Academic Catalog

16.1. Academic Calendar

Unless otherwise noted, all course work completed at KGI is under a semester system which is approximately 15 weeks in length. Module courses are approximately eight weeks. To view the academic calendar, please click here.

16.2. Academic Freedom

Keck Graduate Institute believes fervently in the importance of academic freedom to its mission, goals, and its academic quality. Faculty and students are encouraged to explore intellectually without limit and to publish and speak out without fear of retribution in the pursuit of knowledge. Keck Graduate Institute deﬁnes academic freedom as the right of a faculty member to posit and express the full range of activities necessary in the production, dissemination, and applications of knowledge. These activities include, without limitation: research focus, determining the scope and methods of teaching, and presenting research ﬁndings internally to colleagues and externally to the public and in published ﬁndings. Intellectual discourse, including disagreement and debate, is fundamental to the processes of learning and research and is protected by this policy statement of the Institute. However, the exercise of academic freedom may not violate any other policy of the Institute, external accrediting body, federal, state, or local law. In addition, academic work should be evaluated and discussed based on the standards of the scholarly community, not external political or ideological considerations.

16.3. Academic Standards

High academic standards are critical to ensuring academic integrity and quality at KGI. Each academic semester, students identiﬁed as not meeting the requirements for minimum progress are reviewed by the school and/or program-speciﬁc progression committees to determine whether the problem lies with administrative matters, such as reporting of grades, or with academic performance. Students should reference their school or program specific standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress for more details.

Students placed on academic probation are required to work with program directors, necessary faculty members, and the Division of Student Affairs to develop a suitable plan to make every effort to ensure adequate academic progress in the subsequent semester. Students that are placed on academic probation will be ineligible to continue to hold leadership positions in professional organizations, clubs, and committees.

Each organization/club is responsible for holding special elections to replace the vacated position. The respective academic dean and program director will replace students on committees.

16.4. Academic Integrity Policy

I. Introduction

The mission of KGI includes cultivating in each student not only the academic skills that are required for a graduate degree, but also the characteristics of academic integrity that are integral to ethical leadership. It is, therefore, part of the mission of the university to nurture in each student a sense of responsibility consistent with the ethical teachings of honesty and accountability. Furthermore, a breach of academic integrity is viewed not merely as a private matter between the student and a professor, but rather as an act fundamentally inconsistent with the purpose and mission of KGI.

This Academic Integrity Policy represents a valuable educational tool for guiding faculty, staff, and students in their efforts to create a sense of community and for expressing the values that are at the core of KGI. As members of an academic community, we work together to answer difficult questions, often collaborating to answer these questions, to solve problems, and to communicate effectively the knowledge we acquire through inquiry. This document calls attention to the responsibilities we have to one another in being authentic in our attempts to represent others’ views, and it helps us to understand the responsibilities we have toward one another, students and faculty alike, and toward academic scholarship, as we endeavor to uphold the ethical standards of our community.

II. Academic Integrity Pledge

A. Knowledge and Education of Responsibilities

A student has the responsibility to become familiar with the Academic Integrity Policy as well as the philosophy behind it. KGI is a place where ethical integrity is learned and emphasized as a critical component of an academic education. Personal integrity and community responsibility are a core part of KGI life.

As a condition for matriculation, students are expected to familiarize themselves with and to uphold the Academic Integrity Policy in all academic affairs at KGI.

Students should familiarize themselves with the directives given by the professor, whether verbally or in writing, in each class concerning what is and is not permitted, especially in matters of group projects, written reports, and the attribution of research to sources (in-text citing, footnoting, a complete bibliography), including the internet and its applications.

III. Academic Integrity Responsibilities: Student

A. Academic Behavior: Personal

Students must be aware that violations are not limited to the actions prohibited in the guidelines above. Any kind of dishonesty related to academics is a violation. Other examples of academic dishonesty, apart from giving or receiving unauthorized aid as described by the professor in each course, include but are not limited to:

Listing false reasons for taking a make-up examination.
Falsifying data.
Falsely representing oneself as another student or using another student’s identifying information to complete academic work or complete academic assessment tests, attend university events, or gain access to and interact on the internet representing another party.
Falsifying grade information or course completion information.
Participating in activities that permit another student to engage in an academic integrity violation.
Purposefully concealing information about a known violation.
Misrepresenting oneself as being cleared to participate in commencement.

B. Academic Behavior: Collaborative

Working on material with other students is of great pedagogical value, and this policy should not be construed as discouraging such work. Unless such consultation is forbidden by a professor, students may work with other students on assignments and present ideas and even written work to their peers for comments and criticism. Each student, however, should be guided by the following:

If a professor explicitly permits or forbids certain collaborative work with other students, such work is permissible or forbidden as the professor indicates. A professor’s explicit guidelines take precedence in determining whether certain actions are permissible.
It is a presupposition that ideas and expressions in a submitted paper or report originate from the writer unless otherwise indicated. Consequently, if ideas or expressions in written works originate from another person, whether the person is an author or fellow student, that source should be cited in an endnote or footnote. If an idea arises from the common effort of two or more students in conversation, this fact should be cited.
If a student is unclear about whether certain forms of consultation or common work are acceptable or what the standards for citation are, the student is responsible for consulting their professor.

C. Responsible Actions

Each student, as an integral member of the academic community, must make the ethical and moral commitment not to act dishonestly and not to tolerate academic dishonesty on the part of other students. If a student witnesses a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy or otherwise has reason to believe that a violation has occurred, the student may either urge that person to report themself to the professor or discuss this allegation with the professor of the course. In situations where a student has knowledge of a violation, they are expected to report that violation to a professor, program director, or dean in a timely manner.

D. Opportunities to Serve on a Review Committee

Students may be able to participate in investigating and determining responsibility in alleged cases by serving on a Student Conduct Committee (SCC) (see the Academic Catalog for more details). Any student found responsible for a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy will immediately forfeit their eligibility to serve on a review committee.

IV. Academic Integrity Responsibilities: Faculty

A. Knowledge and Education of Responsibilities

All members of the faculty are required to become aware of the policies and procedures as outlined in the Academic Integrity Policy.
Deans and program directors are responsible for introducing new faculty to the policy. The orientation procedures should be done, when possible, prior to faculty activities in the classroom. The faculty member in charge of a particular course is responsible for educating and establishing guidelines for any teaching assistants in the course.

B. Academic Behavior: Classroom Expectations

Faculty are expected to include a written statement in their course syllabus stating the course expectations for academic behavior, including the consequences of violations of those standards. This statement may be a referral to this policy or may elaborate on additional guidelines and expectations of the faculty.
Faculty are expected to explain the conditions under which students are permitted to share their work, for example, outlines that can form the basis of an exam or paper, take-home exams, lab reports, and in-class examinations. Faculty should also offer guidelines when asking students to work in teams or groups, for example, when inviting students to collaborate on problem sets, or to develop computer programs, either inside or outside of class.
Faculty are encouraged to distribute information about what constitutes plagiarism when assigning writing in their courses, keeping in mind the goal of teaching students how to use and document sources appropriately.
Faculty are encouraged to make provisions for early submission of drafts of written work so that students can refine their documentation skills before the final due date of the assignment.
Faculty are encouraged to take note of the guiding principles articulated in Section V to reinforce these principles and possible sanctions (see Chart A) in their discussions of the Academic Integrity Policy with students, and to explain how academic integrity expectations apply to the work in their class.

C. Academic Environment

Each faculty member will strive to establish an environment which supports the evaluation of students in a fair and reasonable manner. The purpose of this policy is not to test students’ ability to perform in a highly competitive and stressful environment, but to help them develop habits of ethical character and to understand and practice academic integrity as a student and as a global citizen.
Faculty hold the primary responsibility for maintaining the above “fair and reasonable” learning environment. Faculty members (or designees) will usually be present in classrooms during examinations, fostering an environment which does not create temptations for dishonest action.

D. Responsible Actions

Any person with the responsibility to teach or assist in a course, or to direct or provide leadership of an academic or co-curricular activity, will not tolerate dishonesty.
Faculty are expected to provide written guidelines to the students in their course about classroom expectations for academic integrity. Reinforcing academic integrity expectations prior to student completion of key assignments is recommended.
Faculty are expected to follow standard procedures to notify the student in cases where they suspect academic dishonesty has occurred and to report the violation and sanctions given (see Section V.B.5).

V. Procedures for Handling Alleged Violations

A. Procedure

B. Guiding Principles in Assigning Sanctions

C. Student Appeals Procedure

If the student feels that the sanction is unwarranted or unjust due to new information, procedural error, or an excessive or unjust penalty, they may utilize a process of appeal. The appeal procedure begins with the student initiating a meeting with the professor of record, then meeting with the program director, and finally meeting with the dean of the school, if warranted.
If, after completing step 1 (above), the student continues to feel that the final sanction is unwarranted or unjust due to new information, procedural error, or an excessive or unjust penalty, a formal grievance can be initiated by sending an email and then meeting with an Office of the Provost representative within fifteen (5) business days from the date of the Office of the Provost’s letter confirming the violation. The email to begin the formal grievance process should include:
1. A statement addressing how the appeal meets one or more of the three following criteria necessary for a formal appeal:
2. A description of the outcome of the informal discussion process as described in Section V.C.1.
3. Any relevant documents the student would like to have reviewed as part of the appeal process.
4. A copy of the course syllabus and assignment descriptions.
5. New information or evidence exists that was not considered in the original appeal.
6. An error was made in determination of the academic integrity violation (must have evidence to prove this error).
7. Standards different from those established in written course, program, school, or KGI policies, if specific policies exist, were used in assigning the academic integrity violation.

D.Convening a Student Conduct Committee (SCC) Committee

E. Notification Process

If the SCC decides a student is responsible for an offense and assigns a sanction, the chair of the review committee notifies the student in writing of the committee’s decision and of the sanction within one week of the hearing. A copy of the letter is sent by the Office of the Provost, to the dean of students, the dean of the school, the program director, and the professor of record.
The professor of the course, upon receipt of the letter from the SCC, will execute the sanction that the review committee has determined to be appropriate.
If the semester’s grade must be submitted before the necessary hearing procedures and appeals are completed, an IN (incomplete) grade will be authorized by the Office of the Provost.
A finding of responsibility for academic dishonesty with regard to a particular course will void any earlier withdrawal from that course. A grade of “F” in a course assigned due to an academic integrity violation will preclude a subsequent withdrawal from that course. A finding of responsibility for academic dishonesty may be considered in academic probation extensions and appeals.

VI. Records of Violations and Repeated Violations

A. Records

The Office of the Provost will maintain records of all academic integrity violations. These records are used to keep account of repeated student offenses, provide aggregated data of academic integrity issues at the university, and provide data to programs on campus that need information about violations. The Office of the Provost will retain such records for seven (7) years after the student’s graduation or separation from KGI and will reveal their contents to others only with a need to know, with the written approval of the student, or if required by law. A copy of the letter documenting a violation will also be kept in the student’s Student Affairs file.
When the Office of the Provost receives a report that an academic integrity policy violation has been established, that office checks the files to determine if the student has a previous violation. If so, the Office of the Provost designee will forward the violation records to the dean of the school, who may assign a further sanction for the repeated offense. The standard sanction for a repeated offense is suspension or dismissal from KGI.
It is the responsibility of the Office of the Provost, upon recommendation of the dean, to notify the student, the program director, the Dean of Students, and the Registrar of the suspension or dismissal of a student.

B. Admission After Suspension

In order for a student to be considered for re-admission after suspension, a suspended student must submit an application for readmission, which must be approved by the Office of the Provost and the dean of the school to which the student wishes to be readmitted.
In the case of suspension, a student’s transcript will read Academic Suspension and in the case of dismissal, it will read Academic Dismissal.

VII. Chart A – Types of Violations and Possible Sanctions Reference

Defining Minor and Major Violations

Minor Violation

A minor violation is recognized by the faculty member as a violation of concern, but not of the level of severity to warrant the student’s automatic failure of the course.
See Level I and Level II

Major Violation

A major violation is recognized by the faculty member as a violation of significant concern, warranting at minimum the student’s automatic failure of the course.
See Level III and Level IV

Level I

Description

Level I violations may occur because of inexperience or lack of knowledge of principles of academic integrity on the part of persons committing the violation. These violations address incidents when intent is questionable and are likely to involve a small fraction of the total course work, are not extensive, and/or occur on a minor assignment.

Registering a Level I violation provides the opportunity for the students to receive further education of academic integrity policies and the importance of academic integrity to the academy.

Repeated offenses of this type would be considered a Level II violation.

Examples of Violations

Working with another student on an assignment when such work is prohibited.
Failing to footnote or give proper acknowledgment in an extremely limited section of an assignment.
Sharing work with another student that is then submitted by that student as their own work.
Seeing a violation and not informing a faculty member.

Examples of Sanctions

Level I violations should lead to one or more of the sanctions listed below, with the type and number based on the faculty member’s discretion.

Reduction or no credit given for the original assignment (not to include a zero for the assignment in question but may entail dropping the grade from an average or allowing the student to re-do and resubmit the assignment with or without an additional requirement that is graded).
An assigned paper or research project on a relevant topic.
A make-up assignment at a more difficult level than the original assignment.
Required attendance in a noncredit workshop or seminar on ethics or related subjects.
Required submission of future papers through plagiarism detection software.
Required submission of a draft paper and meeting with the instructor.
Requiring that all future take-home tests are proctored for the student.

Level II

Description

Level II violations are breaches of academic integrity that are more serious or that affect a more significant aspect or portion of the coursework compared with Level I violations.

Examples of Violations

Repeated offense of Level I violation.
Quoting directly or paraphrasing, to a moderate extent, without acknowledging the source.
Submitting the same work, or major portions thereof, to satisfy the requirements of more than one course without permission from the instructor to whom the work is submitted for the second or subsequent time.
Using data or interpretive material for a report without acknowledging the sources or the collaborators. All contributors to the acquisition of data and/or to the writing of the report must be acknowledged.
Failure to acknowledge assistance from others, such as help with research, statistical analysis, computer programming, or field data collection, in a paper, examination, or project report.
Sharing one’s own work with another person when prohibited by the instructor.
Failing to acknowledge the use of AI and claiming work as the student’s own in the form of text, imagery, graphs, charts, or any resource provided by AI. Examples include but are not limited to: Copying or paraphrasing, plagiarizing, altering text to look as one's own, claims of authority or legitimacy, or fabricating or duplicating sources provided by AI.

Examples of Sanctions

Level II violations should lead to a failing grade on the assignment. In addition to a failing grade, other sanctions are recommended to provide a learning opportunity for the student.

Required participation in a noncredit workshop or seminar on ethics or academic integrity.
A makeup assignment that is more difficult than the original assignment.
Voiding any credit for the original assignment and requiring the student to complete another equivalent assignment to receive credit and verify knowledge.
Required submission of future papers through plagiarism detection software.
Required submission of a draft paper and meeting with the instructor.
Requiring that all future take-home tests are proctored for this student.

Level III

Description

Level III violations are those that go beyond Level I or II violations and that affect a major or essential portion of work done to meet course requirements, or involve premeditation, or are preceded by one or more violations at Levels I and/or II.

Examples of Violations

Repeating Level II violations (note that three Level II violations equate to one major violation – see above).
Presenting the work of another as one’s own. This includes having another person complete online coursework and presenting it as one’s own.
Copying on examinations.
Plagiarizing major portions of a written assignment.
Acting to facilitate copying during an exam.
Using prohibited materials, e.g., books, notes, or calculators, during an examination.
Conspiring before an exam to develop methods of exchanging information and implementation thereof.
Altering examinations for the purposes of regrading.
Acquiring or distributing an examination from unauthorized sources prior to the examination.
Submitting purchased materials such as a term paper or other materials.
Removing or damaging posted or reserved material, or preventing other students from having access to the material.
Fabricating data by inventing or deliberately altering material. Fabrication includes citing “sources” that are not, in fact, sources.
Using unethical or improper means of acquiring data.
Violating programmatic exam policies.

Examples of Sanctions

Level III violations should lead to one or more of the following sanctions:

Failing grade for the course.
Possible suspension from KGI for one semester.
Possible dismissal from KGI.

Level IV

Description

IV violations represent the most serious breaches of intellectual honesty.

Examples of Violations

Repeating a Level III violation.
Committing a violation of academic integrity after returning from suspension for a previous violation of academic integrity.
Committing a violation of academic integrity that breaks the law or resembles criminal activity (such as forging a grade form, stealing an examination from a professor or from a KGI office, buying a stolen examination, falsifying a transcript to gain access to KGI or its resources, or altering the record of work done at KGI).
Having a substitute take an examination or taking an examination for someone else.
When completing a significant scholarly project (e.g., research, a senior thesis, a capstone project), fabricating evidence, falsifying data, quoting directly or paraphrasing without acknowledging the source, and/or presenting the idea of another as one’s own.
Sabotaging another student’s work through actions designed to prevent the student from successfully completing an assignment.

Examples of Sanctions

Level IV violations should lead to the following sanction:

Permanent dismissal from KGI.

VIII. References

The policy was originally adapted from the Azusa Pacific University (2024) and the Notre Dame Honor Code (2007).

Cumberland University Academic Integrity Violations and Recommended Sanctions (accessed Spring 2017)

University of South Florida Academic Integrity Violations of Professional and Ethical Standards (accessed Spring 2017)

16.5. Active Not Enrolled Policy

The MBM, MHA, MSPS, MSPHS, DHSc, DMSc, and related certificate programs at KGI offer flexible, rolling admissions and allow for both part-time and full-time enrollment. Due to the self-paced nature of these programs, students may not be actively registered for courses during a given term for the following reasons:

Course Availability: Students progress at their own pace, and a required course may not be offered during a specific term.
Selective Enrollment: Students may choose to enroll in only a Module 1 or Module 2 course within a given term, but not both.

In most KGI programs, students who are not actively enrolled in courses during a term are considered “Withdrawn.” However, recognizing the unique structure of the MBM/MHA/MSPS/MSPHS/DHSc/DMSc and related certificate programs, students in these programs will be considered “Active but Not Enrolled” for internal tracking purposes under the following conditions:

The student is not registered for a single term due to reasons noted above.
The student resumes enrollment by registering for courses in the following term.

In these cases, students are not required to submit a Withdrawal or Leave of Absence form, provided they do not remain unregistered for more than one consecutive term.

Important Notes:

If a student fails to enroll in courses for two consecutive terms, they must submit either a Withdrawal or Leave of Absence form to the Office of the Registrar. Re-enrollment after such a gap will require applying through the Readmissions process.
If no formal documentation is submitted, the student will be administratively withdrawn from the program.
Enrollment Status (External Reporting):For compliance and reporting purposes, the Office of the Registrar will report these students as “Withdrawn” or “Less Than Half-Time” to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) and the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), as no credit hours are associated with this enrollment.

Please refer to the policies on Withdrawal, Leave of Absence, and Readmission for additional details.

16.6. Admission into New Program – Continuing Students Policy

Students who wish to transition into a new academic program (e.g., Certificate to MS, MS to PhD) after completing their current program must notify the Office of Admissions.

The Admissions Office will assist the student in completing the following steps:

Submitting an application for the desired program
Participating in any required admissions interviews

If the student is accepted into the new academic program, the Admissions Office will issue an official acceptance letter and notify all relevant departments.

Following notification, the Office of the Registrar will enroll the student in the appropriate courses for the new program.

16.7. Advisement

An important factor in a student’s success is to provide the student with available advising, counseling, and mentoring. Mentoring, including academic advisement, will be provided by all faculty members. Each student will be assigned a faculty advisor. All students will meet with their faculty advisor to discuss program, academic, professional/career issues, and any other programmatic requirements.

The faculty advisor will meet with the student to discuss academic diﬃculties and recommend strategies for academic success. Faculty advisors will also track students’ professional requirements and program progression.

16.8. Attendance Policy

Attendance Policy (Didactic Courses)

Attendance is mandatory. Students are expected to attend and appear on time at all classes, workshops, labs, seminars, and other instructional activities associated with the courses in which they are enrolled. Since teamwork is an integral part of KGI’s learning environment, attendance is important not only for the individual student, but also for their colleagues. However, there are instances in which students are unable to attend class and those absences may be excused. Excused absences are described in the following sections. Absences not covered by this policy may be excused at the discretion of the instructor or course coordinator.

Students can be dropped by the add/drop date if they:

Fail to meet the attendance requirement (as defined above) during the add/drop period OR
Fail to contact the instructor in the event of a technical problem, OR
Fail to contact the instructor during the add/drop period regarding their inability to complete either #1 or # 2 above

At the add/drop date, the Institute will administratively drop any student who has failed to meet the attendance requirement as set forth by the instructor. After the withdrawal date, students who stop participating in a class without officially dropping a class and who are not administratively dropped may receive a grade of “F” for the course. This may also have an impact on certain financial aid awards. It is ultimately the responsibility of the student to drop a course. Any student who can’t meet the attendance requirements for a given week should contact their instructor immediately.

Student Responsibilities

Students should make prior arrangements if missing a non-assessment day class is unavoidable; such requests should be made to the instructor or course coordinator prior to the absence and as early as possible. Documentation for excused absences must be submitted to the instructor or course coordinator in writing within three (3) business days upon return to school. Review of the documentation will determine whether an excused absence is warranted. The student must present appropriate documentation to be granted an excused absence.

The following are considered excused absences:

Personal illness or injury. For an excused absence, written documentation from a physician or other qualified medical professional will be required as supporting However, no protected health information or confidential medical information is required to be submitted or documented.
A personal emergency or emergency in the student’s immediate family (i.e., parent, grandparent, guardian, spouse, child, or sibling of the student) such as death, hospitalization, or other emergency
Attendance at a professional meeting if the absence has been pre-approved by the instructor or course coordinator.
Jury duty and Immigration/Naturalization Interview. For Immigration/Naturalization Interview, students should contact KGI’s International Student Advisor.
Religious observance accommodations will be considered. Each student must individually submit a request for absences due to religious observances by the first day of each semester and work with the instructor or course coordinator to minimize disruptions to the educational process and to schedule makeup activities. Only holidays recognized by the TCC Chaplain Services will be considered.
Falsification of documentation is considered a violation of the School’s Honor Code and will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. The student will be held responsible for all work of a class missed during any Opportunities to make up missed points in the form of class activities and quizzes will be at the discretion of the instructor or course coordinator.

Policy Regarding Missed Assessments

A missed assessment will be graded as zero “0” by the course coordinator/instructor. Exceptions may be made for the following situations:

If a student has an immediate personal emergency, the student should make every effort to notify the course coordinator or instructor prior to the start of the assessment. If the student is not able to safely make immediate contact, they MUST make contact within 24 hours of the start of the assessment. Personal emergencies are defined as serious vehicle accidents, hospitalizations, serious illness, or physical injuries which require emergency medical treatment or the sudden death of an immediate family member (parent, grandparent, guardian, spouse, child, or sibling of the student). All immediate personal emergencies must be verified in writing with a letter from a health care provider or other appropriate professional familiar with the circumstances.
If a student has a significant pre-scheduled event which conflicts with an assessment, the student must contact the course coordinator or instructor at least two weeks prior to the examination or quiz to obtain approval for a rescheduled assessment. For holy days, civic procedures, citizenship interviews, and necessary medical procedures that have been verified by the course coordinator or instructor, approval may be granted.
If the student meets the criteria stated above, make-up assessments will be scheduled by the course coordinator or instructor. Students must contact the faculty on the first day of their return to school to schedule a make-up assessment. Make-up assessments may be different from the original format at the discretion of the course coordinator or instructor. For more specific details by program, students should refer to their respective program handbook. PharmDstudents should refer to the sections on Assessment Policies within this catalog.

Attendance at Experiential Activities

Attendance is mandatory. Attendance at the designated experiential site(s) is required to receive credit for the experiential courses. Attendance is a grading criterion as well as a requirement for certification of experiential hours. Please refer to the program specific experiential manual for more details.

Absences—PharmD

If the student in going to be absent from the course/rotation for any reason, the student MUST notify the preceptor and the Office of Experiential Education for pre-approval unless the absence is due to a personal emergency or emergency in the student’s immediate family (i.e., patent, grandparent, guardian, spouse, child, or sibling of the student) such as death, hospitalization or other emergency situation; in which case the student MUST notify the preceptor and the Office of Experiential Education immediately.

Failure to notify the preceptor and the Office of Experiential Education will result in the student being reported through the Honor Code Intake form.

Any time missed must be made-up before the end of the designated rotation block in which the student is participating*. Students who do not complete the minimum hours before the end of the course/rotation block will automatically fail the course/rotation. Personal days CANNOT be used for any Experiential Education Experience (IPPEs, Certificate Experience Elective, and/or APPEs).

*If a student is scheduled at a site on a school-observed holiday (i.e. Labor Day, Thanksgiving, etc.), and if the site is open on that holiday, then the student is expected to be on site. However, if the site is closed in observance of the holiday, it is at the preceptor’s discretion when the student will be required to make up the holiday (example, the preceptor may request the student to make up the time missed for Labor Day on Friday of that week)

Absences—OTD

Attendance during the experiential phase is mandatory.

If the student is going to be absent from the fieldwork or doctoral capstone experience for any rea- son, the student MUST notify the fieldwork educator/DCE site mentor and the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator/Doctoral Capstone Coordinator for pre-approval unless the absence is due to a personal emergency or emergency in the student’s immediate family (i.e., parent grandparent, guardian, spouse, child, or sibling of the student). An emergency may include death, hospitalization, or other emergency situation. In these circumstances, the student must notify fieldwork educator/DCE site mentor and the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator/Doctoral Capstone Coordinator immediately. For more specific details on this policy, please refer to the OTD Fieldwork and Capstone Manual.

Attendance for Online Courses

Online students are subject to the following attendance policy. Student attendance in an online course is defined as active participation in the course. Participation may take the form of attending required synchronous online class sessions and participating as directed by the instructor, or, in asynchronous courses, posting to discussion forums, submitting assignments, or completing quizzes or exams. (Note: logging into the course does not qualify as participation and will not be counted as meeting the attendance requirement).

Students can be dropped by the add/drop date if they:

Fail to meet the attendance requirement (as defined above) during the add/drop period OR
Fail to contact the instructor in the event of a technical problem, OR
Fail to contact the instructor during the add/drop period regarding their inability to complete either #1 or # 2 above

At the add/drop date, the Institute will administratively drop any student who has failed to meet the attendance requirement as set forth by the instructor. After the withdrawal date, students who stop participating in a class without officially dropping a class and who are not administratively dropped may receive a grade of “F” for the course. This may also have an impact on certain financial aid awards. It is ultimately the responsibility of the student to drop a course. Any student who can’t meet the attendance requirements for a given week should contact their instructor immediately.

Tardiness

Arriving late to class is disruptive to other students and faculty as it interrupts the teaching and learning process. Students arriving late to class without a valid excuse will forfeit any points that may have been earned through quizzes or other activities prior to their arrival to class, unless a valid excuse is submitted and approved by the instructor.

16.9. Audit Policy

Students may audit a course only with the permission of the Instructor, Program Director, Dean, and Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Faculty may set requirements for students auditing courses that may include class attendance, participation, and other activities. If these requirements are not met, a notation of “AX” will be entered into the student transcript to indicate the course was not completed successfully. A notation of "AU" appears on the transcript when the course is completed successfully. After a grade has been issued, a course may not be changed from letter grade to audit status, or vice versa. An audited class will not be counted toward degree or certiﬁcate credit requirements.

Upon submission and approval of a Course Audit Request, KGI students may be eligible to audit courses to help review coursework when necessary or for personal or professional development.

Non-degree and non-certificate seeking students who wish to audit courses are required to obtain instructor approval and pay the full per-course tuition at $400 per credit.

16.10. Canceling Classes

The mission of each of The Claremont Colleges (TCC) states that education is the primary service which each provides to students; therefore, it is the policy of The Claremont Colleges that classes will not be canceled. Only overriding considerations of the most serious kind (safety, health, etc.) may justify interrupting instruction.

Because the Constitution of TCC provides for free cross-enrollment, each member of TCC has an interest in each other member continuing to provide instruction without interruption. Therefore, a member Institution that cancels classes must immediately contact the Chair of the Council of Presidents, the CEO of TCCS, and Campus Safety to inform them of the cancellation.

The structure of various members of TCC is such that there are special considerations for different institutions. For example:

Most instruction at Claremont Graduate University is given in late afternoon or early evening, relatively few students live in Claremont, and many students travel considerable distances to attend classes.

Instruction at Keck Graduate Institute is done on a different daily schedule than for the other member colleges.

Cross-enrollment among the ﬁve undergraduate colleges is so extensive and complex that it is extremely diﬃcult for all of them if even one of the undergraduate colleges cancels class.

Procedure for Canceling Classes

Only a President or Acting President of a member college may cancel classes on a single campus.

Any President or Acting President shall inform the member Colleges and may initiate a request to cancel classes on the other campuses by contacting the Chair of the Council of Presidents.

Upon receiving notice of cancellation or a request to cancel classes, the Chair of the Council shall convene the Council at the earliest possible time—either by personal meeting or by telephone conference to discuss the scope, duration, and nature of the interruption, as well as the process for communicating the resumption of classes.

If possible, any announcement canceling classes should include a statement about how or when canceled classes will be made up.

The Chair of the Council of Presidents bears responsibility for communicating any such interruption at the earliest possible time (and in any case prior to the ﬁrst canceled class hour) to the following at each of The Claremont Colleges:

The Oﬃce of the President:
The Oﬃce of the Dean of Faculty;
The Oﬃce of the Registrar; and the CEO of TCCS shall also be notiﬁed
Notice shall be given by telephone and by email
The Council of Presidents should inform students and faculty both by email and by posting the cancellation notice in prominent places (for off-campus students)
The Registrars’ Committee of The Claremont Colleges may be helpful in scheduling makeup times and places, particularly if more than one campus is involved.

This protocol was drafted and adopted by the Council of Presidents of The Claremont Colleges on June 9, 2004.

16.11. Change of Program

Students interested in changing their academic program should first consult with the appropriate faculty members and Program Director(s) to discuss their options. In general, a minimum GPA of 3.0 and good academic standing/satisfactory academic progress is required to request a program change. Students currently on academic probation are not eligible to apply. In some cases, students may be asked to submit a transcript for departmental review and approval.

To proceed with a program change, students must obtain approval from the following offices:

Program Director of the current program
Program Director of the intended new program
Dean of the intended new program
Financial Aid
Student Accounting
Office of the Registrar

International students must also receive approval from the International Student Advisor. To initiate this process, students must complete the posted on the Student Forms page. Please note: The form must be completed and submitted at least one month prior to the start of the applicable term. Once approved, program changes will take effect in the subsequent fall, spring, or summer term.

16.12. Change of Concentration and Declaring Concentration

Students who wish to change or declare their concentration should consult with the appropriate faculty member(s) and Program Director(s) to discuss available options. Approval from the Program Director is required for all changes and declarations.

To initiate this process, students must complete the posted on the Student Forms page.

16.13. Commencement Ceremony Participation Policy

Keck Graduate Institute proudly celebrates the achievements of Master’s and Doctorate-level graduates during the annual commencement ceremony, held near the end of the Spring term.

Eligibility for Participation for Fall and Spring Graduates

To participate in the ceremony, students must:

Be on track to complete all graduation requirements by the end of the Fall or Spring term preceding the spring commencement
Be identified as a Fall Graduate or Spring Expected Graduate by the Office of the Registrar prior to commencement
Complete and submit an to confirm participation

The Office of the Registrar will provide Student Affairs, who oversees the ceremony, with the list of eligible students prior to the event.

Exceptions for Summer Graduates

Since KGI holds only one commencement ceremony per year, some students expecting to graduate in the Summer of the same academic year may be allowed early participation in the preceding Spring commencement ceremony if they:

Are on track to complete all graduation requirements by the end of the Summer term following commencement
Have 3 or fewer units remaining to complete graduation requirements (Exception may be granted for PhD program)
Are recommended by their Program Director
Complete and submit an to confirm participation

The Program Director must notify the Office of the Registrar of these eligible Summer Graduates at the same time they submit the Spring Expected Graduate list.

Please note:

Each school and program may have unique requirements.
Approval for early participation is granted solely at the discretion of the Program Director and the Dean of the school.
Students approved for early participation in the commencement ceremony (and who attend) are not eligible to participate in the following Spring commencement after their degree is conferred.
As of Fall 2025, a graduation fee will apply to students who enroll. Any unpaid graduation fees will result in a hold on the student’s account, and Student Affairs will be notified. Holds may prevent degree conferral and diploma release.

16.14. Course Substitution Policy

This policy outlines the circumstances, criteria, and procedures for approving course substitutions within academic programs at KGI. Course substitutions allow a student to meet a specific degree requirement with an alternate course that is deemed comparable in content, rigor, and learning outcomes.

This policy applies only to courses completed at KGI. Courses transferred from other institutions are governed separately under the Transfer Credit Policy.

Circumstances for Course Substitution

Program Directors may request a course substitution on behalf of a student when extenuating circumstances prevent completion of a required course. A course may be considered for substitution under, but not limited to, the following conditions:

The required course is no longer offered or presents a significant scheduling conflict.
Changes to the curriculum have altered course availability or program structure, impacting the student’s ability to enroll in the originally required course.
The student has previously completed a KGI course with comparable content and learning objectives, such as in another KGI program.

Criteria for Course Substitution

All proposed course substitutions must meet the following criteria:

Only courses taken at KGI that are completed with a grade of B (3.0) or higher may be considered for substitution.
The substituted course must be of equivalent academic level and constitute a fair and reasonable equivalence to the required KGI course.
The course must logically fit into the program for the degree being pursued at KGI.
Limitations on the number of substitution credits are determined by the specific academic program.
Individual programs reserve the right to deny substitution requests for courses deemed outdated or no longer relevant to the discipline.

Procedure for Requesting a Course Substitution

To request a course substitution, the following steps must be completed:

The Program Director must comlete the Course Substitution Request Form on behalf of the student and obtain approvals from both the student and the Dean.
The completed and approved form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar for final review and processing.

Approved Substitution Coursework

At the discretion of the institution, approved course substitutions may be recorded on the student’s transcript and included in GPA calculations.

16.15. Course Sanctions

The instructor of the course may define sanctions for a student who violates a particular course regulation. The professor must clearly state these regulations and sanctions in their course syllabus which has gone through the curriculum committee approval process. The student can appeal such sanctions if they believe the penalty has been enforced incorrectly. This appeal must go to the Provost. One or more of the sanctions will be applied to offending students depending on the severity of the infraction and whether the student has previously been in violation of the Honor Code or Clinical Code of Conduct.

16.16. Credit Hour Policy

Purpose or Overview of Policy

The purpose of this policy is to define the amount of instruction and student work expected for each credit hour (or unit of credit).

Scope of Policy

This policy is intended to reflect the University’s commitment to the principles, goals, and ideals by defining KGI’s standards of academic credit, and to adhere to federal regulations under Section 600.2 and 600.4, revised July 1, 2020 of the Higher Education Act and 34 CFR 668.8(k) and (l) of the Code of Federal Regulations, and is consistent with the requirements of the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). These requirements require the WSCUC to review the institution’s definition of credit hour and an institutions’ processes and policies for ensuring the credit hour policy is followed.

Policy Statement

Definitions

KGI’s academic year consists of terms in Fall, Spring, and summer and each term is approximately 15 weeks in length.
Credit Hour: Except as provided in 34 CFR 8(k) and (l), a credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:
One hour of classroom, direct faculty instruction, or other instructional activity and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, research, internship, practicum, experiential or clinical work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit
Instructional hours include classroom hours with direct instructor contact in a physical or virtual classroom, as well as asynchronous instructional content for online or hybrid courses. This includes class meeting times for lecture, exams, classroom discussion, and other supervised learning activities, as well as asynchronous self-guided learning activities.
Non-classroom hours: supervised or non-supervised student work out of
Total work hours: Combined classroom and non-classroom hours. Instructors may reasonably adjust the classroom and non-classroom work hours depending on course and scheduling needs such as holidays and emergencies, but the total work hours must remain consistent.

Credit Hour Policy

In order to be considered full-time for purposes of federal financial aid, graduate students must be enrolled in at least 12 credits per semester. In order to be considered half-time, graduate students must be enrolled in at least six credits per semester.

KGI awards credits in accord with the following criteria: for each 1 credit, a course meets for 1 hour per week in a 15-week semester, as further defined in Section III below. For example, a three-credit course is expected to have a total of 45 contact hours and 90 hours of student work outside of class per semester.

The following examples represent KGI course credit hour calculations:

Credits	Instructional Activities	Non-classroom Hours	Expected Total Work Hours
1.5	22.5	45	67.5
3	45	90	135
6	90	180	270

Credit hours are granted for various types of instruction as follows:

Lecture, Discussion, Recitation Courses

A credit hour is assumed to be at minimum a 50-minute (not to exceed 60-minute) period. In courses, such as those offered online, in which “seat time” does not apply, a credit hour may be measured by an equivalent amount of work, as demonstrated by student achievement. For example, a three-semester credit hour course may meet for two 80-minute sessions or one 160-minute session per week for fifteen weeks.

Laboratory Courses

For a laboratory class, the hours per week spent in the lab are considered to be instructional activities, which may include lab activities such as experimental design, notebook journals, lab meetings, and practice in clinical skills labs. Thus, one unit is three hours per week of laboratory time. Forty-five 50-minute sessions of such activity would normally earn one semester credit hour. Where such activity involves substantial outside preparation by the student, the equivalent of fifteen periods of 100 minutes duration each will earn one semester credit hour.

Experiential Courses

When learning takes place in an experiential, clinical or other work setting and is to be credited as a portion of an academic program design, as in an internship, clerkship, or rotation, one semester credit hour will be awarded for each 40 to 45 clock-hour week of supervised academic activity that provides the learning considered necessary for the program.

Independent Study and Research

One credit for independent study and research (defined as study given initial guidance, criticism, review and final evaluation of student performance by a faculty member) will be awarded for the equivalent of forty-five 50-minute sessions of student academic activity.

Short (Intensive) Courses

Intensive courses are prorated so they contain the same number of hours as if the course were scheduled for a full semester. To maintain the integrity of the instructional program, care must be taken when scheduling these intensive courses so that there is adequate time for students to learn the material, complete homework assignments and assessments, or complete laboratory assignments. The guidelines presented in Section II will be used to calculate semester hour and total work hour equivalents for intensive courses.

Monitoring and Compliance

KGI faculty will evaluate the credit hour designations for approved curriculum in regular cycles to coincide with the campus accreditation cycle and through ongoing curriculum and program review processes. No later than one year prior to the submission of the WSUSC reaccreditation documents, each school will be required to provide a certification of all of their approved courses meeting the guidelines above.

Credit Requirements

All full-time students at KGI are required to be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester credit hours. In order to be considered full-time for purposes of federal financial aid, graduate students must be enrolled in at least 12 credits per semester. (The one exception is the PhD program: to be considered full-time, PhD students must be enrolled in 15 semester credits per term). To maintain full-time status, and to comply with federal guidelines, more than 50% of all earned academic credit must be completed in coursework where “seat-time” does apply. In order to be considered half-time, graduate students must be enrolled in at least six credits per semester and obtain permission prior to the start of the semester from the Dean.

KGI awards credits in accordance with the following criteria: for each 1 credit, a course meets for 1 hour per week in a 15- week semester, as further defined below. For example, a three- credit course is expected to have a total of 45 classroom hours and 90 hours of student work outside of class per semester.

KGI is on the semester system. Each semester or term is approximately 15 weeks. Course credit hour calculations are based on a 15-week semester.

For all KGI courses bearing academic credit, the “semester credit hour” is defined using the Carnegie Definition as “the amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than.”

16.17. Cross Registration Policy

KGI students may request permission to enroll in courses at Claremont Graduate University (CGU), including the Drucker School of Management. Approval is granted at the discretion of both the KGI Program Director and CGU instructor, and depends on course capacity and enrollment is not guaranteed.

Cross‑Registration Process:

Identify the desired CGU course (including Drucker School offerings) at .
Complete the Cross-registration Form with course details and secure approval from the KGI Program Director.
Forward the approved form to the CGU instructor for final approval.
Submit the completed form back to the KGI Registrar’s office at .
Within 2–3 business days, the KGI Registrar will notify you of the enrollment outcome. Enrollment is not automatic and depends on course approvals and seat availability. If approved, KGI will handle communication with the CGU Registrar’s Office to complete student registration, which is necessary for accessing course materials.

Important: If you need to drop a cross‑registered course, you must notify the KGI Registrar before the KGI add/drop deadline. Failing to do so may result in a grade or withdrawal from the course.

Undergraduate Cross‑Registration Restrictions

KGI students are not permitted to cross‑register for undergraduate courses at any of the other Claremont Colleges: Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, Pitzer College, Pomona College, or Scripps College.
Requests for an exception to this restriction must be submitted through an Academic Petition Form to the KGI Office of the Registrar and are subject to approval.
Grades earned through cross-registration are not included in the calculation of the KGI cumulative GPA.

Undergraduate Summer Science Courses

KGI does not offer cross‑registration during undergraduate summer science sessions and students from the Claremont Colleges may not cross‑register in these courses.
KGI offers undergraduate-level summer science courses that require separate tuition payment.
The application deadline is one week before the course begins, though courses fill on a rolling basis and may close before that deadline.
Each class may be cancelled if minimum enrollment is not met. All enrolled students are responsible for applicable tuition and fees.

16.18. Dean’s List

Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences

Full-time students enrolled in the Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences who achieve a term GPA of 3.900 or higher will be recognized on the Dean’s List at the conclusion of each academic term in acknowledgment of their outstanding academic performance.

Graduates who achieve Dean’s List recognition each term throughout their studies will be honored with an overall Dean’s List distinction, highlighting their consistent dedication to academic excellence. Eligibility for this recognition is assessed at the end of the fall semester prior to commencement.

School of Health Sciences

Full-time students enrolled in the School of Health Sciences who achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.900 or higher will be recognized on the Dean’s List at the conclusion of each academic term in acknowledgment of their outstanding academic performance.

Graduates who achieve Dean’s List recognition each term throughout their studies will be honored with an overall Dean’s List distinction, highlighting their consistent dedication to academic excellence. Eligibility for this recognition is assessed at the end of the fall semester prior to commencement.

School of Pharmacy

Full-time students enrolled in the School of Pharmacy who achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.900 or higher will be recognized on the Dean’s List at the conclusion of each academic term in acknowledgment of their outstanding academic performance.

Graduating students in the Doctor of Pharmacy program who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement may also be eligible for Latin honors (Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude). Eligibility for these honors is determined based on official cumulative GPAs of all expected graduates at the end of the fall semester prior to commencement. Graduates who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.9 and above, 3.8 and above, and 3.7 and above, and who do not qualify for a higher designation—will be awarded Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude, respectively.

16.19. Dissertation Writing Enrollment Policy (PhD Program: RES 7010)

Incomplete Dissertation After Initial Graduation Date

Students who have completed all required PhD coursework and research, but who have not yet completed the writing of their dissertation or successfully defended it, are required to enroll in RES 7010 (0 credits) until the dissertation is successfully defended.

Key policy provisions are as follows:

16.20. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law administered by the Family Policy Compliance Office of the U.S. Department of Education: 20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution at any age.) In compliance with FERPA, students at Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) are assigned the following four rights in regard to education records maintained by KGI:

The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day Keck Graduate Institute receives a request for access. A written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect is required. The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. Education records are defined as records in any format that directly identify the student and are maintained by the various offices of KGI. Some records may be administered by additional privacy laws and regulations that supersede FERPA, and, therefore, may not be available under this policy. Requests for the inspection and review of education records must be submitted directly to the custodian of the record, following the policy and procedure of the office whose custody the record is kept. If in doubt or unsure of the custodian of the record, please contact the Office of the Registrar at Registrar@kgi.edu or (909) 607-0109.

The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

A student who wishes to ask Keck Graduate Institute to amend a record should write the school official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed. In compliance with KGI’s policy, individual offices have established procedures for challenging the content of education records. Under FERPA, grades are exempt from this provision. Students with concerns about individual grades should refer to the Academic Policy Manual and may contact the Program Director or Office of the Registrar.

If Keck Graduate Institute decides not to amend the record as requested, Keck Graduate Institute will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to provide written consent before Keck Graduate Institute discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

Students may request that KGI restrict the release of directory information by completing an Authorization to Withhold Directory Information form. Please contact the Office of the Registrar at Registrar@kgi.edu or (909) 607-0109 for further information. Such restrictions will remain in effect until cancelled in writing by the student. Students may declare themselves to be tax dependents of their parents and authorize KGI to release non-directory information to parents. Such authorizations will remain in effect until cancelled in writing by the student.

Keck Graduate Institute discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official typically includes a person employed by the Keck Graduate Institute in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the Keck Graduate Institute who performs an institutional service of function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for Keck Graduate Institute.

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Keck Graduate Institute to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Student Privacy Policy Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

See the list below of the disclosures that postsecondary institutions may make without consent.

FERPA permits the disclosure of PII from students’ education records, without consent of the student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in § 99.31 of the FERPA regulations. Except for disclosures to school officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the student, § 99.32 of FERPA regulations requires the institution to record the disclosure. Eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures. A postsecondary institution may disclose PII from the education records without obtaining prior written consent of the student —

16.21. Directory Information further defined by FERPA and KGI

In compliance with FERPA, Keck Graduate Institute has designated the following items of information as directory information: name and student user name; local and permanent address; local, cellular, and permanent phone number; e-mail address; date and place of birth; major field of study; dates of attendance; enrollment status; degrees and awards received; most recent previous institution attended; photographs; participation in officially recognized activities. Directory information is defined as information that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released.

Unless restricted by the written request of a student, KGI may release directory information without the prior consent of a student. Directory information required for course or classroom participation in courses may not be withheld from faculty and students connected with the particular course. Information that is not directory information is non-directory information and, except where permitted by FERPA, requires the prior written consent of the student for release.

Keck Graduate Institute will notify all registered students annually of their FERPA rights at the beginning of the academic year through email and through the publication of KGI Policies, which is available on the KGI website.

Sources for further information

For further information from the United States Department of Education, please visit this website.

Additionally, you can find detailed FERPA information here.

16.22. Grading

The grading and assessment of student performance is a critical part of the educational process and is taken very seriously at KGI. There is a wide range of course formats, project requirements, and presentation requirements that require different means of assessment. While the form may vary, the faculty are responsible for reporting on the performance of each student enrolled in a course. Only courses in which A, B, C, or Pass are earned may be counted in satisfaction of degree or certiﬁcate requirements. Only KGI courses will be considered in determination of the student’s academic standing.

Grading System

The Institute uses a 4.0 grading system. The following grade notations are used in calculating the Grade Point Average (GPA). The GPA is calculated by dividing total grade points earned by total credit hours attempted.

Transcript Key

Grade	Quality Points	Not Calculated in GPA
A	4.0	AU = Audit
A-	3.7	P = Pass
B+	3.3	NP = No Pass
B	3.0	W = Withdrawn
B-	2.7	I = Incomplete
C+	2.3	R = Repeat
C	2.0
C-	1.7
F	0.0

Grading Scale Exceptions by Program:

MSGC, OTD, and PharmD: Grades of C− are not assigned.

MSPA: Grades of A−, B+, B−, C+, and C− are not assigned.

Repeating Courses

Any student may, with the consent of the course instructor and the Dean in alignment with satisfactory academic progress, repeat a course in which they received a grade of C+ or lower (including No Pass). In addition, only the most recently received grade shall be used in calculating a student’s grade point average and total credits required for completion of the degree or certiﬁcate. All units attempted and grades received shall remain part of the student’s permanent record. Any repeated course, except for one offered only on a P/NP basis, must be taken for a letter grade (A, B, C, and F). Additional tuition fees may apply.

16.23. Grade Change Policy

Purpose

This policy outlines the procedures and responsibilities related to the changing of final course grades. It ensures that grade changes are handled fairly, consistently, and with appropriate oversight.

Policy Overview

Final grades are considered permanent once submitted. A change to a final grade may only occur when there is clear, documented justification. Acceptable reasons for grade changes include, but are not limited to the following:

Instructor error in calculation or data entry
Completion of previously incomplete coursework (e.g., removal of an “I” grade)
Discovery of missing work that was submitted on time
Correction of a clerical or administrative error

Procedure for Grade Changes

If a grade change is necessary, the following steps must be followed:

The course instructor must initiate the grade change request. If the original instructor is unavailable (e.g., no longer employed), the Program Director or Dean may conduct a review and authorize the change.
The instructor must complete a Grade Change Form and obtain approvals from the Program Director and Dean.
The Grade Change Form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar for final processing.
Grade change requests must be submitted within 90 days of the original grade posting date. Exceptions may be granted in cases of documented extenuating circumstances (e.g., medical or personal emergencies) subject to the Dean’s approval.

Incomplete Grade

If a student was assigned an “I” (Incomplete) grade, the instructor must submit a Grade Change Form once the student had completed the required coursework. Please refer to the Incomplete Grade Policy for deadlines and additional guidance.

Grade Appeal

Students who believe a grade was assigned in error or unfairly may submit an appeal to the course instructor. If a grade change results from a successful appeal, it must follow the same approval and documentation procedures outlined above. If the course instructor denies the appeal and the student believes that the appeal was unfairly denied, the can submit a grade-related grievance. Please refer to the Student Grievances section of the Academic Catalog for more details.

16.24. Grade-Related Grievances | Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences

Matters related to grading disputes shall include issues regarding grades awarded or processes by which grades are determined. In most cases, students should ﬁrst discuss their concerns with the course instructor to determine the possibility of reaching an agreement concerning the issue. If the student is not satisﬁed with the outcome of this discussion, or if the student is not comfortable discussing the issue with the instructor, the student should request a meeting with the Course Coordinator (if applicable) and/or Program Director to attempt to resolve the issue at the informal level. If the situation is not resolved through discussion with the faculty member(s) and Program Director involved, the student may initiate the formal grievance process with their academic dean. Students should include a description of the issue, when the problem occurred, who was involved, the basis of the appeal and the resolution sought. Documentation, including submitted assignments and communications, should also be included. The grievance must be initiated within ﬁve (5) business days following the posting of the score being disputed. Non-written complaints or written complaints received after this deadline may not be accepted.

The academic dean will then review the evidence presented and will make a decision related to the grievance. This decision will be communicated to the student who initiated the grievance process and the faculty members involved in writing no more than ten (10) business days after the grievance is submitted.

If the student believes that the decision by the dean was unwarranted or unjust due to new information or procedural error, they may submit an appeal to the Office of the Provost within two (2) business days of receiving the dean’s decision. Appeals to the Office of the Provost must include all documentation included in the original appeal and justification for why the dean’s decision was unwarranted and/or documentation of new information or procedural error. The Office of the Provost will then review the evidence presented and will make a decision related to the appeal. This decision will be communicated to the student who requested the appeal and the faculty members involved in writing no more than twelve (12) business days after the appeal is submitted. This decision is final.

If the student wants to withdraw the grievance for any reason, they must do so immediately by sending an email to the faculty member and the Academic Dean. Once a student sends an email conﬁrming that they want to withdraw the grievance, no further action is required.

If a student has a pending grievance that affects whether they can continue to the next semester or can participate in remediation, they shall be allowed to continue in classes until the grievance is resolved. Upon resolution of the grievance, school and/or program-specific Satisfactory Academic Progress policies will be followed.

All appeals of grades need to be initiated and resolved within one month after the end of the course or assignment of the grade and before the student graduates.

Grade grievances for courses taken outside of KGI are bound by the procedures and processes of that school or institution. Students can seek the advice of KGI deans or faculty to navigate this process, but the ultimate decision rests with the home school or institution for the grade.

16.25. Honor Code

For information regarding the KGI Honor Code, please refer to the 2026-27 Student Handbook posted on the Student Conduct webpage

16.26. Incomplete Grade Policy

A grade of Incomplete ("I") may be assigned when a student's coursework is of passing quality, but they are unable to complete the course due to circumstances such as illness, a personal emergency, or other factors beyond their control, and after the drop or withdrawal deadline has passed. Students should carefully consider all factors before requesting an Incomplete and should consult the academic calendar for relevant deadlines.

An "I" grade is appropriate only when all but a minor portion of the coursework has been completed satisfactorily. The student must make arrangements with the instructor to receive the Incomplete before the end of the course. The instructor must also submit an "Incomplete Contract" on behalf of the student. Generally, the student must complete the outstanding coursework within four weeks after the end of the semester, unless otherwise agreed upon by the instructor. If the student fails to meet the agreed-upon deadline, the instructor will assign the grade that reflects the student’s progress in the course, as specified in the Incomplete Contract.

Once the coursework is completed, the instructor will submit the final grade to the Office of the Registrar for processing using the Grade Change Form.

In certain circumstances, the time limit for completing the coursework may be extended if a petition is submitted and approved by the dean before the specified deadline. Under no circumstances should students re-enroll in the course to remove an “I” grade.

16.27. International Students – Graduation Date & I-20 Extension Policy

International students studying in the United States under F-1 status must maintain a valid I-20 document at all times. As of September 15, 2026, if a student will be unable to complete their academic program by the program end date listed on their Form I-20, they must request an Extension of Stay (EOS) at least 90 days before that end date. Please note: extensions cannot be processed after the program end date has passed.

When applying for an EOS with USCIS, students must complete and timely file the Form I-539, “Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status,” pay the required fee and provide required biometrics. For additional information about the EOS process, refer to the Final Rule: Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stray Procedure Frequently Asked Question page and USCIS extension of stay resources.

Both faculty and students are encouraged to monitor academic progress early in the academic program. If it appears that a student may be unable to complete all degree requirements by the program end date listed on their Form I-20, the student should promptly contact the DSO (International Student Advisor) to request a recommendation I-20 in support of an Extension of Stay (EOS) application.

Students should submit their request as early as possible to allow sufficient time for the application process. The DSO's Recommendation I-20 does not grant an extension of F-1 status. The final decision on whether to approve an Extension of Stay rests solely with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which will evaluate the application and supporting documentation in accordance with applicable immigration regulations.

Timely action also supports post-graduation planning. F-1 students may apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) up to 90 days before and up to 60 days after their I-20 program end date. Students are strongly advised to confirm their I-20 program end date well in advance to ensure they remain in compliance and to allow time for the OPT application process, if applicable. For questions related to OPT and post-graduation planning, students should contact the International Student Advisor at international@kgi.edu.

This policy outlines the required steps for requesting a graduation date and I-20 extension in compliance with U.S. F-1 student immigration regulations.

Procedure

Consult with the Program Director
- Meet with the Program Director or Advisor to discuss academic progress.
- If an extension is deemed necessary, the Program Director will determine a new graduation date and provide it to the student for use in the extension request process.
Coordinate with the International Student Advisor
- Contact the International Student Advisor to initiate the I-20 extension request.
- The DSO will review the request for eligibility under SEVP requirements and, if appropriate, issue a Recommendation I-20 for inclusion with the student's USCIS Form I-539 application.
Complete the Graduation Date Extension Form
- Fill out the Graduation Date Extension form, which includes approvals from the following offices:
  - International Student Advisor
  - Program Director
  - Financial Aid
  - Student Accounts
  - Dean
  - Office of the Registrar
Submit Final Documentation and Obtain a DSO Recommendation I-20 (Issue Reason: Extension of Stay)
- The Registrar will notify all relevant departments of the revised graduation date.
- The DSO (International Student Advisor) will issue a Recommendation I-20 for the student to include with their Extension of Stay (EOS) application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
- The student is responsible for timely filing the Form I-539 and all required supporting documentation, fees, and biometrics (if required) with USCIS. The student's F-1 status is not extended until USCIS approves the Extension of Stay application.

16.28. Intellectual Property Rights

This Intellectual Property (IP) policy addresses rights to patentable inventions, tangible research property, software, trademarks and copyrightable works, including educational materials and electronic media, collectively termed “technology”, that have been made or created by faculty, students, and staff at KGI. It also incorporates related policies regarding trade secrets, consulting, conﬂicts of interest, and research agreements. Student Inventors collaborating with faculty or companies, as in a Team Masters Project (TMP), should consult with the faculty member, principal investigator or TMP director. The complete policy appears in the KGI Operational policies and KGI Graduate Faculty Handbook, with excerpts as follows:

All faculty, staff and students at Keck Graduate Institute including, without limitation, visiting faculty, fellows and students, who participate in research sponsored by governmental or industrial entities or by non-proﬁt foundations or in KGI-funded research or who use signiﬁcant funds or facilities administered by KGI must sign an “Invention and Proprietary Information Agreement” (IPIA). Under this agreement, when a work is created that uses substantial KGI funding or facilities, KGI retains all rights to associated IP unless the President (or designee) waives such rights in writing. The IPIA requires KGI inventors to assign to KGI or (in some cases) to another party as required by law, title to any IP created through the use of such funds or facilities unless otherwise agreed. An IPIA shall be signed prior to employment or enrollment at KGI, and no KGI aﬃliate can participate in research at KGI facilities until such agreement is signed. If the IP generates net income to KGI, student inventors have the potential to share in that income under the same policies that apply to faculty and staff.In some cases, KGI does not own a student’s work, as with a work of ﬁction written without use of KGI resources.

Conflict Monitoring, Intellectual Property & Technology Transfer

The Conflict Monitoring, Intellectual Property, and Technology Transfer Committee oversees IP and commercialization activities at KGI. If you have questions about whether you may be an inventor, or need guidance on whether you should ﬁle a provisional patent prior to a poster presentation or publication, please contact the IPTT Committee. IPTT@kgi.edu

16.29. Leave of Absence Policy

Purpose

Students may request a leave of absence for medical reasons, serious personal issues, pregnancy, or military deployment. This policy outlines eligibility, documentation requirements, the approval process, conditions, and guidelines for returning to KGI.

Eligibility & Required Documentation:

Medical leave: Requires a letter from a physician, licensed medical provider, or treating mental-health professional, stating the condition and estimated recovery duration.
Military leave: Reservists or National Guard members called to active duty must notify their Program Director and the Registrar’s Office before deployment, submitting copies of deployment orders via fax, mail, or hand-delivery.
International students: Must consult the International Student Advisor to understand any immigration implications.

Procedure for Leave of Absence

Complete a Leave of Absence form and secure approvals from your Program Director, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, and Dean who will determine eligibility and return conditions. To obtain the form, please contact registrar@kgi.edu.
Submit the completed form to the Office of the Registrar, which will notify relevant departments.

It is the student’s responsibility to keep KGI updated with any address or circumstance changes during the leave.

Duration & Extensions

Standard leave duration is up to two academic semesters.
Requests for extensions must be submitted before the original return date.
Leaves may be extended up to one additional year max and only under exceptional circumstances, with Academic Dean approval.
Students are limited a maximum of two leaves of absence per enrolled program. An extension of a leave of absence is considered a second leave.

Conditions of Leave

Leaves are granted subject to the following conditions:

Students who are not on academic probation must be in good academic standing (including performance in any currently enrolled courses) to qualify for a leave of absence.
Students on academic probation may only take leave for serious medical reasons with Academic Dean approval.
A leave cannot be granted if the student is already withdrawn.
After week eleven of a semester, leave is approved only for medical or military reasons.
Students receiving financial aid must meet with a financial aid counselor before applying.
Students who do not return by the leave of absence return date will be administratively withdrawn and must reapply through the readmissions process.
Leaves longer than six months may trigger immediate loan repayment—students should consult financial aid with questions.

Military Deployment During Semester

If deployment occurs mid-semester:

Excuse tuition for that semester; any payment made will be credited to the student’s account
Course registration is removed so that no penalization occurs due to active obligation.
For deployments late in a term, the student and faculty may negotiate Incomplete (I) grades; tuition in these cases will not be waived.

Reinstatement

Please refer to the Readmission & Reinstatement Policy for detailed procedures regarding reinstatement after a leave of absence.

16.30. Legal Name Change Policy

Students requesting a legal name change must submit appropriate supporting documentation. Requests may include changes to the first, middle, or last name, suffix, or the sequence of names.

Acceptable documentation includes an original or certified copy of one of the following:

Government-issued photo identification (e.g., driver’s license, state ID card, valid passport)
Birth Certificate
Marriage Certificate
Court order indicating the name change
Divorce decree reflecting the name change
Certificate of naturalization or permanent resident card (Green Card)
Documentation of Common Law Marriage or Civil Union

Students may also request to have their student ID Card reissued to reflect their legal name change. The original ID must be returned to receive the replacement. Upon notification, the Office of the Registrar will communicate this request to the Claremont Connection Office.

Please note documentation is not required for minor changes such as adding or removing a hyphen, space, apostrophe, or abbreviating a middle name to an initial.

To access the legal name change form, please visit the Student Forms page on the Registrar webpage.

16.31. Preferred Name Policy

KGI supports the use of preferred names and recognizes the importance of affirming a student’s identity. While we strive to honor preferred names wherever possible, certain institutional systems and official records such as student accounts, financial aid, and transcripts—require the use of a legal name.

At this time, a student’s preferred name can be reflected in the following places:

Empower Student Portal
Class Rosters
Attendance Rosters
Email Display Name (Not the User ID)

Students may also request to have their student ID Card reissued to reflect their Preferred name. The original ID must be returned to receive the replacement. Upon notification, the Office of the Registrar will communicate this request to the Claremont Connection Office.

Please note that preferred names are not used on official documents such as academic transcripts, enrollment verifications, or financial aid records, which require a legal name.

To access the preferred name form, please visit the Student Forms page on the Registrar webpage.

Preferred Name on Diploma and Commencement Materials

As commencement approaches and students are identified as expected graduates, they will be asked to complete an Intent to Graduate Form. On this form, students may indicate whether they would like their legal name or preferred name to appear on their diploma/certificate and in the commencement program.

Housing

Questions about requesting a preferred name in the housing process may be directed to the Leasing Office at leasing@liveoasisca.com or by phone at (213) 444-8235.

16.32. Readmission and Reinstatement Policy

Readmission Through the Office of Admissions

Readmission for Students Who Have Withdrawn from the Program

Students who voluntarily withdraw or are administratively withdrawn from their program and are in good academic standing (i.e., not on academic probation) must reapply through the formal readmission process for consideration.

To begin this process, students must contact the Office of Admissions by the following deadlines:

Fall Semester: August 1
Spring Semester: December 1
Summer Semester: April 1

Readmission for Students Who Do Not Return from an Approved Leave of Absence

Students who fail to return following an approved Leave of Absence will be administratively withdrawn and must reapply through the readmission process. To initiate this process, students must contact the Office of Admissions by the applicable deadline listed above.

Reinstatement Through the Office of the Registrar

Reinstatement for Students Returning from Academic Delay or Suspension

Students returning from an academic delay or suspension must complete the reinstatement process, which includes submitting a Reinstatement Request Form and receiving approval from the following:

Program Director
Dean
Financial Aid Office
Student Accounts
Office of the Registrar

To initiate the reinstatement process please contact registrar@kgi.edu to obtain the form. Please note students must contact the Office of the Registrar by:

Fall Semester: July 1
Spring Semester: November 1
Summer Semester: March 1

Reinstatement for Students Returning from a Leave of Absence

Students returning from an approved Leave of Absence must submit a Request to Return from Leave of Absence form and complete the reinstatement process, which includes review and approval from the same departments listed above. Students should contact the Office of the Registrar by the applicable semester deadline above to initiate the process.

Supporting documentation may be required for return from leave of absence requests; this may include permission from the Dean of the school, medical releases, or other supporting documents.

Upon returning from a leave of absence, students should meet with their program advisor to ensure appropriate selection of courses and make arrangements for registration with the Oﬃce of the Registrar.

16.33. Registration and Enrollment

To be considered registered, a student must be enrolled in coursework, pay tuition and fees, and complete required items for the semester. A student is considered non-registered if they have not enrolled, have not paid tuition and fees, or have not completed the required items. The Institute holds each student fully responsible for checking the accuracy of their initial registration and any subsequent changes submitted to the Oﬃce of the Registrar for assuring that the Registrar is provided with a correct address, and for carefully reviewing the status of registration report on the student portal to make sure that it accurately reﬂects their registration. Students should take prompt steps to eliminate any discrepancies. Students should keep a copy of any petitions or forms that have been submitted to the Registrar’s oﬃce.

Students must register every semester if they are regular or part-time. KGI policy requires continuous registration for students from the ﬁrst semester of enrollment in a program until completion of the degree or certiﬁcate. Non-registered students include those who are on leave from the Institute. This category also includes students who have withdrawn from KGI.

Full-Time Status

KGI’s deﬁnition of full-time status may differ from that for federal ﬁnancial aid eligibility. If a student requires ﬁnancial aid, they must meet the federal higher education enrollment standards for ﬁnancial aid eligibility.

A graduate or professional student is considered a full-time student if enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits for the semester. A PhD student is considered a full-time student if enrolled in a minimum of 15 credits for the semester.

Students will only be considered full time if they are continuously enrolled for at least two consecutive semesters annually. The following considerations also apply:

Students enrolled in doctoral research are considered full time
All graduate students who are in Dissertation Continuation may be considered full time
Students who are engaged in an “internship” experience as part of their degree requirements may be considered full time at the discretion of Academic Affairs
International students must maintain full-time status to be in compliance with Visa They should consult with the International Student Advisor if they have questions about their individual status. Note that timely registration for courses is especially important so that they may remain in compliance with Visa regulations.

Part-Time Status

Graduate students may apply for part-time status through the Academic Dean. Doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy are not eligible for part-time status.

Adding/Dropping

Add/drop dates will be listed on the academic calendar.

Riggs School: Adding and dropping courses prior to the deadlines are accomplished online through the student portal or through the online add/drop form on the Registrar’s webpage found here.

School of Health Sciences: Course adds/drops are generally not allowed for required courses in the MSGC, MSGDA, MSPA, and OTD programs. Students should consult with the Program Director before making any changes. For the MSGDA program, add/drops may be considered for elective courses, which will be in the second year.

School of Pharmacy: Course add/drops are generally not allowed for required courses in the PharmD program. Students should consult with the Program Director before making any changes. They may be considered for elective courses, which will be in the P-3 or P-4 year for PharmD students. Changes to electives should be discussed and approved by the Oﬃce of Experiential Education (if applicable) and the Academic Dean. All changes to the student’s registration will be communicated to the registrar by the Program Director.

Late Registration

It is important to enroll, register, and pay fees in a timely manner to avoid any ﬁnancial implications. Registration deadlines fall towards the end of the prior semester and are based on a well-publicized billing cycle.

Student Portal

KGI students have access to Empower, their student portal, by clicking here.

If a student has questions about registration, please contact the Oﬃce of the Registrar registrar@kgi.edu.

16.34. Scientific or Research Misconduct

Scientiﬁc or research misconduct is deﬁned as fabrication, falsiﬁcation, plagiarism, or other practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within the academic and scientiﬁc community for proposing, conducting, or reporting research, and does not include honest error or honest differences in interpretation or judgments of data. Further information can be obtained from the U.S. Office of Research Integrity, Department of Health and Human Services. Possible incidences of misconduct are to be reported immediately to the Academic Dean, who will initiate the appropriate procedures.

16.35. Student Accessibility Services Grievances

For information regarding Student Accessibility Services and the Student Accessibility Service Grievance Policy and Procedure, please refer to the 2026-27 Student Handbook posted here.

16.36. Technical Standards for Admissions, Continuation, and Graduation

KGI is committed to providing degree programs without regard to disability, while assuring that academic and technical standards are met. Technical standards represent the essential non-academic requirements that a student must demonstrate to successfully participate in KGI’s certiﬁcate and degree programs and meet the professional competency requirements. Students must demonstrate competence in intellectual, physical, and social tasks that represent fundamentals of being able to successfully complete the program’s curriculum in order to pursue any career path in professional practice. Thus, the standards are prerequisites for admission, continuation, and graduation from KGI. The program faculty will monitor the student’s ability to meet these standards.

KGI will consider for admission any applicant who demonstrates the ability to perform or to learn to perform the skills listed in the Technical Standards for which the student has applied for. All applicants are held to the same academic and technical standards of admission and training, with reasonable accommodations as needed for students who have registered with accessibility services. KGI reserves the right not to admit any applicant who cannot meet the Technical Standards set for each program with reasonable accommodations. Applicants are not required to disclose the nature of their disability(ies), if any, to the Admissions Committee. To matriculate into a program, the applicant must sign the Technical Standards Certiﬁcation Form documenting their ability to meet the standards. This form is part of the supplemental application. However, if a student cannot demonstrate the necessary skills and abilities, it is the responsibility of the student to request an appropriate accommodation. Any applicant with questions about the technical standards is strongly encouraged to discuss the issue with The Division of Student Affairs and/or the Vice President of Academic Affairs prior to the interview process. If appropriate, and upon the request of the applicant/student, the school will consider technological and other facilitating mechanisms needed in order to train and function effectively as a professional student.

Candidates for any KGI program must be able to perform the essential functions set by their programs in order to complete graduate training.

16.37. Textbooks

The HEOA requires institutions of higher education to display textbook information (textbook title, price, and ISBN identiﬁer) at the time enrollment opens. Huntley Bookstore offers books for sale and rent.

16.38. Transfer Credit Policy

KGI does not typically accept transfer credit due to the nature of our courses. However, under special circumstances, graduate coursework taken at another institution before matriculation at KGI can be made available for transfer credit upon request. For transfer credit inquiries, students can contact the admission counselor for questions about specific courses.

Transfer Credit Requirements

Transfer credit for coursework completed before an individual becomes a student at KGI should be submitted and evaluated as part of the individual application process with the Admissions Counselor. As a part of the process the applicant and the admissions counselor will complete the Transfer Credit Request Form, specifically identifying the courses for which transfer credit is being requested. The Program Director and Academic Dean will review the petition and will submit any approved transfer credits to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

In addition to being approved by the Program Director and Academic Dean, all transfer credits must meet the following criteria:

All requests must be accompanied by an official transcript from the institution where the coursework was completed.
Students must have received a grade of B or better in the
Courses mut be at the graduate level at the transfer institution (unless otherwise specified by a university and program specific Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)) and constitute a fair and reasonable equivalent to current KGI coursework at the graduate level.
The institution where the coursework was completed must be regionally accredited in the U.S. to grant graduate degrees.
The course(s) must logically fit into the program for the degree being pursued at KGI.
Limits on the number of units that may be transferred are determined by the KGI
Individual programs reserve the right to deny transfer credit for any and all coursework that may be considered old, dated, or no longer relevant to the discipline.

Approved Transfer Credit

Approved transfer coursework is recorded on your transcript, including the originating institution and the number of units awarded. Please note that grades earned in courses taken outside of KGI are not calculated into your KGI GPA.

Transfer Credit from the Claremont Colleges

Courses completed at other Claremont Colleges may be accepted for transfer credit when a student participates in a university-approved accelerated program or when coursework is completed as specifically authorized under an applicable program-specific Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Examples include the Claremont Graduate University Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management MBA and KGI MBS “2+1” program and the MBS “4+1” program with Pitzer College and Scripps College.

Grades earned through approved accelerated programs are not included in the calculation of the KGI cumulative GPA. For questions regarding eligibility or transfer credit under an accelerated program, students should contact their Program Director.

Transfer Student

If you are currently in the U.S. attending another institution, please provide your current school with our Transfer Instructions. If you will be traveling outside of the US before you start at KGI, please let us know, as we will need to provide you with a temporary I-20. Your school must transfer your record before we can do this, so it is important to get that process started with them as soon as possible.

Your transfer must be completed within 15 days from the start of classes. Transfer Credit from another program to KGI.

KGI does not typically accept transfer credit due to the unique nature of our courses. However, contact your admissions counselors for questions about specific courses.

16.39. Immunizations and Vaccinations

For information regarding immunizations and vaccinations, please refer to the 2026-27 Student Handbook posted on the Student Conduct webpage.

16.40. Veteran Benefits

KGI is proud to support students who have served, or are currently serving, in the U.S. Armed Forces. Eligible students may access VA educational benefits, with some programs also available to spouses and dependents of veterans. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process.

16.41. VA Yellow Ribbon Program

View VA Benefits and Yellow Ribbon Program.

17.1. Satisfactory Academic Progress – Financial Aid

Federal law and regulations require that students receiving financial assistance from federal funds must maintain satisfactory academic progress. The measures used to determine satisfactory academic progress include both the Qualitative Progress (GPA) and Quantitative Progress (timely completion of course credits) which are reviewed after each term. The following policy presents the standards adopted by Keck Graduate Institute for students receiving financial aid.

Students on academic probation will be issued a Financial Aid Warning, which stipulates that failure to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) after the end of the probation term will result in the suspension of future federal student aid eligibility. Students who fail to make SAP after their probation term that want to receive Federal Student Aid will be required to submit an appeal explaining why they failed to meet SAP standards and how they plan to meet SAP standards in future terms. Students failing SAP are also required to obtain an academic plan from their program director stipulating that they can finish their degree requirements within the allowed time frame for their program.

SAP Status	Description	Action Options	Financial Aid Status
Meet SAP	You meet all SAP standards	No action required	Eligible for aid
Warning	You did not meet one or more of the SAP standards after a semester of Meets SAP	No action required. “Warning” status is for next semester of enrollment	Eligible for aid
Not Meets SAP (Financial Aid Disqualified)	You did not meet one or more of the SAP standards (GPA, Pace) after a Warning semester OR you have exceeded the maximum time frame	Submit an appeal OR continue to enroll without aid to improve SAP status.	Not eligible for aid
Probation (Financial Aid Probation)	SAP appeal approved.	“Probation” status for next semester of enrollment	Eligible for aid
Not Meets SAP (After Probation Semester)	You did not meet one or more of the SAP standards (GPA, Pace) after your Probation semester.	Submit an appeal which includes an academic plan OR continue to enroll without aid to improve SAP status.	Eligible for aid

17.2. Progression Requirements | Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences (Riggs School)

Riggs School students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 each semester (or a cumulative GPA of 2.5 for PPA/PPC). This average is calculated exclusively from grades earned in KGI courses. Transfer credits and grades from external institutions, including the other Claremont Colleges, are not factored into the KGI cumulative GPA. In addition, students must pass required elements of pass/no pass courses or milestones. A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA is also required to transfer to another program within Riggs. Students obtaining a GPA below 3.0 (or below 2.5 for PPA/PPC) are in jeopardy of not progressing successfully through the program and are expected to work with faculty, teaching assistants, tutors, and Student Affairs to ensure they avail themselves of every opportunity to succeed. Students who fail to meet the cumulative GPA requirement will be placed on academic probation. Upon placement on probation, the student is granted one subsequent semester to meet the cumulative GPA requirement. Failure to meet the cumulative GPA requirement by the conclusion of the probationary semester will typically result in academic dismissal from the program. Students who fall below a 3.0 cumulative GPA in their final semester will be required to enroll in an additional semester to restore their cumulative GPA to 3.0 prior to being allowed to graduate. However, the Dean will have discretion to allow a student to graduate despite falling below the 3.0 cumulative GPA in their final semester if the student has consistently maintained the cumulative GPA requirement for all preceding terms and fulfilled all other degree requirements. Examples of when the Dean may choose to exercise such discretion include situations wherein significant extenuating non-academic circumstances have impacted the student’s performance in the final semester. Students obtaining a GPA below the minimum standard for their program will be unable to take more than 18.0 credits per semester. If a student is dismissed at the end of spring semester, they may complete an internship at the Dean’s discretion, but not as a KGI student. International students should note that terms of their internship are subject to federal regulations and academic probation and dismissal may impact their immigration status; students in this situation must consult with the International Student Advisor. Students obtaining a GPA below 3.0 are in jeopardy of not progressing successfully through the program and are expected to work with faculty, teaching assistants, tutors, and Student Affairs to ensure they avail themselves of every opportunity to succeed.

17.3. Progression Requirements | School of Health Sciences (SHS)

SHS students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 each semester determined from grades received in KGI courses. Failure to meet this standard will result in academic probation. Students on academic probation are given one semester to raise their cumulative GPA to 3.0. Failure to meet this requirement will typically result in dismissal from the Institute.

Students obtaining a GPA below 3.0 are in jeopardy of not progressing successfully through the program and are expected to work with faculty, teaching assistants, tutors, and Student Affairs to ensure they avail themselves of every opportunity to succeed. The Maximum time allowed does not include periods of approved leaves of absence.

For more speciﬁc policies, MSPA program students should refer to the MSPA Program Student Handbook and OTD program students should refer to the OTD Program Student Handbook.

17.4. Progression Requirements | MSGC

All students in the MSGC program will be required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and pass all courses in each semester to progress to the next semester. Passing is defined as receiving a numeric score ≥ 70.00% for all MSGC courses. Students will have an opportunity to explain any special circumstances to the Student Progression Committee. Based on the review of the student’s performance, the Committee will make a recommendation to the Dean for a remediation plan, placement on probation, or dismissal from the program.

17.5. Progression Requirements | MSGDA

All students in the MSGDA program will be required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and pass all required courses in each semester to progress to the next semester. Students will have an opportunity to explain any special circumstances to the Student Progression Committee. Based on the review of the student’s performance, the Committee will make a recommendation to the Dean for a remediation plan, placement on probation, or dismissal from the program.

Students who have failed one course in the semester will have the opportunity to remediate the course prior to the beginning of the next semester by working with the course coordinator. The course coordinator will develop a remediation plan that will be an abbreviated program of re-study designed to meet the needs of the student who is repeating the course. The remediation plan will be sent to the program director for approval. Remediation may include retaking the examinations, re-writing of papers, or completing special projects to demonstrate proficiency in the course.
Students who fail one elective course may choose to retake the course the next time it is offered or take a different course to fulfill their concentration requirement.
Students failing two or more courses in a semester will not be able to remediate and must repeat the courses the next time the courses are available.
A student whose cumulative GPA drops below 3.0 will be placed on probation and will be given one semester to raise their cumulative GPA to 3.0. Failure to meet this requirement may result in dismissal from the Institute. Students obtaining a 3.0 or below are in jeopardy of not progressing successfully through the program and are expected to work with program leadership, faculty, teaching assistants, tutors, and Student Affairs staff to ensure they avail themselves of every opportunity to succeed.

17.6. Progression Requirements | MSPA Program

Due to the sequential nature of the curriculum, students must successfully complete all courses within each semester before becoming eligible to enroll in courses in the subsequent term. If any courses were not successfully completed, the student must have a remediation plan established and permission from the MSPA Progression and Professionalism Committee in order to permit their continued progression. At the conclusion of each term, the MSPA Progression and Professionalism Committee reviews each student’s academic performance and professional conduct. Students must be recommended for progression by the MSPA Progression and Professionalism Committee to be eligible to continue to the subsequent semester. In order for a student to progress from the didactic phase into the clinical phase, they must also be recommended by the MSPA Progression and Professionalism Committee.

The following are circumstances that will affect a student’s progression through the Program:

17.7. Progression Requirements | OTD Program

Due to the sequential nature of the curriculum, students must successfully complete all courses within a trimester before becoming eligible to enroll in courses in the subsequent trimester. If any courses were not successfully completed, the student must successfully remediate the course or course component(s) as established by the OTD Student Progression and Professionalism Committee in order to permit their continued progression. At the conclusion of each trimester, the OTD Progression and Professionalism Committee reviews each student’s academic performance and professional conduct to help support student success.

The following are circumstances that will affect a student’s progression through the program:

Remediation – Successful remediation of a deficient course component must be completed prior to progressing to the subsequent trimester, or by the timeline agreed upon by the OTD Student Progression and Professionalism Committee. See below for details on the remediation policy.
Academic Probation– If a student earns a trimester GPA below 3.0, they will be placed on academic probation and allowed to progress in the program at the discretion of the OTD Progression and Professionalism Committee.
Cumulative GPA– If a student earns a trimester GPA below 0 for any two trimesters during the didactic phase of the program, they may be dismissed from the program.
Course Failure– Earning one final course grade of F during the didactic phase of the program will result in academic dismissal from the program. Students have the opportunity to remediate one course during the didactic phase of the program, if they are deemed eligible. See Fieldwork and Capstone Manual regarding failure during the experiential learning phase.
Professionalism – If a student receives an alleged violation regarding professionalism, they will first be evaluated by the OTD Progression and Professionalism Committee, and the Dean of Students will be notified. If the student’s alleged actions are in violation of the KGI Honor Code, the Student Conduct Committee may also be convened to determine if the student should be placed on academic probation and allowed to progress in the program.
Time-to-Completion – If the student exceeds the maximum time-to-completion for the program, they may not be able to graduate from the OTD Program. Students must complete the OTD program within the maximum time-to-completion, which is defined as 150% of the program Deceleration and remediation must also be completed within this timeframe. Delays due to approved personal or medical leaves of absence are excluded from the maximum time- to-completion requirement.

A student may appeal a decision from the OTD Progression and Professionalism Committee according to the appeals process defined in the Academic Catalog under grade-related grievances.

For detailed information regarding OTD progression requirements, please refer to the OTD Student handbook.

17.8. Progression Requirements | School of Pharmacy (SOP)

SOP students must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA (rounding up from 2.45 and up allowed) at the end of each semester. If the student is unable to achieve a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA (rounding up from 2.45 and up allowed), they will be placed on academic probation. Students who are unable to raise their GPA to a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA (rounding up from 2.45 and up allowed) at the end of the next semester are subject to dismissal from the program.

17.9. Progression Requirements | MSPHS & MSPS Programs

A grade of less than 70% will be considered failing a course. Once a student fails a course, they will have to retake it when the course is offered again, unless specific circumstances require otherwise that has to be approved by the Program Director and the Dean at SOP.

17.10. Progression Requirements | PharmD Program

PharmD students are considered to be in good academic standing and performing satisfactorily if they have successfully achieved at least a level of “70%” or passing grade (‘P’) in all courses, progression assessments, and experiential assessments.

Students who fail up to one course per semester will be allowed to remediate the course over the winter break or summer in a remedial course. Students who are not successful in remediation must re-take the course when it is offered next if they are eligible to progress in the program, resulting in delayed graduation. Such students remain on academic probation as a result of receiving an ‘F’ in remediation.

Progression through the curriculum will be determined as part of the terms of probation; terms of probation will be decided by the Student Progression and Professionalism Committee, and the student will be notified of the terms of probation by official correspondence from the SOP Dean.

Students who fail a course on the second attempt will be dismissed from the program. There will be no option to remediate a course on the second attempt.

Students who fail two courses in one semester will not progress. They must re-take the courses when they are next offered if they are eligible to progress in the program, resulting in delayed graduation. Re-taking a course counts as remediation for the course.

Students who fail three or more courses in an academic year are subject to dismissal from the program.

Students will be allowed to remediate a maximum of three didactic courses total during the P1 to P3 years of their academic career. Students who fail additional courses beyond the maximum of three remediation opportunities will be dismissed from the program.

Students will be allowed to remediate a maximum of one IPPE course and one APPE course in their academic career. Students who fail two or more IPPE courses or fail two or more APPE courses will be dismissed from the program.

Students who fail an IPPE course or an APPE course on the second attempt will be dismissed from the program. There will be no option to remediate an IPPE course or an APPE course on the second attempt.

Unsatisfactory Progress During Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs) and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs)

Each student must successfully complete and pass all IPPE courses and all APPE courses.
Students must successfully complete all IPPE 1 requirements during the second academic year of the curriculum in order to advance to P3 status and all IPPE 2 requirements during the third academic year of the curriculum in order to advance to P4 status.
To successfully complete IPPEs, students must achieve a score of 70% on the final assessment and submit all required assignments by the last day of the rotation/course.
Each student must successfully complete the five required core APPE courses and at least one elective APPE course. To successfully complete each of the six APPE courses, students must earn a score of 70% or above, have no more than three “deficient” ratings on EPAs on the final evaluation, and submit all required assignments by the last day of the rotation/course. Students who receive a “Deficient” rating on four or more EPA competencies, score less than 70% for the final evaluation, or fail to submit required assignments by the last day of the rotation/course will automatically fail the course.

Students who do not successfully pass an experiential education course (IPPE or APPE) will be referred to the Student Progression and Professionalism Committee and the Office of Experiential Education. The Office of Experiential Education, in consultation with the Student Progression and Professionalism Committee, will consider student and preceptor factors in order to develop a student-specific remediation plan. Remediation will be created to help the student achieve competencies and address deficiencies, and may involve targeted experiences, repeat of the IPPE/APPE with another preceptor, or other action deemed appropriate by the Office of Experiential Education, in consultation with the Student Progression and Professionalism Committee.

Students will only be allowed to remediate one IPPE rotation/course once and one APPE rotation/course once. Students who receive a second ‘F’ in either an IPPE or APPE rotation/course respectively are subject to dismissal from the program.

Required IPPEs and APPEs must be remediated in a comparable setting/site. Elective APPEs that are not passed may be remediated by substituting a different elective APPE (e.g., if the student did not pass an Elective APPE, such as Drug Information, a student may take another Drug Information APPE for remediation or change to another specialty, such as Home Infusion, depending on preceptor availability).

KGI SOP grade-related grievance policies and procedures will be followed for appeals for an ‘F’ received in an IPPE or an APPE course.

Satisfactory Academic Progress with Regard to APPEs

Failure of one (1) Experiential Education (IPPE, APPE) course/rotation will result in academic probation until successful completion of the failed course/rotation.

Progression through the curriculum will be determined as part of the terms of probation; terms of probation will be communicated by official correspondence from the SOP Dean.

Failure of two (2) Experiential Education (IPPE, APPE) courses/rotations will result in dismissal from the program.

Method of Evaluation of Student Progression

Academic progression will be determined through regular formative and summative assessments, which allow students to gauge their progress and identify areas of improvement early. However, it is the final passing course grade (including remediation) which will demonstrate if a student has achieved the required competencies.

Experiential Education courses will be assessed using online evaluation forms. Students are encouraged to engage in a formative assessment with their preceptor at the midterm evaluation to discuss where current progress is in relation to goals. Students will have a summative assessment at the end of each Experiential Education rotation/course performed by their preceptor.

Progression to P2, P3, and P4 Year

P2 Year Requirements

Prior to starting the P2 year, all of the following must be completed:

Successful completion of all P1 courses
Compliant in all onboarding requirements

P3 Year Requirements

Prior to starting the P3 year, all of the following must be completed:

Successful completion of all P1 and P2 courses
IPPE 1
Compliant in all onboarding requirements

P4 Year Requirements

Prior to starting the P4 year, all of the following must be completed in addition to all curricular obligations:

Successful completion of all P1, P2, and P3 courses
IPPE 2
Compliant in all onboarding requirements
Application for graduation on file with the Registrar’s Office

A student who has a delayed graduation may petition the Academic Dean in writing to take P1 to P3 courses outside of the traditional sequence above. This petition will be reviewed by the Student Progression and Professionalism Committee, who will make recommendations to the Academic Dean regarding the student’s petition. The Academic Dean will communicate the decision to the student electronically via e-mail.

Remediation

Remediation is an abbreviated program of restudy designed to meet the needs of the students who require additional assistance to demonstrate the achievement of course competencies. During this course, the student will be assessed on course competencies in the initially-failed course.

Policy for the Remediation Delivery

Remediation methods will be determined by the appropriate faculty in conjunction with their Program Director and will be communicated to the student prior to or at the beginning of the remedial course.

Duration, scheduling, and other requirements for remediation will be determined by the appropriate faculty in conjunction with the Program Director. To pass remediation, a student must achieve an overall score of 70% on the remediation summative assessment. Upon such passing performance, the highest grade awarded for the course will be limited to 70% (‘C’). The inability to pass the remediation summative assessment would result in delayed progression.

Note: Any deviation from this policy must be approved in writing by the academic dean and articulated to the students at least one week prior to the scheduled extended learning. All matters regarding attendance, dress code, assessment, etc. during the remediation period are covered by the School’s academic policies.

Faculty and Student Participation in Remediation

Students who do not pass courses during the academic semester may be eligible for remediation. Students will be ineligible for remediation if they have failed two courses during the preceding semester.

Scheduling of Remediation

Only one remedial course can be scheduled for an individual student per semester. Students are not allowed to participate in electives or experiential rotations/courses during their assigned remediation session without prior approval by the Student Progression and Professionalism Committee. The Program Director is responsible for scheduling remedial courses.

Nature of Remediation

The remediation course will not be a complete re-teaching of the failed course, but rather a focused program that may include readings, review of lecture recordings, assignments, practice problems, and discussions with the faculty. The remediation will be designed by the faculty for self-study/small group learning by the students. At the end of the remediation course, the student must demonstrate to the faculty that the academic deficiency has been removed and that the student is now at the same level of understanding and competency as the rest of the class.

The course coordinator will submit remediation course syllabus to the Program Director for approval. The course coordinator will notify all participating students prior to the scheduled remedial course. All course faculty must submit questions to the course coordinator in advance of the scheduled assessment. Assignments or homework may not be assigned in lieu of the summative assessment.

Details of Remediation and Progression:

Students who fail up to one course per semester will be allowed to remediate the course over the winter break or summer in a remedial course.
Students who are not successful in remediation must re-take the course when it is offered next if they are eligible to progress in the program, resulting in delayed graduation.
Students who fail a course on the second attempt will be dismissed from the program. There will be no option to remediate a course on the second attempt.
Students who fail two courses in one semester will not progress. They must re-take the courses when they are next offered if they are eligible to progress in the program, resulting in delayed graduation. Re-taking a course counts as remediation for the course.
Students who fail three or more courses in an academic year are subject to dismissal from the program.
Students will be allowed to remediate a maximum of three didactic courses total during the P1 to P3 years of their academic career. Students who fail additional courses beyond the maximum of three remediation opportunities will be dismissed from the program.
Students will be allowed to remediate a maximum of one IPPE and one APPE course in their academic career.
Students who fail two or more IPPE or two or more APPE courses will be dismissed from the program.

17.11. Time to Completion

Students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress as outlined in the requirements of their program. A student who exceeds their time to completion by more than 150% time may be subject to academic dismissal from their program, in which case they would need to leave the Institute. For example, the PharmD program is a four-year program in length and six years would represent 150% time; MBS and MS are both two-year programs and three years would represent 150% time.

*Excludes any time spent on a Leave of Absence or approved program deceleration

A student who wishes to petition for additional time to completion, due to extenuating circum- stances, should consult their graduate academic advisor to: 1) determine a reasonable timeline for program completion; 2) develop a revised academic plan of study and; 3) request a letter of support. An extension may be requested for a minimum of one semester and a maximum of one year. A petition for additional time to completion must be approved and supported by the program director and, if applicable, the supervising instructor or advisor (e.g., capstone, thesis or dissertation).

A petition to extend beyond 150% time in the program, along with all required documents, must be submitted to the dean’s office in a timely manner. A decision will be rendered as soon as possible once all documentation has been reviewed. The decision of the dean is final and there are no further avenues of appeal. Should an extension be granted, the student should be aware that all coursework will be reviewed for timeliness. Students who are granted a one-time extension may petition for one additional semester, otherwise they will be subject to dismissal. Increased time to completion may have additional financial implications, and will affect eligibility for additional loans, scholarships or stipends for the program and may also result in Department of Education sanctions, including change of loan interest rate or change in deferment status. Please check with the Office of Financial Aid and/or the Department of Education website for more information.

Please note:

Under extenuating circumstances, the 150% rule may be appealed to the Academic
Repeated coursework is allowed as stated in KGI’s student However, these repeated courses count towards the calculation of the 150% time limit.

Students attending Keck Graduate Institute must complete their program within 150% of the timeframe allotted for their program.

Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences (Riggs School):

PPA – 5 years/3 semesters
PPC – 5 years/3 semesters
MBM – Can be completed part-time or full-time
MBS – 3 years/6 semesters
MEng – 3 years/6 semesters
MS – 3 years/6 semesters
MSBPE – 5 years/3 semesters
MSMDE- 5 years/3 semesters
PhD – 4.5 years

School of Health Sciences (SHS):

MHA – Can be completed part-time or full-time
MSGC – 3 years/6 semesters
MSGDA – 3 years/6 semesters
MSPA – 3.4 years/10 semesters
OTD – 4 years/12 semesters
DHSc – Can be completed part-time or full-time
DMSc – Can be completed part-time or full-time

School of Pharmacy (SOP):

MSPHS – Can be completed part-time or full-time
MSPS – Can be completed part-time or full-time
PharmD – 6 years/12 semesters

18.1. Dismissal Policy

Academic Dismissal

The respective academic dean reserves the right to dismiss a student at any time in order to safeguard the School’s standards of scholarship, professional and personal conduct, and orderly operation. Students who have made unsatisfactory progress may be dismissed from the program. In addition, actions which threaten or endanger, in any way, the personal safety and/or well-being of self or other, or which disrupt or interfere with the orderly operation of the school are cause for immediate dismissal of the student. The respective academic dean will communicate the dismissal decision to the student via email and mail. The student may appeal the decision to the Provost within 5 business days. The appeal must include significant extenuating circumstances impacting academic performance with accompanying documentation. The decision of the Provost in response to the appeal is final. A student who is dismissed may not be reinstated or readmitted under any circumstances.

18.2. School Withdrawal Policy

Students may voluntarily withdraw from the institution at any time for personal reasons; however, they are strongly encouraged to consult with their Program Director to discuss potential implications before initiating the process.

Voluntary Withdrawal

To initiate a voluntary withdrawal from KGI, please contact Office of the Registrar at registrar@kgi.edu to obtain the School Withdrawal Form.

Important Notes:

A withdrawal is not finalized until all required approvals are obtained.
If a student withdraws during an active term and after the add/drop deadline, a grade of “W” will be assigned for all courses without final grades.
A student who leaves the school without completing the official withdrawal process within 30 days will automatically be administratively withdrawn from KGI.

Returning After Withdrawal

For information on returning to the program following a withdrawal, please refer to the Readmission & Reinstatement Policy.

18.3. Course Withdrawal Policy

Adding or Dropping Courses

Students may add or drop courses independently through the student portal before the add/drop deadline published in the Academic Calendar.

After the full-term add/drop deadline has passed, any changes to Module 2 courses or issues requiring administrative assistance must be handled through submission of an Add/Drop Form. In such cases, it is generally recommended, and may be required to obtain approval from your Academic Advisor or Program Director. Once submitted, you will receive an email confirmation within 1–2 business days indicating the request has been processed.

Procedure for Course Withdrawal (After Add/Drop Deadline)

Students may withdraw from a course after the add/drop deadline but before the withdrawal deadline. To view add/drop and withdrawal deadlines, please visit the KGI Academic Calendar.

To access the Course Withdrawal form, please visit the Student Forms page on the Registrar webpage.

Implications of Course withdrawal:

A “W” grade will be recorded on the transcript.
No academic credit or grade will be awarded for the withdrawn course.
If the course is required for graduation, the student must re-enroll and successfully complete it in a future term.

20.1. Types of Funding

Visit Financing Your Studies page.

20.2. Disbursements

Visit Financial Assistance Information page.

20.3. Federal Entrance Counseling

Entrance Counseling is required before you can receive your first Direct Subsidized Loan or Direct Un-subsidized Loan as an undergraduate or your first Direct PLUS Loan as a graduate/professional student. For more information, refer to FSA Entrance Counseling Requirement.

20.4. Federal Exit Counseling

Exit Counseling is required when you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment. Exit counseling provides important information you need to prepare to repay your federal student loan(s). For more information, refer to FSA Loan Exit Counseling.

20.5. Loan Disclosures

Visit Financial Assistance Information page for more information.

20.6. Eligibility for Financial Aid

To support inquiries on financial aid for all students, we provided information on the basic eligibility requirements that will guide the application process during your time at KGI. For more information, refer to Eligibility page.

20.7. Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Financial Aid Recipients

To be eligible for federal aid, KGI students are required by the U.S. Department of Education (34 CFR 668.34) and KGI policy to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress toward their degree objectives. KGI has established a SAP Policy to ensure student success and promote timely advancement towards their degree. For more information, refer to Eligibility– Satisfactory Academic Progress.

20.8. Withdrawals and the Return of Title IV Funds

Visit Financial Assistance Information - KGI Tuition Refund Policy for more information.

21.1. Graduation Requirements

To learn what requirements you need to graduate with your degree from KGI, please refer to Graduation Requirements.

21.2. Student Forms

To access student forms for the Office of the Registrar, please refer to Student Forms.

21.3. Official Transcripts

Visit Contact Us - Requesting Official Transcripts for more information.

21.4. Registrar FAQ

For further questions related to the Office of the Registrar, please refer to the Registrar FAQ page.

23.1. Tuition and Fees

Visit Tuition & Fees page for the most up-to-date information.

23.2. Returned Items

A “return check fee” of $25 is assessed for a check or electronic fund transfer returned by the bank for any reason.

23.3. Late Fee Policy

Visit Payments, Refunds, Late Fees page for more information.

23.4. Obligation for Payment

Request for registration constitutes a legal financial obligation to which students will be held liable if they do not follow the proper procedure to change or cancel their registration through the Office of the Registrar. Students must receive written confirmation (Leave of Absence or Change of Program form) to verify that their requested change has been made.

By registering, students agree to be held responsible for all tuition and fees, including, but not limited to, payments denied by student loan lenders, agencies of the United States government, and agencies of foreign governments.

Permission to cancel enrollment does not constitute, nor shall it be construed as, a waiver by the institution of a student’s financial obligation. Students are still responsible for all outstanding debts and contracts with the institution. Furthermore, students must not have any delinquent financial obligations to KGI at the time classes begin or their registration may be revoked. Therefore, KGI reserves the right to administratively withdraw any student who has not paid their bill by the close of add/drop for the term.

23.5. Billing Information

Billing notifications on all active student accounts are emailed to the student’s official KGI email address (ends in @kgi.edu). KGI does not mail printed statements to currently enrolled students.

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, institution representatives will not disclose any specific information about a student’s account to any third party (including family members) without the student’s permission.

Although the institution will accept payments from a third party, the student is responsible for settling all debts to the institution by the appropriate deadlines.

23.6. Payment Methods

You can choose to make your payment using either a credit card or check, depending on your preference. Click here to explore the available payment options and view further instructions.

23.7. KGI Installment Plan

The KGI Installment Plan, administered by the Student Account Office, enables students to pay tuition in monthly installments rather than in a single payment at the beginning of the term. Payments are made over a four-month period for each term, beginning September 1st in the fall term and February 1st in the spring term. Installment Plans are not available for summer terms. Upon enrollment, you will be charged a $25 installment plan fee, due upon your first installment payment. In addition, a 1% interest fee based on your principal amount is due with each monthly installment. If a student would like to enroll, they should email the Student Accounts Office at student_accounts@kgi.edu to enroll and receive further information.

23.8. KGI Refund Policy

Visit Payments, Refunds, Late Fees page for more information.

23.9. Refund Checks

Visit Payments, Refunds, Late Fees page for more information.

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1. Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences 2026-27 Academic Calendar

2. School of Health Sciences 2026-27 Academic Calendar

3. School of Pharmacy 2026-27 Academic Calendar

4. KGI Campus Map

5. Accreditations

6. About our Schools

7. Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences

8. School of Health Sciences (SHS)

9. School of Pharmacy (SOP)

10. About KGI Board of Trustees

11. KGI President and Cabinet

12. Riggs Program Information and Graduation Requirements

13. SHS Program Information and Graduation Requirements

14. SOP Program Information and Graduation Requirements

15. Course Catalog

16. KGI Academic Policies and Procedures

16.1. Academic Calendar

16.2. Academic Freedom

16.3. Academic Standards

16.4. Academic Integrity Policy

I. Introduction

II. Academic Integrity Pledge

A. Knowledge and Education of Responsibilities

III. Academic Integrity Responsibilities: Student

A. Academic Behavior: Personal

B. Academic Behavior: Collaborative

C. Responsible Actions

D. Opportunities to Serve on a Review Committee

IV. Academic Integrity Responsibilities: Faculty

A. Knowledge and Education of Responsibilities

B. Academic Behavior: Classroom Expectations

C. Academic Environment

D. Responsible Actions

V. Procedures for Handling Alleged Violations

A. Procedure

B. Guiding Principles in Assigning Sanctions

C. Student Appeals Procedure

D.Convening a Student Conduct Committee (SCC) Committee

E. Notification Process

VI. Records of Violations and Repeated Violations

A. Records

B. Admission After Suspension

VII. Chart A – Types of Violations and Possible Sanctions Reference

Defining Minor and Major Violations

VIII. References

16.5. Active Not Enrolled Policy

16.6. Admission into New Program – Continuing Students Policy

16.7. Advisement

16.8. Attendance Policy

Attendance Policy (Didactic Courses)

Student Responsibilities

The following are considered excused absences:

Policy Regarding Missed Assessments

Absences—PharmD

Absences—OTD

Attendance for Online Courses

Tardiness

16.9. Audit Policy

16.10. Canceling Classes

Procedure for Canceling Classes

16.11. Change of Program

16.12. Change of Concentration and Declaring Concentration

16.13. Commencement Ceremony Participation Policy

Eligibility for Participation for Fall and Spring Graduates

Exceptions for Summer Graduates

16.14. Course Substitution Policy

Circumstances for Course Substitution

Criteria for Course Substitution

Procedure for Requesting a Course Substitution

Approved Substitution Coursework

16.15. Course Sanctions

16.16. Credit Hour Policy

Purpose or Overview of Policy

Scope of Policy

Policy Statement

Credit Hour Policy

Lecture, Discussion, Recitation Courses

Laboratory Courses