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School of Medicine Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Medical Center

Student Policies and Procedures

Graduation Requirements

Graduate students, graduate student advisors and/or Graduate Program Directors should check coursework records to ensure that the candidate has completed all major degree requirements, as well as the following University Graduate Council criteria for graduation:

  • All provisional or probationary conditions of admission have been met.
  • Candidate enrolled at the time of application/reapplication to graduate (i.e., the semester in which the candidate plans to graduate).
  • Overall graduate GPA > 3.0.
  • Graduate GPA based on all graduate coursework attempted for the degree.
  • For repeated courses, both the original grade and the repeat grade included in the calculation of the GPA.
  • No more than 6 semester hours or 20 percent of the total semester hours attempted (whichever greater) at the “C” or below level.
  • No coursework approved for transfer below the grade of “B”; no coursework approved for transfer included in the calculation of the GPA.
  • Fifty percent of the required coursework designated exclusively for graduate students (600 or higher level at VCU).
  • All Incomplete (I) grades converted to a letter grade by the last day of class of the semester in which the candidate plans to graduate
  • All grades of Continued (CO), No Grade (NR) or any Missing Grades converted to a letter grade by the last day of class of the semester in which the candidate plans to graduate.
  • All coursework taken within prescribed time limits (Master’s, six years; Ph.D., eight years).
  • All requirements for thesis/dissertation (if applicable) completed by the last day of class of the semester in which the candidate plans to graduate, including
    • Final defense of thesis / dissertation.
    • ETD Approval Form with original signatures from all Advisory Committee members and Department and, if applicable, documentation of IRB or IACUC approval number. The signature of the Dean of the School of Medicine is obtained through the Office of Graduate Education, School of Medicine. After receipt of the School of Medicine Dean's signature, the Dean of Gradute Studies signature is obtained by the student.
    • Electronic submission of "Survey of Earned Doctorates" to Graduate School Dean with receipt of completion copy to the Office of Graduate Education, School of Medicine (Doctoral students only).
    • Publication with ProQuest (All doctoral dissertations must be published with ProQuest. Dissertations are submitted directly by the student through the UMI/ProQuest’s ETD Administrator site for VCU. Submitting to ProQuest does not satisfy the university’s requirement of submission. You must submit to the VCU Digital Archives separately in order to fulfill this requirement for graduation.)
  • Student must settle all financial obligations with VCU Office of Student Accounting