Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Graduate Bulletin 
    
2019-2020 Graduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Graduate Student Life



Athletics

www.appstatesports.com

Appalachian State fields a successful NCAA Division I athletics program and is a proud member of the NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision - the highest level of intercollegiate competition) Sun Belt Conference for 18 of its 20 sports (Appalachian State wrestling competes in the Division I Southern Conference and field hockey is a Division I independent).

While its success spans all 20 sports, Appalachian is perhaps most notable for its success on the gridiron. Mountaineer football won three-consecutive NCAA Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) national championships from 2005-07 and a 34-32 victory over the University of Michigan (college football’s all-time winningest program) in 2007 put Appalachian in the national spotlight both academically and athletically. In 2015, Appalachian State became the first team to ever win 11 games in its first full-fledged season as a member of NCAA Division I FBS, going 11-2 with a 31-29 win over Ohio in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. The Camellia Bowl triumph also made Appalachian State the first team to ever win a bowl game in its first full-fledged FBS campaign and set a new Sun Belt Conference record for single-season victories.  With a 10-3 record in 2016 and another Camellia Bowl victory, Appalachian State football is now 27-5 over the last two and a half years.

In addition to their success in the athletic arena, Appalachian State student-athletes are also among the nation’s top performers in the classroom. Appalachian State men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, women’s golf, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s outdoor track and field and volleyball all have multiyear NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores that exceed the national average for their respective sports while four more programs (baseball, women’s basketball, women’s indoor track and field and men’s outdoor track and field) are within five points of their sports’ national average. Appalachian also boasts the Sun Belt Conference’s highest federal graduation rate among student-athletes.

Appalachian State possesses some of the finest athletic facilities that the nation has to offer. Each of the Mountaineers’ 20 sports train and compete in facilities that have been built or remodeled since 2000. The facilities are highlighted by the 120,000-squarefoot Appalachian Athletics Center, which houses training and academic areas for all 20 sports. Other facilities include Kidd Brewer Stadium (football, track and field), the Holmes Center (basketball, volleyball, track and field), Beaver Field at the Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium (baseball), Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium (softball), Appalachian State Soccer Stadium at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex (soccer), Appalachian Varsity Courts (tennis), the Don Kennedy Trails (cross country) and Brandon & Erica M Adcock Field at Appalachian Field Hockey Stadium. The Mountaineers also practice in top-notch surroundings at the Sofield Family Indoor Practice Facility and Varsity Gym, which is also the competition venue for Appalachian State wrestling.

For the most up-to-date information on ASU athletics, visit www.appstatesports.com.

Career Development Center

careers.appstate.edu

Appalachian provides a full range of career services to assist students with career-related issues and career management skills. At Career Exploration Office, the Career Development Center’s satellite service, students can receive assistance in identifying academic majors and career options compatible with their interests, abilities, and values. Computerized guidance programs and other assessment tools assist with this process.

The Career Development Center offers individualized advising on self-managed career development, experiential learning, and personal marketing strategies. Students can access careers.appstate.edu for a variety of resources on careers, graduate schools, employers and full-time job opportunities. Information on internships can be found at internships.appstate.edu.

Special services for graduating seniors include on-campus interviews and an online career account for posting resumes and viewing job openings. Workshops, practice interviews, and resume critiques help prepare students for the job search, while career and internship fairs provide the opportunity for students to make direct contact with a wide range of employers.

Student Employment

The Student Employment Office assists students in obtaining part-time job opportunities. On campus jobs are found through the Federal Work Study program and various Student Temporary positions. Student Employment places students who have accepted an award for Work Study through the Financial Aid Office. For more details about the Work Study Program, please visit the following website: studentemployment.appstate.edu. Student Temporary work is found by applying with campus employers which include, but are not limited to: Food Services, University Recreation, University Housing, Belk Library and Information Commons, and the Child Development Centers.

For more information regarding finding employment, please go to studentemployment.appstate.edu or visit the Office of Student Employment located in John E. Thomas Hall, Room 389 to meet with a staff member.

Counseling and Psychological Services Center

counseling.appstate.edu

The Counseling and Psychological Services Center is part of a comprehensive program of student services within the Division of Student Development at Appalachian State University. The Center has as its primary purpose the prevention of psychological difficulties and treatment of the mental health concerns of its students. To meet this goal, the Center provides confidential individual, couples and group counseling for a variety of developmental and psychological issues. Concerns addressed in therapy range from personal growth and educational decisions to more serious issues that can cause psychological distress and interfere with academic functioning. The Center also provides 24-hour emergency response services when classes are in session for students experiencing extreme psychological crises. The Center is staffed by licensed psychologists and counselors and serves as a training site for an APA-accredited pre-doctoral psychology training program, as well as externs and practicum students for the Clinical Health Psychology, Human Development and Psychological Counseling, and Social Work graduate programs at Appalachian State University.

The Center also seeks to assist in the creation and maintenance of a University environment that will foster the well-being and personal development of its members. The Center provides outreach programs and psychoeducational workshops in a variety of venues to address such issues as eating disorders, sexual assault, career choice, substance abuse, stress management and suicide prevention. Center staff also are available to consult with University students, faculty, staff and others concerned about the psychological wellbeing of any University student.

Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management

safety.appstate.edu and emergency.appstate.edu

The Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management (EHS&EM) is responsible for reducing unintentional accidents and injuries on campus by providing environmental health, fire prevention, safety, and emergency management services. EHS&EM works with faculty, staff, and students to reduce risk in Appalachian’s living, learning, researching, and working environments.

EHS&EM manages the emergency preparedness programs for Appalachian State University, including the AppState-ALERT voice and text emergency notification system. For instructions on how to register your cell phone to receive emergency voice and text messages, visit ehsem.appstate.edu and click the Emergency Management tile. You may also enroll during the class registration and drop/add periods. To learn more about how to prepare for campus emergencies, download emergency guides, and access campus emergency information, visit the emergency management website at ehsem.appstate.edu. For more information on any of the programs and services offered by EHS&EM, call (828) 262-4008 or email safety@appstate.edu.

Food Services

foodservices.appstate.edu

Appalachian Food Services is proudly operated by Appalachian State University and is committed to supporting students and the university through good food and good business. Food Services oversees campus dining, the markets, App Bakery, App Catering, concessions at Kidd Brewer Stadium, and campus vending. Food Services works with the Office of Sustainability on initiatives that support Appalachian’s missiontoward zero waste, which include pre-consumer composting and local food purchasing.Approximately 21 percent of the food purchased in the 2016-17 academic year was sourced locally. Food Services’ culinary staff, lead by Executive Chef Jules Bott, want students to thrive, and are conscious of dietary restrictions and accommodate them daily. Food Services also provides on-campus employment for students, and is the largest employer of students on campus. For more information please visit foodservices.appstate.edu.

App Catering

App Caterings offers handcrafted dishes inspired by the latest trends and classic comforts brought to life by trained culinary professionals, and works with local partners to source local ingredients whenever possible. Services are customized for various events across the Appalachian community including the chancellor, university administration, academic departments, athletics, alumni and student groups. Orders can be made with a Meal Account.  Please visit our website at catering.appstate.edu for more information.

AppCard Office

The AppCard Office, located in Trivette Hall, is responsible for issuing all AppCards. The cards are issued to all students upon their arrival on campus and serve as campus identification, and are electronically encoded to provide access to Meal Accounts and Express Accounts, access to campus residence halls and facilities, and student fee-supported events. 

Express Accounts are optional accounts that may be set up for a student’s convenience. Balances carry over each year that a student is enrolled at Appalachian. Express Accounts operate on a declining balance system and are accepted at various on-campus locations. The accounts can be used to purchase any food items on campus, pay for laundry in dorms, swipe for printing in the library, buy tickets and much more.  Express Accounts cannot be used off campus and funds cannot be withdrawn as cash. The Express Account is separate from the Meal Account, but it is still accessed by the AppCard.

Full refunds for Express Accounts will be made only in the case of official withdrawal from the University during a semester. Account balances carry over each year that a student is enrolled at Appalachian. At separation, Express Account balances greater than $55.00 can be refunded if requested. A $50.00 fee applies. Refunds will be given once a year to students who request it by the last working day before May Commencement. Request for refunds must be made through the AppCard Office in Trivette Hall. Telephone number to request a refund is (828) 262-6141. Refunds will be issued from the Student Accounts Office in John E. Thomas Hall. Visit our website at www.appcard.appstate.edu (click on “Refund Policies”) for complete details.

George M. Holmes Convocation Center and Seby B. Jones Arena

theholmescenter.com

The purpose of the George M. Holmes Convocation Center is to provide facilities for the Department of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science as well as Appalachian’s basketball and volleyball and to support the academic processes of Appalachian State University.

Serving as a multi-purpose arena for the northwestern region of North Carolina, the Center will support University-sponsored events, such as Commencement and Open House. Cultural events, concerts, trade shows, athletic events and other public assembly activities will also be a part of the Center’s programming.

Since several departments will share the facility, all efforts will be made to accommodate the activities of each department. Because the schedule for the Center will be constantly changing, every effort will be made to keep all concerned updated. University sponsored events such as commencement, convocation, and student recruiting events will have priority over all other events. Please contact the Center’s Director for reservations.

Graduate Student Government Association

gsas.appstate.edu

The Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) of Appalachian State University is an elected body through which the graduate students express their concern for the welfare of the graduate students at the University, develop and disseminate ideas for the improvement of graduate education, and contribute to the formation of relevant University policy. GSGA is the representative, deliberative, and administrative organization of the graduate student body of Appalachian State University, and is a duly constituted collegiate organization within the Graduate School.

Department of Student Engagement and Leadership

engageandlead.appstate.edu

Appalachian State University prides itself in providing students with a transformational experience. This is accomplished through an intentional combination of academic rigor found in the classroom and personal growth developed through diverse experiences. The Department of Student Engagement and Leadership invites students to enrich their Appalachian experience as active contributors to this vibrant campus community. Students who excel both in and out of the classroom put themselves in position to be competitive for the most selective of internships, full-time positions, fellowships, and graduate programs.

Appalachian offers more than 400 student clubs and organizations to get involved with including academic, honors, special interest, service, multicultural, religious, and club sports.  In addition, we have over 30 fraternities and sororities with nearly 2,000 students involved in fraternity and sorority life on campus.  Students have an opportunity to learn about involvement through club expos held each semester, club advertising and recruitment activities, new student orientation and by visiting the Campus Activities Office in room 244 in Plemmons Student Union.

AppSync serves as your one-stop-shop to campus involvement and leadership opportunities.  All students, faculty, and staff have access to AppSync, where you can explore the involvement directory and learn about all of our student organizations and leadership programs.  There is also a campus calendar where you can view all the exciting things happening on campus, so you can connect with friends and attend events.  Visit appsync.appstate.edu to login and explore the endless ways to get involved.

The Department of Student Engagement and Leadership offers a wide variety of leadership and involvement opportunities for all students. Whether you are interested in taking leadership classes for credit, attending conferences and seminars, or receiving individual advisement, our staff can provide that support. Programs range from a semester-long Emerging Leaders Program for new students to a weekly drop-in program called Leadership 101. 

Student Media provides students the opportunity to become involved with campus media while developing writing, editing, photography, graphic design and advertising skills that enhance classroom learning and provide hands-on experience that translates to job opportunities on leaving the University. The Appalachian, the University’s award-winning weekly newspaper, is distributed free on-campus to keep students informed of important campus events. The Appalachian Online is Student Media’s website containing the latest news from the pages of The Appalachian, as well as links to other sources of information. Both the print version of The Appalachian and the online version offer an instructional experience for students interested in careers as student journalists. Students learn the responsibilities of a free press by making all content decisions.

Mary S. Shook Student Health Service

healthservices.appstate.edu

Medical Services are provided to eligible students by the Mary S. Shook Student Health Service at its location on the second floor of the Miles Annas Student Support Services Building on Howard Street. Full service clinic hours are 8AM-4PM Monday-Friday (9AM-4PM Wednesday). Limited service clinic hours are 4PM-6PM Monday-Friday, 10AM-2PM Saturday, and 1PM-5PM Sunday. Health Service is also open for limited services 8AM-11AM during breaks. Summer hours are 8AM-4PM Monday-Friday (9AM-4PM Wednesday). Registered Nurse telephone consultation is available when Health Service is closed. Persons calling Health Service at (828) 262-3100 will be given the option to access this service. Referrals to off-campus physicians or to the Watauga Medical Center may be required for services not available or outside of regular clinic hours. In such cases, the student is responsible for all charges incurred.

A current, valid Student ID must be presented before each visit to the Health Service. Students paying fees for nine or more credit hours during an academic semester or at least one credit hour during a summer term are eligible for care at the Health Service. Students who are enrolled and pay fees for less than those hours may elect to pay the Health Service fee at the Student Accounts office and be eligible for care. The Health Service is funded by student health fees. Many services provided require no payment other than the health fee, though there is a nominal charge for some services. Contacts with the Health Service are confidential. Records are maintained separately from the University records for the use of Health Service personnel and may be released only with written permission by the student.

The Health Service does not issue medical excuses for class absences due to illness or injury. Students who withdraw from the University for health reasons should do this through the Health Service and must receive a medical clearance before being re-admitted. This clearance must present evidence that the condition which necessitated withdrawal has improved and that there is reasonable expectation of the student’s ability to participate in University life.

North Carolina law requires that all students have a complete immunization record on file at the Health Service. Students not in compliance will be administratively withdrawn from the academic term in question.

Mandatory Student Insurance Requirement

Any student enrolled in a degree-seeking program at Appalachian State University for six or more semester hours and who is eligible to pay the student health fee, must provide proof of a creditable health insurance policy. Students who do not provide proof of insurance by the start of fall classes will be charged each semester for health insurance provided by the company selected by the UNC Board of Governors to provide medical insurance system wide.

Any student meeting these criteria who has an existing creditable coverage health insurance policy is able to waive out of the UNC system plan easily and quickly online. No paperwork is required. The Web portal to waive out of the UNC system plan may be found via a link at ASU Student Health Service website. A response to a waiver request submission typically will be made within no more than three business days once the verification process begins. For further information, go to healthservices.appstate.edu.

Office of Multicultural Student Development

multicultural.appstate.edu

It is an essential public service to recruit, retain and graduate a diverse student body that is able to apply innovative solutions to the complex cultural, economic, social, environmental and political challenges of a global society. The Office of Multicultural Student Development, part of the Division of Student Development, contributes to the academic mission of Appalachian State University by providing marginalized and underrepresented students with mentoring, advocacy, community and identity affirmation; as well as by offering multiple and varied learning opportunities for all Appalachian students to develop an appreciation for diversity and different perspectives, enhance self-awareness, increase multicultural knowledge and strengthen intercultural competency.

Multicultural Student Development aspires to offer leadership, advocacy and serve as a resource to all Appalachian State University constituents and residents of Northwest North Carolina in matters concerning diversity. Multicultural Student Development also aspires to contribute to a campus-wide conversation that advances the University’s commitment to an inclusive learning environment for everyone.

Multicultural Student Development operates three student-led outreach centers; the LGBT Center, the Multicultural Center and the Women’s Center. The following principles guide our work:

Social Justice: To challenge the roots of oppression, inequity and injustice; empower all people to exercise self-determination and realize their full potential.

Collaboration: To share resources and expertise with students, faculty, staff and community partners; provide leadership in promoting diversity and social justice in our community.

Community: To foster a sense of belonging to, engagement with, and shared responsibility for the well-being of the community.

Learning: To foster safe spaces for the exploration of new ideas and concepts and to encourage critical thinking.

Intercultural Competence: To enhance self-awareness, knowledge of difference, and ability to interact across differences.

Leadership: To mentor, challenge and empower students through out-of-class experiences that help develop self-efficacy and allow for the exploration of ideas, passions and interests.

Support: To guide students, advocate, teach accountability, empower, cultivate culture of inclusion, and promote the interests or causes of students.

Sustainability: To value social capital, preserve culture, embrace social, economic and environmental interdependence.

Personal Well-being: To promote an active process of becoming aware of and making choices that help enhance one’s health.

Parking and Traffic

parking.appstate.edu

The University Parking and Traffic Department is responsible for providing parking services and traffic control for all faculty, staff, students and visitors to the campus. Individuals who wish to park a motor vehicle on University controlled property between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, must obtain a parking permit from the Parking and Traffic Department before doing so. Several types of permits are available, dependent upon the category of the registrant. The appropriate permit will be provided at the time of registration, subject to availability. Fees are charged for parking permits, as designated by the University’s Board of Trustees. For further information, please contact the Parking and Traffic Department at (828) 262-2878, visit the website (noted above) or visit our office in the Rivers Street Parking Deck.

Post Office

postoffice.appstate.edu

A United States Post Office Contract Station is maintained by Appalachian in the Miles Annas Student Services Building. A mailbox is provided for most students. Students may check online under their AppalNet account to find their ASU Box number and the combination for their mailbox. The student’s University mailbox address is used by the University for communicating with each student and for receiving personal mail via United States Postal Service. For this reason, students are responsible for checking their University mailboxes frequently. Students enrolled in an off-campus extension course will probably not have a mailbox.

If a student meets the following criteria, she/he may opt-out of their campus mailbox and no longer receive mail at the University Post Office: 1) the student lives off-campus; 2) the student does not receive a paycheck from any department within the university (however, if the student works at the university and receives their pay by direct deposit, they may opt-out of a campus mailbox); and, 3) the student is currently enrolled at the university (summer students are not allowed to opt-out). If a student chooses to opt-out of their campus mailbox, they may do so by logging into AppalNet, clicking on “Self-Service,” then select the “Personal Information” tab. Next, click the “ASU PO Box Opt-Out” link, check the box acknowledging the opt-out, and click “Submit.” After opting-out, the student should go to the Post Office one last time to check their mailbox and submit a change of address form to have their mail forwarded to another address. The Post Office will forward all mail for which postage has been paid. It will not forward any university mail without postage.

Visit the website at postoffice.appstate.edu for a complete description of services.

Office of Student Conduct

studentconduct.appstate.edu

Academic Integrity Code & Code of Student Conduct

Appalachian State University is committed to maintaining an environment that supports and encourages the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge. All members of the academic community - students, faculty, administrators and staff, share in the responsibility of protecting and promoting that environment and all are expected to exemplify high standards of professional and personal conduct.

As an academic community, the University has an interest in the safety, welfare, and education of the members of this community and in fostering an environment consistent with the educational mission, purpose, and processes of the University. Appalachian’s Academic Integrity Code and the Code of Student Conduct were developed to assist students in their learning beyond the classroom into all aspects of life.

When students voluntarily enter the University, they assume obligations of performance and behavior relevant to the University’s mission, processes, and functions. Expectations of students in an academic community are higher than those of other citizens. A violation of these standards and expectations can result in disciplinary sanctions.

Sanctions are designed to be educational in nature and, whenever possible, to provide an avenue for continued membership in the University community. However, students who fail to follow community standards are treated similarly to students who have failed academically and can be removed from the University.

The illegal or abusive use of alcohol and other drugs by members of the academic community adversely affects this educational environment. North Carolina and federal laws restrict or prohibit the use of alcohol and other drugs in various contexts. The illegal or abusive use of alcohol and other drugs is not compatible with personal health and welfare and the pursuit of academic excellence, and will not be tolerated by Appalachian State University on or off campus or as part of any institutional activities.

The Office of the Dean of Students is host to the Student Legal Clinic. An attorney is available to assist students with legal concerns that arise during their academic experience. The most common issues are landlord and tenant disputes, minor criminal issues, and traffic violations. An appointment can be scheduled by calling (828) 262-8284.

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Conduct at any time for consultation on policies and procedures. The Office of Student Conduct, located on the third floor of the Plemmons Student Union, may be reached by telephone at (828) 262-2704, by fax at (828) 262-4997, or by email at studentconduct@appstate.edu.

Student Research

osr.appstate.edu

The Office of Student Research (OSR) works to promote and support research and creative activity of undergraduate and graduate students, particularly activities conducted in collaboration with members of the faculty at Appalachian State University. The primary functions of the OSR are: advocacy for student-faculty research; identifying and pursuing sources of external and internal support for that research; seeking, collecting and disseminating information regarding student-faculty research opportunities; cooperating with other campus units to identify or create research opportunities; coordinating the university’s annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors; contributing to the UNC-Office of the President Undergraduate Research Consortium; and participating in national dialogues/meetings devoted to promoting student research.

Testing Services

testing.appstate.edu

The Office of Testing Services is a unit within Appalachian’s University College. The mission of the Office of Testing Services is to provide high quality testing and assessment services that observe the National College Testing Association (NCTA) professional testing standards and guidelines in order to successfully meet the growing needs of our students, faculty, administration and community.

Testing Services provides a Computer Based Testing Center in the John Thomas Student Support Building for the administration of national entrance/certification exams. We also administer nationally scheduled paper and pencil exams such as LSAT, PRAXIS II, GRE Subject Tests, and National Counselors Exam on Saturdays throughout the year in Anne Belk Hall/Old Belk Library. Please check the calendar for test dates and locations.

For more detailed information on all of the testing options available visit the Testing Center website at testing.appstate.edu.

University Bookstore

bookstore.appstate.edu

The University Bookstore, located at the center of campus beside the student union offers a variety of goods and services to support the needs of students, faculty and staff. Institutionally owned and operated, a portion of bookstore revenues support student scholarships and benefit the campus community.

The bookstore is the only authorized Apple Computer Reseller in the area, and houses a large assortment of general reading materials including titles from faculty authors. It is also the largest provider of imprinted clothing and gifts. Visit our website for more detailed information at bookstore.appstate.edu.

University Housing

The University does not maintain housing facilities graduate students. Graduate students, international students, and students with dependents make their own arrangements for housing in the community while enrolled. There are many apartment complexes and homes for rent near campus. More information about finding housing is available on the off-campus community website (offcampus.appstate.edu).

University Police

police.appstate.edu

The University Police Department is responsible for protecting life and property at Appalachian by providing emergency and nonemergency law enforcement services, crime prevention, safety and criminal investigative services.

For an on-campus police emergency, simply call 8000 from any on-campus phone or (828) 262-8000 from your cell phone. To report a crime or any other suspicious activity, call (828) 262-2150 or use one of ASU’s 80 Blue Light emergency telephones located throughout campus.

To report a crime anonymously, call “Crimestoppers” at (828) 268-6959 or log on to our website at police.appstate.edu and click on “Report Crime Information or Suspicious Activity Anonymously Online.”

The University’s Annual Security Report is available online at police.appstate.edu. The report includes statistics for reported crimes that occurred on-campus and institutional policies concerning campus security and fire safety, such as policies concerning sexual assault, building evacuation and other safety and security matters. If you would like to receive a paper copy of the report, you can request that a copy be mailed to you by calling ASU Police at 828-262-2150.