Medical Physics, MS

Grievances

The department advisory committee, at the request of a student, will resolve a grievance between the student and faculty concerning:

• Course grade and preliminary examination results that may result in the student’s dismissal
• Unreasonable delay in completing the dissertation research
• Failure to pass final oral defense of the dissertation

The student may appeal the decision of the department advisory committee to The Graduate College Council and to the dean, according to The Graduate College policies and procedures.

College of Health Sciences/Rush University Academic Policies

Academic policies specific to the College of Health Sciences are located earlier in this catalog. In addition, the Academic Resources and Policies section of this catalog contains Rush University academic policies.

Academic Progression

The graduate program director acts as academic advisor to each new student. The director determines the course schedule with students and monitors their progress. The faculty reserves the right to request the withdrawal of any student whose conduct, health or performance is unsuitable for a health profession. Any such student not voluntarily withdrawing will be dismissed from the University. Only grades of A, B and C in required courses may fulfill degree requirements. Students will be considered in good standing at Rush University unless placed on academic probation. Academic probation is assigned to a student who earns a quarterly GPA between 2.0 or 2.99 inclusive or whose cumulative grade point average falls below a 3.0. Full-time students placed on probation must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater by the end of the next two consecutive quarters. A student who earns a quarterly grade point average below 2.0 will be dismissed from the University. A student who earns a grade of D or F in a required course must repeat the course. Failure to earn a grade of C or better in a repeated course will result in dismissal from the University. In a repeated course, the new grade will replace the earlier D or F grade in the cumulative GPA. A student who earns a grade of D or F in two or more required courses will also be dismissed from the University. Students placed on academic probation will be notified by letter from the department chairperson following a meeting of the Student Progress Review Committee. The letter will explain why the student was put on academic probation and the specific requirements the student must meet to re-establish good standing.

Full-Time and Part-Time Enrollment

Although the faculty recommends full-time enrollment to maximize the opportunities available to students, part-time enrollment for all or part of the program may be arranged.

Note for the current academic year: The College of Health Sciences offers a Master of Science, major in Medical Physics degree that provides a curriculum to prepare practitioners. Admission of students to this program in any given year is contingent on a number of factors, including availability of necessary resources, such as faculty, space and equipment, and the level of interest expressed in the applicant pool. The program’s leadership has assessed these and other factors and has concluded that no new students will be admitted for the current academic year. Questions about the program and its future plans should be directed to the program director.

Master of Science in Medical Physics

The program requires a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater to graduate. All degree requirements must be completed within five calendar years from the beginning of the first quarter in which the student is enrolled in the program. The minimum number of quarter hours required for graduation is 80. This requirement is fulfilled by registration in required courses plus elective courses. Each student must develop and carry out a research project that culminates in writing a thesis. At the end of the first year, the student must take and pass a qualifying examination based on selected basic principles of physics, therapeutic and imaging physics, radiation protection, transfer function analysis and current topics in medical physics. The examination will include both written and oral components. Passing this examination qualifies the student to continue work toward the master’s degree. Defense of the thesis will be the final examination. The faculty members will determine whether the student will be granted a second and last opportunity. Upon such recommendation, a second examination may be scheduled within nine months of the initial examination.