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The ICDL Graduate School ensures that students who graduate from its doctoral program have developed competent critical thinking and analytical skills to allow them to integrate theory, research, and practice in the fields of infant mental health, early child education, child protection, developmental disorders, family systems and counseling.
Academic progress will be measured according to the following grading system:
A |
Outstanding, original or excellent, demonstrating high competence, critical thinking, analytical skills, and participation |
B |
Substantial in quality, demonstrating basic competence, critical thinking, analytical skills, and participation. |
C |
Average; not acceptable for doctoral level work. |
F |
Failing; competence has not been demonstrated. |
IP |
In progress; normally used for courses such as practicum or dissertation, that continue over two or more semesters. No grade is recorded, and no units of credit are posted until the course is completed.
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Critical thinking and analytical skills are promoted throughout the curriculum and evaluated through the different grading evaluations and assessments. Midterm and final exams include questions that require elaboration, analytical skills, and critical thinking, usually by using case studies and vignettes. Analytical skills and critical thinking are also a part of the evaluation rubric for final papers, which are required for many courses. Critical thinking and analytical skills are encouraged through online forum discussions, where students are graded on their level of participation. Lastly, each course includes anticipated measurable outcomes that include the development of critical thinking and analytical skills.
Periodic reviews are held to monitor the academic progress for each student. Adequate progress is defined as having completed each course with a grade of 'B' or better, or having made other major academic progress, such as the completion of a dissertation within a one-year period. During each review period an analysis is conducted by a faculty member to review the progress of the student. Together, the student and faculty member develop clear objectives and timelines to achieve the desired academic goals. If a student continues to have difficulty in achieving satisfactory academic progress after a second review period, and/or has failed one or more courses, a special commission reviews the student’s case. The ICDL Faculty Advisor, the Chief Academic Officer, and a third ICDL faculty member (chosen by the student from a course in which he/she had an acceptable performance), comprises the special commission. The special commission will review and document the student-specific objectives and place the student on academic probation for the following semester. If at the the objectives outlined by the special commission have not been achieved at the subsequent review, the commission will remove the student from the program unless substantial mitigating circumstances exist.
The ICDL Graduate School expects high standards of honesty from its students. Violations of these high standards include; cheating, plagiarism, and giving or receiving unauthorized help in midterms, final exams, individual papers, or dissertations. Due to the combined nature of the curriculum, the ICDL Graduate School gives special attention to verifying student assignments submitted through online courses, and carefully monitor potential problems of dishonesty in online assessments. An Academic Honesty Committee decides sanctions for these serious violations. Students are encouraged to review the Rules of Conduct policies at the ICDL Graduate School website.
The ICDL Graduate School preserves and maintains financial, operational, and academic records in an organized manner, meeting legal requirements for storage, retrieval, and protection of documents and student privacy. Student records are maintained with the documentation required by the California Code of Regulations Section 72920.
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