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Graduate Level

A. Registration

Graduate students seeking admission from AUP must secure an application form online, or from the Registrar’s Office and submit the necessary entrance credentials to the said office.

All new students must be interviewed by theirrespective Dean/Department Chair/Area Coordinator; and pass the Graduate Admission and English Proficiency Tests administered by the Guidance Office.

Students are officially registered upon receipt of the registration card stamped by the Registrar’s Office and the Accounting Office. Students are not allowed to attend class unless officially enrolled.

A.1.  Registration Guidelines For Off-site Learning

Off-site learning is an innovative mode of delivery to assist employees of sister institutions. Classes are held in AUP and in other off-site venues.

Preliminary Activities:

1.      There should be an approved and notarized Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).

2.      The Department Chair accepts,screens and submitsall the application forms and other necessary documents to the Registrar’s office.

3.      The dDepartment Chair coordinates with the Guidance Office to conduct the English Proficiency Exam and Psychological Tests to all applicants.

4.      The Department Chair prepares the course offerings for the whole program.

5.      The Department Chair meets the students for orientation about the academic policies.

Before the Class Starts:

1.      The Department Chair facilitatesthe enrollment of the students and submitsthe forms to the Registrar’s office along with  the summary of enrollment.

2.      The Dpartment Chair provides the accounting office the enrollment list with the corresponding institutional charges and/or remittances per term.

3.      No direct payment of fees/dues will be collected from the students of off-site learning except for library fees, comprehensive exam fees, graduation fees, and clearance fees which should be paid to the AUP cashier’s office. All students of the off-site learning pay the fees/dues through the sponsoring institutions.

4.      The Department Chair ensures that the approved course syllabus of the assigned professor will be distributed to the students at least two weeks before the class starts during the term.

            At the End of Each Class:

1.      The department chair ensures that the assigned professor for the subject submits the following documents: sample exam, sample exam script, sample class project/research, grade sheet, class record, pictures and/or any documentation related to the class activities (e.g. symposium, field trip, forum, field work)

2.      The department chair facilitatesthe approval and submission of the grade sheet to the college dean and the Registrar’s office.

3.      The department chair furnishes a copy of the approved grade sheet to the sponsoring institution/group.

4.      The department chair facilitatesthe processing of honorarium as soon as the required documents are accomplished by the professor.

B. Academic Adviser

The respective department Chair will be the student’s academic adviser who will chart/monitor his program until he is ready for graduation.  One of his functions is to review every semester the student’s academic program, which he has tailored for him for the period the student is expected to be at AUP.

During registration, the student must see his department chair to verify from the student’s checklist the subjects he has to take for the period and advice him accordingly.

C. Course Load

The minimum course load for a full-time student is nine (9) units and a maximum of twelve (12) units per semester.  The minimum course load for a part-time student, under the intensive program, is three (3) units and a maximum of six (6) units per session/term.

If a student has to take any prerequisite subject or remedial English class, this will be part of his 12 units maximum load.

D. Curriculum Checklist

A curriculum checklist is simply a list of all the courses that a student must take to graduate.  It is given to a student on the day of his first registration at AUP.

E. Late Registration

Permission to register late must be obtained from the subject teacher endorsed by the department chair channeled to the College Dean and RO. A late registration fee will be charged. After the last day of registration, as printed in the university academic calendar, no student is allowed to register anymore. However, if the arrangement to register is not possible, especially in the case of a foreign student, then he is advised to undergo a cultural orientation provided by the history department.

F. Transfer of Credits

Students who have attended other recognized and accredited graduate programs and plan to earn a masters/doctoral degree from AUP can transfer all of the general or minor courses provided the content and the course descriptions are similar with Adventist University of the Philippines.  Only courses with grades of B- (or its equivalent) and above taken within the last five (5) years can be transferred or credited into the master’s level.  Only courses with grades of B (or its equivalent) and above, taken within the last seven years (7) can be transferred/credited to the doctoral level.

G. Change of Program

Change of program is allowed within two weeks after the start of classes. Forms are available from the College Dean’s Office.  The student requesting for it must return the form to the Registrar’s Office duly approved by the respective professor, department chair and the Dean.

H. Independent Study

1.  The student to be approved for independent study should:

1.      have an over-all GPA of 3.50;

2.      have special needs as approved by the department chair, dean and the VP for Academics.

2.  The qualified applicant should pay three times the regular tuition fee plus P5,000 for the subject. The second fee goes to the teacher and the department on a sharing basis of 80% and 20%, respectively.

3. The teacher involved should prepare an outline of activities, compilation of requirements and a schedule of consultations approved by the department chair and the dean.

4.  A maximum of three (3) units only is allowed for independent study for the whole program.

I. Special Class

  1. The student to be approved for a special class should be graduating.
  2. For one (1) student enrolled in a Special Class, he pays the tuition fee of a regular class of four (4) students which is equivalent to a 3-unit load of a teacher.
  3. For two (2) students enrolled in a special class, the tuition fee equivalent to four (4) students will be shared by both.  The teacher is credited a 3-unit load.

J. Degree Requirements

Each graduate student should be acquainted with all the regulations and requirements outlined in this bulletin.  He must take the initiative of having his program of study approved, taking all required tests and examinations, and completing the required attendance per semester. Specific requirements are listed under each respective degree. The general requirements are:

1.  course work;

2.  Written Comprehensive Exam (WCE);

3.  Thesis or its equivalent (for masters) or Dissertation (for doctoral)

K. Required Grade Point Average (GPA)

 A cumulative minimum GPA of 3.00 is required for all courses in the graduate program. Grades of less than B- is not accepted for graduate credits. A grade of C+ for electives, cognates, or general courses is accepted provided that the GPA is 3.25 and above.

L. Residency/Duration of Study

  1. Course work and comprehensive exams for the Masters program should be completed within five (5) years and seven (7) years for the doctoral program.
  2. Thesis/Community Project/Feasibility Study/ Dissertation writing should be finished within three (3) years for masters and five (5) years for the doctoral program.
  3. A student enrolled in thesis writing, feasibility study, community project and dissertation, has to apply for residency (with or without library fee) within two (2) years for masters and three (3) years for the doctoral programs.
  4. If a student fails to complete the program within ten (10) years for masters and fifteen (15) years for doctoral, he will be advised to repeat the course.

 

M. Academic Audit Policy

Course Requirements

Students who exceed eight (8) years of study for masters and twelve (12) years for doctoral on top of the residency policy, are required to take a 3 unit penalty course (general or major subjects) every year for a maximum of two (2) years and three (3) years for the master’s and doctoral programs, respectively. The procedures are as follows:

1.      subjects to be taken are determined by the department chair;

2.      students are required to officially enroll the said subjects for extending, and

3.      Students are required to attend the class and comply with the course requirements.

If a students fails to complete the program within the allotted maximum residency of ten (10) years for masters and 15 years for doctoral, he is advised to repeat or start another program.

 

N. Student Leave of Absence

A student who plans to stop attending class (for at most one year) is required to apply for a leave of absence through a letter noted by the respective department Chair and the Dean.  This letter will be submitted to the CGS Director for approval by the Graduate Council.  The student’s approved period of leave of absence will not be included in the number of years of residency in the university.

Students returning after an absence must notify the respective department chair and the dean of their intention to return and fulfill the requisite admission requirements.

O. Assessment

O.1. Attendance

O.1.1. Classes

Absences are counted from the first day of classes and are classified as excused or unexcused.  Excused absences involve reasons of illness, authorized trips or circumstances beyond the student’s control. Absences for health reasons should be cleared by the university physician.  Absences for any reason other than those mentioned above are considered unexcused.  If a student’s total number of absences exceeds 10 hours of the total class hours in a course of three (3) units, a grade of F may be recorded, unless the student has a valid reason for an NC.  If warranted by special circumstances, the Graduate Council may grant him permission to make up for the missed class work.

O.1.2. Research Colloquium

The Research Colloquium, under the CGS Director, is considered an important part of the student’s academic experience wherein sharing of research findings is conducted and attendance is, therefore, encouraged.

P. Final Examination Policies and Procedures

To ensure that high standards are maintained in the administration of examinations in all graduate programs, the following policies and procedures shall be observed:

  1. The professor prepares the examinations in his respective discipline and develop the marking scheme for the same.
  2. The department concerned and the dean shall moderate the examinations
  3. Each professor will mark his own scripts.

Q. Academic Issues

Q.1. Academic Dishonesty

Academic honesty is expected of every student.  An academic dishonesty includes such things as plagiarism, forging of signatures, using notes or textbooks during quizzes or examinations when not authorized, copying or looking at the test answers of another student (formal or take-home examinations) and aiding another student in any of these activities.  Any academic dishonesty made by the student may result in a failing grade for the course, or other disciplinary actions deemed appropriate by the university.

Q.2. Academic Probation

The following policies apply to students on academic probation:

  1. Students whose cumulative GPA in any graduate course work falls below 3.00 will be placed on academic probation and may be encouraged to take a lighter load the following semester.
  2. If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 3.00 for any two consecutive semesters, the student may be given a warning and a one semester probation.
  3. If a student who is on probation shows no improvement, he will be advised to withdraw.

Q.3. Retention Policy/Passing Grade in the Graduate Program

The passing grade in the graduate program is B-. However, a grade of one C+ in electives, cognates or general courses may be accepted if the over-all GPA is 3.00 and above.

Q.4. Academic Grievances

Any student expressing concern regarding instructional matters such as perceived unfair grading, cheating or general misunderstanding should confer with the professor, department chair and the dean before the matter is taken to the Vice President for Academics.  Any complaint to the Vice President for Academics must be made in writing endorsed by the department chair/college dean.

R. Grading System

The final grades for each term are recorded on the student’s permanent record in the Registrar’s Office and in the AUP Online System (AOLIS).  Students of the University with active account in the AOLIS can view their grades in the website (http://www.aup.edu.ph).

The following are the numerical and letter grades with their percentages and point equivalences.

Numerical Grade

Letter Grade

Percentage Equivalence

Point Equivalence/unit

1.00

A

98-100

4.00

1.25

A-

95-97

3.75

1.50

B+

92-94

3.50

1.75

B

89-91

3.25

2.00

B-

86-88

3.00

2.25

C+

83-85

2.75

2.50

C

80-82

2.50

2.75

C-

77-79

2.25

3.00

D

75-76

2.00

5.00

F

74 and below

0.00

Other symbols and meanings that may appear in the grade sheet (transcript) or in the AOLIS are:

INC     Incomplete

NC     No Credit

Dropped

Exempetd

Final grades are permanent and could only be changed through an approved “Request for Change of Grade.” (AUP-VPA-19)

Further, the following labels are AOLIS generated which are temporary and not recorded in the transcript of record:

  1. Enroll – the default label for the currently enrolled courses and replaced with a final grade at the end of the term.
  2. Deleted/Dissolved – courses in the roster of AOLIS that were removed.
  3. Recheck – a security check system for suspicious encoding. The RO will re-encode the correct final grade based on the grade sheet submitted on file.

R.1. Components for Grading

Components for grading include the following:

Examinations                             Quizzes                         Case Analyses

Assignments                               Projects                         and other measurable academic

Research Papers                         Class Participation        requirements

R.2. Change of Grade

Errors or omissions made in the grade report of a student should be reviewed carefully. Should any corrections be necessary, they must be corrected within two weeks after its issuance. The professor involved should process the change of grade through the Academic Council.

R.3. Provision for Incomplete Grades (INC)

  1. An INC (Incomplete) is a temporary grade given to students who failed to complete the course at the discretion of the teacher. It might be given due to failure in:
  1. taking examinations;
  2. submission of class requirements; or
  3. due to illness, emergencies and other unforeseeable circumstances

and not because of :

  1. negligence;
  2. late work; or
  3. low performance.
  1. Grade sheets with INCs submitted by teachers must include an attached “Incomplete Grade Sheet Form” (AUP-VPA-10). It contains the current grade of the student and his expected final grade in case the probation for the completion of an INC grade expires.
  2. Students receiving an INC grade will not be allowed to process enrolment the following school term, unless the “Completion of Grade Contract” (AUP-VPA-23) is duly signed by both the teacher and the student and approved by the Registrar’s Office.
  3. As a temporary grade, INCs must be completed within two regular semesters only; otherwise, after a month, the Registrar’s Office, will encode the final grade based on the submitted “Incomplete Grade Sheet Form” (AUP-VPA-10) of the teacher.
  4. Students who received INCs but do not enroll within a year when the INC grade probation expires, and failed to file a “Completion of Grade Contract” (AUP-VPA-23)will also receive final grades based on their  actual performance as computed or determined by their teachers in the submitted “Incomplete Grade Sheet Form” (AUP-VPA-10).
  5. Students who enrolled in Thesis Writing or Feasibility Study, OJT, Internship, Practicum, Community Project and Dissertation Writing but did not complete the requirements within the prescribed period, will also receive an INC grade and therefore must file a “Completion of Grade Contract” (AUP-VPA-23).
  6. Students who filed a “Completion of Grade Contract” (AUP-VPA-23)and successfully fulfilled the requirements for the course will have a final grade based on the recent computation of grade.  The teacher submits the completed “Completion of Grade Contract” (AUP-VPA-23)to the Registrar’s Office for encoding.
  7. INC grade will have no bearing on the student’s GPA.

S. Common Course Offerings in CGS

The following are the common course offerings scheduled by the Center for Graduate Studies. (CGS)

Religion                                                     3 units

Thesis 1,2                                                  3/3

Statistics 1,2                                              3/3

Dissertation 1,2                                           6/6

English for Graduate Students                       3

Research Methods                                       3

Advanced Research Methodology                  3

S.1. Research Method for Non-Thesis Program

Students under non-thesis program, except the MBA students, enroll in the general Research Methodology offered by CGS.

T. Written Comprehensive Examinations (WCE)

Masters and doctoral students who have completed the course work are required to take the prescribed WCE.

T.1. Guidelines

  1. A WCE representing the totality of the student’s program shall be taken by all graduate students who have completed all the academic requirements and whose over-all cumulative grade point average (GPA) is not lower than 3.00.
  2. WCE is scheduled every term.
  3. Application forms for WCE are available at the office of the CGS Director.
  4. For the non-thesis program, the students shall be allowed to take WCE provided his respective professors will certify that he is passing in the subjects currently enrolled.
  5. The results of the examination will be communicated in writing by the CGS Director to the student, department chair, dean and RO within two (2) weeks after the examination. The passing mark is B-.
  6. A student who fails the examination can take the examination again.  The grade will either be PASSED OR FAILED. However, if he fails in the first WCE, he will be disqualified for honors.
  7. Failure in any re-examination requires the student to enroll in some major courses with a minimum of 6 units and a maximum of 12 units, as advised by the department chair and dean.

T.2. WCE Fee

The student must pay the WCE fee before taking the exam. The WCE fee is P1,050 for the masters and P2,100 for the doctoral program.

T.3. Special WCE

A special WCE is allowed when the following situations occur:

  1. students got sick
  2. students retook the examination
  3. death or illness of immediate family members
  4. Other reasons approved by the Graduate Council.

A special exam fee of P1,000 is required in addition to the regular fee.

T.4. WCE Grading System

The grades of students who took the WCE are based on the AUP grading system.

T.5.Procedures for Written Comprehensive Examination (WCE)

  1. The annual schedule of WCE is posted on the bulletin board every last week of January.
  2. The student is required to accomplish and submit the application form for WCE, two (2) weeks before exam.
  3. The Graduate Council approves the names of the candidate who are qualified to take the WCE
  4. The secretary makes and posts the summary of students who are approved to take the WCE on the bulletin board.
  5. The department Chair, upon approval by the College Dean, submits all sealed typewritten examination questions (departmental exam) for each applicant to the CGS Director two (2) days before the exam.
  6. The CGS Director labels all the Comprehensive Exam Booklets with code numbers and administers the WCE on the scheduled date.
  7. After the examination, the CGS Director distributes the Comprehensive Exam Booklets to the respective departments for corporate marking.
  8. The department Chair distributes the Comprehensive Exam Booklets and grade sheets to the respective individual Evaluators for marking.
  9. After two weeks, the department Chair retrieves the Comprehensive Exam Booklets, marking schemes, and individual grading sheets with the corresponding raw scores from the evaluators and submits the same to the College Dean for review.
  10. The department Chair submits both the signed Comprehensive Exam Booklets with the corresponding raw scores and the sample exam questions to the CGS Director for the computation of grades, after the college Dean has reviewed them
  11. Using the declaration form for the Written Comprehensive Exam Result, the CGS Director informs students of the results and provides a copy to the RO, department Chair, and the college Dean.
  12. The CGS Director releases 80% of the total fee to the professors involved in checking examinations and 20% goes to the CGS Trust Fund.

U. Title Defense

Upon enrollment in Thesis/Dissertation Writing 1, the student is expected to defend his title and his proposal.

U.1. Procedures in Conducting Title Defenses

  1. Title defense may be done only between the 3rd Monday of June and the last Thursday of January every school year and will resume in April until the end of the summer term.
  2. Qualified students secure the Application Form for defense from the CGS secretary.
  3. Students accomplish and submit the application forms along with five (5) copies of the manuscript for the masters and six (6) copies for the doctoral program 5 working days before the defense.
  4. The CGS Director makes an inventory of the panel members who hold a maximum of five (5) advisees and seven (7) memberships only per faculty in a year.
  5. The CGS Advisory Committee recommends the composition of the panel: three (3) invitees for Masters, four (4) for Doctoral, a methodologist and the tentative date of defense to the Graduate Council for final approval.
  6. The secretary checks the availability of the panel members while the CGS Director confirms the schedule of the defense by giving them appointment slips and the manuscripts.
  7. The secretary posts the names of the students and their defense schedules as approved by the Graduate Council.
  8. During the defense, the CGS Director or his representative chairs the proceedings.
  9. The presentation and the question and answer portion take 30 minutes only.
  10. After the defense, the panel members deliberate for 20 minutes.
  11. After the deliberation, the chair calls the student and announces the approved title, the adviser and the panel members.

U.2. Procedures for Conducting Proposal Defenses

The proposal defense may be done between the 3rd Monday of June and the last Thursday of January only every school year and will resume in April until the end of the summer term.

  1. Qualified students secure the application form for defense from the secretary.

Students accomplish and submit the application form and five (5) copies and six (6) copies of the manuscripts for the master’s and doctoral program, respectively, five (5) working days before the defense.

  1. The Graduate Council reconfirms the composition of the panel and sets the tentative date of defense.
  2. The secretary checks the availability of the panel members and then the CGS Director confirms the schedule by giving them appointment slips and the manuscript.
  3. The secretary posts the names of the students and the proposal defense schedule upon approval by the Graduate Council.
  4. During the defense, the CGS Director or his representative chairs the programmed proceedings.
  5. The presentation lasts 10-15 minutes. The question and answer takes 30  minutes only for thesis proposal and 45 minutes for dissertation proposal.
  6. After the defense, the student is requested to leave the defense room for the executive session of the panel members together with the adviser.
  7. After the executive session, the panel members deliberate on the grade of the student.
  8. The chair calls for the student and the adviser and announces the grade as well as the suggestions.

U.3. Policy on Thesis/Dissertation Proposal Re-defense

The thesis/dissertation proposal defense is intended to evaluate the ability of the student to:

  1. identify important unanswered questions in various disciplines;
  2. formulate scientific hypotheses of the developed methods to solve the problems;
  3. design and interpret scientific findings; and
  4. write clearly and persuasively.

Students prepare a written Thesis/Dissertation proposal outlining the research they will conduct during their graduate work and defend their proposal in an oral examination. The proposal should demonstrate understanding of the background, rationale, design, and methods underlying the proposed study and possible outcomes.

If the student fails in the Thesis/Dissertation proposal defense:

  1. He may request for the second and last defense;
  2. The repeated defense is to take place within one year from the date of the original defense;
  3. Process application form again;
  4. The grade will either be PASSED OR FAILED.
  5. Re-defense will disqualify him for honors.

V. Thesis Advising/Committee Membership

A graduate faculty is allowed to accept a maximum of five (5) advisees and seven (7) panel memberships in one year.

PROPOSAL DEFENSE GRADING CRITERIA (QUALITATIVE STUDY)

PRESENTATION (30%)

  1. The highlights of the problems, significance of the study, background literature, and methods were clearly and scholarly presented.  (15 points)
  2. The researcher answered all questions clearly, correctly and courteously. (10 points)
  3. The researcher appropriately used visual aids. (5 points)

CONTENT (40%)                                                                                                                                             

The Problem and its Background                                                                                  

  1. The background and rationale of the existing problem is presented both globally and locally (8 points)
  2. The problem is well stated by explaining the approach to solve the problem (5 points)
  3. The sub-problems are specific, clear, and unequivocal (5 points)

Review of Related  Literature

  1. The review of related, readings, studies, and literature is substantial and presents  concepts in a concise and logical flow of thought (5 points)
  2. The gaps in knowledge and research about the topic of interest are identified; thus justifies the need for the study to be conducted. (3 points)
  3. The terms used in the study are well defined (2 points)

Methodology                                                            

  1. The researcher design is appropriate, fully described and explained in accordance with the scientific method of research. (5 ponits)
  2. The data gathering tools/strategies to be used, the criteria for selection of participants and data gathering procedures are well stated. (5 points)
  3. The assumptions, biases, and ethical issues are adequately discussed. (2 points)
  4. The tools and procedures for qualitative data analysis are well described.

THE OVERALL (30%)                                                                                                                                   

  1. The subject is significant, timely, and of current issue. (5 points)
  2. The manuscript is well written with sound flow of thought, high readability. (12 points)
  3. The citations and references cited are consistent and follows the institutional and APA format. (10 points)
  4. Schedule of activities, line-item budget, and resume (CV) are well presented. (3 points)

POINTS                  PERCENT                                    G R A DE              

95 – 100                  98 – 100                  A             Excellent

89 – 94                    95 –  97                   A-            Very Satisfactory

83 – 88                    92 –  94                   B+           Satisfactory

77 – 82                    89 –  91                   B             Pass

71 — 76                   86 –  88                   B-             Pass with major corrections

70 and below           85 and below           Failed

V.1. Guidelines in Choosing External Examiners

To give credibility to the defenses, particularly the final defense for Thesis/Dissertation, an external examiner is invited to sit with the panel.  The following are the guidelines in choosing External Examiners:

  1. Have an established reputation in the area of research, and must be able to judge objectively whether the Thesis/Dissertation would be acceptable in a university with a doctoral program in the same or similar field;
  2. Their academic and professional credentials are comparable to those of the candidate’s graduate faculty;
  3. Have had previous experience in the supervision and examination of students in the masters’/doctoral programs;
  4. Holds a doctoral degree or a degree in the same level which the student is pursuing;
  5. Holds a rank of full or associate professor or with a comparable expertise and standing;
  6. A person is disqualified to serve as an external examiner if, with respect to the candidate and adviser, he is:
    1. a friend or relative of the adviser or to the student who is defending
    2. a research collaborator and co-author within a year
    3. an institutional colleague within the past year or at present
    4. a present or former supervisor
    5. a person who offered future employment or mentorship to the candidate
    6. a former student for the past year
    7. have examined more than three (3) university research students within the same year

V.2. Thesis/Dissertation Advising Fee

  1. The payment for thesis/feasibility adviser and panel members is fixed. The student should pay the required amount to the Cashier before the oral defense and submits a photocopy of the said receipt to the CGS Director, together with the application for oral defense.

Proposal Defense

  • Master’s Degree (P)        P2,000    *P1,000 – adviser, *P500 – each member (2 members)
  • Doctoral Degree(P)         P2,500    *P1,000 – adviser, *P500 – each member (3 members)

Final Defense 

  • Master’s Degree (P)        P11,000    *P3,500 – adviser, *P1,500 – each member (2 members)

+ chair as member, *P3,000 – external examiner

  • Doctoral Degree(P)         P17,500    *P6,000 – adviser, *P2,000 – each member (3 members)

+ chair as member *P3,500 – external examiner

  1. The CGS Secretary withdraws and releases the payment to the adviser, the panel members and external examiners after the oral defense.

V.2.a Qualifications for Adviser

Master’s Thesis/FS

  1. Full time employee of Adventist University of the Philippines with at least a rank of Assistant Professor.
  2. Graduate faculty, preferably with doctoral degree, or Masters degree with doctoral units, whose program is academic/research and not a professional degree.
  3. A faculty member who has a graduate degree in the students’ discipline or has done considerable research in that area.
  4. May not be a member of the student’s discipline or related field, but has competence or expertise in the area of study.
  5. With published research output in the past five years/Track record in research.
  6. Has experienced being a panel member of a master’s Thesis/FS.

Doctoral Dissertation

  1. Full time employee of Adventist University of the Philippines with at least a rank of Associate Professor.
  2. Graduate faculty, with academic/research doctoral degree, and not a professional degree.
  3. A faculty member who has a graduate degree in the students’ discipline or has done considerable research in that area.
  4. May not be a member of the student’s discipline or related field but has competence or expertise in the area of study.
  5. With published research output in the past three years/track record in research.  Made presentations in an academic or scholarly conference.
  6. Has experienced being a panel member of a doctoral dissertation or scholarly conference.

V.2.b Qualifications for Panel Members

Master’s Thesis

  1. Full time or part time employee of Adventist University of the Philippines.
  2. With at least a master’s degree.
  3. Preferably a faculty member of the student’s discipline or related field.
  4. May not be a member of the student’s discipline or related field but has competence or expertise in the area of study.
  5. Has experienced being an adviser or panel member in the undergraduate program.

Doctoral Dissertation

  1. Full time or part time employee of Adventist University of the Philippines.
  2. With a doctoral degree.
  3. Preferably a faculty member of the student’s discipline or related field.
  4. May not be a member of the student’s discipline or related field but has competence or expertise in the area of study.
  5. Has experienced being an adviser or panel member in the master’s program.

V.3. Proposed Guidelines for Statistical Payment

The guidelines for statistical payment for thesis and dissertation are as follows:

  1. Statistical treatment fee for the thesis should be paid to the cashier’s office in the amount of P6,000 and P10,000 for dissertation.  Fifty percent of the amount should be paid prior to the proposed defense and the remaining balance, after the defense.
  2. Provide the URC a photocopy of the receipt.
  3. After the data have been treated, master students are entitled to a minimum of 6 hours consultations with the statistician, and 10 hours for the doctoral students.
  4. Students may opt to look for an statistician other than what the URC prescribes but they have to pay the amount of:
  • P3,200 for master’s thesis
  • P4,500 for dissertation
  1. Breakdown of payment:

                                                       Master’s Thesis      Doctoral Dissertation

               URC                                        P1,200                         P2,000

               Methodologist                           2,000                           2,500

               Statistician                                2,800                           5,500

               Total                                         6,000                         10,000

W. Guidelines for Final Defenses

  1. External examiners are not allowed to change the title of the proposal during the final oral defense.
  2. Attached to the manuscript are the recommendations of the panel members during the proposal defense.
  3. Panel members are given the pre-oral assessment form to be accomplished and submitted to the CGS Director at least three days before the scheduled date of defense.
  4. External examiners must be oriented with AUP guidelines in the final defenses.

W.1. Procedures for Final Defenses

  1. Final defense for May graduates should be done not later than the last Thursday of March every school year. All defenses after March up to May will be considered intersemester graduates unless the student can submit the bound copy one week before graduation.
  2. Qualified students secure the application form for defense from the CGS secretary.
  3. Students accomplish and submit the application forms along with 6 copies of their manuscripts for masters’ and seven (7) copies for doctoral students, ten (10) working days before the defense schedule.
  4. The Graduate Council approves the names of the candidates, the panel members, and the external examiners.
  5. The secretary distributes the manuscript and the pre-oral assessment forms to the panel members. They are given five (5) working days to submit to the CGS Director the pre-oral assessment form, after which, the date of the defense will be scheduled.
  6. The CGS Director reviews the pre-oral assessment of the panel members to certify that the manuscript is acceptable for defense.
  7. The Secretary checks the availability of the adviser and panel members. Then, the CGS Director confirms the schedule of the defense by sending each an appointment slip, the student’s manuscripts, and the pre-oral assessment forms.
  8. The CGS Secretary posts on the bulletin board the names of the candidates and their scheduled defense dates.
  9. During the defense, the CGS Director or his representative chairs the proceedings.
  10. During the defense, the adviser take notes of the deliberations page by page.
  11. The presentation lasts 15-20 minutes.  The question and answer portion takes 30 minutes for masters’ and 45 minutes for doctoral students.
  12. After the defense, the student is requested to leave the room while the executive session goes on.
  13. The panel members spend 15-30 minutes for the executive session (deliberations and summarizing the recommendations).The adviser is requested to leave the room while the panel members grade the student.
  14. After the executive session, the chair calls the student with the adviser and announces the grade and reads the recommendations of the panel.

W.2. Policy on Thesis/Dissertation Re-defense

The thesis/dissertation is the culmination of the student’s scholarship/scholarly achievement. The oral defense aims primarily to test the researcher’s mastery and comprehension of his Thesis/Dissertation through the scrutiny of the academic meritsand contributions of the work to the body of knowledge.

If after the cross examination and deliberations, the panel members votedNO or rejects the Thesis/Dissertation due to extensive revisions of the theoretical and methodological approach or interpretations, and the analysis and discussions of the results, the candidate is asked to do the revisions and undergoes evaluation and the defense process again.  The researcher follows the following process:

  1. Process an application form again.
  2. Rewrites the Thesis/Dissertation based on the written report of the chair.
  3. Submits the revised Thesis/Dissertation to the adviser.
  4. Upon the adviser’s approval, the student submits the revised Thesis/Dissertation to the panel members for re-evaluation through the CGS office.
  5. A new defense is held, if the result of the evaluation is favorable.
  6. The grade will either be PASSED OR FAILED.
  7. The student who applied for a re-defense will be disqualified for honors.

W.3. Grading the Final Oral Defense

  1. After the defense, the Panel of Oral Examiners grade the candidate.  The grading       system is as follows:

Excellent                             A         98-100

Very Satisfactory                  A-        95-97

Satisfactory                          B+       92-94

Pass with minor revision         B         89-91

Pass with major revision         B-        86-88

The researcher revises the manuscript as directed by the Panel of Examiners. After the corrections and amendments have been done, and after the bound copy has been submitted, the final grade, based from the Oral Defense, will be issued to him.

The final form of the thesis/dissertation must be submitted in four (4) hardbound copies: one (1) CD for the CHED in pdf format, one (1) CD for the URC in MS Word format, and these requirements serve as pre-requisite for graduation.

FINAL DEFENSE GRADING CRITERIA (QUALITATIVE STUDY)

THE ORAL PRESENTATION – (40%)                                                                                                           

  1. The highlights of the research problems, methods, findings, conclusion and recommendations were clearly and scholarly presented. 10
  2. The researcher appropriately used visual aids. 5
  3. The researcher answered questions of the examination panel clearly, correctly and courteously. 15
  4. The researcher’s scholarship and mastery of his thesis/dissertation are evident. 10

THE MANUSCRIPT- (60%)                                                                                                                             

  1. The abstract highlights only the problem, methods and outstanding findings of the study. (4 points)
  2. The introduction highlights the general definition, the conceptual and epidemiologic background of the problem; and the focus and direction of the study. (2 points)
  3. There is adequate discussion of the limitations of the study. (2 points)
  4. The review of related literature is substantial, and identifies gaps of knowledge and research about the topic of interest. (4 points)
  5. The methods were strictly followed according to the specifications of the proposal. (4 points)
  6. The research design maximizes credibility, transparency, usefulness and analyzability. (4 points)
  7. The data collection tools are appropriate for the research objectives and enough to support rich and robust description of the observed event. (4 points)
  8. The assumptions and biases about the topic under study are identified. (2 points)
  9. The ethical issues are addressed and adequately discussed. (2 points)
  10. The tools and procedures for analyzing the date are described adequately (3 points)
  11. The data exactly support the answers to the research problems as evident in the findings. (3 points)
  12. The data are appropriately and clearly presented in tables, figures or graphs. (3 points)
  13. The discussion section clearly describes theoretical concepts, their relationships, and integration of relationships among meanings that emerged from the data.  (5 points)
  14. The findings contributed to theory development and future practice (3 points)
  15. The conclusion capsulates the findings of the study in the context of the main problem. (3 points)
  16. The recommendations are made based only on the findings and significance of the study. (3 points)
  17. The manuscript is well written and edited and with correct grammar, appropriate techniques, sound flow of though, and high readability and format. (6 points)
  18. The citations and references cited are consistent and follow the institutional and APA format. (3 points)

POINTS                  PERCENT                                    G R A DE              

95 – 100                  98 – 100                  A             Excellent

89 – 94                    95 –  97                   A-            Very Satisfactory

83 – 88                    92 –  94                   B+            Satisfactory

77 – 82                    89 –  91                   B              Pass

71 — 76                   86 –  88                   B-            Pass with major corrections

70 and below           85 and below           Failed

Note:  The oral defense aims primarily to test the researcher’s scholarship, mastery and comprehension of his  thesis/dissertation through scrutiny of the academic merits and contributions of the work to the body of knowledge. Thus, the members of the panel of examiners are given two rounds of asking questions appropriate to this aim in a professional atmosphere.  The adviser does not ask questions but supports the defense of the researcher by enlightening the panel when necessary.  The chair modulates the defense and directs agreement between the researcher and the panel members.  Suggestions for improving the manuscript can be made during the third round.

X. Adviser’s Role During the Oral Defense

The following roles of the Adviser during the actual oral defense must be observed:

  1. The adviser can ask clarification and/or questions to help the student but not to answer questions for him.
  2. The adviser can join the deliberations before grading the student.
  3. The adviser will be asked to go out during the grading of the paper.

X.1. Criteria in Selecting Qualified English Editors

  1. Has undergone thesis/dissertation/FS/community project writing.
  2. Has a specialization in English or a relevant experience in English editing of publishable articles and manuscripts.
  3. At least an MA degree holder.
  4. Full-time AUP employee, or a retiree who is accessible to the students.
  5. Knowledgeable on AUP style or APA writing.
  6. Should not be a panel member of the student engaging the editing.

Y. Graduation

Graduation exercises take place in May and clearance forms must be accomplished.  Only students who have completed all the requirements for graduation, including their bound thesis/dissertation copies, FS, Community Projects and CDs (one week before graduation) will be conferred their respective degrees during graduation exercises.

Y.1. Regulations

  1. All transfer of credits must have been approved.
  2. There should be no incomplete grades.
  3. Students are expected to participate in all activities associated with graduation unless they are granted permission to graduate in absentia.
  4. Participation in the commencement program requires that the bound thesis/dissertation must have been edited and submitted to the office of the CGS Director one week before graduation.
  5. Students must secure financial clearance from the Director of Student Finance before they can participate in the graduation exercises and receive a diploma.
  6. The grade requirement for graduation is either an over-all grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or above or no grades lower than B-. Only one C+ grade in electives, cognates, or general courses is acceptable.

Specifically, the following are the graduation requirements for December, May and Intersemester:

December and May Graduates

 – Completed all requirements

– GPA should be at least 3.00; lowest grade of B- for majors and one C+ for elective courses

– Settlement of Account

– Must have submitted bound copies of FS/Thesis/Dissertation

   – Deadline: One week before graduation

Intersemester Graduates

 – Must have defended Dissertation, Thesis or FS

– Enroll Residency

Y.2. Procedures

  1. A request for graduation must be made on an official Graduation Application.  The student must turn in the Graduation Application before the final oral defense of his thesis/dissertation.
  2. On this form the student must secure the approval of his adviser, department chair, dean, and the CGS Director.

Listed below are the specific procedures involved in approving candidates for graduation:

PROCESS IN-CHARGE SCHEDULE
1. Updating of checklists Department Chair Every semester

2. Application for graduation

 Department Chair Upon enrolment

3. Approval of application

    for graduation

 College Dean On or before the last Friday of September (for December and May Candidates)

4. Confirmation of application

 Registrar On or before 2nd Friday of October

5. Final approval of

    candidates for graduation

    and honors

Academic Council and confirmed by the Registrar

 – December Graduate: 3rd

Tuesday of December

– May & Intersemester

  Graduates: 3rd Tuesday of

  May

6. Final list of graduates and Honors

VP Academics Office

Before the graduation rehearsal

Y.3. Fees

Graduation fee shall apply to all candidates including those graduating in absentia.

Y4. Graduation with Honors

The following are the bases in giving academic distinction to graduate students:

                                  Research Program                             Professional Program

Component                  Weight             Component                  Weight

Course Work               60%                 Course Work                  75%

Research                      30%                 WCE                           25%

WCE                           10%

——                                                   ———

100%                                                   100%

A student is graduated with academic distinction, if the following conditions are met:

  1. Residency
  2. No repeated and/or dropped courses, no INC, no repeated WCE, nor repeated oral defense (title, proposal, or final)
  3. Course is completed within the residency period
  4. Acceptable citizenship
  5. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) and lowest grade of:

Research Program

Weighed GPA                    Lowest Grade      Academic Honors

3.85-4.00                                A-                 Summa Cum Laude

3.70-3.84                                B+                Magna Cum Laude

3.55-3.69                                B                  Cum Laude

3.55 and above               not required          Dean’s Award

                        Professional Program

Weighed GPA                    Lowest Grade      Academic Honors

4.00                                       A                 Summa Cum Laude

3.85-3.99                                A-                 Magna Cum Laude

3.70-3.84                                B+                Cum Laude

3.70 and above               not required          Dean’s Award

Y.5. Graduation in Absentia

All graduating students are expected to attend the graduation ceremonies unless granted special permission by the Academic Council to be graduated in absentia. Permission should be sought at least one month before graduation.  Permission will be granted only for reasons considered valid.  The graduation fee will be charged just the same.

Z. Transcripts

The Registrar’s Office issues the transcript of records of the student’s academic record upon his request. However, no transcript of record will be issued to the student until all his financial obligations to the university are met.

Students’ degree certificates/diploma will only be released after attending the graduation ceremonies unless there was a request for graduation in absentia.

The Transcript of Records may be released within ten (10) working days after the date of filing.