Grades and progression in Sacred Heart's graduate nursing programs

The passing standard: B- and a 3.0

Sacred Heart's MSN and Post-MSN Certificate guide draws one line for every course: "The minimum passing course grade at the graduate level is a B-," which the guide also expresses as a numerical 80. Alongside it you hold a cumulative GPA of 3.0. The guide describes itself as the official student handbook and a supplement to the university catalog, so nursing students read both.

The catalog's graduate scale runs A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C and F, plus P, NP, W, I, AU and NG, which stay out of the GPA. University-wide, a cumulative GPA below 3.0 means academic probation, and a GPA below 2.7 after 18 attempted credits means dismissal from the university; departments may add requirements of their own.

Other programs set their own lines. The hybrid FNP/DNP and the post-master's DNP ask for B- or better in every required nursing course, a 3.0 GPA and no professional or clinical warnings. RN-BSN nursing courses pass at C+ (77), and the 500- and 600-level courses taken in the RN-BSN-MSN at B- (80).

How clinical work enters your grade

Clinical performance does not sit beside the course grade; it decides it. Sacred Heart's guides connect the two in four places:

• The practicum: "Failure of the clinical practicum will result in failure of the course." Passing it takes a course grade of at least 80, every clinical competency met and the full count of required hours.
• Clinical practice components: a failure is graded F, and the guide says the student will be dismissed from the program.
• Residencies: graded pass/fail, and a failed residency fails any clinical course; the residencies page shows which programs have them.
• E*Value: required documents submitted late bring a failure (F) in clinical; the E*Value guide lists them.

Hours logged while non-compliant, or at a site or with a preceptor that was never approved, are deleted and bring a program warning. Each of these risks is easy to manage with steady weekly habits, which is why they are worth learning early.

Warnings, probation and appeals

Sacred Heart uses written warnings before probation. Two consecutive warnings, or three that are not consecutive, place a student on nursing programmatic academic probation for two academic semesters or four enrolled modules. Probation brings a Student Success Plan and a limit of one course per module, a structure designed to get a student back on firm ground.

A dismissal can be appealed on three grounds: an arithmetic or clerical error, extenuating circumstances, or discrimination or harassment. The appeal is due by January 3 for a fall-semester dismissal and otherwise within 14 business days of the notice. The Academic Standards Committee hears it, and the Dean decides.

Problems inside a clinical rotation follow their own chain of command: the preceptor or course faculty first, then the Assistant Program Director or Program Director, the Chair of Graduate Programs, the Associate Dean and finally the Dean.

Leave, continuous enrollment and the six-year limit

A program leave of absence runs at least three consecutive modules or one semester and at most one year, and the request is due at least two weeks before the next course starts. The catalog's university leave speaks of returning within two years, so confirm with your advisor which limit applies to you. Going more than two consecutive modules, or a semester, without registering or an approved leave leads to administrative withdrawal and a readmission application.

Continuous enrollment is worded two ways: the catalog asks for enrollment in any two terms of the academic year, the guide for two courses within a 12-month period. FNP students who need more time for clinical hours can register for NU 600 Continuous Enrollment, a zero-credit course that keeps them enrolled while they finish.

Every program must be completed within six years of finishing the first course, and only the dean can extend that limit. Apply for graduation through SPA at least one semester before your final term.