Graduate Business Programs Statement of Responsibilities and Professional Standards of Conduct

Student Responsibility

All official communication from the University and Graduate Business Programs is sent to the student’s Santa Clara University email address.

The student is personally responsible for knowing all the academic regulations in the Graduate Business Programs in which they are enrolled. Failure to understand these regulations and requirements does not relieve the student of responsibility.  This includes but is not limited to grading, holds, honor code, professionalism, leave of absence, withdrawal, concurrent enrollment policies and deadlines (add, drop, swap, late fees, tuition payments, refund policy, etc.), and graduation requirements. Please refer to the Academic Information section, Chapter 5, for additional information.

The student is responsible for resolving any holds placed on their student record.  

Honor Code

As an institution of higher education rooted in the Jesuit tradition, Santa Clara University is committed to creating and sustaining an environment that facilitates students’ academic, personal, and ethical development. This commitment balances freedom of individual choice and expression with the expectation that individual members of the community will:

  • Be honest
  • Demonstrate self-respect and respect for others
  • Demonstrate respect for the law and University policies, procedures, and standards.

Engaging in any form of academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism (representing the work or ideas of others as one’s own without giving proper acknowledgment), cheating (e.g., using unauthorized resources or assistance on coursework, copying the work of another person, falsifying data, sabotaging the work of others, and the unauthorized use of electronics, media, or data), or other acts generally understood to be dishonest by faculty or students in an academic context will subject the student to disciplinary action.

Every student is required to sign the honor code and adhere to its conditions. Any students who violates the terms and conditions of this agreement will face disciplinary action from their faculty and, if merited, the University.

Professionalism Agreement

In addition to Santa Clara University’s Student Conduct Code, every student entering graduate business programs at the Leavey School agrees to Professional Standards of Conduct. The purpose of the Santa Clara University Graduate Business Program is to develop professionals and leaders of competence, conscience, and compassion ready to positively impact their lives, families, communities, and global society. Accordingly, we have high expectations for the professional behavior of our students. Leavey School of Business students agree to:

  1. Respect your fellow students, staff, and professors in words and in actions
  2. Attend all classes, arriving on-time and remaining for the entire session
  3. Complete homework and project assignments and prepare for class discussions
  4. Remain engaged, attentive in class and focused only on class activities without multitasking
  5. Communicate promptly and honestly when you need help or will unavoidably miss class
  6. If issues arise speak directly with the people who may be able to resolve the problem (e.g., faculty or graduate program staff) and avoid complaining to classmates
  7. Interact professionally with the Graduate Business Programs Office staff
  8. Engage in ethical behavior and abide by the SCU Student Code of Conduct and standards of Academic Integrity
  9. Remain a valued team member by:
  • Listening carefully and respecting others’ opinions
  • Contributing high quality work by deadlines set forth by the team
  • Arriving on-time and staying for the entire team meeting
  • Being mentally and physically present in team meetings
  • Providing feedback in an open and supportive manner
  • Receiving feedback with an open mind
  • Encouraging or assisting others to help reach the team’s goals
  • Dealing with team conflicts in a constructive manner: Evaluating the causes of conflict and promptly and directly talking about the issues, and realizing which conflicts are worth confronting and which conflicts are best ignored
  • Proactively accessing available resources when internal attempts to resolve conflict are unsuccessful

Every student is required to sign the Professional Agreement and adhere to its conditions. Any students who violates the terms and conditions of this agreement will face disciplinary actions from the University.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all in-person class sessions. Specific attendance requirements are set by the faculty in the syllabi of individual courses and are binding. Students should select courses carefully in a quarter when an unavoidable absence is necessary. Attendance during the first week of the quarter is critical. Students are not automatically dropped from a class if they do not attend. Students are responsible for dropping themselves from their courses if they can not meet attendance requirements.

Completion Requirements

The full requirements for the MBA and MSIS degree must be completed within six (6) years of admission, including leaves of absence and any other break in attendance. For MSM, MSFA, and MSBA, full requirements must be completed within (3) three years of admission, including leaves of absence and any other break in attendance.

Requests for an extension of the six-year/three-year completion requirement must be made in writing and include a detailed plan of how and when the requirements will be met. Approval of the extension request is at the discretion of the Senior Director, Graduate Business Programs Academic Support and Records for the student’s program of study.

Graduation Petition Process

In order to graduate, all students must complete and submit an online Petition to Graduate form. The information provided in the petition will be used to order and mail the diploma and list all graduates’ names in the SCU commencement book. If this data changes after the petition has been submitted, students must contact the Graduate Business Programs Office.

To be eligible to graduate, Graduate Business students must complete:

  • All required coursework with passing grades specific to the year in which they began the program
  • The required number of units specific to the year in which they began the program
  • The program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • AND, not have any I or N grades on their transcripts
  • Completed all necessary Career Requirements specific to the program

Deadlines to submit a Petition to Graduate are listed in the Graduate Business Academic Calendar. Students that complete their degree in August, December, March or June will be eligible to participate in the June Commencement activities.

Commencement “Early Walker” Eligibility

SCU hosts one graduate Commencement ceremony each year, at the end of the Spring term.  As a courtesy, the Programs Team offers graduates who have a limited number of course units left to complete their degree, to walk in the Commencement ceremony before their degree is completed.  To be eligible a student must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Have 10 or fewer course units remaining at the end of Spring term
  • Have completed a Summer Petition to Graduate form
  • Be in good academic standing

An “early walker” request form will be distributed to eligible students during Winter term.