Graduate Handbook
Departmental and University Policies
- Students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0. A student will be placed on semester-long probation after the first semester below 3.0 overall. Two full semesters under 3.0 will result in dismissal.
- Students dismissed from Grand Valley State University may appeal.
- Each graduate student must complete Responsible Conduct of Research Training before 50% of their program is completed.
- For other research, graduate students may consult the Human Research and Review Committee and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
- Applied Computer Science and Cybersecurity students will complete the CITI module.
- Data Science and Analytics, and Health Informatics and Bioinformatics students will complete this requirement by taking PSM 650.
Fundamentally, the work you submit must be your own, and any action taken to earn credit for assignments while avoiding learning the material or avoiding demonstrating your personal understanding of the material, or assisting others in doing so, is considered academic misconduct.
Some basic guidelines:
- You should complete each assignment in its entirety from the beginning.
- If you use code or ideas you find online or come from someone else, you must cite it.
- You must be able to explain any work you turn in.
- You may not submit work with the intent of circumventing automated systems to get credit, reveal the correct answer, or reveal hidden test cases.
- Exams are closed-note unless otherwise stated.
- Exams should not be discussed with other students until the instructor indicates it is ok.
- You are responsible for protecting your work from being seen by others.
- You are responsible for asking your instructor any questions related to academic integrity before an assignment is due.
- You should not be looking at other students’ work (including source code).
- Writing code together (even on a whiteboard) is considered academic misconduct.
- By the due date, it is assumed that your assignment is in its final state, and it will be graded as such.
You are still encouraged to:
- discuss problems in general with other students.
- provide and receive help with simple compile errors and using the computing environment.
- discuss assignment requirements.
- study for exams with other students.
Academic misconduct will not be tolerated. Computing faculty will generally assign a failing grade in the course for your first offense. Suspension will be recommended for especially flagrant acts. For a second offense, expulsion from GVSU will be recommended. For any suspicion of academic misconduct, instructors are obligated to submit a report to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution.
University Resources
The Writing Center is part of the GVSU Knowledge Market designed to help any student with writing.
The Speech Lab is part of the GVSU Knowledge Market designed to help any student with presenting and speaking in front of people.
The Graduate School has many links and forms to help graduate students.
The Graduate Student Association is an excellent resource for getting involved and meeting people during graduate school.
PACES (Professionalism Advancement Communications Engagement Success) is co-sponsored by the Graduate School and the GSA and presents professional development.
The Registrar is the resource for academic records and policies, the academic calendar and deadlines, registration issues like overrides or holds, forms, and applying to graduation.
The Laker Line is part of the Greater Grand Rapids bus system, and its routes are free to all GVSU students. Daily rides are offered between the Allendale, Pew, and Health campuses.
The Career Center can review resumes and cover letters, coach on interviews, and help with the internship and job search.
The LGBT Resource Center offers events and supports for the LGBT community.
Student Accessibility Resources offers supports for any impairment that affects performance in the academic setting, whether physical or mental.
The University Counseling Center is here to listen when a GV student needs to talk it out.
The Student Ombuds, Takeelia Garrett, can be contacted for issues outside of mental health, such as student employment, academic concerns, or conflict resolution.
- CIS Computing Club
- GVSU Hackers Analyzing Threats
- Grand Valley Competitive Programming Club
- Health and Bioinformatics Journal Club
- WiCyS She Secures Students Chapter (Cybersecurity)
- Women in Computing Club
Final Projects/Theses/Capstones
Master's Project or Master's Thesis (includes the Thesis Research Preparation course)
Master's Project or Master's Thesis (includes the Thesis Research Preparation course)
Internship; guidelines and procedures are found on the PSM website
Internship; guidelines and procedures are found on the PSM website
Capstone, currently offered winter semester only