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Graduate Catalog 08-09
Office of Graduate Studies and Extended Education
McKelvie Hall, 102 W. Rosedale Avenue
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2943
fax: 610-436-2763
gradstudy@wcupa.edu
Revised March 2008
Fees and Expenses
In this section:
Tuition:
| Pennsylvania residents | Nonresidents |
Fees:
| Application | Housing | Music Instrument Rental |
| Commencement | ID card | Parking |
| Course Audit | Late Payment | Technology Tuition |
| Crossover Registration | Late Registration | Transcript |
| General | Meals |
Policies and Procedures:
| Address Changes | Payment - Partial | Uncollectible Checks |
| Payment | Refund | Withdrawal |
Special Note: The fees listed below reflect charges at press time. For up-to-date information on fees at any given time, contact the Office of the Bursar, 610-436-2552.
Fees and expenses are subject to change without notice. Fees shown here are in effect for the 2007-2008 academic year and apply to fall and spring semesters only. Changes for 2008-09 and 2009-10, if approved, would occur after the printing of this catalog.
Tuition and fees can be paid by check, electronic check (e-check), money order, or cash. The University does not accept credit cards for tuition and fee payment, except through the Web-based QuikPay system. If the student chooses to pay via credit card, a fee will be assessed for this service. Refer to the Bursar Web page for payment instruction.
Basic Graduate Tuition for Legal Residents of Pennsylvania
| Less than 9 credits | $345.00 per semester hour of credit |
| 9 through 15 credits | $3,107.00 per semester |
| More than 15 credits | $3,107.00 plus $345.00 for each semester hour of credit beyond 15 |
Basic Graduate Tuition for Out-of-State Students
| Less than 9 credits | $552.00 per semester hour of credit |
| 9 through 15 credits | $4,972.00 per semester |
| More than 15 credits | $4,972.00 plus $552.00 for each semester hour of credit beyond 15 |
This mandatory instructional fee will be used to enhance classroom technology. All charges are per semester:
Legal residents of Pennsylvania:
| Full-time undergraduate and graduate | $87.50 |
| Part-time undergraduate and graduate | $43.00 |
Out-of-state students:
| Full-time undergraduate and graduate | $132.00 |
| Part-time undergraduate and graduate |
v$65.00 |
Summer will be considered as one semester. Students enrolled in multiple summer sessions will be charge no more than the equivalent of the full-time semester rate.
The general fee of $500 per full-time student (9 credits or more) or $57 per credit hour for the part-time student (8 credits or less) is a mandatory charge that covers the use of the following services:
A nonrefundable graduate student application fee of $35 is assessed to all students applying to a graduate program. If a nondegree graduate student (a graduate student not yet officially admitted to a degree program) applies, he/she will pay this fee upon initial application to take a graduate course. He/she will not be assessed this fee again once officially admitted to a degree program. Graduate program applicants who hold a master's degree from West Chester University will not be assessed the application fee when applying for a second master's degree or professional growth.
Graduate student housing is limited at West Chester University. If University housing is granted, a fee must be paid which will secure the occupancy offered. Possible options include a standard double room in a designated section of an undergraduate residence hall with one roommate, or in selected units of the South Campus apartment complex with five occupants in combinations of doubles and singles. This fee covers all utilities, including on-campus and local telephone service (students must provide the actual telephone). The University offers a special program for long-distance calling. The Student Occupancy Agreement, which must be signed before students check into their rooms, is binding for the full academic year (September-May), even for those students who may receive late room assignments. The current cost per student is $2,194 a semester for a traditional residence hall; apartments are $2,548 for a double bedroom and $2,772 for a single bedroom. These rates are subject to change and should be considered reasonable approximations.
Graduate students may also obtain affiliated housing through College Park Communities, which operates two housing complexes on campus. WCU hires, trains, and supervises the residence life staff for each location and handles all student issues. College Park Communities is responsible for occupancy management (leases), as well as facility-related issues. Information about applying for these facilities is available by sending an e-mail to wcuhousing@collegepark.org, by logging on to www.wchousing.com, or calling 610-436-2368.
All students residing in a North Campus residence hall (including affiliated housing, University Hall) must be on the University meal plan as a condition of occupancy. Students with medical problems who cannot meet this requirement may request a meal waiver. Residents of the South Campus Apartment Complex and the Village at WCU, as well as off-campus and commuting students, may purchase any meal plan offered or obtain meals at the transient rate.
Meal plans consist of 26 meal zones per week: 19 traditional breakfast/brunch, lunch, and dinner zones, plus seven late-night zones. The following plans are available to resident students:
| Variable 10 meals per week, plus $100 flex | $929 per semester |
| Variable 14 meals per week, plus $100 flex | $1,019 per semester |
| Variable 19 meals per week, plus $100 flex | $1,101 per semester |
For the above meal plans, the meal week runs from Saturday brunch through Friday late night. With these plans the diner can choose any combination of meals, but will forfeit any unused meals at the end of the meal week. Flex plans allow students a “pay-as-you-go” option to take advantage of dining opportunities on campus. It is similar to a bank debit card, with the total meal purchase subtracted from the flex dollars account. Flex dollars can be used for beverages, snacks, or full meals.
Additional meal plan options for resident students include the following:
| Block Plan of 175 meals per semester, plus $100 flex | $988 per semester |
| Block Plan of 225 meals per semester, plus $100 flex | $1,082 per semester |
Block plans run the entire semester, so the diner can use them in any number configuration throughout the semester, but must use them up by the end of the semester or forfeit the remaining meals.
South Campus residents (apartments and the Village), off-campus students, and commuters may select any of the above plans in addition to the following:
| Block Plan of 75 meals per semester, plus $100 flex | $556 per semester |
| Flex-only Plan | Must begin with $100 and can add in $25 increments |
Flex-only Plan. Flex dollars not used by the end of the fall semester will be transferred to the spring semester. However, any unused flex dollars at the end of the spring semester will be forfeited. Students who leave the University at the end of fall semester will forfeit any remaining flex dollars.
All meal plans may be used in the following locations: Lawrence Dining Hall; the Diner; C-Stores/Grill operations; and the Ram's Head Food Court. National brands, such as Chick-fil-A, Subway, Einstein's Bagels, and Freshens will take cash and flex only. Students in North Campus residence halls will have their meal plan cost included in their University bill. Off-campus, commuter, and South Campus Apartment/Village students can sign up for a meal plan by applying at the Office of the Bursar in the E.O. Bull Center. Any meal plan changes must be submitted within the first two weeks in the beginning of each semester. After that deadline, the assistant vice president for student affairs must approve any change requests. The diner is permitted to use four meals in one day and may combine up to two meals per meal zone to convert to the meal/cash allowance. Diners may use five of their meals per semester for a guest.
The RAMeCARD will serve as a ticket to the offerings at Lawrence Food Court, Campus Corner, Convenience Stores, and Sykes Ram's Head Food Court.
RAMeCARD Fees. The University charges a $12 fee to issue a RAMeCARD to each full- or part-time student. If this card is lost or stolen, the student will be charged $15 for a replacement card. Damaged ID cards can be exchanged for a $10 fee. This fee is payable at the Student Services, Inc. (SSI) service center located on the ground level of Sykes Student Union.
Graduate students are not automatically granted permission to schedule after the deadline; however, a late registration fee of $35 is required of students who receive approval to schedule and pay after the official registration deadline.
Students who fail to pay or submit their semester bills by their due date will be assessed a $50 late payment fee. Nonreceipt of a bill does not relieve students of the responsibility of paying their bill by the due date. For those paying by mail, please allow sufficient time for payment to reach the University by the due date. Financial aid students who fail to confirm their attendance by the due date, even if no payment is due, will also be liable for this fee.
Students who audit a course (attend a course without taking credit) pay the same fees as other students.
Students should receive fall semester bills by mid July and spring semester bills by the first week of December. All initial semester bills will be mailed to the student’s home address and sent electronically to the student’s official WCU e-mail address. Mid-semester statements will only be sent electronically to the student’s e-mail address. Students are encouraged to check their WCU e-mail account often for important billing information. For students who rely on parents/guardians to pay their bills, it is highly recommended that students select parents/guardians as authorized payers through the University’s Web-based QuikPAY system. Doing so will ensure that both students and parents/guardians will receive notification e-mails when new bills/statements are available.
It is each student’s responsibility to pay/submit the semester bill by the due date. Nonreceipt of a semester bill does not relieve the student of the responsibility of paying/submitting the bill by the due date. Address changes should be made through the Office of the Registrar to allow for sufficient time to reflect an accurate billing address.
Students who are receiving approved financial aid awards that fully cover or exceed the amount of their bills do not have to pay, but they must submit to the Office of the Bursar the appropriate portion of their semester bill to complete registration. Fully covered financial aid students also have the option of activating their account online via myWCU. Failure to return the bill or activate your account online via myWCU, even if no payment is due, may result in the cancellation of registration/schedule and the assessment of late penalties. Students who cannot pay their bills in full by the due date may apply for partial payment (see “Partial Payment Policy” below).
Failure to meet the payment deadlines could result in cancellation of the student’s schedule. In order to have the schedule reinstated, the student would have to pay his or her bill in full as well as a $35 late registration fee.
Students who owe money to the University will have a hold placed on their accounts. If students do not clear the hold by paying the amount owed, it will cancel registration/scheduling for future semesters, prevent the release of transcripts, and prohibit graduation clearance. The University also may, at its discretion, invoke any other penalty appropriate for a particular case in which money is owed to the University.
The University extends partial payment privileges to all students who are in good financial standing and have not defaulted on a previous payment plan. The fee charged for this service is $35 per semester. There is no payment plan for summer terms. Installment payments received after the deadline are subject to a $25 late payment fee. Partial payment statements will only be sent electronically to the student’s WCU e-mail address and authorized payer’s e-mail address. For more information about the plan offered, contact the Office of the Bursar at 610-436-2552.
If a student's billing address changes during enrollment at the University, the new address must be provided to the Office of the Registrar to avoid delayed delivery of bills.
A fee of $25 is charged for any paper check or e-check returned to the University for insufficient funds, stopped payment, or closed account. The University may, at its discretion, charge this fee for any check returned to it for any other reason.
The check will be returned to the student upon its replacement. Students who have two or more checks returned against their accounts will no longer be able to make payment by personal check; all future payments must be made by cash or certified check.
The fee for transcripts is $3 per copy. Transcript request forms are available in the Office of the Registrar. Immediate transcripts are $5 per request.
Each student renting a musical instrument for a semester is charged $20 per instrument. Each student using a pipe organ for practice for one period each weekday is charged $36 per semester.
Students who wish to withdraw from the University after paying their semester or summer session fees must follow the official withdrawal procedure. Forms to withdraw from the University are available in the Office of Graduate Studies. Completed forms must be returned to that office during the semester or summer session when the withdrawal occurs.
All requests for refunds for dropped or canceled courses, or for withdrawals, must be made in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar. Refunds are not automatic; it is the student's responsibility to initiate a refund request. Appeals concerning the refund policy for tuition and the general fee are made to the Office of the Registrar. Appeals concerning the Housing or Meal Fee are made to the Office of Residence Life. Further appeals, if necessary, may be made to the Appeals Committee.
Individual fees will be refunded according to the policies described below.
Tuition and General Fee Refunds - Full refunds are available only through the first day that the University is in session. After that, tuition and fees are refunded according to the schedule below. These percentages apply to the total tuition bill, not to partial payments of tuition. Questions about this as well as when you will receive your refund should be directed to the Office of the Bursar.
| Withdraw during | Receive tuition and general fees refund |
| Prior to session | 100% |
| 1st day of semester | 100% |
| days 2-5 of 1st week of semester | 90% |
| 2nd week of semester | 80% |
| 3rd week of semester | 70% |
| 4th week of semester | 60% |
| 5th week of semester | 50% |
| 6th week of semester and after | No refund |
Housing Fee - in full prior to the first day of the semester; after the first day of the semester, prorated refunds are made on an individual basis through the Office of Residence Life.
Meal Fee - in full prior to the first day of the semester; after the first day of the semester, prorated refunds are made on an individual basis through the Office of Residence Life for resident students, and through the Office of the Bursar for commuter students.
A nonrefundable graduate student application fee of $35 is assessed to all students applying to the graduate program. If a nondegree graduate student (a graduate student not yet officially admitted to the degree program) applies, he/she will pay this fee upon initial application to take a graduate course. He/she will not be assessed this fee again once officially admitted to the degree program.
The University charges $56 to all students enrolled in a degree program who will have fulfilled their degree requirements by the end of the semester. The fee is payable to the Office of the Bursar and should accompany a graduation application form from the Office of Graduate Studies and Extended Education.
The University charges a nonrefundable parking fee to students who are eligible to purchase a permit to use University parking lots. The current parking fee is $30 per year. Registration forms are available at the Department of Public Safety or on the Web at www.wcupa.edu/dps/ParkingServices.asp. A violation of University parking regulations may result in a fine of $10–$40 based on the parking violation.
Identification Card Fees (RAMeCARD)
The University charges a $12 fee to issue an identification card to each full- or part-time student. If this card is lost or stolen, the student will be charged $15 for a replacement card. Damaged ID cards can be exchanged for a $10 fee. This fee is payable at the Student Services Inc. (SSI) service center located on the ground level of Sykes Union.
Fees for Crossover Registration
Students who are admitted to graduate study and need to take undergraduate course work to correct academic deficiencies are advised to enroll in undergraduate courses exclusively, and they will be billed undergraduate fees. Graduate students who are enrolled in graduate and undergraduate courses during the same semester will pay graduate fees for all course work. Further, all such courses or combinations are to appear on a single graduate transcript that includes a code or legend which differentiates between undergraduate and graduate courses. Undergraduate courses appearing on a graduate transcript may or may not be acceptable for a degree program, according to determinations made by the degree-granting department. Undergraduate students with at least a 3.00 GPA and 96 credits of course work may take up to six credits of graduate course work in their final semester in accordance with University policy. If the student wishes to have the credits count towards the bachelor's degree, he/she must submit a completed "Application for an Undergraduate Student to Take a Graduate Course for Undergraduate Credit." If the student wishes to have the credits count towards a graduate degree, he/she must submit a completed "Application for an Undergraduate Student to Take a Graduate Course for Graduate Credit." Both forms are available in the Office of the Registrar. To receive graduate-level credit, the student also must submit a properly completed and approved Graduate School Application for Admission form to the Office of Graduate Studies before completing the appropriate form.
If a course is taken for undergraduate credit by an undergraduate student, no additional fees will be required. If a course is taken for graduate credit, the student must pay graduate tuition and applicable fees for that course. Credit earned and grades received will be recorded on the undergraduate transcript. Credits so earned may later be applied to a graduate program, subject to approval of the major department.