Graduate Handbook: PhD Information

Index

 

Overview

The School of Pharmacy offers training at the graduate level to unique, highly motivated individuals. Our mission is to train the next generation of leaders and decision makers seeking to improve the health of the community through outstanding basic and clinical research. Major strengths include highly accomplished, well funded research faculty, multidisciplinary training opportunities, and cutting edge technologies.

Training consists of a sequence of required core courses, elective courses, journal clubs, faculty-directed research, and an original research project leading to a final thesis or dissertation. Students may select to in one of four Primary Tracks: medicinal chemistry, biochemical pharmacology, pharmaceutics, or clinical pharmaceutical sciences.

The PhD Program requires a minimum of 72 credits. For all graduate programs at the University of Pittsburgh the minimum acceptable GPA is 3.0. No student may graduate with a GPA less than 3.0. Most students complete the PhD degree within five years. The statute of limitations for completion of the PhD degree is ten years. (See Statute of Limitation/Leaves of Absence in the University bulletin for more information.)

Selection of Major Advisor

It is highly recommended that at the start of their program each student identifies a major advisor who agrees to supervise his/her work and is responsible for overseeing the development of the student’s program of study. Each student must complete the selection of a major advisor form and send it to/or drop it off to the Graduate Program Coordinator (Lori Altenbaugh) and the Director of the Graduate Programs (Bailey Tobias). If a student has not identified an advisor upon entering the program, the Director of Graduate Programs will serve as the interim advisor for a MAXIMUM of the first two semesters.  At the conclusion of the first two semesters, a major advisor MUST be selected and the selection of a major advisor form must be submitted.  To serve as an advisor for a PhD student the faculty member must have graduate faculty status.  That status can be determined here: Graduate Faculty Dashboard. If a student identifies an advisor that does not yet have graduate faculty status, that advisor may serve as a co-advisor and directly mentor the student alongside a faculty member with graduate faculty status, who would serve as the Major Advisor. 

Core Course Requirements – PhD

*For core course exemptions and track specific information please refer to track specific curricular grids.

All PhD students will take 15 credits per semester

PHD 1ST YEAR - FALL

Course Number Course Title Course Credits
Pharm 3011 Principles of Biochemistry 1
Pharm 3028 Pharmacology and Therapeutics 4
Pharm 3040 Statistics 3
  Journal Club 1-2
Pharm 3042 Research Practicum variable

PHD 1ST YEAR - SPRING

Course Number Course Title Course Credits
PHARM3071/3077 Foundations in Pharmaceutical Science 4
PHARM 3025 Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar 1
PHARM 3000, 3009, 3027, 3048 Journal Club (choose one) 1
PHARM 3042 Research practicum variable

PHD 2ND YEAR - FALL

Course number Course Title Course Credits
PHARM 3038 Grant Writing I 2
PHARM 3024 Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar 1
Pharm 3000, 3009, Journal Club (choose one) 1
PHARM 3042 Research practicum variable

PHD 2ND YEAR - SPRING

Course number Course Title Course Credits
PHARM 3039 Grant Writing II 2
PHARM 3024 Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar 1
PHARM 3009, 3027, 3048 Journal Club (choose one) 1
PHARM 3042 Research practicum variable

PHD 3RD YEAR - FALL

Course Number Course Title Course Credits
Pharm 3042 Research Practicum 9-12 (All students should be registered for a minimum of 12 credits in total)
Track Specific Electives   variable

PHD 3RD YEAR - SPRING

Course number Course Title Course Credits  
Pharm 3042 Research practicum variable  
Track-specific Electives   3-4  
FTDQ 0000 Full Time Dissertation after 72 credits earned  

Journal Clubs

COURSE NUMBER

COURSE TITLE

CREDITS

WHEN OFFERED

PHARM 3009

Advances in Pharm Sciences

1

Fall, Spring

PHARM 3034

Topics in Translational Research

1

Fall

PHARM 3036

Advances in Drug Delivery and Regenerative Medicine

1

Fall

PHARM 3048

Drug Discovery, Design & Development

1

Fall, Spring

PHARM 3070

Genomics & Cancer Therapeutics

1

Fall, Spring

PHARM 3052

Topics and Methods in Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy Research

1

Spring

Additional journal clubs are also available depending on the area of specialization.

Specialization Electives

COURSE NUMBER

COURSE TITLE

CREDITS

WHEN OFFERED

PHARM 3068

Computational Systems Pharmacology

3

Fall

PHARM 3069

Pharmacometrics

3

Fall

PHARM 5218

Pharmacokinetics and Drug Response

3.5

Fall

PHARM 2003

Pharmacoepidemiology

2

Spring

PHARM 3073

Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis in Pharm. Sci.

3

Spring

PHARM 3067

Clinical Pharmacy Environments

2

Spring

PHARM 3032

Medicinal Chemistry

3

Fall

PHARM 3045

Advanced Statistical Methods

3

Fall, Spring

PHARM 2015

Comprehensive Examination

1-3

Fall, Spring, Summer

PHARM 5834

Python for Data Management and analysis

3

Spring, Summer

Additional elective courses are also available depending on the area of specialization.

Electives may be taken in any semester when they are offered. Students may take graduate-level courses in other schools under the advisement of the Director of Graduate Studies.  

Monitoring Student Progress & Progression

Each student will follow a program of study developed in conjunction with the major advisor. The program of study must contain all of the program core courses as well as required and elective courses. Each student’s progress will be reviewed annually by their advisor and the Director of Graduate Programs.

When a student fails to make satisfactory progress in the program, the Director of Graduate Programs will inform the Academic Performance Committee and the student’s advisor. This applies to academics and performance in lab and research requirements. The Academic Performance Committee will develop a plan of remedial action that will be shared with the student and the advisor in an official letter. The student will be bound by the conditions set forth in the plan. Failure to meet these conditions will result in dismissal of the student from the Graduate Program.

Certain milestones must be accomplished at certain times throughout the program. These will also be reviewed by The Academic Performance Committee and the Director of Graduate Programs.

Yearly Evaluation

At the end of the first year of doctoral study, all students must have a preliminary evaluation. This evaluation serves to identify those students who may be expected to complete the doctoral program successfully and also to reveal potential areas of weakness in the student’s preparation. The evaluation is conducted by the student’s major or faculty member with whom they’ve been closely working with in conjunction with the other faculty members. While there is no set format for the evaluation, it should focus on the student’s performance in didactic coursework and in research activities. The date and results of the preliminary evaluation will be entered into the student’s permanent graduate academic record as one of

the “Milestones” recognized by the University. If the results of the evaluation indicate that the student is not expected to complete the program satisfactorily, dismissal from the program will be recommended.

Doctoral Committee

A student’s doctoral committee should be appointed by the end of the first year of graduate study. The doctoral committee has the responsibility to advise the student during the progress of doctoral research and has the obligation to require high quality research. In addition, the committee conducts the final oral examination and defense of the doctoral dissertation and determines whether the dissertation meets acceptable standards. The doctoral committee has the authority to require the student to rewrite any portion, or all, of the dissertation.

Members of the doctoral committee are proposed by the student and their advisor for approval by the Director of Graduate Programs and the Associate Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs. The committee must consist of:

• At least three faculty members in the School of Pharmacy o At least two must be members of the student’s focus area

• At least one faculty member external to the School of Pharmacy

The majority of committee members, including the committee Chair, must be members of the graduate faculty. The student’s major advisor will serve as the Chair of the doctoral committee. When the committee has been selected, the student will complete and submit to the Director of Graduate Programs and Associate Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs the “Approval of Doctoral Committee Form” via Docusign. When the form has been received and approved, the event will be entered into the student’s permanent graduate academic record as a “Milestone.”

A faculty member who has a secondary appointment in the School of Pharmacy, but whose primary or principal appointment is in another school may serve as the external member of the committee. Under special circumstances and with the approval of the Director of Graduate Programs, they may serve as the chair of the committee as long as there are two faculty members from the student’s focus area with primary appointments in the School of Pharmacy on the committee.

A faculty member from another department or school of the University who does not have a secondary or joint appointment in the candidate’s department may serve as co-chair of a doctoral committee, but not as the sole chair.

When a committee member leaves the University, they are generally replaced unless the dissertation is almost complete or the member plays an essential role on the committee. In the latter case, the Dean’s approval should be obtained. When the chair of a committee leaves, and cannot be conveniently replaced, a co-chair must be appointed from within the department, and the restructured committee requires approval of the chair of the Director of Graduate Programs. If the defense takes place within a few months of the chair’s departure, the requirement of a co-chair is waived.

A retired faculty member may remain as a member or chair of a committee if they are still professionally active. Retired faculty who meet these criteria may also be appointed as a member or as co-chair (but not chair) of a newly formed committee. Retired faculty do not remain professionally active should be replaced on committees and the revised committee approved by the chair of the Director of Graduate Programs and the Dean.

PhD Comprehensive Examination

Prior to sitting for the exam the student need to complete the PhD-Comp-Exam-Date-Approval form. Students are required to pass a comprehensive examination before being admitted to candidacy. The comprehensive examination should be completed as soon as possible following the completion of all required coursework, and no later than the summer prior to entering the 4th year of the program. In no case may the comprehensive examination be taken in the same term in which the student is graduated. Specific details about the examination and its conduct are given in separate guidelines (below). The comprehensive examination will be conducted by an Examination Committee (see below). When the comprehensive examination has been concluded, the Chair of the examination committee will complete and submit the form PhD Comprehensive Examination Report to the Graduate Program Coordinator. Should a student be required to retake the examination, a new form must be completed and filed with the Committee. Each Committee member must submit the Comp and Doctoral Eval form. When the comprehensive examination has been successfully completed, the event will be entered into the student’s permanent graduate academic record as a Milestone.

Guidelines for Proposal

The format for the comprehensive examination will be a written proposal (Guidelines for written Proposals-2021) followed by an oral examination. Students must generate their own research question, testable hypothesis, aims, and experimental approach independent of their advisor or committee members. Students may, however, get feedback from peers or faculty (that are not on their comprehensive exam committee).    
The comprehensive examination is to be completed as soon as possible after completing all required courses for the student’s focus area, no later than the summer prior to entering the 4th year of the program, and no later than eight months prior to scheduling of the dissertation defense. It is expected that the oral comprehensive examination will be taken during the summer term of the 2nd year in the graduate program.

Comprehensive Exam Committee

The oral comprehensive examination committee for each student will be chaired by a faculty member in the School of Pharmacy who is a member of the graduate faculty. Composition of the committee will be determined by the academic advisor and the student’s doctoral committee, and will include at least two members from the student’s selected focus area. The chair will be decided, in advance of the meeting, by the faculty who comprise the committee, and will be a member of the student’s selected focus area. The student’s academic advisor may NOT be a member of the committee, but may be present as an observer during the exam. Composition of the committee must consist of at least three faculty members from the School of Pharmacy, with the majority being graduate faculty. The committee may include faculty members from outside the School of Pharmacy.

Guidelines for the Examination

The graduate student will give an oral presentation that is succinct, yet complete (approximately 20-30 minutes), and supported by visual aids (slides/overheads).
The committee will then ask questions which test the student’s knowledge and abilities in the following areas:

  • Literature evaluation skills
  • Writing skills
  • Scientific background
  • Understanding of study design
  • Utility of animal models of disease or conditions relative to the human situation
  • Analytical methods
  • Clinical measurement methods
  • Data management and statistical analysis
  • Differentiation of clinical and statistical significance
  • Additional questions pertaining to any of the coursework or general knowledge may be included

Results of the examination will be communicated to the student immediately following the exam. Comp and Doctoral Eval Form must be completed by each member of the Committee. It is the students responsibility to bring the form to the meeting and to collect completed forms and submit to the Graduate Program Coordinator.
Results of the examination will be one of the following:

  1. Pass – advance to candidacy
  2. Remedial work needed – Remedial work may include a minor rewrite of the proposal or a major rewrite and re-defense of the proposal. Remedial work must be completed within six months from the time of examination.
  3. Specific needs for additional learning experiences (e.g., scientific area, statistics, writing, etc.) may be identified.
  4. Fail -A student who fails the qualifying examination will be terminated from the PhD program.

In all cases, the Chair of the examination committee will complete and submit the to the PhD Comprehensive Examination Report to the Graduate Program Coordinator.

Approval of Dissertation Proposal & Admission to Candidacy

Students should schedule an overview or prospectus meeting with their doctoral committee as soon as possible following successful completion of the comprehensive examination. At this meeting, the student must present a dissertation proposal describing the research topic and experimental plan, for evaluation and approval by the committee. The research plan must contain sufficient detail to permit the doctoral committee to provide detailed guidance in shaping the conceptualization and methodology of the plan. The doctoral committee must unanimously approve the dissertation topic and research plan before the student may be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree. Approval of the proposal does not imply either the acceptance of a dissertation prepared in accord with the proposal or the restriction of the dissertation to this original proposal.

At the prospectus meeting, the doctoral committee will also confirm that the student has met all of the requirements for admission to candidacy. To qualify for admission to candidacy, students must be in full graduate status, have satisfied the annual evaluation requirements, have completed all required coursework with a minimum quality point average (QPA) of 3.00, have passed the comprehensive examination, and have received approval of the proposed subject and plan of the dissertation research from their doctoral committee.

When all of the above conditions have been satisfied, the student will complete and submit the Approval of Dissertation Proposal and Admission to Candidacy to the Graduate Program Coordinator.

The date of admission to candidacy is entered into the student’s permanent graduate academic record as a “Milestone.” Note that admission to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy degree constitutes a promotion of the student to the most advanced stage of graduate study and provides formal approval to devote essentially exclusive attention to the research and writing of the dissertation.

Dissertation

Each student must write a dissertation that presents the results of research carried out by the student. An appropriate research project involves a substantive piece of original and independent research grounded in an appropriate body of literature. It is relevant to an identifiable field as it is currently practiced. It represents a hypothesis tested by collection and analysis of data and provides a significant contribution or advancement to that field. It is the responsibility of the student’s doctoral committee to evaluate the dissertation in these terms and to recommend awarding of the doctoral degree only if the dissertation is judged to demonstrate these qualities.

Dissertation Defense

The final oral examination in defense of the doctoral dissertation is conducted by the doctoral committee and need not be confined to materials in, and related to, the dissertation. Students must submit a graduation application and associated paperwork for the scheduling and advertisement of the dissertation defense to the program liaison at the start of the term in which the student intends to graduate. Note that the date, place, and time of the examination must be published in the University Times, well in advance of the oral examination and dissertation defense. For this reason, the student shall report the date, place and time of the open portion of the final oral examination and dissertation defense to the graduate program liaison at least 30 days prior to the defense date. The graduate program liaison will arrange for publication of the announcement in the University Times, and for dissemination of the information to School of Pharmacy faculty and other interested parties via email, and via a special seminar flyer posted at least two weeks prior to the oral examination and dissertation defense.

Only members of the doctoral committee may be present during final deliberations and may vote on the passing of the candidate. After completing the examination, and after the Chair of the doctoral committee has ensured that the dissertation is in final form, the student will submit the form to the graduate program liaison. If the decision of the committee is not unanimous, the case is referred to the dean for resolution.

In order to allow for final corrections, changes and/or additions to the dissertation to be made and approved by the dissertation committee, the final oral examination and dissertation defense should be held no later than one month prior to the last day of the term in which the student wishes to graduate. The report must be filed before 5:00 PM on the last day of the term in which the student is to graduate. Students are also required to submit the final dissertation in electronic format (ETD) no later than 30 days following the date of graduation. No exceptions can be made to these rules.

The date and results of the final oral examination and dissertation defense will be entered into the student’s permanent graduate academic record as a “Milestone.”

Expected Milestones

Year One

  MILESTONES AND MAJOR EVENTS STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
August Prior to Start of Fall Term
  • Choose discipline track.
  • Identify Major Advisor
  • Attend Graduate Program Orientation and Registration
  • Attend Orientation for any student assigned a Teaching Assistantship
  • Obtain information about the PhD program and TA responsibilities or GSR responsibilities.
  • Students with TA appointments contact course coordinators of their assigned courses.
  • Complete paperwork for payroll, healthcare enrollment, tuition payments. (At orientation)
  • Bring copies of Visa, Passport, Drivers’ License etc, to orientation.
Fall And Spring Term
  • Complete a total of 30 credits.
  • Present 10 minute mini-seminar on research experience or topic of interest at end of Spring Semester.
  • End of semester graduate student meeting both fall and spring terms.
  • Complete core and required courses.
  • Laboratory research experience in mentor’s lab.
Summer Term
  • Preliminary evaluation from advisor due at end of summer term. Advisor should submit evaluation to the PhD program liaison and to the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee.
  • Select Doctoral Committee (see Guidelines) and submit form to program liaison and to Academic Affairs Committee chair.
  • Laboratory research experience in mentor’s lab.

Year Two

  MILESTONES AND MAJOR EVENTS STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
Fall and Spring Term
  • Complete an additional 30 credits for a total of 60.
  • Report research findings or a topic of interest for first 20 minute seminar. Schedule of seminars determined by Program Director.
  • Meet with Doctoral Committee in Fall or Spring Term to:
    1. Review course requirements.
    2. Determine if any credits earned from a previous degree are eligible for transfer.
    3. Determine if any additional courses specific to your research are required prior to taking the comprehensive exam.
  • Core, Required and Elective Courses.
  • PhD Research: literature search, determining research question(s), develop laboratory skills.
  • Prepare a written summary of Doctoral Committee meeting and submit to the program liaison and Program Director.
Spring Term See above See above
Summer Term
  • Meet with advisor to determine readiness for completing the Comprehensive Examination.
  • Submit abstract of proposal to Comprehensive Examination Committee and obtain approval to proceed.
  • Schedule the exam before December 15
  • Notify Graduate Program Director of Exam Date 3 weeks prior to exam.
  • Submit completed proposal to Comprehensive Exam Committee at least 2 weeks before the examination date (see Guidelines).
  • Complete comprehensive examination
  • Complete the Comprehensive Examination Date Approval Form and submit to the Graduate Program Director along with Abstract of Proposal.
  • At Comprehensive Exam have each member of committee complete the “Evaluation Form for Comprehensive and Doctoral Exams”. Submit to program liaison.
  • At Comprehensive Exam have Committee complete the “Comprehensive Examination (PhD) Report” and submit to program liaison.

Year Three

  MILESTONES AND MAJOR EVENTS STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
Fall and Spring Term
  • In Fall, complete 15 credits for a total of 72, the minimum required for the PhD. In Spring term register for Full Time Dissertation (FTDQ).
  • Present full 45 minute seminar on research findings
  • Meet with Doctoral Committee to:
    1. Review completed projects
    2. Present outline for Dissertation topic.
    3. Obtain approval for Dissertation topic.

  • Apply for AFPE, PHARMA, NSF and other fellowships
  • Dissertation Research
  • Have Committee complete the “Approval of Dissertation Proposal and Admission to Candidacy” and submit to the program liaison.
  • Prepare a written summary of Doctoral Committee meeting and Dissertation Plan and submit to the program liaison and Program Director.
Spring Term See Above  
Summer Term  
  • Dissertation Research

Year Four

  MILESTONES AND MAJOR EVENTS STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms
  • Conduct Dissertation Research
  • Writing and review of each chapter of dissertation with advisor.
  • Present full 45 minute seminar of research progress.
  • Meet with Doctoral Committee to discuss progress towards Dissertation.

  • Prepare a written meeting summary for Doctoral Committee approval and submission to the program liaison and Academic Affairs Committee chair.

Year Five

  MILESTONES AND MAJOR EVENTS STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
Fall and Spring Terms
  • Schedule date for Open and Closed Defense. *
  • Assemble your Dissertation document following instructions from Pitt’s ETD website.
  • Bound typed copies of the document must be distributed to each member of your committee at least four weeks prior to defense date.
  • After defense, make changes to the written document as required by the Doctoral Committee.
  • Submit your document** electronically via Pitt’s ETD website. See program liaison for instructions.

Notes:

* The date, time, location of the defense, candidate’s name, departmental affiliation and title of dissertation must be made public to the School of Pharmacy no less than 30 days prior to the date of defense. The same information must be published in the University Times well in advance of the defense date (normally 2 weeks).

**The final ETD is due no later than 30 days following the date of graduation. (Address all questions pertaining to the submission of forms and documents related to graduation to the program liaison.)
  • Submit associated paperwork for the scheduling and advertisement of the dissertation defense.
  • At Closed Defense have each member of committee complete the “Evaluation Form for Comprehensive and Doctoral Exams”. Submit to program liaison.
  • At Closed Defense have Committee complete the “PhD Dissertation Defense Report” and submit to program liaison.
  • Graduation application must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the date of graduation defined by the University’s academic calendar. See program liaison for information.
  • as well as for submission of the electronic form of the dissertation (ETD) ** to program liaison
Fall and Spring Term Graduation  

 

Grade Policy

 

Policies and Procedures for Grade and Academic Progression

The policies and procedures addressed in this document serve as guidance for actions of the Academic Performance Committee (APC) and for faculty and students who assess performance and earn grades, respectively.

Each graduate student is required to review these Policies and Procedures upon entry into the School of Pharmacy and at the beginning of each academic year; students must sign that they have read and understand the policies and procedures. Any situation that arises that is not specifically addressed by these Policies and Procedures will be adjudicated by the dean after consultation with the APC.

GENERAL POLICIES FOR ALL GRADUATE STUDENTS

Course Load, Grading and Schedule

Students in the Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences who are financially supported by teaching assistant, teaching fellow, or graduate student researcher appointments must be registered as full-time students and be taking 15 credits per term.

Domestic students who pay their own tuition and fees have the option to attend the program on a part- or full-time basis as approved by the Graduate Program Director and the student’s advisor. International students not supported by the school must be enrolled as full-time students (i.e., 9 to 15 credits per term) in order to comply with visa and regulations of the Office of International Students. The option of part-time study is not available to students with a J-1 or H-1 visa.

Course Withdrawal

A student may withdraw from a course(s) only after written permission has been obtained from the course coordinator, the student’s advisor, and the Graduate Program Director. The course withdrawal must be processed through the School Registrar within the time period specified by the University. Students are not permitted to “unofficially withdraw” by merely not attending classes.

Academic Resignation

Students who wish to resign must officially communicate this in writing to the Director of the Graduate Program. Once approval is granted, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the School Registrar and withdraw from all courses. A student may not “unofficially resign” by failing to attend classes. Resignation constitutes withdrawal from all courses being taken. A student who has resigned from the program and requests readmission to the program must petition the Director of the Graduate Program, who will consult with the AAC.

Leave of Absence

Under special conditions, graduate students may be granted one leave of absence. A maximum leave of two years may be granted to doctoral students or one year to master’s students. The student must write a letter to the Director of the Graduate Program requesting

a leave of absence and must indicate the length and rationale for the leave of absence prior to the leave. The Chair of the APC makes a recommendation to the dean, who approves the leave. If approved, the time of leave shall not count against the total time allowed for the degree being sought by the student. Readmission following an approved leave of absence is a formality.

The University of Pittsburgh provides accommodation for graduate students who become new parents. Information on the University’s Graduate Student Parental Accommodation Guidelines can be found here: http://www.provost.pitt.edu/pacwc/policies.html. The parental accommodation period is not considered a formal leave of absence.

A student who does not intend on returning to the Graduate Program must submit in writing a request for academic resignation as outlined above in Section I C no later than one month prior to the date of return stated in the initial request.

Missed or Incomplete Course Work

A student who, for good and valid reasons, is unable to complete some portion of the required material in a course may request that the instructor submit a “G” or “I” grade for the course. A “G” or “I” grade is given entirely at the discretion of the instructor who must be convinced, by appropriate documentation, that the reasons for the incomplete work are valid.

The incomplete work must be made up as soon as possible, and at a maximum, within one calendar year.

A student who has been given a “G” or “I” grade in a course that is a pre-requisite for another course will generally not be permitted to take the next course in the sequence until the “G” or “I“ grade has been replaced with an acceptable grade. Students cannot advance in the program until all “G” or “I” grades have been resolved. If a “G” or “I” grade is not resolved in the designated time, the student will be under academic probation as outlined in Section II below.

COURSE GRADES, ACADEMIC PROGRESSION AND ACADEMIC PROBATION

Course Grades

Students earning a grade of “C” or lower or a grade of “U” in one course will be evaluated by the APC (and advisor if applicable).

Students earning a grade of “C” or lower or a grade of “U” in a core or required course will be placed on academic probation or dismissed from the graduate program contingent upon the evaluation by the APC (and advisor if applicable). If allowed to continue in the Graduate Program, students will have one opportunity to re-take the core or required course(s). Students must achieve a grade of “B” or “S” in the repeated course(s).

Students earning a grade of “D” or lower or a grade of “U” in any elective course will be evaluated by the APC (and advisor if applicable).

Cumulative Grade Point Average

The Grade Point Average (GPA) includes all required and elective courses taken while enrolled in the Graduate Program.

Cumulative GPA will be calculated at the end of each semester. All students enrolled in the graduate program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher. The APC will review the progress of students who fail to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above after any term to determine if they will be permitted to continue in the Graduate Program. Students may be eligible to take additional courses to raise their GPA. Students who fail to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above after any term will be placed on academic probation or be dismissed from the program. Being placed on Academic Probation is cause for suspension of a student’s financial support (tuition and stipend) from the school until such time as the GPA increases to 3.0. If placed on academic probation, the AAC will work with the student to develop a plan of remediation or other actions.

Students failing to increase their cumulative GPA to 3.00 during one term of academic probation may be permitted a second term of academic probation (as courses are offered on an annual and not semester basis) or may be dismissed from the program.

Students who have a GPA of less than 3.0 are not eligible to sit for comprehensive exams and/or to defend the MS required project.

Dismissal from the Program

Students may be dismissed if they:

1.  Earn a grade of “C” or lower or a grade of “U” in one required or core course.
2. Fail to achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 after any three consecutive or non- consecutive terms.

The APC may request, via phone, e-mail, or written letter, that a student on academic probation appear before the APC to present his case prior to a final action by the Committee.

DUE PROCESS AND RIGHT OF APPEAL

Graduate students will be notified in writing of their placement on academic probation or dismissal from the program, including the reason for this action. A student may appeal this action by submitting a letter to Chair of the Graduate APC within two business days of the date of notification by the APC. Students may also request to appear before the APC.

In the event that the APC upholds the original decision, a student may make a written appeal to the dean within two days of notification by the APC. The dean may choose to consult with the APC, the student, and/or the student’s advisor prior to arriving at a decision, which will be final.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF STUDENTS ON ACADEMIC PROBATION

Any graduate student on academic probation will be responsible for financial obligations of remedial and other coursework and will no longer be eligible for appointment as a teaching assistant or a teaching fellow.

The decision to support a student as a graduate student researcher is made by the APC with input from the advisor.

Approved July 2014