Academic Advising

Academic Advising

Program coordinators serve as academic advisors for graduate students, aiding them in the selection of courses that they will need to complete in order to receive a degree.

Plans of Study

The “plan of study” is a list of courses, prerequisites, and capstone requirements needed to complete the specific program in which you have enrolled. Students complete plans of study with their graduate program advisors within one month of their acceptance into their programs.

During the initial advising session, a student and advisor agree on the student’s course of study throughout his or her degree program, indicating the semesters in which courses will be taken.

If a student proposes to transfer graduate courses taken at another institution, those courses, with the grades and credits received, should be noted on the plan of study at the initial advising session. In addition, the transcript for each course proposed for transfer credit should be attached with a course description for the proposed transfer course. Only courses that have NOT been part of another degree program can be proposed for transfer credit.

Plans of study may be changed during a student’s degree program. Such revisions are entered on the plan of study form, approved first by the graduate program coordinator, then by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, and forwarded to the registrar.

Time Limits

All requirements for the degree normally must be completed within six years from the date of the student’s acceptance. Students enrolled in the MA/MAT English dual degree program have seven years from the initial date of acceptance to complete degree requirements. No graduate course offered for the degree may be more than six years old at the time degree requirements are completed with the exception of any courses accepted in transfer which must have been taken within the past seven years.

No education courses that are part of or required for either the early childhood or elementary teacher licensure course sequence may be more than seven years old at the start of a student teaching practicum.
Students who wish to appeal this policy may file an appeal with the chair and/or coordinator of their program. Students who file an appeal should provide a course-by-course explanation of how they have kept current in the content area of each course. (e.g., by working in a classroom that employs specific curricular approaches, taking professional development workshops, attending lectures, etc.)

Transfer Credit

A limit of nine graduate credits taken at Salem State University or through another graduate program, before admission into a Salem State University graduate program, may be counted towards a degree, except as noted.

1. The actual number of graduate transfer credits, up to the maximum of nine, is to be determined by the program coordinator and approved by the Dean.
2. All graduate credits accepted in transfer, whether from Salem State or another accredited institution, may not be more than seven years old at the time program requirements are completed.
3. A grade of B (3.0) or better must be earned in courses to be considered for transfer.
4. Only courses that have NOT been part of another degree program can be proposed for transfer credit.
5. All courses submitted for transfer credit at the time of application must be completed prior to the student’s acceptance into the program and decisions on acceptance of transfer credit must be made at the time the Plan of Study is approved.
6. Degree candidates who wish to receive credit for graduate courses taken at other institutions after acceptance into their program of study must have approval from the appropriate program coordinator prior to registering for the course(s). Forms for requesting permission to take an outside course are available in the School of Graduate Studies Office and online.
7. All accepted courses must receive initial approval from the program coordinator and final approval from the Dean as pertinent to the appropriate degree being sought.
8. Official transcripts of the courses taken at other institutions must be filed with the School of Graduate Studies.
9. The applicant must provide course descriptions as well as official transcripts for all transfer requests and may additionally be asked to provide a syllabus and samples of the applicant’s course work.

*The exceptions to this policy include the following:

1. The MSW program, which may accept up to 30 credits as transfer credits from another CSWE accredited School of Social Work.
2. The MEd in Leadership in Physical Education and Movement Studies program, which accepts only 6 credits.
3. The MSN and the Nursing Education Certificate programs all require acceptance and matriculation into the program prior to enrollment in any of the respective courses.
4. For students entering the CAGS through our articulation agreement with Brandeis University, up to 15 credits of coursework from the Brandeis Teacher Leadership Program may transfer directly into the CAGS in Educational Leadership Program at SSU, giving students who fit these criteria advanced standing in the CAGS program.

Salem State University graduate programs do not grant course credit for life experience or previous work experience.

Prerequisites

In some cases students may be required to complete admissions prerequisites that will not count toward their degree. Credits for undergraduate or graduate courses taken to satisfy such prerequisites do not contribute to the credit requirement of the graduate degree. Prerequisite courses are determined by the academic and/or professional department(s) concerned.

Directed Study

During the final third of a degree program, a graduate degree student may participate in a directed study. A directed study proposal must be developed in consultation with the faculty member who will supervise the work and must be submitted as part of the application for directed study. The proposal must then be approved by the instructor, the program coordinator and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies before the student may register for the course. Tuition remission, waivers and vouchers may not be applied to costs associated with directed study courses.

Changes in Registration

Students must notify the School of Graduate Studies and meet with their program coordinators to update their plan of study when there are any changes in registration. Any adds, drops, and changes of course section or academic status may be done through the student’s Navigator account. Failure to complete appropriate registration actions in Navigator during established dates and deadlines may result in errors on the student’s permanent record.

Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) Progression Policy

To be licensed by DESE the candidate must pass all the MTELs required for their public school teaching license. When students enter stage two of their licensure program (pre-practicum), a candidate must provide proof of registering for an MTEL or an MTEL score pertaining to their licensure area (e.g., content area, Communication and Literacy) or state approved alternative. The registration should provide the scheduled test date or score on the exam, even if a failing score was obtained. 

A follow-up advising appointment to discuss the test results will happen once a score is obtained. If the score is below 228, the likelihood of passing is diminished, and this would be part of the advising conversation. 

If the cost of registering for the MTEL is a barrier to registration, please contact the MSOE student services office.

SSU endorses candidates for licensure, and DESE licenses the candidates when they have been endorsed and have passed the respective MTELs or MTEL alternatives.