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EWU graduate students are given six years* to complete a graduate program before their coursework expires. Graduate students previously enrolled and admitted, who wish to return from a leave of absence, may be eligible for re-admission. You may pick up where you left off if:

You are able to finish your program within this six-year window. (The six-year period begins with the first term that you completed coursework toward your graduate program.)
Your program is willing to re-admit you into the program.
You have no unmet financial, academic, or disciplinary obligations pending with EWU.

If six years or more have elapsed since you completed your first graduate program coursework, you will need to follow the steps of our normal application process to restart your program.

To apply for re-admission to an EWU graduate program, complete our Application for Re-Admission.

*Under certain circumstances, students may be granted an appeal to include coursework older than six years toward completion of their graduate program. See the Appeals Process for more information.

File an Appeal

Right of appeal: Eastern Washington University Graduate students have the right to ask for an exception to two of the Graduate Student Policies.

3-3. Transfer Credits
a. Students may include in a graduate degree program, from any regionally accredited college or university, a maximum of 12 quarter or nine semester department- or program-approved pre-admission credits not used toward an undergraduate degree.
b. Exceptions to this policy can be made by the Academic Appeals Board in rare and special circumstances. Request for exceptions must be made in writing by the student and the program advisor to the Academic Appeals Board. However, in no case may credit be granted for experiential learning which occurred before the student's matriculation into the graduate degree program.
4-3. Program Time Limits
a. Time limit: All academic requirements, including course work, thesis and final examinations, must be completed within a six-year time period. The six-year period is based on academic terms.

The start term for the six-year period is the EWU academic term corresponding to the completion date of the earliest course being included as part of the degree program. If the student completed the first course between EWU academic terms, the next term will be considered the start term (e.g. for a first course completed in late August, the start term would be fall). The student's admission status at the time the first course was taken is irrelevant in determining the start term. A student's start term may be a Summer Term. The end term is the corresponding term six years after the start term (e.g., for a start term of fall 2004, the end term is fall 2010).

Students requesting an exception to policy must submit an Appeals Packet to the Graduate Studies office.

Route of Appeal:

All appeals must be initiated by the student and supported by the appropriate graduate studies advisor or director. Students are responsible for gathering all appropriate materials for their Appeals Packet. Appeals Packet must include:

Completed Graduate Appeals Form
Description of student's appeal
Letter/Memo of support from student's department
Copy of student's transcripts (unofficial)

IMPORTANT: Incomplete Appeal Packets will not be brought before the Academic Appeals Board.

The completed Appeals Packet is due to the Graduate Studies office in 206 Showalter no later than the 10^th day of the quarter. The Academic Appeals Board meets only once a quarter. Appeals received past the 10^th day will be submitted the following quarter.

Once a decision is made both the student and their department will receive a notice from the Director of Graduate Studies.

Get Info on Final Comprehensive Exams

Final Comprehensive Examination

Final exams vary by program. Some programs require a thesis, some a project, others may have a capstone course or written exams.

These instructions apply to exams that require an oral defense, usually because of a thesis or project, but some written exams also require an oral defense. The follow instructions apply to exams requiring an oral defense:

Within the first few weeks of your final term, a third committee member will be assigned to your orals committee. You will receive an email from Graduate Studies stating who your third member will be and their contact information (please note it is the students’ responsibility to contact their third member.) In addition, your third member will be listed on your electronic transcript on EagleNET. Please check your transcript periodically to see if the third member information has been added to your record. Please note that during spring quarter it make take several weeks before all third member assignments are made.

If your third member assignment has not been made after the first few weeks of the term, please contact our office to verify your graduation term. You must have applied to graduate before a third member assignment will be made.

You may apply to graduate online through EagleNET. The application is located under the “Student” tab, “Student Records” link. The online application is not available for late applications; if you have missed the application deadline then you will need to contact Graduate Studies at 509.359.2491 to request a paper application. If a late application is accepted, a $14.29 late fee will be assessed.

Follow these steps for arranging and scheduling your final exam during your final term.

Prior to doing any scheduling you should have received an email from Graduate Studies with your Graduation Checklist. Make sure you have addressed any and all issues on your checklist before moving forward. If you did not receive an email from Graduate Studies with a checklist please contact our office to verify your graduation term.
Meet with your Committee Chair/Advisor to determine that your project is complete and you have been given permission to proceed with scheduling your orals and contacting your committee members.
Contact ALL THREE committee members to identify possible times for your exam. Confirm the date, time, and location with all three committee members. The time must work for ALL members of your committee.
As soon as the date, time, and location have been confirmed, but no later than two weeks prior to the confirmed exam date submit the TRA (Terminal Research Approval) Form to the Graduate Studies office in Showalter Hall Room 206.
No later than two weeks prior to the confirmed exam date provide each of your three committee members with a copy of your final document/project/thesis.
Upon completion of your oral examination return the original signed Comprehensive Exam Report Form (this form is sent directly to your committee members from Graduate Studies once your TRA Form is submitted) to Graduate Studies in Showalter Hall Room 206.
Students presenting a thesis must submit the required electronic copy in a single PDF (Computer Science students may submit LaTex version) to gradthesis@ewu.edu within 10 days of successfully defending their thesis or by the last day of the term, whichever comes first.

Failure to comply with deadlines could result in the rescheduling of the comprehensive examination or possible postponement of exams until a future term.

If you have any questions, please contact the Graduate Studies office at 509.359.2491.

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Final Comprehensive Examination

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