Academic Degree Requirements

Students are enrolled in UoPeople’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) or in UoPeople’s Master of Education in Advanced Teaching and are responsible for knowing and meeting all degree requirements outlined in the University Catalog at the time they commenced their studies at the University of the People. They may elect instead to complete the requirements in the most recent Catalog.

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) requires the completion of at least 36 semester hour credits of graduate level study including all courses listed for the degree. In order to graduate, students must meet the following requirements:

• • • Complete a minimum of 36 approved credits.
    • Complete the eight core courses with a grade of C (2.00) or better in each course.
    • Complete a minimum of three approved graduate elective courses with a grade of C (2.00) or better in each course.
    • Earn a grade of B (2.67) or better in the capstone project/course.
    • Earn an overall CGPA of 2.50 or higher for all graduate level coursework completed.
    • Complete all requirements for the MBA in no more than 25 terms of active enrollment including any periods of separation from the University.

Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT)

The Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) requires the completion of at least 36 semester hour credits of graduate level study including all courses listed for the degree. In order to graduate, students must meet the following requirements:

• • • Complete a minimum of 36 approved credits.
    • Complete the nine core courses with a grade of C (2.00) or better in each course.
    • Complete a minimum of three approved Master’s in Business Administration courses with a grade of C (2.00) or better in each course.
    • Earn a grade of B- (2.67) or better in the capstone project/course.
    • Earn an overall CGPA of 2.50 or higher for all graduate level coursework completed.
    • Complete all requirements for the MSIT in no more than 25 terms of active enrollment including any periods of separation from the University.

Master of Education in Advanced Teaching (M.Ed.)

The Master of Education in Advanced Teaching (M.Ed.) requires the completion of at least 39 semester hour credits of graduate level study including all courses listed for the degree. In order to graduate, students must meet the following requirements:

• • • Complete a minimum of 39 approved credits.
    • Complete the nine core courses with a grade of C (2.00) or better in each course.
    • Complete a minimum of two approved graduate specialization core courses from chosen specialization track with a grade of C (2.00) or better in each course
    • Complete a minimum of one approved graduate elective courses from chosen specialization track with a grade of C (2.00) or better in each course.
    • Earn a grade of B (2.67) or better in the capstone project/course.
    • Earn an overall CGPA of 2.50 or higher for all graduate level coursework completed.
    • Complete all requirements for the M.Ed. in no more than 25 terms of active enrollment including any periods of separation from the University.

Part-Time and Full-Time Options

Full-time graduate students may enroll in up to 4 courses per term, and part-time students may enroll in 1 or 2 courses per term. The following registration restrictions apply:

• • • Students who maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of ≥ 3.75 may register for up to four (4) courses per term.
    • Students who maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of ≥ 2.50 and ≤ 3.74 may register for up to two (2) courses per term.
    • Students on Academic Warning and/or have a CGPA below 2.50 may only register and/or be enrolled in one (1) course per term.

Students whose CGPA falls at the end of a given term to below the minimum CGPA required to be enrolled in the allowed number of courses for the following term, will be required to cancel courses by the first day of the term. Those who fail to meet this requirement to reduce their course load according to the stated policy will be automatically removed from any excess courses by the Office of Student Services.

Students whose CGPA improves at the end of a given term, which would otherwise allow them to register for additional courses for the next term, will not be able to add additional courses during late registration. They will be required to wait until registration opens during the 5^th week of the following term to register for the additional number of allowed courses.

Time to Degree Requirements:

Students must complete all requirements for all graduate degree programs in no more than 25 terms^[13] of active enrollment including any periods of separation from the University when a student is out of residence. Out of residence refers to the number of terms that a student has been inactive at the University— either unenrolled from the institution and/or enrolled at UoPeople without completing any course work in the intervening terms (that is, enrolled but active), and/or on a Leave of Absence.

Time to degree will vary by student and depend in great part on whether a student studies full-time or part-time and whether or not they enroll for all five terms in every academic year.

• • • Students who enroll full-time can complete the MBA in six consecutive terms of study; Students who enroll full-time can complete the M.Ed. in seven consecutive terms of study.
    • Students who enroll in continuous part-time study can complete the MBA in two and a half calendar years (30 months). Students who enroll in continuous part-time study can complete the M.Ed. in 31 months.

Notes on Time to Degree Requirements

1. 1. Students exceeding the permissible number of terms of active enrollment without completing all their degree requirements will be administratively withdrawn from the University.
   2. Extensions to the time to complete a degree will be considered on a case-by-case basis, upon proof of extenuating circumstances, and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by appealing for reinstatement within 30 days of the withdrawal notice.
   3. There are no special charges or fees associated with making a request for a special review or for extending enrollment.

Additional UoPeople Degrees

Students graduating from a Graduate Degree Program at UoPeople may enroll in a second Master’s Degree of a different program at the University, or in an undergraduate degree program at UoPeople after the completion of the Graduate Degree. This will require opening a new application and paying the application fee. Students cannot study in two UoPeople degree programs concurrently.

Identity Verification Assignments

University of the People students are required to successfully complete the required number of Identity Verification Assignments prior to graduation according to their degree program. It is a condition of awarding a degree and diploma and students cannot graduate unless all required Identity Verification Assignments are successfully completed.

To successfully complete an Identity Verification Assignment, students must possess a government-issued ID, or other identification documentation deemed acceptable by the University, and record themselves clearly showing their ID. This recording will be viewable only to the student, the Course Instructor, and University officials as necessary.

Students who do not complete the Identity Verification Assignment by the end of a course will be issued a 0.00 in the course regardless of the student’s prior performance in the course. All University policies, including the Code of Academic Integrity, apply to Identity Verification Assignments.

Identity Verification Courses (Courses Requiring ID)

The following courses have identity verification assignments that students must complete in order to pass the course.

Identity Verification Courses – MBA

BUS 5112 Marketing Management
BUS 5115 Business Law, Ethics, and Social Responsibility
BUS 5117 Strategic Decision Making and Management
BUS 5910 Management Capstone

Identity Verification Courses – MSIT

BUS 5115 Business Law, Ethics, and Social Responsibility
MSIT 5260 Foundations of HCI
MSIT 5910 Capstone

Identity Verification Courses – M.Ed.

EDUC 5240 Creating Positive Classroom Environments
EDUC 5270 Instructional Techniques – Elementary
EDUC 5280 Instructional Techniques – Secondary
EDUC 5911 Capstone for MEd in Advanced Teaching: Elementary Specialization (Grades K-8)
EDUC 5912 Capstone for MEd in Advanced Teaching: Secondary Specialization (Grades 6-12)

Grades and Transcripts

An academic record is maintained for each student enrolled in a Graduate Degree Program, and the student’s work will be graded and recorded in accordance with the policies of the University outlined in the Catalog. Students may request a copy of the official transcript of their academic work at UoPeople by following the instructions for requesting a transcript outlined in the Catalog.

Credits earned at UoPeople may be transferable to other institutions. Students wishing to transfer UoPeople Graduate credits to another institution should check with the receiving institution regarding its transfer credit policies.

 

[13] All coursework for Graduate Degree Programs must be completed within 5 years (60 months) after the student’s initial matriculation in the graduate degree program.