Academic Information

Graduate Programs

Graduate programs are offered leading to:

• Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical and Theological Studies, Ph.D.
• Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, Psy.D.
• Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology, Ph.D.
• Doctor of Ministry, D.Min.
• Master of Arts in Teaching, M.A.T. (Elementary Education)
• Master of Arts in Teaching, M.A.T. (Secondary Education)
• Applied Systemic Psychology, M.S.
• Biblical Exegesis, M.A.
• Biblical and Theological Studies, M.A.
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A.
• Evangelism and Leadership, M.A.
• Higher Education and Student Development, M.A.
• History of Christianity, M.A.
• Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership, M.A.
• Leadership, M.A.
• Marriage and Family Therapy, M.A.
• Ministry Leadership, M.A.
• Missional Church Movements, M.A.
• Nonprofit Leadership, M.A.
• Old Testament Archaeology, M.A.
• Outdoor and Adventure Leadership, M.A.
• TESOL and Intercultural Studies, M.A.
• Theology, M.A.
• Theological Studies, M.A.

The graduate programs are arranged to allow maximum flexibility for each student to individualize a program to best meet the student's interests and goals. A student can develop a program in a variety of concentrations within these broad areas of study.

In addition to the degree programs, there are also some non-degree, graduate-level certificate programs available:

• Biblical and Theological Studies Certificate
• Certificate in Christian Camp Leadership
• Certificate in Foundations for Higher Education Leadership
• Certificate in Humanitarian Leadership
• Certificate in Sports Leadership and Coaching
• Marriage & Family Therapy (Post-Masters) Certificate 
• Organizational Leadership Certificate
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate
• Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Certificate
• Trauma Certificate

Curriculum Overlap at the Master's Level

Multiple Credentials

1. Degree Programs. Students are not allowed to complete a second Master's degree program that has extensive content overlap with their first Master's degree program, as outlined below. For example, the following degree programs cannot both be declared or completed, either concurrently or sequentially (this is not an exhaustive list):
   1. Evangelism & Leadership and Ministry Leadership 
   2. Missional Church Movements and Evangelism & Leadership
   3. Leadership: Managing Non-Profits with Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership
   4. Any concentration/track of a degree program with any other concentration/track of the same degree program
2. Certificates and Master’s Programs. After a student earns a certificate, the student may be able to apply some of the courses to a master’s program. Students who have completed a Master’s program are not eligible to have a certificate awarded retroactively.

Double-Counting

The number of hours a student may apply towards any pair of credentials is limited per the following table:

Graduate Table

	Master's Degree (2nd Credential)	Certificate (2nd Credential)
Master's Degree (1st Credential)	50% of the Master's degree program	50% of the certificate, with the following exceptions: 6 credits between TRMA and CMHC, 3 credits between TRMA and HDL
Certificate (1st Credential)	50% of the Master's degree program	Up to 50% of the second certificate

Course Substitutions

At the recommendation of the department, course substitutions need to meet comparable learning objectives as the courses they are replacing and need to be limited to no more than 50% of a degree program.

Registration

Students must be officially registered for all courses they attend. Newly admitted and readmitted students for Fall and Spring register via Banner Self Service or on registration day during Orientation. After the official registration day, a late registration fee may be charged to the student. For quad courses and other deadlines, see Registrar’s Calendar in this catalog.

Students who expect to enroll in subsequent semesters must complete advance registration during the scheduled time. Financial accounts must be paid and all holds remedied before students may advance register. Information regarding registration is sent two weeks prior to Advance Registration. Before going online to register via Banner Self Service, students may need to obtain an additional “semester PIN” from their advisors.

Schedule Changes

Schedule changes for full-semester courses should be made during the first two weeks of the semester in the Registrar’s Office or via Banner Self Service. For quad courses and other deadlines, see Registrar's Calendar in this catalog. Full semester and quad courses may be dropped without a grade during the first two weeks of the semester. After that time, a student withdraws with a "W" grade. Full semester courses may be dropped through the thirteenth week of the semester; quad courses, through the fifth week.

To drop a course after the second week of the semester, each student must submit the appropriate drop form to the Registrar's Office. The student's transcript will indicate a grade of "W" (withdrawal) for such withdrawals after the second week of classes. Students who do not officially drop classes will automatically be assigned a grade of "F" (failure) by the instructor. Refunds will be given according to the schedule listed in the Financial Information section of this catalog. 

Advanced Standing

When students have completed undergraduate coursework or other forms of formal learning that is equivalent to that required by the master's graduate program, they may receive advanced standing toward the master's graduate degree. Advanced standing will only be granted once the relevant program director or dean has determined through an appropriate means of assessment that students have the knowledge, competence, or skills that would normally be provided by the specific courses for which they have been admitted with advanced standing. This advanced standing can reduce the number of credits required in the master's graduate degree by no more than one-third of the credits in the program, and at least 30 credits must be completed at the graduate level.

Transfer Credit

Transfer of Credit into Master's Degree Programs:

• From a Domestic Institution:  At least 75% of the total hours required for a degree program must be taken from Wheaton College. With department approval, up to 25% of the program can be graduate-level transfer credit. Courses considered for transfer must have been taken at a regionally accredited institution (exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis). Courses in which the grade was lower than B- cannot be transferred. Grades from transferred courses are not used when determining a student's cumulative grade point average at Wheaton. Credits from a conferred degree cannot be transferred. Courses taken more than eight years prior to enrollment at Wheaton may not be transferable. Students must complete their last semester of study at Wheaton.

• From a Non-U.S. Institution:  At least 75% of the total hours required for a degree program must be taken from Wheaton College. With department approval, up to 25% of the program can be graduate-level transfer credit. Courses considered for transfer must have been taken at an institution determined by WES or ECE to be the U.S. equivalent of a regionally accredited institution (exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis). Courses in which the grade was lower than B- (or equivalent as evaluated by WES/ECE) cannot be transferred. Grades from transferred courses are not used when determining a student's cumulative grade point average at Wheaton. Credits from a conferred degree cannot be transferred. Courses taken more than eight years prior to enrollment at Wheaton may not be transferable. Students must complete their last semester of study at Wheaton.

Transfer of Credit into Graduate Certificate Programs (consisting of 18 credits or more):

• From a Domestic Institution:  At least 75% of the total hours required for the certificate program must be taken from Wheaton College. With program approval, up to 25% of the program can be graduate-level transfer credit. Courses considered for transfer must have been taken at a regionally accredited institution (exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis). Courses in which the grade was lower than B- cannot be transferred. Grades from transferred courses are not used when determining a student's cumulative grade point average at Wheaton. Credits from a conferred degree cannot be transferred. Courses taken more than eight years prior to enrollment at Wheaton may not be transferable. Students must complete their last semester of study at Wheaton.

• From a Non-U.S. Institution:  At least 75% of the total hours required for a degree program must be taken from Wheaton College. With program approval, up to 25% of the program can be graduate-level transfer credit. Courses considered for transfer must have been taken at an institution determined by WES or ECE to be the U.S. equivalent of a regionally accredited institution (exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis). Courses in which the grade was lower than B- (or equivalent as evaluated by WES/ECE) cannot be transferred. Grades from transferred courses are not used when determining a student's cumulative grade point average at Wheaton. Credits from a conferred degree cannot be transferred. Courses taken more than eight years prior to enrollment at Wheaton may not be transferable. Students must complete their last semester of study at Wheaton.

Transfer of Credit into Graduate Certificate Programs (consisting of 17 or fewer credits):

• Transfer credit is not allowed. All credits must be completed at Wheaton College.

Transfer of Credit into the PsyD or PhD in Psychology Programs:

• From a Domestic Institution:  At least 75% of the total hours required for a degree program must be taken from Wheaton College. With department approval, up to 25% of the program can be graduate-level transfer credit. Courses considered for transfer must have been taken at a regionally accredited institution (exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis). Courses in which the grade was lower than B- cannot be transferred. Grades from transferred courses are not used when determining a student's cumulative grade point average at Wheaton. Credits from a conferred doctoral degree cannot be transferred. Courses taken more than eight years prior to enrollment at Wheaton may not be transferable. Students must complete their last semester of study at Wheaton.

• From a Non-U.S. Institution:  At least 75% of the total hours required for a degree program must be taken from Wheaton College. With department approval, up to 25% of the program can be graduate-level transfer credit. Courses considered for transfer must have been taken at an institution determined by WES or ECE to be the U.S. equivalent of a regionally accredited institution (exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis). Courses in which the grade was lower than B- (or equivalent as evaluated by WES or ECE) cannot be transferred. Grades from transferred courses are not used when determining a student's cumulative grade point average at Wheaton. Credits from a conferred doctoral degree cannot be transferred. Courses taken more than eight years prior to enrollment at Wheaton may not be transferable. Students must complete their last semester of study at Wheaton.

Transfer of Credit into the D.Min. Program:

• From a Domestic Institution: At least 75% of the total hours required for a degree program must be taken from Wheaton College. With department approval, up to 25% of the program can be doctoral-level transfer credit. Courses considered for transfer must have been taken at a regionally accredited institution (exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis). Courses in which the grade was lower than B- cannot be transferred. Grades from transferred courses are not used when determining a student's cumulative grade point average at Wheaton. Credits from a conferred doctoral degree cannot be transferred. Courses taken more than eight years prior to enrollment at Wheaton may not be transferable. Students must complete their last semester of study at Wheaton.

• From a Non-U.S. Institution: At least 75% of the total hours required for a degree program must be taken from Wheaton College. With department approval, up to 25% of the program can be doctoral-level transfer credit. Courses considered for transfer must have been taken at an institution determined by WES or ECE to be the U.S. equivalent of a regionally accredited institution (exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis). Courses in which the grade was lower than B- (or equivalent as evaluated by WES or ECE) cannot be transferred. Grades from transferred courses are not used when determining a student's cumulative grade point average at Wheaton. Credits from a conferred doctoral degree cannot be transferred. Courses taken more than eight years prior to enrollment at Wheaton may not be transferable. Students must complete their last semester of study at Wheaton.

Master's Thesis/Applied Thesis/Action Research Paper

All Master's candidates who desire to write a thesis/applied thesis must follow the proposal process established by the Graduate School and their academic department (see Wheaton College Graduate School M.A. Thesis Proposal Process). An M.A.T. candidate writing an action research paper must submit a proposal to and receive approval from the Education Department before beginning the project. Once the student reaches Thesis/Applied Thesis/Action Research Continuation status, registration for Thesis/Applied Thesis/Action Research Paper Continuation will be coordinated by the student's academic program and the Registrar's Office. Continuous enrollment in Thesis Continuation is required for the student to retain status with the College, including the use of the College's learning resources, facilities, and other benefits. A $50.00 fee will be charged for each semester (fall, spring and summer) of thesis/applied thesis/action research paper continuation.

Students will not receive a degree until their work has been accepted by the Library, except in cases where the Thesis/Applied Thesis was not required for the degree.

A Master's program change from thesis/applied thesis/action research (after initial registration) can be made by written request to the major department and the Registrar’s Office to substitute additional course work and comprehensive exams. The major department and Registrar will determine whether or not it is appropriate to grant the request. In the event that the request is granted, and if the additional course work requested is an independent study based on the original registration for thesis/applied thesis/action research, a processing fee of 20% of the current fall/spring tuition will be charged. If additional courses are taken, current tuition is charged.

Students are hereby notified that copies of a student's thesis/applied thesis or action research paper will be made available to the public through the College's library and by other means as determined by the Graduate School.

Ph.D., Psy.D., and D.Min. Dissertation

Ph.D., Psy.D., and D.Min. students must follow proposal and approval processes established by their academic program. Registration for Dissertation will happen according to the student's academic program policies. Once the student reaches Dissertation Continuation status, registration for Dissertation Continuation will be coordinated by the student's academic program and the Registrar's Office. Continuous enrollment in Dissertation Continuation is required for the student to retain status with the College, including the use of the College's learning resources, facilities, and other benefits. A $50.00 fee will be charged for each semester (fall, spring and summer) of dissertation continuation. Students will not receive a degree until their work has been accepted by the Library.

Requirements for the Ph.D. dissertation in Biblical and Theological Studies are specified in the Ph.D. Program’s Handbook for Participants and the Dissertation Style Guide. See the department for more info.

Requirements for the Psy.D. or Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology clinical dissertation are specified in the Psy.D. Student Handbook, Ph.D. Student Handbook, and the Clinical Dissertation Manual. See more info on the Graduate Handbooks and Forms page.

Requirements for the D.Min. doctoral project are specified in the D.Min. Student Handbook. See more info on the D.Min. Student Information and Resources page.

Students are hereby notified that copies of a student's dissertation will be made available to the public through the College's library.

Audits

Any full-time Graduate School student may audit one course without an audit fee by filing an approved audit application at the Registrar's Office. In addition, part-time graduate students who will complete all graduation requirements by the end of the current semester are entitled to an audit without an audit fee. Part-time graduate students auditing courses are charged the student audit rate. Non-degree students auditing Graduate School courses are charged the full audit fee rate. In all cases, students are charged published course fees.

An audit does not meet any Wheaton degree requirement. Registration for an audit must be completed by the add deadline for the respective course. Students may drop an audited courses only by the deadline to drop without a W for the course. Tutorials, internships, practicums, independent studies, and courses taken during study abroad programs cannot be audited.

No credit is given for audited courses, but all audited courses will appear on a student’s transcript at the end of the term. Audits will appear on a student’s transcript with an “AU” (audit) if the following requirements are met:

• Attend at least 75% of the class sessions.
• Complete course assignments as determined by the instructor (e.g. reading, class exercises, class discussion).  Major papers and final exams are not required. Any feedback provided by the instructor for assignments submitted by the auditor is optional and at the discretion of the instructor.

If the previous requirements are not met the audit will appear on the transcript with a “NA” (Audit not completed). In either case, the audited course grade will not impact a student’s GPA or academic progress.

Spouse Audits

The audit privilege for a full-time graduate student may be used by the student's spouse if the student is not auditing a course. Application for a spouse audit is made through the Registrar's Office. The guidelines above apply to spouse audits.

Course Load

To be classified as a full-time student, a master's-level, Ph.D., Psy.D., or D.Min. student must be enrolled for a minimum of 8 hours per semester. A full-time load for a four-week summer session is considered to be a minimum of four hours; for Psy.D. students, a minimum of six hours for the entire summer session. Students desiring to enroll in more than 16 hours per semester must have the approval of the department chair. Since many graduate students work part-time or full-time, they should carefully consider their academic course load in relationship to the number of hours they must work. Students should consult with their advisors concerning the number of credit hours to register for each semester. Psy.D. students enrolled in the fifth-year Clinical Internship will be considered full-time students if working on the internship full-time. Ph.D. students working full-time on their dissertations (and confirmed by their dissertation advisors) are considered full-time students.

Repeating Courses

Most courses in the Wheaton College catalog can only be taken once for credit. These are defined as non-repeatable courses. Some courses in the Wheaton College catalog can be taken more than once for credit, often within limits; examples of repeatable courses are independent studies, dissertation, and some internships.

When a student repeats a repeatable course within the course’s repeat limits, all grade(s) and credit(s) will remain on the student’s academic record. Once the course’s repeat limits have been met, the policy and process that applies to non-repeatable courses will apply if the student subsequently repeats the course.

When a student repeats a non-repeatable course, the original grade(s) and course(s) will remain on the student's academic record but will not count toward the degree or grade point average. If the course is repeated at Wheaton College, only the repeated course's credits and grade will count toward the degree and in the grade point average. If the course is repeated at another institution and transferred to Wheaton College, the transferred credits will count toward the degree but not the grade point average. Students are advised to consult with Student Financial Services regarding financial aid eligibility for repeated courses. The chart below applies to non-repeatable courses.

Repeated Courses

	On Academic Record (Transcript)	Toward Degree	Toward GPA
Course Repeated at Wheaton College	Original and Repeated	Repeated Only	Repeated Only
Course Repeated at Another Institution	Original and Repeated	Repeated Only	None

Master's Level Independent Studies and Tutorials

A course is considered a tutorial when it is listed in the catalog but taken in a semester when it is not being offered or available. Permission to take an independent study course is normally granted only when the student can demonstrate why the particular 695 course is needed to fulfill a requirement in the student's program. These courses must meet strict guidelines and be approved by both the course instructor and the department chair.

Class Attendance

Regular in-person class attendance is expected of all students. A professor may excuse legitimate absences. It is the student's responsibility to report such excuses to the professor in writing. Verification of legitimate excuses may be sought by a professor from appropriate sources. Excused absences may count toward the total number of absences allowed.

Advisors

The chair of the department, or a member of the faculty designated by the chair, will advise students concerning their program. Only those courses approved by the student's advisor may be used toward the graduate degree.

Grading System

Eight grades are given for passing work, with significance as follows:  A, outstanding; A-, superior; B+, very good; B, satisfactory; B-, C+, C, acceptable but below average; P, satisfactory. B is the acceptable norm for graduate school study.

Grade points are granted on the following basis:

Grading System

Letter Grade	Grade Points
A	4 grade points per hour
A-	3.7 grade points per hour
B+	3.3 grade points per hour
B	3 grade points per hour
B-	2.7 grade points per hour
C+	2.3 grade points per hour
C	2 grade points per hour
F	0 grade points per hour
P	Pass (B- or better); not computed in grade point average

(Students in Ph.D. Biblical and Theological Studies and D.Min. courses are awarded grades of “High Pass,” “Pass,” or “Fail”.)

Courses officially dropped during the first two weeks of the term are not recorded. After that time, the student will receive a W (withdrawal) grade for all courses which are dropped by the drop deadline. The W grade does not affect the student's grade point average.

A student should resolve any questions about grades as soon as possible after grades have been received. A student has four months from the day grades are issued to question the grade earned. After that date grades will be considered final. Within the four-month period, a grievance by the student should be resolved with the instructor of the course. (See grievance procedure in the Student Handbook.)

Incomplete Grades

An Incomplete (INC) grade may be assigned only for deficiencies as the result of illness, disability, or situations beyond the control of the student and not because of neglect on the part of the student. An Incomplete is not available for students who have unresolved Incompletes from prior terms.

For students who pursue a Leave of Absence (LOA), incompletes may not be granted by faculty unless also approved by the Dean of Student Wellness, in conjunction with the Director of Graduate Student Life.

The Incomplete Grade Request Form is available in the Registrar’s Office and requires instructor’s approval. The filing deadline for the form is the last day of finals (or last day of the quad for A quad courses, or last day of the part of term for summer courses). An Incomplete grade can be assigned by the instructor for any length of time up to the end of the sixth week from the end of the course. After the assigned length of time (no more than 6 weeks), the instructor will either assign a final grade via the Grade Change form, or a default grade of F will be assigned. 

Pass/Fail

This privilege may be granted for general undergraduate deficiency courses or elective courses not used for the Master's degree. In each case the student will need the approval of an advisor and the instructor of the course before the pass/fail option is granted. Students entering with an undergraduate deficiency in Bible must take the courses for a letter grade. Under the pass/fail option a student must receive a regular grade of B- or better in order to receive a pass "P" grade in a graduate course. Therefore, the possible grades for a pass/fail course are P (pass), C (calculated in GPA) and F (failure; calculated in GPA). The form for requesting the pass/fail option can be found at https://www.wheaton.edu/about-wheaton/offices-and-services/office-of-the-registrar/forms/graduate-forms/. See the Registrar’s Calendar for deadlines for submission to the Registrar’s Office.

Integrity of Scholarship

By affirmation of the Wheaton College Community Covenant, all students, faculty, and staff are expected to understand and subscribe to the ideal of academic integrity and to take personal responsibility and accountability for their work. Academic dishonesty is a serious offense against an academic community and against the standards of excellence, integrity, and behavior expected of its members. Academic dishonesty degrades the educational and research mission of the College. Truth and honesty are to be followed in all academic endeavors, including the taking of examinations and in the preparation of class reports and papers. Areas of concern related to academic integrity include plagiarism, cheating, fabrication of information or data, unauthorized collaboration, lying, defrauding, misrepresentation, or deception related to assigned or voluntary academic work. The definition of academic integrity, the method for reporting violations, and the procedures of the disciplinary process are stated in the “Policy on Academic Integrity” in the Student Handbook, available online.

Inclusive Language

For academic discourse, spoken and written, members of the College Community are expected to use inclusive language when referring to human beings. For example, gender-specific terms like mankind should be avoided in favor of inclusive alternatives such as humankind or humanity. In the same way, references to unspecified third persons should avoid use of gender-specific pronouns in favor of inclusive alternatives. For example, rather than, "If anyone calls, he should leave a message," use something like, "If anyone calls, that person should leave a message."

Awards

Each year several graduate students are selected by various departments to receive special recognition for unusually meritorious achievement. The awards take into consideration academic excellence, professional competence, and moral and spiritual character. The awards are:

The Mary LeBar Award in Christian Formation and Ministry
The Lois LeBar Award in Christian Formation and Ministry
H. Wilbert Norton Award in Missions and Intercultural Studies
The Lonna Dickerson Award in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
The John A. Gration Gospel and Culture Award
The Dolores Gallagher Memorial Award
Rech Award in Psychological Studies
Schultz Award in Old Testament Studies
Tenney Award in New Testament Studies
Kantzer Award in Christian History and Theology
Waterman Award in Old and New Testament Studies
T. W. Wilson Award in Evangelism
William Hiram Bentley Award for Ministry to the African-American Community
The Richardson Award for Excellence in Biblical and Theological Studies
The Frances J. White Award for Psychology and Ministry
The Frances J. White Award in Global Ministry
Robert E. Coleman Award in Evangelism and Leadership
C. William Pollard Leadership Award
Hilligoss Award in Biblical Studies 

Academic Petitions and Appeals

Any student desiring an exception to academic requirements, published deadlines, or procedural policies may submit a written academic petition to the Registrar. Academic Petition forms are available online. A petition should contain corroborating evidence of the extenuating circumstances that would warrant an exception to policy being granted. Petitions may be granted or denied.

A student who disagrees with the decision on an academic petition has the right to appeal the decision. If the initial decision is made by the Master’s Academic Affairs Committee, D.Min. Committee, Psy.D. or relevant Ph.D. Committee, the student may appeal the decision to Graduate Council. The appeal, together with the reasons for the appeal, must be made within 10 business days of receiving the decision from the sub-committee. An appeal must be based on one or more of the following reasons:

• A procedural [or substantive] error occurred that significantly impacted the initial decision (e.g., substantiated bias, material deviation from established procedures, etc.).

• To consider new evidence, unavailable during the original decision-making process, that could substantially impact the original decision. A summary of this new evidence and its potential impact must be included.

• The sanctions imposed are substantially outside the parameters or guidelines set by the college for this type of offense or the cumulative conduct record of the responding student.

The decision of the Graduate Council is final.

If the initial decision was made by the Registrar’s Office, the student may appeal through the Registrar to Graduate Council (Master's level appeals may be delegated to MAAC). The appeal, together with the reasons for the appeal, must be made within 10 business days of receiving the decision from the Registrar. An appeal must be based on one or more of the following reasons:

• A procedural [or substantive] error occurred that significantly impacted the initial decision (e.g., substantiated bias, material deviation from established procedures, etc.).

• To consider new evidence, unavailable during the original decision-making process, that could substantially impact the original decision. A summary of this new evidence and its potential impact must be included.

• The sanctions imposed are substantially outside the parameters or guidelines set by the college for this type of offense or the cumulative conduct record of the responding student.

The decision of the Graduate Council (or delegate) is final.

If the appeal is for reinstatement after academic dismissal, see the "Appealing Academic Dismissal" section of the "Academic Probation/Dismissal" policy below. 

Leave of Absence

A voluntary Leave of Absence (LOA) provides undergraduate and master's students with time away from Wheaton College for treatment of a medical or mental health condition impairing a student's ability to function successfully in class, complete coursework, and/or or safely participate as a member of the Wheaton College community. Wheaton College has designed this policy to ensure that students are given the individualized consideration and support necessary to address their particular circumstances. Graduate students will begin the process of requesting an LOA by contacting the Director of Graduate Student Life. The LOA Policy, located in the Student Wellness section of the Student Handbook, applies to all graduate students except for doctoral students (see below). Please see the Graduate Student Life Office (BGH 224) for details on this policy.

Doctoral Degree Students. Continuous enrollment in the graduate programs is an expectation for doctoral students until all degree requirements are satisfied. However, for extraordinary reasons a student may be granted a program leave. Students granted program leave will have their degree completion time-limit extended by the length of their approved absence, effectively stopping their degree completion “clock.” Students who have a lapse in enrollment without an approved program leave must withdraw from their program and will be subject to the normal entailments of such withdrawal. Please consult the corresponding Ph.D. Student Handbook, Psy.D. Student Handbook, or D.Min. Student Handbook for further details. The Director of Graduate Student Life can be contacted with questions about this process.

If the circumstances for the program leave request are of a sensitive nature which the student prefers to not discuss in detail with the faculty, the student can first go to the Graduate Student Life Director who will work with the student on initiating the program leave process and provide information and insight on the student rights to the Ph.D. committee in the decision-making process.

It is the responsibility of the student to understand the program leave and the ramifications of the leave on their loan repayment schedules, future financial aid/scholarship eligibility, health insurance coverage, re-activation of enrollment, etc. and, to plan accordingly. 

Involuntary Leave of Absence

It is the policy of Wheaton College to foster a campus environment that is conducive to learning, promotes the College's educational purposes, maintains reasonable order, and protects the rights and safety of all members of the College community. A student may be required to take an Involuntary Leave of Absence from the College and/or be involuntarily removed from College courses, programs, activities, and/or facilities if the College determines that the student is engaging in disruptive behavior and/or presents a danger to the life, health, welfare, safety, or property of him/her self, of any member of the College community, or of any other person. 

The Involuntary Leave Policy applies to all students of the College and to all College locations, programs, and activities. For the full policy, please see the Involuntary Leave of Absence Policy in the Student Wellness section of the Student Handbook.

Withdrawal or Cancellation of Enrollment from the Graduate School

Official Withdrawal

Any student finding it necessary to withdraw from the College while currently enrolled in class must complete and submit the Withdraw or Cancel Enrollment Form. For more information on the Form and process, see here.

Students withdrawing from all full-semester courses between the third and thirteenth week of classes, or from all A-Quad or B-Quad courses between the third and fifth week of the respective Quad, will have "W" (withdrawal) recorded on their transcript for those courses. After the respective withdrawal deadlines, students are not able to withdraw from the College and will receive the grade(s) earned at the end of the term. See the Registrar's Calendar for withdrawal deadlines. Graduate students can also contact the Director of Graduate Student Life about this process. 

Withdrawal Exemptions

There are three situations that constitute withdrawal exemptions, that is, when a student has met the respective withdrawal deadlines and may receive “W” (withdrawal) recorded on their transcript for those courses but is not considered to have withdrawn from the College and is reported as enrolled for the entire semester: 

• A student completes all the requirements for graduation from their program before completing the semester (e.g., a student completes degree requirements during A-Quad). 

• A student successfully completes coursework equal to or greater than what is considered to be half-time enrollment during a module (e.g., a student successfully completes 4 or more hours during A-Quad).

• A student successfully completes an A-Quad course, if A-Quad is at least 49% of the period of enrollment (semester) as determined by the number of countable days.

The tuition refund policy does not apply to students qualifying for a withdrawal exemption. Financial aid may be retained, except for Federal Pell Grants which must be recalculated based on the adjusted enrollment status.

Administrative Withdrawal

The guidelines above apply to students who are administratively withdrawn or dismissed for disciplinary reasons. Refunds on tuition can also be found in the Financial Information section of the catalog.

Unofficial Withdrawal

If a student stops attending or academically participating in all courses before the withdrawal deadline for the term and subsequently fails all courses, the student may be unofficially withdrawn from Wheaton College as of the last date of attendance or academic activity. If the withdrawal deadline has passed, the student will receive the grades earned at the end of the term (likely failing grades).

In either case, the student may forfeit all fees or deposits paid to the College, and tuition refunds will not be granted.

Official Cancellation

Any student not returning to the College after completing a term should cancel their enrollment by submitting the Withdraw or Cancel Enrollment Form. For more information on the Form and process, see here.

Administrative Cancellation

Any student with no reported attendance or documented academic activity in all courses in a term by the drop date will have their courses dropped and enrollment administratively canceled.

Further Information 

See the Refund Schedule in the Registrar's Calendar for withdrawal deadline details. The full Enrollment Change (Withdrawal or Cancellation) Procedures can be found in the Student Wellness section of the Student Handbook. Please contact Graduate Student Life with any questions.

Academic Probation/Dismissal

To remain in good standing, students are required to maintain a grade point average sufficient to be considered as making satisfactory academic progress. A student’s academic status will be checked at the end of each semester and at the end of the summer term.

Incomplete and In-Progress Grades. Incomplete and In-Progress grades are not factored in the GPA for the determination of academic standing.

Good Standing. To be in good academic standing, a student’s cumulative GPA must equal or exceed 2.80 (3.00 for doctoral programs in clinical psychology), as evaluated at the end of every term.

Academic Probation. When a student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 2.80 (3.00 for doctoral programs in clinical psychology), the student will be placed on academic probation for the following semester of enrollment. Graduate students who still have athletic eligibility for an undergraduate athletic team cannot participate in intercollegiate athletics if they are on academic probation.

Continuation of Academic Probation, and Academic Dismissal. At the end of the probationary semester:

• A student whose cumulative GPA equals or exceeds 2.80 (3.00 for doctoral programs in clinical psychology) will be reinstated in good standing.

• A student whose cumulative GPA does not equal or exceed 2.80 (3.00 for doctoral programs in clinical psychology), but whose probationary term GPA equals or exceeds it, will remain on probation for another semester.

• A student whose cumulative GPA does not equal or exceed 2.80 (3.00 for doctoral programs in clinical psychology), and whose probationary term GPA does not satisfy it either will be academically dismissed. Academic dismissal is recorded on the student’s transcript.

Appealing Academic Dismissal. A student who wishes to appeal dismissal status must file a written appeal with the Registrar’s Office by the deadline indicated in the dismissal notification (written or verbal). The appeal will be acted on by the Graduate Council or subcommittee. The decision of the Graduate Council or subcommittee is final. If approved, academic reinstatement is recorded on the student’s transcript. Students who also wish to appeal their financial aid status should do so with the instructions provided below.

Reassessment of Academic Standing. Students who receive a change in a final grade or who have repeated a course may petition the Registrar’s Office to have their current academic standing reassessed.

Withdrawal from the College. Students who withdraw from the College during a semester will be assessed for academic standing based on courses that were graded, if any. The financial policies related to refunds for students dropping courses during the term are not impacted by this policy.

Readmission. Students who were academically dismissed may apply for readmission after one year has elapsed. More information is available in the Graduate Admissions section of this catalog.

Financial Aid Status

Students must maintain satisfactory progress to receive financial aid. When a student qualifies for academic dismissal, financial aid cannot be awarded. If, therefore, a student appeals a dismissal status and the appeal is granted, the student will be allowed to enroll on a probation status but will not receive financial aid. If a student who has been dismissed applies at a later date for readmission and the application is granted, the student will enroll on probation status but will not be eligible for financial aid until the dismissal conditions have been remedied.

Academic Transcripts

Academic transcripts may be ordered online from the Office of the Registrar for a fee. 

Official Communication

Wheaton College uses Banner Self Service, a component of the College's administrative database system, and College-administered student email accounts for official communication between students and administrative offices.

Banner Self Service

Banner Self-Service provides online registration for classes and communication of class schedules, grades, student account balances, and financial aid information. Students access Banner Self Service through the Wheaton Gateway at gateway.wheaton.edu. Data encryption and user authentication protect students' personal information.

Electronic Mail

Students are given College email accounts upon acceptance. Official notifications will be sent to these accounts. Students are responsible for reading their College email and must use their College email accounts in official correspondence to ensure proper identification.