Dismissal from the Program

A student is dismissed from the program if he or she fails the qualifying examination and either does not take it again within one semester or else does so and fails the second time as well.

Students can also be dismissed from the program by action of the program’s Executive Committee if they fail to make satisfactory progress towards completing their degree. The following are examples of conditions that usually indicate lack of satisfactory progress:

  • A grade point average below 3.0 for one academic year.
  • Failure to participate in required professional development activities.
  • Failure to make progress commensurate with the student’s Individual Study Plan.
  • Failure to take the qualifying examination when required (by the end of the second year).
  • Failure to submit a dissertation proposal within one year after completing the qualifying examination.
  • Exceeding the time limit for completing the program (seven years from the date of first enrollment for a student).

When a student is considered eligible for dismissal because of lack of progress, the student is warned in writing of the faculty’s concerns and given a probationary period of one semester to correct his or her deficiencies. The warning may specify particular problems that must be corrected to avoid dismissal. If the student fails to remedy the lack of progress by the end of the probationary period, dismissal will be considered at a meeting of the Program’s Executive Committee. The student will be notified of the meeting in writing at least four weeks in advance. The student will be allowed to explain his or her situation in writing, to appear before the committee, and to be represented before the committee, if he or she wishes, by another member of the university community.