Graduate Student Resources
In this Section
M.A. Criteria for Good Standing
Ph.D. Criteria for Good Standing
Graduate Program Timelines
Special COVID-19 Policy
Annual Evaluation Forms
Ph.D. (.doc) (.pdf)
M.A. (.doc) (.pdf)
Graduate Outcomes Assessment (GOA) Plan & Policies
Forms for GOA
Preparing for the Ph.D. Comprehensive Examinations--A Guide
Policies for Graduate Student Travel--see Department Policies and Procedures Manual
M.A. Procedures and Paperwork Guide (.doc) (.pdf)
UM Graduate School Twitter page: @UMDGradSchool
Graduate Degree Handbooks
- Ph.D. Handbook (for students entering 2007)
- Ph.D. Handbook (for students entering 2011)
- Ph.D. Handbook (for students entering 2015)
- Ph.D. Handbook (for students entering 2017)
- Ph.D. Handbook (for students entering 2018)
- M.A. Handbook
Good Standing/Satisfactory Progress Towards Degree
M.A. Criteria for Good Standing
- Maintaining minimum of 3.0 GPA.
- Filing approved Plan of Study by semester of 6th credit (first semester for full-time students).
- Submitting all work specified within an incomplete contract by end of the semester following the awarded incomplete unless otherwise specified in the incomplete contract.
- Not found responsible for breaching ethical principles of scholarship (e.g., violations of academic integrity and/or intellectual property rights or non-compliance of protocols for protection of human subjects.
- See M.A. Handbook for Procedures for Good Standing/Satisfactory Progress Review.
Ph.D. Criteria for Good Standing
For Students Entering Ph.D. Program with B.A./B.S. Degree
- Maintaining minimum of 3.0 GPA and B or better (including B-) for courses that are required.
- Filing approved Plan of Study by semester of 12th credit (second semester for full-time students).
- Submitting all work specified within an incomplete contract by end of the semester following the awarded incomplete unless otherwise specified in the incomplete contract.
- Finalizing course work by the end of the 5th semester is encouraged; finalizing course work by the end of the 6th semester is required.
- Taking the Comprehensive Examination by the semester following completion of course work in approved Plan of Study; Passing Comprehensive Examination by second semester following completion of coursework in approved Plan of Study.
- Defending a dissertation prospectus by the second semester following completion of the Comprehensive Examination.
- Passing the Dissertation Examination within four years following Advancing to Candidacy and nine years following matriculation.
- No judgment of breaching ethical principles of scholarship (e.g., violations of academic integrity and/or intellectual property rights or non-compliance of protocols for protection of human subjects.)
- See Ph.D. Handbook for Procedures for Good Standing/Satisfactory Progress Review.
For Students Entering Ph.D. Program with M.A. Degree
- Maintaining minimum of 3.0 GPA and B or better (including B-) for courses that are required.
- Filing approved Plan of Study by semester of 6th credit (first semester for full-time students).
- Submitting all work specified within an incomplete contract by end of the semester following the awarded incomplete unless otherwise specified in the incomplete contract. Finalizing course work by the end of the 3rd semester is encouraged; finalizing course work by the end of the 5th semester is required.
- Taking the Comprehensive Examination by the semester following completion of course work in approved Plan of Study; Passing Comprehensive Examination by second semester following completion of coursework in approved Plan of Study.
- Defending a dissertation prospectus by the second semester following completion of the Comprehensive Examination.
- Passing the Dissertation Examination within four years following Advancing to Candidacy and nine years following matriculation.
- No judgment of breaching ethical principles of scholarship (e.g., violations of academic integrity and/or intellectual property rights or non-compliance of protocols for protection of human subjects.)
- See Ph.D. Handbook for Procedures for Good Standing/Satisfactory Progress Review.
These timelines contain both department and graduate school deadlines. Completing appropriate paperwork by these times is necessary to maintain satisfactory progress and graduate as scheduled.
Ph.D. Degree
DATE/DEADLINE | ACTION DUE | FORM |
For students entering Ph.D. Program with BA/BS: Semester of 12th credit (Second semester for full-time students) For students entering Ph.D. Program with MA: Semester of 6th credit (First semester for full-time students) |
Approval of Advisor and Advisory Committee |
Request for Appointment of Program Advisor and Advisory Committee (Department form list) |
For students entering Ph.D. Program with BA/BS: Semester of 12th credit (Second semester for full-time students) For students entering Ph.D. Program with MA: Semester of 6th credit (First semester for full-time students) |
Approval of Plan of Study |
Plan of Study and Approval (Department form list) |
Anytime |
Change in Plan of Study |
Request for Change in Plan of Study (Department form list) |
Final semester of coursework in Plan of Study |
Approval of Plan for Comprehensive Examination |
Plan for Comprehensive Examination (Department form list) |
2nd through 4th Weeks of Fall and Spring Semesters Must complete Comprehensive Examination by 2nd semester following completion of coursework in Plan of Study to maintain satisfactory progress |
Written Portion of Comprehensive Examination (12 hours total) |
Place copy of written answers in graduate file |
Fridays of 7th, 8th, and 9th weeks of fall and spring semesters reserved for Graduate Student Committee meetings |
Oral Portion of Comprehensive Examination (2 hours) |
Following Oral: Report of Advisory Committee on Comprehensive Examination (Department form list) |
After passing Comprehensive Examination Admission to Candidacy must occur within 5 years of admission into program and no later than 6 weeks prior to dissertation defense |
Application for Admission to Candidacy |
Application for Admission to Candidacy (Graduate School form list) |
At least 6 weeks before anticipated defense |
Approval of Dissertation Advisor and Examining Committee |
Request for Appointment of Dissertation Advisor and Dissertation Prospectus Committee (Department form list) |
No earlier than 2 weeks after submitting prospectus to Dissertation Prospectus Committee. Scheduled at discretion of student and committee but must be confined to fall and spring semesters |
Prospectus Meeting |
Following Prospectus Meeting: Report of Dissertation Prospectus Committee on Dissertation Prospectus Meeting (Department form list) |
Announcement must be circulated no later than 5 days prior to scheduled defense and no earlier than 2 weeks after submitting dissertation to Examining Committee |
Announcement of Dissertation Defense |
Sample copy of announcement (Department form list) |
Approximately 2nd week of semester student plans to graduate Consult Graduate School for deadline |
Application for Graduation |
Application for Graduation (Graduate School form list) |
Typically 3 weeks prior to Commencement |
Submit Dissertation Electronically to Registrar |
Directions for electronic submission (Graduate School form list) |
Typically 3 weeks prior to Commencement Consult Graduate School page for deadline |
Approval of Dissertation sent to Graduate School by Advisor |
Report of Dissertation Examining Committee to Registrar (Graduate School form list) |