1.6 Course Policies

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1.6.1 Courses
1.6.2 Grading
1.6.3 Transfer credits
1.6.4 Waivers/Substitutions in the POS
1.6.5 Expired courses
1.6.6 Special Topics or Independent Study (Engl 590)
1.6.7 Dual-listed courses
1.6.8 Research or Creative Component Credits (Engl 699 or Engl 599)

1.6.1 Courses

Graduate courses that bear graduate credit (500- or 600-level at ISU and must be taught by a member of the graduate faculty) are used to meet graduate program of study (POS) requirements. Under certain circumstances, undergraduate ISU courses (300- or 400-level) may also be used to meet graduate POS requirements at the discretion of the student’s POS committee according to department and Graduate College policy.

A course counted toward your undergraduate degree by an institution other than ISU cannot be transferred. Only courses taken for graduate credit separate from undergraduate work can be transferred and used in the graduate program of student (POS).

Graduate courses taken as an ISU undergraduate student

If you completed a bachelor’s degree at ISU and took graduate level courses as an undergraduate, you may use up to 6.0 credits of that graduate coursework toward your graduate POS requirements if you earned grades of B or higher, regardless of whether they counted towards an undergraduate degree or not. If you wish to count ISU graduate credits taken as an undergraduate, you must include them when you submit the DPS and other POS documentation. Those credits will be certified for use in your POS by the Graduation Office when you submit the Graduate POSC Form in your AccessPlus account.

Graduate courses taken as an ISU nondegree graduate student

If you are admitted to ISU and took graduate courses as a nondegree seeking graduate student, you may use up to 9 credits of that graduate coursework toward meeting your graduate POS requirements. If you wish to use any of these credits, you will include them on the DPS and submit them on the Graduate College POSC Form in your AccessPlus account.

Undergraduate courses taken as an ISU graduate student

Advanced 300- and 400-level undergraduate courses from outside your major and outside the English Department may be used to meet graduate degree requirements with permission from your POS committee members.

  • No 100- or 200-level classes may be used, but 300- and 400-level classes at Iowa State (not undergraduate classes from other institutions) will be eligible.
  • With approval from the POS committee, graduate students will be permitted to use undergraduate courses from outside their majors; however, it is our department policy that no ENGL designator course at the 300-400 level (including those cross-listed with ENGL courses) can be used to meet POS requirements.
  • Up to three courses at the 400-level will be permitted, or a POS may include one 300-level course and two 400-level courses.

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1.6.2 Grading

The minimum grade acceptable for courses to be used on the POSC is a C (transfer credits must be a minimum of a B). A grade of S (satisfactory) can also be used on the POSC.

P/NP (pass/not pass) courses may not be used on the POSC (except for those earned in Spring 2020 due to COVID-19).

Students cannot graduate with F’s or I’s (incompletes) on their records unless the POS committee determines there are extenuating circumstances, petitions the Graduate College for approval to allow the student to graduate with these on their record, and the request is approved by the Graduate College Dean.
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1.6.3 Transfer credits

You may transfer graduate level credits from another university and your transcripts will be evaluated to determine the number of transferable graduate credits. The initial evaluation will be made by your assigned program advisor or major professor in consultation with other teaching members of the English Department graduate faculty. Final review of requested transfer credits will be completed by the DOGE upon submission of the required Transfer Credit Petition form and accompanying documents. If the program advisor or major professor is the same person as the graduate faculty member evaluating the course for equivalency to an ISU course, the DOGE may contact the area coordinator or another area faculty member to confirm approval. In the case that the DOGE is also the student’s program advisor or major professor, the Associate DOGE will conduct the final review. ISU English Department courses taken prior to entry into your current graduate program and applicable to the POS requirements in a particular major do not need to be included but will count towards the allowable number of transfer credits. The approved transfer credit course(s) are then added to your Degree Planning Sheet (DPS) and Program of Study and Committee (POSC) form in AccessPlus (refer to the appropriate section of this Graduate POS Manual for more information on the POSC form) and will require final approval by the Graduate College when you actually submit for approval the completed POSC form.

Transcript-related policies, all mandated by the university, apply to the transfer of credits:

  • Courses must have a grade of B or better. A pass/fail course cannot be transferred unless you can provide a letter from your professor indicating the grade that would have been awarded (must be B or higher).
  • Courses must be completed before the term in which the graduate student graduates from ISU and an official transcript provided for review and final approval by the Graduate College.
  • A course counted toward your undergraduate degree by the home institution cannot be transferred. Only courses taken for graduate credit separate from undergraduate work can be transferred. It is your responsibility to provide verification by letter from that institution that those graduate courses were not used to satisfy undergraduate requirements for a degree.
  • Course credits completed at another institution on a quarter units system will need to be converted to the semester units system in order to determine the number of credits allowed to transfer if approved. The Graduate College conversion table indicates that 4.5 credits/units on a quarter units system is equivalent to 3.0 credits/units on a semester units system. If you still have questions, contact the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant (englgrad@iastate.edu) for assistance. These courses must be entered into the Transfer Credit section of the POSC Form in AccessPlus and listed exactly as listed on the transcript with the quarter units system number of credits which will increase the total number of credits at the bottom for the degree.
  • Courses must be acceptable as approved expired courses according to expired courses policies (See Expired courses section above)
  • MA students must complete a minimum of 22 graduate credits at Iowa State University, regardless of how many credits are transferred.
  • MFA students must complete a minimum of 22 graduate credits at Iowa State University, regardless of how many credits are transferred. Students may transfer up to 24 credits into the MFA POS, but the actual number of transfer credits approved will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Previous ISU degree coursework can count, but there must be a minimum of 22 non-overlapping credits per ISU degree.
  • PhD students must complete a minimum of 36 graduate credits at Iowa State University. Students may transfer up to 36 credits, but the actual number of transfer credits approved will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Previous ISU degree coursework can count, but there must be a minimum of 22 non-overlapping credits per ISU degree.

ISU sets limits on transfer credits because, as the degree-granting institution, it needs to be able to ensure the integrity of its degrees, and too much credit granted from credits taken elsewhere compromises the ability to ensure that integrity. The English Department, likewise, wants to protect the integrity of our degree programs, and that is why course transfer is handled on a case-by-case basis. This process allows us to assess the applicability of courses to individual degree programs and may not permit you to transfer as may credits as the university policy allows. To ensure programmatic consistency in the application of transfer credits, the DOGE has consulted with faculty in the various programs to develop transfer guidelines. Although you may discuss an appeal with your assigned program advisor or major professor if you believe you should be allowed more transfer credits, an appeal is not likely to advance beyond that discussion.

If you wish to transfer credits, you need to complete the following and submit a completed packet to the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant (englgrad@iastate.edu) for approval by the DOGE:

  • Transfer Credit Petition which requests the following information and attachments:
    • Transfer course information for the course which you are requesting transfer approval
    • The ISU course equivalent for which you are requesting transfer credit (if no equivalent course exists at ISU, just state this in the “ISU Course No.” blank and indicate the POS category for your major you hope to use these credits towards)
    • Written justification for the transfer credits and a description of the course content (provide copies of the course syllabus or pages from the institution catalog copy)
    • Evaluation by ISU faculty member who regularly teaches the ISU course equivalent with their indication of support and their electronic signature (this evaluation is normally not required for courses equivalent to other ISU department/program courses, but may be necessary depending on the course and POS category)
    • Transcript copy showing grade received in the course (copy of official transcript and institution grading system)
  • The entire packet should then be evaluated by your program advisor or major professor and signed if they agree with the transfer course request
  • The entire completed packet is submitted to the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant electronically (englgrad@iastate.edu) for review and consideration by the DOGE (including any confirmations with the area coordinator as described above)

If you attended a foreign university and wish to transfer credits from that institution, you must translate into English the entirety of any non-English-language syllabus for a requested transfer course. Syllabi translations must be submitted to the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant along with the rest of the required transfer credit paperwork described in the previous section. Translations will then be reviewed for accuracy before the credits themselves are reviewed for transfer.

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1.6.4 Waivers/Substitutions in the POS

You need a POS waiver/substitution approved when your prior experience allows you to take a different or more advanced course as a substitute for a required course in the POS. Note that receiving a POS waiver/substitution for a particular course does not change the number of required POS credits. You will be required to take additional coursework to replace the credits associated with the petition if applicable. Prior approval is suggested to avoid delays in meeting degree requirements that can result in delayed graduation.

You will need to submit a POS Waiver/Substitution Petition form which includes a clear justification for this change, consideration and support/signature from the faculty member who regularly teaches the ISU Engl Dept course being replaced (not required for required coursework that is outside the department), signed by your assigned program advisor or major professor. If the program advisor or major professor is the same person as the graduate faculty member evaluating the course being waived/substituted, the DOGE will consult the area coordinator or another program faculty member to confirm approval.

This completed petition must be submitted to the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant electronically (englgrad@iastate.edu) for consideration and approval by the Director of Graduate Education. In the case that the DOGE is also the student’s program advisor or major professor, the Associate DOGE will conduct the final review.

Approvals for POS waivers/substitutions must be obtained before or along with the Degree Planning Sheet.
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1.6.5 Expired courses

Courses that you wish to use on the POSC form to meet degree requirements must follow Graduate College policy regarding the use of expired courses. The age of a course is defined as the time between when credits were earned and when the student graduates. A course is expired when its age is greater than the Graduate College time limit for the master’s or doctoral program, and the time-to-degree expectation remains at seven years for both levels.

Students must complete the online Expired Course Petition along with the POSC form or a modification to the POSC form. Courses must be ISU courses 300-level or above, or those courses documented as being graduate-level courses from other appropriately accredited institutions and approved for transfer.

The following guidelines will be used by the POS committee, DOGE(s), and the Graduate College for the number and age limits of expired credits allowed on the POSC form based on the expected year of graduation indicated by the student:

  • Master’s limits (MA and MFA):
    • 6.0 credits 8-10 years old
    • 0.0 credits 11+ years old
  • M.F.A. limits:
    • no limit 8-10 years old (no Expired Course Petition required)
    • 14.0 credits 11-16 years old
    • 10.0 credits 17 years old
  • Ph.D. limits:
    • no limit 8-10 years old (no Expired Course Petition required)
    • 24.0 credits 11-16 years old
    • 12.0 credits 17 years old

The Expired Course Petition should include the following:

  • a justification for why the courses are still relevant,
  • an assurance that the student has kept current with the information covered in the courses, and
  • an explanation of how the student will be evaluated on overage material. Evaluation could include a written examination (a preliminary, qualifying, or comprehensive examination), evidence of satisfactory performance in course(s) for which the overage courses are prerequisites, or the completion of an audit in one or more current courses in the areas encompassed by the overage course. The object should be to determine whether the material learned in those courses is still timely and adequate. The evaluation method should be specified by the committee at the time the POSC form is submitted.

If a student does not graduate by the term indicated on the POSC, the approved use of expired courses is void and a new updated Expired Course Petition must be submitted as well as an updated POSC Form with the graduate date changed. Students and faculty may want to plan in advance for the possibility that additional coursework may be required due to delays in graduation.
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1.6.6 Special Topics or Independent Study (Engl 590)

The Engl 590 course provides a way to study important material that is not otherwise available to you in the graduate curriculum. Such courses involve special conditions and require special arrangements between you and an instructor. The Director of Graduate Education will not approve Engl 590 proposals that do not meet the special conditions listed on the Request for Engl 590 form and guidelines. The number of Engl 590s allowed in any program of study is restricted.

To qualify for Engl 590 courses, you must have completed 9 credit hours of study in graduate-level courses (either at Iowa State or elsewhere) and you must have no “Incomplete” grades (other than in Engl 599 or 699).

To request approval to take Engl 590, you must complete and submit a Request for Engl 590 form to the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant (englgrad@iastate.edu) for consideration by the DOGE by the first day of classes of the academic term in which the Engl 590 is to be taken (or by May 1 for the summer semester). It is to your advantage to submit the form the semester before you wish to take the Engl 590 in case you need to consider other options.

NOTE: In order for English Department graduate students to request use of Engl 590 on the POS, you must check the appropriate box on the Request for Engl 590 form and answer question #7 on how you will use it in your POS. A student whose Request for Engl 590 form was approved—with no request for use of the 590 on the POS—may later request use of the 590 on the POS by submitting a POS Waiver/Substitution form to the Graduate Program Staff Administrative Assistant for consideration by the DOGE.

  • MA students are permitted 3 credit hours of Engl 590 in their POS.
  • MFA students are permitted 3 credit hours of Engl 590 in their POS.
  • PhD students are permitted 6 credit hours of Engl 590 in their POS.

Registration reference numbers may be obtained from the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant if the Request for Engl 590 form is approved. Permission must be obtained in advance as a POS waiver/substitution for any English 590 to be included on the POSC Form to meet POS requirements.

 

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1.6.7 Dual-listed courses

The Department of English permits you to take up to 6 credit hours of dual-listed courses toward your program of study. These courses permit undergraduate and graduate students to be in the same class but receive credit under two different course numbers, and graduate students must fulfill additional requirements. Dual-listed courses used in the POS must (1) be taken as a graduate, not an undergraduate, student with extra work completed for graduate credit, and (2) be taught by a member of the Graduate College graduate faculty.
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1.6.8 Research or Creative Component credits (Engl 699 or Engl 599)

Engl 699 is the course students enroll in for the purpose of writing the thesis or dissertation. There is a presumption that these credits will be part of a coherent research agenda leading to the thesis or dissertation.

Engl 599 is the course students in the three M.A. degree programs (English, RCPC, TESL/AL) may choose to enroll in for the purpose of writing a creative component instead of a thesis or dissertation.

  • All MA students must complete 3 hours of research credit in either Engl 699 (if writing a thesis) or Engl 599 (if writing a creative component). You may take more than 3 credit hours of Engl 699 (not an option for Engl 599) (e.g., to meet assistantship requirements), but only 3 credit hours will count toward your MA degree. (See Thesis and Creative Component options.)
  • All MFA students must complete 6 hours of research credit in Engl 699. You may take more than 6 credit hours of Engl 699 (e.g., to meet assistantship requirements), but only 6 credit hours will count toward your MFA degree.
  • All PhD students must complete 12-18 hours of research credit in Engl 699 according to their respective degree requirements (18 ALT; 12 RPC). You may take more than the required number of credit hours of Engl 699, but only the minimum number required will count toward your PhD degree.

Engl 599 and 699 credits may be taken only if students have submitted the Graduate College Program of Study and Committee Form (POSC) officially selecting their major professor and forming their POS committee.

Registration reference numbers for Engl 699 or 599 may be obtained from the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant (englgrad@iastate.edu) only after the POSC Form is approved by your POS Committee, DOGE, and the Graduate College.

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