This policy does not replace E&H College policies and procedures on academic standing. Please refer to the College Catalog for information on academic progress, academic warning, academic probation, academic dismissal, and academic standing.

The E&H graduate health science programs are specifically formatted to educate students in advanced clinical sciences, enabling graduates to become successful and highly competent clinicians. Because of the difficulty and volume of the information presented, graduate health science programs are well known as some of the most challenging graduate level programs.

As such, this policy was developed with recognition of the following:

• OT students need to be self-directed career-long learners of the medical and behavioral sciences.
• A major portion of any graduate health science program involves independent studying.
  • Because of the pace of graduate health science programs, little opportunity exists for in-class instructional review of previously presented material.
  • The educational process proceeds, week to week, building on previously presented and learned material.
  • In order to be successful, students need to continually master presented material on a day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month and/or module-to-module, and
    semester-to-semester basis.
• Throughout each program, evidence of information mastery is monitored via student
  performance on written, oral and practical examinations/evaluations. Students are encouraged to contact the relevant faculty or instructor at any time to improve their mastery of the material.
• Student progress is monitored and documented in a manner that promptly identifies
  deficiencies in knowledge or skills and establishes means for remediation as described herein.
• In some cases, different course-specific remediation policies may be applied and, if so, this will be clearly noted in the course syllabi. Course directors will be available to facilitate remediation when needed. In the event that a course director is not available, another faculty member will be assigned.

The goal of remediation is to identify, based on course instructional objectives and evidenced by poor performance on examination(s), areas of weaknesses of material, and, once identified, to assist the student in overcoming those weaknesses and develop mastery of the material. Within courses that do not utilize Exams, course directors may allow remediation of other assessment tools/methods at their discretion. The maximum number of remediation attempts still applies per semester as stated below.

• As each examination is analyzed for exam item validity, students are not permitted to challenge examination questions for a grade change.
• The Exam Item Analysis Report Form is intended only for faculty as an objective report of an exam item analysis; completed Report Forms will not be presented to students.
  • Unless otherwise noted in the course syllabus, students will not have the opportunity to submit “extra-credit” work or complete an alternative process offering an opportunity to receive a higher score than originally achieved on the examination.
  • Passing grades for examinations/evaluations are program and course dependent.
    Course syllabi will clearly note when course specific passing grades differ from program specific passing grades. Any grade below a passing grade constitutes failure of an examination/evaluation and requires remediation for students continuing in the program. As necessary, students will be given a grade of incomplete in the applicable course until the examination is successfully remediated.
• All students are required to meet with their course director and their advisor for all failed examinations.
• The grade on a failed examination may be improved only as follows:
  • At the discretion of the course director students may be allowed to improve up to a maximum of two failed test grades per course by a maximum of 15 points or an
    examination grade corresponding with a passing score, whichever comes first. All failed tests should be remediated regardless of a grade change due to the importance of the student understanding the content. Course Master may decide not to allow a grade change for any of the remediated examinations.
  • Remediation examinations/evaluations cannot be remediated
  • In the didactic year, students will complete all remediation prior to the start of the next semester. The student should take the lead in contacting the course director for remediation.
  • The course director, after meeting and discussing with the student, will decide on the remediation time-line during the specific semester. At the discretion of the course director, remediation(s) may be completed during the semester or during the semester break, but must be completed prior to the start of the next semester.
• Remediation for a failed examination involves a four step process including:
  1. At a time and location specified by the course director, an opportunity will be provided for the student to meet with the course director to review the following:
  a. A student test score report of their failed examination, detailing their examination grade and any missed question items.
  b. An Exam Item Review Sheet that permits students to write down the topic, sub-topic(s), Task Area, and source location for information pertaining to each missed question.
  c. Review of missed exam questions is intended only to identify weaknesses and not to
  serve as a review of the course content; students are not permitted to challenge exam
  questions for exam grade changes.
  d. A Test Analysis Review Sheet in which students indicate why they believe the question was missed (e.g., misunderstanding of question, poor content competency, mistakes in recording answer on examination sheet.
  e. Development of remediation study plan based on the identified area(s) of weakness.
  2. A Remediation Study Plan Sheet will be completed jointly by the faculty member and student.
  a. Self-study of the topic, subtopic, and task area missed on the examination
  3. The self-study process for failed examinations will be formatted at the discretion of the course director and may include, but not be limited to:
  a. Reading assignments
  b. Review of lecture material (e.g., PPTs)
  c. Individually focused faculty-led tutoring (especially skills related deficiencies)
  d. Evidencing proficiency of failed material
  4. Students will be reassessed by the course director after completion of the outlined remediation plan with an emphasis on areas of poor performance. The assessment activity may vary, at the discretion of the course director and depending on the nature of deficiency and degree of remediation necessary. The activity may include, but not be limited to:
  a. Make-up written, oral, or practical examinations
  b. Written completion of selected course instructional objectives with reference citations
  c. Written response to selected examination items with reference citations
  d. Problem based learning exercise(s) focused on area(s) of weakness
  e. Written self-reflection exercise(s)