Satisfactory Academic Progress - Nursing

Federal law and regulations require that all students receiving financial assistance maintain satisfactory academic progress according to both qualitative and quantitative measures. The following policy presents the standards adopted by the UCSF Graduate Studies Office, the School of Nursing, and the Student Financial Aid Office and applies to all students receiving financial aid, including Federal Direct (Stafford) Student Loans.

The academic requirements for graduate degrees include the satisfactory completion of the curriculum designated by the faculty. The length and specific requirements for each nursing program vary.

Master's Entry Program In Nursing (MEPN)
This program is designed for individuals with baccalaureate degrees in fields other than nursing. The first year of the program provides general nursing education which prepares students to obtain a Registered Nurse license (RN) by taking and passing the National Council Licensure Examination. During the second and third years of the Master's Entry Program, students pursue the remaining requirements for the Master of Science in Nursing degree and for the purposes of financial aid are considered to be indistinguishable from post-BSN master's students.

During the first year of the MEPN, students are considered to be making satisfactory progress for financial aid purposes as long as they maintain at least a 3.00 grade point average and meet the program requirements established by the faculty. Each student's performance is monitored on a continuous basis, and students are evaluated at the end of each quarter. Students who do not meet the program requirements established by the faculty will not be permitted to continue in the program.

If a student temporarily withdraws from school, the quarter in which (or after which) the student withdraws will be considered a quarter of enrollment if the student attended long enough to keep his or her financial aid. If the student was not enrolled long enough to keep his or her financial aid, it will not be considered a quarter of enrollment.

If students are allowed to progress into the second year, they are considered to have made satisfactory progress during the first year of MEPN.

When the student is in the second and third years of the master's program, the satisfactory academic progress policy described in the Master of Science in Nursing Program, below, applies.

Master Of Science In Nursing
It takes approximately two years to complete the requirements for this degree. At the end of the first academic year, the graduate adviser reviews the qualitative performance of each student. Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 and are subject to dismissal for failure to do so. A student shall be placed on financial aid probation if his/her cumulative GPA at the end of the academic year is below 3.00. Students on financial aid probation may receive financial aid for one quarter. The student shall be removed from financial aid probation if the cumulative GPA reaches 3.00 at the end of the probationary quarter. If the cumulative GPA does not reach 3.00 at the end of the probationary quarter, the student will be suspended from financial aid eligibility until the cumulative GPA returns to 3.00.

Students must complete at least eight units per quarter (24 per year) to be considered full-time for financial aid purposes. Students who attend at least half-time but take fewer than eight units per quarter are eligible for Federal Direct (Stafford) Loans but not for other types of need-based financial aid.

Students in the Master of Science in Nursing program may receive financial aid for two years, excluding time spent on approved leave of absence. This limit includes any quarter in which the student was enrolled, whether or not the student received financial aid. Students sometimes require longer than two years and may receive financial aid for more than two years of enrollment if, after a thorough review of the student's situation and academic progress, the Director of Student Financial Aid determines that additional support is warranted. The student will not receive financial aid more than three years, regardless of the time he or she is permitted to maintain enrollment. If a student temporarily withdraws from school, the quarter in which (or after which) the student withdraws will be considered a quarter of enrollment if the student attended long enough to keep his or her financial aid. If the student was not enrolled long enough to keep his or her financial aid, it will not be considered a quarter of enrollment.

Doctoral Degrees In Nursing
At the conclusion of each academic year, the graduate adviser reviews the qualitative performance of each student. Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 and are subject to dismissal by the School of Nursing for failure to do so. A student shall be placed on financial aid probation if his/her cumulative GPA at the end of the academic year is below 3.00. Students on financial aid probation may receive financial aid for one quarter. The student shall be removed from financial aid probation if the cumulative GPA reaches 3.00 at the end of the probationary quarter. If the cumulative GPA does not reach 3.00 at the end of the probationary quarter, the student will be suspended from financial aid eligibility until the cumulative GPA returns to 3.00.

Doctoral degrees are awarded for scholarship and contributions to the discipline, and are not quantified in terms of courses completed and units earned. Students take varying numbers of units, depending on their year in the program. During the first two to four years of graduate study, a student normally takes from eight to 12 units per quarter. To be considered full-time for financial aid purposes, students who have not advanced to candidacy must complete at least six units per quarter (18 per year). Students who attend at least half-time but take fewer than six units per quarter are eligible for Federal Direct (Stafford) Loans but not for other types of need-based financial aid.

Students who are taking independent study classes should work with their advisors regarding the number of units. When filing a study list, they should evaluate the amount of effort they will be investing in the independent study class(es). If this is equivalent to the effort put into six units of course work, students should sign up for six units of independent study. Once the student has advanced to candidacy, fewer than six units per quarter are customary, depending on the kind of activity the student is engaged in. For example, a student engaged in writing the dissertation might register for only a "299" course, which carries no units. Thus, students who have advanced to candidacy are considered to be enrolled full-time regardless of the number of units they are taking.

Occasionally, students receive an incomplete grade for one or more classes. Any incomplete grades must be removed within one calendar year or, if the course is not given yearly, by the end of the quarter in which the course is next offered. Each student must have an evaluation conference with his/her graduate adviser at least once a year. The results will be reported to the School of Nursing Dean's Office on the "Annual Report of Academic Review" form, which will be placed in the student's academic file.

To maintain satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes, students must receive an evaluation of "satisfactory" or "more than satisfactory." Those who receive the evaluation "improvement is needed" will be placed on financial aid probation. Such students may receive financial aid for one quarter. They may not receive additional funding until another academic review report has been completed with a rating of satisfactory or above. When students apply for financial aid, the Student Financial Aid Office will obtain the report results from the School of Nursing.

Doctoral nursing students will be viewed as making satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes if they meet the following conditions:

1. Maintain a grade point average of 3.00 or above.
2. Receive an evaluation of satisfactory or above on the "Annual Report of Academic Review."
3. Complete at least six units per quarter ( per year) until they have advanced to candidacy.
4. Pass the qualifying exam and advance to candidacy by the end of the fourth year of study.

Students who do not maintain a 3.00 grade point average or receive a satisfactory rating on the "Annual Report of Academic Review" will be placed on financial aid probation as already indicated. Those who do not complete the necessary units or advance to candidacy as indicated above must be reviewed by the Student Financial Aid Director and the School of Nursing or his designee to determine whether or not they are making satisfactory academic progress and should continue to be eligible for financial aid.

The normative time for completion of the PhD degree is five years, and a student may receive financial aid to cover five years of enrollment, excluding time spent on approved leaves of absence. This limit includes any quarter in which the student was enrolled, whether or not the student received financial aid. Students sometimes require longer than five years and may receive financial aid for more than five years of enrollment if the Student Financial Aid Office determines that additional support is warranted. Normally, the student will not receive financial aid to cover more than six years of enrollment, regardless of the time he or she is permitted to maintain enrollment. If a student temporarily withdraws from school, the quarter in which (or after which) the student withdraws will be considered a quarter of enrollment if the student attended long enough to keep his or her financial aid. If the student was not enrolled long enough to keep his or her financial aid, it will not be considered a quarter of enrollment.

General Information
A student may be granted a leave of absence for a variety of reasons. The time period of an approved leave shall be excluded from the maximum time frame in which an individual student will be expected to complete the program.

The school is ready to respond to mitigating circumstances which may arise in individual situations. Students may appeal loss of eligibility for financial aid to the Director of Student Financial Aid. The Director in consultation with the Graduate Studies or Nursing Dean will determine whether or not the mitigating circumstances offer justification for altering customary standards of academic progress.

Filing fee -- Master's or doctoral degree candidates may apply to the Graduate Division to be on filing fee status during the last quarter before they obtain the degree.

The Director of Financial Aid, the Graduate Division Dean's Office, and the School of Nursing Dean's Office will have joint responsibility for implementation and enforcement of the satisfactory academic progress policy. The Director shall provide in writing to each student at the time of initial enrollment a copy of the policy. The Director shall notify a student of implementation of probationary status and suspension from financial aid eligibility.