1.6 Course Policies

1.6.1 Courses
1.6.2 Grading
1.6.3 Transfer credits
1.6.4 Waivers/Substitutions in the POS
1.6.5 Expired courses
1.6.6 Special Topics or Independent Study (ENGL 5900)
1.6.7 Dual-listed courses
1.6.8 Research or Creative Component Credits (ENGL 6990 or ENGL 5990)

1.6.1 Courses

Graduate courses that bear graduate credit (5000- or 6000-level at ISU and must be taught by a member of the Graduate Faculty) are used to meet graduate academic program requirements. Under certain circumstances, undergraduate ISU courses (3000- or 4000-level) may also be used to meet graduate academic requirements at the discretion of the student’s Academic Plan Committee according to department and Graduate College policy.

A course counted toward your undergraduate degree by an institution other than ISU cannot be transferred. Only courses taken for graduate credit separate from undergraduate work can be transferred and used in the graduate Academic Plan.

Graduate courses taken as an ISU undergraduate student

If you completed a bachelor’s degree at ISU and took graduate level courses as an undergraduate, you may use up to 6.0 credits of that graduate coursework toward your graduate Academic Plan  requirements if you earned grades of B or higher, regardless of whether they counted towards an undergraduate degree or not. If you wish to count ISU graduate credits taken as an undergraduate, you must include them when you submit the DPS and other related academic documentation. Those credits will be certified for use in your Academic Plan when you submit the Graduate Academic Plan in your Workday account.

Graduate courses taken as an ISU nondegree graduate student

If you are admitted to ISU and took graduate courses as a nondegree seeking graduate student, you may use up to 9 credits of that graduate coursework toward meeting your graduate Academic Plan requirements. If you wish to use any of these credits, you will include them on the DPS and submit them on the Graduate College Academic Plan in Workday.

Undergraduate courses taken as an ISU graduate student

Advanced 3000- and 4000-level undergraduate courses from outside your major and outside the English Department may be used to meet graduate degree requirements with permission from your Academic Plan Committee members.

• No 1000- or 2000-level classes may be used, but 3000- and 4000-level classes at Iowa State (not undergraduate classes from other institutions) will be eligible.
• With approval from the Academic Plan Committee, graduate students will be permitted to use undergraduate courses from outside their majors; however, it is our department policy that no ENGL designator course at the 3000-4000 level (including those cross-listed with ENGL courses) can be used to meet academic requirements.
• Up to three courses at the 4000-level will be permitted, or an Academic Plan may include one 3000-level course and two 4000-level courses.

Back to the top

1.6.2 Grading

The minimum grade acceptable for courses to be used on the Academic Plan is a C (transfer credits must be a minimum of a B). A grade of S (satisfactory) can also be used on the Academic Plan.

P/NP (pass/not pass) courses may not be used on the Academic Plan (except for those earned in Spring 2020 due to COVID-19).

Students cannot graduate with F’s or I’s (incompletes) on their records unless the Academic Plan Committee determines there are extenuating circumstances, petitions the Graduate College for approval to allow the student to graduate with these on their record, and the request is approved by the Graduate College Dean.
Back to the top

1.6.3 Transfer credits

You may transfer graduate level credits from another university and your transcripts will be evaluated to determine the number of transferable graduate credits. The initial evaluation will be made by your assigned program advisor/major professor in consultation with other teaching members of the English Department Graduate Faculty. Review of requested transfer credits will be completed by the DOGE upon submission of the required Transfer Credit Petition form and accompanying documents. If the program advisor/major professor is the same person as the Graduate Faculty member evaluating the course for equivalency to an ISU course, the DOGE may contact the area coordinator or another area faculty member to confirm approval. In the case that the DOGE is also the student’s program advisor/major professor, the Associate DOGE will conduct the review. ISU English Department courses taken prior to entry into your current graduate program and applicable to the academic requirements in a particular major do not need to be included but will count towards the allowable number of transfer credits. The approved transfer credit course(s) are then added to your Degree Planning Sheet (DPS) and Academic Plan in Workday and will require final approval by the Graduate College when you actually submit for approval the completed Academic Plan.

Transcript-related policies, all mandated by the university, apply to the transfer of credits:

• Courses must have a grade of B or better. A pass/fail course cannot be transferred unless you can provide a letter from your professor indicating the grade that would have been awarded (must be B or higher).
• Courses must be completed before the term in which the graduate student graduates from ISU and an official transcript provided for review and final approval by the Graduate College.
• A course counted toward your undergraduate degree by the home institution cannot be transferred. Only courses taken for graduate credit separate from undergraduate work can be transferred. It is your responsibility to provide verification by letter from that institution that those graduate courses were not used to satisfy undergraduate requirements for a degree.
• Course credits completed at another institution on a quarter units system will need to be converted to the semester units system in order to determine the number of credits allowed to transfer if approved. The Graduate College conversion table indicates that 4.5 credits/units on a quarter units system is equivalent to 3.0 credits/units on a semester units system. If you still have questions, contact the Graduate Program Office (englgrad@iastate.edu) for assistance. These courses must be entered into the transfer credit form in Workday and listed exactly as listed on the transcript with the quarter units system number of credits which will increase the total number of credits at the bottom for the degree.
• Courses must be acceptable as approved expired courses according to expired courses policies (see Expired courses section above).
• MA students must complete a minimum of 22 graduate credits at Iowa State University, regardless of how many credits are transferred.
• MFA students must complete a minimum of 22 graduate credits at Iowa State University, regardless of how many credits are transferred. Students may transfer up to 24 credits into the MFA Academic Plan, but the actual number of transfer credits approved will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Previous ISU degree coursework can count, but there must be a minimum of 22 non-overlapping credits per ISU degree.
• PhD students must complete a minimum of 36 graduate credits at Iowa State University. Students may transfer up to 36 credits, but the actual number of transfer credits approved will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Previous ISU degree coursework can count, but there must be a minimum of 22 non-overlapping credits per ISU degree.

ISU sets limits on transfer credits because, as the degree-granting institution, it needs to be able to ensure the integrity of its degrees, and too much credit granted from credits taken elsewhere compromises the ability to ensure that integrity. The English Department, likewise, wants to protect the integrity of our degree programs, and that is why course transfer is handled on a case-by-case basis. This process allows us to assess the applicability of courses to individual degree programs and may not permit you to transfer as may credits as the university policy allows. To ensure programmatic consistency in the application of transfer credits, the DOGE has consulted with faculty in the various programs to develop transfer guidelines. Although you may discuss an appeal with your assigned program advisor/major professor if you believe you should be allowed more transfer credits, an appeal is not likely to advance beyond that discussion.

If you wish to transfer credits, you need to complete the following and submit a completed packet to the Graduate Program Office (englgrad@iastate.edu) for approval by the DOGE:

• Transfer Credit Petition form which requests the following information and attachments:
  • Transfer course information for the course which you are requesting transfer approval
  • The ISU course equivalent for which you are requesting transfer credit (if no equivalent course exists at ISU, just state this in the “ISU Course No.” blank and indicate the Academic Plan category for your major you hope to use these credits towards)
  • Written justification for the transfer credits and a description of the course content (provide copies of the course syllabus and pages from the institution catalog copy)
  • Evaluation by ISU faculty member who regularly teaches the ISU course equivalent with their indication of support and their electronic signature (this evaluation is normally not required for courses equivalent to other ISU department/program courses, but may be necessary depending on the course and Academic Plan category)
  • Transcript copy showing grade received in the course (copy of official transcript and institution grading system)
• All documents should then be evaluated by your program advisor/major professor and signed if they agree with the transfer credit request
• All documents are then submitted to the Graduate Program Office electronically (englgrad@iastate.edu) for review and consideration by the DOGE (including any confirmations with the area coordinator as described above)

If you attended a foreign university and wish to transfer credits from that institution, you must translate into English the entirety of any non-English-language syllabus for a requested transfer course. Syllabi translations must be submitted to the Graduate Program Office along with the required transfer credit documents described in the previous section. Translations will then be reviewed for accuracy before the credits themselves are reviewed for transfer.

Back to the top

1.6.4 Waivers/Substitutions in the Academic Plan

You need an Academic Plan waiver/substitution approved when your prior experience allows you to take a different or more advanced course as a substitute for a required course in your Academic Plan. Note that receiving an Academic Plan waiver/substitution for a particular course does not change the number of required credits. You will be required to take additional coursework to replace the credits associated with the petition if applicable. Prior approval is suggested to avoid delays in meeting degree requirements that can result in delayed graduation.

You must submit an Academic Plan Waiver/Substitution Petition form that includes a clear justification for this change, consideration and support from the faculty member who regularly teaches the ISU English Department course being replaced (not required for required coursework that is outside the department), signed by your assigned program advisor/major professor. If the program advisor/major professor is the same person as the Graduate Faculty member evaluating the course being waived/substituted, the DOGE will consult the area coordinator or another program faculty member to confirm approval.

The completed petition must be submitted to the Graduate Program Office electronically (englgrad@iastate.edu) for consideration and approval by the Director of Graduate Education. In the case that the DOGE is also the student’s program advisor/major professor, the Associate DOGE will conduct the final review.

Approvals for Academic Plan waivers/substitutions must be obtained before or along with the Degree Planning Sheet.
Back to the top

1.6.5 Expired courses

Courses that you wish to use on the Academic Plan to meet degree requirements must follow Graduate College policy regarding the use of expired courses. The age of a course is defined as the time between when credits were earned and when the student graduates. A course is expired when its age is greater than the Graduate College time limit for the master’s or doctoral program, and the time-to-degree expectation remains at seven years for both levels.

Students must complete an Expired Course Petition form along with the Academic Plan once the Graduate College has made an initial review of the plan. Courses must be ISU courses 3000-level or above, or those courses documented as being graduate-level courses from other appropriately accredited institutions and approved for transfer.

The following guidelines will be used by the Academic Plan Committee, DOGE(s), and the Graduate College for the number and age limits of expired credits allowed on the Academic Plan based on the expected year of graduation indicated by the student:

• Master’s limits (MA and MFA):
  • 6.0 credits 8-10 years old
  • 0.0 credits 11+ years old
• MFA limits:
  • no limit 8-10 years old (no Expired Course Petition required)
  • 14.0 credits 11-16 years old
  • 10.0 credits 17 years old
• PhD limits:
  • no limit 8-10 years old (no Expired Course Petition required)
  • 24.0 credits 11-16 years old
  • 12.0 credits 17 years old

The Expired Course Petition form  should include the following:

• a justification for why the courses are still relevant,
• an assurance that the student has kept current with the information covered in the courses, and
• an explanation of how the student will be evaluated on expired material. Evaluation could include a written examination (a preliminary, qualifying, or comprehensive examination), evidence of satisfactory performance in course(s) for which the expired courses are prerequisites, or the completion of an audit in one or more current courses in the areas encompassed by the expired course. The object should be to determine whether the material learned in those courses is still timely and adequate. The evaluation method should be specified by the Academic Plan Committee at the time the Academic Plan is submitted.

If a student does not graduate by the term indicated on the Academic Plan, the approved use of expired courses is void and a new updated Expired Course Petition must be submitted as well as an updated Academic Plan with the graduation date changed. Students and faculty may want to plan in advance for the possibility that additional coursework may be required due to delays in graduation.
Back to the top

1.6.6 Special Topics or Independent Study (ENGL 5900)

The ENGL 5900 course provides a way to study important material that is not otherwise available to you in the graduate curriculum. Such courses involve special conditions and require special arrangements between you and an instructor. The Director of Graduate Education will not approve ENGL 5900 proposals that do not meet the special conditions listed on the Request for ENGL 5900 form and guidelines. The number of ENGL 5900s allowed in any Academic Program is restricted.

To qualify for ENGL 5900 courses, you must have completed 9 credit hours of study in graduate-level courses (either at Iowa State or elsewhere) and you must have no “Incomplete” grades (other than in ENGL 5990 or 6990).

To request approval to take ENGL 5900, you must complete and submit a Request for ENGL 5900 form to the Graduate Program Office (englgrad@iastate.edu) for consideration by the DOGE by the first day of classes of the academic term in which the ENGL 5900 is to be taken (or by May 1 for the summer semester). It is to your advantage to submit the form the semester before you wish to take the ENGL 5900 in case you need to consider other options.

Back to the top

1.6.7 Dual-listed courses

The Department of English permits you to take up to 6 credits of dual-listed courses toward your Academic Plan. These courses permit undergraduate and graduate students to be in the same class but receive credit under two different course numbers, and graduate students must fulfill additional requirements. Dual-listed courses used in the Academic Plan must (1) be taken as a graduate, not an undergraduate, student with extra work completed for graduate credit, and (2) be taught by a member of the Graduate College Graduate Faculty.
Back to the top

1.6.8 Research or Creative Component credits
(ENGL 6990 or ENGL 5990)

ENGL 6990 is the course students enroll in for the purpose of writing the thesis or dissertation. There is a presumption that these credits will be part of a coherent research agenda leading to the thesis or dissertation.

ENGL 5990 is the course students in the three MA degree programs (English, RCPC, TESL/AL) may choose to enroll in for the purpose of writing a creative component instead of a thesis or dissertation.

• All MA students must complete 3 credits in either ENGL 6990 (if writing a thesis) or ENGL 5990 (if writing a creative component). You may take more than 3 credits of ENGL 6990 (not an option for ENGL 5990) (e.g., to meet assistantship requirements), but only 3 credits will count toward your MA degree (see Thesis and Creative Component options).
• All MFA students must complete 6 credits of research in ENGL 6990. You may take more than 6 credits of ENGL 6990 (e.g., to meet assistantship requirements), but only 6 credits will count toward your MFA degree.
• All PhD students must complete 15-18 credits of research in ENGL 6990 according to their respective degree requirements (15 RPC; 18 ALT). You may take more than the required number of credits of ENGL 6990, but only the minimum number required will count toward your PhD degree.

ENGL 5990 and 6990 credits may be taken only if students have submitted the required Graduate College Academic Plan Committee officially selecting their major professor and forming their Academic Plan Committee.

Registration for ENGL 6990 or 5990 must be approved by the major professor and the Graduate Program Administrative Assistant (englgrad@iastate.edu) via a Request for Prerequisite Override only after the Academic Plan is approved by your Academic Plan Committee, DOGE, and the Graduate College.

Back to the top