Satisfactory results in courses totaling 48 credits and four semesters of full-time tuition in residence are required for the two-year master’s degree programs. For part-time students, two part-time terms equate to a single full-time tuition term regardless of tuition amount.
Satisfactory results in courses totaling 24 credits and two semesters of full-time tuition in residence are required for completion of one-year master’s degree programs. For part-time students, two part-time terms equate to a single full-time tuition term regardless of tuition amount.
For joint degree candidates: three semesters of full-time tuition and a minimum of 12 full courses (36 credits, equivalent to one and one half years in residence) must be taken while enrolled at YSE. For part-time students, two part-time terms equate to a single full-time tuition term regardless of tuition amount.
Only work completed under the supervision of a Yale University faculty member is accepted as credit toward these degrees.
A full semester course load normally consists of four courses totaling 12 or more course credits. Taking more than five courses in a semester is strongly discouraged. Anyone seeking to take more than 15 credits must have approval by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
The basic requirement for recording an official Audit is attendance at a minimum of two-thirds of the class meetings, but the instructor may make additional requirements and may, in fact, require that the student do all of the work of the class including exams. However, if the instructor requires more than two-thirds attendance, auditing students should be so informed early in the semester. Part-time students are permitted to audit one course per semester.
At the end of the semester, the instructor is asked to certify whether or not auditing students have satisfactorily completed the course. Satisfactory completion is defined as meeting the two-thirds attendance standard and the work requirements (if any) set by the instructor. Only audits certified as satisfactory are entered on the student’s transcript.
The system used at the School of the Environment to evaluate the work done in regular and project courses provides for grades of H (Honors), HP (High Pass), P (Pass), and F (Fail). This is a subjective classification, based on the professor’s overall appraisal of the student’s work.
Honors Work of exceptional character, not only as indicated by examinations, reports, and project work, but coupled with assurance of the student’s ability to perform work of similar character in association with professionals, following graduation. (Approximate numerical range 90–100)
High-Pass Work of outstanding character, as indicated by examinations, reports, and project work, coupled with an indication of interest, attitude, and ability decidedly above average. (Approximate numerical range 80–89)
Pass Work of acceptable professional character, as indicated by examinations, reports, and project work, including satisfactory completion of all work assigned. (Approximate numerical range 70–79)
Fail Work below professional character, or failure to complete assigned work on time without adequate reason. If a student fails a course, it may not be made up. (Approximate numerical threshold 69)
Satisfactory Completion (sc) Is used to record the required summer training modules and any modules taught during the academic year by a faculty member.
Course Withdrawal (w)
Credit/Fail (cr)
Grade point averages and class rank are not calculated nor are any numerical equivalents assigned to grades.
It shall be generally understood that all of the work to be done by any students in a given semester shall be completed, with all reports, papers, and examinations in the hands of the instructor, on or before the final day of that semester. No exceptions may be granted in the case of students expecting to receive any degree at the conclusion of the semester involved. Any course recorded as Incomplete must be completed by February 1 for fall semester courses or August 1 for spring semester courses or the Incomplete becomes a Fail.
A student who wants an extension of time beyond the dates shown above must apply, before the extension dates, in writing, to the course instructor and the Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for permission. The granting of any such extension of time shall be at the discretion of the instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Extensions are typically granted in the event of illness or other problems beyond the control of the student. Failure to comply with these procedures will result in failure in the courses involved.
A term grade, once reported to the registrar, is final. Yale School of the Environment policy prohibits the registrar from changing that record unless the grade that had been reported proves to be the result of a clerical error. If an instructor believes that there are grounds for an exception to the faculty legislation prohibiting the change of a reported term grade, the instructor should petition the Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs with a full explanation of those grounds.
If a student receives a Fail grade for any semester, a copy of his or her transcript will be sent to the Academic Advisor and to the Masters Program Committee. The student will be consulted about the reasons for substandard performance and counseled regarding corrective action that may improve academic achievement.
If a student has failed two or more courses (regardless of credit weight), he/she will be considered ineligible for the master’s, and will be obliged to withdraw. This applies to students enrolled in all YSE degree programs including joint degree programs.
To be eligible for financial aid, a student must be making satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in the degree program. Financial aid includes all Federal Student Aid funds (Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, and/or Federal Work Study) as well as institutional funds. The following requirements apply to all students receiving financial aid regardless of degree program or enrollment status (full-time, half-time, etc.).
Frequency of evaluation
A student's SAP is evaluated at the end of each semester by the Registrar. In the event a student is not making SAP, the Registrar will notify the Director of Financial Aid, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. A joint degree student’s SAP is evaluated at the end of each semester for which the student pays tuition to YSE. The joint school is responsible for SAP evaluation for those semesters for which the student pays tuition to the joint school.
Failing Grades (qualitative requirement)
If a student fails a course (regardless of credit weight), the student is immediately placed on Financial Aid Warning, as defined below. If a student fails two or more courses, the student will be obliged to withdraw. See Course Failures.
Pace of progression (quantitative requirement)
For a student enrolled full time (12 or more credits in a semester), failure to meet the following standards will immediately place the student on Financial Aid Warning:
Pace is calculated by dividing the cumulative number of hours the student has successfully completed by the cumulative number of hours the student has attempted. These standards are pro-rated accordingly for students enrolled less than full-time. For example, a student enrolled half-time (6 to 8 credits in a semester) must have completed 4.5 credits at the end of the first semester, 10 credits at the end of the second semester, and 16.5 credits at the end of the third semester.
A student with different enrollment statuses in different semesters is evaluated according to the standard appropriate for the student's enrollment status in the semester having just ended.
Maximum Timeframe
Meeting these standards ensures that a student will complete his or her degree program within the maximum timeframe, which is defined as follows:
Course Withdrawals: If a student withdraws from a course prior to the midpoint of the semester, the credits for that course are not counted in determining the pace of progression. If a student withdraws from a course after the midpoint of the semester, the credits for that course are counted as attempted, but not completed.
Course Repetitions: Both the repeated course and the original attempt are counted as attempted credits in determining the pace of progression. Only the second attempt, if completed, will be counted as earned credits. Transfers of Credit: Transfer credits from other institutions are not accepted and therefore do not affect SAP. Status definitions and notificationsRestoring Eligibility for Financial Aid
A student can regain eligibility for financial aid only by taking action that brings the student into compliance with these SAP standards or by successfully submitting an appeal. Paying tuition without financial aid or taking a leave of absence will not restore a student’s SAP standing.
Appeals
A student who fails to make SAP after a semester on Financial Aid Warning may submit a written appeal to the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. A committee consisting of the Assistant Dean, the Registrar, and the Director of Financial Aid will review the appeal and decide to approve or deny it.
Appeals will be accepted only on the basis of extreme circumstances, such as the death of a student’s relative or injury or illness of the student. Though supporting documentation is not required to submit the appeal, the committee reserves the right to request documentation upon review of the appeal. Such documentation may include a letter from a physician in the case of injury or illness of the student, for example.
The appeal must also include a specific plan for making SAP. If it is clear at the time of appeal that the student will not be able to make SAP by the end of the following semester, i.e., the semester on Financial Aid Probation, the plan must include standards for an alternative pace of progression that will take the student to successful program completion within the maximum timeframe. For example, for a student enrolled full-time:
Field trips are school-sponsored events and all participants must conform to YSE guidelines. This includes academic field trips and field trips for courses that are regularly taught outside of a classroom or at locations away from campus (e.g., field research). Conduct on field trips should be similar to being in a conventional classroom, and it is the responsibility of all attending students, faculty, and staff to encourage the kind of professional attitude and responsible behavior that will bring credit to the School, all participants, supporting entities, and the hosts of the tours. Students who choose to travel to the site of a field trip early, remain at the site after the planned activity is completed, or who separate from the group, do so at their own risk.
YSE Masters Students are permitted to do no more than the equivalent to two TF10 positions in a given semester. Students on Continuous Registration or Leave of Absence are not permitted to work as a TF in any course at Yale. No student doing stipend teaching may teach for more than 20 hours per week.
Students are expected to follow a continuous course of study at the School of the Environment. However, a student who wishes or needs to interrupt his or her study temporarily may request a leave of absence. There are three types of leave–personal, medical, and parental–all of which are described below. The general policies that apply to all types of leave are:
A student who wishes or needs to interrupt study temporarily because of personal exigencies may request a personal leave of absence. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above. Students who are current with their degree requirements are eligible for a personal leave after satisfactory completion of at least one term of study. Personal leaves cannot be granted retroactively and normally will not be approved after the tenth day of a term.
To request a personal leave of absence, the student must apply in writing before the beginning of the term for which the leave is requested, explaining the reasons for the proposed leave and stating both the proposed start and end dates of the leave and the address at which the student can be reached during the period of the leave. If the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs find the student to be eligible, the leave will be approved. In any case, the student will be informed in writing of the action taken. A student who does not apply for a personal leave of absence, or whose application for a personal leave is denied, and who does not register for any term, will be considered to have withdrawn from the School.
A student who must interrupt study temporarily because of illness or injury may be granted a medical leave of absence with the approval of the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs on the written recommendation of a physician on the staff of University Health Services. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above. Students who are making satisfactory progress toward their degree requirements are eligible for a medical leave any time after matriculation. The final decisions concerning a request for a medical leave of absence will be communicated in writing by the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs.
The School of the Environment reserves the right to place a student on a medical leave of absence when, on the recommendation of the chief of Student Health or the chief of the Department of Mental Health and Counseling, the dean of the School determines that the student is a danger to self or others because of a serious medical problem.
Students who are placed on medical leave during any term will have their tuition adjusted according to the same schedule used for withdrawals (see Tuition Rebate and Refund Policy). Before re-registering, a student on medical leave must secure written permission to return from a Yale Health physician.
Requests for transcripts can be done through an online service available under the student information system.
Requests for copies of undergraduate or other graduate school transcripts in student files will not be honored unless they will be used within the Yale University community. To obtain copies, a week’s notice is required.
Letters of Recommendation that are used to gain admission to the School may not be used for any other purpose in compliance with the Buckley Amendment.