Graduate Academic Programs

Lebanon Valley College offers four graduate programs. These are the Master of Business Administration (MBA), the Master of Music Education (MME), the Master of Science Education (MSE), and the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs.

The Master of Business Administration Program is a multi-disciplinary program designed to prepare graduates for managerial responsibilities at various levels of business organizations. This program provides both a strong theoretical and operational foundation in the areas of finance, accounting, marketing, strategic management, leadership, ethics, international business, organization, human resource, and operations management.

The Master of Music Education Program is designed to be completed over the course of three summers. Addressing the graduate education needs of K–12 music teachers (the program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music), the curriculum includes experiences in foundations and principles of music education, research methods, music technology, and the psychology of music learning plus several elective choices.

The Master of Science Education Program employs a collaborative learning approach with classes designed to apply to any age range, from K-12. High school teachers work alongside middle school and elementary teachers, with each benefiting from the experience and insight of their colleagues. This learning environment helps MSE students to prepare their own students for success in state and national science assessments.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is a six-year program of study for students who will receive a preliminary baccalaureate degree in health science after four years of course work.

Graduate Program Policies and Procedures

Academic Advising and Registration
Graduate students should contact their academic advisors prior to class registration. The advisor will develop a graduation plan with the student. All course registrations require the advisor’s approval.

Veteran Registration
Students receiving educational benefits provided by the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) must report their enrollment to the Financial Aid Office upon registration each semester or summer session. The Financial Aid Office will then submit certification of enrollment to the DVA. Students should complete the FAFSA and the financial aid process each year according to the school's requirements and deadlines. Students receiving EAP and/or FTA benefits are responsible for applying these benefits through their unit of assignment prior to the start of each semester or summer session and for submitting all the necessary forms to the Financial Aid Office.

Students must notify the Financial Aid Office immediately if they change the number of credits for which they are enrolled, withdraw, or request a leave of absence. Failure to do so may result in a charge to the student from the DVA for over-payment of benefits. For more information on veterans benefits, please visit the financial aid web page.

Transfer Credit
A maximum of 9 credits (a maximum of 6 core credits) may be transferred from another graduate program with the approval of the registrar and program director/coordinator of the MBA, MSE, and MME. No transfer credit shall be accepted if the grade earned at another institution was less than B (a grade of B- or lower will not be accepted). Students wishing to transfer credits may be asked to submit course outline, textbook used, and any reading materials, so proper credit may be given. No graduate transfer credit is accepted in the DPT program.

Concurrent Courses
A student enrolled for a graduate degree may not take courses concurrently at another educational institution without prior consent of the academic advisor and the registrar.

Grading
Student work is graded A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, C and F. Candidates must maintain a grade point average of 3.00 with a maximum of two C grades in the program.

In addition, the symbols I and W are used. I indicates work that is incomplete but otherwise satisfactory. It is awarded only for substantial reason and work must be completed in the first eight weeks of the following semester, including summer session, or I will be changed to F.

W indicates withdrawal from a course through the designated withdrawal date. Thereafter, the appropriate letter grade will be assigned for the course.

MSE 830, MME 805/806, and some PHT courses (see Doctor of Physical Therapy section) are graded pass/fail.

Review Procedure
Every student’s academic progress shall be reviewed at the end of each academic period by the academic advisor. Any student whose average falls below 3.00 or who earns a C or F in three or more credit hours may be placed on academic probation. A student on academic probation may be required to retake courses or correct other academic deficiencies and must achieve a 3.00 cumulative average within two semesters of being placed on probation. A student may repeat a maximum of two graduate courses with any given course being repeated only once. Students who fail to correct deficiencies may be dropped from the program. A student may appeal any decision of the Office of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education to the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty.

Course Withdrawal and Tuition Refund
Any MBA, MME, or MSE student who withdraws from courses for which he or she is registered must ­notify the Graduate Studies and Continuing Education Office. The effective date of withdrawal is the date on which the student notifies the office. Failure to give notice of withdrawal will result in a grade of F. Notifying the instructor does not constitute official withdrawal. A refund schedule based on official withdrawal date is available on the GS and CE web pages. Part-time students receiving federal financial assistance (Title IV) will receive a refund according to federal policy as noted above.

Time Restriction
The maximum time for completion of a graduate program is seven years from the date of the admission letter. Students who have not earned the graduate degree during this period shall have their academic standing reviewed and may be asked to meet additional requirements in order to graduate.

Academic Honesty
Students are expected to uphold the principles of academic honesty. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. For the first academic dishonesty offense, failure in the course is mandatory, and the faculty member is required to inform the program director/coordinator in writing. A letter of warning shall be sent to the student by the program director/coordinator explaining the consequences and the right of appeal. For the second offense, failure in the course and expulsion from the graduate program and College are mandatory.

Privacy of Student Records
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 39-380) Lebanon Valley College releases no student education records without written consent and request of the student or as prescribed by the law. Each student has access to his or her education records with exclusions only as specified by the law.

Financial Aid
Students may participate in the Stafford Loan Program. Graduate students should contact the Financial Aid Office at 717-867-6181 to discuss financial aid eligibility.

Employee Tuition Reimbursement
Students are encouraged to inquire about tuition reimbursement programs at their places of employment. Most employers of current students provide education subsidies of 50–100 percent of tuition. Students who participate in an employer reimbursement program may be eligible for the deferred tuition option. Some employers authorize the College to bill them directly. In this case, students must present billing authorization when they register. Information on direct bill and deferred tuition options can be found on the Graduate Studies and Continuing Education web pages.

Withdrawal from Program and College and Readmission
To withdraw from Lebanon Valley College, a graduate student must complete an official withdrawal form obtained from the academic advisor. To apply for readmission, a graduate student must have the written approval of the director of graduate studies and continuing education.