Program Retention Policy - Graduate and Post Doctorate Programs

Objective/s

The objective of this policy is to establish rules, guidelines, and procedures for the implementation of the Program Retention Policy for all student of the university.

Scope

This policy is applicable to all students who have not completed their program of study at the time of evaluation. Students who are inactive or have taken leave of absence will not be covered so long as their last enrollment is beyond the current academic year.

Exceptions

1. Students who are candidates for graduation are exempted from this policy.
2. Students in residency only are exempted from this policy.
3. 1st year, 1st term courses of new freshmen students will not form part of the evaluation process.

Policy

To ensure that students meet the program educational objectives of the program, the university shall implement program specific retention rules that are evaluated at regular intervals (at the end of every term) during the lifetime of the program. The students’ academic standing shall be update based on their respective retention criteria and shall be the basis of re-admission for subsequent terms.

New freshmen students, those who shifted from a prior program, or has applied for another degree shall have an initial academic standing of Academic Good Standing and shall be updated based on their performance and the set program retention criteria of their chosen program of study.

The following program retention policies shall take effect starting 1st Term Academic Year 2026-2027 and shall remain in effect until superseded.

Graduate Program Retention Policy

The cumulative general weighted average (GWA) are calculated at the end of every term to determine the student’s academic standing. In the calculation of cumulative GWA, only grades earned in courses prescribed in the curriculum, such as core courses and electives are considered. Grades earned in bridge courses are excluded.

A graduate student is of good standing when the following conditions are satisfied.

Doctor of Philosophy Student

1. The student must maintain a cumulative GWA of 1.75 or better in all curriculum courses requiring a numeric grade.
2. The student has no failing grade (5.00 or F) in any course, including bridge courses.
3. The student has not violated the Policy on Academic Integrity.

Master’s Student (Blended and UOX) and Non-Degree-Seeking Student

1. The student must maintain a cumulative GWA of 2.00 or better in all courses that require a numeric grade.
2. The student has no failing grade (5.00 or F) in any course, including bridge courses.
3. The student has not violated the Policy on Academic Integrity.

Straight Bachelor’s-Master’s (SBM) Student

1. The student must maintain a cumulative GWA of 2.00 or better in all graduate-level courses that require a numeric grade.
2. The student must maintain a cumulative GWA of 2.50 or better in all courses in the SBM curriculum that require a numeric grade by the end of the third term of each academic year.
3. The student has no failing grade (5.00 or F) in all courses in the SBM curriculum.
4. The student has not violated the Policy on Academic Integrity.

Academic Probation

Doctor of Philosophy Students

1. A student whose cumulative GWA in all courses in the curriculum that require a numeric grade is below 1.75 shall be placed on Academic Probation. [Here, below 1.75 means numerically higher than 1.75.]
2. A student may be allowed to take additional courses, on the recommendation of the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, to improve the cumulative GWA of the student for one (1) additional term.
3. A student whose academic performance merits a GWA so far below 1.75 as to make it mathematically improbable to attain a cumulative GWA of 1.75 after one term may be subject to immediate removal from the program without Academic Probation.
4. A student is not allowed two consecutive probationary terms.

Master’s Students (Blended and UOX) and Non-Degree-Seeking Student

1. A student whose cumulative GWA in all courses that require numeric grade is below 2.00 shall be placed on Academic Probation. [Here, below 2.00 means numerically higher than 2.00.]
2. A student may be allowed to take additional courses, on the recommendation of the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, to improve the cumulative GWA of the student for one (1) additional term.
3. A student whose academic performance merits a GWA so far below 2.00 as to make it mathematically improbable to attain a cumulative GWA of 2.00 after one term may be subject to immediate removal from the program without Academic Probation.
4. A student is not allowed two consecutive probationary terms.

Straight Bachelor’s-Master’s (SBM) Students

1. A student whose cumulative GWA in all graduate-level courses that require a numeric grade is below 2.00 shall be placed on Academic Probation. [Here, below 2.00 means numerically higher than 2.00.]
2. A student may be allowed to take additional graduate-level courses, on the recommendation of the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, to improve the cumulative GWA of the student for one (1) additional term.
3. A student whose academic performance in the graduate-level courses merits a cumulative GWA so far below 2.00 as to make it mathematically improbable to attain a cumulative GWA of 2.00 after one term may be subject to immediate removal from the graduate program component of the SBM program. The student, however, will be allowed to finish the regular bachelor’s degree program.

Removal from the Program or Dismissal from the School of Graduate Studies

A student in both Blended and UOx programs may be removed from the program1 or dismissed from the School of Graduate Studies2 due to any of the following reasons:

1. Failure to meet the cumulative GWA requirements.
2. Failure in any course
3. In the case of Straight Bachelor’s-Master’s, failure in a course means removal of the student from the graduate-level component of the Straight Bachelor’s-Master’s program.
4. Committing academic or research misconduct (plagiarism, fabrication of data, ethical violation, etc.)
5. Exceeding the allowed number of academic probation terms
6. Failure to pass the Comprehensive Examination (Master’s) or Qualifying Examination (Doctor of Philosophy) after three attempts

Revision History