For some individuals, attending college immediately after high school is expected – the next step on the long staircase of life. But other individuals may face financial barriers or don't feel ready to pursue higher education and decide college is not an option. As they age, pursuing further education becomes increasingly difficult, which has led many colleges and universities to establish continuing education programs. These programs cater to adult learners and provide opportunities to improve their knowledge and skills in a particular field, learn new competencies, or earn a degree.
However, enrolling in continuing education as an adult learner can be demanding, as it requires balancing work, family, personal care, and coursework. Failure to keep up with these responsibilities can be overwhelming and may result in mistakes, which could lead to disciplinary hearings with long-term consequences.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team know how hard you have worked to get back to school. If you or someone you love has been accused of misconduct, call today.
Academics at MIT
MIT Professional Education offers a variety of programs designed to help professionals enhance their skills and knowledge in various fields. These programs include short courses, online courses, certificate programs, and custom programs tailored to meet the specific needs of an organization.
The subjects covered in these programs include:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Applied Data Science
- Finance
- Entrepreneurship
- Real Estate Finance & Development
- Design & Manufacturing
- Biotechnology & Life Sciences
- Sustainability
- Deep Learning for AI and Computer Vision
- Formulation and Stabilization of Biotherapeutics
- Advanced Business Resiliency
- Commercial Real Estate Development
- Nuclear Plant Safety
- Downstream Processing
- Reinforcement Learning
- Fermentation Technology
- Ethics of AI
The programs are taught by MIT faculty members and industry experts, and they provide an opportunity for professionals to learn from a top-ranked institution and advance their careers.
Degree and Certificate Programs
While MIT Professional Education programs do not typically have GPA requirements for admission, some programs may require applicants to have a certain level of proficiency in the subject area or to meet certain prerequisites. For example, in the Applied Data Science Program, a short course, you must complete an integrative Capstone project to receive your certificate of completion.
This certificate can then be applied to a Professional Certificate Program in Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence, which requires the successful completion of 16 or more days of qualifying courses. These “days” must be completed within 36 months of your first qualifying course to receive the certificate.
Alternatively, the Sustainability: Strategies and Opportunities for Industry online course prepares professionals to improve sustainability in their current businesses. As such, there is no required GPA, but students will receive 6.4 Continuing Education Units towards their professional work.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
MIT Professional Education does not have a standardized Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy that applies to all its programs. Instead, each program has its own policy for measuring academic progress, and these policies are outlined in the program's student handbook or other materials provided at the beginning of the program.
In addition to short programs and certificate courses, MIT Professional Education offers advanced study programs for individuals with bachelor's degrees. These programs allow students to enroll in courses at MIT and utilize the credits earned to transfer into MIT graduate programs or graduate studies at other universities. Students must maintain a B- in their courses to be considered for future semesters.
Moreover, all the programs require students to finish their courses or certificates within a certain timeframe. For instance, for almost all the certificates, it seems students must complete the requirements within a 36-month window.
Once a student receives notice of their academic progress, they need to seek the guidance of an academic attorney-advisor. By enlisting the services of Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team, students can be confident they are receiving expert assistance. Through their extensive knowledge and experience, Attorney-advisor Lento and the Lento Law Firm Education Team have an unmatched ability to negotiate with the university and advocate on the student's behalf, effectively reducing any anxiety and stress that might accompany these situations.
Attendance Policies
Most of the MIT Professional Education programs have attendance policies in place, but the specific policy would depend on the type of course or program structure. For example, in the Professional Certificate Program in Biotechnology & Life Sciences, students are expected to attend each of the “days” the course is being taught. Generally, the courses are taught between 4 and 5 days at a time, and because students have 36 months to complete all 16 days, the program administrators do not believe in missing a class day.
Though, they do understand that sometimes events are outside of the student's control. That is why it is so important to get familiar with the student handbook and the course syllabus to ensure you understand exactly what is expected of you and when.
Academic Dishonesty
MIT Professional Education takes the academic integrity of its students very seriously. As such, it has implemented policies to prevent such behavior. The policies vary from course to course, but in general, they outline academic behavior that is completely prohibited. This behavior includes:
- Cheating: using or attempting to use materials during an examination, quiz, or other assignments without the instructor's permission.
- Plagiarism: presenting someone else's words or ideas as if they were your own by failing to cite them properly on course or program assignments.
- Collaboration: working with other students on exams, quizzes, or other assignments without the professor's express permission to do so.
- Fabricating or falsifying data on assignments or research.
Students who are accused of academic dishonesty will be punished by their instructors. Generally, sanctions for first-time offenders will include lowering their overall course grade or lowering the grade of the specific assignment. For the most part, sanctions are supposed to match the severity of the misconduct. So, if it is a student's second or third offense, they could be facing removal from the program or having their certificate of completion revoked. For more serious misconduct, the student will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct or the Committee on Discipline for resolution.
Academics: What Could Go Wrong?
Allegations of academic misconduct can have serious consequences for a student's prospects. If a student applying to a graduate program at MIT is disciplined or accused of academic misconduct, it will negatively impact their chances of admission. Additionally, if a student is suspended or expelled from the Professional Education department, it will be noted on their academic record and could pose challenges when they apply to other schools or programs.
During such challenging times, seeking assistance from an academic attorney-advisor is essential. Attorney-advisor Lento and the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team have a wealth of experience in aiding students in comparable situations. They recognize all of the hard work and dedication required to pursue academic aspirations and are aware of the possible adverse effects of an erroneous or unjust sanction.
Disciplinary Misconduct
The creation of a secure and supportive environment that enables students to grow academically and personally, free from external judgment or misconceptions, is a top priority for colleges and universities. Maintaining a sense of safety and well-being is vital to the development of an atmosphere where students can thrive. If students feel threatened, their engagement in academic pursuits may decrease, resulting in harm to the school's reputation, fewer admission applications, and a reduction in overall revenue.
At MIT Professional Education, the following behaviors are expressly prohibited:
- Using or abusing alcohol or other drugs.
- Physically abusing oneself or others.
- Reckless endangerment of oneself or others.
- Refrain from engaging in behavior that endangers your own sustained success, or the success of others, or that has serious consequences for your own, or others', physical and mental health, safety, welfare, academic well-being, and professional obligations.
- Copyright infringement.
- Discrimination.
- Harassment.
- Title IX violations.
- Sexual harassment
- Stalking
- Retaliation.
- Sexual misconduct.
- Conduct that is committed unreasonably or recklessly that is inherently or potentially unsafe to others or their real or personal property.
- Any behavior that disrupts the peace of the university.
- Not abiding by the fire safety rules and policies, including refusing to evacuate during a fire alarm.
- Hazing.
- Improper use of institute property or its name and logo.
- Hacking.
- Stealing from the institute or your fellow classmates and professors.
- Threats, intimidation, coercion, and other conduct that could reasonably make someone else feel threatened or have their mental or physical health endangered.
Student Conduct Procedures
At MIT, complaints or incident reports are made to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (OSCCS), whether the student is an undergraduate, graduate, or part of one of the Professional Education programs. The complaint and documentation will then be sent to the Committee on Discipline (COD) for review. The Chair will review the issue and decide whether a hearing is warranted.
If the COD decides a hearing is necessary, they will schedule one as soon as possible after an initial investigation into the matter is completed. Both the accused student and the complainant will have an opportunity to present their arguments during the trial, but prior to the trial, they must submit these documents to the OSSCS and the COD.
During the hearing, the accused student will be allowed to present evidence and witnesses to bolster their argument. They will also have an opportunity to cross-examine the complainant's witnesses and evidence. Both parties will also have an opportunity to question each other.
When the hearing ends, the COD will deliberate on whether the evidence presented supports the complainant's claim and, if so, what sanctions to impose. Sanctions can include anything from a warning letter and probation to suspension or expulsion. Alternatively, some students might be required to pay restitution as well.
Whatever the COD's decision, students have the right to appeal it. Appeals must be made in writing to the OSSCS staff within five business days of receiving the COD's decision letter. Exact instructions for appeals will be found in the letter, but it should be noted that appeals at MIT can only be made on specific grounds. These grounds include:
- Substantive and relevant evidence is available now that was not available at the time of their decision;
- There was a substantial departure from the COD rules and procedures during the hearing, and this greatly affected its fairness;
- One of the COD's material findings was substantially against the weight of the evidence that was before COD when it made its decision; or
- the sanction imposed is too harsh given the circumstances of the misconduct.
If the case involved sexual harassment or Title IX violations, appeals can also be made on the grounds that the decision-makers had a conflict of interest or bias against the accused student, and it affected the outcome of the hearing.
The Chancellor will review the appeal and determine whether the original decision should be modified, overruled, or referred for another hearing. Whatever they decide, it is final and cannot be appealed further.
How an Academic Attorney-Advisor Can Help
All MIT Professional Education students are at risk of violating their program's code of conduct. Whether they are having a hard time juggling their many responsibilities or are overwhelmed by the breadth of the material they are learning, some students will begin to act in ways they normally wouldn't. When this happens, an academic attorney-advisor can help you navigate the proceedings with ease, alleviating stress, and ensuring you feel confident in your defense.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team understand how big of an opportunity this is for you and how devastating a misconduct accusation can be for your future. They will work diligently to make sure the institute is upholding your rights. Call 888-535-3686 today or schedule a consultation online.
