is used to prepare the diploma, commencement bulletin and for news releases.
      
      
   2. Revised List
      
      After final grades have been reported and received in the Student Affairs Office, a revised list of graduates is forwarded from the School of Health Professions to the office of the Registrar. This revised list contains the name of each graduate and any honors designation for which the student has qualified.
      
      Honors designations for the final list shall be based upon the requisite grade point average and a minimum of 50 graded semester hours completed on the Columbia Campus.
      
      
      
3. Criteria for Honors Designation
   SUMMA CUM LAUDE 3.900 - 4.000
   MAGNA CUM LAUDE
   3.700 - 3.899
   CUM LAUDE
   3.500 - 3.699

Revised December 1, 1998
Revised October 21, 1997
Revised September 30, 1996 (Policy Committee)
Revised December 19, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Revised October 30, 1995 (Policy Committee)
Approved April 22, 1980

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Article 3u: Student Health

1. Students enrolled in the School of Health Professions shall meet health requirements as established by their respective programs. The required evidence of good health, screening tests, and immunizations shall be recorded at the Student Health Service prior to the student's clinical experience. Due to the high risk found in the clinical environment, it is strongly recommended that all students be covered by medical insurance. Specific requirements shall reflect program accreditation standards and policies of institutions where students will gain clinical experience.

Approved April 12, 1983

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Article 3v: Notice of Nondiscrimination

1. Applicants for admission and employment, students, employees, sources of referral of applicants for admission and employment, and all unions holding collective bargaining agreements with the University of Missouri- Columbia are hereby notified that this institution does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual preference, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam Era in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities. Any person having inquiries concerning the University of Missouri-Columbia's compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is directed to contact the director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, University of Missouri-Columbia, 217 Jesse Hall, Columbia, MO. 65211, (573) 882-7885. The director of the Office of Equal Opportunity has been designated by the University to coordinate the institution's efforts to comply with the aforementioned regulations. Any person may also contact the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, regarding the institution's compliance with these regulations.

Approved November 21, 1989

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Article 3w: Undergraduate Assessment

In accordance with the policy statement on assessment adopted by the Board of Curators in December 1987, the School of Health Professions shall evaluate the outcomes of students' education. It states as follows:

The process of assessing the major field should include a faculty determination of the goals or outcomes appropriate for graduates in that field, and a measurement of the extent to which students are achieving those goals or outcomes.

Effective August 29, 1988
Approved May 24, 1988

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