Academic Regulations for the College of Education
For complete information regarding the academic rules and regulations of the University, students should consult the Graduate School. The following additions and amendments pertain to the College of Education.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Over 100 scholarships established by private donors are available through the College of Education. A number of them are targeted toward graduate students, all require a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.0, and all are awarded to applicants who demonstrate high academic achievement and leadership potential. Most, though not all, are also based on financial need. Application materials are available on the College of Education's website. Review the website for more information and for the specific deadline date.
Normal Program Load
A full-time graduate student load is eight credits per semester in Fall and Winter and is limited without exception to a sixteen credit maximum by the Graduate School. In Spring/Summer full-time is two credits. If a significant portion of a student's time is spent in outside work, corresponding adjustments must be made in the college schedule. A graduate student working full-time who desires to carry more than eight credits must secure permission from the Assistant Dean for Academic Services, who serves as Graduate Director.
Attendance
Regularity in attendance and performance is necessary for success in college work. Although there are no officially excused absences as defined by College policy, the conscientious student is expected to explain absences to the instructor. Such absences may be due to illness; to participation in inter-college activities, certified by the sponsoring faculty member; or other similar types of absence for which the student can present to the instructor evidence that he/she was engaged in authorized University activities. Each instructor, at the beginning of the course, will announce his/her attendance requirements.
Probation and Withdrawal
If, at any time, a graduate student's scholastic grade point average falls below 3.0, the student is automatically placed on probation. A student on probation must submit a plan of action completed with their advisor to the Graduate Director of the College of Education. The plan of action addresses the necessary steps and timeline for the student to regain good academic standing and identifies the coursework to be repeated or new coursework necessary to achieve good academic standing. The plan of action must be approved by the Graduate Director before registering for subsequent work in the College. The College reserves the right to ask a student to withdraw at any time from specific courses or from the College entirely, if progress does not warrant continuance.
Readmission
Graduate students who have received a master's degree from Wayne State University and have not registered since the degree was conferred, and who desire to pursue further non-degree graduate work must complete a Returning Student Update Record form.
Criminal History Review
Students in certification or licensure programs must supply a criminal history check before admission or transfer to the College of Education, clinical experiences or internships, and when applying for licensure or certification. Criminal history checks must be completed through the Wayne State University portal from CastleBranch for a fee. A criminal history check remains valid for six months. Additional criminal history checks may be required at the discretion of the College.
Any person in a certification or licensure program who has been convicted of any offense must provide certified copies of all documents relative to his/her conviction, including the Judgement of Sentence or Register of Actions from the court(s) in which the matter was adjudicated and a narrative describing each incident from his/her perspective. Persons determined by the criminal history check process to have been convicted of any offense and do not provide the required documentation will have their admission or certification/licensure recommendation denied. In other cases, incomplete or non-submission of documentation may result in a program pause, removal from clinical experiences or internships, or exclusion from the College. After reviewing the documentation by College officials or the College's Criminal History Review Board, the applicant will be notified in writing of the decision.
Michigan Public Act 68 of 1993 Sec. 1230 requires public and nonpublic schools to conduct a criminal history check of new teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, and other personnel required to hold State Board of Education approvals.
Note the State Board of Education Teacher Certificate Code: R 390.1201 Certificates; denial, suspension, or revocation.
- The superintendent of public instruction may refuse to grant or renew, or may suspend for a fixed term, or revoke, or may impose reasonable conditions on, a teaching certificate or state board approval granted pursuant to these rules for the following reasons:
- Fraud, or material misrepresentation, concealment or omission of fact in the application for, or the use of, a teaching certificate or state board approval.
- Conviction of an offense listed in MCL 380.1535a or MCL 380.1539b.
- The superintendent of public instruction may refuse to grant or renew a teaching certificate or a state board approval for failure or ineligibility of the applicant to meet the criteria for the applicable certification or state board approval.
Graduation
Applications for graduate degrees, graduate certificates and the Education Specialist Certificate must be made not later than the fourth week of classes for the semester in which degree or certificate requirements are to be completed. Graduation deadline dates for the semester in which candidates are completing doctoral (Ed.D. and Ph.D.) degree requirements are established and posted online by the Graduate School.
Information concerning commencement announcements, caps and gowns, invitations, tickets, time and place, and other relevant information is posted by the Commencement Office. Candidates for doctoral degrees are requested and expected to attend the commencement ceremony at which the University confers upon them the degree earned. Graduate Certificate and Education Specialist Certificate students do not participate in the Commencement Ceremony, which is limited to degree-granting programs.
Bulletin-in-Effect Policy Restriction
Teacher preparation programs must abide by all current requirements set forth by the Michigan Department of Education and other state, federal, and national requirements. As such, in accordance with Wayne State University policy, the Teacher Education Division (TED) restricts the extent to which the Bulletin in Effect policy can be utilized. In cases when the Bulletin in Effect policy is restricted due to required program closures, certification changes, etc., students will be notified and will be provided a timeline by which they must complete their current program.
Time Limit for Candidate Certification Recommendation
Any candidate requesting Wayne State University’s recommendation of his/her/their application for certification and/or endorsement more than 24 months after program completion must complete and submit to Wayne State University’s College of Education an “Educator Credential Recommendation: Post-Time Limit Request”; this is separate and distinct from the application to MDE for certification and/or endorsement.
- A candidate may need to retake or complete additional coursework or current assessments in order to meet the current requirements of the educator credential he/she/they seeks.
- A candidate will not be considered for a recommendation unless the candidate documents that he/she/they meets the current MDE requirements of the credential for which he/she/they seek recommendation.