Unless otherwise noted by “1st Bachelors Degree” or “2nd Bachelors Degree” the policies below apply to all online students.
Academic Honesty Policy
Academic Standing Policy
Admissions Policy
Associate Degree Acceptance
Course Load
Email Policy
Exam Feedback
International Student Acceptance
GPA Policy
Graduation Requirements
Mixing Online and On-campus Courses
Online Policy
Prerequisites
Proctored Exams
Registration and Adding Courses
Repeating Courses
Retention Policy
Second Bachelor's Degree Policy
Transfer Credits
Academic Honesty Policy
Students are responsible for complying with the University policies regarding academic honesty as stated in the Utah State University Honor System document. This document is available at the USU Bookstore and on the USU Web site.
See more about the COMDDE Department's policies on Academic Honesty.
Academic Standing Policy
http://catalog.usu.edu/content.php?catoid=2&navoid=76#Academic_Standing
Admissions Policy
1st Bachelors Degree: See USU’s Admission Policy: http://www.usu.edu/policies/pdf/Adm-Policy.pdf 1st Bachelors Degree: Any accepted student at Utah State University may major in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education (COMDDE) during the Freshman and/or Sophomore years. Distance students need not complete the formal application into the department. Distance students do not take the College of Education Writing Examination.
2nd Bachelors Degree: In order to be accepted into the 2nd bachelor's degree program, the first bachelor’s degree must have been awarded by a regionally-accredited college or university.” (From USU’s Academic Policies and Procedures Manual).
Associate Degree Acceptance
“USU has established transfer articulation agreements with many institutions. Completion of an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree, or completion of the general education requirements at the sending institution, will satisfy USU’s General Education requirements. See the USU General Catalog for a complete listing of these agreements and institutions.” (taken from USU’s Academic Policies and Procedures Manual)
See complete Transfer Student Policy: http://www.usu.edu/policies/pdf/Transfer-Adm.pdf
Course Load
University policy states that students can take up to 18 credits per semester but we have learned from experience that online students typically can handle a maximum of 4 courses (or 12 credits) per semester without having their course performance (and grades) impacted. We strongly recommend taking no more than 4 courses (or 12 credits) per semester.
Email Policy
“All students enrolled at USU must specify a preferred e-mail address in the central system of record. A University-provided account or a commercial service provider e-mail account may be specified. Preferred e-mail addresses may be specified or changed at: https://id.usu.edu/
“University officials, including advisors, professors, administrators, and various office personnel, may use a student’s preferred e-mail account as an official means of communication.
“It is the responsibility of all students to check their e-mail accounts on a regular basis. Students will be held accountable as being officially notified when any correspondence is sent by University representatives to their preferred e-mail accounts.”
(taken from the USU Policy and Procedures Manual)
Exam Feedback
Because of the nature of online exams, instructors provide feedback to students regarding examination performance in different ways, depending on the nature of the course. Feedback may range from providing general comments or scores on exam performance to some or all of the missed exam questions being returned to the student. Individual instructors provide feedback in the method they feel is most appropriate. Students are responsible for remaining open to communication with their instructors regarding their performance in their courses.
International Student Acceptance
In order to be accepted into the 2nd bachelor's degree program, the first bachelor’s degree must have been awarded by a regionally-accredited college or university.” (From USU’s Academic Policies and Procedures Manual). Students who earn a degree from an international college or university may be considered for a second bachelor’s degree if the first degree was earned from a institution listed in a database approved by the Office of international Students and Scholars. The Office of Admissions will screen the applications for regional accreditation and will forward them to the Department of Communicative Disorders if they meet the criteria above. Potential applicants may find whether their college/university is on the approved database, by contacting the Office of International Students and Scholars at http://www.usu.edu/oiss/htm/about-oiss/contact-us. (From USU Admissions Office).
GPA Policy
Even though all students majoring in communicative disorders at Utah State are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, students must be aware that many graduate programs require a much higher GPA for admission into their graduate programs. Because a competitive GPA is so important, the Communicative Disorders & Deaf Education (COMDDE) department strictly enforces the 3.0 minimum GPA requirement. If a student's GPA drops below 3.0 the COMDDE department reserves the right to remove the student from any, and all, COMD coursework the following semester without warning. These classes may be dropped even if the semester has begun and the courses are in progress. The COMDDE department will not be responsible for the cost of textbooks purchased for dropped courses nor will the department be held responsible for any financial aid repayments resulting from dropped courses. Students are encouraged to delay securing financial aid or purchasing textbooks if they are at risk of failing to maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher. Students who are at risk of earning an unacceptable GPA must contact their academic advisor prior to registering for courses, purchasing textbooks, or accepting financial aid. Non degree-seeking students are exempt from this policy.
Graduation Requirements
1st Bachelors Degree:
The following requirements must be met before graduation for the students receiving their first bachelor's degree:
- At least 120 semester credits.
- At least 30 credits must be taken from USU.(All transfer credits must be approved for acceptance by Utah State University and the Department of Communicative Disorders at USU. This will be done during the application process.)
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. A lower GPA makes it very difficult to compete for admission to graduate school or to qualify for professional positions.
Credits include:
General Education coursework
Depth Education coursework
Departmental (COMD) coursework
Non-COMDDE required coursework
Electives (if additional credits are needed)
See USU Bachelor Degree Policy: http://www.usu.edu/policies/pdf/Bachelor%27s-Req.pdf
See USU’s Exception to General Requirements Policy: http://www.usu.edu/policies/pdf/Exceptions-to-Gen-Ed-Req.pdf
Departmental policy requires that all students who desire a degree must have a graduation application filled out and submitted to the graduation office at USU during the first part of the semester PRIOR to the semester of graduation. Students should plan for the graduation application process to take at least 4 to 8 weeks. Applications must be received at least two weeks before the deadline to allow adequate time for processing.
2nd Bachelors Degree:
USU requires that students must complete a minimum of 30 USU credits beyond those applied toward the first bachelor’s degree, 18 of which must be earned in department-approved upper-division courses related to the major. COMDDE’s policy requires completion of 12 COMD courses, which results in 35 credits. USU credits may be earned in courses completed at USU’s Logan campus or at designated centers, or through classes offered by Regional Campuses and Distance Education through USU. Candidates for a second bachelor’s degree must have met the American Institutions requirement in the first bachelor’s degree, or complete the requirement before receiving the second bachelor’s degree. COMDDE students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in order to graduate from the COMD program at USU. A lower GPA makes it very difficult to compete for admission to graduate school or to qualify for professional positions.
Graduation Application: Candidates for a second bachelor’s degree must file an application with the Admissions Office and obtain the recommendation of their academic dean prior to being admitted.
Note: When 2nd bachelor's degree students apply to graduate schools, some or all of their prior degree credits and grades could be calculated into the 2nd bachelor's degree GPA considered for graduate school admission. Therefore, a low GPA from a previous degree could adversely impact graduate school admission. Applicants may want to check the specific process used by those graduate schools where they will apply.
Mixing On-Campus and Distance Education Courses
If a student is taking any undergraduate classes on the USU Campus he/she will not be allowed to register for distance education COMD courses. In very unusual situations the student may petition the department to request an exception to this policy by emailing the Distance Education Coordinator (dee.child@usu.edu) with a detailed description of the conditions necessitating the petition. A departmental committee will evaluate the petition and a decision will be emailed back to the student.
Online Policy
See USU’s Independent Study Online Course Policy: http://www.usu.edu/policies/pdf/Independent-Study.pdf
Prerequisites
If a student is only planning to take select courses and those courses have prerequisites listed, the student may use equivalent courses from other programs that have been formally approved through Utah State University. If those courses have not yet been approved the student may email the syllabi from courses requested as course prerequisites and a transcript showing the completion of the courses to the advisor. The advisor will use them to document completion of the equivalent prerequisite course. If the courses the student has completed are accepted by the department as prerequisites, the advisor will notify the university and will then authorize the student to register for the desired classes.
Students will be expected to have learned the information from the prerequisite courses prior to enrolling in subsequent courses. Completing the prerequisite courses assures that students will have a strong foundation upon which to build. Students will not be able to continue in a class if it becomes obvious to the professor that the prerequisite information needed for the class is missing. In such an event, the student will be told to drop the course and no additional grading for that student will take place during the semester. If, at the end of the semester, the student has not dropped he/she will receive an "F" grade for the course.
Proctored Exams
Taking a proctored online exam is no different from any classroom exam that you have taken. The only difference is that the exam will be taken on a computer rather than using paper and pencil. The job of the proctor is to ensure that the instructions specified by the instructor are carried out.
Most online and printed exams are proctored. Students who live in Cache Valley should take proctored exams in the basement of the Distance Ed building, room 003. Please call (435) 797-9700 at least 48 hours in advance to schedule an exam.
Students who register for online courses through USU Regional Campus may schedule exams at their respective centers and do not need to submit Exam Request forms.
Students who do not live in Cache Valley and are unable to come to campus or extension office, should complete the Request for Exam form at: http://distance.usu.edu/online_courses/request_exam.cfm Please submit the Request for Exam form at least three days prior to the exam date scheduled with a proctor. This allows the Distance Education Testing Center exam coordinator sufficient time to provide proctors with instructions and materials for proctoring exams. The Request for Exam form must include one of the following with whom a student has made arrangements to proctor the exam:
• college testing personnel
• superintendent
• principal
• county agent
• military education director
• librarian
Students in foreign countries may name an official who holds an equivalent position. Relative and co-workers are NOT eligible to proctor exams. Exams must be taken at an education institution and NOT at the proctor's residence. Students must also provide an official email address for their proctor. Exams will not be sent to a Hotmail, Yahoo, or similar email addresses.
Students need to bring a picture ID to the Exam Room. No exam will be given without proper picture ID.
Registration and Adding Courses
Although university policy allows students to add classes late, we have found that students who add after the first day of classes have a more difficult time keeping up with the class. Often they do not have textbooks and have to wait for them to arrive, putting them even further behind the rest of the class. Students should plan ahead so they do not start classes after the first day of the semester.
Students must discuss their course selection prior to each semester with an advisor before they register. Students needing special assistance or authorizations for courses should contact an advisor a week before the first day of class. Otherwise, they may be removed from the classes.
Repeating Courses
Students who choose to repeat COMD classes to earn higher grades can only have a total of three repeats combined for COMD classes. For example, if a student repeats one COMDDE class twice and another COMD class once that equals three repeats. For non-COMDDE courses the following university policy applies:
“Students may repeat any course at USU for which they have previously registered. They may also retake a course originally taken at an institution where USU has an articulation agreement, if the agreement identifies a specific USU course as being equivalent to the one the student desires to replace. All other decisions dealing with retaking courses, including courses taken under the quarter system, will be determined by the department in which the course is offered.
“The number of times a student can take the same class is limited to a total of three times (once, plus two repeats). Beyond three attempts, the student’s dean must approve additional registration for the class.
“The total number of repeats allowed is limited to ten (including three from COMDDE). Students who exceed this limit will have an academic hold placed on their registration. Beyond ten repeats, the student’s academic dean must approve additional registration.” (taken from USU’s Policy and Procedures Manual.)
See USU’s Policy and Procedures Manual: http://www.usu.edu/policies/pdf/Repeating-Courses.pdf
Retention Policy
1st Bachelors Degree: All distance students will be considered for acceptance into the program. Once a student is admitted into the undergraduate program, the student's cumulative grade point average must remain 3.0 or higher by the end of the first semester of the junior year or he/she cannot continue in the major until the GPA is raised above 3.0. Students should work closely with the departmental advisor if they suspect their grade point average is in jeopardy.
2nd Bachelors Degree: Required GPA: Once a student (on-campus or distance education) is admitted into the undergraduate program or the 2nd bachelors program, the student's cumulative grade point average must remain 3.0 or higher or he/she cannot continue in the major until the GPA is raised above 3.0. Students should work closely with the departmental advisor if they suspect their grade point average is in jeopardy.
Students who choose to repeat COMD classes to earn higher grades can only have a total of three repeats combined for COMD classes. For example, if a student repeats one COMD class twice and another COMD class once that equals three repeats. COMD students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in order to graduate from the COMD program at USU. A lower GPA makes it very difficult to compete for admission to graduate school or to qualify for professional positions.
Second Bachelor’s Degree Policy
In order to be accepted into the 2nd bachelor's degree program, the student must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited United States or Canadian university. Once the student is admitted, the departmental retention standards must be maintained (GPA no lower than 3.0) in order for the student to continue in the undergraduate program.
"A second bachelor’s degree is available only to those on whom a first bachelor’s degree has been conferred by a regionally-accredited institution. Students must complete a minimum of 30 USU credits beyond those applied toward the first bachelor’s degree, 18 of which must be earned in department-approved upper-division courses related to the major. USU credits may be earned in courses completed at USU’s Logan campus or at designated centers, or through classes offered by Regional Campuses and Distance Education through USU. Candidates for a second bachelor’s degree must file an application with the Admissions Office and obtain the recommendation of their academic dean prior to being admitted. Candidates for a second bachelor’s degree must have met the American Institutions requirement in the first bachelor’s degree, or complete the requirement before receiving the second bachelor’s degree. (Enforced in COMDDE as of April 1, 2011)
“Note: The first bachelor’s degree must have been awarded by a regionally-accredited college or university.” (From USU’s Academic Policies and Procedures Manual)
Transfer Credits
Regarding non-COMD classes: Please see USU’s Transfer Credit Policy: http://www.usu.edu/policies/pdf/Transfer-Adm.pdf
Regarding COMD classes: Second bachelor's students may request a maximum of 5 credits of undergraduate COMD courses taken elsewhere to be accepted by COMD as equivalent courses to replace those same courses that are part of the COMDDE program. They must scan the syllabi of the courses completed and a transcript showing the grades received in those courses. The scanned documents must be attached to an email and sent to the appropriate advisor. The advisor will contact the student when a decision has been made about the status of the transfer credits.