General Regulations and Information
Distinct Indiana University and Purdue University admission and academic
policies are described in detail following the general IUPUI graduate
information.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Placement Test
All newly admitted international students (undergraduate and graduate) are
required to take the IUPUI English (ESL) examination. Students are required to
take any ESL courses that are deemed to be necessary by this testing until they
have fulfilled university and departmental requirements for English proficiency.
This examination is required regardless of previous test scores presented. The
IUPUI ESL Program and the Office of International Affairs have joined together
to administer the required ESL Placement Test for students whose native language
is not English. International students must take this test prior to registration
for classes even if the TOEFL test has been taken. Because this is a placement
test used to accurately determine English language skill level, students do not
need to "prepare" for it. The scores are used to assign the ESL
classes that best meet students’ academic needs and that will provide the
favorable English experiences necessary for a successful career at IUPUI. The
ESL Placement Test consists of three parts: 1) an objective test, 2) a written
essay test, and 3) a listening test. It takes approximately three (3) hours to
complete the placement test.
- Objective test (1.25 hours): this test consists of grammar, vocabulary,
and reading comprehension sections that test knowledge and understanding of the
English language.
- Written essay (30 minutes): this test assesses the student’s ability to
write in an organized fashion about a specific topic in a limited time period.
Each topic allows a student to use personal experience and observations for
information, examples, and generalizations. The essay test does not require
outside source information or specific knowledge in a certain area, but requires
clear and effective writing.
- Listening test (20 minutes): this test evaluates the student’s listening
comprehension. The test is presented in the form of an audio tape which includes
questions and statements.
Students register in advance for the ESL Placement Test and pay a $25
(1999-2000 rate) testing fee. Students must either be admitted to study at IUPUI
or have filed an admission application in order to register for the test. To
register, contact the Office of International Affairs, at (317) 274-7000,
between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Applicants, except those whose native language is English, are expected to
submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL
is given worldwide throughout the year. Information on testing dates,
availability of computer-based tests, locations, and costs may be obtained by
writing to
TOEFL/TSE Services
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541-6151
USA
IUPUI’s school code number for the TOEFL application is 1325. All Purdue
University and Indiana University Graduate School graduate teaching
assistants/instructors whose native language is not English must demonstrate
adequate oral English proficiency before being assigned duties involving direct
instruction of students.
The courses in which a graduate student enrolls should reflect the nature and
amount of the student’s study and research activities as accurately as
possible. Research includes literature reviews and thesis writing. A candidate
for any advanced degree (excluding Indiana University Graduate School master’s
students) must be registered during the session in which he or she expects to
receive the degree.
Proper registration is the responsibility of the student, the major
professor, and the student’s department. The Graduate Office staff does not
(except in unusual cases) counsel individual graduate students relative to their
programs and progress. Necessary contacts should, in general, be made through
the student’s department.
Graduate students interested in obtaining an Indiana University or Purdue
University degree at the Indianapolis campus should contact IUPUI’s financial
aid office:
Office of Student Financial Aid Services
425 University Blvd.
Cavanaugh Hall 103, Indianapolis, IN 46202
(317) 274-4723
Associate Instructorships, Graduate Assistantships, and Research Assistantships
A large number of associate instructorships, graduate assistantships, and
research assistantships are available in departments and schools. Some of these
positions are accompanied by fee scholarships, which defray the cost of tuition
and fees with the exception of special fees and those fees dedicated to debt
retirement on physical facilities. Application for such positions should be made
to the department or school in which the student wishes to work. Early
application is advisable.
A number of fellowships are available to students enrolled full time; among
them are Graduate School fellowships, fee scholarships, and various privately
and federally funded awards. Students should apply for these fellowships
directly to the major department. Information on, and preliminary application
materials for, the National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships may be
obtained from:
Graduate School
Kirkwood Hall 111
Indiana University,
Bloomington, IN 47405
[phone: (812) 855-8854]
or:
Fellowship Office
National Research Council
2101 Constitution Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20418
In all cases, early application is advisable. It should be noted that all
such award holders are required to devote full time to their studies.
Foreign Language Requirements
There is no general requirement of competency in any foreign language. Each
department determines requirements, if any, and options for satisfying them are
published in the department’s respective section of this bulletin, in the
Indiana University Graduate School Bulletin, or in the Purdue University
Graduate School Bulletin.
Grade points are assigned at IUPUI according to the following scale; in
calculating grade point averages, any plus or minus accompanying a letter grade
is taken into account.
A = 4.0
A– = 3.7
B+ = 3.3
B = 3.0
B– = 2.7
C+ = 2.3
C = 2.0
C– = 1.7
D+ = 1.3
D = 1.0
D– = .7
F = 0
Courses completed with grades below C (2.0) are not counted toward degree
requirements, but such grades will be counted in calculating a student’s grade
point average. Some departments may require an average grade in graduate courses
higher than B (3.0), while others may count no courses completed with grades
below B (3.0) toward degree requirements (see departmental entries). No work may
be transferred from another institution unless the grade is a B (3.0) or higher.
The school dean may review a grade record at any time and may place a student
on academic probation if the record justifies such action. When the grade point
average of a student falls below 3.0, or the student is not making sufficient
progress toward the degree, the dean will notify the student that he or she has
been placed on probation. Unless the student brings this record up to a 3.0
grade point average, or begins making satisfactory progress in the next semester
of enrollment, the student will not ordinarily be allowed to continue study at
the university.
GRE (Graduate Record Examination)
Applicants may be required to take the Graduate Record Examination General
Test, Subject Test, or both (see departmental requirements in this bulletin or
in the individual department’s bulletin). Most graduate departments at IUPUI
require GRE scores to complete an application. Information concerning these
examinations may be obtained from
Graduate Record Examinations
Educational Testing Service
CN 6000
Princeton, NJ 08541-6000
Students may also call a Sylvan Learning Center to schedule the computer-based
test. It is particularly important that the GRE be taken if the applicant:
- is seeking admission to a department that requests it (see individual
departmental listings in this bulletin for such detail);
- wishes to be considered for certain fellowship programs;
- feels that the previous academic record does not adequately reflect the
applicant’s ability;
- received the baccalaureate degree from an unaccredited institution;
- elects to use the verbal portion of the GRE Aptitude Test as a means to
satisfy any departmental written English proficiency requirement.
GRE booklets and a study guide, which is computer-based, are available in the
IUPUI Graduate Office.
There are special application procedures for those who are not citizens of
the United States or who have had their previous schooling outside the United
States. Such individuals should obtain the International Application packet from
the Office of International Affairs (Union Building, Room 207) or the department
(for Purdue programs only). Information and an international application may be
downloaded from the Web. Because of the extra
procedures required in evaluating foreign credentials, the application fee for
international students is $55 (1999-2000 fee). This fee need be paid only once,
no matter how many degrees a student might earn.
Once enrolled, international students who wish to change their program of
study must first obtain the approval of the Office of International Affairs.
When such approval is granted, application for formal change of status may then
be made to Indiana University or Purdue University Graduate School according to
the same procedures governing United States citizens.
International students must enroll in at least 8 credit hours each fall and
spring semester in order to meet visa requirements. Any exceptions to this
regulation must be approved in advance by the Office of International Affairs.
Success in graduate study requires performance of a high quality. Only grades
of A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, and C are acceptable in fulfilling academic
requirements in any plan of study. An advisory committee may require higher
performance than C in certain courses. Pass/not-pass grades are unacceptable. A
student’s progress will be reviewed each semester. Any student who fails to
perform on a level satisfactory to the advisory committee or the dean may be
asked to discontinue graduate study. The same scholastic requirements in effect
during the regular university year apply to graduate study during the summer
sessions and to work taken at all Indiana University or Purdue University
campuses. The same grade standards also apply to pre-requisite courses.
A master’s or doctoral thesis is a document authored by a student that
describes results of original research undertaken by that student and asserts a
position which that student is willing to defend. This position should not be
construed to prohibit joint or collaborative research endeavors. It is expected,
however, that in such a situation, unique aspects of the broad problem will be
explored by each individual and that the thesis written and presented to the
final examining committee will be a personal document describing the student’s
creative effort and contribution. Students should speak with their advisor early
in their graduate careers when considering a collaborative thesis project.
