Graduate Institute
Santa Fe
Policies
Evaluation
Work at St. John's engages the personal talents and concerns of each individual and manifests itself differently in the conversation and writing of each student. Accordingly, an important evaluative procedure is a conference for first term students.
Students are encouraged to speak with their tutors at any time about their own progress or about how the class is working. Conferences are available for continuing students upon request.
Grades
Students are encouraged not to work for grades but for the intrinsic satisfaction of learning. Within the college, therefore, grading is not of central importance. Students are told their grades only on request.
Since other educational institutions and professional boards usually require an evaluation of academic work on a grade scale, the tutors attempt to translate their assessments of student progress into conventional A-B-C-F grading. At the end of each semester, the tutors' comprehensive judgments of a student and the student's final grades for the term are reported to the director. The seminar grade is based partly on the oral examination but principally on the quality of the student's contribution to class discussion. The tutorial grade is based mostly on class participation, with the brief tutorial papers also taken into account. In the preceptorial, the student's long paper is a major factor in determining the grade, but with the student's participation in discussion also weighed heavily.
Students are expected to maintain grades of B- or better to remain in good standing. Those who earn one or more grades below this level may be asked not to return in the following term or be declared ineligible to receive the degree. Such decisions are made by the director after careful consideration of all relevant information and after consultation with the Graduate Institute Committee. Credit is not granted for any course in which a grade below C is received.
Because student participation is essential to the way in which classes are conducted at St. John's, attendance at all classes is required.
Degree Requirements
The normal requirement for students obtaining the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts degree is completion of four segments (36 semester credit hours) of the program with work of satisfactory graduate quality. All credits necessary for the degree are expected to be earned within eight years.
The requirement for the Master of Arts in Eastern Classics degree is completion of three semesters (34 credit hours) of the program with work of satisfactory graduate quality.
Part-Time Attendance
The seminar, tutorial, and preceptorial readings are designed to complement one another. Conversation in each class benefits from acquaintance with readings in the other. Therefore, part-time students are usually at a disadvantage in class conversation, particularly in their first term.
While almost all students attend the Graduate Institute on a full-time basis, permission to attend part-time is granted occasionally for special circumstances. Petition should be made to the director. Financial aid is restricted or not available to part-time students.