Graduate Tuition and Financial Arrangements

Scholarships and Awards

Graduate School Awards

The following awards are granted to selected master's degree candidates at the end of their programs of study.

The Carlo and Valerie Bagni Outstanding Biomedical Science Student Award

The Bryce Blackwood Beau­champ ’84, M.S. ’87, M.B.A. ’06 Outstanding Computer Science Student Award

The Antoinette Border ’04, M.S. ’09 Outstanding Mathematics Education Student Award

The Dr. Dana G. Cable Outstand­ing Thanatology Student Award

The Gary Corsar M.S. ’09 Out­standing Information Technology Student Award

The Crespi-Hobby Outstanding Ceramic Arts Student Award

The Frederick W. and Lenora F. Dietzel M.B.A. Student Award

The Dr. Keith R. Harris M.S.’99 Outstanding Educational Leader­ship Student Award

The Virginia Wheeler Jones ’66, M.A.’88 Outstanding Reading Specialization Student Award

The Dr. Mary F. Kearney ’96, M.S.’01 Outstanding Bioinformatics Student Award

The Craig D. Lebo M.A.’84 Outstanding Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Behavior Student Award

The Amy Kaufman MacLeod ’08, M.B.A.’11 Outstanding M.B.A. Student Award

The M.B.A. Director's Award

The Donna Mowry ’98, M.A.’07 Thanatology Award

The Jenny E. Nunn M.S.’06 Outstanding Curriculum and Instruction Student Award

The Parrott-Anderson Outstanding Counseling Student Award

The Christopher H. Smith M.S.’95 Outstanding Environmental Biology Student Award

The Lisa Ann Sullivan M.A.’04 Outstanding Humanities Student Award

The Stephen R. White Outstand­ing Management Information Systems Student Award

Graduate School Scholarships

The Association of Medical Diagnostics Manufacturers Scholarship

The Ceramic Arts & Technology Scholarship\

The Ifeoluwa O. Popoola M.S.’16 Scholarship

The Philip S. Renaud II M.S. '83 Scholarship*

*Not currently available for award

Tuition, Fees and Other Charges

2018-2019 Academic Year

Tuition per credit:

 Comprehensive fee per term:

Tuition Payment Methods and Policies

Refer to www.hood.edu/accounting for information regarding payment methods and policies. 

Financial Aid

Information regarding student loans is available from the Office of Financial Aid, located on the third floor of the Joseph Henry Apple Academic Resource Center. Financial aid representatives can be reached by phone at 301-696-3411 or by email at finaid@hood.edu. In order to be eligible for federal loans, a student must be accepted for enrollment in a degree program, take a minimum of 3 credits each semester and be making normal progress toward a degree from Hood as described below. To apply for a federal loan, a student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 

International students, although not eligible for federal loans, may apply for loan assistance from private educational loan programs if they have a credit-worthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Office of Financial Aid.

Some programs offer Graduate Assistant positions to support graduate students. These positions will be posted with other current job openings online at www.hood.edu. Students can also inquire about this possibility with the appropriate program director.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Students are expected to maintain a record of academic achievement that will enable them to graduate in a reasonable time period. Graduate students receiving financial aid at Hood College of any type (federal, state, institutional and outside scholarships and grants) must demonstrate both qualitatively and quantitatively the ability to do satisfactory academic work and to progress measurably toward a degree. This is in addition to any renewal criteria required for specific state, institutional or other outside awards.

Federal regulations require the Financial Aid Office to monitor students’ (undergraduate and graduate) academic progress at the end of each academic year. This is to ensure that students receiving funds are successfully progressing through their program of study. At the end of the spring semester of each academic year, the Financial Aid Office evaluates the academic progress of each student receiving financial aid according to the standards set forth below by the College. This evaluation determines a student’s eligibility to receive financial assistance in the next academic year. In addition, at the end of both the fall and spring semesters, the registrar reviews the qualitative academic progress of all degree-seeking students to determine the eligibility for continued enrollment at Hood College.

Graduate programs range from 30 to 36 credits with most programs at the 36-credit level, and a 3.00 cumulative average is required to complete the degree. Students are considered to be making satisfactory progress toward degree completion for financial aid purposes by adhering to the schedule outlined below.

The Financial Aid office determines the year of standing according to the number of credits earned. (Note: this is separate from the time-to-completion Graduate School policy which allows up to seven years to complete a degree program.) The Financial Aid office uses the above schedule for its financial aid purposes.

The maximum time frame in which a graduate student is expected to complete their degree is 150 percent of the published length of the program measured in academic credits. Students will become ineligible for any type of financial aid if the maximum timeframe for completion is not met. For example, if a published length of a graduate academic program is 36 credit hours; the maximum period must not exceed 54 (36 × 150%) attempted credit hours.

Additional Degree / Dual Degree

The maximum time frame in which a student is expected to complete their degree is 150 percent of the published length of the program measured in academic credits for a student pursuing an additional degree or enrolled in a dual degree program.

Transfer Credits

Transfer credits and/or credits for prior learning given at the time of enrollment will be counted in the total number of credits attempted. During the course of enrollment, a student may transfer credits earned at outside institutions, however, the credits will apply only for meeting the maximum timeframe standard.

Treatment of W, INC, AU, F, S and U Grades and Repeated Coursework

• Course withdrawals (W) after the drop/add period are not included in the G.P.A. calculation, but are considered a noncompletion of attempted coursework.
• Incomplete (INC) grades are not included in the G.P.A. calculation but are considered a noncompletion of attempted coursework until the incomplete grade is replaced with a permanent grade and academic progress can be reevaluated.
• An audit (AU) grade is not considered attempted coursework. It is not included in the G.P.A. calculation or completion rate determination.
• A satisfactory (S) grade is treated as attempted credits earned, but it is not included in the G.P.A. calculation.
• An unsatisfactory (U) grade is treated as attempted credits that are not earned, but it is not included in the G.P.A. calculation.
• A failing grade (F) is treated as attempted credits not earned; it will be included in the calculation of the G.P.A. and the minimum completion rate.
• All grades earned for a repeated course will be recorded on the transcript and the highest grade received will be included in the GPA calculation; however, every repeated attempt will be included in the completion rate determination.

Financial Aid Suspension

Students are placed on financial aid suspension if they do not meet one or both of the SAP standards. Students that are failing to make satisfactory academic progress and who successfully appeals will be placed on financial aid probation. Students placed in this status may continue to receive financial aid for one semester but are expected to improve their academic standing (CGPA) and/or maximum timeframe progress so that the standards of SAP are met by the end of the following semester.

Financial Aid Probation

If at the end of the probationary period the student still does not meet the standards set forth in this policy, eligibility to receive financial aid of any type will be suspended. Students who fail to meet the maximum timeframe towards completion of their degree within 150 percent of their attempted credits will have their financial aid canceled.

Reinstatement of Aid after Probation Appeal is Approved

Reinstatement of financial aid after a student is placed on probation is achieved as follows:

• The student submits a written letter of appeal in accordance with the appeals process and the Financial Aid Appeals Committee grants the appeal. The student is placed on financial aid probation for one semester and is allowed to maintain their aid eligibility. SAP will be reviewed at the end of that semester; or
• The student attends Hood College during the suspension semester, pays for tuition and fees without the help of student aid and does well enough in the coursework to satisfy all the satisfactory academic progress standards. The student must notify the Office of Financial Aid if they are planning to attend Hood College without the assistance of financial aid; or
• The student may enroll in summer courses to eliminate the deficiency in credits or G.P.A. The student must notify the Office of Financial Aid if they are planning to take classes during the summer to eliminate the deficiency. Students can only take classes at Hood College and cannot take classes at another institution to resolve a G.P.A deficiency.

A student whose eligibility has been suspended may regain eligibility at the end of any term after which they meet the above criteria.

Students who have been placed on suspension cannot skip a semester and regain eligibility. No financial aid will be disbursed during subsequent semesters for students on suspension.

Appeals Process

Appeals of financial aid suspension must be made in writing to the director of financial aid by the date specified in the Financial Aid Suspension notification letter.

The appeal letter must address the extenuating circumstance(s) why satisfactory academic progress was not made, why the extenuating circumstance(s) has changed, as well as an outlined plan of corrective action for future academic success. The appeal must explain why the student failed to meet satisfactory academic progress and what has changed in the situation that will allow him to make satisfactory progress at the next evaluation. Extenuating circumstances can include, but is not limited to, illness or injury; death of a family member; family difficulties; interpersonal problems with friends, roommates, partners; difficulty balancing work, and family responsibility; or financial difficulties.

The director of financial aid will review the appeal and notify the student in writing within 10 working days whether the appeal has been accepted or denied. If the appeal has been accepted, the letter to the student will detail the academic plan of corrective action as well as require the approval of the student’s academic adviser. All decisions made by the director of financial aid are final and will not be subject to further review.

Veterans’ Educational Benefits

Hood College participates in and follows the guidelines set by the Department of Veterans Affairs for assisting veterans and veteran dependents in using military educational benefits. The School Certifying Officials (SCOs), located in the Financial Aid Office, work to help eligible students initiate or continue benefits. They collect required information and documents to have on file for each student, and certify them according to chapter or eligible program. The SCOs also guide students in planning the best use of the benefits they have earned, and keep the VA updated on their degree progress. Students may contact the Financial Aid Office, 301-696-3411, for further information.