Clinical/Counseling Psychology Academic Policies

It is the policy of Clayton State University that every student own or have ready, on demand access to a notebook computer to use for academic assignments and communications. This will often, but not always, require taking the computer to class. For hardware and software specifications and additional details, go to the University's ITP-Choice website.

It is expected that a student will need no more than six years to complete the Master of Science in Psychology degree. Any student who exceeds the six-year time limit for completing a degree must apply for admission to the degree program as a new student and begin a new planned program of study. Course credit over six years old will not be accepted in the new program. Other previous course work will be evaluated on the basis of its applicability to the new program of study. To remain a student in good standing, degree candidates must maintain a B (3.0) average and must take at least one class per academic year in which the candidate is enrolled. Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 9 semester hours.

Students admitted on a provisional basis are limited to 6 semester credit hours during their provisional semester.  Failure to maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average during the provisional semester will result in dismissal.

In order to keep students on track for completing the degree, the respective Master of Science in Psychology program coordinators will assign each student who enters the program an advisor. The student will be required to meet with his or her advisor before registering for courses each semester.

To receive a graduate degree from Clayton State University, a student must complete at least 27 semester hours of program requirements at Clayton State University. All of these 27 hours must be completed after the student has been admitted to the degree program.

Graduate work taken at other Commission of Colleges (COC) regionally accredited institutions must be evaluated and approved by the director of the Master of Science in Psychology in order to satisfy degree requirements at Clayton State University. Such transfer credit:

cannot be for courses over five years old and must satisfy the six-year time limit rule to count toward degree credit
cannot exceed 9 semester hours
cannot reduce residency requirements
No grade below B may be accepted. Transfer grades are not used in calculating semester, summer term or cumulative grade-point averages.

A student with transfer credit is required to do the capstone thesis option.

software specifications and additional details, go to the University's ITP-Choice website.

Students who are admitted to the program may defer their admission for one year.

Students may withdraw from one or more courses any time before the last three weeks of the semester. To withdraw they should complete an official withdrawal form in the Office of the Registrar. Students who officially withdraw from courses before mid-semester will receive a “W” in those courses and receive no credit. They will not, however, suffer any academic penalty. Students who officially withdraw after mid-semester (and before the last three weeks of the semester) will receive a “WF,” which will be counted as an “F” in the calculation of their grade point average. Exact withdrawal dates will be published in the official academic calendar and are subject to approval by the Board of Regents. Students who simply stop attending classes without officially withdrawing usually are assigned failing grades.

The only exceptions to these withdrawal regulations will be for instances involving unusual circumstances that are fully documented. Students will receive refunds only when they withdraw from all their classes and only by the schedule outlined in the university System refund policy. Students may withdraw from one or more courses any time before the last three weeks of the semester. To withdraw they should complete an official withdrawal form in the Office of the Registrar. Students who officially withdraw from courses before mid-semester will receive a “W” in those courses and receive no credit. They will not, however, suffer any academic penalty.

Students who officially withdraw after mid-semester (and before the last three weeks of the semester) will receive a “WF,” which will be counted as an “F” in the calculation of their grade point average. Exact withdrawal dates will be published in the official academic calendar and are subject to approval by the Board of Regents. Students who simply stop attending classes without officially withdrawing usually are assigned failing grades. The only exceptions to these withdrawal regulations will be for instances involving unusual circumstances that are fully documented. Students will receive refunds only when they withdraw from all their classes and only by the schedule outlined in the university System refund policy.

A student desiring to be considered for a hardship withdrawal must complete the official withdrawal process and submit a Hardship Withdrawal Request Form to the dean of the school of the student’s major. The Hardship Request form may be obtained from the Registrar website or in person.

To be eligible for hardship withdrawal, a student must have met ALL of the following conditions:

experienced an emergency or other unanticipated hardship that makes continuation in the course or courses ill-advised, been passing the course at the time that the emergency or other hardship arose,
acted responsibly by notifying his or her instructors or other University officials about the hardship situation as soon as possible after it arose, and filed the hardship request with the appropriate dean as soon as it is feasible to do so. Hardship requests that are not filed in a timely manner are subject to denial even if the student was passing and the hardship was legitimate.
Hardship withdrawal does not involve special consideration for refunds. Any refund due will be granted in accordance with the refund regulations and schedule printed in the semester Schedule of Classes booklet.

For purposes of this policy, “passing” is defined to include not only recorded grades but also satisfactory progress toward course assignments (papers, reports, projects, etc.) that have not yet actually been graded at the time the hardship arises. The dean’s office will contact the appropriate faculty member(s) to determine the student’s status.

“Hardship” refers to an unexpected event or circumstance beyond the student’s control that directly interferes with the student’s ability to continue to make satisfactory progress in class(es). This generally includes, but is not necessarily limited to, serious illness or accident of the student or a close relative that requires the student’s extended attention, unavoidable and unexpected job change or change of job assignment that conflicts with class, or significant disruption of family life that prevents regular class progress. The following sorts of cases do not constitute “hardship”: getting behind in class due to taking on more than one can handle; doing poorly in class due to inadequate background, difficult material, or poor time management; taking extensive time away from class for a personal situation that could have been expeditiously handled with a minimum of class interference. The dean may request documentation of the hardship.