Graduate School Policies

The academic catalog should be your first stop for information about policies, course planning and degree requirements. Students should use the catalog for the year they began their program (i.e., a student admitted for fall 2021 should use the 2021-2022 catalog).

The academic catalog contains all the current policies and procedures for graduate programs at USD. You will find information on readmission, full-time status, course loads, academic integrity, grading systems, commencement, change of degree information, appeals and deferrals, leave of absence, grievance process, teach-out arrangement and more.

Policies

Graduate School Forms

Visit the Graduate School Forms page in the myUSD portal to access all general forms, application for degree, drop/withdrawals, credit transfer, name change and more.

Forms

USD thesis and dissertation writing resources can be found in the myUSDPortal under the Graduate School tab. It includes a guide to preparing your thesis/dissertation, training video, ProQuest process and guidelines to submit your thesis/dissertation through your committee.

Thesis & Dissertation

Information Technology Services (ITS) offers technology leadership and support for the university community. From classroom technology assistance to personal device repairs, our team offers a range of services to promote the teaching, research and service goals of the university and to help facilitate learning for our students.

IT Services

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Student Handbooks - General

USD's general student handbook contains general information and services for students such as career planning, dining services, childcare resources, technology services, legal aid, counseling center information and more. Also find information on activities and organizations, policies & procedures, student code of conduct. 

Student Handbook

Graduate Student Handbooks - Graduate Programs

Many graduate programs at USD have a handbook with university and department policies and procedures that are specifically relevant to each graduate program. If you have questions that are not covered in your program's handbook, contact your graduate program coordinator for more information.

• Advanced Clinical Practice Graduate Student Handbook
• Administration Graduate Student Handbook
• Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Student Handbook
• Basic Biomedical Science Graduate Student Handbook
• Board Certified Behavior Analyst Graduate Student Handbook
• Biology Graduate Student Handbook
• Business School Graduate Programs Academic Standards
• Chemistry Graduate Student Handbook
• Clinical Psychology Graduate Student Handbook
• Communication Graduate Student Handbook
• Counseling Graduate Student Handbook
• Computer Science Graduate Student Handbook
• Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Graduate Student Handbook
• Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master’s of Science in Nursing Graduate Student Handbook
• Educational Leadership Graduate Student Handbook
• Executive Public Administration Graduate Student Handbook
• English Graduate Student Handbook
• Health Sciences Graduate Student Handbook
• History Graduate Student Handbook
• Human Factors Psychology Grad Student Handbook
• Kinesiology and Sport Management Graduate Student Handbook
• Math Graduate Student Handbook
• Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Student Handbook
• Master of Fine Arts Graduate Student Handbook
• Master of Public Administration Graduate Student Handbook
• Master of Public Health Graduate Student Handbook
• Master of Social Work Graduate Student Handbook
• Music Graduate Student Handbook
• Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Handbook
• Physician Assistant Graduate Student Handbook
• Physics Graduate Student Handbook
• Physical Therapy Graduate Student Handbook
  
• School Psychology Graduate Student Handbook
• Sustainability Graduate Student Handbook
• Theatre Graduate Student Handbook

Academic

Please see Board of Regents Policy 2.9. This policy governs academic disputes involving students. Such disputes most commonly arise as a result of student dissatisfaction with assigned grades, but students may also invoke the standards and procedures provided under this policy to challenge academic responses to instances involving alleged student academic misconduct or to challenge other decisions, justified on academic grounds, that affect their participation in or completion of university academic programs.

Board of Regents Policy 2:33: Student Academic Misconduct

• Graduate Appeal Form
• Appeals Process Roles

Non-Academic

Please see Board of Regents Policy 3.4. This policy is the Student Conduct Code.

The University of South Dakota is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and thereby obliged to follow the Commission's requirements for Teach Out Plans to provide equitable treatment of students. In particular, Teach Out Arrangements assure students are able to complete educational programs in which they are enrolled despite institutional changes. For more information, please view Teach Out Arrangements.