Comprehensive Standard 3.6.1
CS 3.6.1 The institution’s post-baccalaureate professional degree programs, master’s
and doctoral degree programs, are progressively more advanced in academic content than
its undergraduate programs. (Post-baccalaureate program rigor)
Compliance Judgment:
X
In compliance
Partially compliant
Non-compliant
The following narrative provides evidence that these FMU programs are more
advanced in academic content than undergraduate programs:


Post-baccalaureate professional degree programs
Master’s degree programs.
Rationale:
Francis Marion University offers master’s degree programs in Business, Education, and
Psychology. All graduate programs consist of courses and assignments that build on
knowledge attained in a four-year degree. Courses are prescribed at the 500, 600, and
700 level indicating their advanced level and presuming the advanced knowledge base of
students who enroll.
FMU ensures that all of its graduate programs are progressively more advanced than
undergraduate programs through:




Extensive internal reviews of proposed programs
External reviews by the strongest external accrediting agencies
Periodic reviews of graduate faculty
Continuous reviews of course syllabi.
Graduate programs are initiated by schools and departments. After feasibility studies to
determine the need for specific programs, the University evaluates proposed programs for
value to the students, the University, and the community (“Overview of Governance
Process at FMU,” p. 1).1 Following approval from the school or department, proposed
graduate programs go through an extensive review process and must be approved by the:






Graduate Council
Faculty Senate
General faculty
Provost
President
Board of Trustees (“Bylaws of the Faculty Senate,” p. 94 - 95).2
407
Comprehensive Standard 3.6.1
On April 10, 2007, the General Faculty approved a proposal to replace the existing
Graduate Advisory Committee with a new Graduate Council that will substitute for the
Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) on graduate curricular decisions. In other words, a
new course or program at the graduate level would go first to the Graduate Council, then
directly to the Faculty Senate, and eventually to the General Faculty. Two-thirds of the
Council's membership will come from the departments that offer graduate degrees, and
all elected members of the Council must be eligible for membership in the graduate
faculty. This change means that graduate decision-making will henceforth occur on a
different track than its undergraduate counterpart, beginning in Fall 2007.
According to the 2007-2008 Catalog, the function of the Graduate Council is to oversee
all graduate programs at the University. Responsibilities of the council are to:
(1) approve applicants for admission to graduate study and review candidates for
graduate degrees
(2) consider appeals for readmission from graduate students who have been dismissed
from the university
(3) advise the Faculty Senate on all graduate curriculum matters, including proposed
courses, course changes, or new academic programs (p. 187).3
The council's voting membership includes the Chair/Dean of each graduate department
plus his/her designee, one faculty member from each school or department that offers
graduate degrees, elected by the general faculty, plus an equal number of faculty
members from any other schools or departments, also elected by the general faculty. All
voting members must be eligible for membership in the graduate faculty. The Director of
Graduate Programs, Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee and Registrar serve as ex
officio members without vote.4
At each step of the creation and approval process, the proposed graduate program must
demonstrate that the program entrance requirements, program completion requirements,
and courses are of the appropriate level (depth, breadth, and rigor) demanded of graduate
programs. In addition, the University and individual schools and departments implement
the regulations regarding graduate faculty (“Graduate School Faculty,” p. 3).5
Graduate programs must be approved by the South Carolina Commission on Higher
Education. FMU takes this process even further by seeking accreditation from the
strongest available accreditation organizations. These include:

Business programs, which are accredited by The Association to Advance
Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)

Education programs, which are accredited by National Council for Accreditation
of Teacher Education (NCATE)
408
Comprehensive Standard 3.6.1

Psychology programs, which are accredited by Master’s in Psychology
Accreditation Council (MPAC).
These organizations periodically review graduate programs at FMU to ensure they meet
the high standards appropriate to programs at this level.
In addition, faculty are reviewed annually by their respective Deans or department
Chairs. These reviews ensure that faculty who teach graduate courses are current in their
disciplines.
Course syllabi, available within the schools and department, are reviewed periodically to
ensure graduate courses are current and are progressively more advanced than
undergraduate courses.
In many graduate courses, research is emphasized far more than at the undergraduate
level. In fact, some graduate projects result in publication in journals and presentations in
meetings. For example, two graduate students in psychology presented their
collaborative paper with Dr. Mike Jordan on perceived personality at the 2004 Annual
Meeting of the American Psychological Society in Chicago, Illinois.6 More recently,
graduate student Sean Bishton in the School of Education presented at the South Carolina
Council of Teachers of Mathematics (SCCTM) in October 2006. The title of his
presentation was "Creating an Instructional Ladder," which focused on using MAP,
PACT, State Standards, and Learning Styles to create effective student-centered
curricula.7
Action Plan:
Implement the following improvements:
Maintain our ongoing practice, as is.
X
None required.
Evidence:
The supporting documents that verify this judgment include:
1
An Overview of the Governance Process at FMU: The Movement of a Proposal from
Initiation to Implementation.” Flowchart Supplement to FMU’s Annual Accountability
Report 2005 – 2006, p. 45. Available online at:
http://images.acswebnetworks.com/2017/614/AnOverviewoftheGovernanceProcessatF
MU.pdf. p. 1.
409
Comprehensive Standard 3.6.1
2
“Bylaws of the Faculty Senate.” Francis Marion University Faculty Handbook 2005.
Florence, SC: Francis Marion University, p. 94 – 95. Available online at:
http://images.acswebnetworks.com/2017/614/Combined_Fac_Hdbk_04_24_07.doc.
3
“Graduate Council.” Francis Marion University Catalog 2007 – 2008. Florence, SC:
Francis Marion University, 2007 – 2008, p. 187. Available online at:
http://images.acswebnetworks.com/2017/614/0708Catalog.pdf.
4
“Attachment for Faculty Senate Agenda, March 27, 2007.” p. 7 - 8. Faculty
Governance. Francis Marion University. Available online at:
http://images.acswebnetworks.com/2017/77/FacultySenateAgenda32707.pdf.
5
“Graduate School Faculty.” Francis Marion University Faculty Handbook 2005.
Florence, SC: Francis Marion University, p. 3. Available online at:
http://images.acswebnetworks.com/2017/614/Combined_Fac_Hdbk_04_24_07.doc.
6
Hester, John (Chair, Department of Psychology, Professor of Psychology and Director
of the Center for the Child). “RE: Needed: An Example for SACS Draft CS 3.6.1.”
Email to Lynn Hanson. Graduate Student Research and Presentation. 29 November
2006, p. 1. Available online at:
http://images.acswebnetworks.com/2017/614/Hester_AnExampleforSACSDraftCS361.
pdf.
7
Faulkenberry, Ron (Dean, School of Education and Professor of Education). “Fw:”
Email to Lynn Hanson. Graduate Student Research and Presentation. 4 December
2006, p. 1. Available online at:
http://images.acswebnetworks.com/2017/614/Faulkenberry_GradStudentResearchandPr
esentation.pdf
410