Page 35 - Student Handbook

l) Attendance. A graduate student shall be automatically dropped from the course when his absences
reached 20 per cent of the total number of hours required for the course. If majority of these absences
are not excused and the student’s performance in unsatisfactory he shall be given a grade 5.0 in the
course. The professor shall report the case officially in writing to the Dean of the GS-OLC. Time lost due
to late enrollment shall be considered as absence from classes.

m) Residence Requirement and Time-limit Rule. A minimum of four (4) semesters and one (1) summer
of residence is required for a master’s degree or a post baccalaureate diploma course. For a doctorate
degree, a minimum of six (6) semesters and one summer is required. A student is in residence when he
is registered for a course work with the approval of his Advisory committee.

Work in absentia may be granted if a student will be conducting and/or writing the manuscript
of his thesis/dissertation with the approval of his Advisory Committee. In such a case, the students must
duly registered in thesis/dissertation. A graduate student who works in absentia must submit periodic
progress reports to the chairman of his Advisory Committee.

The maximum period for completing a master’s degree or a post baccalaureate diploma course
shall be five (5) years, and seven (7) years for the doctorate degree. The counting of years starts from
the time of initial enrollment in the program, inclusive of the Leave of Absence. A graduate student who
fails to complete the requirements for the program that he is pursuing within the time limit will be
disqualified from the program but may apply for readmission to the Graduate School-open learning
College in another Program (degree program or major field).

Graduate students under the distance education program of the Open Learning College shall be
subjected to the following time-limit rule:

A student should be able to finish all courses in the:

1. Master’s level/post baccalaureate diploma in not more than seven (7) years.
2. Doctorate level in not more than nine (9) years.

n) Leave of Absence. A students request for leave of absence must be approved by the Dean of the GS-
OLC upon endorsement by the Chairman of Advisory Committee and noted by the Department
Chairperson. The request should state the reason(s) for which the leave is requested. An approval leave
of absence shall be counted toward the time limit.

A graduate student with leave of absence exceeding two (2) years or stop attending classes for
two years or more without approval leave of absence but within the time limit rules shall be readmitting
in the same program only after passing the validating examinations in all subjects taken.

o) Honorable Dismissal. A graduate student who desires to sever connection with the University shall
submit a written petition to the University Registrar, noted by the Dean of the GS-OLC. If the request is
granted, the student shall be given “Honorable Dismissal” by the University Registrar.