Good Standing Policies and Other Important Information

GOOD STANDING, REVIEW PERIOD, AND DISMISSAL 

Expectations Regarding Progress toward the Degree

To continue to be eligible for financial aid and teaching appointments, students in the Ph.D. program must be making satisfactory progress. The following list provides general criteria for satisfactory progress. If you have any questions concerning this policy, please see the GPD. The GPD and the Graduate Studies Committee perform an annual review of all student progress in the spring and send formal written notification of their status to each student via hard copy and email. All decisions regarding students’ statuses are made by the GPD and the Graduate Studies Committee, who collectively review each student’s progress.

Please note that exceptions cannot be made on the grounds of a student’s visa or immigration status.

A student is making satisfactory progress if they:

1. receive more A’s than B’s, and no grade lower than a B-. G1 and G2 students must complete at least 6 courses each year with no more than one INC (students must also resolve any INCs to be eligible to take the comprehensive exam);
2. have passed the comprehensive exams by the end of the G3 year (or 6^th semester), unless the GPD has granted an extension;
3. have defended and filed their dissertation prospectus by November 30 of the G4 year (April 30 of the seventh semester for students who enter in the spring), unless the GPD has granted an extension;
4. make steady progress on the dissertation. After filing the prospectus, and by the start of the G5 year at the latest, students are expected to produce about one chapter per semester (or, depending on the length and number of projected chapters, roughly 20-25% of the dissertation per semester). Nonresident students likewise must produce at least one chapter or the equivalent each year and remain in communication with the program. 

Students should aim to finish the dissertation no later than the end of the G6 year. A student who has not completed the dissertation by the end of the eighth year will be asked to withdraw; however, such students have the option of applying for readmission at a later date once they have completed their dissertation independently. 

A student who fails to meet any of the above requirements may, on the recommendation of both the GPD and the Graduate Studies Committee, be granted an exception and remain eligible for funding for a grace period of up to one semester. At the close of the grace period, in order to be considered to be making satisfactory progress, the student must have met both the requirement that was missed and the requirements that would normally be imposed at that time. No student may have more than one semester of such grace during the Ph.D. Program. 

In the case of circumstances such as pregnancy, illness, or the need to care for dependents, a student may request—and shall be granted—a leave of absence appropriate to the given circumstances.

Students who adhere to this timeline are considered to be in good standing in the program. Not being in good standing may lead to being placed under review and ultimately being dismissed, as described below.

Good Standing

You are considered in good standing in the program if you make appropriate progress towards the degree as described above. 

Reasons that could lead to a warning regarding your good standing include, but are not limited to: 1) more grades in graduate seminars in the B range (not necessarily B-) than the A range; 2) frequently submitting work late and/or frequently missing graduate seminar sessions without prior discussion with faculty; 3) failure to meet milestones within the agreed-upon timeframe. 

Failure to perform your teaching duties in a timely and professional manner (e.g. not holding classes, grading assigned work, or fulfilling your responsibilities as a Teaching Assistant) may also result in a loss of good standing in the program. In this case, the Graduate Studies Committee will work with you on a program of remediation.

If you are no longer in good standing, you will be informed in writing by the GPD. In consultation with your advisor and/or the Graduate Studies Committee, the GPD will also indicate what is required for you to restore your good standing, with a timeline by which you must do so. You have seven business days to acknowledge in writing your receipt of this written statement.

If you cannot restore good standing within the allotted timeline, your status may be moved to “under review” (see below) and, if the problems persist, you may eventually be dismissed from the program.

In addition, students are expected to adhere to the UMass Code of Student of Conduct (https://www.umass.edu/dean-students/student-conduct/code-of-conduct). Breaches of the Code of Student Conduct, while not necessarily affecting academic standing, may lead to disciplinary action.

Review Period and Dismissal

If, after a prior warning from the GPD, you have not met the defined goals and are still deemed to be in unsatisfactory standing, you may be placed “under review.” While you are “under review,” you are in your “review period.” If you are placed under review, you will not be given teaching in the academic semester following the start of your review period. In extremely severe cases, you may be dismissed from the program altogether.

When you are placed under review, you will be informed in writing what the expectations are for your return to good standing, including a timeline to meet these expectations.

When receiving either a warning regarding a potential review period or a letter signifying that you are under review, you are expected to respond in writing within seven working days that you have read and fully understand the terms of the review period.

If you should be unable to meet the expectations outlined in the review document, you will then be subject to academic dismissal. You may not apply for an MA en passant or apply for another program at the University while under review. By joining the Program, you agree to adhere to this policy.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Statute of Limitations (SOL) Extensions

The Statute of Limitations (SOL) for each student is set to 3 years from the time they pass their comprehensive exams. Note that this in no way alters their year in the program (G1 is understood as the year a student enters the program regardless of their source of funding). Students who are making good progress towards completion of the degree but who need additional time may ask the GPD to request an extension to their SOL from the Graduate School. The student must initiate this request by June 1 of the year in which their SOL expires. An extension may be granted for up to two years, but often an extension of only one semester or one year may be deemed appropriate. Note that these extensions are not granted automatically; if a student has consistently failed to make adequate and satisfactory progress, such a request may be denied at the discretion of the GPD and Graduate Studies Committee.   

Conference Funding

You are encouraged to attend one or two conferences a year, and the program provides some funding to support this. You must apply for funding from the program by either the November 1 or March 1 deadline; application forms (which can be accessed through the program’s website and are linked in the list of websites given above) must include the name and dates of the conference, the presentation abstract and acceptance letter/email, and a complete budget. Amounts awarded vary depending on the number of applicants and funds available. In AY 2024-25, all students who applied for conference travel support received up to $700. All conference travel must also be entered into the university online travel registry Concur website PRIOR to travel for approval. Students are required to inform the GPD via email if they decide not to attend a conference for which they requested funding so that the funding can become available to other students. Likewise, students must notify the GPD by email upon their return from a conference, confirming their attendance for program records, and submit all receipts, etc. to the department’s Director of Finanace and Administration, who in AY 2025-26 is Suzie Kleindienst (@email), in accordance with departmental policies.

Health, Wellness, and Leaves of Absence

Graduate school can be stressful. We recognize, too, that life does not stop while you are pursuing graduate studies; you may face challenges with your physical or mental health, caregiving needs, and other factors that can make it difficult to keep up with your work. If you find that you’re having trouble, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your advisor, the GPD, the PD, or any other trusted faculty member for support and resources. Leaves of absence are also available for graduate students, usually with at least some funding (although there are administrative restrictions on how fully they are funded). The GPD and/or PD can help you to request a leave from the Graduate School.