Graduate Policies

Culture of Graduate Learning

Graduate learning, teaching and scholarship differ from the undergraduate educational experience through the intensity of learning and the role of applicable research. All graduate experiences should reflect an in-depth study of a particular curricular field and should lead students to independent thinking, learning and knowledge acquisition.

Affirmative Action Statement

Trine University is committed to the equitable treatment of students, faculty and staff; therefore, all who work, live, study and teach in the Trine Community will be valued on the basis of scholastic achievement and academic potential without regard to race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, or age.

Admission Requirements

Degree and GPA Requirements. Except for the Dual Undergraduate/Graduate program applicants (See Student Classifications below), students seeking to enroll in graduate studies must have:
1. A 3.0 GPA and,
2. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution in an appropriate academic field, or
3. a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in a related field and significant major-specific professional experience, or
4. A bachelor’s degree from a non-regionally accredited institution in an appropriate or related field and GRE test scores of 475 verbal and 600 quantitative or higher on the old scale for tests administered prior to August 2011 or a combined verbal/quantitative score of 300 for tests administered after August 2011. (A GMAT score of 570 or higher may substitute for the GRE at the discretion of the Department Chair, Program Director, or Dean.) The scores must not be more than five years old from July 1 of the application year. An official copy must be sent to the Graduate School directly from Educational Testing Service. Note: GRE scores are considered alongside several other factors during the application review process. Admission will not be exclusively decided based on the student’s GRE score.
International Students.
1. Applicants whose native language is not English must provide evidence of a 79 on the internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an overall 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). They also must have earned at least a 3.0 GPA. If their undergraduate coursework was not completed at an American institution, their transcripts will need to meet internationally accepted standards or be reviewed by professional credential evaluators. Some graduate programs may have additional admission requirements.
2. ENG 502, Critical Reading and Applications, is a pre-requisite course for international students who have not studied in the U.S. The course serves international students who are acquainted with the methods of critical reading but who need to refine and strengthen their skills in order to succeed in subsequent university courses. Students must successfully complete this course with a grade of “C” or higher in order to proceed to the next required English course in the program.
Application Requirements. Prospective graduate students are required to submit the following documents as part of their application package:
1. Completed graduate application
2. Official academic transcripts from each previous undergraduate and graduate institution attended (except Trine University). Transcripts from prospective students will be evaluated by the Program Chair/Director in consultation with the school Dean to determine if additional undergraduate coursework is required to adequately prepare for the rigors of graduate coursework.
3. Three letters of recommendation as part of their application. Letters of Recommendation should be from individuals who have had a supervisory role over the student such as a professor or employer
4. Personal narrative that explains the student’s interest in pursuing a graduate level education.
Note: Additional program-specific admission requirements may exist. Some graduate programs may have additional admission requirements. Admittance to any graduate program is valid for one year from the time of admission to enrollment.
Conditional Admission. In order to be considered as a candidate for conditional graduate admission, students who have not earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in an undergraduate degree program must submit the following materials to the Program Chair/Director in addition to required application materials:
- A 1-page narrative describing the challenges or extenuating circumstances that led to the student earning less than 3.0 GPA in undergraduate work. Students must include a description of specific strategies they will use to ensure academic progress within the graduate degree program.
- An additional letter of recommendation from a professional colleague who can address the applicant’s situation and potential for success.
- The applicant’s resume or vita indicating positions held that demonstrate task commitment, knowledge and skill relevant to the applicable course of study.
Upon receipt of all the materials, the application will be reviewed by the Department Chair/Program Director and a recommendation will be made to the appropriate Dean for conditional admission. A student admitted conditionally will become a graduate student in good standing upon completion of four graduate level courses maintaining a B or better grade in each course. Conditional graduate students not garnering a grade of B or better in each of their first four courses will be dismissed.

Shared Progress

The institution’s policy and practice assure that at least 50% of courses applied to a graduate program are courses designed for graduate work, rather than undergraduate courses credited toward a graduate degree. Trine University allows well prepared advanced students to substitute its graduate courses for required or elective courses in an undergraduate degree program and then subsequently count those same courses, with a “B” or better earned, as filling graduate requirements in a related graduate program. For the DPT and the PA programs the first three years GPA will be for the undergraduate course, the final three years will be on the graduate degree.

Student Classifications – Dual Undergraduate/Graduate

3 + 3 Degree Path – Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree program
Trine University offers a six year plan of study to qualified students leading to a bachelor degree in either exercise science or biology and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. To be accepted into the program students must graduate HS with a 3.5 GPA, Graduate in the top 25% of their HS class (academically), and have an ACT score of at least 25 or an SAT score of at least 1150.

Throughout the first three years of this plan of study students must maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA and upon completion of these three years they need to have 40 hours of physical therapy observation.

Dual undergraduate/graduate enrollment status is granted to those students who have completed the first 3 years of the 3+3 Doctor of Physical (DPT) degree program. These students will be graduate candidates in year four. Students who do not meet this standard will not be given graduate status. Students will be awarded each degree upon completion of its respective degree requirements. All institutional scholarships for undergraduate programs will not be available during years four, five, and six when they are considered a graduate student. Students are encouraged to investigate alternative funding opportunities to complete graduate school during these last years.
4+1 Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate
The 4+1 undergraduate/graduate enrollment status is granted to those who concurrently seek a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the Allen School of Engineering and Computing, Ketner School of Business, or Jannen School of Arts & Sciences. These students will be changed to graduate status after earning their required undergrad credit hours, at which time they must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. Students who do not meet this standard will not be given graduate status and will be awarded the bachelor’s degree when the bachelor’s degree requirements are met. Students will be awarded each degree (BS and MS) upon completion of its respective degree requirements.

The following bachelor degrees are available to start on the 4 + 1 degree path:

Accounting, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Criminal Justice, Communication, Electrical Engineering, Golf Management, Management, Marketing, Mechanical Engineering, or Sport Management.

All institutional scholarships for undergraduate programs will not be available once the student is considered a graduate student. Students are encouraged to investigate alternative funding opportunities to complete graduate school.
Graduate
Special Graduate Student

Special Graduate Student status maybe granted to those students who wish to (1) audit a course, (2) seek certification in specialized areas, or (3) enroll in certain courses but do not plan to pursue a graduate degree program.

For degree-seeking students who audit courses, a fee of ½ the normal rate is charged per credit hour. For special graduate students who are non-degree seeking, full tuition will be charged.

Dual Concentration Master’s Degree Students

Students are permitted, but not required, to enroll in multiple concentrations while completing their master’s program. If the student seeks to complete a second concentration as a continuation of his or her master’s program, and does not choose to receive his or her degree prior to continuing with the second concentration, the student still must receive a 3.0 GPA or higher to graduate from the program. If the student’s GPA falls below a 3.0 while the student is completing the second concentration, the student will not receive his or her degree, even if the student had the requisite GPA at the end of completing the first concentration.

Students are also advised to check with the financial aid department prior to pursuing a second concentration to ensure the student understands any impact a second concentration may have on financial aid.

Academic Residency/Transfer Credit

A maximum of 6 semester hours of graduate course credit may be counted toward completion of a graduate degree at Trine University with a grade of B or above and with the approval of the program chair/director and dean. All other courses must be taken at Trine University. Transfer credit will not include a grade and, therefore, will not impact the student’s GPA. Courses used to satisfy the requirements of a bachelor’s degree cannot be applied to a master’s degree. The final 15 credit hours must be received within Trine University. This transfer credit policy does not apply to the Doctorate of Physical Therapy or the Physician Assistant Studies programs.

Graduation Requirements

Students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA, complete all necessary program requirements, and carry a grade of C or better in all courses to qualify for graduation.

Graduate Student Commencement Participation

Graduate students are eligible to attend the spring commencement ceremony following their degree completion. No graduation honors or honor cords are used for graduate degrees.

Credit by Examination

There is no credit by examination in the Trine graduate programs.

Degrees

An “Intent to Graduate” form should be filed at the beginning of the master’s program. This form will include an expected graduation date and other information pertinent to graduation. All degree requirements must be completed within five years.

Semester Hour Load

The semester course load of a full-time graduate student is six (6) hours. The maximum load for a full-time master’s degree student in College of Graduate and Professional Studies is twelve (12) credits hours in any semester. Any master’s degree course load greater than twelve (12) credit hours must be approved by the Program Director