GSBMS Academic Regulations
Enrollment Status
Student status (full-time, part-time, half-time, leave of absence) is determined on a semester basis. Students must be matriculated in a degree program in order to be considered full-time. The GSBMS Dean shall be the final authority in determining student status in individual cases.
Full-Time Status
To be eligible for loan deferments and financial aid, students must either be in full-time status or be undertaking a sufficient part-time load. Only full-time students are eligible for on-campus housing, Student Health Services or Student Health Insurance. International students on F-1 visas must be engaged in a full-time program in order to maintain their visa status.
A student is considered to be in full-time status according to the conditions outlined in the following sections.
Ph.D. Students
Ph.D. students are full-time if registered for 8 or more credits or engaged in an equivalent level of approved academic activity, such as laboratory research training or dissertation research.
M.S. Students
M.S. students are considered to be in full-time status under the following conditions:
- if registered for 8 or more credits.
- if paying tuition via a comprehensive block tuition plan, M.S. students will be eligible for full-time financial aid if registered for 4 or more credits.
Part-Time and Half-Time Students
Students who are not full-time are considered part-time or half-time, based on the number of credits relative to the nominal full-time load of 12 credits for Ph.D. programs and 8 credits for M.S. programs.
Non-Matriculated Students
Non-matriculated students may enroll for a maximum of 2 courses (8 credits) per semester and for a “lifetime” maximum of 12 credits. The dean has the authority to waive the limit for non-matriculant students in good academic standing, if there is sufficient justification for such a waiver. Non-matriculants in good standing (GPA of 3.00 or better) who wish to matriculate should apply to the program of their choice before completing 12 credits.
Continuous Enrollment
Matriculated students must maintain continuous enrollment until all degree requirements are completed. Students can maintain their matriculation status during all Fall and Spring terms either by (a) enrolling in one or more courses or (b) paying the Maintenance of Matriculation tuition during the normal registration period. The Maintenance of Matriculation fee is waived for full time Ph.D. students who receive tuition remission. Non-matriculated students do not have to maintain continuous enrollment.
All students must be registered in the semester they graduate. If all didactic coursework has been completed by this semester, the student must then register for Maintenance of Matriculation.
Students who fail to register for one or two consecutive semesters must be reinstated before continuing their pursuit of a degree. Reinstatement is not guaranteed. Reinstatement requires submission of a letter from the student explaining his/her failure to maintain continuous enrollment. If the explanation is accepted by the Dean and the student’s academic standing and progress-to-date are acceptable, the student will be reinstated upon payment of the Reinstatement Fee ($100), plus whatever tuition and fees are appropriate for the semester of reinstatement. The Reinstatement Fee is payable by both Master’s and Ph.D. students.
If the student fails to register for three (or more) consecutive semesters, that student’s matriculation shall be discontinued. For such a student to resume pursuit of a degree, he/she must apply for readmission and pay a Reapplication Fee ($150). The Reapplication Fee is payable by both Master’s and Ph.D. students. The student must provide a written statement explaining the interruption of studies and justifying his/her readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed.
Restoration of fellowship or scholarship support after a lapse in continuous enrollment is not guaranteed, despite a favorable decision on any petition for reinstatement or readmission.
Leave of Absence
Graduate students are allowed a Leave of Absence for a period of up to one year with the approval of the appropriate graduate program director or department chairperson and the Dean of the GSBMS. A Leave of Absence form must be submitted to the Registrar. A leave may be requested at any time during a student’s period of study, except during the add/drop period of a student’s first term of study, when exceptional circumstances deem a deferment of admission more appropriate. For a deferment, a student should contact the Office of Admission to ask about a deferral and drop of registration (if applicable).
Time spent on an approved Leave of Absence will not be counted against the time limit during which a degree program must be completed. Matriculants seeking a Leave of Absence should apply no later than one week prior to the first day of classes of the term during which they wish to begin their Leave of Absence. If a student seeks to initiate a leave of absence during a semester, it will normally become official at the beginning of the next semester. If the student must interrupt studies immediately in the midst of a semester, the normal rules governing withdrawal from ongoing courses would apply.
If the student returns upon the expiration of the approved Leave of Absence, he or she is automatically reinstated. If, however, the student does not return until a subsequent semester, he or she will need to submit an Application for Readmission. Readmission to the program after an absence of more than one year is not guaranteed. Restoration of fellowship support after any leave of absence, except for approved medical reasons, is not guaranteed.
It is not possible to receive a degree while on Leave of Absence.
Changes In Enrollment Status
Non-matriculants in good standing who wish to enter a degree program, matriculants who wish to transfer from one Master’s or Ph.D. program to another, and matriculants who wish to transfer from the Master’s program to the Ph.D. program or vice versa should read the Admission Procedures section of the Catalog and then consult the GSBMS Admissions Office for guidance.
Withdrawal from a Program
In the event a student wishes to withdraw from any program, the student must notify the graduate program director and the dean in writing. The program director and the dean will advise the student of his or her academic options before a leave of absence or permanent withdrawal is effected. A Leave of Absence form or a Withdrawal from Institution form, whichever is appropriate, should also be completed and signed by the student, program director, and dean.
Residency and Time Limits
Residence Requirement
Residence is defined in terms of course credits and not according to elapsed time. The residency requirements exist to ensure that any degree awarded by the GSBMS is based predominantly on academic activities undertaken by the student at New York Medical College. A minimum of 24 credits (for Track A) and 26 credits (for Track B) in residence in the GSBMS is required for attainment of the Master’s degree in one of the 2-year M.S. programs. For the Ph.D. degree, a maximum of 12 didactic credits may be transferred from other schools and applied towards fulfillment of degree requirements, regardless of the total number of didactic credits required by the different Ph.D. programs. Credits for journal clubs, teaching assistance, research training, or dissertation research cannot be transferred, nor can credits for any courses graded on a pass/fail or satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Transfer of Credits
Credits for didactic courses (i.e., letter-graded) taken at other schools may be transferred and counted towards the student's degree requirements in both the Master’s and Ph.D. programs, subject to the following provisions. Such courses must be judged to represent valid contributions to the student's program of study. Only graduate level courses from accredited universities or academic institutions may be transferred. Credits earned for research projects or research training cannot be transferred. A minimum grade of B for courses in the student's major field, or a minimum grade of C for courses outside the student’s major discipline is required. The student must submit a completed Transfer Credit Application found on the Registrar's website along with the course syllabus, the name of the assigned textbook or the course reading list, and other specific documentation. Upon completion of the course, an official transcript must be sent directly to the GSBMS office from the institution offering the course. The Program Director determines the suitability and credit value of the proposed transfer credits with regard to the student’s program of study. The Dean authorizes the transfer if it meets the GSBMS’s rules outlined herein. Requests to transfer credits for courses taken while the student is matriculated at NYMC must be pre-approved by both the student’s Program Director and the Dean. All requests for transfer of credits, including the required supporting documentation, must be submitted no later than one week before the registration period for the student’s final semester at NYMC.
Only matriculated students may transfer credits. Master’s students may transfer a maximum of 6 credits towards their M.S. degree requirements; Ph.D. students may transfer a maximum of 12 credits towards their Ph.D. degree requirements. Transfer of credits can occur only after the satisfactory completion of 12 credit hours in residence in the GSBMS. Transfer credits earned more than 10 years before the date of graduation from NYMC cannot be used to fulfill GSBMS degree requirements except as specified in GSBMS rules. Transferred credits do not carry their grade with them and, thus, do not contribute to the student’s GPA at NYMC.
Transferred credits are not accepted for students enrolled in the Accelerated iBMS, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, or Dental Linker program.
Time Limits for Completion of Degree Requirements
The requirements for the degree of Master of Science must be completed within five years following matriculation. Credits earned prior to becoming a matriculated student may be used to meet degree requirements, provided the ten-year limit on individual courses (see below) is not exceeded.
The requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must be completed within the following specified time limits following matriculation into the Ph.D. program.
- seven years, if the student matriculates directly into a Ph.D. program upon enrollment at NYMC.
- five years, if the student matriculates into a Ph.D. program after having completed a Master of Science degree in the same discipline at NYMC, or after having completed all degree requirements for the Master of Science degree except for the Master’s Thesis or Literature Review, or after having earned at least 29 didactic credits at NYMC that may be applied to the Ph.D. requirements.
- six years, if the student matriculates into a Ph.D. program after having earned at least 16, but not more than 29, didactic credits at NYMC that may be applied to the Ph.D. degree requirements, whether as a Master’s degree student or as a non-matriculated student.
- five years for students in the M.D.-Ph.D. program.
If a student does not complete the degree requirements within the specified time limit, the student may petition to be allowed to continue in the program. Such petition may be granted upon the joint consent of the student’s graduate faculty and the dean. When a student makes such a petition to extend the time limit, or whenever it becomes apparent that the student will be unable or unlikely to complete the degree requirements within the specified time limit, the dean shall appoint a special supervisory committee to oversee the student’s progress. This committee shall be composed of at least three graduate faculty from the student’s program or department, and at least one graduate faculty from outside the program or department. In the case of a Ph.D. student, the dissertation committee may be asked to serve this role. The committee will assess the student’s progress and recommend either for or against an extension. If the committee supports an extension, it may recommend specific actions that the student should take in order to improve the likelihood of timely completion of the degree requirements. The recommendation of the committee will be weighted heavily by the dean in the decision to approve a time limit extension. Any extension of the time limit must be reviewed at least once each semester.
For the purpose of this rule, the matriculation date is the semester of initial registration after being accepted into the program. The base unit of time is the semester. Thus, one year equals two semesters. The summer term is not counted as a separate semester in calculating time limits.
Ten-Year Limit On Courses
Because scientific knowledge changes so rapidly, only courses completed within the previous ten years shall be counted towards fulfillment of the degree requirements for any degree. Application of this rule may result in the student having an insufficient number of credits or inadequate representation of required core courses to present for his or her degree. Remedies for this situation include repeating the course, substituting a new course that covers an equivalent body of material, or passing a special examination to confirm the student's mastery of up-to-date knowledge in the particular field represented in the outdated course(s). Outdated courses that are not repeated shall remain on the student's official transcript along with their grades, and shall contribute to the GPA, but the courses shall be annotated to indicate that they do not count towards fulfillment of degree requirements. The ten-year limit also applies to courses that have been completed at another university and transferred to the student’s academic record at NYMC. (The 10-year rule applies to students matriculating in the spring 1994 semester or thereafter.)
System of Grades
The system of grades and quality points assigned to each grade is as follows:
| Grade | Quality Points per Credit Hour |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 |
| F (Failure) | 0.0 |
| P (Pass) | --- |
In addition, the following special “grades” or notations will be assigned to students in the categories outlined below:
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| AUD | Audit |
| GNR | Grade Not Received |
| INC | Incomplete |
| IP | In Progress |
| W | Withdraw |
| WF | Withdraw Failing |
| MT | Multi-Term |
| NG | Non-graded Course |
| TR | Transfer |
Course Audit
Students who do not wish to register for credit may register as auditors in accordance with the following conditions:
- Formal registration and payment of full tuition and fees;
- Consent of the instructor and consent of the student's advisor or program director in the case of matriculating students;
- Adequate classroom and laboratory space.
The student will receive a special grade of AUD (audit) for the course. Participation is limited for auditing; students need not take exams or submit assigned material. No credit will be awarded for an audited course, but the course will appear on the student’s academic record.
Incomplete
Courses in which the student’s performance has not yet been fully evaluated owing to a missing assignment or an examination that was missed for a valid and acceptable reason will be assigned a grade of INC. The student must complete the work within one term or the INC will be changed automatically to an F.
A student who is unable to complete a course for valid reasons (poor health, major change in job location, etc.) must submit to the course instructor a formal request to defer completion of the course work. If the reason is deemed appropriate, the student will receive the grade INC (Incomplete) for the course. When the required work is completed, the appropriate grade will replace INC. An INC must be corrected within one semester or a grade of "F" will be assigned. In general, a student must complete a substantial portion of the semester (usually two-thirds of the semester or more), to qualify for a grade of INC. Withdrawal is the appropriate action for a student who must discontinue participation in a course before completing two-thirds of the semester. A student who withdraws from a class without formal notification to the Registrar or who stops participating without authorization will receive a failing grade (F).
Make-up Examination Policy
A student who misses a final exam because of a valid reason, shall be permitted to take a make-up exam within three weeks after the term has ended.
Changes In Course Status: Drops and Withdrawals
Students who initially register for credit in a course and request a change in status will be advised by the course instructor as to the available and appropriate options. All changes for matriculated students must be approved by the program director and official notification of the change must be provided to the Registrar via the TouroOne Portal.
If a student withdraws before the drop/add deadline (i.e., the close of the drop/add period) by submitting formal notification at that time to the Registrar, no grade will be assigned for that course and the course will not appear on the student’s academic record. The drop/add period extends to a specific date, generally two weeks after the start of a regular semester or one week after the start of a Summer term, that is posted in the academic calendar. Students who withdraw after the drop/add deadline but before the withdrawal deadline will receive one of the following grades (W or W/F):
Withdraw (W): This grade will be assigned to students who withdraw with a passing grade, before any test grades have been recorded, or before 50% of the final grade has been determined.
Withdraw/Failing (W/F): A student who withdraws with a failing average after more than 50% of the final grade has been determined will be assigned the grade W/F. The weights of mid-term and final exams and other class assignments towards the final grade vary greatly from course to course. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the grading policy in each course.
Students will not be allowed to withdraw from courses after the withdrawal deadline, a specific date posted in the academic calendar, which generally is set 10 weeks after the start of a regular semester or 6 weeks after the start of a summer term. Withdrawals after the withdrawal deadline will be permitted only after direct petition to the dean. Approval will be dependent upon extraordinary circumstances.
Repeated Courses
Students may repeat certain courses in order to improve a grade or because the original course had been taken more than ten years previously. The new course and the new grade will appear on the student's transcript and, if a letter grade, be included in calculating the GPA. The original course and grade will remain on the student's transcript, but will be annotated to indicate that this grade is no longer included in the GPA. A student may repeat a specific course only once.
Calculation of GPA
A unit of credit represents one hour of classroom contact per week for one semester (15 weeks) or two or more hours of formal laboratory work per week for one semester. In courses offered during Summer sessions, a unit of credit represents the equivalent amount of classroom or laboratory work although it may be scheduled as more hours per week for fewer weeks. The credit value of each course is indicated in the course catalog.
Grade Point Average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total number of a student's earned quality points by the total number of graded credits attempted.
Example:
| Grade | Credit Hours | Times | Grade Points | Equals | Quality Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4 | x | 4.0 | = | 16.0 |
| B+ | 3 | x | 3.3 | = | 9.9 |
| C | 3 | x | 2.0 | = | 6.0 |
| TOTALS | 10 | 31.9 |
The GPA for this student is 3.19 (31.9 divided by 10).
Pass grades ("P") and grades for transferred credits are not included in a student's GPA calculation, but may be counted towards fulfillment of degree requirements. Failing grades ("F") are included in GPA calculations, even for courses graded on a pass/fail basis. Failed courses cannot be used towards fulfillment of degree requirements. Repeated courses (i.e., the original attempt) are excluded from the GPA. Grades of INC, W, W/F, AUD and GNR are not included in the GPA.
Academic Standing
Good Academic Standing
Students are required to maintain Good Academic Standing at all times. Good Academic Standing has two basic components – (1) a grade point average (GPA) that meets or exceeds the defined graduation standard, and (2) timely fulfillment of degree requirements. A student who meets both components is said to be in good academic standing.
A student remains in good academic standing by maintaining a "B" average as represented by an overall GPA of 3.00 or above. In addition, good standing in certain programs may require a GPA of 3.00 or better in specific core courses. Good standing also requires a passing grade or, in certain programs, a specified minimum grade (e.g., B– or B) in certain individual core or elective courses.
Good academic standing also requires students to fulfill the requirements for the intended degree in a timely fashion, and to meet stated deadlines and time limits. Failure to complete the degree requirements within the stated time limits, failure to maintain continuous enrollment or failure to enroll in the courses needed for graduation, or failure to pass the doctoral qualifying examination, achieve doctoral candidacy, submit a dissertation proposal, complete or make satisfactory progress in dissertation or thesis research, or prepare the Master’s literature review, Master’s thesis, or doctoral dissertation in timely fashion may also jeopardize the student’s standing in the program and subject the student to warnings, probation or dismissal.
Ph.D. students must obtain a faculty sponsor for their dissertation research. The sponsor must be a member of the Graduate Faculty with mentor privileges. Failure to obtain a dissertation sponsor in timely fashion is, in itself, grounds for dismissal.
Probation/Dismissal
Failure to maintain good academic standing as defined above is cause for dismissal from the GSBMS, unless the student's program director recommends to the dean that the student be placed on academic probation. Upon approval of probation by the dean, a written notice shall be sent by the dean to the student and to the graduate program director of the department. Failure to correct the deficiency within one year after the written notice will result in dismissal from the GSBMS.
At the end of each semester those students who have failed a course, received a grade of "C" or lower in a core course, or been recommended for probation by failing to maintain a minimally acceptable GPA (see above), will be notified in writing by the dean of the GSBMS that they have been placed on probation. Copies of this notice will be sent to the student's graduate program director. Students should be aware that the written notice from the dean is only a courtesy. Failure to maintain good academic standing automatically places a student on probation or makes the student liable for dismissal.
In general, a failed course or a core course for which a grade of "C" or lower was received should be repeated to rectify the initial reason for probation. In those cases in which a student has failed a course given only in alternate years, some arrangement must be made among the student, his/her advisor, the graduate program director and the dean for removing this unsatisfactory grade or addressing the academic deficiency other than by repeating the course. This may involve a period of independent study by the student and a substantive comprehensive examination of the student’s mastery of the course material. In general, no useful purpose is served by placing a student on probation for as long as two years. Completing a similar course at another institution may be recommended in order to fulfill a requirement unmet by the sub-par performance in a course taken in residence but cannot be used to satisfy a GPA deficiency.
A student on academic probation must maintain the minimum standards of the GSBMS during the probationary period. If the student performs unsatisfactorily during this period – e.g., fails a course or earns a semester GPA below 3.00, or withdraws from courses because of sub-par academic performance, he/she may be subject to immediate dismissal by the dean. A student on probation who wishes to change majors by transferring to another department and, thereby, eliminate the academic deficiency may do so only by formally applying to the GSBMS.
The dean will review the performance of each student on probation at the end of each semester. If any action is necessary, the dean shall take it at this time; otherwise the dean shall wait until the end of the probationary year before notifying the student, the student's advisor and the graduate program director as to whether the student is removed from probation or dismissed from the GSBMS.
Disciplinary Action for Unacceptable Conduct
Students are subject to disciplinary action, including suspension or dismissal, because of unacceptable conduct. Serious violation of the principles of honesty and integrity are grounds for disciplinary action. Inappropriate behavior towards other members of the college community may also constitute grounds for disciplinary action. If such violations or behavior are brought to the attention of the dean, the dean will investigate and provide the accused student a chance to refute the charges, if necessary. When the integrity of research or the safety of individuals is at possible immediate risk, the dean may suspend the accused student from any or all academic activities or privileges while the matter is being investigated.
Official letters of dismissal shall be sent by the dean upon the recommendation of, or after conferring with, the student's program director. A student may appeal a decision for dismissal from the School.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy ensures students are able to complete their academic program in a timely manner while achieving and maintaining compliance with minimum academic standards. Federal regulations mandate that all students are required to conform to SAP standards as they work towards a degree in order for them to qualify to receive financial assistance through all Touro College and University System ("Touro") eligible Title IV federal financial aid programs, including New York Medical College ("NYMC") and New York College of Podiatric Medicine. Conformance to Touro’s SAP policy ensures students complete their academic program in a timely manner while achieving and maintaining compliance with minimum academic standards.
This policy applies to all students in the GSBMS of Biomedical Sciences of New York Medical College. This policy is fully compliant with and consistent with the TU system-wide SAP policy. This policy and standards are for Title IV Federal Financial Aid purposes only and neither replace nor override and other academic policies related to other state or federal benefit programs, or to GSBMS or individual program requirements. The standards outlined herein, however, are intended to be at least as rigorous as other GSBMS academic policies.
Please refer to College policies webpage for the SAP policy.
Listed below is the GSBMS's minimum standards to achieve satisfactory academic progress.
| Program | Credits | Minimum CGPA |
Minimum Pace |
Maximum Time Frame |
| Accelerated Master's Program |
32 | 2.80 | 66.67% | 48 |
| Evening M.S. | 30 | 2.80 | 66.67% | 45 |
| Biomedical Science & Management Master's |
36 | 2.80 | 66.67% | 54 |
| Ph.D. | 29-39 | 2.80 | 66.67% | 44-59 |
| M.D.-Ph.D. | 9-16 | 2.80 | 66.67% | 14-24 |
Graduation
NYMC’s GSBMS of Biomedical Sciences confers degrees three times a year with one formal graduation (commencement) ceremony in May. Upon completion of all degree requirements, except in-progress courses, students submit a graduation application to the registrar’s office before the published deadline (if applicable, a non-refundable fee must be paid at the time the student applies). Degrees are conferred once the student’s full academic record has been reviewed, and it is determined that all academic requirements have been fulfilled.
The College’s annual graduation (commencement) ceremony is held each May. Students attending the ceremony will receive their diploma on stage and must purchase graduation attire from the College supplier. Graduating students who do not attend the ceremony can either pick up their diploma or request that the registrar’s office mail it to them. Diplomas are not issued to students with outstanding financial obligations to the College.
Each semester, the Registrar’s Office sends a notice to all currently enrolled students regarding deadline dates and instructions for completing and submitting an Application of Graduation form. It is the student’s responsibility to submit this form by the deadline date. Failure to do so could result in postponement of graduation.
Please refer to the General Degree Requirements and to the specific program requirements sections of the catalog for further information on the number of credits required for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the specific requirements for his or her intended degree. Although specific requirements may be waived in certain cases, such proposals from the program director must be approved by the dean and the Academic Standards Committee of the Graduate Faculty. If there is any uncertainty about the degree requirements or proposed waivers, the student is encouraged to raise the issue with the dean. Such issues should be addressed with sufficient time to rectify any problems – i.e., before the start of the student’s final year or final semester of study.
All degrees awarded by the GSBMS require submission and approval of a dissertation, thesis or literature review. Guidelines for the preparation and formatting of these documents are available in the TouroOne portal. The approved final version of a student’s Master’s Thesis, Master’s Literature Review or Doctoral Dissertation must be submitted to the GSBMS office by April 1 for May graduation; the third Friday in June for August graduation; and November 1 for December graduation.
Students who complete thesis degree requirements too late to graduate in May must reapply for graduation in the following term by the designated deadline date. The graduation fee does not have to be paid a second time. Upon request, the dean will write a letter on a student’s behalf explaining that the student has met degree requirements and will receive a diploma at the next Commencement of the college.
Students who receive an M.S. degree and subsequently apply to receive a Ph.D. degree will be charged a separate graduation fee for each degree.
Waiver of Regulations
The GSBMS recognizes that there may be extraordinary circumstances where the enforcement of a deadline or regulation would create a clear and undue hardship for a student. Under such circumstances, a request for a waiver of regulations may be made in writing to the Dean of the GSBMS by the student or the graduate program director.
