GRADUATE STUDY
Philosophy of Graduate Study
The primary concern of graduate study is the student. The total colle-
giate experience is designed to provide the academic atmosphere and the
self-discipline vital to the student's intellectual growth.
The academic programs are designed to strengthen the student's area of
specialization in order to provide a program of greater depth than was
possible at the undergraduate level; heighten receptivity to new ideas,
viewpoints and beliefs; improve research skills; provide opportunities
for developing further the ability to work independently; continue to
develop oral and written communication skills; emphasize the philoso-
phy of the discipline; encourage and assist students in applying their
acquired knowledge and skill; foster the spirit of scholarship; develop
further the skills necessary for critical analysis of information; strength-
en the student's capability to initiate, define and synthesize viewpoints
and concepts; and to prepare and assist the student in realizing her or his
potential as an individual and as a responsible member of society.
Academic excellence is encouraged by assigning the responsibility for
instruction, both on and off campus, to those faculty members who are
qualified to teach graduate level courses and by establishing and main-
taining degree requirements which ensure the integrity of the graduate
program.
Graduate study is offered in numerous disciplines, but the major empha-
sis is on professional education and other human services. Both full-time
and part-time study are encouraged and promoted with special effort
given to meeting the unique needs of part-time students.
The graduate program is committed to affirmative action to ensure equal
opportunity for students and faculty.
Philosophy of a Master's Degree
The awarding of a master's degree by Edinboro University of
Pennsylvania attests that the individual awarded the degree has satisfac-
torily completed a coherent program of advanced specialized study that
has been built upon the academic and professional experiences which
the individual possessed at the time the master's program was begun.
The decisive factor in qualifying for the master's degree is the quality of
a student's performance and level of achievement. While the number of
courses or credits required of individual candidates may vary depending
upon their preparation and graduate objectives, each candidate will earn
30 or more semester hours of graduate credit dependent on program
requirements and will have demonstrated achievement of the objectives
established for the specific degree programs.
Competencies for the Master's Degree
The awarding of a master's degree by Edinboro University of
Pennsylvania attests that the individual awarded the degree has:
demonstrated competence in the field of the degree;
demonstrated competence in at least one specialized area within the
field of the degree;
demonstrated competence in the research techniques of the major
area of the degree;
completed the degree requirements with the proficiency which
reflects the integrity of the degree;
defined and described the pertinent philosophies of the major area
of the degree;
demonstrated the ability to synthesize and communicate to others
relevant information of the major area of the degree;
demonstrated mastery of skills and knowledge of background
required in the major area of the degree;
demonstrated capability to apply an abstract body of knowledge to
a specific topic within the major area of the degree;
demonstrated capability to initiate, define and synthesize a variety
of intellectual points of view.
Standards of Ethics for Graduate Students
It is expected that graduate students of the University will maintain the
highest standards of ethics in connection with all phases of their gradu-
ate work. Any form of dishonesty, including lying, cheating or plagia-
rizing, will not be tolerated.
Plagiarism may be defined as the act of taking the ideas and/or expres-
sion of ideas of another person and representing them as one's own. It is
nothing less than an act of theft and, as such, is subject to University dis-
ciplinary action. The penalty for plagiarism may include a failing grade
for the assignment in question and/or a failing grade for the course.
Clearly, plagiarism defeats the central purpose of education, namely, to
enable one to think and formulate one's own ideas. The student who has
doubts about whether or not his/her work may constitute plagiarism
should consult with the course instructor prior to submitting the work.
The instructor can provide clear guidance on how the student can avoid
committing this act of academic misconduct.
When alleged violations of these standards occur, the following proce-
dures will be followed:
1.
A faculty member, who has determined to his or her own satisfac-
tion that a graduate student is guilty of lying, cheating or plagiariz-
ing, may either request that the case be judged by the Graduate
Committee on Ethical Conduct or penalize the student by adjusting
the course grade.
2.
If the faculty member feels a more severe penalty is warranted than
the adjustment of the course grade, he or she must refer the case to
the Graduate Committee on Ethical Conduct.
When a graduate student's grade has been adjusted because a faculty
member has determined to his or her own satisfaction that the student
was guilty of lying, cheating or plagiarizing, the student may, if he or she
feels unfairly penalized, appeal the grade by following the Grade Appeal
Procedure described elsewhere in this catalog.
A faculty member who adjusts a student grade because he or she has
determined to his or her own satisfaction that the student was guilty of
lying, cheating or plagiarizing is to immediately notify the graduate dean
of this action.
Administration of Graduate Studies
All requests for information about graduate-level programming, gradu-
ate admissions, graduate academic standards, program requirements,
graduate policies and graduate assistantships should be directed to the
following address:
School of Graduate Studies and Research
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Edinboro, PA 16444
814-732-2856
Toll Free: 888-845-2890
Program jurisdiction responsibilities are maintained by the Dean of
Graduate Studies and Research.
Graduate Council
The Graduate Council serves as an advisory board to graduate studies
and is comprised of graduate program heads. It recommends policies and
procedures and practices that are needed to provide quality graduate pro-
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