School 'took back' my degree? Now what?

Question

So, in short, I attended a large university, and near the end of my last semester, I met with my major advisor who looked over my transcripts, checked off that I had satisfied all requirements necessary to graduate, signed it and sent me off. I went to commencement, etc, it was all good.
The next year I started graduate school, and near the end of my first semester they told me that they had yet to get a copy of my undergrad transripts showing a degree. I called my school, and after much ado they told me that, no, they had made a mistake, I had not earned a degree after all.
I told them that I had been following with my advisor, that they had helped me along in choosing classes and making sure I met degree requirements, and they said that person was very sorry, they made a mistake, and I will have to take two additional classes in order to graduate. What happened was, I was very ill and hospitalized during college, which caused me to miss registration one semester. My advisor

allowed me to register for different classes, and assured me that they would count toward degree requirements (example, she said I could take Shakespeare again for it to count for a British Lit requirement). Now they are telling me, no, these don't count. I NEVER would have taken Shakespeare twice, I got an A the first time around, so why would I have taken it again?
What do I do? I've taken it up with a resolution center at my undergrad school, they say they can't help. Do I get a lawyer?

I am no longer in the same state as my undergrad institution, and more than overloaded with my grad school curriculum.

It wasn't a counselor, it was my English undergraduate advisor, also head of the English department. She told me it was fine to take these two classes *in lieu of* the required classes in the handbook. I would never have done so hadn't she advised me to do it and signed off on it. The lawyer would be to handle my case of misrepresentation. I relied to my detriment, that is an actionable offense.

My grad school does not offer these courses, and my undergrad school requires that the last 35 credits earned must be at that school, so I can't take them elsewhere.

The advisor openly admits to telling me to do this, but the English dept cannot override the liberal arts department, which grants degrees. The liberal arts department does not like that the English dept wants to sub these classes, and I'm caught in the middle. The school is a giant, beaurocratic beast and I wish I never even went to an advisor (which they REQUIRE you to do).

Grad school has told me if I can't produce a transcript showing degree granted by the end of the semester I'm OUT. I feel like lopping my F-ING head off because I've worked for years and years to get this far and I have a full scholarship.

The liberal arts department refuses to answer any of my calls, claiming they 'aren't allowed to make long distance calls' Give me a break!

Answer 1

The catalog at the college you attended clearly states that you (not your advisor) are responsible for meeting the degree requirements as listed in the catalog/program. If you get a lawyer, your college will point out to him that you can't understand that statement. It's in every college catalog for this very reason. You could try suing the academic advisor for professional malpractice, but probably won't win.

You have a couple options.

1) fill out a course substitution form for the two classes you took that weren't right. This is what your advisor failed to do. You want to sub Shakespeare for Brit Lit for example. Most colleges do this sort of thing all the time but some are stricter than others.

2) contact the departments involved and ask for credit by examination. Then take the exams for credit in those classes. Make sure your college allows this option, most will.

3) register and take the classes.

Then, tell everyone you know -- if it's not in the catalog and you don't have a signed form from the college for a substitution -- it's wrong! It doesn't matter in the slightest what your advisor, dean, or friends think about it.

ADD: 4) take the two classes as online classes from your undergrad. Online classes are usually considered "in residence". Check and see if this is an option.

An absolute solution here so at least look at it. This works. Visit Excelsior College (regionally accredited in Albany NY) at http://www.excelsior.edu and look at the Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies. Also look at the English major. Apply to Excelsior and have a transcript sent soonest. Excelsior College (and Thomas Edison State and Charter Oak State) will accept nearly 100% of the degree requirements in transfer. Excelsior will require that you take one 1 hr course in information literacy online ($250) but you probably already meet all of the degree requirements otherwise. Total cost may be around $1500 and you will have the Bachelor's degree (though not from wherever you attended). This is absolutely legit (not a diploma mill) and is used by a lot of military people who move so often that they can't do 30 hours at any one school.

I reiterate about the lawsuit idea. Your catalog clearly states that you are personally responsible for meeting all of your degree requirements and it's also likely printed on your advisement/registration forms as well. Your argument doesn't hold water - this has been battled numerous times and the college wins. They will say "it says XYZ in the catalog, what part of that can you not understand?" and "show us where it says your advisor can change the degree requirements..." I understand your frustration, I counsel students every single semester who have run into the same sort of problem. It's very common. It's also your responsibility.

Your grad school is now in a real bind. They can't let you continue without a bachelor's degree but they really don't want to drop you either. They simply have no choice. If you can come up with a solution and explain it to them, they will likely work with you getting there. No excuses and no blaming - that won't help you at all. Find a solution and execute it. That's what graduate level students do. Find the solution and execute it.

Answer 2

So can you stay in the grad program and just take the two extra classes you need to take??

Get a lawyer for what? Its not the counselors responsibility to make sure you have the right classes, unfortunately in the end it is yours to get everything taken care of. You have two choices:
1. Talk to your advisor and find any documentation you have from the person telling you that it was okay to replace the two classes with the ones you took.
2. just take the classes at your college now and transfer the credits over so you can stay in your grad program.


Edit: I know how hard grad school is, but its better to be able to stay in the program over having to stop it! Take the two classes this summer if you have to.

Answer 3

I'm guessing, but I wonder if the problem isn't that those two classes wouldn't have counted toward those requirements, as substitutes - but that the problem is that you'd already taken those classes, and thus was retaking them? At least with the Shakespeare, that certainly would be an issue. But even if it is the case that the advisor was mistaken, you're in trouble now.

Yes, you certainly can talk with a lawyer, but I suspect that you're going to have to take those two classes. But must you take them at your undergraduate university? Might you be able to take them, via continuing ed, locally? Or might you be able to take them via the undergraduate school at your current university?

Speak with someone at your old school. Ask them if you can take those classes, or their equivalents, elsewhere, and have them count toward your degree.

Speak to an advisor at your grad school immediately. Tell them what has happened. Ask them if you can remain a student in good standing while all this is being ironed out. Then ask them (if your undergrad school said it's okay) if you can take those missing classes at their school.

You can also speak to a lawyer, but in reality, you need to make sure that you don't get disenrolled from your current program because they haven't received your transcripts, and will not receive them until all this is ironed out. You need to put a plan in place with your current grad school to keep you in good standing there while all this is happening, and you need to find a way to resolve this with your old school. And the only way to do that, in short time, is to take those classes *somewhere*.

Answer 4

opportunities are severe, there should not be a school which will in basic terms take your present credit and grant you with a level; maximum colleges have a call for for move scholars that a particular kind of credit hours must be finished at that college.