BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES

INTRODUCTION

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Academic honesty and integrity lie at the heart of the educational enterprise. Students are expected to do their own work and neither to give nor to receive assistance during quizzes, examinations, or other class exercises. One form of academic dishonesty is plagiarism. Students are urged to consult individual faculty members for explanation of procedures for taking tests, writing papers, and completing other course requirements so that students may fully understand their instructor’s expectations. Because faculty and students take academic honesty seriously, penalties for violations may be severe, depending upon the offense as viewed by the Graduate Student Judicial System. The minimum sanction for cases of proven cheating is an automatic failure for the course and/or expulsion from graduate studies at the University.

RESPONSIBLE COMPUTING

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

ATTENDANCE, REGISTRATION, ENROLLMENT

ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS

Students are expected to attend all their scheduled classes and laboratories and not to be absent without adequate reason.

Deficiency in any required work resulting from absence from class must be made up to the satisfaction of the instructor.

A student who is absent from a course without adequate reason may be assigned a failing grade. Students who are registered as Auditors are subject to the same attendance regulations as those registered for credit. Those Auditors who are reported for their excessive absence from class will receive a grade of LW in the course.

By action of the University Faculty Senate, the responsibility for defining attendance expectations is left to the individual faculty member, subject to the guidelines given below. Thus, it is of great importance that early in each course the instructor make clear to each student what the attendance expectations are, and how absences due to “relatively minor” illnesses, as described below, are to be communicated. Students should check the syllabus for attendance expectations and means of communicating about minor illnesses.

It is the policy of the University of Delaware not to cancel classes on religious holidays. However, students and faculty are encouraged to exercise their own judgment pertaining to their attendance on these days. In addition, faculty are encouraged not to schedule examinations or require the submission of special assignments on the following days: the evenings before as well as the first two days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the fall term, Good Friday and the evening before and the first two days of Passover in the spring semester.

1. Absence on religious holidays listed in University calendars is recognized as an excused absence. Nevertheless, students are urged to remind the instructor of their intention to be absent on a particular upcoming holiday.
2. Absences on religious holidays not listed in University calendars, as well as absences due to athletic participation or other extracurricular activities in which students are official representatives of the University, shall be recognized as excused absences when the student informs the instructor in writing during the first two weeks of the semester of these planned absences for the semester. Absences due to similar events that could not have been anticipated earlier in the semester will be recognized as excused absences upon advanced notification of the instructor by an appropriate faculty advisor or athletic coach.
3. Absences due to serious illness or death within a student’s family are recognized as excused absences. To validate such absences, the student should present evidence to the Dean’s Office of his or her college. The Dean’s Office will then provide a letter of verification to all of the student’s instructors for the term.
4. Absences due to serious illness of the student (e.g., hospitalization, surgery, or protracted medical illness or convalescence) shall also be recognized as excused absences. To validate such absences, the student should present evidence of the illness to the Dean’s Office of his or her college. Supportive evidence will be provided on the student’s request by the Student Health Service directly to the respective Dean. For relatively minor, short-term illnesses of students (e.g., colds and flu, where attendance in class in undesirable), or their immediate family, the University system depends upon reasonable communication between students and faculty. If possible, students should report such illnesses before the affected class, following the directions of the instructor as provided at the beginning of the semester.
5. Absence due to short-term military duty in the National Guard or active reserve is recognized as an excused absence. To validate such an absence, the student should present evidence to the Dean’s Office of his or her college. The Dean’s Office will then provide a letter of verification to all of the student’s instructors for the term.
6. Students are not to be penalized if absent from an examination, lecture, laboratory, or other activity because of an excused absence. However, students are fully responsible for all material presented during their absence, and faculty are encouraged to provide opportunities, when feasible, for students to make up examinations and other work missed because of an excused absence.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

ADVANCE REGISTRATION All matriculated students should register in advance for spring and fall semesters and winter and summer sessions. Registration periods are scheduled for returning full-and part-time graduate students in late April for fall semester and in late November for spring semester. Advance registration periods also precede the summer and winter session. Newly admitted or returning graduate students should register during the appropriate time. Contact the Registrar’s Office or the Office of Graduate Studies for information on advance registration. For newly admitted students unable to advance register for fall semester, special permission may be sought from the Office of Graduate Studies to waive the late registration fee.

CONTINUOUS REGISTRATION
Graduate students are required to maintain continuous registration each fall and spring semester to be eligible to continue in a degree program. Failure to comply with the requirement of maintaining continuous registration in the fall and spring semesters either in courses, in sustaining credit, or with approved leave of absence will be taken as evidence that the student has terminated his/her graduate program, and the admitted status to the graduate program will be terminated. The date of termination will be recorded on the student’s transcript.

POLICY REGARDING INCOMPLETES
A student who has incompletes in three or more courses may not register in the next regular semester (i.e., fall or spring) for additional courses without the approval of the Assistant Provost for Graduate Studies.

FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME STATUS
Students enrolled in at least 9 credit hours or in sustaining credit are considered full-time students. Those enrolled for fewer than 9 credit hours are considered part-time students, although students holding assistantships are considered full-time with six credits. Generally, a maximum load is 12 graduate credit hours; however, additional credit hours may be taken with the approval of the student’s adviser and the Office of Graduate Studies. A maximum course load in either summer or winter session is 7 credit hours. Permission must be obtained from the Office of Graduate Studies to carry an overload in any session.

Students who are permitted by special arrangement to conduct a portion of the research for their thesis in governmental or other laboratories off campus must register for this work so that it may count toward degree requirements. This work must be under the direct supervision of a member of the faculty of the University. The amount of credit earned is determined and approved by the student’s advisory committee.

COURSE LOAD REQUIREMENTS FOR FULL-TIME STUDENTS HOLDING AN ASSISTANTSHIP OR FELLOWSHIP
A student must be classified as full-time to be eligible to hold an assistantship or fellowship. Students holding a teaching assistantship, a research assistantship, a graduate assistantship, or a tuition scholarship must register for at least 6 credit hours of graduate-level courses each fall and spring semester to meet full-time status. (Note: Some programs may require students to be registered in more than six credits.) Students holding a fellowship must register for at least 9 credit hours of graduate-level courses each fall and spring semester to meet full-time status. These graduate-level courses must be taken for credit and must be maintained throughout the semester. Listener or undergraduate-level courses may be taken in addition to the minimum of 6 or 9 hours of graduate-level courses in each semester that the student is on contract. Students on contract in fall or spring semester who are completing a thesis or a dissertation and who have not submitted it to the Office of Graduate Studies may register in sustaining credit to meet full-time status.

SUMMER REGISTRATION
Students who are supported by the University as teaching assistants, research assistants, or fellows during the summer months are required to be registered in at least three credits during the 7 1/2 week summer session under the following guidelines: the work must be related to the student’s degree program, and the funding amount must meet the minimum requirement per month in June and July. Students may register in 868-800 (research), 869 (thesis), 964 (precandidacy study), 969 (dissertation), 864 (internship), sustaining, or a regular graduate course needed for the degree and offered in the 7 1/2 week summer session. Except for 864, 869, or regular courses, all courses are graded pass/fail.

SUSTAINING CREDIT FOR CANDIDATES COMPLETING THESIS/DISSERTATION/EXECUTIVE POSITION PAPER
Once a graduate student who is completing a thesis, dissertation, or executive position paper has completed all required course credits needed for the degree (including six credits of Master’s thesis [869] or nine to twelve credits of dissertation [969]) and all other degree requirements except the submission of the thesis, dissertation, or executive position paper, the student must maintain matriculation in the degree program during the fall and spring semesters by registering for either Master’s Sustaining: Thesis (UNIV 899) or Doctoral Sustaining (UNIV 999). All students, including sustaining students, must be registered in the semester in which the degree is officially awarded. Sustaining registration is required for summer and winter session only if the degree is awarded at the conclusion of the summer or winter session. Students in sustaining status are considered full-time.

SUSTAINING CREDIT FOR MASTER’S CANDIDATES PURSUING NON-THESIS DEGREE OPTION
Once a master’s student pursuing a non-thesis option has registered for all required course credits needed for the degree, but has not completed other non-thesis degree option requirements such as a portfolio, research option paper, comprehensive examination, art show or exhibit, or incomplete grades, the student is required to maintain his/her eligibility for the degree program during the fall and spring semesters by registering for Master’s Sustaining: Non-thesis (UNIV 895). All students, including sustaining students, must be registered in the semester in which the degree is officially awarded. Sustaining registration is required for summer and winter session only if the degree is awarded at the conclusion of the summer or winter session. Students in sustaining status are considered fulltime.

CHANGES IN REGISTRATION
Authorization for changes in registration after the University’s published deadlines must be requested in writing from the student’s adviser and must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Graduate Studies. Forms for registration changes are provided by the Registrar’s Office, or students may use UDPHONE or UDSIS Personal Access.

Registration cancellation. Students who decide not to attend any of the registered courses before the end of the first two weeks of classes must complete withdrawal procedures using UDPHONE, online change of registration, or a paper drop-add form. The approval of the Office of Graduate Studies is not needed, but the student is required to give notice in writing to the department and the Office of Graduate Studies. If the notification is received before the end of the first two weeks of classes, the registration is cancelled.

Drop-Add procedures. Students who advance register and wish to change their registration by either dropping courses or adding others may do so within the free drop-add period during the first two weeks of classes using UDPHONE, online change of registration, or a paper drop-add form. After that period and until the end of the first six weeks of classes, a fee of $20 is charged for each drop-add form processed. Approval of the Office of Graduate Studies must be sought for all changes after the free drop-add period.

Withdrawal after the free drop-add period. If the notification of the intention to withdraw from all registered courses is made after the free drop-add deadline, the student must request in writing permission to be withdrawn by the Office of Graduate Studies. A tuition rebate is made only for course withdrawals made before the end of late registration in the fall and spring semesters and before the end of the first week of classes in either summer session. If a student withdraws unofficially, registration is continued until the end of the term and the student receives failing (Z) grades in all courses. Rights to any rebates to which the student might have otherwise been entitled are also forfeited.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Students enrolled in a degree program who seek a leave of absence from the program for personal, medical, or professional reasons must first obtain written approval from the chair or graduate program coordinator of their instructional unit. The request and the recommendation from the department should be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies for approval. The length of time needed for the leave should be indicated. Upon approval of the Office of Graduate Studies, the student’s academic transcript will record the approved leave in the appropriate semesters. The period of absence will not affect the limitation of time for completion of the degree requirements as given in the student’s official letter of admission. The Office of Graduate Studies will send written notification of the approval or denial of the requested leave.

RESIGNATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY

A graduate student wishing to resign from the University (i.e., terminate his/her association with the University and a specific degree program) may do so by submitting a letter to the Office of Graduate Studies indicating the reasons for the resignation. The Office of Graduate Studies will cancel the student’s matriculation and indicate the effective date of the resignation on the student’s transcript.

COURSES AND CREDITS

GRADUATE COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM

Graduate credit may be earned for courses numbered 600 to 699, 800 to 898, and 900 to 998. Courses numbered 600 to 699 are graduate-level courses open to qualified, advanced undergraduates by permission of the instructor. Courses numbered 500 to 599 are graduate courses for the nonspecialist and may not be counted for graduate credit in the student’s major. With the approval of the student’s major department, 500-level courses taken outside the student’s major department may be applied toward a graduate degree.

TRANSFER OF CREDITS

CREDIT EARNED ASACONTINUING EDUCATION STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
Students who complete graduate credits with the classification of CEND (Continuing Education Nondegree) at the University of Delaware may use a maximum of 9 graduate credits earned with this classification toward their graduate degree. The CEND credits, grades, and quality points become a part of the student’s academic record and grade point average. CEND credit can be transferred provided that: (a) the course was at the 600-800 level, (b) the course was taken within the time limit appropriate for the degree, (c) the course was approved by the student’s advisor and the chair of the student’s major department, and (d) the course was in accord with the specific degree program as specified by the unit’s Graduate Program Policy Statement. Courses at the 500-level offered by the department in which the student has declared a major shall not be accepted for transfer.

TRANSFER OF CREDIT FROM ANOTHER INSTITUTION
Graduate credit earned at another institution will be evaluated at the written request of the student. Such a request should be directed to the student’s major department using a Request for Transfer of Graduate Credit form. A maximum of 9 credits required for the degree will be accepted provided that such credits:

1. were earned with a grade of no less than B-,
2. are approved by the student’s adviser and the chair of the student’s major department,
3. are in accord with the specific degree program of the student as specified by the unit’s Graduate Program Policy Statement,
4. are not older than five years, and
5. were completed at an accredited college or university.

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION

Students enrolled in graduate studies may receive credit by examination for graduate-level courses at the discretion of the appropriate department, division, or college. A student permitted to take such examinations must receive a grade of no less than B-.

CREDIT FOR 400-LEVEL SPECIAL PROBLEM COURSE

Some 400-level courses may be completed for graduate credit if the graduate student does additional work. Students must register for the course at the graduate level using the departmental number of 666. For example, a graduate student who attends PSYC 425 and fulfills additional graduate level requirements to earn graduate credit should register for PSYC 666, not PSYC 425. The student may process a titling form for the 666 numbered course.

EXPIRATION OF CREDIT

Graduate course credits expire five years after the course has been completed.

GRADES AND ACADEMIC STANDING

UNIVERSITY GRADING POLICY

FINAL GRADES
The following quality point scale is used in the University of Delaware grading system:

NOTE: In courses requiring a minimum letter grade (for example, a C or better), the minus grade (for example C-), fulfills the requirement. Similarly, when a B or better is required, a B- fulfills the requirement. However, the quality points per credit for a B- are fewer than for a B (see chart below), and the University requires that graduate students achieve an overall cumulative grade point index of at least 3.0 for graduation.

A Excellent	4.00 quality points per credit
A-	3.67 quality points per credit
B+	3.33 quality points per credit
B Good	3.00 quality points per credit
B-	2.67 quality points per credit
C+	2.33 quality points per credit
C Fair	2.00 quality points per credit
C-	1.67 quality points per credit
D+	1.33 quality points per credit
D Poor	1.00 quality points per credit
D-	0.67 quality points per credit
F Failure	0.00 quality points per credit
X - Failure	0.00 quality points per credit (Academic Dishonesty)
Z - Failure	0.00 quality points per credit (Unofficial Withdrawal)
L - Listener	Registration without credit or grade. Class attendance is required, but class participation is not.
LW - Listener Withdrawn	A listener who does not attend sufficient class meetings to be eligible, in the judgment of the instructor, for the grade of L will receive the grade LW.
NR	No grade required.
P - Passing	For specifically authorized courses, such as 969. P grades are not calculated in the index.
W - Official Withdrawal	Passing at time of withdrawal.
**WF - Official Withdrawal	Failing at time of withdrawal.
**Students permitted to withdraw after the announced deadlines for whom the grade of WF has been reported will receive a grade of F for the course unless the Office of Graduate Studies approves their withdrawal “without penalty.”

TEMPORARY GRADES
No student will be permitted to graduate from the University with temporary grades pending. Students intending to receive a master’s degree who have been given permission to continue studies toward a doctoral degree may retain those temporary grades that do not apply to the master’s course of study. If a student does not take steps to remove temporary grades, these grades will be changed to F at the expiration of the regular degree program time limits.

The following temporary grades are used:

I - Incomplete. UUsed to indicate incomplete assignments, absences from final or other examinations, or any other course work not completed by the end of the semester.

An I grade must be removed no later than the end of the first six weeks of the semester immediately following, e.g., incomplete work for the fall semester must be completed by the end of the first six weeks of the spring semester following; incomplete work for the spring semester must be completed by the end of the first six weeks of the following fall semester. Incomplete work for either summer session must be completed by the end of the first six weeks of the following fall semester. Under extenuating circumstances, the Office of Graduate Studies may approve extensions to these time limits if requested to do so in writing by the instructor.

At the time of grading, the instructor who gives an I grade will be required to report to the department chair and the Graduate Studies Office by the I Grade Explanation Form: (1) the nature of the incomplete (absence from the final examination, project or paper not completed, etc.), (2) the student’s reason for the incomplete (illness, accident or injury, serious illness or death in immediate family, etc.), and (3) the grade earned by the student in the course exclusive of the incomplete work. Copies of the I Grade Explanation Form will be sent to the department chair and the Graduate Studies Office for file and audit.

Instructors should submit a change of grade to the Graduate Studies Office in order to change the temporary grade of I to a permanent grade by the deadline for completing incomplete work. If the incomplete work has been made up, the instructor will give the appropriate final grade for the course. If the work has not been made up, the instructor may give the student a final grade of F, or may have the option of giving the student a passing grade based on the work that was completed for the course. If the instructor has not reported a final grade upon the expiration of either the deadline or the extension of the deadline, the temporary grade of I will revert to a grade of F.

S - Satisfactory Progress. For thesis research, dissertation, independent study, special problems, distance learning and other courses which span two semesters or in which assignments extend beyond the grading deadline in a given semester.

U - Unsatisfactory Progress. For thesis research, dissertation, independent study, special problems, distance learning and other courses which span two semesters or in which assignments extend beyond the grading deadline in a given semester.

Temporary grades of S and U are recorded where the work normally extends beyond the regular semester periods. The time limit for such grades is determined by the nature of the project. Final grades are normally recorded at the completion of the project. The grade recorded for the last course entry (a final grade) is understood to be the grade that applies to all preceding S or U grades in that course. If instructors wish to change individual S or U grades, they may do so in the regular manner through change-of-grade forms. The revised current and cumulative summaries will be posted on the permanent record at the time of and along with the recording of grade changes.

ACADEMIC GOOD STANDING
To be considered in good academic standing, a student must maintain a minimum cumulative graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale each semester. To be eligible for an advanced degree, a student’s cumulative grade point average shall be at least a 3.00 and the student’s grades in courses counted toward the degree requirements of the program shall equal at least a 3.00. A grade below a C- will not be counted toward the course requirements for a degree but is calculated in the student’s cumulative grade point average.

In addition to the University’s definition of good standing, some programs may also require minimum grades in specific courses in the program. These courses are identified in each program’s policy and procedures manual and these unit-specific requirements have been approved by the Faculty Senate.

Performance in graduate lecture courses and seminars is evaluated according to the University’s Grading Policy. When the work required in research (868/968), dissertation (969), master’s thesis (869), or special problem (866) extends beyond the regular semester period, temporary grades of “S” and “U” should be recorded. Final letter grades are to be recorded only at the completion of the project.

ACADEMIC DEFICIENCY AND PROBATION
The Office of Graduate Studies monitors the academic progress of all graduate students and notifies students in writing of all academic deficiencies. The cumulative GPA after each 9-hour increment determines academic standing. (See chart below.) In addition to the University policy regarding minimum grade point averages, some departments require graduate students to maintain certain performance minima in their programs of study in all or in particular courses. Failure to meet the stated minima may lead to academic dismissal from the program.

GRADUATE STUDIES ACADEMIC PROBATION POLICY
The University’s Academic Probation Policy is expressed in the following chart:

If a student is on:	And earns a cumulative GPA of:	The status will become:
Any status (or clear)	3.0 or above	Clear
Clear	2.99-2.5	Warning
Clear	2.49-2.0	Probation
Probation	Below 3.0	Dismissal
Warning	Below 3.0	Probation
Any status	Below 2.0	Dismissal

The Office of Graduate Studies notifies students when they are dismissed from graduate programs without completing a degree. Dismissals usually take place at the end of a term. Students may be dismissed for the following reasons:

• Upon the expiration of the five-year time limit for master’s degree programs or for those students in a doctoral program who were admitted with a master’s degree. Upon the expiration of the seven-year time limit for doctoral students who were admitted without a master’s degree.
• Upon the failure to meet the grade point average requirements as stated in the policy on Academic Deficiency and Probation.
• Upon written notice to the Office of Graduate Studies of voluntary withdrawal from the program.
• Upon failure to pass the preliminary, language, or comprehensive/ candidacy examination(s), a thesis/dissertation/executive position paper proposal defense, or a thesis/dissertation/executive position paper defense.
• Upon the failure to achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 upon the completion of the stated number of required credits for a degree.
• Upon the failure to meet the stated minima in specific course requirements as identified by individual programs when a department has a policy that such failure leads to dismissal from the program.
• Upon failure to satisfactorily conduct research required for the degree.
• Upon the determination by the faculty of the student’s department that the student has failed to meet or has failed to make satisfactory progress towards meeting academic standards required of the student’s program other than the failure to achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 upon the completion of the stated number of required credits for a degree.

At the close of each semester, winter session or summer session, in those circumstances deemed appropriate by the department or program faculty exercising its professional judgment, the faculty of each department or program may evaluate the progress of a graduate student toward meeting the academic standards of the program in which the student is enrolled. In addition to graded course work, academic standards include, but are not limited to, professional, ethical, clinical and other standards required of graduate students.

Students are entitled to know the procedures and standards by which their academic performance is assessed. Each program has a statement of policies and procedures by which student academic progress is monitored and by which comprehensive, qualifying, and final examinations/defenses are conducted and graded. If, in the professional judgment of a department or program faculty, a student has failed to make satisfactory progress toward meeting the academic standards of the program in which that student is enrolled, the faculty may vote to dismiss that student from the program.

In the case of dismissal, the program director is required to send a report to the Office of Graduate Studies that states the faculty vote on the decision causing dismissal and the justification for this action. The Office of Graduate Studies will notify a student in writing when the student is being dismissed for failure to make satisfactory progress in the program.

A graduate student who has been dismissed from the University for academic deficiency may not be readmitted to the major from which the student was dismissed. This policy does not apply to a student who is dismissed for exceeding the time limit for the completion of the degree and is granted reinstatement to the original major for an extension of time.

A student who is dismissed may be admitted as a matriculated graduate student in a different major. The student must apply and be approved through regular admission procedures. A graduate student may be readmitted only one time to a different major after academic dismissal. All information related to the dismissal is available to the new program admissions committee.

Honor societies at the University of interest to graduate students include Phi Beta Kappa (scholarship in liberal arts), Phi Kappa Phi (scholarship, without regard to area of study), Alpha Zeta (agriculture), Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics), Kappa Delta Pi (education), Tau Beta Pi (engineering), Pi Mu Epsilon (mathematics), Sigma Theta Tau (nursing), Sigma Pi Sigma (physics), Psi Chi (psychology), and Sigma Xi (scientific research).

PROGRAM CHANGES

CHANGING MAJORS

The master’s degree is considered terminal unless the student plans to continue in a doctoral program. Students receiving their master’s degree at the University of Delaware are not eligible to remain classified as graduate students and are automatically reclassified CEND (Continuing Education Nondegree) in any subsequent semester that they register following degree clearance, unless the department, with the approval of the Office of Graduate Studies, has already admitted them to a doctoral program. The procedures for changing status after earning a master’s degree are as follows:

1. Continuing toward a doctoral degree. If a master’s degree candidate is continuing toward a doctoral degree in the same major as the master’s degree, the student should request that the department submit a Change of Classification Form at the same time or before the student submits an application for the master’s degree. If the department is unable to determine the student’s eligibility to pursue a doctoral degree until after the master’s degree is awarded, the department should notify the Office of Graduate Studies by writing such a statement on the student’s master’s degree application. A student’s classification changes from regular status in a master’s degree program to precandidacy when admitted to a doctoral program. If a master’s degree candidate desires to continue toward a doctoral degree in a different major than the master’s degree, the student should submit a completed admission application form to the Office of Graduate Studies and follow the same procedure for admission as any other applicant.
2. Continuing in a second master’s degree program. In the semester preceding the completion of the requirements for the first master’s degree, the student should submit a completed admission application form to the Office of Graduate Studies and follow the same procedures for admission as any other applicant.
3. Changing to nondegree status. Students who wish to continue to earn graduate credit following the conferral of the terminal master’s degree should consult the department for approval to continue as nondegree graduate students. The department will indicate approval by sending the Change of Classification form to the Office of Graduate Studies for approval prior to the completion of the requirements for the master’s degree. This option is primarily available for students needing to pursue a specialized certificate.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

ALL GRADUATE DEGREES

The following items are University-wide graduate degree requirements. Responsibility for knowing and following the academic rules and regulations, including requirements for graduation, rests with the student. Faculty advisers assist students in planning their academic programs but are not expected to relieve the students of their responsibility. Students should consult the specific information provided in each major departmental section of this catalog for any additional requirements related to the major.

APPLICATION FOR ADVANCED DEGREE
To initiate the process for degree conferral, candidates must submit an “Application for Advanced Degree” to the Office of Graduate Studies. The application deadlines are February 15 for Spring candidates, January 15 for Winter candidates, May 15 for Summer candidates, and September 15 for Fall candidates. The application must be signed by the candidate’s adviser and department chair. There is an application fee of $50 for master’s degree candidates and a $95 fee for doctoral degree candidates. Payment is required when the application is submitted. Upon completion of the audit, the Office of Graduate Studies notifies students in writing when they have met all degree requirements.

COPYRIGHT REGULATIONS
The University reserves the right to duplicate a thesis/dissertation/executive position paper for distribution to other libraries or for the use of individual scholars. However, the University will not publish a thesis/dissertation/executive position paper for general distribution without the written consent of the author. If copyrighting is desired, it may be arranged when the thesis/dissertation/executive position paper is submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. Published works are eligible for copyright protection in the United States if the work is first published in the United States.

FACILITY OF EXPRESSION IN ENGLISH
Candidates for the degree must have acquired the ability to express themselves clearly and forcefully in English, both orally and in writing. The major departments have the responsibility of determining whether candidates have met this requirement.

GRADUATE GRADE POINT AVERAGE
Students must have a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to be eligible for the degree. In addition, the grades in courses specifically required for the degree program must average at least 3.0. All graduate-numbered courses taken with graduate student classification at the University of Delaware are applied to the cumulative index. Credit hours and courses for which the grade is below “C-” do not count toward the degree even though the grade is applied to the index. Candidates should see that all final grades have been submitted by their instructors. Temporary grades of “S” (Satisfactory) are assigned for 868 (Research) and 869 (Master’s Thesis) and 969 (Doctoral Dissertation) until a final letter grade is submitted upon the completion of the thesis or dissertation.

THESIS AND DISSERTATION DUE DATES
Master’s theses are due in the Office of Graduate Studies six weeks prior to the date of degree conferral. Dissertations are due in the Office of Graduate Studies seven weeks prior to the date of degree conferral. For exact due dates, see the calendar distributed by the Office of Graduate Studies.

TIME LIMITS FOR THE COMPLETION OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Time limits for the completion of degree requirements begin with the date of matriculation and are specifically expressed in the student’s letter of admission. The University time limit is ten consecutive semesters to complete the degree requirements for students entering a master’s degree program. Students completing the requirements for the master’s degree who are subsequently granted permission to continue toward the doctoral degree are given an additional ten consecutive semesters. Students entering a doctoral program with a master’s degree are given ten consecutive semesters to complete the requirements. Students entering a doctoral program without a master’s degree are given fourteen consecutive semesters to complete the requirements. Students who change their degree plan and have transferred from one degree program to another degree program are given ten consecutive semesters from the beginning of the first year in the latest program.

In addition to the general requirements for all graduate degrees, the following regulations apply to all master’s degree programs. Departments may have additional regulations beyond those stated below.

CREDIT HOUR REQUIREMENTS
The minimum number of credits required for the master’s degree with thesis is 24 semester hours plus 6 hours of thesis (869). The minimum number of credits for the master’s degree without a thesis is 30 semester hours. The student in a non-thesis program is usually required to pass a comprehensive examination or some other culminating requirement. Requirement of a foreign language is decided by each department as there is not a University-wide language requirement for the master’s degree. A maximum of 9 graduate credit hours may be transferred from another institution to the degree. Candidates for the degree must have regular status.

THE MASTER'S THESIS
The master’s thesis must reflect the ability to conduct scholarly research and to report the results in a manner worthy of publication. The following items are to be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies: (1) Three original sets of the signature pages showing approval of the thesis; (2) Three copies of the abstract; (3) The thesis as a PDF file. When a thesis is required, it must be approved by (a) the chair of the committee in charge of the candidate’s degree program or the advisor, (b) the chair of the department of major concentration or the chair of the committee in charge of an area of study, (c) the Dean of the College, and (d) the Provost.

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is conferred in recognition of breadth of scholarly attainment and of demonstrated power to investigate problems independently and effectively, rather than for the completion of definite courses of study through a stated period of time. In addition to the general requirements for advanced degrees, doctoral candidates must observe the following university requirements.

ADMISSION TO DOCTORAL CANDIDACY
Upon the recommendation of the doctoral student’s advisory committee and the chair of the student’s major department, students may be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. The stipulations for admission to doctoral candidacy are that the student has (1) had a program of study approved, (2) completed one academic year of full-time graduate study in residence at the University, (3) fulfilled the foreign language requirement, if any, (4) passed the program’s qualifying examination(s), (5) shown the ability to do research, and (6) had a research project accepted by the advisory committee with human/animal subjects approval (if appropriate for the research).

When a student has met the requirements for admission to candidacy as explained in this chapter, the department should submit a Recommendation for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree form to the Office of Graduate Studies. The student’s classification will change to postcandidacy upon admission to candidacy status.

The deadline for admission to candidacy for the fall semester is August 31. The deadline for admission to candidacy for the spring semester is January 31. The deadline for admission to candidacy for the summer is April 30. Responsibility for seeing that admission to candidacy is secured at the proper time rests with the student.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO DOCTORAL CANDIDACY
Course registration requirements are determined by the student’s approved program of study. Once the student has registered for all course requirements in a program of study but has not yet met all of the stipulations for passing into candidacy, the student must maintain registration during the fall and spring semesters in course(s) or in three to twelve credits of Pre-Candidacy Study (964). Pre-Candidacy Study (964) is graded pass/fail. If the student registered in Pre- Candidacy Study is admitted to candidacy before the end of the free drop/add period of the next semester, the registration in Pre- Candidacy Study (964) for the preceding semester may be changed to the course, Doctoral Dissertation (969). Students who are classified G1 and are holding a graduate assistantship or tuition scholarship must be registered for a minimum of six graduate credits, and those holding a fellowship must be registered for a minimum of nine graduate credits.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS AFTER ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY
Once a student has met all of the stipulations for candidacy and becomes classified in candidacy, the student is required to register in nine credits of Doctoral Dissertation (969) (twelve credits required in the Ed.D. program). Students may not register for Doctoral Dissertation (969) until admitted to candidacy. Registration in Doctoral Dissertation (969) and Doctoral Sustaining (999) is restricted to students with candidacy. Once the student has registered in nine credits of Doctoral Dissertation (twelve credits required in the Ed.D. program), the student is required to maintain matriculation in the doctoral program by registering in Doctoral Sustaining (999) in subsequent semesters until the degree is awarded. All students must be registered in the term in which the degree is officially awarded. Sustaining registration is required in summer or winter session only if the degree is awarded at the conclusion of the summer or winter session.

COURSE AND RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
At least three academic years of graduate academic work are normally required for the Ph.D. degree. At least one continuous academic year must be devoted exclusively to full-time study (9 credit hours per semester) in the major field in residence at the University of Delaware. This residency requirement may be fulfilled using a fall and spring semester combination or a spring and fall semester combination, but summer or winter sessions do not meet the qualification. Course credit earned in a master’s program at the University of Delaware may be applied toward the doctoral degree if the candidate is receiving both degrees from the University in the same major field.

THE DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
The dissertation is expected to reflect the results of original and significant research written in a scholarly and literate manner worthy of publication. The dissertation defense must be completed prior to the submission date and the certification of a successful defense must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. The dissertation must be approved by the chair of the student’s advisory committee, the Dean of the College, the chair of the student’s major department, and the Provost. The dissertation is to be signed by the professor in charge of the dissertation and all members of the dissertation committee. The following items are to be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies: (1) Three original sets of the signature pages showing approval of the dissertation/executive position paper; (2) Three copies of the abstract; (3) The dissertation/executive position paper as a PDF file; (4) Certification of Doctoral Defense; (5) Survey of Earned Doctorates.

DISSERTATION AWARDS
The University recognizes excellence of dissertations by awarding four prizes each year to candidates for the degree. Committees of senior faculty make the selection for these prizes: the Wilbur Owen Sypherd Prize in the Humanities, the George Herbert Ryden Prize in the Social Sciences, the Allan P. Colburn Prize in the Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, and the Theodore Wolf Prize in the Physical and Life Sciences.

DOCTORAL COMMITTEES
Each dissertation/executive position paper committee shall consist of not less than four and not more than six members approved through appropriate departmental procedures:

1. At least two members shall represent the primary area of study, one of whom shall be the committee’s chairperson. The chairperson should have an established record of publication and/or scholarship in the field of the dissertation/executive position paper and shall be a full-time member of the faculty of the University; the definition of faculty shall include professional staff who hold secondary faculty appointments. Faculty who have retired or resigned from the University may chair committees of students whose work began under their direction prior to their retirement or departure from the University. An advisor who is not employed full time by the University of Delaware may serve as co-chair of the committee provided that the other co-chair meets the conditions stated above.
2. One member shall represent the secondary area of study (where appropriate). If the student does not have a secondary area of study, then this member must be drawn from an area in the department outside of the primary area of study. In either case, the member must be a full-time member of the faculty.
3. At least one external member chosen from a different academic unit or from outside the University of Delaware shall be a member of the committee. The external member(s) should normally be expected to have an established record of publication and/or scholarship in the field of the dissertation/executive position paper. Students are encouraged to seek the external member from outside the University in order to broaden the perspectives of the committee. Faculty at the University of Delaware who serve in the capacity of an external member may have a secondary or adjunct appointment in the doctoral candidate’s unit, but the primary appointment must be in a different unit.

In general, doctoral committees should strive to achieve consensus concerning the student’s performance and quality of work. In the case of dissenting votes, the majority opinion rules and a majority vote in favor is needed for a successful defense.

EXAMINATION - PRE-CANDIDACY
Doctoral students must prove to their advisory committee that they have acquired a comprehensive grasp of their major and minor fields of study through a qualifying examination (written, oral, or both) before they are admitted to formal candidacy.

EXAMINATION - POST-CANDIDACY DEFENSE
Upon completion of the dissertation, a final oral examination must be passed, consisting of a defense of the dissertation and a test of the candidate’s mastery of the fields covered in the program. The final oral examination is conducted by the student’s advisory committee, together with other examiners approved by the departmental faculty. To permit adequate time for the examiners to review the dissertation, all copies of the tentatively completed dissertation (subject to revisions required by the examining committee) must be deposited in the departmental office at least two weeks before the date of the final oral examination. A department may increase this period if a particular dissertation requires longer study or if the number of dissertations presented makes it impractical to review them thoroughly in a two-week interval. The department shall submit certification of a successful defense to the Office of Graduate Studies.

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
There is no University-wide language requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The need for proficiency in another language will be determined in accordance with the standards set by the student’s major department. Candidates should complete the language requirement as soon as possible after admission to doctoral standing. The language requirement must be met prior to admission to candidacy.

SECONDARY AREAS
In some programs, studies that add to the student’s fundamental knowledge and develop a research point of view must be pursued in at least one related subject. This may be a separate branch of the field in which the major work is done.

The HETC program centers on teaching as scholarly work. It is designed to enhance the teaching effectiveness of TAs while at the University and to provide systematic preparation for all aspects of academic careers. The non-credit, optional program is open to all graduate students (at both the Masters and Doctoral levels) who intend to become future faculty, and it is part of the academic graduate program offerings. The pillars of the program are: research (on learning and teaching in higher education), application (of learning theory on concrete learning contexts), and reflection (on the effectiveness of teaching methodologies). Certification is awarded upon completion of all program aspects and is included in the participant’s official transcript.

The program consists of a series of pedagogical and professional development modules in 4 content areas: Learning (UNIV600), Pedagogy (UNIV601), Faculty Roles (UNIV602), and Academic Job Search (UNIV603). By participating in the modules, students become familiar with current pedagogical practices and research, reflect on their teaching, observe exemplary instructors, and document their instructional skills and development via a teaching portfolio.

The program is offered in an online environment (WebCT) complimented by on-campus seminars. Content areas need not be taken sequentially; students may phase in and out of the program without penalty to best accommodate their schedule and/or professional needs. Applicants must have one semester of teaching experience (i.e., classroom instruction, studio teaching, discussion session facilitation, or laboratory instruction), and must include in their application a statement of support from a faculty member in their discipline. Graduate students apply for admission directly to the Center for Teaching Effectiveness.

The Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies is available to graduate students pursuing a Master’s degree or Ph.D. degree at the University of Delaware. Legal Studies is a multidisciplinary social science discipline, with a core emphasis on “law and society.” The importance of law means that various elements of the subject are covered in different academic departments and colleges at the University of Delaware. These include: Political Science and International Relations, Linguistics, Economics, Sociology and Criminal Justice, Food and Resource Economics, the College of Marine and Earth Studies, the Lerner College of Business and Economics, and the School of Urban and Policy Studies.

Students in disciplines that study law-related themes can add the Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies to their program of study, thereby providing objective evidence that they have this specific expertise and knowledge.Such students will receive their graduate degrees in the department in which they are enrolled, with a Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies awarded separately.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
The program requires twelve credits of course work (normally, four courses) at the graduate level, plus attendance in the Legal Studies Faculty Research Seminar (or a substitute program of study approved by the Director) and a capstone research project. Two of the four courses must be outside of the student’s graduate major. Two of the four courses must be “core” courses, one in the “law and society” area and one in general case law. the other two elective courses are selected from a list of approved legal studies courses (in addition to the core courses). Additional courses may be approved by the Director of Legal Studies.

The capstone research project may be a Master’s or Ph.D. research project, and a member of the legal studies faculty should be on the committee. The capstone project also could be a research paper in an advanced graduate course that included a large research project. In all cases, the research project must be approved by the Director of Legal Studies.

Students also must take one semester of the pass-fail one-credit course Legal Studies Research Seminar (or a substitute program of study approved by the Director), which provides an overview of current research in the field of legal studies.

Core Courses:

One "law and society" course from the following:

SOCI 637 Law and Society in Historical Perspective

SOCI 655 Law and Society

SOCI 658 Social Science, Law and the Legal Process

One case-oriented "principles of the law" from the following:

POSC 605 Topics in Law and Courts

POSC 614 Judicial Process

POSC 805 Seminar: Public Law

MAST 673 International Law

MAST 674 Legal Aspects of the Coastal Zone

MAST 678 Coastal and Maritime Law

UAPP 646 Administrative Law

Elective Courses:

BUAD 840 Ethical Issues in Domestic and Global Business Environments

ECON 861 Industrial Organization and Antitrust Policies

EDUC 664 Legal Issues for School Managers

MAST 677 International Ocean and Environmental Policy

UAPP 839 Law for Administrators

UAPP 649 Civil Rights Law and Policy

IFST 688 The Law and Student Affairs