Registration and financial aid in the graduate school are contingent on maintaining good academic standing. Failure to remain in good academic standing can result in academic probation, and possibly administrative withdrawal (dismissal), as detailed below.

Academic Standing

To be in good academic standing, graduate students must meet the academic requirements and standards both of the graduate school and of their academic program, including:

• maintaining at minimum an HP average in graduate coursework. Note that the student’s program may specify more stringent requirements, which they would also be required to maintain;
• earning a minimum of two grades of H in graduate coursework, or more if required by the student’s academic program;
• holding no more than two Temporary Incompletes at any time, absent a formal accommodation from the graduate school and/or Student Accessibility Services;
• after admission to candidacy, completing an annual Dissertation Progress Report that meets the expectations of the adviser(s) and director of graduate studies by no later than May 1 each year;
• maintaining satisfactory progress through timely completion of all degree requirements as defined by the student’s program, adviser, and committee (if applicable);
• meeting program indicia of performance, e.g., acquisition of foundational knowledge, research competence and methodological rigor; development of critical thinking and analysis; effective communication of ideas and concepts; consistent effort and communication with the program; expected standards of professionalism and research integrity; and intellectual autonomy;
• identifying an adviser with a ladder faculty appointment in the graduate school and acceptable to the program by no later than the start of the fourth year of enrollment (or earlier, as specified by the program). There is a strong presumption that the program and the student will work together to identify a suitable adviser;
• complying with all requirements of the program as printed in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Programs and Policies in the year that the student matriculated;
• meeting other criteria specified by the program in writing.

Each program is responsible for monitoring their students’ academic progress and should inform students of their expectations for satisfactory progress through published program descriptions, graduate student handbooks, written evaluations, and formal entries in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Programs and Policies. Students are expected to inform themselves of all applicable policies in order to maintain good academic standing.

Academic Probation

Graduate students who are not in good academic standing may be placed on academic probation and will be administratively withdrawn from the program if they do not meet the requirements designated in the notification of their probationary status. During the term of academic probation, the student’s stipend and health coverage continue as per their financial aid package as stipulated in their offer of admission. Students on academic probation may not permitted to teach in the Teaching Fellow Program. Permission to teach must be granted by the director of graduate studies in consultation with the designated associate dean. Directors of graduate studies may place a student who is not in good standing on academic probation by taking the following steps:

• Informing and conferring with the associate dean for academic support to confirm the student’s academic standing and proposed probationary requirements;
• Subsequently informing the student in writing, with a copy to the associate dean for academic support, that they are not in good academic standing. This written notification must include:
• Detailed reasons why the student is not in good academic standing
• An academic remediation plan, with clear deadlines and requirements, through which the student can return to good academic standing.

A period of academic probation should normally span a minimum of three months up to a full academic term.

Academic Dismissal

If a student placed on academic probation does not meet the requirements to return to good standing by the deadline(s) stipulated in the probation letter, the student will be administratively withdrawn from the program. The director of graduate studies will notify the student and the graduate school in writing of the failure to return to good standing. The graduate school dean’s office will then administratively withdraw the student from the program (see Withdrawal and Readmission). The withdrawal will be noted on a student’s transcript.