1. Graduate course work requires greater depth of study than does UW-Whitewater undergraduate course work.

 
2. Graduate course work involves more intense study than UW-Whitewater undergraduate course work.

 
3. Graduate course work is more specialized than UW-Whitewater undergraduate course work.

 
4. Graduate course work has a higher level of academic/intellectual rigor than that found in UW-Whitewater undergraduate course work.

 
5. Graduate course work involves both theory and practice.  While some courses within a master's program may place more emphasis on theory and some may place more emphasis on practice, the total program must emphasize both.

 
6. The methods of instruction in graduate courses reflect a high level of personal interaction between the instructor and the individual students.  This requires small graduate course sections, regular and personalized advising, and interactive teaching methods.

 
7. Graduate course work requires more self-directed learning on the part of students than found in UW-Whitewater undergraduate course work.

 
8. Graduate course work requires extensive use of campus learning resources, including, but not limited to library resources.  Other campus learning resources include laboratories and computer facilities.

 
9. Graduate course work focuses on advanced disciplinary content, usually as an extension of disciplinary content presented at the undergraduate level.  When graduate work serves an introductory function, it typically introduces disciplinary content that is not offered at the undergraduate level but that is dependent upon understandings acquired at the undergraduate level. However, introductory graduate course work may also be in an accelerated way to create a basic background for an individual with an undergraduate degree in another field or who lacks background from undergraduate preparation.

 
10. All graduate course work should contribute to degree program goals.

 
11. Grades assigned in graduate courses serve to distinguish between levels of student achievement at the graduate level.

 
12. Graduate courses shall only be taught by graduate faculty or those with similar qualifications on an exceptional basis as determined by the graduate faculty within a department. *  All course numbers 500 or above.

 
13. Graduate courses shall be taught in formats that allow adequate reflection and integration of learning, including meeting the UW System requirements of (1) no more than 1 credit per week (7 consecutive days), (2) at least 800 contact minutes per credit, and (3) at least 1600 minutes of out-of-class work per credit.

Addressed Along Three Lines:

Content  (Breadth & Depth)

How does the course content distinguish the course as having greater depth and more specialized coverage of advanced disciplinary issues relevant to theory and its application than UW-Whitewater undergraduate course work?  The description here might address, but need not necessarily restrict itself to, such issues as:
 
• What are additional presentation/project requirements?
• How many additional hours will graduate students spend on specific issues?
• How are students encouraged to examine/practice/witness the application of theory?

How do the course requirements reflect a more intensive level of study and greater academic/intellectual  rigor than UW-Whitewater undergraduate course work?   The description here might address, but need not necessarily restrict itself to, such issues as:
 
• How are the graduate-level assignments different than their undergraduate counterparts?
• How does the complexity of the material differ from that of the undergraduates?
• How are the processes and standards of evaluation different for graduates and undergraduates?

How does the course design promote more individual interaction with the professor(s), more self-directed learning, and greater use of campus learning resources than UW-Whitewater undergraduate course work?  The description here might address, but need not necessarily restrict itself to, such issues as:
 
• What is the nature of outside-of-class activities required of graduate students?

How do research expectations differ for graduates and undergraduates?