Santa Clara University

Academic Regulations

ACADEMIC ADVISORS

Department of Counseling Psychology

After applicants have been admitted to degree status and have submitted a confirmation of an intent to enroll, they are assigned to a temporary advisor to help sequence their early classes.  After students have been in the program for at least one term, they are free to select any full-time on-campus faculty member as their academic advisor.  Normally, if students are in an emphasis program, they are initially assigned to the emphasis coordinator.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The University is committed to academic excellence and integrity. Students are expected to do their own work and to cite any sources they use. A student who is guilty of dishonest acts in an examination, paper, or other required work for a course, or who assists others in such acts, may receive a grade of F for the course. In addition, a student guilty of dishonest acts may be immediately dismissed from the University.

Students who violate copyright laws, including those covering the copying of software programs, or who knowingly alter official academic records from this or any other institution, are subject to similar disciplinary action.

GRADING SYSTEM

Plus (+) and minus (–) suffixes are incorporated with letter grades to provide the following marks (and numerical equivalents that indicate grade points):

CHANGE OF GRADE

Only the instructor in charge of a course may assign grades. All grades, except incompletes, become final when they have been assigned and reported to the Student Records Office. An instructor may approve and report a correction of a final grade to the Student Records Office only if a clerical or procedural error was made in assigning, transmitting, or recording the original grade.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Students are expected to maintain a grade point average of 3.o (B) or higher.  Students whose grade point average falls below this cumulative average must make up the deficiency within their following two courses in order to continue in the program.  Students who receive a grade of D or F or who fail to maintain the required grade point average will be disqualified.

Periodic Evaluations 

The counseling psychology, education and pastoral ministries faculty will periodically evaluate students on their performance and behavior. This is part of the School’s commitment to the professions of counseling, education and pastoral ministries and to the clients they serve. Should the faculty judge that a student would not be an asset to these professions, the student will be administratively withdrawn from the University regardless of the number of courses completed. Students will be contacted only if their evaluation warrants consideration of serious problems from a faculty perspective. The periodic evaluations adhere to specific guidelines and procedures. Appeals of a negative outcome of the periodic evaluation must be made in writing to the chair of the department and to the dean.

ACCOMMODATION FOR A DISABILITY

Students needing accommodation for a disability should contact Disabled Student Resources at 408-554-4109 (voice) or 408-554-5445 (TDD).

ATTENDANCE

Students are required to attend all classes.  Missing more than one class (10% of class time) in a term is considered

INCOMPLETE GRADES

Students may receive an Incomplete grade (I) in a course if, because of extraordinary circumstances beyond their control, some essential portion of the coursework remains unfinished after the final examination.  Incomplete grades are not automatic and are authorized at the discretion of the instructor.  The unfinished work must be completed and given to the course instructor within four weeks of the beginning of classes in the next scheduled term (not the student's next term of enrollment), excluding summer session, unless extraordinary circumstances require an extension.  Students requesting an incomplete grade must complete appropriate contract.

All extensions must be in writing and approved by the course instructor and department chair; they should not exceed a period longer than two academic quarters arfter the Incomplete was earned, excluding summer session.  An Incomplete not cleared in the time stated above will automatically become an F grade, which will restrict the student's registration for subsequent quarters.

GRIEVANCE PROCESS

If students have a grievance related to a course, they should first speak directly with the course instructor.  If it continues, they should submit thier concern in writing to the department chairperson or program director.  If not resolved, the concern should then be presented in writing to the School dean, who will meet individually with the student, the instructor, and the program director in an attempt to mediate a resolution.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE OR WITHDRAWAL

To withdraw from the University, a student must submit a withdrawal letter to the School Office, 226 Bannan Hall.

Degree-status students who interrupt their course of studies for up to two years need not reapply on their return. Summer session is not considered a term.  Degree-status students who interrupt their course of studies for more than two years must withdraw from the University. In order to return, they must file a new application form but are exempt from the application fee. The application form should be filed by the April 1, November 1 (October 1 for Counseling Psychology), and February 1 application deadlines. Applications for readmission will be subject to the admission requirements and procedures established for persons applying for the first time.

Withdrawal from the University is not officially complete until students clear all of their financial obligations with the Bursear's Office. Students on deferments or Federal Perkins Loans must also clear their financial obligations with the Office of Student Loan Services.

COURSE LOAD

A full course load is 9–12 quarter units. With the exception of full-time teacher education students, counseling psycholoty and education students may carry no more than 15 graduate units in a single quarter; pastoral ministries students no more than 16 graduate units.  During the summer session, students in the department of couseling psychology may not carry more than 10 units; students in the education department may not carry more than 12 units; students in the department of pastoral ministries may not carry more than 8 units per summer session.  Any student carrying fewer than 9 units is considered a part-time student.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The need for personal disclosure creates an obligation of confidentiality for teachers and group leaders.

Students have the right to expect confidentiality because the faculty of the counseling psychology and education programs expect self-disclosure. Violations of this obligation are most serious and may result in a review of the professional responsibilities of the faculty member.

Students to whom personal disclosure is made in courses, practica, counseling sessions, and other training activities also have an obligation of confidentiality.

Students who violate this obligation are subject to suspension or expulsion from the University.

CHALLENGING COURSES

Students, including those applying for a credential or MFT license, may challenge certain courses that satisfy specific degree requirements. These courses do count toward a student’s total units passed. These units do not count toward a student’s graduation requirements. In order to maintain the integrity of a Santa Clara University degree, students are usually not allowed to challenge more than three courses. A successfully challenged course appears with a grade on the transcript.

To challenge a course, students must (1) have completed at least 15 quarter units at Santa Clara (unless an exception is granted by the director of the student’s program); (2) have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2; and (3) have permission from the instructor, program director, and dean to proceed with the challenge. The instructor must complete a written description of the proposed challenge process, to be approved by the program director.

Challenge examinations may be either oral or written, as determined by the instructor. Challenged courses may not be taken on a pass/no pass basis. There will be a $85 fee for challenging a course. Challenge forms are available in 226 Bannan Hall.

Certain classes within the Division normally cannot be challenged, including any counseling psychology practicum/internship courses and any field lab courses. Classes in which the experiential component of the work is high are usually unavailable for challenge.

WAIVING COURSES

Students who waive classes with the permission of the director of the program receive no indication on their transcript that the classes have been waived, but a notation is made in their records file that the specific class requirements have been met and waived. These students must take another class in lieu of the waived class. Waived classes are not accepted by licensing or credentialing boards for meeting competency requirements.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WAIVING AND CHALLENGING COURSES

Students who successfully challenge a class receive a notation on their transcripts as units attempted and passed and a grade for the challenged class. Students who waive a class have proven competency in a particular course area, and a notation is made in their file to this effect; a transcript notation is not made and a grade is not given for the waiver.

AUDITING COURSES

Students accepted into degree or credential programs may audit one course per quarter. No more than three courses may be audited during a student’s degree or credential program. Permission to audit a course will be given only at the end of the late registration period and only if space is available in the class. No credit is assigned for an audited course, but the successful completion of an audit will be indicated on a student’s transcript by the notation AUD. Students must pay full tuition for auditing a course.

TRANSFER WITHIN COUNSELING PROGRAMS

Students who wish to transfer from one counseling psychology program to another (e.g., from the M.A. in Counseling to the M.A. in Counseling Psychology) must first meet with their advisor and then submit a written request to the Chair of the Counseling Psychology Department. The request must contain one or more reasons for the proposed change. Transfer of programs is not automatic. The director will present the request to the faculty for review and decision. The faculty decision will be transmitted by letter to the student, and a copy of the letter will be placed in the student’s file. The date of the letter will be the effective date of the transfer.

The requirements for the new degree program will be those printed in the Division bulletin current at the date of the transfer letter. All requirements for the new degree program must be completed within five calendar years from the beginning of the quarter or session into which the student was originally accepted.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The minimum number of graduate quarter units of credit required for the Master of Arts degree is 45; the maximum is 78. Course requirements are described under each program heading in the following pages. For the Master of Arts degrees and the teaching and services credential programs, the candidate must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average.

All requirements for any degree or credential must be completed within five years. Requests for extension beyond this period must be submitted in writing to the student’s program director.

Candidates for a master’s degree must file a petition to graduate with the Admissions and Records Office, 226 Bannan, by the second Friday of the quarter in which the candidate plans to graduate. Candidates for graduation during summer session must file by the third Monday of summer term. A late fee of $2 per day (maximum, $50) will be charged for failure to meet these deadlines.

After a petition is filed, the candidate’s academic record will be reviewed by the Admissions and Records Office. Candidates whose eligibility to graduate is in question will be notified. A candidate who fails to meet all requirements for graduation by the expected date must file a new petition to graduate.

Details concerning participation in the commencement exercises are handled by the Office of Student Life and Leadership (408-554-4583).