Academic Guide for Graduate Students

E. Jane Carlin Award in Physical Therapy: awarded to a member of the graduating class who has achieved academic excellence and shows outstanding clinical promise.

Adeline W. Gomberg Award: awarded to an outstanding graduate student in the education program who has exhibited excellence in the field of reading.

Adeline W. Gomberg Scholarship in Reading: awarded to a graduate student matriculated in the reading program who shows promise of becoming a leader in literacy education.

Norman A. Miller Scholarship in Educational Leadership: awarded to the graduate student matriculated in the educational leadership program whose scholarship, interpersonal skills, writing ability, dedication and leadership exemplify the goals and objectives of the educational leadership program.

Hortense T. Moss Graduate Scholarship in Health Sciences: awarded to a graduate student upon completion of his/her first year in a full-time graduate health-related program.

Gretchen M. Paruch Humanitarian Service Award: awarded to a Physician Assistant student who demonstrates academic excellence, leadership among his or her peers, professionalism in both the classroom and clinical setting and service to the community and to the profession.

A. Richard Polis Graduate Scholarship: awarded to a student in a full-time program who is listed on the Graduate Dean’s Distinguished Honor List and whose service to the University and to the academic program distinguishes him/her from all other students in the cohort. Students must be nominated by faculty, administrators, and/or other students. To qualify, nominees must write an essay summarizing their service to the University and to the specific department.

Fredric Rieders Forensic Science Award of Excellence: awarded to a graduating Forensic Science student who has demonstrated academic and individual excellence and leadership in the course of his or her professional education.

Molly Haas Valentine Award: awarded to a graduating student who is completing a graduate or doctoral degree with distinction and whose dedication to his or her studies has required extraordinary determination to overcome obstacles in the pursuit of excellence.

The Wallace E. Young Community Service Public Health Award: awarded to a graduate student in Public Health/Health Education who exemplifies the spirit of community public health outreach in under-served and high-risk minority communities, and who has engaged in significant health promotion and disease prevention activities through direct service to education.

Refer to specific programs for program-related awards.

The Graduate Dean’s Distinguished Honor List, issued twice yearly, recognizes graduate students who have completed a minimum of 15 graduate semester hours and have attained a grade point average in the upper 10 percent of their programs. Eligibility for the Graduate Dean’s Distinguished Honor is determined at the completion of each fall and spring semester.

Graduate students are recognized at Commencement and honored by the University for having achieved academic excellence in their degree programs. Latin honors are not used in graduate study; instead students receive “With Distinction” on their records and diploma. Requirements for distinction are as follows:

The culminating activity provides a means of synthesizing the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program. This requirement may take a variety of forms, depending on the degree or concentration within the degree.  A comprehensive examination (oral or written); fieldwork or internship; practicum (student teaching), clinical experience, research and thesis; final seminar, master’s paper, professional portfolio, or capstone course.

The culminating activity is arranged in consultation with the adviser. Students earning a Master of Education degree (M.Ed.) or Master of Arts in Education degree (M.A.Ed.) are required to take ED599 Master's Thesis as the culminating activity for the degree.

A grade of “B” or above is required for the culminating activity for any graduate degree.

Thesis

Only matriculated students may register for independent research or for thesis. Up to 9 credits of a combination of independent research and thesis may be applied toward a degree.

A student in a master’s program may elect to write a thesis for 6 credits toward the degree. The student should consult with his or her adviser to determine whether a thesis is required for the program.

The manual of style to be followed is determined by the department.

A student who does not complete the thesis or master’s project at the end of the coursework, or at the end of the semester or session in which he or she is enrolled in a departmental thesis or culminating project course, may be required to enroll in an ongoing one-credit thesis writing course until all work is completed and approved. A fee equivalent to 1 graduate credit for a 3-credit culminating master’s project and 2 graduate credits for a 6-credit culminating thesis will be assessed for each semester or part thereof during which the thesis or capstone project is incomplete. (For these purposes, all the summer sessions together will count as one semester.) Please refer to program-specific requirements in the catalog to determine if this applies.

Independent Research

Most departments offer a 3-credit course titled “589/689 Independent Research” that offers matriculated students an opportunity to undertake an individual project supervised by a faculty member. Students must have had formal coursework and/or experience in the area of study, have completed at least two graduate courses in the department at Arcadia University, and have a definite topic or project in mind. Students may ask a faculty member in the department to supervise the study or ask the department chair to suggest an appropriate faculty member. The independent research form must be signed by the chair of the department and contain the name of the supervising faculty member.

Conferring of Degrees

Degrees are conferred at the completion of a program in May, August, and December. A formal Commencement exercise takes place in May. A Commencement exercise is held in February for students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. All students completing their degrees at any time during the academic year are invited to participate in the following May ceremony and will receive information regarding the Commencement ceremony from the Division of Student Success. Information also is available online on our Commencement page in early March and posted in the Canvas communities. Attendance at Commencement is not mandatory.

Notification of Expected Completion of Degree Requirements

Students are responsible for notifying the Division of Student Success of their expected date for completion of degree requirements. Forms are available online at www.arcadia.edu/gsforms. For additional assistance contact the Registrar’s Office.

Fulfillment of Degree Requirements

Faculty advisers, and the Division of Student Success are available to assist students. Procedures have been developed to check progress toward the degree. It is the student’s responsibility, however, to know the requirements for his or her degree and to fulfill them.

In addition to or independent of a master’s degree, students also may prepare for certification granted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Graduate programs at Arcadia University are under the direction of the Faculty Senate.  Its Academics Committee is composed of at least four elected faculty-senators and two appointed faculty members.  Ex officio members of the Academics Committee include one graduate student, as well as representatives from Undergraduate Success, Enrollment Management, the Registrar, the Library, and Information Technology.  Corresponding members include the Provost and heads of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health Sciences, the School of Education, the School of Global Business, and the College of Global Studies.  Two representatives from the Division of Student Success, including the Projects Manager serve as non-voting guests. Meetings of the Committee are open to others by invitation.  

Degree Completion for Cohort/Full-Time Graduate Programs

• Doctor of Education in Special Education—three years plus extension for dissertation
• Doctor of Physical Therapy—two and one half years
• Master of Arts in International Peace and Conflict Resolution—two years; three years for part-time track
• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing—two years
• Master of Medical Science (Physician Assistant)—two years; three years for dual degree and three-year track
• Master of Science in Forensic Science—two years

Degree Completion for Graduate Programs with Rolling Admission

Six years from the first enrollment in coursework relating to the degree:

• Certificate of Advanced Study
• Master of Arts in Counseling
• Master of Arts in Education
• Master of Arts in English
• Master of Education
• Master of Public Health
• Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy

In all of the above programs, students may enroll on either a full-time or part-time basis. If they do not want to pursue a degree or certification, they may request permission to enroll as Special Status students.

Information concerning graduate Commencement exercises is distributed through the Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies . Information about Commencement is posted on the University website beginning in February. Commencement announcements may be purchased in April in the University Campus Store.