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General Degree Regulations

Each student is expected to be familiar with these general regulations and with the specific regulations of a major department of graduate study and to accept responsibility for the completion of degree requirements as prescribed.


  • Authority of the Graduate Faculty
    The Graduate Faculty of the University, acting through the University Council on Graduate Study, establishes general regulations and minimal requirements for graduate degrees throughout the University. The Graduate Faculty of Arts and Sciences, acting through its Graduate Council, may add requirements for degrees earned under its jurisdiction. Each department may designate additional specific requirements for advanced degrees earned in that department. The Provost has final authority in the interpretation and application of the regulations established by the University Council on Graduate Study. The Dean of Graduate Studies has final authority in the interpretation and application of any additional requirements and/or regulations. Requirements established by individual departments are described in the section, Departmental Degree Programs and Course Offerings.

    Any student wishing to request an exception to any of the graduate regulations should file a petition in writing for such exception with his or her department. The department chairperson, after appropriate consultation, will make recommendations about the exception to the Dean of Graduate Studies.


  • Departmental Advising and Evaluations
    Departments designate a faculty member (or a committee) to advise each graduate student concerning all aspects of the graduate program until a thesis or dissertation adviser has been selected. In addition, committees are usually established for administering departmental examinations and reporting the performance on these to the Office of Graduate Studies for updating the student's academic record.


  • Grading and Credits

  • Options
    Two options are available for recording the evaluation of each student's performance on his or her official transcript: (1) the Letter Grade System, and (2) the Satisfactory/Audit System. Each department has the responsibility for developing procedures that enable the student and interested persons to inquire about the criteria used in awarding a grade. Students are subject to the grading policy of the school in which a course is given. Graduate students who wish I, G, W, N, or S/N grades should apprise themselves of the grading regulations of the school offering the course.

    Option 1: Letter Grade System with Grade Point Equivalent
    A+ = 4.00
    A = 4.00 Superior attainment
    A- = 3.75
    B+ = 3.25
    B = 3.00 Adequate graduate-level attainment
    B- = 2.75 Attainment below graduate-level expectation
    C+ = 2.25
    C = 2.00
    C- = 1.75
    D+ = 1.25
    D = 1.00
    D- = 0.75
    F = 0.00 Failure

    Option 2: (S/N, Satisfactory and Audit Grade Options)
    S = Satisfactory (successful) completion of course requirements (corresponds to a letter grade of B or better-no grade point equivalent)
    N = Noncredit audit

    Non-evaluative Grades
    G = Course work unfinished because of extenuating personal circumstances
    I = Incomplete course work, due to the nature of the course, clinical work, or incomplete research work in individual guidance courses or seminars
    W = Withdrawal from course (cannot assign via roster-student must complete a Monitored Withdrawal Form in the dean's office of school offering course by the established deadline)
    R = Resigned from the University

    Other Designations
    Z = Invalid grade reported
    ** = No grade reported

    The S grade indicates adequate graduate attainment. If performance is evaluated as inadequate for graduate credit, a grade of N (noncredit audit) will appear on the transcript. Each department determines when Option 2 is available in its graduate courses. With respect to each of the graduate courses, a student may elect Option 2 if (a) this option is available for the course section, (b) the student's adviser agrees, and (c) it is in accord with the regulations of the student's department. In applying these rules, the department offering a course may distinguish between its own students and those from another department and may apply the rules of the student's major department. A department may recommend the S/N option when it seeks to encourage a student to take courses offered in related disciplines. Only Option 2 is used in evaluating independent study, or thesis or dissertation research.


  • Auditing
    A student may register to audit an FAS graduate course only with the approval of the instructor. Students who audit a course are charged at the previously stated tuition rates. The letter N is recorded by the instructor if the student satisfies the conditions agreed upon with the instructor; otherwise the instructor may award a W grade. All students who audit courses are required to be registered as auditors in each course they audit.

    S/N or audit options must be made in writing to the instructor during the first two weeks of the term. The student auditing a 2000 or 3000 level course, who wishes a written record of the agreement, may obtain a Grade Option Form available in the Office of Graduate Studies.


  • Incomplete Work
    The letter G is recorded for incomplete work in an academic course that was designed to be completed within the term or session in which the student is registered. The reasons for the G grade should be circumstances over which the student has no control, such as illness or family emergency. To change a G grade, the instructor must submit a change of grade card within the following academic year.

    The letter I is recorded for incomplete work in departmentally designated research, thesis and field work courses, and in other courses in which the scope of the student's project requires more time than a term for its proper completion. An I grade given for FAS graduate courses other than thesis or dissertation research must be removed within the following academic year.

    A course for which a G or I is recorded is not included in the calculation of the GPA, and no credit is awarded until the course is completed with a grade. A change of a G or I grade for an FAS graduate course must be authorized by the instructor on a Grade Change Request Form and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. Students may graduate with G and/or I grades on the record provided that all degree requirements have been met, and the department certifies in writing that the course is not required for the degree.


  • Credits and Grade Points
    The GPA is defined as the total number of grade points earned in courses divided by the total number of credits earned in the same courses. Each credit for which an S is recorded carries no designated number of grade points but implies a performance in the range of 3 to 4. Courses for which G, I, N, R, or W are recorded and courses numbered below 1000 do not contribute either credits or grade points toward graduation. When a course is repeated, only the last grade and credits are used to calculate GPA.

    Students must achieve the minimum GPA established by their departments, in no case less than 3.00, in order to be eligible to retain teaching assistantships or fellowships, to undergo the preliminary evaluations, to take comprehensive examinations, to be admitted to candidacy for the PhD degree, and to graduate.

    Independent study and individual thesis and dissertation research must be graded using Option 2 and thus are not used in the calculation of the GPA required for continuation in good academic standing.


  • Academic Probation and Dismissal
    A graduate student who fails to maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 or to make satisfactory progress in a degree program is subject to dismissal from graduate study at the University. When the overall GPA of a student falls below 3.00, the student is automatically placed on academic probation; is not eligible for a teaching assistantship, fellowship, or participation in the department comprehensive examination; and is subject to dismissal at the end of the following term. The department should so warn the student in writing.

    In addition, any student who is not making satisfactory progress toward the completion of an advanced degree (completion of an acceptable number of required courses and/or research each term or year) may be placed on academic probation by the department. The student must be informed in writing of this action by the department. Normally one term will be granted in which to correct the deficiency.

    A student whose performance on a preliminary or comprehensive examination is judged to be inadequate may be subject to dismissal at the end of the term.


  • Inactive Status
    A graduate student who is not registered for at least one credit or Full-time Dissertation Study (eligible doctoral students) during a 12-month period is transferred to Inactive Status and must file an application for readmission to graduate study (application fee required) before being permitted to register again. Students on Inactive Status cannot apply to graduate or take preliminary or comprehensive examinations.


  • Withdrawal
    Students may add or drop courses before the end of the Add/Drop period. A student who wishes to withdraw from an individual course after the Add/Drop period must complete a Monitored Withdrawal Form available from the dean of the school offering the course, obtain the signature of the instructor, and return the completed form to the dean's office. A W grade will then be issued.

    Students may terminate their registration in all classes by informing the Office of the Registrar of their intent to do so prior to the end of the Add/Drop period for the term. Students registered for courses scheduled to begin after the end of the Add/Drop period for the term may terminate their registration by informing the Registrar's Office of their intent to do so at any time prior to the first scheduled meeting day of the class. A student who stops attending a course and does not initiate the withdrawal or resignation procedures may be assigned an F grade. (See Tuition and Fees)


  • Repetition of Courses
    A student may repeat any course in which a grade of B- or lower is received if authorization is given by the student's department. When a graduate student repeats a course in which the subject matter has not changed, only the last grade received is counted in computing the grade point average. A Course Repeat Form must be filed with the Office of Graduate Studies to initiate proper computing of the grade point average. A grade given by an instructor for completed work will not be changed unless an error has been made in reporting or recording the grade. Re-examination or extra work may not be used as a basis for a change of grade.


  • Independent Study
    Students who are using University facilities to an extent greater than represented by their formal course load (and those students required by a fellowship or other appointment to be full-time students) are required to register for an appropriate number of additional credits of Independent Study to reflect their correct status. All graduate study not under the direct supervision of a specific faculty member is, by definition, Independent Study, number 2990 in each program. This includes study for preliminary evaluations, comprehensive and overview examinations, the preparation of research proposals, etc. Only the S/N Grade Option may be used in a 2990 course.


  • Directed Study
    Registration for Directed Study is limited to students in good academic standing and normally beyond their first year of graduate study who wish to study or carry out a project in an area not available in a formal course. The work must be under the direct supervision of a faculty member who has approved the proposed work in advance of registration. A brief description of the work should be recorded in the student's file in the department. Either a letter grade or the S/N option may be used to evaluate the quality of work performed by the student, and both the credits and the grade points (if any) will be used in determining the academic standing of the student.


  • Transfer Credits
    Students may transfer credits earned at another accredited institution in an approved degree-granting graduate program toward the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Students requesting advanced-standing credits by transfer should indicate this within the first year of graduate study and provide official transcripts. The department evaluates each applicant's credentials and indicates to the student at the time of admission its recommendation to the Dean of Graduate Studies concerning advanced-standing credit. Students requesting transfer credits from foreign graduate programs must have their request evaluated by the Office of International Services prior to submission to the Office of Graduate Studies. Students admitted with special or provisional status cannot transfer credits until full status has been granted. Graduate students already enrolled, when approved in advance by their department and the Dean of Graduate Studies, may spend a term or more at another graduate institution to obtain training or experience not available at the University of Pittsburgh and may transfer those credits toward the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Transfer credit is not accepted for courses in which a grade lower than B or its equivalent has been received. Grades (and grade points) are not recorded for credits accepted by transfer.

    A maximum of six credits may be accepted by transfer toward the requirements for the master's degree. A maximum of 24 credits may be transferred toward the requirements for the PhD degree for course work at the master's level earned in another approved graduate school. A student who transfers 24 credits due to completion of a master's degree at another institution is not eligible to earn a master's degree in that discipline at the University of Pittsburgh. If a student has completed relevant graduate work beyond the master's level at another institution, up to 12 additional credits may be accepted for transfer. (No more than 36 credits can be accepted for transfer from all other graduate institutions.) Acceptance of credits by transfer from other graduate schools does not relieve the student from the requirement to register at the University of Pittsburgh and satisfactorily complete a minimum of 18 credits for a master's degree and a minimum of 36 credits for a PhD degree. The student must register for at least one credit in the term of graduation.


  • Registration of Undergraduate Students for Graduate Credit
    A University of Pittsburgh undergraduate student who needs fewer than 15 credits to complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree and who intends to continue study toward an advanced degree in FAS may be permitted, during his or her final term, to register for one or two courses at the 2000 level for credit toward a graduate degree. The student must obtain written permission from an FAS department admission's officer that the course may count when and if the student is admitted into the degree program. This privilege should not be granted if the proposed total course program exceeds a normal full-time load or if the courses are required for the undergraduate degree. When the student registers for graduate study at the University, these graduate credits and grades may be transferred to the graduate transcript upon recommendation of the department and approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies. No more than six credits can be transferred in this manner.


  • Statute of Limitations and Leaves of Absence
    Requirements for the master's degree should be completed within a period of four consecutive calendar years from the student's initial registration for graduate study. Requirements for the doctoral degree should be fulfilled within a period of ten calendar years from the student's initial registration for graduate study. If the entering student has received transfer credit for a master's degree, requirements for the doctoral degree should be completed within a period of eight calendar years from the first registration for graduate study. Some departments have a more stringent statute of limitations. There is also a strictly enforced ten-calendar-year limit on the PhD comprehensive examination. If the student has not completed all requirements for the degree within that limit, the comprehensive exam must be retaken.

    Under special conditions, graduate degree candidates may be granted a leave of absence. A maximum leave of two years may be granted to doctoral candidates or one year to master's candidates. The length of and rationale for the leave of absence must be stated in advance, recommended to the Dean of Graduate Studies by the department, and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. If approved, the time of the leave shall not count against the total time allowed for the degree being sought by the student. Only one leave of absence can be obtained by a student during his or her graduate career. Readmission following an approved leave of absence is a formality.

    Under exceptional circumstances a candidate for an advanced degree may apply for an extension of the statute of limitations. Applications, available in the department or Office of Graduate Studies, must state the reason for the delay, provide evidence of continuing progress toward the completion of the degree, and include a plan and proposed date for completion. The request must be approved by the chair of the student's doctoral or master's committee and the department chair or director of graduate studies and be submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final action. Each student who requests an extension of the statute of limitations must be able to demonstrate proper preparation for the completion of all current degree requirements. There is no extension on the ten-year limit for the PhD comprehensive examination.


  • Requirements for the Master of Arts, Master of Science,
    and Master of Fine Arts Degrees
  • Majors and Study Programs
    Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Master of Fine Arts degrees are awarded for the completion of a coherent program designed to assure the mastery of specified knowledge and skills, rather than a random accumulation of a certain number of courses. The overall form and content of the student's program of study is the responsibility of the faculty of the department. In accordance with this responsibility, each student must be assigned a major adviser, who, in consultation with the student, plans a program of study and research that meets FAS and departmental guidelines.

    Some master's programs may include approved areas of concentration used to define and describe the students' training and expertise within the broader discipline. Such an area of concentration is added to the transcript upon the granting of the degree.

    Departments are expected to provide students with a copy of departmental regulations appropriate for their program. Students are expected to be familiar with these and to satisfy all prescribed degree requirements.


  • Credit Requirements
    The minimum requirement for the master's degree is 24 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree. Not more than six credits may be granted toward the completion of the requirements for a master's degree for work completed at another accredited graduate institution. (See Transfer Credits) Most programs require more than this minimum.


  • Course Requirements
    A minimum of four courses (12 credits) must be chosen from the 2000 or 3000 series and must be completed with an average grade of B (3.00). Registration for research or independent study cannot be included among these 12 credits. No course numbered below 1000 and no course numbered in the 7000s may be applied toward graduate degree requirements.


  • Foreign Language Requirement
    The requirement of proficiency in foreign languages is at the discretion of individual departments.


  • Comprehensive Examination
    Master's degrees are conferred only upon those students who, in one or more comprehensive examinations or the equivalent, show that they have mastered the general field of their graduate study. The nature of these examinations is determined by the student's major department. Whenever a program substitutes an equivalent requirement for the comprehensive examination, the department or program must obtain prior approval from the FAS Graduate Council and the University Council on Graduate Study. Students on inactive, special, or provisional status, or who have a GPA less than 3.00, are not eligible to take the comprehensive examination. These examinations must be passed at least one month prior to the last day of the term in which the degree is to be granted and the results reported to the Office of Graduate Studies no later than the last day of the term in which this examination is administered. A student who is unable to complete all degree requirements within a two-year period after passing the comprehensive examination may be re-examined at the discretion of the department.


  • Thesis
    The requirement of a thesis or its equivalent is at the discretion of individual departments. If a thesis is submitted, its form must be in accord with specifications available from the Style and Form Manual and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. Each candidate must provide a suitable number of copies of the thesis for review and use, as designated by the thesis examining committee (three members of the faculty recommended by the major adviser and approved by the department chairperson). The final oral examination in defense of the master's thesis is conducted by the thesis committee, and a report of this examination, signed by all members of the committee, must be filed in the Office of Graduate Studies. After the examination, one copy of the approved thesis must be submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies, who forwards it to the Office of the Provost for binding and microfilming and deposit in the University Library System. A receipt for the thesis binding/microfilming fees must accompany the thesis.


  • Non-thesis Option
    If a thesis is not required, a program should require additional course work, a research paper, or project.

  • Application for Graduation
    Each candidate for graduation must file an official Application for Graduation in the Office of Graduate Studies early in the term in which graduation is expected. (See Academic Calendar for deadline dates.) Students on Inactive Status cannot apply for graduation. Students are required to register for at least one credit in the term of graduation.


  • Report to the Dean of Graduate Studies
    The faculty of the department evaluates the performance in course work and on comprehensive examinations. If the candidate's performance is satisfactory, a report must be submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies, on behalf of the department, certifying that the candidate has completed all requirements for a master's degree and indicating whether or not the candidate is recommended to proceed to doctoral study.


  • Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree
  • Admission to Doctoral Study
    In some departments the requirements for admission to graduate study and for admission to doctoral study are identical, while other departments require the completion of a master's degree or its equivalent as a prerequisite for admission to doctoral study. Admission to doctoral study does not include any implication concerning "admission to candidacy for the PhD degree." (See Admission to Candidacy for the PhD Degree, and also special departmental requirements in the section, Departmental Degree Programs and Course Offerings.)


  • Major Field
    Only one major department of graduate study is permitted for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. The overall form and content of each student's program are the responsibility of the faculty of the department. To carry out this responsibility, the department must ensure that each student has a major adviser who, in consultation with the student, plans a program of study and research in accord with school and departmental guidelines. The adviser may prescribe additional courses both within and outside the department that are essential and/or appropriate to the student's program.

    Some doctoral programs may include approved areas of concentration used to define and describe the students' training and expertise within the broader discipline. Such an area of concentration is added to the transcript upon the granting of the degree.


  • Credit Requirements
    The minimum requirement for the PhD degree is met by six terms of registration as a graduate student for 12 or more credits per term or the equivalent number of credits in a reduced load. This minimum of 72 credits may be earned in formal course work, directed study, independent study, and/or thesis and dissertation research. No more than 24 credits may be accepted for a master's degree awarded by another institution to meet the minimum credit requirement. If the student has completed work elsewhere beyond the master's degree, up to 12 additional credits may be accepted at the time of admission for a total of no more than 36 credits. No more than 24 credits may be accepted for a previously earned PhD degree in recognition of master's degree work. (See Transfer Credits)

    Graduate students already enrolled may, when approved in advance by their department and the Dean of Graduate Studies, spend a term or more at another graduate institution to obtain training or experience not available at the University of Pittsburgh and transfer those credits toward the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Pittsburgh. In all cases, at least three terms, or 36 credits, of full-time doctoral study or the equivalent in part-time study must be successfully completed at the University of Pittsburgh.

    Graduate students pay full tuition and are certified to be in "full-time study" for each term in which they are registered for nine or more credits. In general, credits may be earned by either full-time and/or part-time graduate study, but some departments have specific regulations regarding part-time study.

    Doctoral students who have completed all credit requirements for the degree, the comprehensive examination, and are working full time on their dissertations may register for "Full-Time Dissertation Study," which carries no credits or letter grade but provides students full-time status. Students so enrolled are assessed a special reduced tuition fee. These students are still responsible for the full-time computer network, transportation, and student health service fees.

    A student who has completed the 72 credits required for the PhD, but has not fulfilled other requirements, must register for an appropriate number of credits in each term that he or she is using University facilities or faculty time, and must register for at least one credit or Full-time Dissertation Study in the term of graduation.


  • Course Requirements
    The form and content of graduate degree programs are determined by the faculty of each department. In every case the student's adviser may prescribe additional courses in accord with specific needs of the student beyond the general group of courses required by the student's major department. No course numbered below 1000 may be applied toward a graduate degree.

    Students must achieve the minimum GPA established by their departments, in no case less than 3.00, to be eligible to undergo the preliminary evaluation, to take the comprehensive examination, to be admitted to candidacy for the PhD degree, and to be graduated.


  • Foreign Language and/or Other Tools of Research
    The requirement of proficiency in the use of foreign languages or other tools of research is at the discretion of individual departments. The foreign language departments have the capacity to evaluate foreign language proficiency and will be available to so certify.


  • Preliminary Examination
    The preliminary evaluation should be designed to assess the breadth of the student's knowledge of the discipline, the student's achievement during the first year of graduate study, and the potential to apply research methods independently. Students who have full graduate status should be evaluated formally by approximately the end of the first year of full residence. The nature of the evaluation and the time when it is given are determined by each department. The evaluation is used to identify those students who may be expected to complete a doctoral program successfully and also to reveal areas of weakness in the student's preparation. Evaluation results must be reported promptly to the Office of Graduate Studies but no later than the last day of the term in which the evaluation occurs. In some programs, the preliminary doctoral exam may be combined with a master's thesis examination. A student on provisional, inactive, or special status or on probation is not eligible to take the preliminary exam.


  • Comprehensive Examination
    The comprehensive examination should be designed to assess the student's mastery of the general field of doctoral study, the student's acquisition of both depth and breadth in the area of specialization within the general field, and the ability to use the research methods of the discipline. In some programs, the comprehensive examination is combined with the proposal overview or prospectus meeting. It should be administered at approximately the time of the completion of the formal course requirements and should be passed at least eight months before the scheduling of the final oral examination and dissertation defense. In no case may the comprehensive examination be taken in the same term in which the student is graduated. Examination results must be reported promptly to the Office of Graduate Studies but no later than the last day of the term in which the examination is administered. A student on provisional, inactive, or special status or on probation is not eligible to take the comprehensive exam.


  • Doctoral Committee
    Upon the successful completion of the comprehensive examination, the student and his or her adviser should propose a doctoral committee for approval by the department chairperson. The doctoral committee shall consist of at least three Graduate Faculty members from the student's department of graduate study, including the graduate adviser, and one Graduate Faculty member from another department of the University or from another university. If a member of the Graduate Faculty from another university is selected, she or he must be approved in advance by the Dean of Graduate Studies. This person should be selected on the basis of contributions he or she can make by virtue of the particular areas of scholarly interest or expertise relevant to the dissertation topic. In addition, a scholar with special competence in the area of research of the dissertation may be appointed as an official member of the doctoral committee. Many departments require a doctoral committee of five members.

    This committee has the responsibility to monitor and review the progress of the candidate's research and the authority to require supplementary research or the rewriting of any portion or all of the dissertation. It conducts the final oral examination and determines whether the dissertation meets acceptable standards.

    The membership of the doctoral committee may be changed whenever it is appropriate or necessary, subject to the approval of the department chairperson and the Dean of Graduate Studies.

    Each student must prepare a written dissertation proposal for presentation to the doctoral committee at a formal dissertation overview or prospectus meeting. The overview requires the student to formulate a thoughtful plan and permits the doctoral committee members to provide guidance in shaping the conceptualization and methodology of that plan. The doctoral committee must unanimously approve the dissertation topic and research plan and sign the student's application for doctoral candidacy before the student may be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree. Approval of the proposal does not imply either the acceptance of a dissertation prepared in accord with the proposal or the restriction of the dissertation to this original proposal.


  • Admission to Candidacy for the PhD Degree
    After completion of the overview, the student should, in consultation with his or her major adviser, file the application for admission to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. To qualify for admission to candidacy, students must have achieved full graduate status, satisfied the requirement of the preliminary evaluation, completed formal course work with a minimum grade point average of 3.00, passed the comprehensive examination, and received approval of the proposed subject and plan of the dissertation from the doctoral committee following an overview or prospectus meeting of the committee. Students are informed of admission to candidacy by written notification from the Dean of Graduate Studies. When the topic has been accepted and the proposed doctoral committee has been approved by the department chairperson and the Dean of Graduate Studies, the student will be informed of admission to candidacy and of the membership of the doctoral committee.

    Admission to candidacy should occur at least eight months before the defense of the dissertation in order to provide an opportunity for the members of the doctoral committee to review, criticize, and monitor the proposed research.

    Meetings of the doctoral candidate and his or her dissertation committee must occur at least annually from the time the student gains admission to doctoral candidacy. During these meetings, the committee should assess the student's progress toward the degree and discuss objectives for the following year and a timetable for completing degree requirements. A record of such meetings must be maintained in the student's file in the department.


  • Dissertation
    Each student must write a dissertation that presents the results of a research project carried out by the student. An appropriate research project involves a substantive piece of original and independent research grounded in an appropriate body of literature. It presents a hypothesis tested by data and analysis and provides a significant contribution or advancement in that field. It is the responsibility of the student's doctoral committee to evaluate the dissertation in these terms and to recommend the awarding of the doctoral degree only if the dissertation is judged to demonstrate these qualities.

    Characteristics that a dissertation should demonstrate are: the establishment of a historical context for the presentation of an innovative and creative approach to the problem analysis and solution; a clear understanding of the problem area as revealed by analysis and synthesis of a broad literature base; a well-defined research design; clarity in composition and careful documentation; results of sufficient merit to be published in refereed journals or to form the basis of a book or monograph; sufficient detail so that other scholars can build on it in subsequent work; and the preparation of the author to assume a position within the profession.

    If the dissertation is the result of a collaborative research effort, the project should be structured in such a way that the student's dissertation results form a clearly identified piece of work in which the student has supplied the unquestionably major effort. The contributions of the student and the other collaborators must be clearly distinguished.

    Published articles authored or co-authored by the student and based on research conducted for the dissertation study may be included in the dissertation. The published work must be logically connected and integrated into the dissertation in a coherent manner, and sufficient detail must be presented to satisfy the characteristics of a dissertation. The student should be the sole or primary author of the published work. If the published articles were co-authored, the contribution of the student must be clearly delineated in the introduction so the committee can ascertain that the student's own work satisfies the requirements of a dissertation. The Style and Form Manual gives instructions on incorporating articles into the dissertation. Photocopies of journal articles may be used only in the appendix and only if necessary.


  • Language of the Doctoral Dissertation
    The language in which doctoral dissertations are written shall normally be English. Exceptions may be granted for graduate students in foreign language departments but only for sound reasons of scholarship. Permission shall never be granted on the grounds of inadequate command of English. A student who wishes to write a dissertation in a foreign language shall apply formally to his or her department chair for permission. The application must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. For approval, (1) the application must be recommended for approval by the department, (2) all members of the doctoral committee must have an adequate command of the language, and (3) the student must have demonstrated full proficiency in English to the satisfaction of the dean. Dissertation abstracts shall in any case be in English. The final oral examination must be conducted in English.


  • Application for Graduation
    Each candidate for graduation must file an official Application for Graduation in the Office of Graduate Studies early in the term in which graduation is expected (See Academic Calendar) and must be registered for at least one credit at the University during that term.


  • Final Oral Examination
    Each candidate for a doctoral degree must provide a suitable number of copies of the dissertation, as designated by his or her doctoral committee, for review and use during the final oral examination.

    One copy of the dissertation must be submitted to each member of the doctoral committee at least two weeks before the date set for the final oral examination. The final oral examination in defense of the doctoral dissertation is conducted by the doctoral committee and need not be confined to materials in or related to the dissertation. All members of the doctoral committee must attend the examination. Exceptions can be made only with the permission of the Dean of Graduate Studies. Any member of the faculty of the University may attend and participate in the examination. At least four weeks before the final examination, the chairperson of the doctoral committee must provide the Dean of Graduate Studies with a typewritten notice, listing the title of the dissertation and the time and place for its defense, for announcement in the University Times. Other qualified individuals may be invited by the committee to participate in the examination. Only members of the doctoral committee may be present during the final deliberations and may vote on the passing of the candidate. A report of this examination and a report on approval of the dissertation, signed by all members of the doctoral committee, must be sent to the Dean of Graduate Studies for approval. The report on the approval of the dissertation may be signed concurrent with or subsequent to the report of the final oral examination. If the decision of the committee is not unanimous, the case is referred to the Dean of Graduate Studies for resolution. The chair of the doctoral committee should ensure that the dissertation is in final form before requesting signatures of the members of the committee.

    When the examination is completed, the candidate must deposit with the Dean of Graduate Studies one copy of the approved complete dissertation plus five copies of a typewritten abstract of the dissertation signed by his or her adviser and prepared for publication in accord with instructions furnished by the Office of the Dean. Each candidate must execute an agreement with University Microfilms International for the publication of the dissertation on microfilm and for publication of the abstract in Dissertation Abstracts and present a Thesis/Binding Microfilm Fees Receipt when the dissertation is deposited in the Office of Graduate Studies.


  • Other Regulations
  • Graduation
    Candidates are expected to appear in person at commencement exercises to receive their degrees; however, diplomas will be mailed.


  • Editorial Assistance
    A student preparing a dissertation or other written work as part of academic requirements may, when appropriate, use the assistance of professional editors, provided that (1) he or she receives the approval of the research adviser or professor of the course in which written work is being submitted, (2) editorial assistance provided be limited to use of language and not to subject matter or meaning, and (3) all editorial assistance be described and acknowledged in the report.


  • Publication of Theses and Dissertations
    Advisers should exercise responsibility in approving for publication research topics that will not endanger long-term research projects or the safety or welfare of informants. Dependent upon the circumstances and the research point at which the danger is recognized, the Provost's Office may authorize a delay in publication of a dissertation for up to a maximum of one calendar year. Similarly, publication may be withheld for a maximum of six months if required for filing a patent application.

    Any thesis or dissertation may be published, either by the University or through an outside agency, provided due credit is given to the University. No form of publication, however, shall relieve the student of his or her responsibility for supplying the proper abstract and the specified number of complete copies of the thesis or dissertation for binding and deposit in the University Library System.

    The doctoral candidate is required to execute an agreement with the University Microfilms Inc. for the publication of the dissertation on microfilm.


  • Multiple Degree Programs

  • Two Independent Degree Programs Simultaneously

    Students may pursue two independent graduate degrees simultaneously in two different schools within the University or two different departments within the same school. Students desiring to enroll in two degree programs must be admitted into both programs and must satisfy the degree requirements of both programs. Normally, such students should be enrolled for no more than a total of 15 credits per term. Unless the student is pursuing an officially approved dual-degree master's program, the same course, examination, thesis, or dissertation cannot be used to fulfill requirements for two independent degrees, although a maximum of six credits of course work may be used in partial fulfillment of the requirements of both degrees.


  • Dual-degree Programs
    FAS dual-degree programs at the present time are available only in Mathematics and Computer Science.


  • Joint-degree Programs
    Currently there are three joint-degree programs involving FAS: (l) The MD/PhD program offers selected students an opportunity to earn MD and PhD degrees simultaneously from the School of Medicine and certain departments in FAS. Interested applicants should contact the MD/PhD program at M211 Scaife Hall, (412) 648-2324 for further information; (2) the MBA/MA in Area Studies program provides students who are admitted to the MBA program in the Katz Graduate School of Business an opportunity to earn a joint MA in Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, Russian and East European Studies, or West European Studies. Interested students should contact the International Business Center, 355 Mervis Hall, (412) 648-1509 for further information; (3) the JD/MA program offers selected students the opportunity to earn the JD and the MA degrees in History and Philosophy of Science while pursuing the Medical Ethics track in this master's program. Interested students should contact the Department of the History and Philosophy of Science, 1017 Cathedral of Learning, (412) 624-5897, or the School of Law at 648-1384.

    In both the dual- and joint-degree programs, students must be admitted to both academic programs offering the degrees and must be graduated from both degree programs at the same time.


  • Certificate Programs
    A variety of interdisciplinary programs leading to completion of a certificate may be pursued by students working toward a master's degree or doctorate in FAS. (See Interdisciplinary Programs)



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