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Rules and Regulations for the Pursuit of Academic Degrees (Revised)

ARTICLE I. ADMISSIONS

ARTICLE II. ENROLLMENT AND REGISTRATION

ARTICLE III. GRADES AND COURSE CREDIT

ARTICLE IV. ENGLISH COMPETENCY AND EXPOSITORY WRITING REQUIREMENT

ARTICLE V. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MASTER'S DEGREES

ARTICLE VI. GENERAL REQUIREMENT FOR DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

ARTICLE VII. APPEAL OF ACADEMIC DECISIONS

ARTICLE I. ADMISSIONS

Section 1. Admission to the Graduate School

Any graduate with a superior academic record (a minimum grade point average of 3.0), an undergraduate baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, or any international student with equivalent qualifications is eligible to apply for admission to the Graduate School (hereafter: the GS).

Graduate work is under the jurisdiction of the various departments. A student is expected to have adequate undergraduate training in the field in which the individual plans to do graduate work. If a student's training is inadequate, the individual will be required to take such additional courses as the department may prescribe.

Admission to the GSAS does not automatically admit a student to candidacy for an advanced degree.

Applications for admission can be obtained from the Office of Admissions of the GSAS, Howard University, Washington, D.C. 20059 or via the GSAS’ web-site at www.gsas.howard.edu. No application will be considered complete until official transcripts, Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores, a statement of interest and/ or goals, and three letters of recommendation are received by the GSAS’ Office of Admissions. International students are also required to provide the GSAS with Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam scores. The minimum TOEFL scores for admissions are 550¨ . Individual departments and schools may require additional submissions from the applicant. It is strongly advised that applicants should contact the departments for any additional application requirements.

Section 2. Admission to a Department

The department in which the student plans to study shall determine whether or not the student is qualified to be admitted for graduate study in that particular department. Upon receipt of the completed application, the Office of Admissions shall determine whether the student meets the general GSAS admission requirements. The Office of Admissions shall notify the department and shall request that the department evaluate the student's credentials. The department shall communicate its decision to the Office of Admissions.

The department shall communicate its decision to the GSAS’ Office of Admissions.

If an applicant is seeking admission into an M.D./ Ph.D. program, the individual must be accepted into both the Medical School and the GSAS. The applicant must meet all criteria for acceptance into the College of Medicine and the GSAS. Similarly, if an applicant is seeking admission into an interdisciplinary program (i.e. a Material Sciences program), the rules of admission for the GSAS and participating departments will apply.

Section 3. Departmental Admissions Committee

Each department shall have a committee whose functions include serving as the Departmental Admissions Committee. This committee and other interested departmental faculty members shall scrutinize the credentials of applicants and make recommendations concerning admission decisions. The departmental admissions decision is then submitted to the GSAS. The department, after submitting an admission decision, may then contact the applicant concerning the status of admission.

Section 4. Committee on Graduate Studies

Each department shall have a Committee on Graduate Studies consisting only of current graduate faculty members and chaired by the Graduate Program Director.

Section 5. Categories of Admissions

Regular Degree Student
Students who meet fully the stated requirements for a graduate program in the GSAS will be accepted as regular degree students. Anyone with a superior academic record and an undergraduate baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, including any international student with equivalent qualifications, is eligible to apply for admission to the GSAS as a regular degree student.

Provisional Degree Student
An applicant who has deficiencies in preparation or scholarship yet who, on other grounds, is judged by the department as capable of completing a graduate program, may be accepted on a provisional basis. The student in this category will be allowed to take a maximum of nine (9) credit hours per semester and shall satisfy all requirements set by the department for qualifying as a regular degree student. The provisional student may pursue regular degree student status through the Program of Continuing Education or Consortium Schools. The admitting department may then accept a maximum of eighteen (18) credits hours of such courses during its review of the provisional student for regular degree status.

Unclassified Student (Non-Degree Student)

An unclassified status is an elected category for the student who wishes to pursue "course work only." The applicant must meet all general admission requirements and any additional requirements prescribed by the department. A non-degree student , upon approval and recommendation of the department, may qualify for another category of admission in the GSAS. Departments based upon their resources, will determine the number of non-degree students they can accept. Students may transfer to a degree program no more than two (2) courses earned as a non-degree student.

Section 6. Academic Advisement

Each department shall provide faculty advisement for students in the GSAS. Departments will notify each incoming student of an academic advisor who will assist him/ her in academic planning. The in-coming student shall also be given a copy of the department’s governing handbook of course requirements and rules and regulations. The name of each student’s academic advisor must be reported to the Office of Student Relations of the GSAS as soon as possible.

Section 7. Readmission to the GSAS

Any student who desires to be readmitted to the university after being dismissed for academic reasons, exclusive of a second failure of (a) the comprehensive examination or (b) the oral defense of the thesis or the dissertation, must first complete a university application to the GSAS’ Office of Admissions. Second, the student must submit a written request for readmission to the Dean of the GSAS. Third, the student must receive approval for readmission from the Dean of the GSAS and from the department in which the student was a degree candidate. Reinstatement of a student shall require the student to fulfill special conditions formulated by the department and approved by the Dean, who shall then notify the student of such conditions. The formulation of the special conditions will be in conjunction with the department in which the student was a degree candidate.

A student who fails the comprehensive examination or the final oral examination in defense of the thesis or dissertation a second time will be dropped from the GSAS. When dropped for either of these reasons, the student will not be readmitted to the GSAS. (see also: Article VII: Appeal of Academic Decisions).

Regulations relating to returning students require that all students who are absent from or not registered at the University for one entire semester (Summer Session not included) must apply in advance for readmission. This is done by completing the entire application that includes the Former Student Returning section (FSR).

Section 8. Pursuit of Advanced Degrees by Graduate Faculty Members

Individuals who hold special appointments as Graduate Faculty members shall not be permitted to pursue or to receive a higher degree from the GSAS. Faculty members may enroll in courses for credits, but such work will not be applied to the pursuit of a graduate degree at the GSAS.

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ARTICLE II. ENROLLMENT AND REGISTRATION

All students must register for classes during the registration period announced in the University Calendar. Procedures for registration are outlined in the Schedule of Classes.

Section 1. Permanent Record

The official permanent record of the student’s enrollment in the university, registration for classes, grades earned, and other qualifications fulfilled are maintained in the Office of the Registrar.

Section 2. Student Load

Nine (9) credit hours are considered a full-time schedule. The maximum load for a graduate student is fifteen (15) credit hours. Course loads in excess of twelve (12) credit hours require departmental Graduate Studies Committee approval. Courses for which there are no credit allowance are not included as part of the normal student load. When violations of this regulation are detected, the student will be required to drop registered hours in excess of the maximum allowed.

Section 3. Temporary Interruption of Student's Program

Students who are readmitted to the GSAS will be subject to the rules and regulations in force at the time of readmission.

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ARTICLE III. GRADES AND COURSE CREDIT

Section 1. Letter Grades and Their Value

A. The Grading System

The grading system for all graduate level courses leading to graduate level degrees awarded by the GSAS shall be as follows:

LETTER GRADE

NUMERICAL VALUE FOR PURPOSES OF

CALCULATING A GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA)

A

4.0

A-

3.7

B+

3.3

B

3.0

B-

2.7

C+

2.3

C

2.0

C-

1.7

D

1.0

F

0

B. D and F Grades

No degree credit is earned by a graduate student for D and F grades received in graduate level courses. Such courses must be repeated for a grade of B or higher if they are to be counted toward a graduate degree. However, grades of D and F are a permanent part of the record and are used in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average.

C. Incomplete Grades

All incomplete grades, except those for thesis and dissertation and research courses, carry an alternate grade designation. The grade "I" with an alternate letter grade indicates that the work was incomplete at the end of the course. The alternate letter grade indicates the grade that will be recorded if the work is not completed by the end of the last day of the next semester in which the student is enrolled. This grade may be given to those graduate students who, upon petitioning the instructor in writing, have provided acceptable justification for some portion of the course requirement remaining unfinished when final grade reports are due. Normally,

completing a course in which an incomplete grade was given will involve the submission of such things as term papers, exams, and notebooks, but may also include completion of contracted periods of service which may not correspond to the grading period. At the time the alternate letter grade is assigned, the teacher shall indicate in the space provided on the grade sheet the reason for assigning the grade of "I" alternate.

The grade of "W" is given to graduate students who withdraw from a course. The "W" will appear on the graduate student's academic record, i.e., the transcript, only if the student withdraws after the end of the add/drop period.

Section 2. Change of Grade

A grade assigned for work in a graduate level course is generally not subject to change. However, exceptions may be considered in the case of an error in which the grade may be changed following the submission of a petition by the teacher of the course, to the Dean of the GSAS, not later than one month after the beginning of the next semester in which the student is in residence.

Section 3. Approval for New or Additional Courses

Students may not receive graduate degree credit for courses, which are not duly authorized for this purpose by the GSAS.

Section 4. Auditors

A graduate student is permitted to audit a graduate level course, but she/he must pay the regular tuition and other fees as required. An auditor however, does not take any examinations, is not required to participate in class discussions, and does not receive academic credit for such a course.

Section 5. Undergraduate Courses Taken by Graduate Students

Grades earned in undergraduate courses taken by a graduate student are calculated in both the semester and cumulative grade point average. A maximum of six (6) credits of such courses may be counted toward a graduate degree with the approval of the department in which the degree is sought. However, only those undergraduate courses in which a grade of "B" or better is earned will be counted toward the graduate degree.

Section 6. Graduate Courses Taken by Undergraduate Students

A department may permit an undergraduate student from Howard University to take not more than two (2) graduate courses in his/her senior year. When the credits earned in graduate courses exceed the total number of credits required for the baccalaureate degree, these credits may, with department approval, be counted toward requirements for a graduate degree at Howard University.

Section 7. Transfer of Credit to Graduate Degrees

Departments may approve transfer of credits for graduate courses, with grades of B or better earned in other graduate programs; however, it must be the considered judgment of the department that the work is relevant and meets the same objectives as comparable courses in its program. In no case may the credit hours accepted for transfer exceed the limits specified in Article V., Section 5 (Master’s degree) and Article VI., Section 5 (doctoral degrees). Such transfer may not be used to satisfy the residency requirement specified in Article V. (see below) and must be approved by the GSAS.

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Article IV. ENGLISH COMPETENCY AND EXPOSITORY WRITING REQUIREMENT

All graduate students must demonstrate their competency in the English language as evidenced by a passing score on the English Proficiency Examination. Students failing this examination must successfully complete the non-credit course on expository writing, "Writing Workshop in Exposition for Graduate Students." All graduate students, both part-time and full time, are required to demonstrate their competency in the English language in their first year of residence. Fulfillment of this requirement is a prerequisite for admission to candidacy in the GSAS. Doctoral students who have demonstrated their competency at the Master’s level at Howard University are exempt from this requirement. (see also Article V., Section 1.C.3; and Article VI., Section 1.C.3).

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ARTICLE V. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MASTER'S DEGREES

Section 1. Residency, Credit Requirements, and Admission to Candidacy

The completion of minimum course requirements or credit does not guarantee receipt of the degree.

A. Residency

A minimum of six (6) credit hours per semester constitutes residency. A student must be in residence in the GSAS for at least two (2) semesters in order to be recommended for a degree. Credits transferred from other accredited graduate institutions may not be used to meet the residency requirement.

B. Minimum Credit Requirements

The minimum number of credits required for the Master's degree is thirty (30); however, some departments may require credits in excess of this amount. In such instances, the minimum number of credits is the amount specified by the department concerned.

The distribution of credits for the degree shall be as follows:

1. Twenty-four (24) credits in course work, at least eighteen (18) of which must be earned in the major subject. The remaining credits may be earned in the major subject, or in another subject approved by the major department.

2. No more than six (6) credits may be accumulated in thesis writing courses.

Various factors may make it necessary for the candidate to take more than the minimum number of credits before he or she satisfactorily completes the requirements for the degree.

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to a Master’s program does not automatically make a student a formal candidate for the Master’s degree. A student shall be admitted to candidacy when he/she has completed most of the requirements for the Master’s degree except the thesis or its equivalent.

Before a student can be admitted to candidacy he/she must have:

1. Completed an admission to candidacy form available from the GSAS, which must include a list of graduate courses completed, being taken, and yet to be pursued in the field.
2. Passed the qualifying and/or comprehensive examination administered by the department (where applicable).
3. Satisfactorily demonstrated expository writing proficiency to the Office of Educational Affairs.
4. Passed the foreign language examination or fulfilled the approved substitute (where applicable).
5. Have received approval of a thesis subject or an optional requirement via a process determined by the graduate faculty in the department.
6. Received the recommendation of his/her major department on the candidacy form.
7. Secured the approval of the GSAS.

Admission to candidacy must be achieved at least six (6) weeks prior to the end of the semester in which the student expects to receive his/her degree.

Candidacy for the Master's degree shall be valid for no more than two (2) academic years. Any student seeking renewal of candidacy must apply to the GSAS through the department for readmission. The department in which the student is seeking the degree shall determine the conditions under which he/she may be reinstated, subject to the approval of the GSAS.

The responsibility for fulfilling these requirements on time is that of the student. Students should consult the departmental Director of Graduate Studies if in doubt as to any of the requirements. Students should note carefully the specific requirements of their departments relative to admission to candidacy and regard them as additional to these general requirements.

Section 2. Course Requirements

A. Length of Time for Completion of the Master's Degree

Students are expected to complete a Master's degree within a maximum of five years from the date of initial registration in the program. Those who have not completed the degree within that time will be automatically dropped. Students dropped in this manner may petition for readmission and may be readmitted upon recommendation of the departmental Graduate Faculty and approval by the GSAS.

B. Course Viability

Any course that was pursued more than five (5) academic years prior to the term in which the student presents himself or herself for candidacy will not be credited toward fulfillment of the requirements of the degree.

Credit for such courses may be restored and counted toward the fulfillment of requirements for the degree provided the departmental chairperson and the chair of the Committee on Graduate Studies submits to the Dean a written petition/recommendation and the student has passed: a comprehensive examination in the field in which the course falls, or a written examination especially administered for the purpose of restoration of credits in the course concerned.

Under no circumstances, however, may a student receive credit toward the degree for a course, which the student pursued more than seven (7) academic years prior to the time the student presents himself, or herself for graduation.

Enrollment in Thesis Writing Courses
When a student has met course credit requirements but is using the University facilities, or is conferring in person with his/her thesis advisor, he/she must continue to enroll in a thesis writing course. Such a student shall register as an auditor if he/she has already accumulated the maximum number of hours permitted for thesis writing courses.
Assignment of Grades for Thesis Writing Courses
Thesis writing courses shall be assigned a grade of Incomplete. These incomplete grades are removed after completion of the final oral examination on the thesis.
Enrollment in the Terminal Semester

A candidate for a degree must be enrolled in the GSAS during the semester in which the degree is conferred.

Section 3. Program of Study

The department in which the student is enrolled shall specify the program and the departmental requirements for each of its candidates.

Section 4. Grades and Academic Status
A. A cumulative average of 3.00 (B) is required for graduation.

B. A student who falls below the 3.00 average shall be warned and informed by the GSAS that he/she must raise his/her quality point index to 3.00 in the next two terms in residence. Students failing to do so will be dropped from the GSAS.

C. A student will be permitted only two (2) grades below B-, and will be dropped after he/she receives a third grade B-.

D. A student who demonstrates an inability to perform satisfactorily at the graduate level may be recommended for dismissal.

Section 5. Transfer of Credit

Course work taken in another GSAS may be approved for transfer up to a maximum of nine (9) credits. Viability of transfer courses shall be governed by the same rules as courses taken at Howard University (see Section 2.B).

Section 6. Foreign Language Requirement

The foreign language requirement or its substitute for the Master's degree shall be determined by the department in which the student is enrolled.

Students may satisfy the foreign language requirement by passing an examination prepared by the foreign language departments at Howard University based on materials submitted by the department concerned.

Section 7. Qualifying and/or Comprehensive Examination

In many departments, students are required to take an examination to determine admission to candidacy. This examination is administered by the graduate faculty of the department in which the student is enrolled. Students must consult their departments for specific information on this examination.

Any candidate who fails the examination for the first time will be allowed to sit for a second examination, provided that the second examination does not come earlier than two (2) months from the date of the previous examination, and provided that the application for the second examination bears the approval of the department in which the student is specializing. Failure on the second examination will result in the student being dropped from the GSAS.

Section 8. Thesis or its Equivalent: Committee, Document, and Defense

Master's programs require the submission of a thesis or completion of an equivalent project of courses in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree. Students preparing a required document must be supervised by a member of the graduate faculty who shall act as his/her advisor. Said advisor must be a member of the department in which the degree will be granted. Students are advised to consult their departments concerning requirements and options, because acceptable projects are determined by departments in accordance with disciplinary practices.

The subject of the thesis or its equivalent shall be determined as early in the program as possible, preferably before the end of the second term of residence.

The Thesis Committee
The committee for the thesis or its equivalent must consist of the advisor and at least two other members of the graduate faculty. Each member of the committee is responsible for fully reviewing and approving both the process and the final document (i.e. the thesis or its equivalent). Final approval of the thesis or its equivalent in all aspects is the responsibility of the full committee acting on behalf of the GSAS.
The Document
The document shall be prepared in accordance with the conventions of the discipline, must be produced by word processor, and shall conform to requirements of the GSAS as specified in the manual available in the GSAS.

Students who write a thesis shall deposit two copies with the department not later than two (2) weeks after the date of the final oral examination. Students who fail to comply with this regulation will be considered to have failed the first oral examination and will have to sit for a second one.
Defense

The candidate is required to pass a final oral examination in defense of the thesis or its equivalent. The examination shall be based primarily on his/her research, the field of his/her research, and related areas of study.

Procedure for administering the final oral examination shall be as follows:

The department shall communicate to the Dean that it wishes to conduct a final oral examination.
The department shall submit to the Dean a list of recommended examiners.

The final examination shall be open to members of the faculties of the University, and to other persons who may be invited by the candidate's major department and by the candidate.

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ARTICLE VI. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE

Section 1. Residency, Credit Requirements, and Admission to Candidacy

The completion of minimum course requirements or credit does not guarantee receipt of the degree.

Residency

A minimum of six (6) credit hours per semester constitutes residency. A student must be in residence in the GSAS for at least four (4) semesters in order to be recommended for a degree. Credits transferred from other accredited graduate institutions may not be used to meet the residency requirement.

Minimum Credit Requirements
The minimum course credits for the degree is 72 graduate credits (inclusive of dissertation) beyond the bachelor's degree. No more than twelve (12) credits may be accumulated in dissertation writing courses.

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to the Ph.D. program does not automatically make a student a formal candidate for the Ph.D. degree. A student shall be admitted to candidacy when he/she has completed most of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree except the dissertation.

Before a student can be admitted to candidacy he/she must have:

Completed an admission to candidacy form available from the GSAS, which must include a list of graduate courses completed, being taken, and yet to be pursued in the field.

Passed the qualifying and/or comprehensive examination administered by the department (where applicable).

Satisfactorily demonstrated expository writing proficiency to the Office of Educational Affairs.

   4.    Passed the foreign language examination or fulfilled the approved substitute (where applicable).

Have received approval of a dissertation subject via a process determined by the graduate faculty in the department. A copy of the approved dissertation proposal must accompany the admission to candidacy form.

    6.   Received the recommendation of his/her major department on the candidacy form.

    7.   Secured the approval of the GSAS.

Admission to candidacy must be achieved no later than the semester in which the student expects to receive his/her degree.

Candidacy for the Ph.D. degree shall be valid for no more than five (5) academic years. Any student seeking renewal of candidacy must apply to the GSAS through the department for readmission. The department in which the student is seeking the degree shall determine the conditions under which he/she may be reinstated, subject to the approval of the GSAS.

The responsibility for fulfilling these requirements on time is that of the student. Students should consult the Director of Graduate Studies in their department if in doubt as to any of the requirements. Students should note carefully the specific requirements of their departments relative to admission to candidacy and regard them as additional to these general requirements.

Section 2. Course requirements

Length of Time for Completion of the Ph.D. Degree
Students are expected to complete a Ph.D. degree within a maximum of seven years from the date of initial registration in the program. Those who have not completed the degree within that time will be automatically dropped. Students dropped in this manner may petition for readmission and may be readmitted upon recommendation of the departmental Graduate Faculty and approval by the GSAS.

Course Viability

Any course that was pursued more than seven (7) academic years prior to the term in which the student presents himself or herself for candidacy will not be credited toward fulfillment of the requirements of the degree.

Credit for such courses may be restored and counted toward the fulfillment of requirements for the degree provided the departmental chairperson and the chair of the Graduate Studies Committee submit to the Dean a written petition/recommendation and the student has passed a comprehensive examination in the field in which the course falls, or a written examination especially administered for the purpose of restoration of credits in the course concerned.

Under no circumstances, however, may a student receive credit toward the degree for a course which the student pursued more than ten (10) academic years prior to the time the student presents himself or herself for graduation.

Enrollment in Dissertation Writing Courses

When a student has met course credit requirements but is using the University facilities, or is conferring in person with his thesis advisor, he/she must continue to enroll in a dissertation writing course. Such a student shall register as an auditor if he/she has already accumulated the maximum number of hours permitted for dissertation writing courses (12 credit hours).

Assignment of Grades for Dissertation Writing Courses

Dissertation writing courses shall be assigned a grade of Incomplete. These "incomplete" grades are removed after the student passes the final oral examination on the dissertation.

Enrollment in the Terminal Semester

A candidate for a degree must be enrolled for at least one (1) credit hour in the GSAS during the semester in which the degree is conferred.

Section 3. Grades and Academic Status

A cumulative average of 3.00 (B) is required for graduation.
A student will be permitted only two (2) grades below B-, and will be dropped after he/she receives a third grade below B-. Grades of B- earned at the Master's level at Howard University or elsewhere are not included in this count; the reference here is to the grade of B- in Ph.D. course work done at Howard University.

A student who falls below the 3.00 average shall be warned and informed by the GSAS that he/she must raise his/her quality point index to 3.00 in the next two terms in residence. Students failing to do so will be dropped.

A student who demonstrates an inability to perform satisfactorily at the graduate level may be recommended for dismissal.

Section 4. Program of Study

The department in which the student is enrolled shall specify the program and the departmental requirements for each of its candidates.

Section 5. Transfer of Credit to the Ph.D. Degree

Students holding only the bachelor’s degree may transfer a maximum of 18 semester credit hours of graduate credits with a grade of B or better into the Ph.D. program, dependent

upon departmental approval. Students holding a Master's degree from a recognized accredited institution may transfer graduate course credits with a grade of B or better into the Ph.D. program, dependent upon departmental approval. Viability of transfer courses shall be governed by the same rules as courses taken at Howard University (see Section 2.B).

Section 6. Foreign Language Requirement

The foreign language requirement or its substitute for the Ph.D. degree shall be determined by the department in which the student is enrolled.

Students may satisfy the foreign language requirement by passing an examination prepared by the foreign language departments at Howard University based on materials submitted by the department concerned.

Section 7. Ph.D. Qualifying and/or Comprehensive Examinations

The student will be required to pass a qualifying and/or comprehensive examination administered by the graduate faculty of the department in which the student is enrolled. This examination will be given only once each semester. A student may take the examination while earning his/her first 48 credits towards the Ph.D. degree, or as required by the department concerned. Students must consult their departments for specific information on this examination(s).

Any candidate who fails the examination for the first time will be allowed to sit for a second examination, provided that the second examination does not come earlier than two (2) months from the date of the previous examination, and provided that the application for the second examination bears the approval of the department in which the student is specializing. Failure on the second examination will result in the student being dropped from the GSAS.

Section 8. Dissertation Proposal, Committee, Document, and Defense

Ph.D. programs require the submission of a dissertation in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree. Students preparing the dissertation document must be supervised by a member of the graduate faculty who shall act as the student’s advisor. Said advisor must be a member of the department in which the degree will be granted. Students are advised to consult their departments concerning requirements.

A. Dissertation Proposal

The subject of the dissertation shall be determined as early in the program as possible, preferably before the end of the second term of residence. As a condition for admission to

candidacy, the student must present an approved proposal for his/her doctoral dissertation research as authorized by his/her advisor and members of the dissertation committee.

The proposal should include an outline of the proposed research including the nature, scope, and significance of the problem, the theory, methodology, and a tentative title. A copy of the approved dissertation proposal must accompany the admission to candidacy form submitted to the GSAS. Individual departments may set earlier deadlines for the submission of the proposal.

B. Dissertation Committee

The dissertation committee must consist of the advisor, at least three other members of the graduate faculty, and an external member of comparable stature. Each member of the committee is responsible for fully reviewing and approving both the process and the final dissertation document. Final approval of the dissertation in all aspects is the responsibility of the full committee acting on behalf of the GSAS.

C. Dissertation Document

The candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy is required to present a dissertation, which is the result of significant and sustained research in his/her major field. The student must demonstrate ability to organize and present effectively the findings and results of his/her research. When completed, it is expected that such research will make a contribution to knowledge.

The document shall be prepared in accordance with the conventions of the discipline, must be produced by word processor, and shall conform to requirements of the GSAS as specified in the manual available in the GSAS. The title page should conform to the sample style as specified by the GSAS. The dissertation shall be deposited with the department concerned no later than three weeks before the date of the final examination for the degree. The candidate shall prepare three copies of the dissertation and four copies of an abstract of the dissertation, approximately 600 words in length.

D. Final Oral Examination and Defense of the Dissertation

The candidate shall be required to pass a final oral examination in defense of the dissertation. The examination shall be based primarily on his/her research, the field of his/her research, and related areas of study.

The examination committee shall consist of a minimum of five members, at least one of whom shall be from outside the University. All committee members internal to the University must be members of the Graduate Faculty and the external member(s) must also be of

comparable stature. Members of the examination committee shall be appointed by the Dean of the GSAS upon recommendation of the department.

Procedure for administering the final oral examination shall be as follows:

The department shall communicate to the Dean that it wishes to conduct a final oral examination.
The department shall submit to the Dean a list of recommended examiners.
The Dean shall appoint an examination committee and shall notify each member of the committee of the date, time, and place of the examination.
The Dean and Associate Deans of the GSAS shall be members ex-officio of all examination committees.

The final examination shall be open to members of the faculties of the University, and to other persons who may be invited by the candidate's major department and the candidate. Final approval of the dissertation in all aspects is the responsibility of the full committee acting on behalf of the GSAS.

Any candidate who fails the examination for the first time will be allowed to sit for a second examination, provided that the second examination does not come earlier than two (2) months from the date of the previous examination, and provided that the application for the second examination bears the approval of the department in which the student is specializing.

Any student who fails the examination for a second time will be dropped from the Ph.D. program. A student dropped for this reason will not be readmitted to the GSAS.

A department can recommend dismissal of a student who, after failing the dissertation oral defense, does not resubmit the dissertation and present himself/herself for re-examination within a six-month period.

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ARTICLE VII. APPEAL OF ACADEMIC DECISIONS

Grievance procedures, as detailed under the "Policy on Student Academic Procedures" in The Student Reference Manual and Directory of Classes, are applicable in the case of challenges to decisions made concerning either 1) a graduate course grade or 2) a comprehensive examination required for a graduate degree program. Written records shall be made and filed with the GSAS for all aspects of the process.

In an attempt to expeditiously resolve grievances, students are encouraged, whenever possible, to pursue the informal process (see below). However, students are not required to take this informal path. If students are unsatisfied with the results of or unwilling to enter into the informal process, they may pursue resolution of the grievance through the formal process (see below). However, once resolution via the formal process has been initiated, the student may neither institute nor participate in the informal process.

The informal and formal procedures as approved by the Board of Trustees on April 23, 1994 are as follows:

Section 1. The Informal Process

A student who believes that he/she has been aggrieved must first attempt to seek an informal resolution with the other party involved in the dispute, e.g. a grade dispute with the instructor.
If the student is unable to resolve the dispute with the primary party of the dispute, then the student is advised to seek the intervention of his or her department chairperson.
All disputes which are not resolved at the departmental level are then brought to the Dean’s Office, whereupon the Dean or his/her designee will seek to reach an informal resolution through mediation between the parties.
If mediation at the Dean’s level fails, then the student’s grievance is consigned to the

committee designated by the school/college to address student grievances herein referred to as the Student Grievance Committee.

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