An administrative drop is implemented by university officials in the registrar's office or the dean's office. A student may be administratively dropped from one or more classes or withdrawn from all classes for any of the following reasons:
- Failure to meet certain preconditions, including, but not limited to: class cancellations or failure to meet course prerequisites
- Whenever a student's safety, or that of a faculty member or another student in a course is jeopardized
- Academic suspension, including, but not limited to, failure to attain or maintain a required GPA
- Disciplinary suspension for having been found to have violated the Student Code of Conduct
- Disruptive behavior determined by the chair/and or associate dean to be detrimental to the progress of the course and the education of other students
Instructors of the Business School may recommend to program directors that students who fail to meet expected course attendance or course prerequisites be dropped from a course. In some cases, students who are administratively dropped will not receive tuition reimbursement.
Enrollment in graduate business courses is limited to students who have been admitted to graduate business degree programs and to approved non-business and non-degree students on a space available basis. The graduate business course registration criteria are designed to meet a number of objectives:
- To assure access to graduate business courses for students seeking a graduate business degree
- To serve students in other colleges who have business-related education objectives or requirements
- To serve non-degree students who have specific career or education goals
Students should contact a graduate advisor to appeal or petition decisions and/or policies of the Business School.
Students are required to attend classes on a regular basis. Absences must be arranged with the instructor and must conform to university and instructor's policies on attendance. A student who never attends a class will not be automatically dropped. The student must drop the course through the registration system or through a Schedule Adjustment Form.
The normal course load for full-time graduate students is nine to15 semester hours per semester. However, students who are also are pursuing a career generally attend classes on a part-time basis by enrolling in three to six semester hours per semester. (For financial aid purposes, six credit hours of graduate study are considered full time.) Graduate business courses are held in the evening and online in order to accommodate the professional student. Students should allow an average of seven hours of out-of-class time for study and group work per course per week.
All students are encouraged to meet with a graduate advisor during the first semester to review the degree plan. Students must petition to receive degree credit for any course changes outside the scope of the degree plan. Students are encouraged to meet with a graduate advisor throughout their program to ensure the correct sequencing of courses.
Classes dropped prior to census date will not appear on the transcript. Thereafter, to drop with a grade of W, a Schedule Adjustment Form must be completed. Refer to the academic calendar for required signatures and deadlines. Students will not be permitted to drop a course or withdraw from all courses after the tenth week of the semester, unless circumstances outside the student's control are documented. The petition to drop or withdraw must be approved by the assistant dean for academic programs and the course instructor(s).
Deadlines for completing the intent to graduate form for graduate business students are August 15 for December graduation, December 15 for May graduation and May 15 for August graduation. Students are encouraged to file immediately after registering for the last term, so that a graduation checkout may detect possible last-minute problems requiring petitions or course schedule changes.
Business School students who have not been enrolled for three consecutive semesters (summers included) are considered former students and must reapply for admission to the program by resubmitting Part I of the Application for Graduate Admission along with the tuition classification form and applicable fee. Readmitted students must conform to the admissions and degree requirements that are in effect during the term in which they are readmitted. If the new requirements differ significantly from the former degree plan, a petition may be submitted requesting exceptions.
See the UC Denver Catalog for policies that apply to all UC Denver students.
Free electives may be any graduate course (i.e., courses numbered 5000 and above) offered by the Business School, excluding courses with the BUSN prefix numbered below 6800. (Some programs may have additional exceptions so check with a graduate academic advisor if in doubt.) Any courses with the following prefixes numbered 5000 or above would count as free electives: ACCT, ENTP, FNCE, HLTH, INTB, ISMG, MGMT, MKTG, OPMG or QUAN. It is possible to use the free electives in the MBA program towards a specialization. For a description of the specialization options, consult the MBA Degree Requirements page.
Grades as reported by instructors are final. Grade changes will be considered only in cases of documented clerical errors or when students are making up incomplete grades (I). All changes must be made within one year after the graduate business course has been taken, unless highly unusual circumstances can be documented and the change has been approved by the graduate curriculum committee for graduate business courses. Normally, grade changes will not be considered for any circumstances after three years. All grade change requests should be submitted to and facilitated by the applicable instructor.
A minimum cumulative graduate business GPA of 3.0 must be achieved and maintained for courses taken toward a graduate business degree. All UC Denver courses completed to meet graduate business degree requirements are computed in the graduate business GPA. Transfer hours and grades from other institutions, including University of Colorado courses taken at the Boulder, Anschutz Medical Center or Colorado Springs campuses are not computed in the graduate business GPA, although degree credit is awarded.
The only incomplete grade in the Business School is “I” (incomplete). An I grade is assigned only when documented circumstances clearly beyond a student's control prevent completion of a graduate business course's requirements (exams, papers, etc.). Students must sign a contract with the instructor giving the I that outlines how they will make up the missing work. Students may not register for the class a second time. All I grades must be made up within the contract period (which may not exceed one year) or the I will automatically be changed to the grade of F. Also, I grades must be completed and recorded at the office of admissions and records no later than four weeks prior to graduation. Students are responsible for contacting the instructor involved concerning the change of incomplete grades.
Graduates students must be admitted to the Business School, be in good standing with at least a 3.0 GPA, and have completed 15 semester hours of graduate work at UC Denver to be eligible for an internship. Interested students should contact the Career Center at 303-556-2250. A three-semester hour internship would require 150-170 hours of work during the semester. Current employment may not count towards an internship. The purpose of an internship is to provide experience that cannot be gained through the classroom or the current work environment.
Independent studies allow students to research topics of special interest to them. Independent studies must be sponsored by a full-time faculty member. Consult a graduate academic advisor regarding the required forms and the process for arranging an independent study.
There is a maximum of six semester hours that students can use for internships or independent studies. Students must submit a petition if they would like to pursue either an internship or an independent study.
Students cannot audit any graduate business class. With the exception of internships, the Business School does not permit election of pass-fail grading for any graduate business course required for the degree.
Any grade below a C (2.0) is a failing grade for graduate students. Graduate students must repeat a required course for which they have received a grade below a C. Both the original grade and the grade earned when repeating the course count in the computation of the graduate business grade-point average. If you receive a grade below a C in an elective course, you may repeat the same elective course or select another. Both grades will be calculated into your cumulative GPA.
Students are expected to fulfill all prerequisites prior to enrolling in a course. Several courses should be taken in sequence, and prerequisites indicate the sequence required. Refer to the UC Denver Catalog or the schedule of courses for prerequisite information when registering. The Business School reserves the right to administratively drop students who do not meet the prerequisites.
If after completing nine semester hours a student's cumulative graduate business grade-point average falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation and given three semesters (one calendar year) or 9 semester hours of graduate business coursework, whichever occurs first, in which to achieve the required 3.0 cumulative average. Failure to achieve the required GPA within the allotted time period will result in suspension for one year. Students on probation who showed improvement while on probation or students with unusual circumstances who are unable to meet the GPA within the time limits will have 30 days from the date of suspension activation to petition for a prolonged probationary period. Suspended students may seek to be readmitted to the Business School after 12 months (three semesters) from the term in which the suspension occurred. A petition form plus a new Graduate Application Part I and a tuition classification form must be submitted along with the appropriate fee.
A failed course (any grade below a C) must be repeated if it is a required course. Both the original grade and the grade earned when repeating the course count in the computation of the graduate business grade-point average. Both courses will appear on the transcript. A course in which a grade of C or better is obtained may not be repeated without written approval from the director of graduate programs. Graduate business courses repeated without approval will not be used in the graduate business GPA calculation.
Master’s students are required to complete all degree requirements within five years and one semester (seven years and one semester to earn dual MBA/MS or MS/MS degrees, or a PhD). Courses completed outside of these time limits will not be accepted towards the degree without a petition. Time-limit extensions are given only for external situations that restrict a student’s ability to complete the program in a timely manner.
Upon approval of the graduate committee, a maximum of 12 credit hours of graduate business coursework may be transferred to the MBA and a maximum of nine credit hours may be transferred to MS degrees (nine credit hours for each the MBA and MS degrees if part of a dual degree program). The MS in Decision Sciences program will allow a maximum of six credit hours to be transferred upon approval. The courses must be from another AACSB International-accredited graduate school of business and have been completed within the last five years with at least a grade of B (not B-). No transfer courses may have been used to satisfy degree requirements of a previously awarded degree.
Graduate business courses taken at other University of Colorado campuses are considered transfer hours and are included in the transfer limit.* Transfer of quarter hours of graduate business credit may satisfy a course requirement, but may not satisfy the total number of hours requirement. One quarter hour equals .667 credit hours. Grades from transferred courses are not calculated in the GPA.
*If you are interested in an MS in Global Energy Management please see your advisor for special requirements.