Graduation Requirements
Online Eight-week Terms and Course Credits
You can enroll in Florida Tech University Online (Florida Institute of Technology) at any time and begin your studies six convenient times during the year. Each course is presented in eight-week terms and provides three credit hours. Upon successful completion of Florida Tech’s academic requirements, you will receive your degree. You can be assured, it's the same diploma earned by your on-campus counterparts.
Degree Requirements
MBA:
- Capstone, Specialization and Core courses, in addition to Program Prerequisites including Foundation Courses, totaling 36 credit hours
- Students must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to graduate.
- Students may only register for one class per term.
MS/IT:
- Complete Core and Major Education courses, in addition to Directed Electives, totaling 33 credit hours
- Students must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to graduate.
- Students may only register for one class per term.
Grading Requirements
Graduate work is evaluated by letter grades, with only grades of A, B, C and P being credited toward graduate degrees. Grades of D and F are failing grades in graduate programs for which students will receive no credit. Failed courses must be repeated at the earliest opportunity if they are required courses. An elective course in which a D or F is received must be repeated unless the academic unit approves an additional course to be taken in its place.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
The basic requirement for receiving any graduate degree is a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The program GPA is based on the student's program plan, and includes all courses shown on the program plan as applying toward the degree, both graduate numbered and undergraduate numbered. Prior to submission of the program plan, the GPA will be based on all graduate-numbered courses taken at Florida Tech with the exception of any that may previously have been used to satisfy the requirements of a bachelor's degree.
In cases where the degree-related GPA referred to above does not include all courses taken as a graduate student at Florida Tech, an overall GPA will also be calculated and reported. No degree may be awarded at any time when the overall GPA is below 3.0. Courses used to compute the overall GPA, but not the program GPA, include graduate courses taken as deficiencies, courses unrelated to the student's degree program, courses taken prior to a change of major and courses taken in satisfaction of the requirements of a previous graduate degree. English as a Second Language (ESL) courses are not included in the overall GPA.
It is not possible to delete a course from a program plan once the course has been taken until such time as the Statute of Limitations for the course has been exceeded.
Three categories of exceptions are allowed whereby graduate-numbered courses are not included in the overall GPA:
- Courses used in satisfaction of the requirements of a bachelor's degree at Florida Tech.
- Courses no longer applicable due to the Statute of Limitations.
- Courses approved by the Graduate Council upon recommendation by the Committee on Standards for deletion from the overall GPA following a change of major. Students who do not earn a degree in the first major may request committee approval of the deletion of a grade from calculation in the overall GPA for any course that is not applicable to the new degree. If the council determines that the course in question is rarely or never taken in fulfillment of degree requirements by students in the new major, the grade may be deleted from the overall GPA, but not from the transcript. Deletion is only in effect while the student remains enrolled in the new degree program and does not carry forward in the case of additional changes of major.
If the Graduate Council determines that a course should be deleted from the overall GPA due to change of major, the course will be marked "NA" or "E" and a footnote will be added: "Change of Major."
No student may be formally enrolled in two graduate programs, or a graduate program and an undergraduate program, simultaneously. Similarly, no graduate degree may be awarded in the same semester as any undergraduate degree or any other graduate degree. If the requirements for two different degrees are satisfied in the same semester, only one will be awarded in that semester. The second degree will then be reported under a heading for the next following semester. This delay is essential for a careful and accurate review of the student's satisfactory completion of all requirements for both degrees.
Note: University policies are subject to change. Please consult the official Florida Institute of Technology catalog for the most up-to-date information.
General Academic Policies
Graduate students are advised to review the Graduate Policy Manual.
All graduate students must demonstrate continual academic proficiency in course work. A graduate student with a grade point average (GPA) below 3.0 must show reasonable progress toward this standard required for graduation.
Probation Initiation
| SEMESTER HOURS ATTEMPTED | MINIMUM GPA |
|---|---|
| 9 | 2.6 |
| 15 | 2.80 |
| 18 or more | 3.00 |
Failure to meet the minimum grade point average (GPA) specified above will result in academic probation. In the case of separate programs and overall GPAs, the program GPA must meet the standards based on the number of semester credit hours from the current program plan, and the overall GPA must meet the standards based on the total semester credit hours attempted.
Students who have transferred credits from other institutions will be permitted to complete nine semester hours of graduate work at Florida Tech before enforcement of the GPA standards.
A graduate student with fewer than nine semester hours of graduate courses, but nine or more semester hours of undergraduate courses taken while enrolled as a graduate student at Florida Tech, must maintain a 3.0 average in these undergraduate courses. Failure to maintain this average will result in probation. Upon completion of nine semester hours of graduate courses, the graduate GPA will take precedence in probation evaluations.
In all cases of academic probation, the student will be so notified by the Director of Graduate Programs. The student will be permitted to register for, and attend, classes as long as the terms of the probation stipulated in the letter are met. The student's transcript will be annotated: "PLACED ON ACADEMIC PROBATION."
Probation Termination
Once the student has complied with all conditions set forth in the terms of probation, the student will be removed from probation and notified by a letter from the Director of Graduate Programs. The student's transcript will be annotated: "REMOVED FROM ACADEMIC PROBATION."
Students who subsequently fail to meet the terms for continuing enrollment as set forth in Policy 1.11.1 will again be placed on academic probation.
Probation Dismissal
Any one of the following conditions will result in academic dismissal:
- Two grades of D, F or U in any courses taken as a graduate student
- Failure to meet the terms of probation
- Judgment by the Graduate Council that the student is not making satisfactory academic progress or the student's presence hampers the academic efforts of other students
In all cases of academic dismissal, the student will be notified by a letter from the Director of Graduate Programs and his or her transcripts will be annotated: "ACADEMICALLY DISMISSED."
Academic dismissals may be appealed for sound reasons. Students must submit a letter of appeal to the Director of Graduate Programs by the deadline indicated in the Director's dismissal letter if they wish to be permitted to register for, and attend, classes pending Graduate Council action on the appeals.
If the appeal is denied, or if no appeal is submitted within the time period specified in the director's dismissal letter, the student's registration will be canceled and further class attendance will not be permitted.
Appeals From Reinstatement Denials
A denial of the request for reinstatement will usually be considered final. Students who have additional, different or new circumstances may contact their advisor. A re-appeal will only be considered on the basis of new information not previously submitted by the student. The student will not be permitted to register for, or attend, class until a final decision on any re-appeal has been reached.
Reinstatements
Students may be reinstated only by decision of the Graduate Council. Conditions for reinstatement may or may not be imposed. Dismissed students are placed on probation if they are reinstated and remain on probation until a 3.0 grade point average is achieved. The student's transcript will be annotated: "REINSTATED."
Dismissal After Reinstatement
If a student fails to meet any of the conditions for reinstatement mandated by the Graduate Council, immediate dismissal and de-registration from current classes will result. Further registration will not be permitted. The student will be so notified by the Director of Graduate Programs. The student's transcript will be annotated: "ACADEMICALLY DISMISSED."
Appeals From Second and Subsequent Dismissals
Appeals for reinstatement from a second or subsequent dismissal may only be submitted after one calendar year from the end of the last full semester attended.
