Online Specialized Master's Program (OSMP) Policies
Degree Completion
Olin’s Online Specialized Masters Programs (OSMP) are comprised of three progressive steps. The completion of each step confers a credential: a Graduate Certificate, an Advanced Graduate Certificate, and the Master of Science degree. The rules that govern these credentials are identified below. Applicants may apply to the degree option or to the Graduate Certificate. Assuming satisfactory academic progress, Graduate Certificate recipients may proceed to the Advanced Graduate Certificate step and, ultimately, to degree completion.
Master of Science in Business Analytics
- Step 1: Graduate Certificate: The Online Master of Science in Business Analytics Graduate Certificate requires completion of 10.5 credits over two semesters.
- Step 2: Advanced Graduate Certificate: The Online Master of Science in Business Analytics Advanced Graduate Certificate requires completion of an additional 12 credits over two semesters.
- Step 3: Online Master of Science in Business Analytics degree: The Online Master of Science in Business Analytics degree requires completion of an additional 10.5 credits over two semesters.
- 33 total credits are required for degree completion.
Master of Science in Finance
- Step 1: Graduate Certificate: The Online Master of Science in Finance Graduate Certificate requires completion of 9 credits over two semesters.
- Step 2: Advanced Graduate Certificate: The Online Master of Science in Finance Advanced Graduate Certificate requires completion of an additional 10.5 credits over two semesters.
- Step 3: Online Master of Science in Finance degree: The Online Master of Science in Finance degree requires completion of an additional 10.5 credits over two semesters.
- 30 total credits are required for degree completion.
Academic Policies
Academic Performance Standards
The cumulative academic performance of a student is evaluated at the end of each semester to determine continuation eligibility based on maintaining good academic standing. All attempted and completed coursework will be reviewed by the Academic Review Committee. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to remain in good academic standing, and students must achieve at least a 1.0 in their first semester to avoid Academic Time Away.
Degree Completion Time Limit
Students in the OSMP program must complete the degree within seven years of beginning the program.
Disengagement
A student is considered disengaged when they fail to attend class, do not respond to communications from faculty and/or staff, or have not completed the registration process for the next academic term. Advisors will attempt to contact the student by utilizing both the phone and email addresses on record with the School. If the student fails to respond to communication, does not register for their required academic course load, or is not in good financial standing by the add/drop date of the semester, a leave of absence will be initiated by the Graduate Programs Office.
If a student is placed on an administrative leave of absence in the middle of a semester, they remain responsible for the tuition charges according to the refund schedule. If the student fails to respond at the end of the leave term, the leave will be extended for one additional semester. At the end of two semesters on a leave of absence, if the student has not developed a plan to complete their curriculum with their academic advisor, the student will be administratively withdrawn from their graduate business program at Washington University. For the purposes of leave extension, summer terms are excluded for Full-Time MBA and SMP students but included for Executive MBA, Flex MBA, and Online SMP. If the student wishes to return to the program at a future date following their withdrawal, they will follow the application process for the program in the term they wish to start and be required to meet all admission requirements for the program.
Grade Changes
A non-disciplinary grade may be changed only by the professor in whose course the grade was initially given. A faculty member may change a grade from an N or I to a letter grade providing that the work is made up within 60 days of the completion of the course. Exceptions to the 60-day limit must be discussed with the Assistant Dean and Director of Graduate Programs Student Affairs.
Students who fail a required course must retake the course. Students may choose to retake failed elective courses but are not required to do so. Students will not earn the course credit required for program completion for failed courses.
Upon passing completion of a retaken course as a result of failure due to a lack of academic proficiency, a student’s transcript will show an R next to the grade earned for the initial course, indicating that it has been retaken, and a letter grade for the second attempt of the course. Only the grade earned during the retaken attempt of the course, whether better or worse, will affect the student’s cumulative GPA.
Upon passing completion of a retaken course as a result of failure due to an academic integrity violation, a student’s transcript will show the grade for each taking of the course. The grades earned during both the initial and the retaken attempts of the course will affect the student’s cumulative GPA.
Students are not allowed to retake courses in which they have not earned a failing grade. However, if a student is in their final semester of coursework and has a GPA below a 3.0, they will be granted an exception to retake courses in which they received a grade of C or lower.
A student with a personal or medical emergency may submit a graduate programs petition to their academic advisor.
If a student would like to dispute a grade, they should first speak with their Academic Advisor regarding the process. Course grade appeals must be made within 120 days following the official end of the semester in which the course occurred. (The official end of each semester is available on the university website and should align with the deadline date for course grades to be uploaded.) Appeals after 120 days will only be allowed in extenuating circumstances and will require approval from the Vice Dean of Education.
Grading System
- Please refer to the instructor or syllabus for each course to determine how letter grades will be assigned.
- The following grades are used in calculating the grade point average:
| Grade | Points per Unit |
|---|---|
| A or 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- | 0.7 |
| F | 0.0 |
- The following grades and notations are ignored in calculating the grade point average:
| Grade/Notation | Value |
|---|---|
| P | Pass |
| F | Fail |
| I | Coursework incomplete; final grade pending |
| W | Withdrawal |
| R | Retaken course |
| L | Successful audit |
| Z | Unsuccessful audit |
| N | No grade submitted; final grade pending |
- An I (for incomplete work) may be given if extenuating circumstances preclude the satisfactory completion of coursework during the semester in which a particular course is taken. With permission of the instructor, students have 60 days after the final exam in which to make up incomplete work. After 60 days, the grade is automatically changed to F.
- A grade of N indicates that the professor has not yet turned in a grade.
- In most cases, required courses must be taken for a letter grade to count toward the degree requirements. Each program/track may have exceptions. Students should speak with their academic advisors before taking any courses with the Pass/No Pass or audit grading method.
If a student believes a grade was submitted in error, they should first contact the professor for the course. If the professor is unable to provide an explanation for the grade in question, the student should contact their academic advisor.
Leave of Absence (LOA)
Students who need to take an LOA should discuss the process and implications with their academic advisor and Olin Financial Services.
Voluntary LOA: A student may request an LOA for academic or personal reasons by filling out the form linked on the Time Away page of the University Registrar's website. Requests for LOAs must be approved by the Assistant Dean for Academic Advising.
LOA Impact on Financial Aid: Students receiving financial aid should be advised that at the end of 60 days or more LOA, the grace period for loan repayment during an LOA may be exhausted. In such cases, there will be an obligation for the student to start making payments. According to the federal rules under which loans are made, the use of a grace period during an LOA will generally mean that the schedule for loan repayment may be changed. Students who are receiving financial assistance should consult with Olin Financial Services to determine the implications of an LOA for their financial aid.
Recordings and Remote Attendance Accommodations
- Students requesting absence from class on an ad hoc basis with advance notice (i.e., at least 48 hours before class) may request an absence and receive a recording of the class up to two times during full semester courses and one time during a mini course. If the course already has arrangements made to be live-streamed via Zoom, students who have requested an absence should receive access to the live-stream link in addition to the recording.
- Accommodations for requests made on short notice (i.e., 48 hours before the class session) or other ad hoc remote attendance requests will be at the discretion of the instructor.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal aid recipients' academic progress will be evaluated on an annual basis by WashU Student Financial Services. Failure to meet the necessary criteria can result in the suspension of future aid eligibility, although students will be granted an opportunity to appeal. Graduate students are expected to maintain good academic standing for their specific programs in addition to meeting federal standards for cumulative pace and completion of their degree program within a prescribed number of attempted hours (grades of W, I, and F will place a student in jeopardy of not meeting these standards). Please direct any questions about Satisfactory Academic Progress standards or the appeal process to olinfinancialservices@wustl.edu.
Standard Classroom Schedule/Out of Class Requirements
Classes in the online programs meet two nights a week from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Central Time. In addition, students will have significant out-of-class requirements (e.g., readings, team meetings, asynchronous course lectures, assignments, projects, exams).
Courses in the online programs will have a 75% attendance policy. For example, for a course that has four sessions, students must attend a minimum of three sessions to receive a passing grade in the course. Faculty members can make stricter attendance policies by class.
Transfer Credit
As many as 6 units of transfer credit may be accepted toward Washington University OSMP degree requirements provided that the prior coursework meets the following criteria:
- The credits were taken at the graduate level.
- It can be demonstrated (e.g., by course syllabi) that the coursework taken is comparable in content (for required courses) or acceptable in quality (for elective courses) to Washington University courses.
- A grade of B or better was achieved in the coursework for which transfer credit is requested.
- The credits were completed within seven years of the student's anticipated graduation date.
Students seeking the acceptance of transfer credit should complete the Credit Transfer Request Form, which requires a transcript and course syllabi. Forms are reviewed by Academic Directors and processed by the Graduate Programs Office.
Professional Code of Conduct/Academic Integrity
Olin Business School is a community of individuals with diverse backgrounds and interests who share certain fundamental goals. Primary among these goals is the creation and maintenance of an atmosphere conducive to the learning and personal growth of everyone in the community.
Becoming a member of the Olin community is a privilege that brings certain responsibilities and expectations. The success of Olin in attaining its goals and maintaining its reputation of academic excellence depends on the willingness of its members, both collectively and individually, to meet their responsibilities. It is imperative that all individuals associated with Olin conduct themselves with the utmost integrity in all aspects of their life, both on and off campus.
Plagiarism and other forms of cheating will not be tolerated. Where a student has violated the integrity of the academic community, an instructor may recommend that the student be brought before the Academic Review Committee. Please review Olin's Academic Integrity website for more information.
Course Registration
In the online certificate and degree programs, students complete courses in a lockstep fashion, and they will be registered by their academic advisors for all courses. Requesting changes to the course schedule will need to be communicated to the academic advisor and the appropriate registration policies adhered to, depending upon the situation.
Adding a Course
Advisors may add a course to a student's schedule only during specified periods at the beginning of each term; please refer to the Olin Graduate Programs Academic Calendar. A faculty member’s signature is not required to add a class but a student may need approval of an academic advisor if they are in their first semester.
Auditing a Course
Students wishing to audit a course must first speak with the professor of the course to determine if auditing is an option and, if so, to learn the specific requirements for a successful audit. If approval is granted, the student should send the email approval to their academic advisor, who will work with the Olin Registrar's Office to change the grading option of the course to A.
- Audited courses do not apply to the credits required to graduate, but they do apply to the maximum credits allowed each semester without paying additional tuition.
- Audited courses are listed on student transcripts. A grade of L is given for a successful audit, and a grade of Z is given for an unsuccessful audit.
- Audited courses do not meet prerequisite requirements. If a student has audited a particular prerequisite for a course, they will need instructor permission to enroll in that course.
Course Waivers
Course waivers are intended to allow students to avoid the redundant study of subjects already mastered. They do not reduce the number of credits required to earn the degree. Waiver request forms can be obtained from the student's academic advisor.
Dropping or Withdrawing from a Course
Within the first three weeks of a full semester course, it is possible to drop the course. Because the online certificate and degree programs are completed in a lockstep fashion, a student hoping to withdraw from a course should contact their academic advisor and Olin Financial Services to fully discuss academic progress and the financial implications related to course withdrawal. Students who maintain enrollment beyond the drop deadline have accepted responsibility for completion of the course.
If extenuating health or other circumstances lead to a need for the student to drop after the drop deadline, a petition detailing the particular circumstances may be filed with the Graduate Programs Office. If a student’s petition to drop a course past the deadline is approved, the student's grade will be W.
Semester Credit Cap
All OSMP offerings (certificates and degrees) are lock-step in nature. In other words, the curriculum is set with no opportunity for variation except in instances of course waivers. Therefore, exact semester credit caps are predetermined. Students may only exceed the semester credit cap in rare circumstances, and exceptions must be approved by the Graduate Programs Office. If a semester credit cap is exceeded, the student will be charged charged additional tuition based on their program's calculated credit rate. This rate is calculated by dividing the total program tuition cost (assuming no annual tuition increases) by the total number of credits required for degree completion.
Tuition and Financial Information
For helpful information about Olin Financial Services, including the Tuition Refund Schedule, please visit the Financial Information page of this Bulletin.
Note: This schedule may not apply if a student is dropping all courses or withdrawing from their program. Questions should be directed to the student's academic advisor.
Withdrawal and Federal Loans
Regulations governing the return of Title IV funds (unsub and Graduate PLUS loans) require the school to determine the earned and unearned portions of disbursed loans as of the date the student ceased attendance. Students who are considering a withdrawal from any or all coursework should contact the Olin Financial Services team in order to understand the implications for their current student loan amount and the impacts on their grace period.
Graduation
Apply for Program Completion
Every candidate for a degree must apply for program completion via Workday. Deadlines vary depending on anticipated graduation date and students should reach out to their Academic Advisor if they do not know the deadline.
If the student is completing more than one degree program at Washington University, they must file a separate form for each degree program and provide all of the requested information.
Recognition Ceremonies
Interested online certificate and degree students who are completing the program will be invited to attend an in-person graduation ceremony to commemorate their completion of the program.
Awards and Honors
Olin Business School awards are given to honor outstanding achievement. Recipients of the awards listed below are selected based on a variety of factors, and the selection process may include one or more of the following criteria: faculty vote, overall academic record, and course performance.
- The Charles F. Knight Scholar Awards are presented to the top 7.5% of graduates in each degree program. This distinction is based on cumulative GPA.
- The top 20% of graduates in each degree program are invited to join the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society. This distinction is based on cumulative GPA.