Academic Standing/Progression Standards for Students Admitted to the MSN Program

Good Standing:  Students must achieve a grade of B- or higher in all nursing courses, and maintain a grade point average of 3.0 to remain in good academic standing.

Academic Probation:  A student is placed on academic probation when the cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 or if he or she earns below a B- in a required course. Students who are placed on academic probation for two semesters will be dismissed from the program.

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

1. Cumulative grade point average is below 3.0.
2. Semester grade point average is below 3.0.
3. A grade below B- has been earned in a required course.

Academic probation will be removed after the semester when the following conditions exist:

1. Cumulative grade point average is 3.0 or higher.
2. Semester grade point average is 3.0 or higher.
3. A grade of B- or above has been earned in the required course(s).

Dismissal: A MSN student may be dismissed from the program when, in the judgment of the Graduate Faculty Council, there is a lack of progress toward the degree. Lack of progress includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Failure to achieve a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
• Failure to meet Indiana University School of Nursing Essential Abilities expectations (refer to the Statement of Essential Abilities listed under General Policies of the School of Nursing in this section of this publication).
• Failure to achieve a grade of B- or above in a nursing course after two attempts.

Dismissal may occur without prior probation for certain reasons, including but not limited to the following. Any student who is academically dismissed at one Indiana University campus is also in dismissal status at all other Indiana University campuses.

• Falsification of records and reports, plagiarism, or cheating on an examination, quiz, or any other assignment is cause for dismissal (see Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct; and CHHS Code of Conduct).
• The faculty reserves the right to dismiss any nursing student whose personal integrity, health, or conduct demonstrates unfitness to continue preparation for the profession of nursing. Integrity and conduct is judged according to the standards of the most recent Code of Ethics for Nurses as adopted by the American Nurses’ Association and the IU School of Nursing Statement of Essential Abilities.

When a student is dismissed, he or she will receive a formal letter from the Director of the School of Nursing. The dismissal of any nursing student is contingent upon review by the Graduate Faculty Council on the campus of enrollment. Nursing student dismissal is subject to the CHHS Disciplinary and Appeals Process.

Reentry/Reinstatement:  Failure to register in each sequential semester, including summer sessions, constitutes an interruption in the student's program. Students who have so interrupted their programs are required to submit written request of intent to reenter the program to the Graduate Track Coordinator. All requests for reentry will be evaluated on the basis of available resources. Students who reenter must adhere to the academic policies in effect at the time of reentry. Reentry of students who have interrupted their study, for any reason, is not guaranteed. Reentry may require validation of knowledge and skills competency.

Graduation/Degree Requirements:

Grades for Clinical Nursing Courses

Students must receive a grade of (S)atisfactory in all clinical courses. Failure to receive a grade of S constitutes failure.  When the clinical course is part of an overall didactic course, the student must receive a minimum of B- in the didactic portion and an S in the clinical portion to pass the course.

Repeat of Nursing Courses

See Resuming Progression below. Students may repeat a course only once. Failure to successfully complete both the didactic and clinical portions (where applicable) of any course on the second attempt will result in dismissal.

Withdrawal:   

Withdrawal from a Nursing Course:  Students may withdraw from a course via One.IU until the automatic withdrawal deadline. Once the deadline for course withdrawals has passed, the student will need the permission of the Director of the School of Nursing to withdraw and 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 a didactic grade of B (3.0) and/or a satisfactory clinical performance. If the student stops attending, but does not officially withdraw from the class, an “FN” will be recorded on the transcript. More than one (1) academic withdrawal in a semester is considered lack of progress toward the degree. Note:  Withdrawal from the didactic portion of a course requires withdrawal from the clinical portion of the course also.

Withdrawal from Nursing Program: Students who wish to withdraw from all courses are required to make an appointment and meet with the Graduate Track Coordinator or Associate Director of the Graduate Program. Withdrawal from the nursing program requires a student to seek reinstatement to the program.

Resuming Progression:  Eligible nursing students who wish to resume studies or repeat a course must request approval (i.e. petition) from the faculty.  Students must include a Plan for Success addressing areas of deficiency in their request.   Nursing students who wish to resume progression must submit a written request to the Graduate Track Coordinator by May 1 for fall reinstatement, October 1 for spring reinstatement, and February 1 for summer session reinstatement.  This request requires a list of the specific courses in which the student wishes to enroll and, as appropriate, an explanation of any extenuating circumstances that may have hindered academic performance, and a Plan for Success addressing areas of deficiency.  All requests for progression are evaluated on the basis of available resources, and, if appropriate, on the satisfactory completion of any conditions and /or faculty recommendations' existing at the time progression was disrupted.  Resuming students must adhere to the academic policies in effect at the time of resuming studies, and to any conditions applied to approval of the request.  Students withdrawing from required nursing coursework are considered to be out-of-sequence students.  The date of graduation for out-of-sequence students is not guaranteed.

Time Limit on Coursework

All coursework must be completed in 4.5 years (10 semesters).