Expectations of Graduate Departments and Programs
Research
- To provide appropriate resources, both faculty and facilities, that allow students to complete their education and research in a timely and productive manner
- To ensure that faculty committees treat all students fairly and assess their work in thoughtful and informative ways consistent with the practice of the field
- To ensure the highest standards of academic quality in all aspects of the graduate program, from admission of new students to the quality of work accepted as fulfilling the requirements of the master’s or PhD degrees
Teaching and Training
- To provide pedagogical training appropriate to and regular assessment of the GTA assignments given to graduate students
- To provide clear expectations to students on their responsibilities as GTA’s or GRA’s
- To provide all students with a thorough description of the requirements and qualifications necessary for academic employment, training, or financial support at the university
- To provide all students with accurate information about the costs they will incur during the course of their graduate study and realistic assessments of future prospects for financial support
- To provide a range of teaching opportunities relevant to likely career prospects
- To provide, where necessary, appropriate mechanisms to help acculturate international students to academic life in this country and at this university
- To ensure that an appropriate range of introductory and advanced courses are offered at the graduate level for students in all disciplinary sub-specialties
- To ensure that degree regulations and procedures, including those pertaining to required course work; qualifying, preliminary, and final examinations; and thesis/dissertation guidelines, are regularly published and made available to all program students and faculty
- To ensure that graduate students receive periodic and constructive assessment of their progress toward degree. PhD students are required to receive an annual review of their progress toward degree completion
- To ensure that all prospective and currently enrolled students are informed of normative time to degree and attrition rates within the program
Professional Development and Program Progress
- To provide all students with a range of activities—colloquia, seminar, and guest lecture series, workshops, conference presentations, internships—that allow for their own professional development
- To provide constructive annual reports on the satisfactory progress of students toward the degree
- To provide all students with realistic and accurate statistics on placement of program graduates
- To encourage students in assessing career options and in preparing for a variety of job markets
Community
- To ensure a collegial learning environment in which faculty and students work together in mutual respect and collaboration
- To ensure appropriate levels of academic support for graduate students and faculty
- To provide specific mechanisms for appeal or complaint when standards of collegiality or fairness may have been violated