Graduate Policies: Maintaining Academic Progress
Home >> Graduate Policies >> Graduate Policies: Maintaining Academic Progress


Maintaining Academic Progress Toward Degree Completion



Grade Point Averages (GPA) and Restricted Grades
There are two GPA requirements that govern academic progress in and graduation from a graduate degree program. The POS GPA is based on all courses that appear on the student's final POS. The Graduate GPA is based on all courses numbered 500 or higher that appear on the transcript, with the exception of:

  • Courses counted toward an undergraduate degree at ASU (unless shared with a master's degree in an approved bachelor's/master's degree program).
  • Courses noted as deficiencies in the original letter of admission.

Transfer credits and courses taken in the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law are not counted in calculations of the POS or Graduate GPA. Courses with grades of "D" (1.00) and "E" (0.00) cannot appear on the POS but will be used to compute the Graduate GPA.

To be eligible for graduation, students must achieve a POS GPA and a Graduate GPA of 3.00 or higher.


Satisfactory Progress towards the Degree and Time Limits on Degree Completion
All graduate students are expected to make systematic progress towards completion of their degree. This progress includes meeting the conditions listed below and achieving the benchmarks and requirements set by the individual degree programs. Each degree program should have in place policies for satisfactory academic progress. If students fail to meet the requirements of their degree program and/or the benchmarks outlined below, the degree program may recommend withdrawal of the student to the Graduate College dean. The Graduate College dean makes the final determination.

  • Maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA both on POS and Graduate GPA. If either GPA falls below 3.0, the student must develop, with their advisor, an academic performance improvement plan that includes the conditions and timeframes for making satisfactory academic progress in her/his degree program. The student is considered to be on academic probation until the conditions specified in the academic performance improvement plan are met and both GPA's are raised above 3.0.
  • Meet all requirements of the graduate degree program.
  • Meet the maximum time limit for graduation from the student's graduate degree program (six years for master's, ten years for doctoral).
  • Doctoral students must meet the five year time limit for graduation after passing the comprehensive examinations.
  • Successfully pass comprehensive exams, qualifying exams, foreign language exams, and the oral defense of the proposal/prospectus for the thesis or dissertation.
  • Successful completion of the oral defense required in the culminating experience.

Students should verify any additional satisfactory progress policies as required by their degree program.