Leave of Absence Policy
A student may make a formal request for a Leave of Absence (LOA) from the MSBS program to the MSBS Program Director and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs or their representative. A leave of absence must occur before completion of the final block exam of the semester. A leave of absence requested after this time would be considered as an LOA for the following semester. To be considered for a leave of absence, the candidate must provide adequate evidence that current conditions warrant such. The Program Director will make all final decisions regarding approval or denial of requests. Prior to return from the leave of absence, the student must show that the conditions or factors that caused the initial request have changed significantly, so that there is a reasonable expectation that the student can perform satisfactorily upon resuming the program. The student may be reviewed by the MSBS-SPC prior to return at the discretion of the Program Director, and the MSBS-SPC may recommend alternative course(s) of action to the Program Director. The student’s prior academic record will remain part of his or her overall academic record and will be recorded on the permanent transcript upon resuming the program.
Leave of Absence (LOA) may only be granted for a maximum of one year duration. An LOA may be denied based on previous leave or extension on coursework. LOA cannot be taken to avoid disciplinary proceedings.
Readmission Policy
A student who withdraws or is dismissed from the MSBS program may apply for readmission. To be considered for readmission, the candidate must provide adequate evidence that the conditions or factors that caused the withdrawal have changed significantly, so that there is a reasonable expectation that the applicant can perform satisfactorily if readmitted. The student may be reviewed by the MSBS-SPC prior to readmission at the discretion of the Program Director. The student’s prior academic record will remain part of their overall academic record and will be recorded on the permanent transcript upon readmission.
Length of Program Policy
All MSBS Coursework must be completed within 14 months or 1.5x the length of the original program unless granted an extension by the Program Director.
Appeals
The MSBS program adheres to the University’s policies and procedures for status change appeal procedures. Please refer to the University "Code of Conduct" section of the RVU Student Handbook and Catalog for more information.