American Public University System
Doctoral Handbook
This handbook is designed for doctoral students at American Public University System to understand the policies related
to doctoral study. Please review this handbook carefully to familiarize yourself with program expectations, milestones,
and policies. University policies described in the Student Handbook apply to doctoral students, unless otherwise stated.
This Doctoral Student Handbook explains unique features of the doctoral programs and policies pertaining to those
features.
For your convenience, you may download the entire handbook in PDF format
Message from the Provost
Welcome to APUS!
Greetings –
It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the American Public University System. I am thrilled that you are part of
this university family that seeks to provide you with quality education that will serve you throughout your student
journey, your career, and your lifetime. Welcome aboard!
By enrolling as a student at APUS, you have taken the first step toward the completion of your goal–obtaining a degree
in higher education. Your sense of accomplishment will only grow as you complete each class and move one step closer
to graduation.
As a new student, the path to fulfill your academic dreams and goals can seem daunting–overwhelming even–but I
encourage you to take each day in turn and do your absolute best each day. Our faculty and staff are here to support you
throughout your academic journey. To help you succeed, I encourage you to work to establish good academic habits,
become familiar with student policies, and ask questions as often as you can for clarification and understanding.
Our faculty have extensive backgrounds in their subjects, and many of them work within the field they teach, making
them excellent resources who offer a wide range of knowledge and experience. We encourage you to stay engaged
within your classes, join a student group, and become involved with organizations within your field to enhance your
learning experience.
Finally, I invite you to explore the many resources we have available to assist you throughout the pursuit of your degree
and hope that you will be energized and inspired during your academic career.
I wish you the absolute best in the pursuit of your degree here at American Public University System.
My best,
Dr. Elizabeth J. Johnson
Provost
American Public University System
Last Revision: July 22, 2024
Definition and Purpose of Professional Practice
Doctorates
A Professional Practice Doctorate is an applied degree that focuses on the scholar-practitioner model. In this model, you
will conduct research related to your professional experience to bridge theory and practice, advance knowledge in the
field, and contribute to organizational change. While maintaining the rigor of a doctoral program, the emphasis on
application of theory to practice differentiates the applied doctorate from the traditional PhD program.
Doctoral Program Statement of Purpose
APUS professional practice doctorates are multidisciplinary degrees that address intellectual, cultural, and
organizational challenges in the respective profession of study. These programs educate and prepare the next generation
of global leaders to advance academic and professional practice in their fields embracing a scholar-practitioner model of
education in which practice, research, and multidisciplinary approaches are integrated components. This
transformational approach concurrently integrates and develops knowledge, skills, findings, and insights applied to
solve or provide greater understanding of complex problems. Likewise, we aim to advance theory and practice to
enhance the related disciplines, areas of professional practice, and communities wherein our students, faculty, and
University serve.
Characteristics of Applied Doctoral Programs
Based on the literature, applied or professional practice doctorates differ from PhD programs in several respects:
According to the Council of Graduate Schools’ Task Force Report on the Professional Doctorate, “a professional
doctoral degree should represent preparation for the potential transformation of that field of professional practice, just as
a Ph.D. represents preparation for the potential transformation of the basic knowledge in a discipline”. Further, this
report articulates the following characteristics of the professional doctorate:
1. It addresses an area of professional practice where other degrees are not currently meeting all employer
needs.
2. It emphasizes applied or clinical research or advanced practice.
3. It includes in its ranks the leaders of the profession who will drive the creative and knowledge-based
development of its practices and the development of standards for others.
Applied doctorates tend to have more structure in their program milestones and timelines for completing these
milestones.
Applied doctorates are typically offered in a cohort model.
Applied doctorates focus on problem-solving and research applied to professional practice.
Applied doctorates often include a practicum experience.
Applied doctorates integrate a variety of assessment types for the dissertation or other milestones, with emphasis
on portfolios.
Applied doctorates aim to produce “researching professionals” who combine “discovery with application.”
Applied doctorates involve industry professionals who offer feedback on the curriculum and professional
trajectories of graduates.
Building on these characteristics of the applied doctorate, our teaching model draws on evidence-based practices for this
type of doctoral degree with an emphasis on adult learners who are working professionals. The core concepts in our
teaching model focus on integrating applied research with professional practice. Our programs will:
Promote autonomous, self-directed learning in our doctoral students.
Provide in-class and out-of-class opportunities for peer -to- peer and faculty- to- student interactions to enhance
the community of learners and student success.
Create programmatic assessments to develop students’ research and writing skills for applied research projects,
for complex analyses aimed at diverse audiences, and for professional practice skills.
Challenge students to advance the discipline by expanding theory and its application through original research and
dissemination.
Program Objectives
American Public University System structures its institutional learning objectives according to the Degree
Qualifications Profile (DQP). As designed by the Lumina Foundation, the DQP includes several broad categories of
knowledge and skills: Broad and Integrative Knowledge, Specialized Knowledge, Intellectual Skills, Applied and
Collaborative Learning, and Civic and Global Learning. In addition, APUS has added the categories of Digital
Information Literacy and Professional Skills to doctoral programs. Doctoral program objectives align with these areas to
provide students with a range of skills needed for career advancement and lifelong learning. Specific program objectives
speak to the unique knowledge, skills, and abilities within the program and align with the institutional learning
objectives. Through the curricular design of the doctoral programs, students will be introduced to key stills, develop
them through structured practice, and master those skills by the conclusion of the program.
Admissions Requirements
Doctoral Admissions
Admission to APUS doctoral programs is selective. Students are expected to have earned a master’s degree (minimum
3.0 GPA) and have work experience in a discipline related to the doctoral program for which they are applying. The
Doctoral Admissions Coach communicates with prospective students and answers questions about completing the
application. The Admissions Coach compiles the necessary documentation and forwards it to the Doctoral Admissions
Committee for review. The committee is composed of the Dean for Graduate Studies, Associate Dean of Graduate
Studies, Doctoral Program Director, and doctoral faculty.
Admissions Requirements
The programs’ public web pages provide the definitive list of admissions requirements. The list below provides an
outline for reference.
I. Prior Education and Professional Practice: MA/MS in the discipline, or closely-related discipline, plus 3-5 years
work experience in the field, or closely-related field.
II. Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume: This biographical statement document includes work history, professional
accomplishments, service to the profession, and, as appropriate, teaching and research experience.
III. Grade Point Average (GPA): A master’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent) is required.
IV. Three Doctoral Reference Forms: Students will be prompted to enter the contact information for at least three
academic or professional reference providers.
V. Official Transcripts: All official transcripts verifying the award of a master’s degree must be sent to APUS from
the issuing institution and arrive in sealed envelopes or by official electronic copy. No faxed or unsealed
transcripts sent by you will be accepted, even for preliminary review purposes. Once received, all admission and
transfer credit documents are a permanent part of your student record and the property of APUS. They cannot be
returned to you.
VI. Unofficial Transcript: Applicants must provide an unofficial or official copy of other graduate-level work as well
as an undergraduate transcript, showing a conferred BA/BS degree.
VII. Doctoral Admissions Essay: Please follow the writing prompt provided to you.
VIII. Admissions Interview: Final candidates are interviewed by the Doctoral Admissions Committee.
IX. English Proficiency: If you are from a country whose native language is not English (regardless of current
residence), you must provide proof of English proficiency in one of the following ways:
A. Transcripts from a conferred bachelor’s degree or higher in residence at an accredited college/university in
the United States.
B. Transcripts from at least 12 semester hours of graduate coursework with a GPA of 3.0 (out of 4.0) in
residence at an accredited institution in the United States.
C. Standardized Test Scores. Please see this link for more information.
X. Nonrefundable Application Fee of $100 (You may request a fee waiver due to financial hardship through the
Admissions Coach).
XI. Applications will only be evaluated once the application package is complete.
Categories of Admission
I. Admission to Doctoral Program: This category is used for students who satisfy all requirements. There is no
conditional acceptance status due to Federal Student Aid requirements.
II. There is no Post-Baccalaureate entry. Students must have already earned a master’s degree in the discipline or
closely related discipline, and 5 years of experience in the field, or closely related field.
III. Prospective students who do not meet the required grade point average of 3.0 in their master’s degree course work
may choose to take a graduate certificate, micro credential, or learning track from APUS in their prospective field
of study prior to admission into APUS doctoral programs. The resulting GPA must be 3.0 or higher.
Doctoral Admission Deferral
After acceptance into a specific cohort, students may choose to defer admission by one or two cohorts, not to exceed
one year from date of acceptance with a guaranteed place in a cohort during that year. Students who do not enter the
program within one year from date of acceptance may subsequently request to be re-considered for admission. To do so,
students should update their application materials and must submit the nonrefundable admissions fee. Such requests will
be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
Application Information
Application Deadlines: Complete applications with supporting materials must be received by the following dates.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
I. January cohort deadline for admissions is August 1. Decisions made by October 1.
II. September cohort deadline for admissions is April 1. Decisions made by June 1.
Application Review: All complete applications are reviewed following a holistic admissions model by a Doctoral
Admissions Committee composed of the representative of Graduate Studies and Research, Department Chairs or
Assistant Chairs from the doctoral program, and program faculty. The committee selects students based on evidence of
outstanding intellectual ability, strong commitment to applied research and practice in the discipline, and demonstrated
ability to successfully complete post-baccalaureate study. The process includes an evaluation of your curriculum
vitae/resume, professional goal essay, official transcript, three reference forms, admissions interview, and prior
education and professional practice.
How to Pay for a Course
The following information is covered in this section of the APUS Student Handbook:
APUS Doctoral Student Fees & Tuition
APUS Doctoral Programs Refund Schedule
Methods of Payment Available
Consequences of Unpaid Balances
Definition of Full-Time Status
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Code of Conduct - Student Loans
APUS Doctoral Student Fees & Tuition
APUS Doctoral Student Fees
Application Fee: $100
Course materials: Through our University Book Grant, textbooks and/or e-books are provided at no charge to students
in the doctoral program.
Graduation fee: $100
APUS Doctoral Programs Tuition
Doctor of Strategic Intelligence: $50,054
Year One = $20,022 (3 terms x $6,674)
Year Two = $20,022 (3 terms x $6,674)
Year Three = $10,010 (2 terms x $5,005)
Dissertation phase, one credit per term ($863) until the dissertation is defended and all graduation requirements
are complete.
Residency Costs:
Year 1, Year 3: You pay travel costs (room and board are included in tuition)
Year 2: You pay all costs
Course Materials: Included in tuition
Doctor of Global Security: $50,054
Year One = $20,022 (3 terms x $6,674)
Year Two = $20,022 (3 terms x $6,674)
Year Three = $10,010 (2 terms x $5,005)
Dissertation phase, one credit per term ($863) until the dissertation is defended and all graduation requirements
are complete.
Residency Costs:
Year 1, Year 3: You pay travel costs (room and board are included in tuition)
Year 2: You pay all costs
Course Materials: Included in tuition
Doctor of Global Security: $50,054
For students starting their program in the January 2018 or May 2019 Cohorts
Year One = $24,021 (3 terms x $8,007)
Year Two = $24,021 (3 terms x $8,007)
Year Three = $12,012 (2 terms x $6,006)
Dissertation phase, one credit per term ($863) until the dissertation is defended and all graduation requirements
are complete.
Residency Costs:
Year 1, Year 3: You pay travel costs (room and board are included in tuition)
Year 2: Room, board, and travel costs are included in tuition
Course Materials: Included in tuition
APUS Doctoral Programs Refund Schedule
16-Week Term – Doctoral Tuition Refund Schedule
The tuition refund schedule is based on term progression, not individual courses.
Withdrawal Request Date Tuition Refund Percentage
Before or During Week 1 100%
During Week 2 100%
During Weeks 3 and 4 75%
During Weeks 5 through 8 50%
During Weeks 9 through 16 No Refund
Methods of Payment Available
As a student, you are ultimately responsible for all tuition and fees incurred, regardless of any anticipated third-party
payments (e.g., tuition assistance, loans, etc.).
A number of payment methods are available for covering your tuition costs. Please follow any link below to find out
more about each payment method.
Automatic Debit Plan
Credit Card
Department of Defense Training Funds
Employer Voucher
Federal Government Employee Tuition Reimbursement
Federal Student Aid
Federal Grants
Outside Scholarships
State Grant Programs
VA Benefits
Vocational Rehabilitation Funding
Automatic Debit Plan
The University System offers an Automatic Debit Plan (ADP) to enable students to spread tuition payments over time
by having them automatically charged to a credit card on a preset schedule. The amount and number of payments is
proportional to the length of the course and ensures course tuition is paid prior to the end of the academic period.
Students in 16-week courses make four ADP payments. Students in 8-week courses make two ADP payments. To be
eligible for the ADP plan, any student must be registered for credit-bearing courses. Audit students are not eligible for
ADP.
ADP Eligibility
To be eligible to use ADP, you must:
Have declared an undergraduate or graduate degree as your academic goal
Use a credit card as payment
Have an acceptable credit history with APUS
For more information regarding our payment plans, please visit the AMU or APU tuition & finance site.
Credit Card
You may pay your tuition and any other charges with your Master Card®, Visa® or Discover® card.
Department of Defense Training Funds
If you serve in the military or the Federal Civil Service, you should contact your Education Services Officer (ESO) or
Civilian Training Representative to find out if you are eligible for training funds before registering for classes. These
funds are not administered by DANTES and are typically reserved for courses that apply directly to your job. If eligible,
you may pay tuition with command or agency training funds by submitting a DD-1556 (or other applicable form).
Employer Voucher
Many corporations and companies, including the federal government, offer educational benefits to their employees
through an Employer Voucher process. You should check with your Human Resources representative for specific
details. Our university system will provide any necessary documentation regarding tuition, fees, accreditation, course
content, or other information that may be required.
Because direct billing cannot be contingent upon a final grade or completion of a course, you will need to pay upfront if
your employer requires a specific minimum final grade before a guarantee of tuition payment can be made. We
recommend consider using our ADP Payment option if you fall under this employer reimbursement system. Learn more
at our AMU or APU tuition & finance site.
To qualify for the Employer Voucher payment option
Your employer must provide our Finance Office with a guarantee of tuition payment through an Employer
Voucher. This voucher should be faxed to our Finance Office prior to the start date of the course.
Prior to course registration, you must obtain your Employer's Identification Number (EIN), which can be found
on any W-2 form or supplied by the employer’s Human Resources Office.
At the time of registration, you must choose "Employer Voucher" as payment type and enter the EIN.
Federal Government Employee Tuition Reimbursement
If you are a full-time employee of the federal government, you may be eligible for reimbursement of your tuition and
course material costs associated with your studies. The Office of Personnel Management supports job-related studies
with up to 100% tuition reimbursement and may also cover the cost of all required course materials. The extent of this
coverage depends on:
Approval by both your immediate supervisor and your local Civilian Training Director confirming the course to
be directly related to your job requirements and professional development.
Funds available for the course. In some cases, limited funding may preclude full tuition reimbursement and/or
course material cost coverage.
You should confirm approval and financial assistance before registering for any courses.
Federal Grants
Grants are a type of federal aid that do not need to be repaid. APUS participates in the Federal Pell Grant program.
Federal Pell Grant eligibility is based upon financial need, as well as other eligibility requirements for Federal Student
Aid (FSA).
As a student at APUS, you may be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant. For more information, please visit
our AMU or APU tuition & finance site.
Outside Scholarships
You may use an outside scholarship to cover your tuition at APUS. We encourage you to investigate the availability of
grants or scholarships from all sources - review the APUS Web site, research the Department of Education resources
and contact local or private organizations like AMVETS, Rotary Clubs, community foundations, or your local Chamber
of Commerce.
For more information on outside scholarships, please go visit our AMU or APU tuition & finance site.
State Grant Programs
We encourage you to research grants from the state in which you currently reside. To find out more about grants in your
home state, please contact our Financial Aid Office.
West Virginia Higher Education Grant
The West Virginia Higher Education Grant is a need-based financial aid program designed to ensure West Virginia
students who have financial need are given an opportunity to pursue a college education.
Award Amounts
Award amounts are based on demonstrated financial need and may be used in conjunction with other forms of state,
federal, and institutional financial aid. Awards may vary from year to year and are contingent upon annual funding by
the WV State legislature.
The grant may be renewed until the student’s course of study is completed but may not exceed an additional three
academic years beyond the initial award.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to qualify for a West Virginia Higher Education Grant a student must meet all eligibility requirements which
include:
A citizen of the United States
West Virginia residency for at least 12 months prior to date of application
Be a high school graduate or earned a General Education Development (GED diploma)
Demonstrate an established level of financial need
Demonstrate academic promise
Enroll at a participating institution as a full-time undergraduate student
Have not previously earned a bachelor's degree
Application
To apply students must file the FAFSA as soon as possible and no later than April 15th of the year for which they plan
to enroll in school.
Contact
Financial Aid Advising
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 877-755-2787
Learn more about the WV Higher Education Grant.
West Virginia HEAPS Grant Program
The goal of the Higher Education Adult Part-Time Student (HEAPS) Grant Program is to encourage and enable West
Virginia students who demonstrate financial need to continue their education on a part-time basis at undergraduate
institutions of higher education.
Award Amounts
For students enrolled part time at APUS, the award is based upon the average per credit hour tuition and required fees
charged. Total aid, including a HEAPS award, may not exceed the recipient’s total cost of attendance.
Recipients are selected each year by institutions based on the student’s eligibility and the availability of funds. Awards
will be made on a first come, first served basis. Students will be made aware of their award through the school.
The WV HEAPS grant award can be renewed until the program of study is completed but cannot exceed an additional
nine years beyond the first year of the award. Renewal consideration will be based on meeting satisfactory academic
progress, filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), demonstrating financial need, and completing an
institutional application.
Awards are contingent upon annual funding of the program by the West Virginia State Legislature.
Eligibility Requirements:
A West Virginia resident for at least 12 months prior to applying
Citizen or a permanent resident of the United States
Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at StudentAid.gov/FAFSA
Have a high school diploma, TASC (formerly GED) or high school equivalent
Demonstrate financial need as verified through submission of the FAFSA;
Not be in default on a higher education loan
Not incarcerated in a correctional facility
Is in compliance with all Standards of Academic Progress
Application
To apply, and for priority consideration, students must file the FAFSA for the award year during which they plan to
enroll. Students identified as eligible may be asked to complete additional certifications.
Contact
Financial Aid Advising
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 877-755-2787
Learn more about the WV HEAPS Grant.
VA Benefits
If you are a veteran of the U.S. military, there are multiple GI Bill
®
benefits for which you might qualify.
If you are using VA benefits to cover your tuition, you will need to initially pay your tuition with a credit card upon
registration or set up the automatic debit plan. Also, due to Veteran’s Administration (VA) Consent Compliance
regulations in relation to the Principles of Excellence Executive Order, APUS is now required to gain and log your
consent, for each course, prior to submitting your enrollment to the VA.
If you are eligible to combine Department of Defense (DoD) tuition assistance with VA benefits, you must notify your
VA office.
To determine your eligibility for VA benefits, contact the VA office online at www.GIBill.va.gov or call them toll free
at 888-442-4551.
For information on the number of semester hours required for full-, three quarter-, or half-time VA benefit levels, please
go to the Definition of Full-Time Status for VA Students.
For more information regarding using VA benefits for your APUS courses, please visit our AMU or APU tuition &
finance site.
If you are experiencing difficult circumstances while coordinating VA benefits and tuition payment, please
contact [email protected] for assistance.
Veteran Readiness and Employment Service (VR&E),
Chapter 31 Funding
As a veteran, you may be entitled to Veteran Readiness and Employment Service (VR&E), Chapter 31, education
benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. VR&E benefits allow the student to receive benefits that may cover
the cost of tuition, fees, and related education expenses. VR&E may also pay a stipend for course enrollments, based on
your enrollment status.
If you are interested in determining your eligibility for this program, you may call the VA at 1-800-827-1000 and ask
about Veteran Readiness and Employment Service benefits. You may also learn more online by visiting
http://www.benefits.va.gov/VOCREHAB/index.asp. From this site, you can also apply for the benefit online. If it is
determined by the VA that you are eligible, the VA will direct you to a VA Regional Benefit Office (in your local area)
to meet with your assigned VR&E counselor to review your goals and be approved to begin enrolling in courses.
Once you’re approved for Veteran Readiness and Employment Service benefits, your VR&E counselor will need to
submit a Purchase Order authorization for educational benefits to APUS using the Tungsten Network portal. This
Purchase Order authorization will allow APUS to grant course access for upcoming registrations and submit your
enrollments (22-1999) to your VR&E counselor.
We recommend that your VR&E counselor submit a Purchase Order authorization with starting and ending dates to
supply you with an authorization to coincide with our monthly course start dates to allow you the flexibility to schedule
courses based on your personal schedule (courses start the first Monday of each month).If you have any questions, or if
we can be of further assistance, please contact [email protected].
The State Divisions of Vocational Rehabilitation Program provides grants to states to support a wide range of services
designed to help individuals with disabilities prepare for and engage in gainful employment consistent with their
strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. Eligible individuals are
those who have a physical or mental impairment that results in a substantial impediment to employment, who can
benefit from vocational rehabilitation (VR) services for employment, and who require VR services. Priority must be
given to serving individuals with the most significant disabilities if a state is unable to serve all eligible individuals.
If you are a disabled civilian, please go to https://rsa.ed.gov/about/states for more information regarding Vocational
Rehabilitation benefits.
If you have any questions regarding how to use your Vocational Rehabilitation benefits at APUS, please contact us at
Consequences of Unpaid Balances
APUS provides high quality educational programs at an affordable cost. You are responsible for understanding your
charges and meeting financial obligations associated with your education. While we understand that you may receive
financial assistance from third parties, including federal student aid, the ultimate financial responsibility belongs to you.
For students using U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs educational benefits, please refer to the section in the student
handbook: “ Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Payments.”
If for any reason a payment is not received and a balance exists on your student account, you will be placed on Financial
Hold. This status includes third-party payments, such as TA, FSA, or scholarships that have not been received as
expected.
If your financial status is on Financial Hold, you will be blocked from the following while the balance is remaining:
Registration for another term.
Having your diploma or certificate issued.
Being readmitted to the University.
You should contact Student Support at [email protected] as soon as possible to resolve any outstanding
balances on your account.
Payment Policies
Tuition and fees are due in full prior to the beginning of each academic period (session or semester) through direct
payment or approved payment arrangements. Balances may be viewed through your online ledger.
You are responsible for making payment or entering into an approved payment arrangement prior to the start of the
academic period regardless of whether notification was received regarding an unpaid balance.
You are financially responsible for all unpaid balances including those that result from payments not received from, or
payments returned to, third parties. Third parties include, but are not limited to, Veteran’s benefits, employer education
benefits, scholarships, and Federal Student Aid (FSA).
Notifications regarding account balances are sent to your email address on record. You are responsible for maintaining
your correct contact information with APUS.
Outstanding Accounts and Collections Policy
You are responsible for charges assessed to your account. There may be financial impacts related to dropping or
withdrawing from a course or the University.
Your account is considered to be in good standing if by the payment deadline at the beginning of each academic period:
(a) your tuition and fees are paid in full; (b) you have an approved payment arranged (approved by the Business Office)
that is current in its payments; (c) you have approved tuition assistance through a third party; or (d) you have approved
financial aid through Federal Student Aid; or (e) a scholarship sufficient to cover your account balance.
Your student account is not in good standing if there is an outstanding balance that is past due that will not be paid
through an approved payment plan, third party, scholarship, or Federal Student Aid.
Your student account will be placed on a balance due hold if third party payments, including but not limited to,
Veteran’s benefits, employer education benefits, scholarships, and Federal Student Aid are not received or are returned
due to participation or eligibility rules. For students using U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs educational benefits,
please refer to the section in the student handbook: Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Payments.
If activity on your student account results in a balance later in, or after the term, a balance due hold will be placed on the
account at that time.
If your student account is not in good standing it may, among other things, result in:
Cancellation of enrollment
Denial of registration for future classes
Referral to collections agency
Denial of readmission
Denial of graduation
In the event you become delinquent, the account may be referred to a collection agency and additional costs may
become an additional obligation for you.
When an account is referred to an outside collection agency, the past due account may be reported to all national credit
bureaus.
Once the account is referred to a collection agency, you will be contacted by a representative of that agency. Payments
are then made directly to that agency and not the University.
Billing Rights Summary
If you believe your account balance is incorrect, or you would like more information about a transaction on your
account, contact us as follows:
Telephone: 877-755-2787 ext: 8227
E-mail: [email protected]
Mail:
American Public University System
Attn: Business Office
111 West Congress Street
Charles Town, WV 25414
Please include the following information in the request:
Your name and student ID#.
The dollar amount of the suspected error.
A description of the error and an explanation, if possible, of why you believe the error occurred or why you are
disputing the balance.
You do not have to pay the amount in question while the University investigates, but you are obligated to pay the
portion of the bill that is not in question.
Definition of Full-Time Status
Definition of Full-Time Status for VA Benefits
Any questions regarding doctoral studies enrollment status should be directed to the VA counselor designated to the
doctoral student.
Definition of Full-Time Status for FSA Benefits
For FSA, students in the doctoral program will be considered full-time for each 16-week term*. This includes terms
during which the dissertation is being worked.
Full-Time = 6+ credit hours (courses) or 1 credit hour dissertation course
Half-Time = 3 credit hours (courses) per term
*Students who must retake any course(s) must do so within a subsequent term. Enrollment status may differ for this term
and will be based on course credit hours. Students must maintain at least half-time status to be eligible for FSA Direct
Loans.
Any questions regarding doctoral studies enrollment status should be directed to the assigned Financial Aid Advisor.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) indicates the successful completion of coursework towards a degree or
certificate.
According to federal regulations, students who fail to make SAP in their education program will lose their
eligibility to receive Federal Student Aid (FSA) funds (i.e., financial aid).
SAP rules apply to all students applying for financial aid, including those who have not previously received
financial aid.
APUS evaluates a student’s SAP at the end of each payment period (i.e., semester). If APUS determines that a
student has failed to meet the University’s SAP standards, the student may be placed on a “financial aid warning”
semester during which they may retain their FSA eligibility. This determination is made at APUS’s discretion.
Students are only eligible for financial aid warning status if the following criteria is met:
The student was previously meeting SAP without a warning or appeal in the most recent completed
semester or was in the first payment period of their program when they failed to meet SAP.
The student had no “unearned F’s” in the previous semester.
If APUS determines that a student has failed to meet the University’s SAP standards and determines that a
financial aid warning is inappropriate, the student will lose their FSA eligibility. Students who lose their FSA
eligibility may appeal the loss provided there are extenuating circumstances that inhibited their academic progress
(e.g., student illness or injury, death of a relative.)
Students who submit an appeal must provide:
A statement that explains the extenuating circumstances that contributed to the student’s failure to meet
SAP and what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to either meet SAP at the
next evaluation or to meet the requirements of an academic plan that would lead to meeting SAP in the
future.
Documentation that confirms the extenuating circumstances and date(s) during which the events occurred.
If an appeal is approved, the student is placed on “financial aid probation” and their FSA eligibility is reinstated
for one semester. The student must meet SAP at the next evaluation or meet the requirements of the academic
plan in order to remain FSA eligible for future semesters.
If a student’s appeal is unsuccessful, the student may take classes to demonstrate improvement for a future appeal,
but they cannot receive FSA to pay for those classes. A student cannot meet SAP simply by paying for their
classes on their own but must earn the necessary GPA or completion rate.
To otherwise restore FSA eligibility, students must achieve the GPA and credit hour completion targets as defined
in the policy.
SAP is evaluated based on grades posted at the end of each semester (defined as a 16-week period of academic study).
The criteria used to measure Satisfactory Academic Progress include:
Cumulative grade point average (qualitative)
Credit hour completion/Program Pace (quantitative)
The requirements of each criterion must be met and are described in detail below.
Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)
Cumulative GPA is the qualitative measure of SAP, meaning that it looks at the quality of the grades that each
student earns in their courses.
CGPA is initially calculated after 6 undergraduate credits, or 6 graduate credits are completed at APUS.
Evaluation thereafter occurs at the end of each semester according to the table below.
Only credits completed at APUS with a final grade of A through F are included in the CGPA calculation.
If a failed course is retaken, the later grade will replace the failed grade and factor into the CGPA.
To meet SAP requirements, students must maintain a CGPA that meets or exceeds our minimum as shown in the
chart below.
Students who fail to meet CGPA requirements will be determined ineligible for FSA.
SAP Criteria on Cumulative GPA (CGPA) and Credits Completed
Total Credits Completed
Minimum CGPA Required
for Financial Aid
Doctoral Students 6+ 3.00
Credit Hour Completion and Program Pace
Credit hour completion is the quantitative measure of SAP, meaning that students must complete a certain percentage of
courses toward certificate or degree completion in order to maintain FSA eligibility. Each academic program within our
university system has a defined number of credit hours required for completion. To maintain SAP, students must
achieve a minimum percentage of credits completed (i.e., earned) versus credits attempted.
A student must complete their program within 150% of the published length of the program. For example, a
student in a two-year program must be on track to complete their program within three years.
Any course in which the student remains beyond Week One (add/drop) will count towards attempted credits
regardless of the grade received.
Undergraduate courses with a final undergraduate grade of A through D- will be counted towards credits
attempted and completed.
Graduate courses with a final grade of A through C will be counted towards credits attempted and completed.
Final grades that fall below the minimums (D- for undergraduates and C for graduates) are not counted as credits
completed but will be considered credits attempted.
Courses with grades of incomplete (“I”) will not be considered attempted until a final grade is earned by the
student, or the Registrar or instructor converts the “I” grade to an “F”.
Doctoral courses with a final grade of Satisfactory (“S”) will be counted towards credits attempted and completed.
Doctoral courses with a final grade of Unsatisfactory (“U”) are not counted as credits completed but will be
considered credits attempted.
Courses from which a student has withdrawn (“W”) will be counted towards credits attempted.
Courses dropped within the add/drop period will not be counted towards credits attempted.
Course retakes: All attempted courses are factored into the credit hour completion percentage.
Remedial courses do not count towards attempted credits; however, APUS does not offer remedial courses.
Repeated courses will count as attempted courses.
For students who change programs, credits that apply to the new program will be counted in credit hour
completion and program pace.
Note: All students are required to log into each of their courses during Week One and submit an academic activity.
Students who do not submit this assignment during the first week of class will be administratively dropped from any
courses for which this assignment has not been completed.
SAP Criteria Based on Credits Attempted versus Credits Completed
Credits Attempted Credits Completed %
Doctoral Students 6-9 67%
10+ 75%
Financial Aid Appeal Process
If APUS determines that a student has not met SAP, the student will be placed on “Financial Aid Denial” status,
meaning they have lost their FSA eligibility. Any student placed on “Financial Aid Denial” status may appeal their
denial due to extenuating circumstances (i.e., situations that have had a negative effect on the student’s ability to
successfully meet SAP standards, such as student illness or injury, death of a relative, or other special circumstances).
An electronic SAP Appeal Form is made available to students who are not meeting SAP through their ecampus. This
form may be found in the ecampus FINANCE CENTER under the subsection for “Satisfactory Academic Progress”.
Students who complete an appeal are required to provide supporting documentation. A hard copy SAP appeal form is
also available, as needed.
Appeals must include a written statement submitted to APUS Financial Aid Services that addresses the extenuating
circumstances that contributed to the student’s failure to meet SAP and what has changed in the student’s situation that
will allow the student to either meet SAP at the next evaluation or to meet the requirements of an academic plan that
would lead to meeting SAP in the future. The student also must provide documentation to support the existence of the
extenuating circumstances. The deadline to submit the completed appeal form, with supporting documentation, to
Financial Aid Services is the Thursday of the start week of the semester after the student has been informed of their
“Financial Aid Denial” status. No appeals will be accepted for after that date. An appeals Committee will consider all
appeals. Students will be notified by email of the committee’s decision. All decisions made by the committee are final.
Loss of Financial Aid Eligibility
Students failing to meet or maintain SAP during any period of evaluation will be placed on "Financial Aid Denial”
status and will lose FSA eligibility. Students who receive veterans’ education benefits will also lose eligibility for that
funding. Students will be notified of their “Financial Aid Denial” status by our university system financial aid staff. To
regain FSA eligibility, students must successfully appeal the determination or otherwise satisfy all SAP requirements.
Re-establishing Financial Aid Eligibility
Students placed on “Financial Aid Denial” status may reestablish their FSA eligibility by attending and earning the GPA
and semester hour requirements of the SAP policy without the use of FSA funding. Once students meet SAP
requirements, APUS will package and disburse eligible aid for which they have applied.
Financial Aid "Warning" Period
The school may reinstate eligibility for aid for one payment period and may do so without a student appeal. This
“financial aid warning” status may be granted only to students who were making SAP in the prior payment period in
which they were enrolled or who were in the first payment period of their program when they failed to meet SAP. The
financial aid warning is applied through APUS automation; the student is sent an email notification, and the status is
noted on the Financial Information Screen in PAD.
Students do not qualify for financial aid warning status if there are any “unearned F’s” in last semester
Typically, a financial aid warning is granted only once. APUS in its discretion may permit a second warning
status if the student meets SAP standards at the next evaluation, then subsequently fails to meet SAP.
SAP Policy Provisions (Waivers and Flexibility) Related to the COVID-19
National Emergency
Section 3509 of the CARES Act allows institutions to exclude from the quantitative component (pace measurement) of
satisfactory academic progress (SAP) attempted credits a student was unable to complete as a result of the COVID-19
national emergency. APUS has opted not to exercise this flexibility and instead directs students to use the appeal
process if a determination is made that the student has not met SAP and is therefore FSA ineligible. APUS may exercise
discretion and flexibility with document requirements if it is determined that circumstances related to Covid-19
contributed to the student’s inability to meet SAP.
Code of Conduct - Student Loans
American Public University System subscribes to the code of conduct set forth in the Higher Education Opportunity Act
of 2008. As APUS currently participates in both Private and Direct Loans, the APUS Financial Aid Office has not and
will not participate in revenue sharing with Lenders, Guarantors, or Servicers of these loans. Staff is banned from
receiving gifts from any of the above agencies other than those considered of minimal value by the federal regulations.
The Financial Aid/Financial Services Offices will in no way influence the choice of lender for private loans. APUS has
posted private lender information based on past student choice and availability by local regional and national options; no
specific lender is recommended over any others. The information is posted to assist in student research only. Processing
is not affected by the student's choice of lender by APUS, but service levels may vary based on individual lenders
operating models.
Caveat: APUS does not have and will not have any contractual agreement with any lender to provide private loans to
our students. APUS may make available information on lenders who participate in these programs and the rates and
benefits that apply to each. APUS and APUS employees will not encourage the use of any particular lender for private
or alternative loans. APUS will supply the student seeking a private loan with the required Truth in Lending
information. APUS employees requested to serve on advisory boards for lenders, guarantors, servicers, or state agencies
will not accept any compensation for service other than direct expenses such as travel, lodging, and food related to such
service.
All APUS Financial Aid/Financial Services employees are required to sign that they have read and understand the Code
of Conduct. Violations of this Code of Conduct may result in termination of employment.
How to Register for Terms
Once you have been admitted into the program and have committed to attending, you will be automatically enrolled for
the first term of courses and for subsequent terms thereafter.
Continuous Registration Requirement
Doctoral students are required to maintain continuous registration by completing coursework with their cohort, based on
the doctoral program of study, and registering each term during the dissertation phase until graduation. You may not
withdraw from courses without requesting a Program Hiatus. If you are unable to maintain continuous registration, you
must complete the Program Hiatus Request Form and receive approval in advance through your Department Chair and
Graduate Studies.
How to Get Your Prior Loans Deferred
Deferment is a period during which the repayment of the loan principal is suspended as a result of the borrower meeting
one or more requirements established by law. In-school deferment allows students to defer payments while attending a
degree program at least half-time per semester in an academic year.
Students in the doctoral program(s) are aligned with a cohort and assigned their academic year start. Depending on your
start and program progression, the academic year will align and advance accordingly.
Keep in mind, interest continues to accrue during the deferment period of an unsubsidized loan and PLUS loan. Interest
does not generally accrue during the deferment period of a subsidized loan. Students have the option to continue making
payments on their interest and/or principal while their loan is in the deferment status.
Submitting Enrollment Information to National Student Clearinghouse
APUS submits your current enrollment data directly to the National Student Clearinghouse on the 16th of each
month that you are enrolled in classes. There is no need to take action to get your in-school deferment, as long as
you are enrolled in eligible, credit-hour courses.
The National Student Clearinghouse will electronically notify each of your participating lenders of your
enrollment status. The National Student Loan Database System (NSLDS) is also updated, however is typically a
month behind in updating.
If you have received a paper loan deferment form from your lender, please scan and email the form to
[email protected] or fax to 304-724-3802 for processing.
If you need to communicate your enrollment status to your lender before the monthly clearinghouse reporting
process is complete, please follow the process described below:
Request a deferment form from your lender and submit the form using one of the following methods:
Email to: [email protected] (preferred)
Fax to: 304-724-3802
Mail the form to the following address:
APUS
ATTN: Office of the Registrar
111 W. Congress Street
Charles Town, WV 25414
If you need assistance, email [email protected] and include your student ID number in your email.
If you need to check on the status of your loan deferment, please contact the National Student Clearinghouse or your
lender.
How to Get Your Enrollment Verified (for Insurance/Scholarships)
The university processes all requests for enrollment verification through the National Student Clearinghouse. APUS
submits your current enrollment data directly to the National Student Clearinghouse on the 16th of each month that you
are enrolled in classes.
Your enrollment verification or In-School deferment cannot be processed until the start of week 2 of your first courses
in your term, as you must have attended a course beyond the first week before any loan deferments or enrollment
verifications may be processed.
To obtain enrollment verification:
1. Access the National Student Clearinghouse website using the following link: National Student Clearinghouse.
2. Select “Verify Now”
3. Enter the required information (your school’s name, your name, and your date of birth).
4. You will be presented with an official Enrollment Verification Certificate that can be printed out and provided to
organizations requiring proof of your enrollment status.
If you need assistance, email [email protected] and include your student ID number in your email.
Veteran's Benefits
Students interested in applying for VA Educational Benefits should complete an application for benefits on the VA
website, www.gibill.va.gov. Please note, the VA Certifying Official (VACO) at APUS cannot determine if you are
eligible for VA Educational Benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs may approve or deny benefits, based on the
information provided on the application.
If you have never applied for VA Benefits
Students who have never completed an application for VA benefits should complete the online application, VA Form
22-1990, using the VA’s online application program. When using applying online, your application will be
electronically submitted to the VA Processing Center.
Please print your application and confirmation page for your records, prior to completing the online application. Once
the VA has completed review of your application, the VA will mail you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), outlining the
chapter benefit you are entitled to and the number of months of benefit you can use. A copy of the COE is not submitted
to the school. APUS requires students to fax, 877-480-4236, or email, [email protected], a copy of your COE to
the school.
If you are transferring or receiving transferred benefits
Students who are receiving benefits transferred to you by a service member (Chapter 35) will need to complete a 22-
5490, Application for Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance. The completed form will need to be sent to
the St. Louis RPO for processing.
If you have been transferred Chapter 33 benefits, the VA will send you a Certificate of Eligibility, which will need to be
submitted to APUS. Please see the Chapter 33 process for more information.
Applications for VA Benefits
For prompt form processing, please complete your application for VA benefits.
If you have never used VA benefits, please complete the 22-1990.
If you are transferring Montgomery GI Bill
®
(Chapter 35) to a spouse or dependent, please complete the 22-5490.
If you are transferring Post 9/11 GI Bill
®
(Chapter 33) to a spouse or dependent, please complete the 22-1990e.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education
benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
VA Enrollment Information
Enrollment verification cannot be submitted until the APUS Military Assistance Office receives a copy of your
completed VA paperwork and you have successfully enrolled in a class. Once your paperwork is processed and you
have started classes, the VA Certifying Official will electronically submit to the VA your Certification of Enrollment
(22-1999). All VA enrollment verifications will be submitted after the session drop period, beginning the second week
of your course. Once your enrollment has been submitted, you will receive an email from the VA as verification.
WAVE Enrollment Verification
The VA requires that students using GI Bill
®
benefits (excluding Ch. 33) verify their enrollment monthly. Verification
begins the last day of the month of the courses you are enrolled in. Students will not receive VA benefits if they do not
verify through WAVE. Please note, it may take up to 6 weeks for your enrollment information to be available in
WAVE. To verify attendance through WAVE, please click here or call the VA at 1-877-823-2378.
VA Payments
Students using Chapters 30, 32, 35, 1606, and 1607 will receive monthly payments from the VA based on their
enrollment status each month enrolled in courses. The VA makes payments based on your monthly attendance and not
semester attendance. Payments are sent from the VA by direct deposit or check after you have verified your monthly
attendance through WAVE. APUS requires students using Chapters 30, 32, 35, 1606, and 1607 to make payment
arrangements with the University prior to the start of courses. A 22-1999 Enrollment Verification will not be submitted
until payment arrangements have been finalized.
Tuition and Fees for Chapter 33 is paid directly to APUS. If students are not receiving the 100% benefit rate, payment
arrangements will need to be made with the University prior to course access. Current VA payment rates may be viewed
online.
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
Beginning for courses starting on or after 1 October 2011, students (other than those on Active Duty) will receive a
housing allowance for courses solely in distance learning with the Chapter 33 benefit. The housing allowance payable is
equal to ½ the national average BAH for an E-5 with dependents. A student must be enrolled at a rate of pursuit greater
than half time (.51%) to receive this benefit. Please remember, the housing allowance is pro-rated based off your
enrollment status, percentage of eligibility, and dates of course enrollments.
Using VA Benefits at Multiple Institutions
The VA requires students to declare an institution in which they will receive a degree or certification. VA benefits
cannot be used at multiple institutions without declaration of a primary school and subsequent secondary school. For
more information regarding using benefits at APUS and another institution, please contact [email protected].
VA Consent to Enrollments Submitted
When a student selects a VA payment option (Ex. Ch. 33 payment) at the time of registration, you are consenting that
you wish to have your enrollment for that particular course(s) submitted to the VA on your behalf. Students who register
selecting a payment other than VA will be prompted for consent at the time of registration to have the course(s)
submitted to the VA on your behalf. Students who register prior to submitting VA documents to APUS may be required
to complete a VA Consent Form to identify courses or terms students would like to have submitted to the VA.
Submitting Enrollments to the VA (VA 22-1999)
APUS will submit all enrollments to the VA electronically, beginning after the course drop period (second week of
courses). Once your enrollment has been submitted to the VA, you will receive an automated email from the VA
notifying you that the enrollment has been received.
Yellow Ribbon Program
The Yellow Ribbon Program is an agreement between the VA and participating institutions to cover all or a portion of
tuition and fees charged after a student has exceeded the maximum benefit rate. APUS is a Yellow Ribbon participating
institution. Please learn more information about Yellow Ribbon online or contact us for questions about this program at
Term (Course) Drops/Withdrawals
A 22-1999 enrollment verification will be sent to the VA by the school VACO within 30 days of a change of
enrollment, which may include a course drop or withdrawal. VA enrollments will be adjusted or terminated as of the
date of student drop/withdrawal. A drop or withdrawal after the first date of the term, may result in a VA request for
repayment of BAH, Books/Supplies, or tuition from the student as of the date of the enrollment change.
Mitigating Circumstances
Mitigating circumstances are circumstances beyond the student's control that prevent the student from continuing in
school or that cause the student to reduce credits. The VA requires schools to document potential mitigating
circumstances. Any withdrawal with a mitigating circumstance selected will require additional documentation of the
mitigating circumstance to be submitted to APUS prior to the mitigating circumstance being reported. Learn more about
information on mitigating circumstances. If mitigating circumstances cannot be validated, the VA may request
repayment of BAH, Books/Supplies, or tuition from the student, as of the first date of the term.
Graduations
When a VA student has successfully completed the requirements for the program of study and has officially conferred
the program of study, APUS will report the student’s graduation to the VA via electronic certification. All Chapter 33
students will have the graduation fee accessed by APUS added to the last VA enrollment submitted for the program
being conferred.
Course Extensions
Please note that if you are granted a course extension from your professor, you will not receive VA benefits during the
extension period. The VA will automatically discontinue benefits on the day after your original term ending date.
Benefits will not start until a new course has been enrolled and the verification has been sent to the VA. Submission of a
course extension for VA benefits will likely result in an overpayment to the student and will require future repayment.
Academic Probation /Unsatisfactory Academic Progress
VA requires institutions to report students who are not meeting an institution’s academic standards. When APUS is
made aware of a VA student no longer meeting academic standards, notification will be electronically submitted to the
VA on the student’s VA record.
Excessive Credits
Students who are using VA benefits for courses may not register for courses that are not applicable to the current
program of study. Any courses that are deemed not applicable to the current degree program will be considered
excessive credits and an enrollment for the courses will not be submitted.
Prior Credits
The VA requires that all prior credit must be evaluated by APUS prior to a student’s initial enrollment. Students must
identify any prior credit that has been earned. Additionally, a Joint Services Transcript or Community College of the Air
Force transcript must be received by APUS for all students who will be using VA benefits for any courses with APUS.
Students who are currently having prior credits evaluated are strongly encouraged to register only for courses in which
they know they will not receive prior credit. If prior credit is later given for a course a student is currently taking, APUS
must terminate the enrollment, as this would constitute excessive credits. Terminations of enrollment will likely result in
a reduction in BAH and/or books and supplies payment for the course/term a prior credit was awarded.
Student VA Tuition & Fees Debts
A debt is established on the student for tuition/fees/Yellow Ribbon when:
The student withdrew after the first day of the term.
The student reduced hours whether the reduction occurred before or during the term.
If the student attended more than one day of any of the classes certified and a payment has been issued, any debt
created by the withdrawal should be charged to the student.
The school submitted a change in enrollment (1999b) and reported a reduction in tuition, fees, and/or Yellow
Ribbon due to student action reducing or terminating training.
If a student drops a course and adds a course so that there is no net change in training time, any change to tuition,
fees, and/or Yellow Ribbon is a student debt.
Learn more about additional information and helpful websites for GI Bill® information & Veteran success.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education
benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Academic Policies
The following information is covered in this section of the APUS Student Handbook:
Expectations of a Doctoral Student
Degree Requirements and Progression
Doctoral Program Milestones
Support Roles within Doctoral Studies
Maintaining Your Contact Information
Changing your Major/Program
Transfer Credit
Academic Status
Academic Probation Policies
Program Deadline and Program Hiatus
Course Attempts Limits for Graduation Eligibility
Expectations of a Doctoral Student
To succeed in a doctoral program at APUS, you must be actively engaged in the community of scholarship by seeking
innovative applications of theory to professional practice issues. You should be able to evaluate and synthesize scholarly
literature and develop application strategies for your own workplaces. Likewise, you advance knowledge and practice in
the field by critiquing theory and extending theory to real-world situations. To accomplish these tasks, you need to
approach your study as an advanced practitioner and contribute new ideas to the scholarly dialogue through in-depth
interactions with peers and faculty. In this cohort model of doctoral study, engaging in conversation and debate
throughout the program enables you to hone your ideas and develop an evidence-based dissertation project. To further
this, you are continuously enrolled in the professional practice course.
Academic Integrity and Professionalism
You are expected to maintain scholarly integrity, adhere to the University’s Student Code of Conduct, demonstrate
professionalism in your interpersonal interactions, and practice responsible conduct of research. In your coursework,
you will receive research ethics training to help navigate the research process, including human subjects research. Note
that violations of academic integrity or professionalism, whether through plagiarism, human subjects research, or
inappropriate behavior, will result in penalties up to and including expulsion. Please refer to the Student Code of
Conduct for more information on academic integrity, professional conduct, and the conduct process.
Degree Requirements and Progression
Doctoral programs at APUS can be divided into several phases based on coursework, residencies, and dissertation in a
cohort model. The general program structure includes 8 terms of coursework, 3 residencies, and dissertation research.
The cohort structure is designed to create a learning community that provides mutual support and accountability to keep
you on track and promote student success. Because of this model, course progression is laid out with certain options for
electives.
The following program components and milestones create a degree path for completing the doctoral degree. Note that
all doctoral courses and program milestones (portfolio defense, dissertation proposal defense, dissertation defense) must
be completed successfully in order to continue progressing toward the degree. You have a period of seven years from
your start date to complete all program requirements, including the dissertation.
Cohort Model
Students in a cohort will progress through the coursework together with options for three elective courses. In addition to
coursework, you will complete three residences, an e-portfolio with oral defense of the portfolio, a dissertation proposal
with an oral defense, and a dissertation with oral defense.
Residencies: Doctoral programs contain three residencies at crucial program points.
1. The first residency, Doctoral Program Foundations (year 1), establishes expectations for the program, develops
rapport within the cohort, and introduces you to doctoral faculty. During this residency, you learn in greater depth
about program milestones, spend time with program faculty, and participate in a seminar class.
2. The second residency (year 2) depends on the specific degree program and may include presentations at
professional conferences or international experiences.
3. The third residency (year 3) focuses on practicum and dissertation requirements. At this stage, you are preparing
for your dissertation proposal and planning your research.
Coursework: See your academic plan in your ecampus for your course progression
Following the suggested model, most doctoral coursework can be completed in 8 terms. Doctoral coursework includes
several components: core coursework, major requirements, electives, professional practice, practicum, and dissertation
credits. Most core coursework is interdisciplinary and focuses on fundamental skills for conducting research, such as
research methods and statistics. Core coursework also includes foundational concepts for the field of study. Major
coursework focuses on content knowledge in greater depth. Electives provide opportunities to specialize and explore
different sub-areas to prepare for dissertation research or career advancement. Professional practice courses include
topics such as developing a portfolio, research ethics, and residency preparation. The practicum course accompanies the
practicum experience in which you implement an approved project that promotes your professional growth. Finally,
dissertation credits include preparing the dissertation proposal and maintaining enrollment while completing the
dissertation.
Practicum:
The practicum requirement provides you with the opportunity to propose and implement a workplace project that
stretches your skillset to connect research and practice. You may choose to conduct the practicum in your current
workplace if your supervisor allows, or you may make arrangements to spend time in a different sector of the
workplace. The practicum project represents a new or aspirational area for you rather than an existing job duty. The
project aims to apply knowledge from the doctoral program to address a workplace challenge, explore a new area of
expertise, or focus on a problem of practice in the field. Practicum supervisors need to sign an agreement for the project,
and the accompanying practicum course provides a venue to report on the progress and lessons learned. Projects are a
collaborative agreement between the student, the Department Chair and the site supervisor.
Degree Timeline:
Year 1- residency 1, coursework
Year 2- residency 2, coursework
Year 3- residency 3, complete coursework, defend portfolio, complete practicum, defend dissertation proposal
Year 3+- complete and defend dissertation. The maximum time allowed for the doctoral degree is seven years.
Doctoral Program Milestones
All doctoral program milestones must be completed successfully in order to continue progressing toward the degree.
Failure to complete a program milestone will result in academic dismissal.
Portfolio
The electronic portfolio provides a means for you to demonstrate that you have achieved the learning objectives of the
program. This portfolio is developed throughout the doctoral courses by contributing artifacts from your courses and
projects. You will be prompted to add polished artifacts (e.g., paper, project, multimedia presentation) as you complete
your coursework. Before you may advance to the dissertation, you will complete an oral defense to demonstrate how
you have met programmatic learning objectives. Your portfolios, written assessment, and oral defense are evaluated by
a committee of doctoral faculty.
Dissertation
In order to receive approval for your dissertation project, you will write a dissertation proposal and complete an oral
defense with your dissertation committee. This proposal occurs in year three of the doctoral program.
Dissertation Proposal: The dissertation proposal establishes the background and need for the study, the literature
review, the research questions or hypotheses, the theoretical framework, the methods, the data analysis procedures, and
the significance of the study for the field. For more detailed information on the proposal, please see instructions from
your program.
You must pass an oral defense of your proposal by your dissertation committee in order to proceed with the dissertation
research. Outcomes of the oral defense may be “Pass,” “Pass with Revisions,” or “Fail.”
Pass - committee approves dissertation proposal and you may proceed with dissertation research.
Pass with Revisions - committee members designate specific revisions to the proposal and stipulate that you may
proceed upon satisfactorily completing the revisions.
Fail - you are requested to substantially rewrite the proposal and then conduct another oral defense. You must
pass the dissertation proposal defense within 3 attempts or you will receive a Fail.
Human Subjects Research: When the dissertation project involves human subjects research, you are required to seek
approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) before conducting the study. Before seeking IRB approval, you
must first have the dissertation proposal approved by your dissertation committee via your Dissertation Proposal
Defense. The Dissertation Chair should assist you in developing and submitting an IRB protocol and are responsible for
overseeing the research project.
Dissertation Completion and Defense: Please see the Dissertation Manual for more detailed explanations of the
dissertation process.
Dissertation Chair: You and your dissertation chair establish dissertation timelines, including a schedule for submitting
work and providing feedback, in order to ensure timely progress on the dissertation project. You and your dissertation
chair also agree on when to share dissertation drafts with committee members and what role each committee member
plays in providing feedback on the project (e.g., methodological support, statistical advice).
Dissertation Committee: The dissertation committee is composed of your dissertation chair and at least one other
faculty member from APUS. In addition, you are required to have one external member who must be approved by the
Program Director and whose curriculum vitae must be submitted as part of committee formation. Students are
responsible for forming their dissertation committees, gaining approval for their committees, and submitting appropriate
committee forms. Dissertation committees must be formed and approved before you can defend your dissertation
proposal. Each doctoral program at APUS provides guidance on the appropriate timeline for forming a dissertation
committee and a specific deadline for committee approval. Please seek assistance from your Program Director if you are
having difficulty creating a dissertation committee. Each member of the committee must approve your dissertation
proposal and the final dissertation through the oral defense and review process.
Change in Committees: To request a change in committee chair or member a doctoral student must fill out the Change
in Committee form and write a letter of justification to submit to the Program Director. A change can only be made
with the approval of the Program Director.
In the event of a dispute between the student and members of the committee or between members of the committee, the
committee chair will call a meeting to resolve the problem. If no solution is reached, the disagreeing party or the
Program Director may request that the school doctoral leadership review the problem and recommend a solution. If no
resolution is reached, the dispute can be appealed to the school dean. This will be the final level of appeal.
Defense Timeline: When the dissertation is determined by the chair to be complete, you submit a full copy of the
dissertation to committee members at least four weeks in advance of the scheduled defense. If committee members have
substantial reservations about the defensibility of the dissertation, they must inform the dissertation chair and you at
least two weeks before the scheduled defense date.
Defense Format: At the defense, you will give an oral presentation, open to the public, which summarizes your project
and the contribution of the dissertation to professional practice in the field. Following this public defense, including
question and answer from audience members, the dissertation committee will hold a closed-door session with you, to
address remaining questions with the study.
Defense Outcomes: Possible outcomes for the dissertation defense are “Pass with Distinction,” “Pass,” “Pass with
Revisions,” or “Fail.” Committee members award a “Pass with Distinction” if they believe you have produced a study
worthy of publication in a top-tier venue (either academic or trade publication).
Pass with Distinction - indicates that the dissertation is of superior quality and would meet standards for
publication in a peer reviewed journal.
Pass-indicates that you have successfully completed the dissertation and are ready to submit it for graduation.
Pass with Revisions - indicates that you need to complete specific revisions and receive approval from the
committee before submitting the dissertation for graduation.
Fail - indicates that the dissertation needs substantial revisions. You must schedule another oral defense within 6
months of the original defense, in coordination with the faculty advisor and committee.
Submitting the Dissertation: After the committee has approved the final draft of the dissertation, you are required to
submit it to the APUS Repository and to the ProQuest Theses and Dissertations database in order to graduate.
Support Roles within Doctoral Studies
Doctoral Advising
Each cohort of students is assigned a faculty advisor through the first professional practice course to provide counsel
about the academic and research demands of the program. This faculty advisor remains with the cohort throughout
program coursework until the dissertation stage. Throughout the program residencies and interactions during
coursework, you will develop relationships with faculty members in order to select a dissertation chair and committee
members (see the Dissertation Requirements section). From the beginning of the doctoral program, you are provided
avenues to interact with doctoral faculty through courses, social media, residencies, and informal discussions. These
opportunities enable you to foster intellectual and personal connections that lead to advising relationships. You will
participate in an annual review of your academic progress to ensure that you are meeting program milestones and to
discuss ideas for the dissertation project.
Faculty Advisor: Each cohort of students will have a designated faculty advisor who works with the students
throughout their coursework.
Student Success Coach: This coach works with you from initial interest in the program and will guide you through the
application process before holistic review by the Doctoral Admissions Committee. If you are accepted and begin the
doctoral program, the Student Success Coach will remain your point of contact for questions about university and
program policies.
Doctoral faculty: The doctoral faculty members teach courses in the doctoral programs. Doctoral faculty may also
serve as faculty advisors, dissertation chairs, and dissertation committee members.
Dissertation Chair: The dissertation chair is the leader of the dissertation committee and your primary contact in
writing the dissertation. The dissertation chair is a coach and advocate through the dissertation process.
Dissertation Committee: The dissertation committee, in collaboration with its chair, advises you on the dissertation
and evaluates the dissertation oral defense. The dissertation committee consists of the chair, one additional APUS
faculty member, and one external member who is an expert in the professional practice area.
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs: The Associate Dean of Graduate Programs collaborates with the doctoral
programs for curricular planning, student success, and admissions. This director serves on the Doctoral Admissions
Committee and consults with program faculty for your annual reviews and program milestones.
Dean of Graduate Studies and Research: The Dean leads graduate studies at the University by ensuring that the
programs exceed accreditation standards and employ innovative teaching and research methods to support both faculty
and staff.
Maintaining Your Contact Information
The doctoral programs utilize your mycampus email address as the primary mode of communication and expect
doctoral students to access this address. This is to ensure that our offices can communicate with you regarding pending
academic actions, document requirements, financial alerts, engagement opportunities, etc. There will be times when the
communication you receive is time-sensitive and may require action on your part.
While in class, your instructors will communicate with you using your MyCampus email address. You can access your
MyCampus email via the Office 365 tool, which is on the home page of all courses. Logging onto MyCampus email
requires a username, password, and a second identity verification means via a mobile phone or other phone.
APUS will also use the following methods to communicate with you:
Email
Mailing Address
Personal Email
MyCampus Email
Phone (home/mobile)
Text Message (mobile)
eCampus Alerts
Announcements in the classroom
Per university information security policy, you cannot establish automated rules in your MyCampus account to
automatically forward email to a personal or business account. You can manually forward single emails.
The university uses your mailing address, provided during the application process, to determine your location at the time
of enrollment.
You are required to maintain current contact and location information in your student record as long as you are an active
student. You may update your contact information via the Edit Profile link in the dropdown next to your name at the top
of your eCampus.
You will receive emailed invitations to share your feedback with us through various surveys about your experiences
with the university, your needs as a student, etc. Although you are required to receive the emailed survey invitations,
participation in a survey is voluntary. We value and encourage your participation in our surveys, as your feedback plays
a significant role in our continuous improvement processes. If you have any questions about the survey process, please
contact [email protected].
If you are disenrolled or have graduated, and do not wish to have APUS contact you again, you may submit a Do Not
Contact request by emailing us at [email protected]. Doing so will remove your email addresses from our student
record system so that you no longer receive any emails from the University.
Changing your Major/Program
If you wish to transfer within doctoral programs at APUS, you are only permitted to do so during the first term of the
program, upon review and approval of the Doctoral Admission’s Committee. You must submit a revised professional
goal essay and assume tuition costs for any courses that must be taken in the new program. If you are on probation
and/or carry incompletes, you may not transfer programs.
Transfer Credit
The doctoral program is based on the model of students entering with a master’s degree equivalent to 30 graduate
credits. The doctoral program requires 58 credits beyond the master’s degree for completion. For this reason, the
doctoral program does not accept any transfer credit to fulfill requirements of the doctoral degree.
Academic Status
Changes in academic status occur when:
you are placed on academic probation, or
you are dismissed from the program.
You will have an annual review of your progress through program milestones, including a first year evaluation and
checkpoints throughout the curriculum. These reviews will ensure that you are on track for program milestones and
meeting program expectations.
Academic Probation: You must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average to remain in good academic standing.
If your GPA falls below 3.0, the academic probation policy will be in effect.
Doctoral students are expected to abide by the academic and professional conduct standards established in the
Student Code of Conduct. Through the conduct process, students who commit conduct violations will receive
consequences up to and including suspension and expulsion.
Appeal procedures in all instances of grievance are handled according to APUS Appeal Policy.
Academic Probation Policies
For doctoral students, Academic Probation begins after you have attempted at least 6 semester hours and have a
cumulative GPA below 3.0. You may also be placed on probation if, during the dissertation phase of the program, you
received a “U” (unsatisfactory performance) during an academic term.
If your cumulative program GPA falls below the minimum required by APUS, you will be notified by the Registrar's
Office that you have been placed on Academic Probation. The intent of Academic Probation is to provide you with the
opportunity to raise your cumulative GPA to minimum levels so that you may continue to pursue your academic goals.
Once placed on Academic Probation, your GPA will be reviewed after completion of one term per requirements detailed
below. You will need to discuss your options with your academic advisor and your funding source as your eligibility for
funding may be affected.
Academic Probation
Event Cause Result Outcomes
Student’s
GPA falls
below 3.0
Failed a
course(s) with a
grade of F
The student will be:
placed on probation and must repeat the failed
course before progressing
limited to repeating the failed course(s) and
withdrawn course(s) if applicable.
The probationary term must include a course with
letter grades to impact the GPA. Students in a term
with only pass/fail courses will continue into a term
with graded courses before probation review.
Upon successful completion
of the repeated course(s), the
new grade, which must be at
least a B will replace F
Alternative Scenarios
IF:
the student fails to
achieve at least a B- in
the repeated course, the
student will be removed
from the program.
the replacement grade
lifts GPA to 3.0 (or
above), student is
removed from
probation.
the replacement grade is
at least a B, but does
NOT lift GPA to 3.0 (or
above), the student will
be allowed a second
probation term to raise
the GPA;
Failure to raise the GPA
during the second
probation term will
result in the student
being dismissed from
the program.
Doctoral students must
hold at least a 3.0 GPA
at the conclusion of
coursework in order to
proceed into the
dissertation phase.
Students
who fall
below 3.0
Due to one or
more grades of
B- in the
program
The student will be placed on probation and will be
allowed to continue taking courses as a probationary
term. The probationary term must include a course with
letter grades to impact the GPA. Students in a term with
only pass/fail courses will be allowed to continue into a
term with graded courses before probation review.
Students who are able to
raise their GPA to 3.0
following the first
probationary term will
be removed from
probation.
Students who fail to
raise their GPA to at
least 3.0 during the first
probationary term will
be allowed a second
probation term to raise
the GPA.
Failure to raise the GPA
during the second
probationary term will
result in the student
being dismissed from
the program.
Doctoral students must
hold at least a 3.0 GPA
at the conclusion of
coursework in order to
proceed into the
dissertation phase.
Student
who does
not make
satisfactory
dissertation
progress
Student
receives a U
(Unsatisfactory)
grade in the
dissertation
course
The student will be placed on probation and will be
required to complete an improvement plan to meet
dissertation milestones during the next term.
If the student receives
an S (satisfactory) grade
in the probationary
term, the student will be
removed from
probation.
If the student receives a
U (unsatisfactory) in the
first probationary term,
the student will be given
a second probationary
term to demonstrate
satisfactory progress.
Failure to demonstrate
satisfactory progress
during the second
probationary term will
result in the student
being dismissed from
the program.
Academic
Level
Number of Probation Periods
Probation
Rules
Doctoral
students
Doctoral students may be placed on academic probation up to twice during their academic
program. Placement on academic probation beyond the first time will be based on completing
the previous academic probation period with a GPA above a 3.0.
Minimum
period
GPA of
3.0
If you raise your cumulative GPA above the minimum level at the end of the review period, you will be placed on
academic good standing.
Appeals
You will have 30- calendar days to appeal your pending academic dismissal in writing before it is processed. Refer to
the Appeals Information for more information.
Program Deadline and Program Hiatus
Once you start your program at APUS, you will have a set deadline for completing your program requirements. Your
program deadline begins with the start date of the first course in your program that you attend past the first week of the
course. This date is called your initial enrollment date. If you do not have your program conferred before the program
deadline, we can issue you a letter of program completion; however, you will not actually earn the degree or certificate.
Each program has an established program length:
Doctorate Degree: 7 years
If you are less than 6 months away from your program deadline, you will be blocked from registration until you have
met with your Department Chair to discuss your program completion plan.
Program Deadline Extensions
In some very special circumstances, you may request an extension of your program deadline. While the University takes
every extension request under consideration, whether to grant or deny an extension is solely at the University’s
discretion. Be sure to submit the request prior to reaching your program deadline.
You may only be granted an extension of up to 25% of your initial program length.
If you have any questions pertaining to program deadline extensions, please contact the Office of the Registrar at
Program Hiatus
Students who need to stop out from their doctoral program may request a Program Hiatus by communicating with the
Doctoral Success Coach and completing the Program Hiatus Request form. Students may request one or more Program
Hiatus(es) during the program, but the Program Hiatus(es) may exist for no greater than a total of 6 terms. You must
still complete the program within the approved timeframe of 7 years. You may return from a Program Hiatus and enter a
new cohort by contacting the Doctoral Success Coach to initiate the return process.
Your program deadline is not extended if you are on an approved Program Hiatus; you will have the same program
deadline when you return from a Program Hiatus and may need to work with the Doctoral Success Coach based on if it
your program deadline is nearing or expired upon your return.
Disenrollment
Students who exhaust their program hiatus time and/or exhaust their program deadline will be automatically disenrolled
from the university.
Voluntary Disenrollment
If you are an active doctoral student and you no longer want to pursue your education with the university, please contact
your Success Coach at [email protected] to commence the process.
Not Certain You Want to Withdraw?
Before you take steps to withdraw, your Success Coach will discuss with you options for requesting course extension(s)
or Program Hiatus. Because we serve students who are busy professionals, we understand that there may be times when
circumstances make it challenging to complete coursework within the prescribed timeframe. If this happens to you,
contact your Success Coach and the course instructor to discuss your situation.
Course Attempts Limits for Graduation Eligibility
To be eligible for graduation at the end of your program, you must have completed all course requirements within a
certain percentage of course attempts. This percentage is 150% of courses attempted vs. courses successfully
completed. This includes any courses you completed prior to changing your major, even if those courses did not apply
to your current major.
Course attempts include:
Courses that you withdraw from (grade is W).
Any courses which you complete (grade is A-F).
Any current course or courses for which you are on extension.
The following do NOT count as course attempts:
Courses that you have dropped (grade is DP)
Course credit that you transferred in to the program as transfer credit, Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), or
residential credit.
Maximum number of semester hours per academic level:
Doctorate degree – maximum number of semester hours attempted is 86 semester hours or 28 courses.
How to Get an Extension on Your Course
If you do not complete course requirements on time because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, you may be
given a grade of Incomplete (I) if you have successfully completed at least 50% of the course work already due (grade
of B- or better) in the specified course and if you are approved for an extension before final grades in the course are
issued. Before requesting an extension, please attempt to complete requirements within the time allotted for the course
in order to maintain progress in the program. Please reach out to your course faculty if you believe you will need an
extension and create a concrete plan for completing the course requirements.
Extensions are 30 days from the final day of the regularly-scheduled course. All work to rectify incomplete grades must
be completed within the extension period. You may only have one Incomplete grade and one Extension at a given time.
Students with special circumstances who need to complete more than one course should work with their Department
Chair to determine the best course of action for completing courses with the least disruption to program progression. All
incompletes must be resolved before you are permitted to defend the dissertation proposal. Incomplete grades do not
count toward graduation.
A special case for a longer extension may occur in the context of your portfolio defense. If you do not pass your first
attempt at the portfolio defense, your Department Chair may allow a 60-day extension of the corresponding course in
order to provide additional study time before attempting the portfolio defense a second time.
How to Drop or Withdraw from Your Course and Term
You are required to maintain continuous registration by completing coursework with your cohort, based on the doctoral
program of study, and registering each term during the dissertation phase until graduation. If you are experiencing an
academic or personal challenge that impacts your ability to continue in a term, please reach out to your Department
Chair. Once you have spoken with your Department Chair, you may choose to request a drop or withdrawal by
completing and returning a form provided by your Department Chair and the Doctoral Academic Advisor. If you choose
to drop or withdraw from courses, you will be removed from all the courses in your current term. At that point, you
must also decide if you would like to “stop out” of your program through a Program Hiatus or disenroll from the
program completely. With a Program Hiatus, you may re-enter the program in a term based on the last course you
completed; however, re-entering will mean joining a new cohort based on the term you are entering. Disenrolling means
that you would need to apply for admission again.
Students who need to stop out from their doctoral program may request a Program Hiatus by communicating with the
Doctoral Advisor and completing the Program Hiatus Request form. Students may request one or more Program
Hiatus(es) during the program, but the Program Hiatus(es) may exist for no greater than a total of 6 terms. You must
still complete the program within the approved timeframe of 7 years. You may return from a Program Hiatus and enter a
new cohort by contacting the Doctoral Advisor to initiate the return process.
Your program deadline is not extended if you are on an approved Program Hiatus; you will have the same program
deadline when you return from a Program Hiatus and may need to work with the Doctoral Advisor based on if it your
program deadline is nearing or expired upon your return.
Deciding Whether or not to drop or Withdraw from Your Course and
Term
Important Definitions
Course Drop: The removal of a course from your schedule prior to the end of the first week of class which will
also result in being placed on a Program Hiatus.
Course Withdrawal: The removal of a course from your schedule after the end of week one which will also
result in being placed on a Program Hiatus.
End of Week One: 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time of the first Sunday of the course.
Drop or Withdrawal Date: This is the date you submitted the online “Course Drop/Withdraw” Form, the date
you contacted the Office of the Registrar with your official request by email, phone call or voicemail.
SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress): One measure used to determine eligibility for both federal student aid
and for graduation. Withdrawals impact SAP, as they count against your maximum cap of 150% of courses
attempted vs. courses successfully passed.
Consequences of a Course Drop
Grades: You will see a "DP" for the course when viewing grades inside the Records Menu area of the ecampus
under My Academic Plan or My Academic Records under Grade Reports.
GPA (Grade Point Average): Your GPA is not impacted.
Transcript: If you have a transcript sent out, it will NOT show any record of the dropped course.
SAP: Classes you drop do not count as “attempted” in calculations used to determine eligibility for Federal
Student Aid or for graduation eligibility.
Federal Student Aid: If you do not complete a term you were scheduled to attend, your aid may be subject to a
Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation.
Course Access: You will no longer have access to a course once you drop it as you will be placed on a Program
Hiatus.
Consequences of a Course Withdrawal
Grades: You will see a "W" for the course when viewing grades inside the Records Menu area of the e-campus
under My Academic Plan or My Academic Records under Grade Reports.
GPA: Your GPA is not impacted.
Transcript: If you have a transcript sent out, it will show this course with a “W” grade.
SAP: Withdrawn courses do count as “attempted” in calculations used to determine eligibility for Federal Student
Aid or for graduation eligibility.
Federal Student Aid: If you do not complete a term you were scheduled to attend, your aid may be subject to a
Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation.
Course Access: You will no longer have access to a course once you withdraw from it as you will be placed on a
Program Hiatus.
Returning Your Books/Course Materials
Please refer to Course Materials for more information on returning books/course materials.
Your Course Grades and APUS Transcripts
The following information is covered in this section of the APUS Student Handbook:
Final Grades
Incomplete Grades (Extensions)
Appealing a Final grade
Failing Grades – Repeating Courses
Dissertation Defense
APUS Grading System (Chart)
Ordering and the Release of APUS Transcripts
Final Grades
Professors have until 8-calendar days after the end date of the course or the end date of the course extension to post final
grades. For each assignment during the course, your professor has 5 days for grading.
If you are on an extension but turn in coursework early, your professor is still not required to post the final grade until 8
days after the extension end date. However, you may email your instructor to let them know that you have completed
your work and see if your instructor is available to grade your work and post a final grade prior to your course extension
ending.
If you need a grade report quickly, you can print an official Grade Report from your ecampus under the MY
ACADEMIC RECORDS menu.
If you start an extension in a course and then do not submit all of the outstanding course work by the end of the
extension, you will receive a final grade based on the coursework you submitted, including 0% scores earned for any
work that was not completed.
Incomplete Grades (Extensions)
An Incomplete grade of “I” is posted to your course as soon as your extension is approved. An "I" is not a final grade,
and no “I” grade may stay on a student record permanently. Your professor will change the "I" to a final grade when
your extension ends.
Your professor is not obligated to grade the course as soon as you submit your work but has until 8 days after the
official course extension end date.
Please note:
If you do not complete work on extension, a final grade of "F" will be posted by your professor.
If your course still shows an “I” grade 30 days after the course end date, the Registrar's Office will convert the "I"
to a final grade of "F."
If you have 2 or more current "I" grades on record, you will be prohibited from registering for any additional
courses until you have completed the courses on extension.
Your Federal Student Aid eligibility may be impacted if you have courses with "I" grades.
Appealing a Final Grade
If you believe that a final grade does not accurately reflect your performance in a course, you must first contact your
course instructor for possible resolution.
Only your final grade in a course or project may be appealed; appeals for individual assignments during an active course
are not permitted. A grade appeal should be limited to specific charges of unfair action towards you and may not involve
a challenge of your instructor’s grading standard. You have the right to expect thoughtful and clearly defined
approaches to course grading, but you must recognize that varied standards and individual approaches to grading are
valid. A grade appeal considers whether a grade was determined in a fair and appropriate manner; it does not attempt to
grade or re-grade your individual assignments or projects.
In your appeal, you will need to substantiate your claim that your final grade represents unfair treatment compared to
the standard applied to other students. In the absence of compelling reasons, such as clerical error, prejudice, or
capriciousness, the grade assigned by your instructor is to be considered final. In a grade appeal, only arbitrariness,
prejudice, and/or error will be considered as legitimate grounds for an appeal.
If you still wish to appeal your final grade, you may appeal your instructor's decision by initiating a request with your
Department Chair and should include the written correspondence between you and your instructor regarding your initial
request for a review of your grade. An Academic Affairs Specialist will notify you of all decisions delivered regarding
your grade appeal.
No grade appeals will be considered for individual assignments
No grade appeals will be considered for courses whose final grade was posted more than 90 days ago
No grade appeals will be considered that are not submitted in writing, either by email or letter
No grade appeals will be considered for students whose degrees have been conferred
Grade Appeal Process Walkthrough:
Review your final grade with your instructor
Send a written grade appeal to your Department Chair
The appropriate Chair(s) in your school will review the appeal and send a decision within 30 days. Be aware that
continuation in a subsequent doctoral term may be impacted by the outcome of the appeal. Financial ramifications
of withdrawing from a term are the student’s responsibility
If your appeal is denied:
Second Level of Appeal: You must ask that your appeal be reviewed by your school dean's office
Your school dean will review the appeal and send a decision within 30 days
At the doctoral level, the school dean’s office is the final level of review, and the decision is considered final
Failing Grades – Repeating Courses
If you do not receive a passing grade in a doctoral course, you must retake the failed course before continuing your
course progression. You will be enrolled in the specific course(s) you need to complete the appropriate doctoral term.
When you complete the course(s) with a passing grade, you will be allowed to continue your course progression with
the next term and with the relevant cohort based on your place in the curriculum. Course retakes will be charged at the
per-credit rate for the doctoral program.
You can only retake a course if you received a failing grade “F” and if the exact course is still offered at APUS.
You are not able to retake a course in which you received an A- B- grade in order to raise your GPA or if APUS no
longer offers that same course.
Retaking a Failed Course:
APUS now allows you one opportunity to retake a failed course and have your original failed grade forgiven from your
GPA. The original failing grade will show as “R” on your transcript, and the previous failing grade will be removed
from your GPA as long as you complete the course retake. However, you will still see your original failing grade on
your personal online academic plan and on your individual online grade reports.
If you fail any other course required in your program twice, you will be dismissed from the program and no longer
eligible to continue at APUS.
Important Information:
The course retake policy only applies if the exact course that you previously failed is still offered.
Original failing grades of retaken courses will still be used to calculate SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) for
financial aid and for the 150% rule of course credit attempted vs course credit earned for graduation eligibility.
The retake policy does not apply to courses that you took in programs that you have already completed. For
example, if you failed a course in your Associates program, and have already had that degree conferred, you
cannot have the original failing grade forgiven in your GPA by retaking it now in your Bachelor’s program.
Dissertation Defense
To complete the doctoral program, you must write and defend your dissertation. The dissertation must be approved by
the dissertation committee via the oral defense.
Oral Defense of Dissertation: Possible outcomes for the dissertation defense are “Pass with Distinction,” “Pass,” “Pass
with Revisions,” or “Fail.” Committee members award a “Pass with Distinction” if they believe you have produced a
study worthy of publication in a top-tier venue (either academic or trade publication).
The “Pass with Distinction” indicates that the dissertation is of superior quality and would meet application
standards for peer reviewed journal. This will only be awarded to the top ten percent of dissertations.
A “Pass” indicates that you have successfully completed the dissertation and are ready to submit it for graduation.
A “Pass with Revisions” indicates that you need to complete specific revisions and receive approval from the
committee before submitting the dissertation for graduation.
A “Fail” indicates that the dissertation needs substantial revisions. You must schedule another oral defense within
6 months of the original defense, in coordination with the faculty advisor and committee.
Submitting the Dissertation: After the committee has approved the final draft of the dissertation, you are required to
submit it to the APUS Repository and Proquest Theses and Dissertations database in order to graduate. Your
dissertation chair will provide you with guidance about this process.
Dissertation Committee: The dissertation committee is made up of your dissertation chair and one other faculty
member from APUS. You are required to have one approved external member. Qualifications for this person are spelled
out in the Dissertation Manual. Each member of the committee must approve that dissertation proposal and the final
product.
APUS Grading System (Chart)
Your cumulative GPA at APUS is determined solely by the courses you have taken at APUS towards your current
degree. If you change your major, your previous APUS courses will roll over into your GPA for your new major.
However, if you graduate from a program, you would start over with a new GPA when you start on your next program.
For example, your grades towards your conferred Master's degree at APUS do not impact your subsequent GPA in your
Doctoral program.
Doctoral Courses:
WP/WF grade designators are no longer used as of October 5, 2007.
Grade Quality Points/ Grading Percent Description
A 4.0/ 100 - 94 Very high quality, clearly above average work
A- 3.67/ 93 - 90 Accepted performance level
B+ 3.33/ 89 - 87 Accepted performance level
B 3.0/ 86 - 84 Accepted performance level
B- 2.67/ 83 - 80 Below Average
F 0.0/ 79 - 0 Failing
P NONE Pass
I NONE All: Incomplete
S NONE Satisfactory progress during dissertation course
U NONE Unsatisfactory progress during dissertation course
DP NONE Dropped
W NONE Withdrawn
WP NONE Withdrawn Passing
WF NONE Withdrawn Failing
Ordering and the Release of APUS Transcripts
You must wait 24 hours after your grade posts to your Academic Record before ordering your transcript to ensure that
your grade will be reflected on your transcript. This will give adequate time for all information to post to your transcript.
You may order APUS transcripts from us through the online student portal, and we offer the option of either electronic
or paper transcripts. Once you are logged in to your student ecampus, you will hover your mouse over Academic Plan
and Forms, then select Order APUS Transcripts from the University Forms Menu. If you have forgotten your student ID
or password, please call our Student Support Services at 877-755-2787.
We offer the options of electronic transcripts, paper transcripts, or a free download of your academic Student
Agreement. Fees for our transcript orders may be found in our fee schedule.
The electronic transcript is the cheapest and fastest way to get a transcript to a third party quickly. For military students,
the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) now accepts our electronic transcripts!
If you are utilizing a government or military computer that has blocked access to this website, you must utilize a
personal computer to place your order.
You must have attended an APUS course to be eligible for a release of a transcript. This means you have either
completed a course for a final grade, passed an APUS offered competency exam, or withdrawn from an APUS course
after the first week.
You will not be able to order an unofficial or official APUS transcript if:
You have not submitted all of your required admission documents yet. Your record status will still show in your
portal as INCOMPLETE.
You have never attended an APUS course or passed an APUS competency exam.
You have not completed a course with APUS.
Students who have a financial balance due to the university can order and pay for their transcripts.
Students on Incomplete Admission status who have completed a course must email [email protected] to
obtain a complementary unofficial transcript for their own personal use.
Degree Conferrals
Degree conferrals will appear on your transcript AFTER the actual conferral date of your degree. We cannot post
conferrals prior to the official conferral date. It is recommended that students wait 24 hours after their conferral date to
order a transcript to ensure your conferral date has been posted to the transcript.
Transcript Display
APUS transcripts do NOT include any of the following information:
Dropped courses (DP grades)
Academic Probation
Academic Suspension
Notation of any Disciplinary Action
Failed grades for courses retaken after August 2008*
*These course grades will appear as “R” on your transcript but will continue to show as “F” on your personal academic
plan and individual grade reports in your student portal.
Exceptions to APUS Transcript Release Policy
Graduation
When ordering a transcript after graduating, please be sure your conferral has been posted in your student record first or
your awarded degree will not show up on your transcript. It is recommended that students wait 24 hours after their
conferral date to order a transcript to ensure your conferral date has been posted to the transcript.
General Graduation Information
Graduation and Conferral of Degree
Unlike most universities that only confer degrees twice a year, APUS confers degrees quarterly.
"Conferral date" is defined as the date on which your degree is officially awarded. Due to outstanding financial
obligations, outstanding grade appeals, or established conferral schedules, you may actually complete your degree many
months before your degree is officially conferred.
To be eligible for conferral of your degree, you must:
have fulfilled all course requirements in your program.
have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
have your dissertation accepted by your dissertation committee and submitted to the library.
have fulfilled all program requirements for your degree.
have applied for graduation and passed an academic review of your courses.
have no outstanding balances.
Graduation applications are due six weeks before the conferral date. It is critical that you maintain an accurate shipping
address in your student record. You will incur additional charges if we need to reship misdirected diplomas or
transcripts due to a shipping address that was no longer valid. Your conferral could also be delayed if you are not
receiving notifications of outstanding graduation process requirements.
Transcripts
Your graduation date will not be reflected on any transcript you order until the day of conferral regardless of when you
were academically cleared for your program.
For more information on GPA requirements, program deadline requirements, or Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
requirements (150% rules), please see the What You Need to Know Before Your Course Begins section of the Student
Handbook.
Applying for Graduation
When to submit: Students are encouraged to apply for graduation once they have successfully completed and received
a pass status on their 3rd milestone.
Applicant Information:
Name on Diploma - The student’s name on their diploma or certificate must match the legal last name APUS has on
file. Students may spell out their middle name, as well as add generational suffixes (Sr, Jr, etc.). No prefixes, ranks, or
titles will be placed on the diploma.
In order to allow a different legal name on their diploma, students must contact the Record Updates Department at
[email protected] for assistance with updating their name on file. Once updated, the student may then proceed
with applying for graduation, or contact the Graduations Office at [email protected] to update their name if an
application has already been submitted. All changes must be made before the student’s conferral or certificate award
date.
Application Deadlines for Degree Conferral
Your Graduation Application must be received prior to your projected conferral date. If you are currently on any course
extensions, it doesn’t matter if you turn your coursework in prior to the extension end date. The extensions must be
officially scheduled to end prior to the anticipated conferral date you select on your graduation application.
Please follow the due dates below for graduation application deadlines:
For conferral on: Application due no later than:
February 1 December 2
April 1 February 2
June 1 April 2
August 1 June 2
October 1 August 2
December 1 October 2
Doctoral Graduation Fees
There is a one-time, nonrefundable fee of $100 per degree. The fee covers administrative costs associated with
completing the graduation review, as well as printing and shipping your diploma.
Program Review Process
The program review process begins when you submit the online Graduation Application. Once you submit your
Graduation Application, the following processes are triggered:
Academic Audit – An Associate Registrar must review the student record and confirm that all program
requirements for completion have been met.
Finance Audit – The APUS Finance Office must confirm that the Student Account has no outstanding balance or
monies owed.
Library Audit – The APUS Librarian must confirm all books or materials reserved from the library have been
returned to APUS and there are no outstanding fees.
Direct Loan Exit Counseling - If you have used Federal Student Aid to cover any portion of your college
costs, you may be required to complete Direct Loan Exit Counseling. Our Financial Aid Office will contact you
by email to provide the link for exit counseling. Exit counseling provides important information you will need as
you prepare to repay your federal student loan(s).
If the Associate Registrar confirms that academic requirements have not been met by the intended conferral date, you
will be notified by email that your conferral has been moved to the next available date.
If you are academically cleared for graduation but do not meet all requirements prior to your conferral date, you will
remain assigned to the declared conferral. However your final diploma will not be mailed until you complete all of the
program audit requirements.
My Graduation Information Online
You may track your graduation process in your online campus under “My Graduation Info.” The information in this
section is updated once you apply for graduation. The information below will explain each of the fields listed under the
graduation audit section.
Auditor: An Associate Registrar will be with the student throughout the graduation process.
Projected Conferral Date: This is the date selected by the student during the application process, identifying
when they anticipate graduation from the American Public University System.
Declared Conferral Date: This is the date that the Associate Registrar confirms as the conferral date the student
is eligible for graduation once the academic audit has begun.
Graduation Application: Once the Graduation Application has been submitted electronically, the status will
state, “Submitted“, and a date will post.
Academic Audit: This field will remain blank until the initial academic review has been completed. Once the
initial academic review is completed, one of the following statuses below will be listed:
Status Definitions
Clear: You have successfully completed all academic requirements for your current degree.
Grades not posted: You have registered for all courses needed to complete the current degree; however, not all
course grades have been posted.
Incomplete Grade: You are currently on a course extension or have additional courses to complete your
program.
Ineligible: You failed the final course requirement, or do not meet the minimum GPA requirement for your
degree.
Finance Audit and Library Audit: These will be completed once you have been cleared academically for graduation.
A status of “Not Clear” will show if you have an outstanding issue with any of these reviews. You will not be able to
receive any transcripts or have your diploma shipped if you have any outstanding balance or monies owed.
End of Program Survey: If you are required to complete the End-of-Program (EOP) survey, you will be emailed the
survey on a weekly basis after submitting your Graduation Application until it has been successfully submitted.
Questions about this EOP survey can be sent to [email protected]. Please be sure that your current email is listed in
your Online Campus to ensure a timely delivery of this survey.
Once all graduation requirements have been successfully completed, you will be notified by email with your final
clearance date.
Questions regarding your academic audit status should be directed to [email protected].
Shipping of Diplomas
Once you receive final clearance for your program, you will be scheduled to have your degree conferred during the next
conferral or award date listed in the Application Deadlines section.
In order to receive final clearance, it is necessary to have cleared all audits on your graduation checklist. This includes:
Financial Audit
Library Materials Audit
Any Required Financial Aid Exit Counseling
Diplomas
Within two weeks of your degree conferral, your digital diploma will be emailed to the primary email address on your
student record. Within six weeks after your degree conferral, your diploma will be mailed to your mailing address on
your student record. Please allow an additional 30 days for international shipments.
You may check the status of your diploma shipment by using the “track delivery” link located on your Parchment
Award learner account. If you have not received your diploma within 6 weeks of your conferral date, please send an
email to [email protected] for additional information.
Diplomas contain the following information
Your Student Name as you listed on the graduation application - Please Note: Only your legal name may appear
on the diploma. No titles or ranks will be included. If your legal name has changed since applying to the school,
you must update your student record by providing legal documentation of the name change to
The APUS institution you attended (American Military University or American Public University).
Your degree program level and program name (Concentrations are not listed on the diploma).
Copies of the Diploma
You may place orders for additional copies of your final diploma prior to or after your conferral date. The cost of each
additional diploma is $35. To place an order for an additional diploma, use the Additional Diploma Request Form
located in the FORMS menu in your ecampus portal. Additional diploma orders will not be sent out until after your
degree has been conferred.
Diploma Reshipments
You will be notified by email at the time of academic clearance and final clearance reminding you to confirm or update
your email and mailing address on your student record.
If we need to reship your diploma because your mailing address in your record was not current, please submit the
Additional Diploma Request Form for reshipment of your diploma. You will be responsible for paying the $35 fee,
which will be used towards the cost of materials and reshipment.
Note: Please allow up to 6 weeks for processing AFTER we receive your payment confirmation. If your payment
confirmation is received after the 4
th
of the month, please allow an additional 2 weeks for processing. A digital diploma
is also provided with each additional diploma request order.
Student Resources
Richard G. Trefry Library
The Trefry Library offers extensive access to online databases, books, open access resources, and research guides.
Librarians are available to provide personalized research assistance.
Communities and Writing Groups
Within your cohort, you are strongly encouraged to form interest communities and writing groups to motivate each
other and provide accountability during the dissertation process. Faculty advisors contribute to these groups and
facilitate writing groups as requested.
Professional Development
You are encouraged to attend professional events, such as conferences organized by the Policy Studies Organization,
which has an affiliation with APUS, American Council on Education (ACE), and other discipline-specific conferences.
Institutional Review Board
The Institutional Review Board assists researchers in conducting research ethically and protecting human subjects
during a research project. If you plan to complete a research project with human subjects, you should become familiar
with the IRB website and process before submitting a proposal.
