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Selected School Policies and Procedures

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Academic Review
The School of Social Work maintains an academic review policy that applies to all degree students within the School and that seeks to insure qualitative standards of achievement (i.e., satisfactory performance in the field, satisfactory grades for academic course work, and reasonable rates of progress toward completion of degree requirements). The policy statement on academic review appears in the School of Social Work Student Handbook, which is given to all students at Orientation.

Academic Integrity
The School of Social Work also maintains an academic integrity policy that applies to all students and faculty members within the School and seeks to ensure that students and faculty members respect the ethical standards expected of them in the performance of their duties and responsibilities. The policy statement on academic integrity appears in the School of Social Work Student Handbook, which is given to all students at Orientation.

Advanced Standing and Exemptions

Undergraduate
Students who have earned college-level credits at another accredited institution before entering the University of Pittsburgh may be eligible for advanced standing. An official transcript of all courses taken at other schools must be submitted at the time of application, whether or not it is intended that such credits be counted toward a degree at Pitt. These credits are not merely units to be added to those earned here. To be accepted, they must be evaluated and recommended by the faculty adviser and approved by both the program director and the associate dean. If the student is admitted to the program, the advanced standing credits are not used in future computation of the QPA.

All credits eligible for advanced standing are subject to the following limitations:

1. Credits earned by students at another accredited institution will be accepted from the time of accreditation only if the quality of the credits earned is at least one grade above the lowest passing grade.

2. Courses for which credit is sought must correspond with those offered by the University of Pittsburgh in objectives and content.

3. The number of credits granted for a given course cannot exceed the number on the transcript from the school where they were earned, nor can it exceed the number earned in the corresponding course in the University of Pittsburgh.

4. No transfer credits can be part of the final 30 required for a degree. These must be earned in residence.

5. All transfer credits are subject to reevaluation if and when the student transfers from one school to another within the University of Pittsburgh.

6. Not more than 90 credits may be transferred from four-year schools; not more than 60 from two-year schools. This decision is made on the basis of the last school attended.

7. If a course for which advanced-standing credit has been granted is repeated, the advanced-standing credit is cancelled.

Credits awarded from the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) by the College of General Studies and Life and Work Experience credits awarded by the New Careers Program of the College of Arts and Sciences are acceptable for transfer to the School of Social Work.

Graduate

DEFINITIONS
Advanced Standing is defined as the awarding of academic credit toward a degree by the School of Social Work for post-baccalaureate academic work completed either at the University of Pittsburgh or at some other accredited academic institution when such work is evaluated as entirely comparable.

Exemption is defined as the waiving of a required academic course in the School of Social Work following an evaluation of the student's previous work, which is determined to be essentially identical to the required course being waived. Such an exemption would not, however, reduce the number of hours required for graduation.

1. Persons who enter the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work with a degree from an accredited undergraduate social work program may have the degree requirements for the MSW reduced up to a maximum of 12 course credits and five field credits. However, the specific credits reduced would depend on the curriculum of the undergraduate program from which the student received the degree and the program at the master's level. This evaluation would be done by the Concentration Chairperson and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Advanced standing granted under the provisions of this paragraph is subject to the limitations of paragraph 4 below.

Advanced standing for field experience will lead to a credit reduction on the following basis:

500 hours and above of undergraduate supervised field experience will lead to a credit reduction of five credits.

400-499 hours of undergraduate supervised field experience will lead to a credit reduction of four credits.

Under 400 hours of supervised field experience will earn no advanced standing.

For the purposes of granting credit reduction, an accredited undergraduate social work program shall be considered as having been accredited from the date of admission to candidacy by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education as posted in CSWE's Directory of Colleges and Universities with Accredited Social Work Degree Programs.

2. Persons admitted to the master's program in Social Work or the master's program in Child Development and Child Care who have completed post-baccalaureate work in an accredited academic institution other than in social work or child development and child care are entitled to an evaluation of their academic record for possible exemptions and/or advanced standing. In cases where exemptions are sought, this evaluation will be done by the student's adviser, the coordinator of the required course from which the exemption is being requested, and the program director or concentration chairperson. When advanced standing is requested, the student's adviser and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will make the evaluation. All work considered for either exemption or advanced standing is subject to the limitations of paragraph 4 below.

3. Persons who have completed one full year of master's-level work within the last seven years in another accredited school of school work and who are admitted to the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work for completion of their Master of Social Work degree are automatically granted one full year of advanced standing by the School. However, students will be required to have completed all distribution requirements made by this School before graduation. Advanced standing granted under the provisions of this paragraph is subject to the limitations of paragraph 4 below.

4. Limitations:

a. Advanced-standing credit or exemption for prior baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate work carried into the master's program shall be limited to course work taken within seven calendar years prior to the student's beginning in the master's program. Except in the case of persons covered in paragraphs 1 and 3 above, no student may have academic requirements reduced by more than a total of 12 academic credits. There are no limitations to the number of exemptions that may be granted to a student.

All advanced-standing credit and all exemptions shall be granted after a review of the student's prior course work, the student's knowledge and mastery of that content, the course's appositeness to the School's course for which advanced standing or exemption is being requested, and the consent of the School officials as outlined in paragraphs 1 through 3 above.

b. Academic courses offered through this School's continuing education program or in another accredited academic school, department, or institution will be considered toward exemptions and advanced standing only if the grade earned is equivalent to the grade A, B, H, or S as defined by the University of Pittsburgh.

c. The number of required credits reduced or granted for a given course cannot exceed the number on the transcript from the school where they were earned nor can it exceed the number earned in the corresponding course in the University of Pittsburgh.

Note: In any case of advanced standing or credit reduction, students must complete all requirements in the foundation curriculum, concentration-required courses, and other requirements, even though this extends their class credits beyond the requirement for other students.

It is the responsibility of the student's adviser to file a "Certificate of Advanced Standing" and/or a "Certificate of Exemption" in the student's folder.

Advisement

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Arts in Social Work
Each student will be assigned a faculty adviser at the beginning of each academic year. Juniors will generally be assigned to those faculty who teach first-term junior courses. Seniors will be assigned to the faculty instructor for the particular section of Practicum Seminar and Lab for which they are registered. The purposes of advising are to assist the student with the academic program and to interpret the policies of the School and the goals and objectives of the profession.

In addition, the advising process offers students and faculty an opportunity to discuss and share concerns and to offer suggestions for the program. The BASW Club provides additional information and support to students via informal support systems. The student is urged to assist in the advisement procedures by reviewing completed academic work to date, defining educational and career goals, and by supplying input that might be helpful in the charting of course work for the balance of the academic experience.

The BASW program holds two open registration days (no appointment necessary) at the beginning of each registration period, and all students are urged to register at that time. Students unable to register during open registration are to make individual appointments to register with their advisers.

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Child Care
Each student will be assigned an adviser whose purpose will be to assist the student with the academic program and clarification of professional goals and to interpret the policies of the School. Notices regarding registration will be posted in the CD/CC office. The Child Development Association (the CD/CC student organization) also provides peer advisement and support. For a successful advising process, the student needs to be an active participant by: reviewing completed academic work, clarifying educational and career goals, and seeking appropriate consultation.

Graduate
Students in all graduate degree programs have a faculty adviser whose functions are

1. to assist the student in designing an educational plan in course selection and field practica planning and to assist in registration during the three registration periods of the academic year;

2. to review the student's grade standing and to work closely with the field instructor in assigning the field work grade;

3. to provide consultation to the student on all matters relevant to his or her progress through the School;

4. to locate, or to serve as liaison to, field agencies within the concentration's sphere of interest.

Field Education Insurance Policy
All social work students entering field placement must enroll in the University's liability coverage plan and pay the premium of $10.50 for the annual liability coverage, which extends from September 1 through August 31 of the following year. Students will be expected to pay this premium at the time of registration for field instruction. Waivers from field work agencies will not be accepted in lieu of premium payment. There are no reduced premiums for students who start field placement in the Spring or Summer Term.

Grading Policies

Official University Record: QPA Calculation
A student's Quality Point Average (QPA) is obtained by dividing the total number of letter grade credits taken as an undergraduate (graduate) into the total number of quality points earned as an undergraduate (graduate) student. Only letter grades with QPA values will be used in computing the Quality Point Average.

If a D or F grade (also C gradegraduate level) is received by any student and the authorization to repeat the course is given by the student's adviser, the grade (C or D or F) for the course repeated remains on the transcript but is identified with an asterisk. However, only the last course grade is counted in computing the QPA.

To initiate repetition of the course, the student, with the approval of his or her adviser, must file a course repeat card with the Office of Student Records, School of Social Work, Room 2110 Cathedral of Learning after successful completion of the course. Any exceptions to time restrictions for repeating a course must be approved in writing by the Dean.

Policy on Grades for Required Courses
1. All required classroom courses taken in the School of Social Work shall be graded under the conditions of an expanded letter grade system: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, and F. (D+, D and D- grades are used ONLY for students in the baccalaureate programs).

All required courses in the undergraduate and graduate curriculum must be taken for a letter grade. This includes, in the master's program, all the foundation courses, all the concentration-specific required courses, and all the certificate courses that make up the selected package even though some of the courses to make up the package are the elective choice of the student.

The grading system quality points are:

A+	=	4.00
A	=	4.00	(superior attainment)
A-	=	3.75
B+	=	3.25
B	=	3.00	(meritorious undergraduate attainment or adequate graduate attainment)
B-	=	2.75
C+	=	2.25
C	=	2.00	(adequate undergraduate attainment or minimal graduate expectations)
C-	=	1.75
D+	=	1.25	(undergraduate students ONLY)
D	=	1.00	(minimal attainment--undergraduate students ONLY)
F	=	0.00	(failure)

2. All graduate field instruction courses shall be taken for S/U grades.

3. All undergraduate field instruction courses shall be taken for a letter grade only.

The following grades carry no quality points:

G	Unfinished course work Course work unfinished because of extenuating personal circumstances
H	Honors Honors (exceptional) completion of course requirements
I	Incomplete Incomplete course work, due to the nature of the course, clinical work, or incomplete research work in individual guidance courses or seminars
N	Audit Non-credit
R	Resignation Student resigned from the University
S	Satisfactory Satisfactory completion of course requirements
U	Unsatisfactory Unsatisfactory completion of course requirements
W	Withdrawal
Z	Invalid grade Invalid grade reported
**	No grade No grade reported

Available course grade options:

LG	Letter grade
H/S/U	Honors/satisfactory/unsatisfactory
S/N	Satisfactory/audit
LG and H/S/U	Letter grade and honors/satisfactory/unsatisfactory
LG and S/N	Letter grade and satisfactory/audit

In those cases where no grade option is identified, the letter grade will be the only option.
All thesis/dissertation type courses must be limited to the S/N (satisfactory/audit) grade option.

Students may also take elective courses under the S/N, which indicates that the course was taken for audit. If the course is completed satisfactorily and all course requirements have been met, the student may earn the S grade. If the student chooses to attend the course but not complete the requirements of the course, the N grade will be given and no credits will be earned for that course.

Policy on Grading Options for Elective Courses
Elective courses offered and taken in the graduate program of the School of Social Work may be taken for a letter grade or an H/S/U grade. The student who chooses the H/S/U option must complete and sign the Grade Option form, have it signed by the instructor of the course, and either the student or instructor shall submit this form to the Office of Student Records, School of Social Work, Room 2110, Cathedral of Learning, no later than the ninth week of a full term or the fourth week of a Summer Session. Once made, the decision to take the course on a grading option basis cannot be changed, nor may a grade of one system be changed to a grade of the other system without the approval of the Dean.

Policy on G and I Grades

G Grades

The G grade may be assigned for course work that should have been completed within the term in which the course was taken but, for extenuating circumstances, was not. In order to request such consideration, which may be accepted or rejected by the instructor, the student should:

1. inform the instructor in writing, except under emergency conditions;
2. state reasons for needing this consideration; and
3. be prepared to present evidence substantiating the unique conditions necessitating this request.

Upon the award of a G grade, the student will have six weeks into the term following the term for which the G grade was awarded to complete the work. This time may be extended by the course instructor for:

1. extended illness beyond the usual six-week period for completing work; and for
2. personal emergency.

The time extension may be up to one year after the G grade was recorded.

I Grades

The I grade is applicable to courses that, by design, are not timebound to one term and for which a final grade can be given upon completion of the stipulated course work.

The time limit for the change of the I grade to another grade is one calendar year from the date of the end of the term in which the I grade was given. Exceptions to this policy can be made under the following circumstances:

1. extended illness beyond the term following the term in which the I grade was given;
2. death of a close family member or extended personal emergency if student does not return
for the following term;
3. academic probation; and for
4. doctoral student engaged in dissertation writing.

For the above-mentioned grades, the student must request, in writing, the extension from his or her instructor, and this letter, together with a memo from the instructor indicating the granting of the extension, the reasons for the extension, and the length of time for which the extension will be valid, will be placed in the student's folder.

Policy on W Grades
A student may withdraw from a registered School of Social Work course and a W grade be assigned if the withdrawal occurs no later than the ninth week of a full term or the fourth week of a Summer Session. Exceptions to this policy can be made under the following circumstances:

1. extended illness of the studentbeyond the ninth week of the term or fourth week of a Summer Session;
2. death of a close family member or an extended personal emergency; or
3. academic probation.

A student who wishes to withdraw from a course offered in the School of Social Work after the add/drop date, but prior to the end of the ninth week of the term (or fourth week of the session) must complete a Monitored Withdrawal Request form, which is available from the Social Work Recorder in Room 2110, Cathedral of Learning.

Each individual instructor must be notified (as evidenced by the instructor's signature on the University form). The form must be presented to the Social Work Recorder, Room 2110, Cathedral of Learning.

Completion of this process will result in the entry of a W grade on the academic transcript.

A student who stops attending a course and does not initiate and complete the withdrawal procedures may be assigned an F.

N (Audit) Grades
This option shall be available with permission of the instructor at the time when the student registers for the course he or she wishes to audit, and no later than the end of the add-drop period.

Grade Changes
Grade changes, in virtually every case, should be put through no later than one year after the initial grade was assessed. There may be conceivable reasons that justify a later change of grade, but they are surely quite unusual in character and should be considered most exceptional. The dean must approve a change in grade before it will be honored by the University registrar.

Policy on Grades for Courses in Other Departments
Courses taken in other schools and departments of the University of Pittsburgh by students from the School of Social Work shall be graded according to the grading policy adopted by the school or department in which the course is being taken.

Grade Assignments: Z Grades
It is the responsibility of all faculty members of the University to assign only a standard letter grade or option grade as approved within the University's and the School's grading policies to each student enrolled in an approved University course. All other grades will be recorded by the University Registrar as a Z, an invalid grade.

Graduation Honors
Those undergraduate members of a graduating class who have attained an outstanding scholastic record are graduated with honors. To qualify for honors, a student must have (1) attained a cumulative QPA of 3.25 for cum laude, 3.50 for magna cum laude, 3.75 for summa cum laude; (2) taken at least 60 credits while resident in the School of Social Work; and (3) taken at least 60 credits on the letter-grade system. Exceptions are made for transfer students who may not have been able to acquire 60 credits in residence.

Academic Standards

Policy on Grading Standards for the BASW Program
In order to remain in good academic standing and to be graduated from the BASW program, all students must obtain a grade of C- or better in all required courses in their social work major (including Practicum I and II); must maintain a B average (3.00 or above on a 4.00 scale) overall in their required major courses; must conform to the standards of professional conduct as specified in the NASW Code of Ethics; and must maintain a minimum cumulative QPA of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale.

Students earning a cumulative QPA that puts them in the top 2% of their graduating class are considered for honors recognition at the annual Honors Convocation conducted by the University of Pittsburgh.

Students who fall below a B average (3.00) in their social work major with only one grade below C- in required major courses or who fail to maintain a minimum cumulative QPA of 2.00 will be notified in writing and will be given one academic term in which to improve academic performance. (The academic term will be either the forthcoming fall or spring for the major QPA and will be the forthcoming fall, spring, or summer for the cumulative QPA.) In these instances, the student on probation will be given a practicum assignment with the condition that achievement of satisfactory academic status (removal from probation) at the end of the first term of practicum is required for continuation of practicum and the concurrent seminar and lab into the second term. Failure to achieve satisfactory academic status by the end of the first term of practicum will result in academic review and will prohibit, pending academic review, continuation to the second term of practicum and the concurrent seminar and lab.

Students not permitted to continue in the second term of practicum and the concurrent seminar/lab are to be informed that the earliest opportunity (after removal from probationary status) for completion of practicum and seminar/lab will be Spring Term of the coming academic year and that completion of practicum may require significantly more clock hours than normal for one term since students are expected to receive the same depth and breadth of practicum experience as is expected for students whose practica were not interrupted for unsatisfactory academic performance.

Should the major QPA fall below B average (3.00) with only one grade below C- and/or the cumulative QPA fall below the 2.00 minimum at the end of the student's first term of practicum, the students will be notified in writing; will be given one academic term in which to improve academic performance; and will be required to achieve satisfactory academic status (removal from probation) prior to graduation. Achievement of satisfactory academic status prior to graduation also applies to students whose academic performance meets the conditions specified in sentence one of this paragraph at the end of the second term of practicum. In this instance, students not permitted to be graduated are to be informed that the earliest opportunity to repeat requisite major courses will be Spring Term of the coming academic year and, should practicum be one of the involved courses, that completion of practicum may require significantly more clock hours than normal for one term since students are expected to receive the same depth and breadth of practicum experience as is expected for students who do not have to repeat practicum.

Students who receive two or more grades below C- in required social work courses will be subject to mandatory academic review as specified in the academic review policy of the School. If two or more below C- grades in required major courses are received prior to the student's initiation of practicum, practicum assignment (and enrollment in the concurrent seminar/lab) will be postponed, pending academic review. If two or more below C- grades are received in required major courses at the end of the first term of practicum, practicum (and the concurrent seminar/lab) continuation will be denied, pending academic review. If two or more below C- grades in required major courses are received at the end of the second term of practicum, graduation will be denied, pending academic review.

Notification of probationary status and of changes in probationary status must be noted by the associate dean in writing and such notification sent to the student, the program director, the student's faculty adviser, and the Director of Field Education, and such notification must be filed in the student's folder.

Policy on Grading Standards for the BS Program
All students must obtain a grade of C- or better in all required courses in their major, must maintain an average of 2.5 overall in their major, and must perform successfully in the field placement according to prevailing standards in order to remain in good standing in the program.

Students will be notified when they have fallen below the expected standards of the program and will be given one term in which to improve academic performance. The student on probation will not be given a practicum assignment until the conditional status is satisfactory to the School. Change of probationary status must be noted by the adviser in writing and such notification sent to the student, the director, and filed in the student's folder.

Policy on Grading Standards for the MSW/MS ProgramProbation Status
In the master's degree program, a 3.00 cumulative grade point average must be maintained. Should the student's average fall below 3.00, the student's adviser, in concert with the concentration chairperson or the director of the Child Development and Child Care program, shall determine the time frame in which the student's QPA must be brought up to the level of 3.00. The conditions of the probation and the time frame for removal of the probationary status shall be recorded in the student's folder and in writing to the student.

Should the student fall below the 3.00 average in any one term, or receive a C, F, or U grade in a required course, class or field, the academic review process shall be initiated with the student working with his or her academic adviser in order to determine how the student might satisfactorily complete the requirements for the program within the appropriate sequencing in the curriculum.

The conditions under which the student will attempt to satisfy grade requirements after obtaining an unacceptable grade are to be agreed upon by the student and course instructor with the appropriate involvement of the adviser and concentration chairperson or the director of the Child Development and Child Care program and shall be committed to writing and placed in the student's folder. A copy shall also be given to the student.

The options available include the following:

1. Repeat the course.

2. With instructor approval, take an examination, write a term paper, or complete a major project.

3. Take a different course within the same curriculum area, as long as the unsatisfactorily completed course is not one of the fundamental required courses for graduation. An example of this might be substituting Short-term Treatment for Marital Therapy Methods since both courses are electives within the Direct Practice Concentration requirement to complete the major. However, a required course, such as Models of Intervention, must be retaken.

The replacement course would have to be taken in the School of Social Work and not in any other department or school of the University.

The option of re-doing the course or work related to the course in which the grade of C, F, or U was earned can only be exercised once. The second grade earned is the grade that will be counted in the student's QPA, provided the student has completed the Course Repeat Option form.

No student will be permitted to be graduated with a C, F, or U grade in a required course.

These policies regarding probationary status in the MSW and MS programs do not apply to students admitted with provisional status unless the provisional status has been lifted.

Policy on Grading Standards for the PhD Program
In the PhD program, the student is expected to receive a B- grade or better in every course. The B- grade is not in itself an indication of the need for remedial action, but does suggest that the student is performing only at a marginally acceptable level and should consult with his or her adviser.

When a student receives a C (including C+) grade or lower, the program director notifies the adviser.

1. If the student is otherwise in good standing and the course is an elective, he or she may repeat the course or take an additional appropriate course in which, again, a B- grade or better must be received.

2. When the student receives a grade of C+ or lower in a required course, the student must repeat the course and be given one opportunity to do so. The student must receive a grade of B- or better the second time. Failure to do so will result in dismissal.

3. If the cumulative QPA falls below 3.0, the probation policy applies.

Graduation
Students must file an Application for Graduation form no later than one term before the expected graduation date. Students at that time are advised to review the academic transcript with an adviser to eliminate errors and avoid misunderstanding about graduation dates and completion of requirements.

All candidates for graduate degrees, including PhD students who have completed their required course work and are working on their dissertation research at the Pittsburgh campus or elsewhere, must be registered for a minimum of one credit in each 12-month period whether they use University facilities/faculty time or not. Another option for students working full time on his/her dissertation is to register for "Full-Time Dissertation Study," which carries no credits or letter grade but provides students full-time status. Students enrolled for "Full-Time Dissertation Study" are assessed a special tuition fee. Those students not registering within the 12-month period will be placed on inactive status and must be readmitted or reinstated in order to continue in their programs. Those students in inactive status for two years or more may be required to retake the qualifying or comprehensive exams for readmission.

All students must be registered in the term in which they are to be graduated. Deans may grant exceptions in certain cases. However, written notification must be submitted to the registrar before the first day of the term in which the student is to be graduated.

Statute of Limitations
There is a seven-year limitation on the earning of the BASW and BS Child Development and Child Care degrees with the seven-year period beginning from the date of entry into the respective program. Under extenuating circumstances (listed below), the adviser may recommend an extension of time to the program director and the associate dean. If approved by the program director and the associate dean, it would be recorded in the student's folder with the period of extension clearly specified. The extenuating circumstance would include the following:

1. extended illness of the student,
2. death of a close family member or extended personal emergency,
3. academic probation in the last term of the student's program.

There is a four-year limitation on the earning of the MS and MSW degrees. The four-year period is counted from the date of entry into the program for four full calendar years. Under extenuating circumstances (listed below), the adviser could recommend an extension of time to the program director and the associate dean. If approved, it would be recorded in the student's folder with the period of extension and the conditions of completion of the program clearly delineated. The extenuating circumstances would include the following:

1. extended illness of the student,
2. death of a close family member or extended personal emergency.

There is an eight-year statute of limitations for the completion of the PhD. Course work and the comprehensive examinations should be completed within five years, and the dissertation within three. Under exceptional circumstances, a candidate for the PhD program may apply for an extension of the statute of limitations. The request must be approved by the doctoral program director and the associate dean. Requests for an extension of the statute of limitations must be accompanied by a program assessment of the work required of the student to complete the degree as well as documented evidence of the extenuating circumstances leading to the requested extension. Students who request an extension of the statute of limitations must demonstrate proper preparation for the completion of all current degree requirements.

Under special conditions, graduate degree candidates may be granted one leave of absence. A maximum leave of two years may be granted to doctoral candidates or one year to master's students approved by the program director and the associate dean. If approved, the time of the leave shall not count against the total time allowed for the degree being sought by the student. Re-admission following an approved leave of absence is a formality.

Other Regulations
General University regulations apply to undergraduate and graduate students with regard to housing, financial aid, tuition refunds, residency, placement service, use of libraries, credit-hour limitations, and student health services. For appropriate section, see Contents.





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