Graduate Academic Warning and Suspension Policy

Custodian of Policy: Vice President of Academic Affairs/Graduate Council

Relevant Minnesota State System Policy:

Effective Date: Fall 2026

Last Review: Spring 2026

Next Review: Spring 2033

Policy

All students at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress. This means there are cumulative GPA thresholds and a percent of credit completion that students must achieve. Students are responsible for determining their own academic status, both by monitoring the “Holds” section of the online web registration program, and by comparing their own progress to the standards listed below.

Good Academic Standing Requirements (both must be met):

• GPA Requirement for Continuation in Good Standing. Graduate Students are required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale to continue in a graduate program. Graduate students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of graduation.
• Completion Rate Requirement for Continuation in Good Standing. All students must complete 66.667% of the sum of all MSUM credits attempted plus all transfer credits accepted.
  1. MSUM credits attempted include all MSUM courses on a student's official record, including withdrawals (W), repeated courses, and grades of incomplete (I).
  2. MSUM withdrawals (W), grades of F, FN, NC, incompletes, and missing grades count against percent completion because they result in zero credits earned for that course.
  3. Transfer credits accepted and earned credits listed on the MSUM transcript are included in the percent completion calculation as attempted credits.
  4. Percent completion is calculated by dividing the number of earned credits by the sum of MSUM attempted credits plus transfer credits accepted.
• Academic warning, probation, and suspension holds are placed after the grading period at the end of each semester. Students whose cumulative GPA and completion rate meet the minimum standards are considered in “good standing”.

Academic Warning:

• Students in good standing at the beginning of the term whose GPA falls below 3.0 and/or the minimum completion rate at the end of the term will be placed on academic warning for the next semester.
• Students enrolled in a graduate program will have their record reviewed, and a progress plan will be developed. During the semester of academic warning, students must meet both requirements for good standing and their progress plan.
• Students on warning at the beginning of the term who do not meet these requirements at the end of the term will be placed on academic suspension.

Students eligible to enroll in classes are considered in Good Academic Standing per NCAA Bylaw 14.2.9.3.1.

Suspension:

• Students who are on academic suspension for the first time may not return to MSUM for one term.
• Students on academic suspension may appeal their status to the Graduate Dean. The appeal should be completed following the formal notification from the Office of Graduate & Extended Learning and must be submitted by the deadline indicated in the notification. As part of the appeal, the student’s program coordinator must attach an academic success plan to be completed within the next term.
• Students who do not submit an appeal by the deadline or have their appeal denied will have their registration canceled from subsequent semester classes.

Probation:

• Students who have a suspension appeal granted will be placed on academic probation and must successfully complete their academic success plan during this term.
• Students who serve their academic suspension will be placed on academic probation.
• Students on probation at the beginning of a term who do not meet the minimum cumulative requirements for good standing will remain on probation and be allowed to enroll for the next term if they have met the minimum term requirements for good standing. Students on probation at the beginning of a term who do not meet the minimum cumulative standards or the minimum term standards at the end of the term will be placed on academic suspension.
• Once the student meets the minimum cumulative requirements for good standing, the probation status will be removed.

Students eligible to enroll in classes are considered in Good Academic Standing per NCAA Bylaw 14.2.9.3.1.

Rationale

Existing policy in Graduate Bulletin