Academic Policies and Reports

Download as PDF

Attendance

The M.A.T. and M.Ed. are professional programs; students are expected to attend all classes and field trips in the program as well as to be prepared for class unless family illness or an emergency prevents them from doing so. The G.P.E. Office should be notified by phone or e-mail in case of absence.
 

Compliance

As members of the College community, M.A.T. and M.Ed. students are expected to adhere to the policies of Earlham College. Many of the policies included in the Earlham College Academic Catalog and/or the Earlham College Student Handbook have special applications to graduate students. Of particular importance are the Mission Statement, Principles and Practices, A Model of Religious Life and the policy on Accommodation of Students with Disabilities. Policies concerning alcohol, illegal drugs and firearms, smoking, academic integrity, nondiscrimination and harassment apply to graduate students as do policies for safety and security. All College policies are available online.

Immediate dismissal from the program may occur for illegal or unethical behavior inconsistent with school, state or federal laws, or the Earlham College Principles and Practices.
 

Transfer Policy

Credits may be transferred into the M.Ed. or M.A.T. programs, but the coursework and standards for the course being transferred must align very closely with the coursework and standards for the M. Ed. or M.A.T. course for which a candidate seeks credit.

All transfer credits must be approved by the Director or Assistant Director of the Earlham College Graduate Programs in Education.

In order to transfer credits into the M.A.T. or M. Ed. program, a candidate must submit a formal request to the Director that lists the courses that are being requested to transfer toward an M. Ed. or M.A.T. degree. The Director may require a course description and/or course syllabus in order to decide whether to approve a transfer.

Due to the cohort nature of the program, any request to transfer credits into either the M.A.T. or M. Ed. programs must occur no later than the end of the first semester of the program. Transfer requests will not be permitted after a candidate has begun their second semester of either the M.A.T. or M. Ed. This is necessary in order for candidates to get the most out of the cohort experience.
 

Grades

The traditional letter grades “A – F” with a plus or minus are used in grading G.P.E. students. However, graduate students must achieve a grade point average no lower than 3.0 to successfully complete the program.

  • CR — Credit-only grades are used for certain courses and are not computed into the Grade Point Average.
  • NG — Instructors use the NG as a placeholder on the student’s transcript when deadlines have been missed because of issues with the K-12 public school schedule. All NG grades are converted to a final grade by the end of the semester following the semester when the NG was given.
  • I — Incomplete
     

Incomplete grading policy

Earlham’s Graduate Programs in Education support adult students in their pursuit of further education while at the same time realizing that professional and personal limitations may occur. When a graduate student cannot finish the required coursework during the normal semester due to either professional or personal circumstances, students have the opportunity to receive a grade of Incomplete for the current semester. This process is followed:

  1. Students, along with their professor or supervisor, fill out an Incomplete Form that includes an agreed-upon plan for completing the coursework.
  2. The typical plan calls for all work to be completed within the next semester.
  3. The director signs off on all plans.
  4. The professor or supervisor is responsible for working with the student to implement and fulfill the plan.
  5. For any circumstances not covered by the above, the director serves as the plan supervisor.
     

Performance assessment standards

Along with traditional grades, performance assessment standards are used to assess graduate students’ work. Candidates must demonstrate competence at the Distinguished or Proficient level on the Indiana Developmental Standards for Educators, and Earlham M.A.T. standards and principles to be eligible for recommendation to the state of Indiana for teacher licensure. The different standards describe what every teacher should know and be able to do.

Levels of performance standards are defined below:

Distinguished

The candidate demonstrates an exemplary understanding of the standards and the ability to create a community of learners that highly motivates and engages students to assume considerable responsibility for their own learning. This candidate has the potential to be an outstanding first-year teacher.

Proficient

The candidate clearly understands the concepts underlying the standards and implements them well. The implementation is consistent and effective. The candidate demonstrates the likelihood of becoming an excellent teacher with more experience and mentoring.

Basic

The candidate appears to understand the concepts underlying the standards and attempts to implement these elements. Implementation is inconsistent and/or not entirely successful. Additional reading, observation and experience, supported by mentors, may enable the candidate to become proficient in this area. The candidate needs significant guidance and ongoing skill development to be successful in the classroom.

Unsatisfactory

The candidate does not appear to understand the concepts underlying the standards. Work on the fundamental practices associated with the standards is required to enable development in this area. Teacher certification will not be granted at this level.

Continuing educational units

The Earlham College Graduate Programs in Education mission includes outreach to local educators in the community. Part of that outreach is offering courses for graduate credit to teachers who wish to increase their knowledge in specific areas. Enrollment in a degree program is not required to earn graduate credit for these courses. These courses are consistent with the policies and principles of the Earlham College Graduate Programs in Education. The specific content of the courses changes yearly to meet the changing needs of educators.

Reports

Title II Reports
2021-22
2020-21
2019-20
2018-19

Policy specifications

Last revision: 02/05/2024
Effective date: 02/05/2024
Associated division(s): Graduate Programs in Education
Associated audience(s): Students
Associated container(s): Academic
Policy home: https://earlham.edu/policy/graduate-program-policies-and-reports