Use of Email for Official Communication
Academic advisors, faculty, and campus administrative offices use email to convey important information and time-sensitive notices. All enrolled students are provided a University email address. Students are responsible for keeping their email address up to date or for forwarding email to another address. Failure to check email, errors in forwarding email, and returned email due to mailbox full or user unknown will not excuse a student from missing announcements or deadlines.
Student Responsibility for Degree Completion
The responsibility for knowing and following academic requirements for a degree rests with the student. Although advisors are available to guide students in planning, it is the student’s ultimate responsibility to see that all requirements for graduation are met.
Graduation Requirements
All graduate degree students shall complete these requirements:
All Graduate degree students must satisfy these requirements:
- Complete the required curriculum with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
- Successfully complete program-specific requirements.
- Participate in all outcomes assessment as required by each program.
- Pay all tuition and fees.
Students who have completed all graduation requirements and are in good standing with the institution are eligible to participate in graduation exercises. All graduates are expected to participate in winter or spring commencement exercises. Students who have completed program requirements, but have not yet graduated, may request a letter of completion. All academic and financial obligations must be met prior to the University releasing a completion statement. Contact the Registrar’s Office for additional information.
Degrees with Distinction
Graduate students who complete the program with a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) will receive a gold tassel and cord to wear at commencement to indicate they have achieved High Honors. Graduate students who complete the program with a 3.90 - 3.99 or higher will receive a gold cord to wear at commencement to indicate that they have achieved Honors.
Academic Time (Credit Hour)
According to federal guidelines, a credit hour requires an hour of class time (50 minutes) for fifteen weeks, or 750 minutes (or 12.5 hours). A three-credit course requires 2,250 minutes (37.5 hours). Tusculum’s traditional meets the federal requirement.
Students completing degree programs in Adult and Online Studies take either hybrid or online courses (or a mix of hybrid and online course) to complete their programs. Significant instructional time occurs online via the course management platform, Moodle, as well as other online options.
Students are required to complete guided course assignments outside of the scheduled class time by utilizing online resources, learning team assignments, group projects and case study analysis. Course syllabi address specific assignments for each project and the grade weight applied to these assignments. These assignments typically require significant additional time of direct online participation per week. These activities include online chat and discussion forums, (documented by participation logs in online platform), group work (documented by learning team evaluations), project and paper submission electronically, and faculty student communications. Faculty members provide feedback to students online and during the face to face class meeting sessions.
Online courses, whether undergraduate or graduate will have significant structured learning activities, involving both individual and team exercises.
Enrollment Status
The criteria used to determine enrollment status for graduate students is as follows:
| Graduate |
Credit Hours Enrolled |
| Full Time |
9 or more |
| Three-Quarter Time |
7 - 8 |
| Half Time |
6 |
| Less than Half Time |
5 or less |
Course Formats
Tusculum University students have the opportunity to experience a variety of course formats as described below.
Technology Enhanced-Courses that utilize various technologies for complementary communicative/interactive purposes are considered to be technology enhanced. Examples can include a course management system and its associated features, on-line homework system, email services, computer software or programs, and other available appropriate technical resources. Courses are designed to integrate technologies that facilitate the fulfillment of course learning objectives.
Distance Learning or Distance Education-A formalized teaching and learning method using correspondence or electronic means to deliver course content to students and assignments to instructors. Examples include correspondence courses, electronic learning (software, CD’s, or DVD’s), and online courses via the Internet.
Hybrid-Courses that may involve a mixture of face-to-face, online and independent learning approaches. The learning objectives of the course remain the same as in a traditional course format; however, students are expected to spend some time fulfilling learning requirements outside of the traditional classroom setting. The purpose of integrating face-to-face and online instruction is to utilize the best aspects of both environments to meet the course learning objectives. Any course taught at Tusculum University that has 25% but less than 100% of its instructional contact time in a non-traditional format is designated as a hybrid course.
Online-In the absence of routine face-to-face instruction and 100% use of online instructional delivery, a course is designated as an online course. Instruction is not constrained by geography or time; instead instruction and student fulfillment of course responsibilities is accomplished through the use of online technologies. Course learning objectives are explored utilizing virtual classrooms via the Internet. In some cases, course examinations may be proctored at approved facilities.
Course Levels
All courses taken at Tusculum University are identified by numbers composed of three digits with a first number designating the level of instruction. Graduate division courses designed for post baccalaureate students are numbered 500 or above.
Transfer Credit
Each course in the graduate sequence is designed to provide prerequisite knowledge for those which follow. As such, it is expected all students enrolled in the program are expected to complete courses in the prescribed order. The program Dean may approve up to two courses to transfer into a master’s degree program provided the courses are deemed to be the equivalent in content and graduate-level rigor, demonstrate comparable learning outcomes as the courses replaced, and were taken at a regionally- accredited institution of higher education or other appropriate institution as recommended by the American Council of Education (ACE). In unusual circumstances, the Dean may approve additional coursework for transfer into a graduate program.
Academic Advising
Professional academic advisors are charged with the responsibility of providing useful, pertinent information concerning many different areas of Tusculum University. Accordingly, advisors assume a significant educational role within the academic life of their students. The professional academic advisor provides each student with guidance for developing an educational plan, selecting courses and making referrals for assistance provided by other campus resources.
Final Exams
Evening and online classes complete final exams at the regular meeting times during exam week.
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