Academic Programs Catalog

General Information, Policies, Procedures and Regulations

The Students

Michigan State University's enrollment totals close to 50,000 students including the off-campus programs. Around 39,000 are undergraduates with the remainder in graduate and graduate-professional programs. Over 75 percent of the new undergraduates enter as first-year students from Michigan high schools or as transfer students from the Michigan community-junior colleges or other colleges and universities in the state. These students come from throughout the state and represent the smallest as well as the largest communities. The remaining students enter from high schools, colleges, and universities throughout the United States and the world. During the Fall 2020 semester, over 4,500 international students from 122 countries were enrolled. Approximately 53 percent of the undergraduate and graduate students on the East Lansing campus were women.


Student Rights and Responsibilities


Student Rights and Responsibilities

On March 16, 1967, the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University approved a document entitled Academic Freedom for Students at Michigan State University. The report established guidelines to identify rights and duties of students in regard to conduct, academic pursuits, the keeping of records, and publications. It provided for structures and procedures for the formulation of regulations governing student conduct, for the interpretation and amendment of the guidelines, for due process in the adjudication of student disciplinary cases, and for channeling to the faculty and administration student complaints and concerns in the academic area.

The original document has been amended several times, most recently in 2014 which also included a name change. The document is now entitled Student Rights and Responsibilities. The revised edition incorporating all amendments as approved by the Board of Trustees is included in Spartan Life. Visit http://splife.studentlife.msu.edu.


Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities

On June 18, 1971, the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University approved a document entitled Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities. The document established guidelines to identify rights and duties of graduate students in regard to such matters as academic programming, conduct, support, and the keeping of records. This document provided for structures and procedures for formulating regulations governing student conduct, for amending the document, for considering grievances, and for providing due process in the adjudication of cases involving graduate student rights and responsibilities.

The original document has been subsequently amended. The revised edition incorporating all amendments as approved by the Board of Trustees is included in Spartan Life. Visit http://splife.studentlife.msu.edu/graduate-student-rights-and-responsibilities.


Law Student Rights and Responsibilities

On June 6, 2014, the Board of Trustees of the Law College at Michigan State University approved a document entitled Law Student Rights and Responsibilities. The document established guidelines to identify rights and duties of law students in regard to such matters as academic programming, conduct, support, and the keeping of records. This document provided for structures and procedures for formulating regulations governing student conduct, for amending the document, for considering grievances, and for providing due process in the adjudication of cases involving law student rights and responsibilities.  You may view the document in Spartan Life. Visit http://splife.studentlife.msu.edu/law-students-rights-and-responsibilities.

Medical Student Rights and Responsibilities

On June 6, 1986, the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University approved a document entitled Medical Student Rights and Responsibilities. The document established guidelines to identify rights and duties of medical students in regard to such matters as academic programming, conduct, support, and the keeping of records. This document provided for structures and procedures for formulating regulations governing student conduct, for amending the document, for considering grievances, and for providing due process in the adjudication of cases involving medical student rights and responsibilities. 

This document as amended and as approved by the Board of Trustees is available from the offices of the Deans of the Colleges of Human Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine; the Office of the Graduate School; the Office of the Provost; the Office of the Ombudsperson; and online at Student Life at http://splife.studentlife.msu.edu/medical-student-rights-and-responsibilites-mssr.


Policy on Research with Human Subjects

Student programs may involve human subjects in research and/or clinical investigations. "Research" means a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. Masters' theses and Ph.D. dissertations are considered to present generalizable knowledge. "Human subject" means a living individual about whom an investigator conducting research obtains (1) data through intervention or interaction with the individual or (2) identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens. Investigators can include faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral researchers, trainees, and volunteers, among others. Federal regulations and/or university policies require review and approval of all proposed research and/or clinical investigations involving human subjects by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or require an exempt determination from the IRB office prior to initiation. An official determination letter from the MSU IRB office must be obtained before involving human subjects in research and/or clinical investigations; this letter may be requested by other University offices.
 
Additional information, including  forms, templates, procedures for online IRB submission and review, and complete definitions, is available from the Human Research Protection Program Web site at www.hrpp.msu.edu, E-mail irb@msu.edu, or call 1-517-355-2180. Questions are welcomed. 

Student Organizations

Student organizations at Michigan State University provide an opportunity for students to participate in leadership experiences and to explore areas of specific interest. Students are encouraged to consider the value of membership in an organized group. Each of the 1,000-plus existing Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) has its own activities and membership requirements. Students who are members of an honorary society may associate with the Michigan State University chapter of that society. 

More detailed information regarding RSOs may be found at involve.msu.edu, obtained from the Student Life Office, 101 Student Services Building or visit studentlife.msu.edu.