General Academic Requirements for ME Graduate Degrees

GPA Expectations

Effective Summer 2022, a graduate student is expected to maintain a graduation index of 3.0 or better. Students who earn a grade lower than C in a course on the POS must re-take the course, and then update their POS with the new semester in which a better grade was received with a POS change request.

The student also is expected to earn satisfactory (S) grades in research (ME69800 for MS and ME69900 for D-PhD and PhD).

A student with cumulative GPA below 3.0 and/or unsatisfactory research grades for two semesters (consecutive or non-consecutive) will receive a dismissal letter from the Graduate Chair.

(Note:  Students enrolled in the graduate program prior to Summer ’22 semester, are grandfathered in with the prior academic requirements: a minimum of 2.85 GPA is expected to be maintained in order to graduate, and courses with lower than a C- on your POS must be re-taken, and POS must be updated with the new semester the course was re-taken.  Students will be automatically dismissed if cumulative GPA is equal to 2.75 or lower, after completing 12 credit hours or more of graduate coursework.)

Computing the GPA

The graduation index for graduate students includes all grades earned in 50000 and 60000 level courses taken while enrolled as a graduate student. Transfer courses or graduate courses taken as an undergraduate are not included in the GPA calculation. If a Purdue course taken by a graduate student is repeated for a grade, the new grade will replace the first provided that specific course was originally taken while the student was enrolled as a graduate student. A course may be retaken only once for a replacement grade. GPA Calculator

Semester Grade Review

The ME Graduate Committee reviews the grades and research performance each semester of all students in the ME graduate program. Students who fail to perform in either coursework or research at a level acceptable to the Advisory Committee, to the ME Graduate Committee or to the Graduate School may be dismissed from the graduate program. The ME Graduate Office will send warning letters to those students not maintaining a 3.0 semester GPA and/or failing to make satisfactory progress in their research, once final grades have completely posted. A warning letter may include conditions to be met within a specified time period.

Unsatisfactory coursework and/or research, if continued, may lead to dismissal from the ME Graduate Program. A student whose cumulative GPA is below 3.0 will be dismissed from the program. A student who receives “U” in research, for two semesters (consecutive or nonconsecutive), will automatically be dismissed from the program. Should the student's Major Professor and Advisory Committee advise the ME Graduate Committee of unsatisfactory performance in research, the student may be considered for dismissal at the end of any semester.

Dismissals

The Graduate Committee will dismiss a student from the ME graduate program who fails to meet the grade requirements or has more than one semester of unsatisfactory research (consecutive or nonconsecutive). The Committee’s action will take place after grade reports are completely received at the end of the semester (which may extend into the following semester). The Graduate Chair will determine the effective date of dismissal. Course registration will not be allowed after dismissal takes effect and registration for the current term may be canceled if classes have already begun. It is understood that dismissal from the graduate program includes termination of any assistantship or fellowship held by the student.

Appeal Process

If a student and the Advisory Committee feel that special circumstances are involved in the unsatisfactory performance of the student, the student may appeal a dismissal by making a written request to the Graduate Committee. A student whose Advisory Committee does not support an appeal may petition the Graduate Committee directly. An appeal may be successful only if evidence is presented to show that unusual circumstances were responsible for the student's performance, and a reasonable plan exists for the student to successfully complete the program.

Time Table for Appeals

  1. When grades are completely posted after the semester (which may extend into the following semester), the ME Graduate Office will review all ME graduate students’ grades.
  2. The ME Graduate Office will identify all students not meeting the academic grade and research requirements.
  3. Students having a cumulative GPA below 3.0, or two semesters of unsatisfactory research performance (consecutive or non-consecutive), will receive a letter informing them that they are being dismissed from the ME program. The letter will be sent via email to the student and Major Professor.
  4. The student will be given a specified due date for submitting an appeal in the dismissal letter. The appeal must be a written letter to the ME Graduate Committee by the student explaining the contributing circumstances and explaining why those circumstances no longer exist and the way things will be different going forward. Accompanying the thesis-based student’s letter must be a letter written by a member of the student’s Advisory Committee, preferably the Major Professor, and preferably signed by the Advisory Committee members supporting the appeal, explaining the reason the student should be allowed to continue in the graduate program and outlining the process put in place to assist the student to succeed.
  5. The notification to the Purdue Graduate School and the effect on the coming semester’s registration will be delayed to allow for the appeal process to take place. If no appeal is made, or if the appeal is denied, the student’s registration will be canceled and the Purdue Graduate School notified that the student has been dismissed from the program.

Important: An appeal requires evidence (1) that explains the extenuating circumstances that were responsible for the student’s unsatisfactory performance, (2) that gives a clear plan for remedying past problems and proceeding forward, and (3) that shows a reasonable chance exists for the student to successfully complete the program.

ME Graduate Office
516 Northwestern Ave. (4th floor of Wang Hall)
West Lafayette, IN 47906
MEgradoffice@purdue.edu
(765) 494-5730
Virtual office hours available every Tues/Wed/Thurs