Scholarship standards

Evaluation of student performance and progression

Admission to the Graduate School allows students to engage in graduate study and research at the University of Washington. Continuing in the Master of Nursing program occurs only as long as students maintain satisfactory performance and progress toward completion of the graduate degree program as outlined in Graduate School Memorandum No. 16. Students must also meet the requirements found in the University of Washington Student Conduct Code as amplified in the Nursing program's Essential Behaviors for Admission, Continuance, and Graduation document.

Completion of the masters program requires that students make satisfactory progress each quarter toward meeting program objectives, completing required courses and credits, completing a scholarly project, thesis, or course work option, passing a final exam, and completing final quarter requirement.

Evaluation of student performance

Assessment of student performance is based on the following guidelines:

• Satisfactory Progress
• Unsatisfactory Progress
• Evaluation Procedures: Quarterly Review and Annual Reviews

Satisfactory progress

A masters student who is making satisfactory progress meets the University and program standards relative to scholarship and performance in pursuit of the master's degree and includes each of the following:

1. Maintain a 3.00 cumulative GPA
2. Earn a quarterly GPA of 3.00 or higher.
3. Earn a grade of 2.7 or higher in required courses.
4. Make adequate progress with the scholarly project, thesis, or course work option as demonstrated by the faculty adviser’s or supervisory committee chair’s progress notes regarding student demonstration of interest, responsibility in working toward completion of project, thesis, or course work option, and number of credits taken before a proposal has been approved.
5. Meet all "Essential Behaviors" for continuation and graduation (see Essential Behaviors).

Unsatisfactory Progress

Students who are having academic difficulties are encouraged to work directly with their course instructor and faculty adviser. If applicable, they will work directly with their supervisory committee chair. Students who are not making satisfactory progress in a course will be issued a warning notice by the course faculty. Students who are not making satisfactory progress the program of study, as outlined in Graduate Memorandum No. 16 and/or the Essential Behavior Document are issued a warning letter. To guide the student toward success, a formal learning contract may be written by the faculty adviser and, as appropriate, by the Graduate Coordinator, in order to identify the areas of deficiency and specify corrective actions to satisfactorily meet program objectives. The student and faculty sign the learning contract. This learning contract may accompany the warning letter and will be placed in the student file.

If the student is included on the UW Graduate School's Low Scholarship Report, the student may also be recommended for warn, probation, final probation, or drop by Graduate Program Coordinator as approved by the majority of the nursing graduate faculty.

Final probation or drop may be recommended by the Graduate Program Coordinator to the UW Graduate School due to low grade point average or unsatisfactory performance and progress, and will be reviewed by the Dean of the Graduate School as outlined in Graduate School Memorandum No. 16. Students will be informed of a change in status by letter from the Dean of the Graduate School.

Evaluation Procedures

Frequency of Evaluation of Progress: Master's student performance is reviewed on a quarterly and on an annual basis as described below. Student-faculty conferences may be initiated by the student or by a faculty member at any time.

Quarterly Reviews

Quarterly reviews are conducted by:

1. the Graduate School Coordinator who:
   1. receives a quarterly Low Scholarship Report from the UW Graduate School of students with a cumulative or quarterly G.P.A. less than 3.00;
   2. seeks input from the faculty adviser or the supervisory committee chair, and MN Committee regarding a listed student;
   3. based on the MN Committee’s assessments, may recommend the following actions in writing to the Graduate School regarding a listed student: no action, warn, probation, final probation, or drop. If a change of status has been recommended, the Graduate School notifies the student in writing. A letter may also be sent by the Graduate Coordinator to the student's adviser or supervisory committee chair when a change of status has been recommended.
2. the faculty adviser and/or the supervisory committee chair, and /or program faculty who:
   1. assess student readiness to progress in the program, make progress notes in the student file, and may hold conferences with the student to discuss their progress;
   2. seek input from the MN Committee if progress is not being made on the scholarly project, thesis, or course work option. If progress is not being made on the scholarly project, thesis, or course work option, the MN Committee may recommend that the student be sent a letter of warning.
   3. at the request of the Graduate Coordinator reviews the total records of a student on the Low Scholarship Report to determine if the student is meeting program requirements and making satisfactory progress with the scholarly project, thesis, or course work option, noting the recommendations in the student file.

Annual reviews

Annual reviews are conducted in Winter or Spring Quarter each year by the Graduate Program Coordinator in concert with faculty. Students are notified in writing of the outcome of the annual review, which may include recommendations for action by the student and/or the student's supervisory committee.

Approved by UW Tacoma Nursing faculty 3/7/01. Editorial revisions 11/5/01; 8/18/03.