Students enrolled in the university are responsible for familiarizing themselves with and understanding the implications of all institutional policies, procedures, and requirements affecting progress toward their academic goals. These include, but are not limited to, degree and major course requirements and the university’s grading and course repeat policies. Students who fail to comply with these policies, procedures, and requirements do so at their own risk.

Academic Engagement/Attendance Policy

There is a strong positive relationship between class attendance and participation and academic success. Students are expected to maintain academic engagement by attending and/or participating in all classes. Students are responsible for the work and deadlines associated with class assignments. There is no university-wide class attendance policy, but individual instructors are encouraged to set attendance requirements for their courses in the class syllabi.

Verification of Participation

Students are expected to be on campus and participating in classes beginning on the first day of each term. In compliance with federal guidelines, students who do not attend or engage academically in any courses during the first week of class will be designated as a “no show” and will be dropped from all courses.

Late Arrival/Enrollment

Students are expected to be enrolled and participating in courses by the end of the add/swap period. Students will not be added to any courses after the add/swap deadline, unless approved by the relevant department chair. Students may be administratively dropped from any in-person or hybrid course, including those courses for which they are already registered, if they have not started attending by the first class following the end of the add/swap period.

Administrative Withdrawal

Students* are expected to be engaged and active participants in class throughout the term. Faculty are expected to outline the attendance and participation expectations for students in the class syllabus. An enrolled student may be administratively withdrawn after a prolonged period of absence or nonparticipation. Examples of prolonged periods of nonparticipation are listed below, but faculty may define a prolonged period of nonparticipation differently in the syllabus.

• Two or more consecutive weeks of nonparticipation during a semester-long course; or
• Nonparticipation in two consecutive class meetings or assignments during an abbreviated session (e.g., more than one week but less than a traditional semester); or
• Nonparticipation in any single class meeting class meeting during a course that is one-week or shorter (e.g., executive format courses, courses in Winter session or May Intensive sessions).

If it is determined that an administrative withdrawal is in the best academic interest of the student, the student will be administratively withdrawn from their class(es) and a notification of this decision will be sent to the student’s university email. Students may appeal the administrative withdrawal decision to the Committee on Academic Policy Exceptions Review within 3 business days. Students remain liable for any tuition costs related to the administratively withdrawn course(s). An administratively withdrawal could impact the student's financial aid eligibility or account status at Bentley. Students who have extenuating circumstances may appeal using the Tuition Refund Application.

*Students attending on an F-1 visa must comply with additional requirements as noted in the International Student Distance Learning Hybrid and Online Course Policy.

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures

Bentley students and faculty are held to the highest standards of ethical behavior and moral conduct. Faculty are expected to adhere to Bentley’s Ethics policy and the ethics conventions of their disciplines. Each student is expected to abide by the Honor Code and to become familiar with the entire academic integrity system.

The Bentley Honor Code

As a Bentley student, I promise to act honorably in my courses and my professional endeavors, adhering to both the letter and spirit of Bentley’s academic integrity system. I will neither take advantage of my classmates nor betray the trust of my professors. My work will be honest and transparent, and I will hold myself and my peers accountable to the highest ethical standards.

I. Academic Integrity System Structure

1. Academic Integrity Council consists of at least five faculty volunteers selected by the Director of Academic Integrity and approved by the Nominations Committee, as well as a graduate student and an undergraduate student designated by their respective student government associations. The Academic Integrity Council reviews the state of academic integrity in the Bentley community; advises the Director of Academic Integrity on the process and procedures of the Academic Integrity System; and recommends Faculty Manual revisions as appropriate. A faculty member of the council serves as chair when an Academic Integrity Hearing (hereafter a Hearing) is required.
2. Director of Academic Integrity is appointed by the Provost; works with academic departments and the student organizations to implement proactive education and prevention related to issues of academic integrity; reports to the Deans Council; oversees the academic integrity process to insure its adherence to the spirit and letter of Bentley’s Academic Integrity System; and consults frequently with faculty, students and the Academic Integrity Council. When necessary, the Director organizes Hearings and stores Academic Integrity Incident Reports (the only official record, hereafter Reports). In the event of an integrity case filed by the Director, the Provost appoints a temporary Director. The Director is also responsible for insuring that all faculty members new to Bentley are familiar with the Honor Code and Academic Integrity System.

II. Faculty and Student Responsibilities and Rights in the Academic Integrity System

1. Faculty Responsibilities and Rights
   All faculty members are responsible for promoting academic integrity by managing their classes, assignments, and examinations so as to reduce temptation and opportunity for plagiarism and cheating. Faculty are required to clearly define the expectations and procedures for academic work, either as part of the individual assignment or in the syllabus or other document that presents coursework guidelines. These include, for example, overall classroom assessment procedures; examination protocols; and guidelines for citing sources in written work, for collaborating and/or receiving outside assistance on homework and other assignments.
   Each faculty member is expected to abide by the principles and procedures established in Bentley’s Academic Integrity System. A faculty member who believes an academic integrity violation has occurred must file a Report. Staff members who become aware of a possible violation must notify the Director. No sanction can be imposed on a student without a Report first being filed with the Director.
   The faculty member who alleges an academic integrity violation is entitled to ask the Director for additional resources to support the investigation of the violation and may question relevant students about an alleged violation.
2. Student Responsibilities and Rights
   Each student is expected to become familiar with and at all times adhere to the Bentley Honor Code and Academic Integrity System, including standards and expectations set out in each course syllabus, assignment, and/or examination concerning collaboration, methods of research and data collection, and other practices.
   Students are also expected to uphold the Academic Integrity System. Therefore a student who is aware of a possible violation of the standards established in the Academic Integrity System is expected to report the suspected violation to a faculty member or the Director. A student who is suspected of committing a violation must respond promptly and honestly when informed of a suspected academic integrity violation and must provide information that may aid in the investigation of an alleged violation.
   A student charged with an academic integrity violation is entitled to ask the Director for a list of student support services and will be allowed to respond to an alleged violation before the report is finalized.
3. Role of Observers
   If a member of the Bentley community believes that s/he has observed behavior related to a faculty member’s class that violates academic integrity, it is the observer’s responsibility to bring the matter to the faculty member’s attention. If the observer is not satisfied with the faculty member’s response, the observer has the right to bring the matter directly to the Director’s attention for possible action. The Director will consult with the faculty member and investigate the incident to determine whether or not a report should be submitted. The Director may arrange a Hearing, with or without the faculty member’s explicit consent, if there is sufficient evidence to suggest a violation may have occurred.

III. Violation Levels Defined and Recommended Sanctions

Violations are categorized as either Level I or Level II based on severity. The level of an alleged violation determines the appropriate steps in the academic integrity process and recommended sanctions.

1. Levels Defined
   1. A Level I violation is a single incident involving a minor proportion of graded student work within a course, including but not limited to
      1. failing to apply appropriate conventions for citing and documenting sources;
      2. giving assistance to or receiving assistance from another student or any other person on an assignment or exam when such collaboration is prohibited;
      3. accessing prohibited materials during an examination.
   2. Any violation not categorized as Level I is a Level II violation. Level II violations are serious breaches of academic integrity. They include, but are not limited to, the following examples:
      1. committing any violation such as those listed under Level I that pertain to more than a small portion of the course grade;
      2. submitting the same work or major portions thereof to satisfy the requirements of more than one course without written permission from each faculty member (including Honors and Capstone requirements);
      3. using illicit means of acquiring data, fabricating evidence, falsifying data, or fabricating sources;
      4. collaborating to exchange information during an examination or engaging in any action during an exam prohibited by the instructor, such as copying another student’s work, utilizing prohibited materials (e.g., books, notes, calculators, cell phones or other electronic devices), helping other students to copy another student’s work on an examination;
      5. altering a graded assignment or examination and asking for it to be re-graded;
      6. stealing and/or distributing an examination;
      7. purchasing or otherwise illicitly acquiring and submitting a paper or any other course materials as your own work;
      8. creating a paper or other course materials for sale and/or distribution;
      9. having a substitute take an examination or taking an examination for someone else;
      10. stealing another student’s work;
      11. intentionally impeding an investigation of an academic integrity incident or giving false witness in a Hearing;
      12. engaging in actions designed to hinder the academic success of another student or students, for example, by impeding access to course materials, hiding or removing library resources;
      13. using improper means to access computer files; and/or
      14. forging or falsifying a grade, transcript or diploma.
   3. Any alleged violation involving a student who at the time has an earlier Report on file or under investigation must go to a Hearing.
2. Recommended Sanctions
   1. Level I sanctions may include, but are not limited to:
      1. a make-up assignment at a more difficult level than the original; and/or
      2. failure or other reduced grade on the examination or assignment.
   2. Level II sanctions may include, but are not limited to:
      1. any sanctions for Level I violations;
      2. course grade of F;
      3. course grade of F being permanently calculated into the Grade Point Average;
      4. exclusion from activities such as study abroad, honors societies and programs, and varsity athletics;
      5. suspension from Bentley University; and/or
      6. expulsion from Bentley University.

IV. Academic Integrity Incident Reports and Consequences

The relevant faculty member should meet with the student(s) to discuss an alleged violation. If the faculty member still suspects that a violation has occurred, a Report must be promptly filed.

1. In the case of an alleged Level I or Level II violation, if the student(s) does not agree that a violation has taken place, the Director will schedule a Hearing.
2. In the case of an alleged Level I or Level II violation, if the student(s) agrees the incident is a violation of academic integrity, the faculty member shall propose a sanction(s) in consultation with the Director.
   1. For a Level I violation, if the student agrees to the proposed sanction(s), the faculty member implements the proposed sanction(s) only after the report has become the official record in the office of the Director. Unless the student has a prior violation on record, no Hearing is required. If, however, new information becomes available, the Director has the option of scheduling a Hearing.
   2. For a Level II violation, if the student agrees to the proposed sanction(s) no hearing is required unless the student has a prior violation on record. The faculty member implements the proposed sanction only after the Academic Integrity Council reviews and approves the sanction. Proposed sanction(s) that are more severe than a majority of Academic Integrity Council members believe are appropriate will require a Hearing.
   3. For Level I and Level II violations, if the student does not agree to the sanction(s) and/or on the nature of the violation, the Director will schedule a Hearing. 
3. Regardless of level, second violations must go to a Hearing.
4. Regardless of level or prior agreement, the Director has the authority to call a Hearing with the agreement of the student to resolve the incident in the interest of academic integrity.
5. If a Hearing determines that the allegations were unfounded, the Report is destroyed.
6. At a Hearing, only the current Report and related information will be disclosed when determining whether the student is responsible for the violation. Once a Hearing has found a student to be responsible for a violation, the Director will disclose prior Report(s), if any, to the Hearing members before sanctions are determined. Only records filed with the Director are actionable.
7. Within the university, the existence and contents of all Reports are confidential and will be maintained by the Director for seven years.

V. Academic Integrity Hearing

A Hearing is convened by the Director. The Hearing members review evidence of an academic integrity incident, decides if a violation has occurred, and sets sanctions with consideration given to the faculty member’s proposed sanction.

1. Student and Faculty Rights: When a Hearing is convened, both faculty and students are entitled to:
   1. a fair Hearing in a reasonable amount of time;
   2. ample notice of the Hearing, a summary of the violation to be discussed, and an explanation of the Hearing process;
   3. access to the Director to prepare for the Hearing;
   4. the presence of witnesses accepted by the Director to give pertinent testimony;
   5. the opportunity to hear all testimony presented in the Hearing, and to respond to all testimony presented in the Hearing;
   6. the opportunity to speak on one’s behalf;
   7. the presence of one person who is not an attorney to provide support;
   8. written notice, within a reasonable amount of time, of the Hearing’s findings and any sanctions; and
   9. notification of appeal decisions, if any.
2. The Hearing: A Hearing requires five voting members. Three must be full-time faculty members, with at least one who is a member of the Academic Integrity Council. The Director solicits students from graduate and undergraduate student government. Student members are either graduate or undergraduate, corresponding with the student(s) subject to the incident review. One faculty member, who is a member of the Academic Integrity Council, serves as chair of the Hearing. The Director attends all Hearings in a neutral supporting role and is not a voting member. The Hearing membership listens to evidence, determines the presence or absence of an academic integrity violation and, where appropriate, sanctions a student.
3. Scheduling: The Director reserves the right to schedule Hearings in a way that accommodates extenuating circumstances and minimizes the impact on academic schedules of all involved parties.
4. Communication: The Director communicates the findings of the Hearing in writing to the faculty member and student involved within five working days. If a Hearing finds that a violation has occurred, the Report and supporting documentation are retained in confidence for seven academic years by the Director. Outcomes affecting transcripts will be reported to the Registrar and other relevant campus officials. In addition, the Director is authorized to respond to requests from the Honors Program Director and the authorized non-student representative of the Falcon Society to verify that specified students, identified by name and student number, have not had sanctions imposed that violate the program guidelines regarding rules of membership to these program.
5. Sanctions for Special Circumstances: Sanctions may involve restrictions on or disqualification from participation in University programs or extra-curricular activities only with a Hearing. When such a sanction is imposed, the Director may disclose only those sanction restrictions involving that program or activity to the relevant campus official.
6. Sanctions Involving Grades and Graduation: The timing of the filing of Reports may result in investigation procedures that cannot be concluded before grade reporting or degree auditing for graduation. In the case of incidents that may reasonably be expected to affect a course grade, the faculty member of the course will post a grade of Incomplete, pending the completion of the academic integrity investigation. In the event that this Incomplete affects a graduation requirement, the student shall remain otherwise eligible to “walk at graduation.” The right of an Honors Program student to walk with the Honors Program cohort at graduation is governed by Honors Program guidelines. The awarding of the degree and final transcript must await the result of the investigation. In cases where the incident cannot be addressed prior to grade reporting or prior to awarding the degree and final transcript, relevant sanctions may be applied retroactively, including transcript modification and/or rescinding the degree, as determined by a Hearing.
7. Appeals: A student may appeal the outcome of a Hearing only when:
   1. new material or information unavailable at the time of the Hearing becomes available;
   2. evidence is provided that fair process has not been followed.
      1. An appeal of Hearing decisions must be submitted in writing to the Provost and must explain in detail the reason for the appeal. It must be submitted no later than five working days from the date of the written notification from the Director informing the student of the Hearing outcome. The student will be notified within a reasonable time whether the appeal will be granted. Sanctions determined by a Hearing will stand until decision on the appeal is made.
      2. The Provost’s decision as to whether an appeal will be granted is final. If the appeal is denied, the sanction is implemented and the academic integrity process ends. The student cannot appeal the Provost’s decision.
      3. If an appeal is granted, then the Provost will either determine an appropriate sanction or refer the case to a new Hearing. If the case is to be heard again, the student will be notified within a reasonable time as to the date and time of the Hearing.
      4. The Provost, or a designee, will inform the Director of the outcome of any student appeal. The Director will notify other university officials as necessary.

Plagiarism

A serious intellectual crime, plagiarism is the use of another person’s original information, language or ideas without acknowledgment, and with the fraudulent claim implicit or explicit that they are one’s own. Perhaps students have had teachers who would accept written work copied from magazines, books or encyclopedias. This is not the case at Bentley University.

Among the chief goals of any school, college or university should be the development of intellectual honesty and original thought. Plagiarism surely defeats these goals since it involves fraud, deceit and theft. To avoid plagiarism, students should carefully distinguish their own thoughts and words from the thoughts and words of others; they also should learn how to make proper attribution when using anyone else’s thoughts or words.

A student charged with plagiarism by an instructor will be subject to the provisions of the Bentley University Academic Integrity System. Faculty, students and others having questions about the Academic Integrity System should contact the academic integrity coordinator. Plagiarism may be committed in the following ways:

• Copying. Word-for-word copying is the most obvious plagiarism. Another person’s writing must first be enclosed in quotation marks and, second, be explicitly acknowledged in a footnote, endnote or other formal reference. Both quotation marks and reference are necessary, even for quotations of as few as three consecutive words.
• Rearranging. Selecting phrases, sentences or longer passages from another author and concealing them among one’s own language is a less obvious form of plagiarism. Such an assemblage must include complete and proper references. To avoid plagiarism, it is not enough merely to rearrange the order of the quoted words or to intersperse some words of the student’s own words.
• Paraphrasing. Another form of plagiarism is the paraphrasing or restating of another person’s writing or ideas in one’s own words, without acknowledging that another’s work has been the source.
• Self-plagiarism. Work a student has done for other courses must be properly cited if it is included in another assignment. Permission to use prior work should be granted by the instructor.
• Using work prepared by another person. Using work written by a fellow student or paper mill and providing paper-writing services to another person, regardless of whether payment is involved, are among the most serious violations of Bentley’s Academic Integrity Policy. Students should take these prohibitions seriously. Often, the students who commit plagiarism do so unintentionally, as a result of having failed to consider the ethical implications of their actions.
  Apart from taking plagiarism seriously, students should adopt the strategies noted below to avoid even the appearance of plagiarism.
• Manage time. A chief cause of plagiarism is the failure to prepare early for deadlines. Students will know when their written work is due; they should get started early to avoid desperately seeking anywhere for words and ideas to fill the page.
• Learn how to acknowledge sources. Another cause of plagiarism is not knowing the conventions and procedures that permit graceful and proper acknowledgement.
• Take notes clearly and completely. One of the most common causes of plagiarism is the failure to label all notes taken in the library or elsewhere with the bibliographical information needed for full references.

Teachers at Bentley may legitimately assume that students understand plagiarism and that, therefore, any Bentley student who plagiarizes does so intentionally.

Academic Standing Policy

Graduate students can carry four different types of academic standing noted on a transcript by term: Good Standing, Academic Warning, Academic Probation, or Academic Dismissal.

Academic standing is noted by term and will only be retroactively altered for a specific term in the event of a university-sanctioned grade change or reversal of an academic dismissal decision upon appeal; repeated courses will not change a student’s academic standing for a given term.

• Good Standing: a student with an overall grade point average at or above 2.7.
• Academic Warning: a semester grade point average below a 2.7.
• Academic Probation: a student with an overall grade point average below 2.7, after review by the Graduate Academic Performance Committee, is sent an Academic Probation letter with directives and conditions that must be met to avoid subsequent academic review or dismissal.
• Academic Dismissal: a student is permanently dismissed from an academic program after not meeting the terms of Academic Probation or as determined by Graduate Academic Performance Committee.

Note: A status of “Good Standing” is needed to register for classes without consulting with an academic advisor, but it does not indicate eligibility to graduate. A GPA of 2.7 in both the major/concentrations, as well as the overall GPA, is required for graduation.

Commencement Participation Policy

Requirements for Participation in Commencement

Along with those students who have completed degree requirements within an academic year, other graduate students may be allowed to participate in the spring commencement ceremony, provided the following conditions are met:

1. A student’s account must be paid in full.
2. After the spring semester, no more than six credits must remain for degree completion.
3. A minimum 2.7 GPA is required for both the cumulative average of courses that qualify for a degree/certificate and major/concentrations average.
4. The student must register for his or her final course(s) prior to the graduation ceremony.
5. By no later than the date specified by the Registrar's office, a student completing their program of study must apply for program completion through Workday.
6. The student must not be subject to review by the Academic Performance Committee.

Additional Commencement Participation Information

1. The above policy in no way obliges the Graduate School to offer any specific summer course.
2. A student allowed to participate in commencement prior to the completion of final courses will have his or her name listed in the commencement program with the May completion candidates. A special annotation, “Anticipated completion of degree in October of XXXX,” will appear and no graduation honors will be listed.
3. Diploma orders will be requested during the semester in which the degree will actually be completed.
4. A student who participates in commencement prior to the completion of studies will also have his or her name listed in the subsequent year’s commencement program. If graduation honors are earned, they will be noted in this listing.
5. Diplomas will be awarded only after all degree requirements have been completed.
6. Beta Gamma Sigma nominees will include only those students who anticipate completion of their degree requirements within the nomination year.

Graduation Honors

Honors at graduation are awarded to those students receiving degrees who have achieved the following Overall GPA:

• High Distinction: 3.80 to 4.0
• Distinction: 3.60 to 3.799

Graduation honors are not awarded to certificate candidates. GPAs are not rounded. See Grade Point Average for explanation of GPA.

Course Repeat Policy

The following policy applies to repeating any course:

• A student may only repeat the same course in which an F grade has been earned; this is the only way to remove the weight of the F grade from the student’s overall GPA.
• A failed course may be repeated only once.
• Only the first ‘F’ grade which is repeated will be replaced in weight. A second ‘F’ grade may be repeated but will still be calculated into the grade point average.
• A student may only repeat a total of two failed courses.
• Only the second grade enters the grade point average, but the F grade will remain on the transcript.
• If the course is no longer offered or not available prior to a student’s graduation, the student must seek approval from the program director or the department chair of the failed course to select an appropriate replacement course.
• Students cannot repeat Global Business Experience (GBE) courses to the same country with the same professor, nor can a GBE to another country count as a repeat for an F grade obtained in a previous GBE regardless of a different destination and/or professor.
• If the student chooses not to repeat the course, the F will always be calculated in the student’s GPA.
• Students in advance standing undergraduate programs should refer to the Undergraduate Course repeat policy.

Field-Based Learning

Field-Based Learning is an important part of the graduate curriculum, allowing students to gain valuable industry experience and networking opportunities. Students can explore interests and use knowledge gained from course work in their work environment.

• Students pursuing a single MS or MBA degree may only take a total of two Field-Based Learning courses.
• Dual Degree students may take a total of three Field-Based Learning courses; however, only one such course can be shared across MS and MBA degrees.

Field-based options include:

• Credit-Bearing Internships
• Field-Based Directed Studies
• Global Business Experience courses

Note: Students are limited to taking no more than two Field-Based Learning courses to satisfy elective or concentration requirements. Students pursuing multiple MS degrees, dual degrees and concurrent certificates should speak with an advisor in Graduate Academic Advising to determine eligibility.

Final Exam Policy

If a student has three final examinations scheduled on the same day, the student has the option to work with all three faculty members to find one to reschedule. If no faculty member agrees to an alternative agreeable to the student, then the middle exam must be rescheduled. Students must request rescheduling at least two weeks prior to the scheduled examination time.

Grading Policy

Course Grades

Academic performance is officially recorded on an academic term basis in letter grades and quality points. Passing grades that range from C+ (2.3) to A (4.0) earn quality points; failures are recorded as F and earn no quality points.

What follows is the proposed grading rubric for graduate courses. The ranges in the “Numerical Equivalent” column apply to the letter grade unless specified otherwise in the course syllabus.

Grading Policy

Grade	Quality Points	Numerical Equivalent
A	4.0	95 to 100
A-	3.7	90 to less than 95
B+	3.3	87 to less than 90
B	3.0	83 to less than 87
B-	2.7	80 to less than 83
C+	2.3	77 to less than 80
F	0.0	Less than 77

Grading Policy

Grade	Quality Points	Numerical Equivalent
I	None*	Incomplete
W	None*	Assigned to indicate a withdrawal during the period starting the third week of class and continuing through two-thirds of the semester.

* Does not factor in the cumulative grade point average.

There is no audit or pass/fail option for graduate-level courses.

Grade Point Average

The overall GPA reflects the average of all coursework completed at the graduate level at Bentley. This average is calculated by multiplying each course grade earned by the semester hours of credits to figure the total quality points. Then the total quality points earned are divided by the total hours of coursework completed to arrive at the grade point average. The overall GPA is the average reflected on each semester’s grade report and on a student’s transcript. Graduate students who have completed multiple degrees at the graduate level or who have taken additional graduate-level courses beyond the course requirements specified for a degree should note that their overall GPA and degree GPA could differ. The degree GPA reflects the average of the course work required to complete the requirements of one degree or certificate program including any required Pre-Program or Business Fundamental courses. This average is calculated similarly to the overall GPA, but only includes the courses applicable to the degree or certificate program being pursued. In cases where a student has completed multiple degrees/certificates or has taken more courses than are required for a degree, the degree GPA is the GPA used to qualify a student for graduation honors and nomination to honor societies. The degree GPA is not printed on a student’s transcript.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As a general rule, all coursework must be completed by the end of the semester in which the course is offered. An incomplete grade is a temporary designation issued when required work, which can be made up, is not completed by the end of the semester.

Eligibility for an Incomplete Grade

Graduate Academic Performance Policy

A 2.7 cumulative grade point average in all courses required for the degree or certificate and in the selected major/concentration is required to graduate. The Graduate Academic Performance Committee, a body of faculty and administrators acting on behalf of the Dean of Business and the McCallum Graduate School, will review all student academic records for a violation of the Graduate Academic Performance Policy when:

• A graduate student earns an overall GPA below 2.7; or
• A graduate student earns two or more grades below B-.

The Graduate Academic Performance Committee reviews students after the fall, spring, and summer terms. Upon completion of the Graduate Academic Performance Review Process, the chair of the Graduate Academic Performance Committee will send those students reviewed official correspondence. The correspondence will explain the outcome of the review and any specified sanctions.

Academic Sanctions

Actions taken by the Graduate Academic Performance Committee after an academic record has been reviewed include:

• Academic Warning: results in an official email sent by the Graduate Academic Performance Committee Chair acknowledging the violation of the Graduate Academic Performance Policy; student is notified that further reviews can result in additional sanctions up to and including Academic Dismissal; there is no opportunity for appeal.
• Academic Probation: results in an official email sent by the Graduate Academic Performance Committee Chair acknowledging the violation of the Graduate Academic Performance Policy; student is notified that adjustments are necessary to continue making progress toward a degree and that further reviews can result in additional sanctions up to and including Academic Dismissal; academic adjustments may include, but are not limited to, repeating failed courses, changes in current course load or a short-term leave of absence; there is no opportunity for appeal.
• Academic Dismissal: results in an official email sent by the Graduate Academic Performance Committee Chair acknowledging the violation of the Graduate Academic Performance Policy; student is notified of the decision and the Committee's reasoning behind the decision.

Academic Performance Dismissal Appeal Process

Any appeal must be made in writing to the Dean of Business and the McCallum Graduate School via the Chair of the Graduate Academic Performance Committee within seven business days of the original official email. The Dean, or designee, will review written appeals and documentation and determine whether to uphold, alter, or reverse the decision of the Graduate Academic Performance Committee. The Dean, or designee, will notify the student in writing of the final outcome of the appeal once all materials have been reviewed.

In the interim, sanctions issued by the Graduate Academic Performance Committee, including dismissal, will not take effect until a final decision on an appeal is communicated to the student in an official email by the Dean or designee.

All written appeals must include the rationale for disputing the initial appeal decision. Appeals should meet one of the criteria listed below:

1. New material or information unavailable to the Academic Performance Committee at the time of the hearing becomes available. New information must highlight unusual or unexpected circumstances, beyond a student’s control or planning, and occurring during the term/s in question. In addition, students must supply official documentation for stated information.
2. Evidence is provided that the stated process or protocol has not been followed.

Graduate Course Waiver Policy

As part of a student’s acceptance, Graduate Admissions will list the courses that a student is eligible to waive. Students may petition to have denied waivers reevaluated.

1. Prior to the end of Add/Swap/Drop during the first semester, the process is as follows:
   1. Students submit petition(s) for reevaluation of denied waivers via their Slate portal providing detailed documentation about each course they completed and an explanation of why they believe the course should be waived.
   2. Students will be notified of the results of their appeal.
   3. Students are not to contact program directors directly to ask about appeals during this time. Program directors will refer all requests in this period to Graduate Admissions.
   4. Graduate Admissions will continue with late appeals through the Add/Drop period.
2. After the Add/Drop period ends, a student must work directly with the designated representative for each course using the Post Add/Drop Waiver Appeal Form available on the Registrar and GSAS websites.
   1. The “Waiver Appeal” form must be completed and all required documentation attached and sent to the designated departmental representative noted on the form. The departmental representative will make the final decision.
   2. If requesting multiple waivers, a separate form for each course must be submitted to the course contact person for the specific course. Contacts are listed on the form.
   3. A copy of the approved waiver form, which must include the departmental representative’s signature, will be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar will enter the waiver into the student record.
3. No waiver appeals will be accepted once a student has completed his/her first semester of study at Bentley. Exceptions to this will be at the discretion of the program directors, but such exceptions should be rare and should be reserved for situations that are out of the student’s control.

Course Substitutions

In four of the Master of Science programs, specific established substitutions may be made for courses based upon a student’s prior academic history on those topics. The degree programs are:

• Master of Science in Accounting
• Master of Science in Finance (and Analytics Track)

Substitution are unique to each degree program. Substitutions will not reduce the number of courses required for the completion of the degree program. Rather, specific established courses will be substituted from a list unique to each degree. This should be discussed with the Graduate Admissions Officer during the application process. Specific information for each program is available of the Graduate Academic Advising and Engagement page under Waivers and Substitutions.

Graduate Internships

All graduate students interested in completing an internship for academic credit must submit the internship approval form. 

All three-credit internships are subject to the following policies:

• All required work for an internship must be completed during the term of registration.
• Students earning 3 credits are expected to work 20 hours per week for the duration of the academic term unless otherwise noted.  
• Students must have a minimum of an overall GPA of 3.0, unless otherwise noted.
• The entire application process, including faculty submission of student information to Registrar, must be completed no later than the third week of each semester.
• Any courses dropped to accommodate internship course registration beyond the add/swap/drop deadline of each semester are considered withdrawals and subject to published refund deadlines.
• Regular withdrawal deadlines and penalties apply once the student has been registered for the internship course through the Registrar’s Office.
• Regular grade reporting deadlines apply.
• All three-credit internships take place within the beginning and end dates of an academic term. Students may commence working at an internship on the first day of classes and must complete their workplace experience by the last day of final exams. Any deviations from this time line must be approved by the internship coordinator and the Associate Provost for Academic Services and Operations. 

International Students who have only one course remaining in their last semester of study may not take a three-credit CPT (Curricular Practical Training) as their last course unless they take another on-campus course along with it. The three-credit internship may be an extra course, but not the only course taken in that term. For further clarification, contact the Center for International Students and Scholars.

• A three-credit internship experience cannot be used to extend a one-credit internship; students must clearly distinguish the two in terms of work responsibility and supervision.

All one-credit internships are subject to the following policies:

• Students are limited to one one-credit internship per degree program.
• All one-credit internships take place within the beginning and end dates of an academic term. Students may commence working at an internship on the first day of classes and must complete their workplace experience by the last day of final exams. Any deviations from this timeline must be approved by the internship coordinator and the Associate Provost for Academic Services and Operations. 
• Students who are still eligible to do a one-credit internship after a three-credit internship may do it at the same firm with the internship coordinator’s approval and must document in the offer letter that it is a different experience. Students must clearly distinguish the two in terms of work responsibility and supervision.
• One-credit internships are 500-level courses and are designed to be extra courses outside the degree requirements and therefore do not satisfy degree requirements.
• All one-credit internships cannot be combined with any other courses to meet the overall number of credits required to graduate.

All credit-bearing internships are subject to the following Registrar’s Office policies:

• Current tuition is charged for each credit-bearing internship.
• The application process, including faculty submission of student information to the Registrar, must be completed no later than the Add/Drop deadline of each semester.
• Any courses dropped to accommodate internship course registration beyond the Add/Drop deadline of each semester are subject to published refund deadlines.
• Regular withdrawal deadlines and refund penalties apply once the student has been registered for the internship course through the Registrar’s Office.
• Regular grade reporting deadlines apply. Incomplete grades must be changed by October 1 for spring and summer internships and March 1 for fall internships in order to avoid conversion to an F.

International students must meet immigration regulations in order to complete an internship.

Graduate assistants must obtain permission from the Associate Dean of Business to register for an internship course.

For more information about graduate Internships, please visit the Graduate Academic Advising and Engagement Website.

Honors and Awards

Beta Gamma Sigma

Beta Gamma Sigma is the national honor society for business students. Election to membership is the highest scholastic honor a graduate student can achieve. Beta Gamma Sigma is the only national scholastic honor society recognized by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Nomination to the society occurs each spring and is determined by the degree GPA in effect at that time. Students graduating in the top 20 percent of an academic year’s graduates (September, January and May total population) receive written notification of their nomination to the society in the spring. To be considered members, nominees must accept the invitation to lifetime membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, and remit the one-time initiation fee. Those who accept the nomination are encouraged to attend the annual induction ceremony held on campus in April.

Dandes Award

The Dandes Award is presented to the graduate student(s) graduating in a given year (September, December and May) who has the highest overall GPA. In cases where there is a tie, the award is presented to all who have the same degree GPA. Students are notified in May after all grades are posted. Students with outstanding incompletes are not eligible for the Dandes Award.

Independent Study Options

Directed Study

Highly qualified students can, under the guidance of a faculty member, undertake a directed study to conduct in-depth investigation and/or analysis of a specialized topic not currently offered in the program curriculum. These courses are based solely on research or a specially designed project developed in conjunction with a faculty member. Students interested in requesting a directed study must submit the request form.

Tutorial

Tutorials enable students to complete a regular course when it is not offered in the current semester. A tutorial follows the standard syllabus for a course with the following modification: the tutorial syllabus must reflect the fact that a student is completing the course independently and not as part of a class of students.

To initiate a tutorial, students must have a special need for the proposed course; e.g., the course is needed to complete a degree at a particular time.

A subset of graduate courses is only available on an independent study basis due to the fact that they are based solely on research or specially designed projects that lend themselves to a single person completing the assignment. These courses include ETH 810 Research in Business Ethics and HF 800 User Experience Thesis.

Procedure for Directed Study or Tutorial

1. Students interested in pursuing either a Directed Study or Tutorial must submit the following for approval before beginning the study:
   1. A statement explaining the reason for the request.
   2. A syllabus the student has created in collaboration with the faculty member who will be supervising. This syllabus should include the following specific information:
      1. a brief description of the study
      2. goals/objectives
      3. required readings/bibliography
      4. explanation of course deliverables — i.e., a project, papers, exams
      5. timeline for completion of course deliverables
      6. evaluation procedures — i.e., grading criteria, scope, and methods/modes of interaction between the student and the professor
   3. Directed Study/Tutorial Petition signed by the supervising faculty member and appropriate department chair. The appropriate form can be found in Workday.
2. Once complete, the Associate Dean for Business Programs will be required to sign off on the merit of the proposal.
3. If approved, the student will be registered for the approved course by the Registrar’s Office.

Deadlines

• Requests for a Directed Study or Tutorial must be submitted by the first day of the semester that the course will be taken.
• Approval must be granted prior to beginning the study.

Cost

Current tuition is charged for each Directed Study or Tutorial.

Transcript Notation

• Directed Study: The course will be recorded on the transcript with a notation of the topic investigated, along with a corresponding course number assigned by an academic department.
• Tutorial: The course will be recorded on the transcript as the appropriate course number and title.

International Student Distance Learning Hybrid and Online Course Policy

International students attending Bentley University on the F-1 Visa have special regulations for online and hybrid classes. The Department of Homeland Security requires F-1 students to maintain a full course of study, and the course of study must lead to the attainment of a specific educational or professional objective. A full course of study is defined as a minimum of: 12 credit hours for undergraduate and 9 credit hours for graduate students. F-1 students can count only one 100% online/distance learning class or three credits of online/distance learning course per semester toward the full course of study requirement [8 C.F.R. 214.2(f)(6)(i)(G)].

For hybrid courses, international students are required to maintain physical presence in these classes by attending at least 50 percent of the class sessions in person. Any hybrid course in which physical attendance in class is less than 50 percent will count as one of the online or distance learning courses allowed for an international student. Failure to comply with the regulation [8 C.F.R. 214.2(f)(6)(i)(G) will be a violation of a student's F-1 visa status.

Leave of Absence/Withdrawal Policy

Leave of Absence

Bentley graduate students are expected to maintain concurrent enrollment. However, Bentley University recognizes that there are occasions when students may require time away from their studies. Matriculated graduate students experiencing medical, personal, or professional challenges may take a voluntary leave of absence for up to one calendar year after consultation with their Academic Advisor. Matriculated is defined as a graduate student who has deposited, registered, and attended at least one day of class either in person or online. Non-matriculated students who wish to delay their active course enrollment may request deferral through the Office of Graduate Admissions. 

Students who plan to take more than one semester away from their studies must fill out the leave of absence request form. F-1 visa holders must submit a Leave of Absence form regardless of the duration of the leave. Students may not take classes at other institutions during their leave of absence. Students who take more than one semester away from their studies without obtaining an approved leave of absence request maybe be inactivated. Students may also request an extension to their approved leave of absence status not to exceed a total of two years.

For more details about the leave of absence and withdrawal/transfer processes, please see the Student Handbook. For any questions, please email LOA@bentley.edu. Graduate Students in the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center cohorts please refer to your Terms & Conditions in regards to the leave of absence process.

Withdrawal from the University

If a student decides that they are unable to continue attending Bentley, the student must officially withdraw from the university by filling out the Leave of Absence/Withdrawal form. It is recommended that students considering withdrawal from the University consult with an advisor in Graduate Academic Advising and Engagement. Once a decision has been made to withdraw, the student must contact the Registrar's office by email requesting to be withdrawn from the degree program and the university.

Discontinuing class attendance or not taking exams does not constitute an official withdrawal from Bentley, nor does it reduce a student’s financial obligations. A withdrawal from the university must be completed by the last day of classes for the current semester.

Withdrawal from individual courses is a different procedure; all students process course withdrawals through Workday.

Missed Exam or Quiz Policy

A student who is absent from a regular examination or quiz may take a make-up examination in that course only with the approval of the instructor. Such approval is given only when, in the opinion of the instructor, the student was unavoidably absent from the regular examination for a valid and sufficient reason, such as serious illness or death in the immediate family. If possible, the student should notify the instructor prior to the regular examination.

Program Changes or Additions

Adding a Program of Study

Current graduate students interested in pursuing a second graduate credential may submit a request to the Office of Graduate Academic Advising and Engagement. 

When considering adding a program of study, please note:

• Students who wish to pursue an MBA and MS degree may be eligible to share up to four courses (12 credits) between programs taken within the past five years.
• The sharing of up to 12 credits is an option only between the MBA and one MS degree. There is no sharing for those wishing to pursue two MS degrees.
• None of the permissible 12 credits shared between an MBA and a 2nd MS degree may be shared with a concurrent certificate. That constitutes triple sharing of credits and is not permitted.
• Students who start a graduate degree as part of a Bentley University advanced standing program (which allows sharing of up to four graduate courses between the undergraduate and the graduate degree) are eligible to add a program of study through Graduate Student Academic Services, but cannot share courses between the two graduate degrees. Students who wish to pursue merit aid must apply through the Office of Graduate Admission for the second graduate degree. Sharing of courses between the two graduate degrees is not allowed. 
• There is no guarantee that the request for the second degree will be approved. Students must meet the admission requirements for the additional degree.
• Dual degree students may take a total of three Field-Based Learning courses, although only one field-based course can be shared across MS and MBA degrees.

Secondary MS Degree

• Students wishing to pursue a second MS degree must apply through the Office of Graduate Admission for the second MS degree; a second MS degree shares no courses and requires a new and full application and full admission review.
• As no courses are shared, students can take additional Field-Based Learning course/s based on the stated policy in this catalogue. International students must consult with the Center for International Students and Scholars for eligibility.
• Under special circumstances, students may be able to use courses that were unused in the first degree if the courses were taken and passed within the five-year time limit for course applicability toward a second degree. Students should consult with the Office of Graduate Academic Advising and Engagement, as any previous courses must be completed within five years of the final semester of the second degree.
• Should a required course from a previous MS degree be required of the second MS degree, the second MS degree program director will be responsible for providing a suitable substitution course.

Changing a Program of Study

Students who wish to pursue a program change may submit a request to the Office of Graduate Academic Advising and Engagement. 

When considering changing a program of study, please note:

• Merit aid awarded to the original degree program is not guaranteed to be transferred to the new degree program. Students will be reevaluated for the merit aid award based on their application to the new degree program.
• There is no guarantee that the request for a program change will be approved.
• Students cannot request a change of program in their final term.

Religious Observances Policy

Residence Requirements/Course Away Policy

Students must complete all degree requirements in residence at the Bentley Graduate School. Under rare and special circumstances after matriculation, a student may petition for a waiver of the Residence Requirement for a maximum of two courses (6 credits). Petitions for up to two courses (6 credits) of work completed at another institution will be considered. Courses must be completed at an AACSB- or EQUIS-accredited institution. Courses must also be the final two courses needed to complete the degree program. In all cases, courses must be at the graduate level and carry credits equivalent to meeting the requirements of the Bentley degree. Such appeals should be addressed to Graduate Academic Advising and Engagement. A course-away grade of B- must be earned for credit to be awarded toward a Bentley University degree.

Time to Degree Completion Policy

Students must complete their degree program/s (including any concurrent degrees and certificates) within five years of their initial admit term. Beyond five years, without an approved Leave of Absence (see policy below), a student will be required to apply for re-admission to the Graduate School with the understanding that previous course work and GMAT/GRE scores will no longer be counted toward the degree program/s; exams and courses must be retaken. Students may request an extension in time to degree completion, not to exceed a total of seven years, in writing to the Director of Graduate Academic Advising and Engagement.