Northeastern University has published Regulations and Requirements for all graduate degree programs here.  

Conditional Acceptance

A student who is accepted conditionally to a graduate program at Bouvé College of Health Sciences must meet the conditions set in the acceptance letter before matriculating into the program. Examples of conditions include receipt of official verification of previous degree completion, completion of missing prerequisite courses, receipt of a missing recommendation, receipt of standardized test scores, and translation of international documents. Students who fail to meet the conditions of their acceptance may be subject to program dismissal.  

Admission as a Special Student

Special students are enrolled on a part-time basis (for no more than 6 semester hours per semester) and may accumulate a maximum of 12 semester hours over time. Students interested in taking more than 12 semester hours must make a formal application to a degree program through Northeastern's online application portal. Special students who do not register for four consecutive semesters (excluding summer semesters) will be subject to review and possible withdrawal by the Bouvé College of Health Sciences Office of Student Services. Please note: Some courses require approval before registration.

Transfer Credit

For general regulations concerning transfer credit in Northeastern's graduate degree programs, please visit Regulations and Requirements for All Graduate Degree Programs. 

Students who wish to take a course for transfer at another institution while enrolled at Bouvé should first receive preapproval from their academic advisor and the Bouvé Office of Student Services. Transfer credits from other institutions (or other programs within the university) will only be accepted at the discretion of the student’s program. The Graduate Petition to Transfer Credit form can be found at the Office of the University Registrar. 

A Bouvé student may not complete coursework at another institution during their last term intending to transfer that credit back to Northeastern to complete the program. 

Program Status and Progression

All degree requirements must be completed within seven years of matriculation, although individual academic programs may require completion in a shorter time frame. Each student is responsible for reviewing the requirements for their particular program. A student’s failure or inability to register does not extend the amount of time allowed to complete the program. Students should be registered by the first week of each semester (fall; spring; and, where indicated, summer).  Course credits earned in programs of graduate study are valid for a maximum of seven years. A student may request an extension of these time frames from the program director and the Bouvé associate dean for academic affairs. 

In order to progress in clinical courses that are sequenced, a student must receive a passing grade in all prior courses in the sequence. In the event that a student fails a clinical course that is not part of a sequence, progression is at the discretion of the student’s academic advisor and/or the program director. When a student fails a clinical course that is part of a sequence of courses, the course instructor must notify the Bouvé Office of Student Services. Course material related to the student’s failure (e.g., examination reports, clinical reports) must be made available to the student for review. 

Annual Review for PhD Students

The academic and research progress of each PhD student will be evaluated through a review process that occurs each term. PhD students with an active registration for the term will receive feedback relating to the performance of assistantship duties (as applicable) in addition to feedback on academic and research progress.  

A copy of each review shall be provided to the student and the graduate office. If a review reports that a student is not making sufficient progress in the program, the PhD student will be placed on academic probation. After two consecutive semesters on academic probation, the student may be dismissed from the program. See additional requirements that apply to PhD programs here. 

Graduate Student Academic Petitions

Students must submit a petition to their program's academic standing committee, graduate committee, or program director (as applicable) to request:  

The petition must include all relevant information. Students may be required to provide extra documentation, such as official transcripts and/or course descriptions. A copy of this action is filed in the student's permanent record in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences Office of Student Services. 

Academic Standing

Academic standing in Bouvé is determined each semester by the student's cumulative grade-point average and performance in required academic and clinical courses. All Bouvé students are expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.000 each semester to remain in good academic standing and to progress toward graduation. Students who do not maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.000 each semester will be placed on academic probation—see Academic Probation Policy.    

Each program has its own minimum grade requirements. Please review the program’s requirements page in this catalog for details. 

Academic Probation Policy 

A student is placed on academic probation when their cumulative GPA falls below a 3.000 or when they fail to earn the minimum grade requirements, as specified by their program. Academic probation is a period of time when a student must address and remediate academic deficiencies.  

A student may only be placed on probation twice during enrollment in Bouvé and must correct all deficiencies, as specified, in each respective action plan during the applicable probationary period. Failure to remediate the deficiency within the agreed time may result in dismissal from the program. During the period of probation, the student must earn a GPA of 3.000 or better each semester, or the student is subject to dismissal from Bouvé.

A Bouvé graduate student may repeat a course only once to achieve a passing grade and may repeat only two courses during the entire program of study. A student may be on probation for only two semesters, or until the course is offered again, unless the advisor approves an action plan that specifies a longer (but definite) period. Note that individual graduate programs may have additional requirements that must be included in the probation action plan. 

A student will be removed from academic probation after having attained a cumulative GPA of 3.000, earned a passing grade in a repeated course, and/or demonstrated satisfactory performance in a clinical course. 

Collegewide Academic Probation Procedure

Academic standing is determined at the conclusion of every term, and students on academic probation are notified via email.

Students on probation are required to meet with their advisor before the end of week 2 of their probationary semester to complete an Academic Probation Contract. 

Once the contract is completed and signed, students are required to submit it to both their program and their Student Services designee, no later than the end of week 3 of the probationary term. Failure to submit an Academic Probation Contract in a timely manner may result in dismissal from the college.

The program will review the student’s contract and provide any additional feedback or recommendations for the student and return a signed copy to the student.

Advisors will meet with students on academic probation throughout the semester to benchmark progress and assess compliance with the contract during weeks 4, 10, and 12. 

A review of the student’s progress will occur at the end of the term.  

  • If a student returns to good standing, they will no longer be on academic probation. 
  • If a student does not return to good academic standing, their compliance with their contract will be reviewed: 
    • If a student was compliant with the contract, they will be required to submit a second Academic Probation Contract to the unit.
    • If a student did not comply with the contract, they may be dismissed from Bouvé with an option to appeal.

Academic Dismissal

A student may be dismissed from a graduate program when they have failed to maintain academic requirements or have violated a policy that specifies immediate dismissal. All students shall have an opportunity to correct academic deficiencies during an appropriate probationary period before dismissal is instituted, except when the policy specifies "immediate dismissal." 

Students may be subject to dismissal from a program under the following conditions. (Note: Additional requirements that are not included in this list, but are specific to the student’s program, may also apply.) 

  • The student exhibits unethical behavior or misconduct in their academic program, practicum, internship, or research. 
  • The faculty instructor and/or the clinical supervisor determines that the student has demonstrated unsafe or inappropriate behavior in a clinical setting. 
  • The student does not register for at least one class for two consecutive semesters and does not have an approved leave of absence. 
  • The student has a cumulative GPA below 3.000 at the end of the probationary period specified by the action plan. 
  • The student does not demonstrate satisfactory performance in achieving the objectives of a clinical course. 
  • The student fails to meet all the requirements of the program within the specified time limit mandated by the program and has not been approved for a formal extension. 
  • The student in a PhD program fails to successfully complete the PhD qualifying/comprehensive exams successfully as stipulated by the program. 
  • The student fails to progress satisfactorily in research or fails to identify a committee for their thesis or dissertation within the time specified by the policies of the specific program. 
  • The student has failed to file an action plan within one month of notification of probation. 
  • The student has failed to meet the requirements of the action plan including any requirements specific to the student’s program. 
  • The student has failed three courses or has failed the same course twice. 
  • The student has failed to make progress toward degree completion.   

Dismissal Procedures 

Dismissal of a student from a program is initiated by the program director once the basis for the dismissal is provided to and reviewed by the Bouvé Office of Student Services. The program director will then notify the student of the dismissal. When a student is dismissed, they are not permitted to remain registered for courses in their program. 

Leave of Absence and University Withdrawal 

Refer to Leaves of Absence and University Withdrawal in this catalog for more information and policies on leaves of absence and university withdrawals. Individual programs may have additional procedures related to leaves of absence. Consult the program's overview and requirements page in this catalog in addition to the information above. Faculty members are not responsible for notifying the university of a student's withdrawal. For information concerning refund policies, please refer to the Student Financial Services refund page here.  

Grade Appeals

For appeals concerning a course grade, students should discuss their concerns with the course instructor offering the course as outlined in the University Academic Appeals Policies and Procedures. If the concern remains unresolved after these conversations with their faculty, the student should prepare an appeal to the department chair- or school dean-level of the college that offers the course—for Bouvé courses, see “Collegewide Appeals” Step 2, below.  

Collegewide Appeals

Students who believe that they were erroneously, capriciously, or otherwise unfairly treated in an academic, professional code of conduct, or cooperative education decision may petition to appeal the decision.

Details about the process for undergraduate students may be found in  Academic Appeals Policies and Procedures in the undergraduate section of this catalog, supplemented by the college-specific policies and procedures below.

Details about the process for graduate students may be found in Academic Appeals Policies and Procedures in the graduate section of this catalog, supplemented by the college-specific policies and procedures below.

For appeals of decisions concerning academic standing, progression, or co-op, students should discuss their concerns with the academic advisor and prepare an appeal statement for submission to the unit level as shown in Step 1, below. Bouvé undecided students should begin at Step 2, below.  

For appeals concerning a professional code of conduct determination (when applicable to a student’s program or major), the student should follow the process outlined in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences Code of Professional Conduct policy (in the graduate and undergraduate sections of this catalog).

Disability Access Services provides an appeal process for students with disabilities who believe their accommodation requests were unduly denied. Appeals arising from allegations of discrimination or harassment on the basis of a protected category should be referred to the Office for University Equity and Compliance. For appeals concerning student conduct, including academic integrity, please refer to the process outlined in the University Code of Student Conduct. 

If the concern remains unresolved after informal discussions or if the concern pertains to a determination as outlined above, the student should prepare and submit an appeal statement. Students are encouraged to work with their advisor to complete the necessary forms. 

Step 1: BCHS Unit-Level Appeal  

When appealing a decision to the unit level, students should submit a request to appeal linked here and submit the appeal statement within 28 calendar days from the day when the academic determination is made available to the student. The unit-level Academic Standing Committee must provide the student with a written report of the finding(s) and decision within 10 business days according to their established procedures. 

Step 2: Department Chair- or School Dean-Level Appeal

Appeals of course grades should be requested with the College Grade Appeal form linked here within 28 calendar days of the posting of the grade in question. If the student believes they have been erroneously, capriciously, or otherwise unfairly treated with a unit-level committee’s decision, they may pursue a secondary appeal to the next level as specified below:  

School of Clinical and Rehabilitation Sciences: Department chair of the unit offering the course or major/program  

School of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences: Department chair of the unit offering the course or major/program  

School of Nursing: School dean

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences: School dean  

Bouvé Undecided: BCHS associate dean of academic affairs

The student must request the appeal by contacting the specified office in writing via the school dean/department chair-level appeal form (see Higher-Level Appeals forms) within 10 business days of receiving the report from the previous step.  After consideration, the department chair or school dean, or their representative, shall provide the student and involved faculty member with a written report of their finding(s) and decision within 10 business days of receiving the appeal request. 

Step 3. College-Level Appeal

If the student is not satisfied with the disposition of the matter at the previous step, they may proceed with the appeal to the college dean's office through the BCHS Academic Affairs Committee (AAC). The BCHS AAC hears cases that have been unsatisfactorily resolved at the prior school and unit levels for “students who believe that they have been erroneously, capriciously, or otherwise unfairly treated” in the unit-level proceedings. The AAC may directly hear appeals when a unit does not have a unit-level committee. For all college-level appeals, the student must request an appeal hearing in writing via the Academic Affairs Committee Appeal form (see Higher-Level Appeals forms) within 10 business days of receiving the report from the previous step. 

The chair of the college appeal panel will notify the college dean of the committee's findings and recommendation. The college dean will have the final decision.

The college dean will notify the student and other relevant parties of the decision in writing no later than 10 business days after receiving the appeal request. 

Step 4. University-Level Appeal

Some determinations may be appealed beyond the college level. Refer to the undergraduate and graduate appeals processes linked above for more information. 

Graduation Policies

Programs That Include Completion of a Thesis

Students completing a thesis as part of the program’s academic requirements are required to complete the following at least five business days before the final grade submission deadline for the academic term: 

  • Upon successful defense of the thesis, the student must have the Thesis Approval form signed by the members of the thesis committee and approved by a representative from the Bouvé Office of Student Services.  
  • Students must submit an electronic copy of the thesis to ProQuest, following the directions outlined on the University Library website.

Completion of PhD Programs 

The PhD hooding and degree conferral ceremony is only held during the spring semester. A PhD student may not participate in the ceremony until they have successfully defended their dissertation and completed all academic requirements. 

Students completing a dissertation must complete the following at least five business days before the final grade submission deadline for the academic term: 

  • Upon a successful defense of the dissertation, the student must have the Dissertation Approval form signed by the dissertation committee members.  
  • The student must submit an electronic copy of the dissertation to ProQuest, following the directions outlined in the University Library website. 
  • The student must complete the PhD Exit form, at which time the Dissertation Approval form will be approved. 

Course Substitution 

 A student must obtain approval from their program director to substitute a course. The student must provide official transcripts of completed coursework, accompanied by the respective course syllabi, to their program director. Substitutions will only be made for courses of equivalent credit hours. Once informally approved, the program director must submit a Course Substitution form for processing.  

Program Extension Procedures 

Students may seek an extension to complete their program of study only under documented extenuating circumstances. To request an extension, the student must submit the Graduate Program Status Change form along with an action plan to complete the degree requirements to the program director with a copy to the Bouvé Office of Student Services for approval.

Bouvé College of Health Sciences Code of Professional Conduct

All students are expected to adhere to the Northeastern University Code of Student Conduct. Additionally, students in the following schools or departments are expected to adhere to the Bouvé College of Health Sciences Code of Professional Conduct as described below:

Department of Applied Psychology (all programs)

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (all programs)

Department of Medical Sciences (all programs)

Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences (all programs)

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (all programs)

Healthcare and research professionals are required to adhere to rigorous standards of professional behavior. Bouvé emphasizes professionalism as part of the academic experience, ensuring that students graduate with adequate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary for professional practice as healthcare and/or research team members.

Students are expected to demonstrate professional behavior in all academic, experiential (including clinical, cooperative education, and research), and extracurricular settings and activities, on and off campus. This Code of Professional Conduct applies to any situation affecting a student’s fitness for continued enrollment or entry into professional practice.

Students must comply with the Northeastern University Code of Student Conduct and all other published university, college, and clinical or program policies. In addition, students in the above-mentioned Bouvé schools or departments are expected to adhere to the following list of expected professional behaviors. By adhering to these expectations, students will contribute to a professional and respectful environment that fosters learning, collaboration, and the highest standards of academic and professional excellence:

Self-Growth and Care

  • Address and correct inappropriate behavior.
  • Be open to and actively seek constructive feedback to improve performance.
  • Demonstrate awareness of one’s limitations.
  • Display willingness to implement recommendations from faculty and others to enhance learning and performance.

Accountability, Initiative, Responsibility, and Sense of Duty

  • Show initiative and accountability in academic and professional roles.
  • Collaborate effectively within healthcare and research teams.
  • Exhibit a strong sense of duty and responsibility in all professional undertakings.
  • Establish and maintain appropriate boundaries with patients, family members, community-based mentors, students, faculty, and staff.
  • Complete tasks and responsibilities in a timely and reliable manner.
  • Obtain permission before bringing family members, guests, and/or pets to the learning/research environment or professional academic activities.

Respect for Others

  • Respect the rights of others in both academic and professional settings while demonstrating compassion and respect in interactions with others.
  • Demonstrate respect for all individuals, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, or socioeconomic status.
  • Demonstrate cultural humility with openness and responsiveness to the ethnic and cultural backgrounds of others.
  • Respond to patient or participant needs in a timely, safe, and effective manner.
  • Participate in a manner that is respectful and conducive to learning.
  • Avoid causing disruptions that make it more difficult for others to learn and work.

Professional Appearance

  • Dress appropriately for professional settings, including patient care and research environments.

Integrity and Trustworthiness

  • Maintain the highest level of integrity during all academic, nonacademic, research, and extracurricular activities.
  • Uphold the confidentiality rights of patients/clients and/or participants in accordance with university policy and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and other relevant laws and policies.
  • Provide accurate and truthful information and operate within the scope of one’s role and responsibilities in all academic, professional, research, and administrative settings.
  • Act in the best interest of patients and patient safety.
  • Establish and maintain appropriate rapport and show sensitivity to the needs, values, and perspectives of patients, family members, caregivers, and research participants.
  • Respect privacy and property while ensuring clinical and research integrity.

Teamwork and Professional Demeanor

  • Demonstrate sensitivity to the needs and requests of team members, mentors, and faculty.
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with students, faculty, and staff in various settings.
  • Exhibit professional demeanor and behaviors that support teamwork and collaboration.
  • Demonstrate adaptability and flexibility in various environments.
  • Receive constructive criticism with curiosity, intentionality to take action for improvement, and to do so without defensiveness.

Scholarship and Commitment to Excellence

  • Avoid use of professional position for personal gain.
  • Demonstrate behaviors that promote and reflect commitment to academic excellence and scholarly pursuits.

Communication

  • Address (oral and written) faculty, staff, students, preceptors, practitioners, or patients in a professional, respectful, and considerate manner.

Experiential Education Policies

Requirements for Clinical, Internships, and Practicum Courses

  • Some Bouvé programs require courses with clinical, internship, or fieldwork components. Such components are often offered at affiliated hospitals, clinics, schools, medical facilities, or other institutions and involve contractual agreements with these institutions or sites.

  • Some Bouvé programs have cooperative education requirements that are distinct from clinical requirements. Students secure co-ops through a job search process and are employees of an institution while on co-op. Co-op students are subject to the policies, procedures, and requirements of their employers.

  • Northeastern University is affiliated with numerous clinical sites across the country and around the world. Depending on the program, students may be required to travel outside of Massachusetts to complete clinical courses. Students are responsible for any costs associated with transportation and/or housing.

  • Evaluation for clinical courses will be based on established guidelines and policies that students will receive prior to and/or during the clinical component. Periodic performance evaluations will take place during the course of the academic term. See specific program clinical policies and procedures, handbooks, or course syllabi for details.

  • International students must consult with the university’s Office of Global Services before enrolling in clinical, internship, practicum, off-campus directed study, co-op, or capstone courses in order to discuss proper documentation for these curriculum requirements (please see the OGS page on F-1 Curricular Practical Training).

  • Depending on requirements for an assigned clinical or experiential educational site, students may be required to complete training in universal precautions and safe practices offered by the Office of Academic and Research Safety and/or other trainings as specified by the program. These trainings may include a blood-borne pathogens exposure course and annual refresher courses.

  • Graduate nursing students must have a current U.S. nursing license for the duration of the program.

 

Background Checks

Clinical education sites often require criminal background checks, background screening, or drug screenings as a condition of student placement. If applicable, the on-campus clinical coordinator/clinical placement office will post the requirements and provide instructions and a deadline for completion. To ensure adequate processing time prior to the start of the clinical experience, it is crucial that the check be completed in advance of the deadline given. Failure to complete the check in a timely manner could jeopardize progression in the academic program.

The college contracts with third-party vendors (such as Universal Background Screening, American DataBank, etc.) to perform these checks and screenings. These companies charge fees to conduct background checks and screenings. Students are responsible for any fees related to completion of background checks or screenings.  

All criminal background check information is confidential. In Massachusetts, results of inquiries to the Criminal Offender Record Information system are mailed to the program; shared with the student; maintained in a secure, locked cabinet; and destroyed seven years after the student's graduation. In states outside of Massachusetts, results are posted to the vendor's website in a secure, protected environment. A student may view their results online using a password. A student will be contacted by a representative from their program if there is a question or concern about the results. Neither a student, nor the vendor, is required to reveal the results of the background check to a clinical site. However, a student may be unable to be placed at that clinical site based on the site’s requirements.

 

Health Clearance Requirements

Students must comply with any universitywide health requirements. 

Please consult the website linked above for instructions and deadlines to submit documentation of required immunizations and screenings.  

Students must meet the health clearance requirements of their academic program and any site-specific requirements prior to entering the clinical setting and may need to make arrangements for physical exams and immunizations months before they are scheduled for a clinical course or rotation. Students who do not present the appropriate health certification will be prohibited from attending a clinical course or rotation until satisfactory evidence is provided. Students who do not meet site-specific requirements may not be able to pass a clinical course and risk timely completion of the degree program. 

Some programs use clinical clearance software packages (such as Exxat, Complio, or CastleBranch) to ensure compliance with health clearance requirements. In these cases, students are responsible for software account fees. Students are advised to follow the most updated guidance from their programs.

Liability Insurance

Northeastern provides liability insurance for students in clinical programs while in clinical courses administered under an affiliation agreement, including clinical practicum and clinical internship. This program covers claims arising out of the student performing assigned duties in the scope of their studies. Students should consult their clinical placement office, program director, and program policies for more information about liability insurance. For additional information, students may contact Risk Services.

Accidental Injury Insurance

Northeastern provides accidental injury insurance for students in clinical courses. In order to enroll students in this program, elements of students’ demographic information (including date of birth, address, and phone number) will be shared with the Office of Risk Services and to the company providing the coverage. In addition, programs may use elements of a student's demographic information in the process of site onboarding. Students may refer to the university privacy policy and contact their program director or clinical placement office for more details.

Student Conduct

  • Students assigned to a clinical site for instruction are expected to adhere to the rules and regulations of that site, and failure to adhere to these rules may result in dismissal from that institution or site and clinical course failure.
  • Students should be aware that, while participating in any form of clinical practice, they continue to be under the jurisdiction of the university. Any breaches of conduct committed by a student in a clinical setting that would be a violation of the Northeastern University Code of Student Conduct or Bouvé College of Health Sciences Code of Professional Conduct (in the graduate and undergraduate sections of this catalog), if applicable, shall also be considered a cause for disciplinary action against the student.
  • All students are required by federal and state law to respect the confidentiality of the patients’ and/or students' records to which they may be privy under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and/or Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, respectively. This includes, but is not limited to, patient/student identity and identifiers, diagnostic tests performed, medical history, special needs, and medications prescribed. For more information, students should contact their on-campus clinical education coordinator and/or clinical education site coordinator.

Current Student Resources 

BCHS Student Forms

BCHS Student Handbooks