Progression Policy

Any period of absence that prevents a student from meeting course outcomes may result in withdrawal or an incomplete grade in the course at the discretion of the instructor. Failure to register in each sequential semester also constitutes an interruption in the student's program. Students who have interrupted their program of study for more than one semester are required to submit a written request to re-enter the program to the IU Kokomo MSN Committee. All requests to the MSN Committee must be sent to the School of Nursing via registered mail, to the attention of the Assistant Dean for Nursing Graduate Programs. All requests for re-entry will be evaluated on the basis of the availability of resources. Reentry of students who have interrupted their study for any reason is not guaranteed and may require a refresher course and/or documentation of current competencies.

Curriculum changes during the period of interrupted progress toward the degree may result in review and revision of degree requirements based on evaluation of individual situations. Students who re-enter must adhere to the current policies and curriculum of the School of Nursing in effect at the time of reentry. Students re-entering will be expected to apply all knowledge and skills from previous courses upon re-entry.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are issued to students wishing to withdraw from any or all courses if the official withdrawal request is completed by the deadline dates printed in the current class schedule.  A grade of W will appear on student transcripts when students complete the official withdrawal request by the published deadline. Once the deadline for course withdrawals has passed, the student will need the permission of the faculty member responsible for the course and Dean of Nursing to withdraw.  A grade of either “F” or “W” will be awarded as determined by the instructor. ”W” is an option after the withdrawal deadline only if the student is passing (with at least a B-) the course at the time of the request and has an overall program GPA of at least 3.0.  A grade of “FN” will be recorded on the official transcript if a student stops attending but does not officially withdraw from class.

Students planning to withdraw from the graduate nursing program should meet with the Assistant Dean for Nursing Graduate Programs. Additionally, the following policies pertain to students:

• Failure to register in two sequential semesters constitutes withdrawal from the nursing program.
• A pattern of withdrawals may influence consideration of further reinstatement requests. 

Repeat Nursing Courses

A student who receives a grade lower than B- in a nursing course(s) will be required to repeat that/those course(s). A student will receive no more than two opportunities to successfully complete a given nursing course. Failure to receive a minimum grade of B- upon repeating a nursing course will result in dismissal.

Validation examinations may not be used as substitutes for repeating any nursing course. Students who need to repeat a nursing course must make a request to the IU Kokomo SON MSN Committee for placement in the repeated course. All requests for re-entry will be evaluated on the basis of the availability of resources. All requests to the MSN Committee must be sent to the School of Nursing via registered mail, to the attention of the Assistant Dean for Nursing Graduate Programs. When a student receives permission from the MSN Committee to repeat a nursing course, the request is granted on a space available basis. All future enrollments in the nursing major will be based on space availability.

Grade Appeals

Grade appeals must be initiated in writing within 30 calendar days after the student’s grade was posted. After 30 calendar days a student may only appeal a grade if severe circumstances have prohibited the student from filing on time. Examples of such circumstances include military deployment or catastrophic illness. Please access the Indiana University Kokomo Grade Appeals.

Policy for the complete grade appeals process at http://www.iuk.edu/admin-services/academic_affairs/resident_faculty/policies_procedures/grades/grade_appeal_process.shtml 

Academic Probation

A student will be placed on academic probation when any of the following conditions exist:

• The cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0.
• The semester grade point average is below 3.0.
• A grade below B- has been earned in a required course.
• Failure to comply with School of Nursing and/or MSN Program policies.

Academic probation will be removed after the semester during which the following conditions have been met:

• The cumulative grade point average is 3.0 or higher.
• The semester grade point average reaches 3.0 or higher.
• A minimum grade of B- has been earned in all required courses taken.
• Compliance with School of Nursing policies.

 Dismissal

 A student will be dismissed from the school of nursing when there is a lack of progress toward the degree. Evidence of lack of progress consists of one or more of the following: 

• Failure to attain a 3.0 grade point average in any two consecutive semesters.
• Failure to attain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in two semesters.
• Falsification of records or reports, plagiarism, or cheating on an examination, quiz, or any other assignment is cause for dismissal. See the Indiana University Code of Students Rights, Responsibilities & Conduct.
• The faculty reserves the right to dismiss any student whose personal integrity, health, or conduct demonstrates unfitness to continue preparation in the profession of nursing. Integrity and conduct will be judged according to the standards set by the 2001 revised Code for Nurses adopted by the American Nurses' Association.

Reinstatement

A student who has been dismissed from the School of Nursing for academic failure may request reinstatement by petitioning the IU Kokomo SON MSN Committee. Students who desire reinstatement in the program must submit a written request to the Assistant Dean for Nursing Graduate Programs. All requests to the Assistant Dean for Nursing Graduate Programs must be sent via registered mail. 

Reinstatement is not guaranteed. Reinstatement requests will be evaluated individually on the basis of faculty recommendations at the time of dismissal, academic standing, potential for progress toward the degree, availability of resources, and satisfactory completion of any conditions existing at the time of withdrawal or dismissal. Students who are reinstated must adhere to policies and curriculum in effect at the time of reinstatement.

Intercampus Transfers

Students in the MSN Program who are in good academic standing may seek intercampus transfer by sending a written request to the Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs. Intercampus transfer requests will be evaluated individually based on student record review. Transfer students must meet or exceed admission qualifications. Further, the availability of course positions, faculty, and facilities to meet student needs and program objectives will be considered.

Completion of Degree Requirements

All candidates for the Master of Science in nursing must fulfill the following requirements:

1. Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 39 credit hours that apply to the degree.
2. Achievement of a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
3. Achievement of a minimum of B- in each required course or equivalent by the second completed attempt.
4. Removal of all incompletes, deferred grades, and special credit course grades in nursing courses by three weeks prior to the end of the student’s last semester before graduation.
5. Completion of all coursework within four years after the enrollment in nursing courses.
6. Apply for the degree according to published IU Kokomo deadlines. 

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