Establishing an AMD Program

Programs interested in establishing an AMD program will work with the director of the Graduate School.

Requirements

Programs must be designated for high achieving students per Higher Learning Commission requirements.

Sub-Plans

• AMD’s do not require changes to degree requirements for either the undergraduate or graduate degree. However, in order for the program to appear on the transcript, a new sub-plan must be added to the undergraduate catalog.
• The new sub-plan should include any course substitutions that will be typical such as a graduate statistics substituting for an undergraduate statistics course.

Credits and Hours

• Each program must decide how many, if any, credits will count toward both the undergraduate major and the graduate degree. Students may share up to 12 hours or 33% of course work (whichever is higher) between the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Individual programs may allow fewer shared hours if so desired.
• Programs should consider a minimum number of hours the student must complete in order to graduate from the accelerated sequence. The term ”accelerated” will appear on the undergraduate transcript.

Courses

• Double-counted courses will not be marked on the undergraduate record as having a special status in the undergraduate program. They will be included in the student’s undergraduate earned hours and GPA. Each program will develop a curriculum worksheet that clearly sets forth the plan for its particular program.
• Only 300 level dual credit and 400 level courses will count toward the graduate program. When a student takes a 300 level dual credit course that they expect to count towards both degrees, they must complete the required assignments for graduate students for that course.
• Programs are strongly encouraged to create a 400 level complimentary course for all 300 level dual credit courses. These courses can still be taught by the same instructor in the same classroom, and at the same time. This will ensure that the student, while in the undergraduate career, completes the graduate student requirements to receive graduate credit. Student transcripts also need to reflect that a sufficient number of 400 level courses have been completed for the graduate degree. ISU policy dictates that at least 50 percent of non-thesis hours must be at the 400 level or higher.

Responsibilities

To ensure a successful program, each party needs to fulfill the following responsibilities.

Graduate School

• Establish the infrastructure for AMD’s
• Provide guidance to programs on implementation
• Establish policies and procedures to ensure a smooth implementation of AMD’s

Program Chair/Director

• Complete the curriculum process:
  1. Fill out the financial implications form
  2. Create a new sub-plan within the undergraduate catalog and add the Director of Graduate Studies as co-author (this allows the Graduate School to view it). View sample catalog copy
  3. Make an editorial change to the catalog copy in the graduate catalog through the GCC
• Adapt the department's internal transfer application for undergraduates to accommodate the AMD applicants
• Work with faculty and advisors to promote the program

Advisors

• Pay close attention to students when they enroll/register for graduate level courses
• Contact the Registrar's office (grad.degree.audit@ilstu.edu) to ensure the student gets enrolled in the class with a grading basis of "graded" rather than "undergrad taking grad" (this ensures the hours will total up correctly and the transcript will be correct)