Effective Date Feb 20, 2014

Last Review Date: October 27, 2022

(Graduate Policy 3.6)

An overall grade point average less than 3.2, but at least 3.0 will result in probation; if the grade point average of 3.2 is not attained upon the completion of the probationary semester, the dean of the graduate school will consider dismissal of the student.

Dismissal will also result under any of the following circumstances:

1. The student achieves an overall grade point average below 3.0 at any stage of the doctoral program.
2. The student earns two grades of D, F or U during the pre-internship component of the program.
3. The student earns an unsatisfactory grade for one semester (nine semester credit hours) of internship.
4. The student is not admitted to doctoral candidacy. (See graduate policy “Admission to Doctoral Candidacy, Psy.D. Students”).

Dismissal may also result under any of the following circumstances:

1. The student fails to abide by the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.
2. The presence of the student hampers the academic efforts of other students.
3. The student fails to maintain satisfactory progress in coursework and/or research. In this case, the graduate faculty of the School of Psychology may recommend dismissal regardless of grade point average. Concurrence of the college dean and dean of the graduate school are required.
4. The student violates the legal or ethical standards of the university. Such conduct may result in mandatory withdrawal from all classes and denial of permission to register in future terms, for either a definite or indefinite period of time. Examples of misconduct that could result in these actions include, but are not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, knowingly furnishing false information to the university or forging, altering or misusing university documents or academic credentials.
5. The student fails to demonstrate adequately those personal and interpersonal skills and attributes deemed suitable for the profession. These skills and attributes include, but are not limited to, the criteria used by the program in its formal student reviews and the professional values delineated in the School of Psychology Graduate Student Handbook.

A student must receive written notification of dismissal. The student will have the right to appeal the dismissal as directed in the dismissal letter, stating the basis for the appeal. Transcripts of dismissed doctoral students will be annotated as follows:

1. The statement “not admitted to candidacy for academic reasons” will be used on the transcript of pre-candidacy dismissals.
2. The statement “removed from candidacy for academic reasons” or “removed from candidacy for reasons of misconduct” will be used for dismissed doctoral candidates.