Graduate & Professional Program Policies

Students enrolled in the Graduate and Professional Program courses will be reviewed for academic standing every seven weeks at the end of each term. Undergraduate students who have a term GPA below 2.0 and graduate students with a term GPA below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation for the next term enrolled. During this probationary period the student may not receive any Incomplete grades.

Unsatisfactory Student Progress/Academic Probation

Academic Probation: If an undergraduate student receives a semester GPA below 2.0 in any term, they will be placed on academic probation for the following term or next term enrolled. If a graduate student receives a term GPA below a 3.0 in any semester, they will be placed on academic probation for the following term or next term enrolled. During this probationary period, the student may not receive any Incomplete (INC) grades. Students who earned a term GPA below 2.0 (undergraduates) and 3.0 (graduate students) as a result of INC grades are also placed on academic probation, regardless of the reason for the INC grade. During this probationary semester, the student must not receive any grades of INC. Students on probation due to a(n) INC grade(s), who after receiving a final letter grade(s) for the courses in which INC grades were awarded, have an adjusted term GPA of 2.0 or above (undergraduate students) or 3.0 or above (graduate students), will have the probationary status removed from their academic history. A student's probationary status for a particular term does not change when a credit deficiency has been processed affecting the original term GPA. Students who receive an INC grade in their final semester will not be eligible for degree conferral.

Academic Dismissal: If the student fails to achieve satisfactory academic progress (see definition of satisfactory academic progress above) at the end of this probationary semester, the student will be dismissed from the College regardless of cumulative GPA. Academic dismissal from Graduate and Professional Programs is permanent. Students may not petition for remittance to the College.

Financial Aid Implications: In order to continue receiving financial assistance, students must pass a minimum of 67% of courses attempted after the completion of two semesters and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 after the completion of four semesters. Private student loans may not be available to students who are not maintaining satisfactory academic progress.

The Academic Review Board reviews petitions for exceptions to academic policies and monitors satisfactory academic progress of students toward degree completion. Students should complete the Academic Review Board Petition Form available in Academic Affairs and the Office of the Registrar and consult with their advisor.

Students wishing to change a course must secure the necessary forms and/or contact the Office of the Registrar in writing from their Emmanuel College email address. Students may not enter a class after the add period.

Due to the accelerated nature of most GPP courses, registration adds after the first few days of the term are typically not permitted. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for add/drop deadlines. The drop period ends one week after the semester starts. After the first week, students may withdraw from a course with a grade of W through the withdrawal deadline. 

Please see specific dates under the GPP section of the website.

After the add/drop period , a student may withdraw from a course with a grade of W by emailing regmail [at] emmanuel.edu (regmail[at]emmanuel[dot]edu).   The dates for final withdrawal from courses can be viewed on the Academic Calendar. W grades are non-punitive and do not factor into the term or cumulative grade point average. Please note that non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal from a course; a student must contact the Office of the Registrar to officially withdraw. All requests for registration changes, including course withdrawals, must be in writing. Phone requests will not be accepted.

When communicating by e-mail, students must request confirmation from the Office of the Registrar. Students who do not officially withdraw will be responsible for the cost of the course. Students should reference the drop/withdrawal dates and refund policy for the 7 week courses on the GPP section of the website.

Students who do not officially withdraw, regardless of attendance status, will receive a final letter grade.

Students are expected to attend class regularly. Each faculty member will state clearly on the course syllabus the relationship between class participation and course grade. Faculty members may take attendance.

Non-attendance or non-participation in online courses does not constitute an official drop or withdrawal from a course. Students will remain enrolled in a course(s) unless a request for a drop or withdrawal has been made to the Office of the Registrar in writing. Students should see the academic calendar for drop/withdrawal deadlines.

Undergraduate class standing is determined by the number of credits completed by the beginning of the first semester of the academic year; for second-year standing, 32 credits; for third-year standing, 64 credits; for fourth-year standing, 96 credits; and for graduation, 128 credits.

Courses that fulfill core undergraduate major requirements (specific courses that must be completed for the major) may be repeated to meet college requirements of a C or better or a C- in a pre-requisite to progress to the next course in a sequence. The student must repeat the same course.  Courses that have earned the minimum passing grade may not be repeated.

Students who do not pass a general education course or a major elective must repeat the same course in order to have lower grade removed from GPA calculation after the repeat has been completed. A course that has received a letter grade may only be repeated once.  Students may not enroll in a course that has been graded for a third time at Emmanuel. Students who have not successfully passed a major requirement after two attempts should submit a Petition to the Academic Review Board to discuss options. Students who take another approved course outlined in the academic catalog to fulfill the requirement may petition to do so on the Credit Deficiency Removal Form for approval of the new course to fulfill the requirement, but the original course credit will remain on the transcript and original grade will continue to factor into the GPA.

Credit for repeated courses will be awarded only for one of the courses and the higher of the grades will be calculated in the cumulative grade point average. If a course is completed off-campus after two unsuccessful attempts at Emmanuel, the transfer course may fulfill the requirement or serve as a pre-requisite for subsequent courses, but the higher of the two original attempts completed at Emmanuel will continue to factor into the Emmanuel GPA (one F if both grades are failing or the higher of the ‘non-passing’ credit bearing attempt if one or both earned credit). All original grades remain on the transcript as part of the student’s academic history. Should the original grade have resulted in the student being placed on academic probation, the new grade will not affect the original probationary status, including resulting in academic suspension the following semester if the criterion for good academic standing is not met at the conclusion of that semester.  It is the student’s responsibility to submit a completed Credit Deficiency Removal form from the available on the Office of the Registrar’s webpage to register for a course repeat to complete the process.

One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately 15 weeks for one semester hour of credit. For accelerated courses, 15-20 hours of out-of-class student work each week. At least an equivalent amount of work for other academic activities, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

A degree application must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar via EC Online Services by September 15 for December completion, by February 15 for May completion and June 15 for September completion. Failure to complete a degree application will delay a student’s ability to graduate. Participation in the May Commencement Ceremony will be allowed upon successful completion of all academic requirements and financial obligations. For more information regarding commencement degree requirements and the process to apply for graduation view the Commencement tab.

Emmanuel College confers degrees three times per year. The first conferral is on the date of the May commencement ceremony. The second conferral is September 15th and the third conferral December 31st. Students who do not complete all degree requirements by the spring semester grades due date will be considered September graduates. Those students who finish between September and the end of December will be December graduates. Written verification of degree completion is available upon request from the Office of the Registrar. The degree, including any major and minor declared at the time of conferral will be the student’s official academic program for that degree level.

Once a student’s degree is conferred, the student’s record for that academic program and level has permanently closed and changes will not be made to the record after the conferral date. Students will be asked to verify their degree and program in writing prior to the degree conferral. Any additional coursework completed after the degree conferral will not impact the credentials nor final cumulative GPA at the time of the conferral. Failure to notify the Office of the Registrar about any undeclared programs for which a student may have earned prior to conferral, will result in the academic programs declared at that time being the final academic record for that program for the student. Additional majors or minors will not be added to the student record retroactively.

Students may earn two majors, but only one degree. Undergraduate students declared with two majors that are housed within different baccalaureate degrees (such as a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science) will be provided the option to choose the degree with which to graduate. Students must make this determination prior to the degree conferral. Students in this situation who do not confirm their preferred degree to be listed as their final academic record will graduate with the declared degree on file and the degree posted will not be adjusted at a later date.

The final official transcript includes the student’s posted degree and conferral date, major and any minors, language certificates, any honors awarded including Latin Honors, Honors Program, Distinction in the Field, and any Education certifications. The diploma lists the students name, degree, and any applicable Latin Honors for undergraduate students.

The Emmanuel College email account is the official communication method for all matriculated students, faculty, and staff. Once a student has been registered for their first semester courses, the College will only send emails to and respond to emails from the student’s official Emmanuel College email address.

Grades and Transcripts

Faculty of record for a course will evaluate and submit final grades to the Registrar at the end of each course. Final grades are available on Student Planning at the close of the term. Students who need official grade reports for tuition reimbursement purposes should contact the Office of the Registrar. Official transcripts are provided at the written requires of students. View Transcripts for more information on requesting grade reports and transcripts. Current students may view and download their unofficial transcript on Student Planning.

Grading System

Instructors submit final grades to the Registrar five calendar days after the last class or last day of the term for online courses. Letters express the quality of the work and are correlated as grade point values as follows:

Grade and Grade Point Value

GPA: A student's grade point average or credit ratio is the ratio of quality points earned to credits carried. Grades submitted at the end of a course are considered final.

For undergraduate GPP students, a minimum grade of 2.0 (C) or better is required for major courses and a grade of 1.0 (D) or better for other coursework. An undergraduate GPA of 2.0 (C) is required for graduation. Major courses with grades below a 2.0 (C) will need to be repeated. See the Credit Deficiency Removal/Course Repeat Policy below for more information. Nursing Students should review the Nursing Student Handbook for specific grade and pre-requisite requirements for nursing courses.

For graduate courses, students must receive a grade of 3.0 (B) or higher to fulfill degree requirements. Courses with grades below a 3.0 (B) will need to be repeated. See the Credit Deficiency Removal/Course Repeat Policy below for more information. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B) is required for graduation.

Students who are not achieving satisfactory academic progress will be notified in writing by the Office of the Registrar.

In exceptional cases, students who have been unable to complete the work of a course may request to receive a grade of INC. An INC is a temporary grade granted only for extraordinary reasons, e.g., serious prolonged illness. Simply missing work or failure to submit assignments or appear for final exams is not appropriate justification for an INC grade. In these instances, faculty will be required to submit a final letter grade (A-F) based on grade earned. Students should be currently passing and have completed the majority of coursework at the time of the INC grade submission.

Incomplete grades must be requested by the student in writing. All INC requests must be reviewed by the Department Chair and Associate Dean prior to approval and reviewed by the Associate Dean of Student Learning and Success. Consideration for an INC will be made based on individual circumstances. Students will be notified by the Associate Dean of Student Learning and Success whether their INC request has been granted.

INC Grade Petitions must be submitted no later than the last day of classes for the semester. INC grades are submitted to the Office of the Registrar via the online grading tool within ECLearn during the final grade submission but will not be officially posted until receipt of the approved INC Grade Petition Form. Faculty will complete the online Incomplete Grade Form in conjunction with the grade submission for each INC grade awarded.

An INC grade carries 0.0 quality points, until the faculty member has submitted a final letter grade to the Office of the Registrar and a grade change is processed. This may result in a term GPA below 2.0. for undergraduate programs or a term GPA below 3.0 for graduate programs. Regardless of the reason for INC grades, any term GPA below 2.0 for undergraduate courses and 3.0 for graduate courses will place the student on Academic Probation.

If a student with an INC grade(s) is placed on Academic Probation for a term GPA below 2.0 for undergraduate programs and 3.0 for graduate programs, and the final grade(s) submitted increases the term GPA at or above those thresholds, the student’s probationary status for that semester will be expunged from the student’s record and academic history.

Outstanding work noted on the INC form must be completed within 28 days of the term ending. Faculty have 7 days after this date to submit the final letter grade to the Registrar, although individual faculty members may determine an earlier deadline for coursework submission. Students with INC grades should ensure that INC grade deadline associated with their course will not impact eligibility for financial aid.   For more information, please see the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) section or contact the Office of Student Financial Services.

Students who receive one or more INC grades at the time of the semester’s final grades deadline are not eligible for the Dean’s List, including after a final letter grade has been submitted.

Incomplete grades not replaced by the deadline automatically become an F. In extraordinary circumstances, the Dean of the Academic School in which the course with the INC grade lives, in consultation with the student and faculty member, may extend the INC, but not beyond the final day of that semester. A student on academic probation may not receive any grades of INC.  A student with an INC in his or her final semester will not be eligible for degree conferral. A student who has received a final letter grade cannot have that letter grade changed to an INC grade retroactively.

Grade Changes

Changes in any assigned grade will not be made beyond one semester after the initial awarding of the grade. Grade change requests must be signed by the Vice President of Academic Affairs or the Academic Dean. A student who, after consultation with the faculty member, wishes to challenge a grade on a transcript or grade report should follow the procedures outlined in the Grade Grievance Policy below.

The faculty on record for a course will grade all assignments, including the final exam, and submit the official final grade to the Office of the Registrar. Only the faculty on record may officially change a grade.

If on review, a student wishes to challenge a grade, whether on an individual assignment or the final transcripted grade, the formal procedure should be followed in the order listed below. Students may appeal a grade no later than one year after the course was completed. Unless a calculation error occurs, records of students who have graduated are final and cannot be amended.

1. Student: The student determines an error has been made by consulting with the faculty member involved and/or in consultation with the Registrar (or other officer involved).
2.  
3. Faculty: The student should consult with the faculty on record for the course to challenge the grade. If after discussing with the faculty member, the student believes the grade is still in error, the student may choose to petition to the Department Chair by email. If the faculty member was an adjunct and no longer employed by the College, the student should consult the Department Chair.
4.  
5. Department Chair: The Department Chair may, after discussing with the student, consult with the faculty member regarding the grade. If the student believes the situation cannot be resolved, the student may petition the Dean of the applicable School.
6.  
7. Academic Dean: After discussing the matter with the Dean, if the student believes the situation has not been resolved, the student may petition the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA).
8.  
9. Vice President of Academic Affairs: The VPAA will review the situation and inform the student of a decision regarding the grievance. The VPAA decision is final and cannot be appealed.

For a list of Department Chairs and Associate Deans please visit: Academic Affairs Administration

A student must first attempt to resolve an academic complaint internally using the Emmanuel College grade grievance policy as outlined above. If an issue cannot be resolved internally, the student may file a SARA complaint with the MA Department of Higher Education here.

A minimum of 128 credits is required for the undergraduate Bachelor of Science degrees. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) or higher is required for graduation in the Bachelor of Science degrees. A grade of 2.0 (C) or higher is required for major/upper division courses.

A minimum of 30 credits is required for a graduate degree, some graduate degrees required more than 30 credits. Students must earn a 3.0 (B) or higher in graduate courses. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B) is required for a graduate degree or certificate.

Degree and Certificate Applications

A degree application must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar via EC Online Services by September 15 for December completion, by February 15 for May completion and by June 15 for September completion. Failure to complete a degree application will delay a student’s ability to graduate. Participation in the May Commencement Ceremony will be allowed upon successful completion of all academic requirements and financial obligations.

Students who apply and are accepted into the graduate degree programs at Emmanuel will in the natural course of fulfilling the degree requirements complete the coursework required for the respective certificate program offered at Emmanuel. Degree-seeking students are not eligible to receive the certificate and will be awarded only the senior credential, the degree, upon completion of the degree requirements on the degree conferral date.

View more information regarding Commencement degree requirements.

Degree Conferral and Final Transcript

Emmanuel College confers degrees three times per year. The first conferral is on the date of the May commencement ceremony. The second conferral is September 15th and the third conferral December 31st. Students who do not complete all degree requirements by the spring semester grades due date will be considered September graduates. Students completing between September and the end of December will be December graduates. Written verification of degree completion is available upon request from the Office of the Registrar. The degree declared at the time of conferral will be the student’s official academic program for that degree level.

Once a student’s degree is conferred, the student’s record for that academic program and level has permanently closed and changes will not be made to the record after the conferral date. Students will be asked to verify their degree and program in writing prior to the degree conferral. Any additional coursework completed after the degree conferral will not impact the credentials nor final cumulative GPA at the time of the conferral.

The final official transcript includes the student’s posted degree and conferral date, major and any minors, language certificates, any honors awarded including Latin Honors and Distinction in the Field, and any Education certifications. The diploma lists the students name, degree, and any applicable Latin Honors for undergraduate students.

For additional information on commencement participation, graduation requirements, degree application, honors, degree conferral and the final transcript please view our Commencement Information.

Latin Honors for Baccalaureate Degrees

Latin Honors—cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude—are awarded at graduation to bachelor's degree candidates who have achieved the highest scholastic performance among their peers, and have competed at least 64 credits at Emmanuel College. Graduates who earned Latin Honors will have their honors (cum laude, Magna cum laude, or Summa cum laude) noted on the diploma and final official transcript. Starting with the December 2023 graduating class, 

Latin Honors are awarded to members of the graduating class with final cumulative GPAs as follows:

• Summa cum laude - 3.900 and above
• Magna cum laude - 3.700 - 3.899
• Cum laude - 3.500 - 3.699

Graduate students are not eligible for Latin Honors.

International undergraduate students must carry a minimum of 12 credits per semester to maintain their Certificate of Eligibility.

International graduate students must carry a minimum of 9 credits per semester to maintain their Certificate of Eligibility.

A non-matriculating student is one registered for Emmanuel coursework, but not toward an Emmanuel certificate or degree. Students who wish to take graduate courses at Emmanuel College as non-matriculating students should contact the Office of Admissions. Graduate course registration for non-matriculated students begins one week after Emmanuel College degree-seeking students finish priority registration for the given semester.  At the time of registration, students seeking registration for an graduate course must provide evidence of successful completion of a bachelor's degree. This documentation may be provided by an official or unofficial college transcript.  The student must provide documentation of completion of any course pre-requisites.

Available courses are viewable on the College's Searchable Course Directory.

A course prerequisite is a requirement an academic department identifies as essential for a student to complete before taking a course. All prerequisites should be stated in the course description, on the course syllabus and included in the college catalog. Prerequisites may consist of one or more of the following:

• Completion of placement, proficiency tests or other assessments (MTEL);
• Completion of specific course(s).

Undergraduate students must earn a C- or better in any course which is designated a prerequisite for another course.

(Note: School of Nursing requirements may differ. Please see the School of Nursing Student Handbook for specific prerequisite and course restriction information.)

Matriculated students (accepted into a certificate or degree program) will be registered for their first course in the program by their advisor with written permission of the student. After their first completed course, students register online through Student Planning facilitated by the Office of the Registrar each semester. Student Planning, through EC Online Services, allows students to search for courses, plan for future terms, and schedule and register for course sections. 

Final grades are available online on Student Planning at the close of the semester. The College will withhold copies of grade reports and transcripts of students under certain conditions, such as outstanding financial obligations as allowed and non-compliance with Massachusetts Immunization Law. Official transcripts are provided at the written request of students or graduates. Transcript request and payment information is available on the Registrar webpage on the College website. Unofficial transcripts can be accessed by current students on Student Planning.

The Office of the Registrar maintains the student education record. The Emmanuel College transcript, including student graduation information, as well as student demographic information, and class and grade rosters are maintained permanently.

All other student education records are maintained by the College for a minimum of seven years after the student’s last active enrollment. 

PROCESS FOR ACCESS, OBTAINING, AND EXPLANATION OF THE EDUCATION RECORD

Students have the right to review and challenge their education records. Each student may waive this right in special cases of confidential letters of recommendation relative to admission to any educational agency or institution, application for employment, receipt of financial aid form, receipt of any services or benefits from such an agency or institution.

Students may view final grades on Student Planning (EC Online Services). During the semester, students can view their individual course assignments and grades on ECLearn.

To request access to their entire academic records, the student should contact the Office of the Registrar. On an agreed upon date, the student and the Registrar (or delegate) will provide access to the record and respond to any questions regarding the record. Students may request copies of their education record. High school and other college transcripts may be provided with a “Copy” notation and only provided to the student. Emmanuel will not send non-Emmanuel transcripts to third parties, including other institutions.

This review applies to evaluation material submitted on/after 1975 unless access is waived by the student. The College reserves the right of 45 days for compliance of the request. Each office maintains a record of anyone who has requested and obtained access to each student’s record.

For information regarding student confidentiality and the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (1974) please visit our Privacy page.

In order to graduate from Emmanuel College, student’s must meet the residency requirement. The following are the maximum credits permitted for transfer by program:

• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA): 80 transfer credits
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): 96 credits, including up to 40 credits for Associate’s Degree. or from an approved nursing diploma program when provided with grades and credits or contact hours for nursing courses within the diploma program detailed on the transcript
• Graduate Programs: 6 transfer credits not used towards another graduate degree. Courses transferred into a graduate must not have been completed more than management degree or certificate program ten years prior to the date of transfer.

To view the full transfer credit policy for both undergraduate and graduate GPP programs and associated processes, please visit the Transfer page.

Emmanuel College's Graduate and Professional Programs offers the opportunity for students to pursue a second bachelor's degree for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Those applying follow the application process and meet the requirements for admissions of bachelor's degree candidates. In order to earn a second bachelor's degree for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, students must satisfy all major requirements and meet the 32-credit residency requirement.

Emmanuel College regulates access to and the release of a student’s records in accordance with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (PL 93-380, Section 438, The General Education Provisions Act). The purpose of this act is to protect the privacy of students regarding the release of records and access to records maintained by the institution.

View the full policy and procedures surrounding privacy and student records.

All potential transfer credits from other regionally accredited post-secondary institutions are required to be submitted to Graduate and Professional Programs. Courses that are similar in content, scope and rigor to course offerings at Emmanuel will be considered for transfer credit. No credit will be granted for the following: vocational coursework, continuing education units, pre-collegiate or remedial courses, including ESL coursework, social activities, or correspondence courses. Military courses on a Joint Services transcript with content that are within the scope of programs offered at Emmanuel will be accepted for credit. Only transfer courses from regionally accredited institutions (or equivalent which will be verified by the appropriate agency) will be granted credit.

Undergraduate-level courses must have a grade of C (2.0) or higher and be worth three or more semester credit hours in order to be eligible for credit. Students within GPP undergraduate programs are eligible to earn up to 32 college credits before or after acceptance by taking any of the following examinations: CLEP or DSST.

For graduate programs, no credit is given for courses below 3.0 (B). Graduate students may not transfer more than six credits.

Courses taken at other institutions will be recorded as transfer credits on the student’s transcript. The transfer course grades will not be included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average. The student is responsible for obtaining and completing the appropriate form available on the Office of the Registrar webpages, including the required permissions, before registering for a course at another institution. Students receiving financial aid are responsible for ensuring that they do not lose eligibility.

Students may withdraw officially from the College at any time with the written authorization of their Academic Advisor. Students must notify the Office of the Registrar in writing. Failure to register for courses over one academic year constitutes an automatic administrative withdrawal. Mere absence from classes and examinations is not a withdrawal, nor does it reduce financial obligations. Please see the GPP Course Withdrawal and Refund policies for complete information regarding course withdrawals and tuition refunds. Students holding federal loans must complete exit counseling upon withdrawal.

Readmission Policy

Students who have withdrawn must submit a readmission form in order to be considered for readmission into the program. All prior financial obligations to the College must be resolved with the Office of Student Financial Services prior to re-enrollment.