Manual - Graduate College - The University of Iowa

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Manual of Rules and Regulations
of the Graduate College

This is the most up-to-date version of Manual of Rules and Regulations, updated in 2007.

The manual is also available in PDF format (169KB).

Table of Contents

Part 1. The Academic Program

Admission to the Graduate College
Registration
Traveling Scholar Program
Academic Standing, Probation, and Dismissal
Credits
Marking System
Graduate Appointments
Advanced Programs Offered in the Graduate College
General Requirements for Advanced Degrees
1. Application for Degree
2. Enrollment in Final Session
Master's Degrees
Graduate Certificate Programs
Doctor's Degrees
Procedures for Approving New Certificate, Subtrack, and Degree Programs
Exceptions

Part 2. The Graduate Faculty

Membership and Procedures
The Graduate Council
Amendments

Part 1. The Academic Program

Section I. Admission to the Graduate College

A. Application Procedure. All students seeking to register for the first time in the Graduate College of the University of Iowa must secure formal admission from the director of Admissions. Applicants may obtain the proper forms from: Director of Admissions, 107 Calvin Hall, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242. Prospective students may also download the application or apply on-line from the admissions web site.

In addition to these forms, official transcripts, test scores and other supporting material must be submitted by the designated deadline prior to the session in which admission is expected. Specific deadline dates will be established by the dean of the Graduate College and the director of Admissions and printed in the Catalog and elsewhere.

B. Advanced Measurement Tests. Beginning with the Fall 2007 Semester, each graduate program will determine which, if any, advanced measurement test(s) will be required of the applicants to the program. Examples of such examinations include the General (Aptitude) Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the GRE Subject (Advanced) Tests, and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). For those departments or programs that choose to require an examination, the examination must be required for all students; there cannot be exempt categories. Additionally, a final admission decision will not be made by the Office of Graduate Admissions until the student's scores have been received. The judgment of acceptable levels of performance on these tests, and the weight of such scores in the overall decision-making process, is left to the department or program.

C. English for International Students. Prior to consideration for admission, international student applicants whose native language is other than English must take and pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) unless they have received a degree from an accredited college or university in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada (except Quebec), Australia, or New Zealand. The examination is given at various times of the year and in many centers throughout the world. Inquiries should be addressed to the Director, TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey 08541.

International students transferring from unfinished degree programs of other universities in the United States who have not taken this examination, or who have received a score lower than the minimum established by the Graduate College dean, must take the TOEFL examination and receive a passing score prior to consideration for admission.

Students who barely pass the established minimum on the TOEFL will be required to sit for an English evaluation upon arrival in Iowa City. The Graduate College will require these students to take and pass recommended course work in English usage at The University of Iowa designed especially for international students.

D. Early Admission. A student who is within 6 semester hours of having satisfied all the requirements for the bachelor's degree at The University of Iowa or any other accredited college may be given provisional admission.

E. Candidacy. Admission to the Graduate College is not the equivalent of acceptance as a candidate for an advanced degree, which must be earned through work successfully completed at The University of Iowa. (See Section X, Master's Degrees and Section XII, Doctor's Degrees.)

F. Declaration of Major and Degree. Every applicant for admission must indicate on the application form the department or program of major interest and the degree, certificate, or professional objective intended for pursuit. The only exceptions to this regulation are the limited number of applicants registered as nondegree ("special") students. (See definition of nondegree status in next section.) Changes in the major or degree status may be made in the course of a student's graduate study with the approval of the department to which the transfer is proposed. To initiate such action the student must file a change of major or degree status in the Office of Admissions.

G. Admission Requirements and Status. Graduates of any college or university accredited by regional accrediting associations may be admitted to the Graduate College if their academic records meet the required standards. Upon admission, all students fall into one of the following three categories:

1. Regular. For students who have met the minimum requirements for admission and who have been accepted by a department, or interdepartmental degree program, for work leading to a graduate degree or certificate, or for professional improvement. The minimum grade point average for admission as a regular student to all graduate programs is 3.00.

Departments or programs may petition the Graduate College dean for admission of a student whose grade point average is less than 3.00, if there is sufficient evidence of the student's academic and/or professional achievement indicating his/her potential for success in a graduate program.

Departments, or committees in charge of interdepartmental degree programs, may, and often do, set higher minimum admission requirements than those set forth above for the Graduate College as a whole. Information concerning departmental or program requirements may be obtained directly from the executive of the department concerned.

2. Conditional. Students who are interested in working toward a graduate degree or certificate but who are required by a department to demonstrate their ability to do satisfactory graduate work before being admitted to regular status. To be admitted on conditional status the student must be recommended by a department, which will assume responsibility for advising the student. The student on conditional status must achieve regular status within two sessions of registration in the Graduate College by attaining a grade-point average of at least 3.00, and acceptance by the major department, or be dismissed.

3. Nondegree (Special). Students with a valid bachelor's degree and at least a 2.5 grade-point average are eligible to register for a total of no more than two courses per semester. In addition, a nondegree student may not accumulate more than two courses within a given department/program under this classification. These students must be approved for admission by the Graduate College and Office of Admissions. Nondegree graduate students are not eligible for a graduate degree.

H. Admission of Faculty Members to Graduate Study. Persons who hold faculty rank of assistant professor (including clinical assistant professor) or above at The University of Iowa may be admitted as nondegree students (see Section G above). A person holding faculty rank as specified above may petition the Graduate College dean for permission to enter a departmental program for work leading to an advanced degree, certificate, or professional improvement, except in the department of his or her appointment or a closely related department. Such petitions must have prior approval of the department of appointment, dean of the college of appointment, the department in which study is to be pursued, and the Graduate College.

I. Readmission. If a student’s enrollment is interrupted for any reason so that s/he is not enrolled for three consecutive academic sessions, including the summer session but excluding inter-sessions, the student must apply for readmission. The readmission application form must be used. The Graduate College will not require new letters of recommendation, a new Personal Statement section, a written explanation of the reasons for the absence, or a plan for degree completion. However, departments and programs may choose to require any or all of the foregoing.

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Section II. Registration

A. Standard Schedule. Students registered in the Graduate College may register for no more than 15 semester hours in all courses eligible for graduate credit (100-level or above). A maximum, graduate semester-hour registration will include all courses numbered 100 or above, whether they are offered as on-campus, extension, Guided Independent Study or workshop classes. In a schedule of mixed graduate and undergraduate courses, 2 hours of undergraduate credit may be substituted for 1 hour of graduate credit, with registration limited to a total of 18 semester hours. This equivalency applies to the calculation of academic load only. Graduate credit is not given for courses numbered under 100. The maximum for the eight-week summer session is 8 semester hours. Corresponding maximums for the three-week summer and winter sessions and the six-week summer session are 3 or 6 semester hours, respectively. The maximum semester-hour registration for work scheduled outside of the regular eight-week summer session will be arranged on a basis proportionate to that stated above with the approval of the Graduate College dean. Nine semester hours in the regular semester constitute full-time registration. (Fellows are required to carry at least 9 semester hours during a semester as a condition of their appointments.) One-quarter-time and one-third-time appointees are permitted to register for the maximum 15 semester hours per semester and 8 semester hours during the eight-week summer session.

B. Courses Not Included in Total Registration. In addition to a full schedule, a graduate student may register for offered courses as carrying zero semester hours credit.

C. Changes in Announced Credit. Graduate students may not register for more credit than that offered for in any course but may register for less credit, or no credit, by permission of the instructor. The number of courses a graduate student may take for limited or no credit is subject to the consent of the adviser and the approval of the dean of the Graduate College.

D. Reduced Schedules for Teaching and Research Assistants and Other Appointees.

1. One-half-time appointees may register for not more than 12 semester hours during a semester or 6 semester hours during the eight-week summer session.

2. Five-eighths-time appointees may register for not more than 10 semester hours during a semester or 5 semester hours during the eight-week summer session.

3. Two-thirds- and three-quarter-time appointees may register for not more than 9 semester hours during a semester or 5 semester hours during the eight-week summer session.

4. Seven-eighths-time appointees may register for not more than 7 semester hours during a semester or 4 semester hours during the eight-week summer session.

5. Full-time appointees, including full-time instructors, may register for not more than 6 semester hours during a semester or 3 semester hours during the eight-week summer session.

E. Retroactive Registration. No form of retroactive registration is permitted.

F. Registration for Part of a Session. A graduate student may register at any time during the semester or the eight-week summer session for not more than 1 semester hour of credit for each of the remaining weeks of classes (not including the examination period) in the term. The total registration may not exceed the 15 semester hours permitted for a semester and the 8 semester hours permitted for the eight-week summer session. Registration after the last day of the second week of a semester or the third day of the second week of a summer session is permitted only in courses involving special projects, readings, individual study, thesis, or research, with the signed approval of the instructor concerned and the Graduate College dean. Proportional credit limitations and deadlines for the three-week and six-week summer sessions will be established on a prorated basis.

G. Extramural Registration. After admission to a departmental program in the Graduate College, registration for work done off campus may be accepted for resident credit under the following circumstances:

1. Traveling Scholar Program of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation. (See Section III.)

2. Research at approved locations under the direction of members of the graduate faculty of The University of Iowa.

3. Fieldwork as part of a regularly scheduled course or research program.

4. Courses taught off campus by members of the graduate faculty. (See Section X. D. and Section XII. C. for minimum semester hours required on campus for the master's and doctor's degrees.)

5. Resident graduate credit from another Iowa Regents' university. (See Section V. B.)

6. As many as 9 semester hours of graduate work taken at the Quad- Cities Graduate Center from faculty other than faculty of the Iowa Regents' universities, provided the work is acceptable to the student's major department for the specified degree.

Extramural registration does not count toward residence credit in the following circumstance: Course work transferred from another institution.

H. Guided Independent Study (GIS) Courses. Guided Independent Study (GIS) credits must be acceptable for a student's Plan of Study. A graduate student may register for GIS courses only with the approval of his/her advisor.

I. System of Course Numbers. Courses primarily for graduate students are numbered 200 or above in each department. Courses open to and carrying credit for both graduate and undergraduate students are numbered from 100 to 199. A student must be enrolled in the Graduate College in order to earn graduate credit for course work numbered 100 or above. Courses below 100 are not accepted for graduate credit, irrespective of a student's classification. Graduate credit may not be earned for taking courses numbered below 100 by registering in such courses as readings, special projects, or independent study having course numbers of 100 or above.

J. Auditing of Courses. Upon approval of the instructor and the adviser, graduate students may audit courses for zero credit. Fee assessment for auditing courses is based on the number of hours for which the course is offered, with a minimum of 1 s.h. Auditing is permitted only for a student who is currently registered. See Section VI.C. for the marking system.

K. Dropping of Courses. All graduate students who drop courses after the deadline date established by the dean of the Graduate College for each session and published by the registrar shall receive the grade of F unless the entire registration is withdrawn. This regulation may be waived by the Graduate College dean only on the recommendation of the Student Health director or the Student Counseling Service. If a student withdraws after the deadline date, the student must obtain permission from the dean of the Graduate College before being permitted to reregister.

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Section III. Traveling Scholar Program

A. Purpose. The program, under the auspices of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation representing twelve universities in the Midwest, enables a doctoral student to take advantage of special resources available on another campus but not available on his or her own campus: special course offerings, research opportunities, unique laboratories, and library collections.

B. Procedure.

1. A CIC Traveling Scholar first must be recommended by the scholar's own graduate adviser, who will approach an appropriate faculty member at the possible host institution in regard to a visiting arrangement.

2. After agreement by the student's adviser and the faculty member at the host institution, graduate deans at both institutions will be fully informed by the adviser and have the power to approve or disapprove.

3. A CIC Traveling Scholar will be registered at the home university and fees will be collected and kept by that institution.

4. Credit for the work taken will be recorded at the home university.

5. Those desiring additional information should inquire at the Office of the Graduate College.

C. Conditions. CIC Traveling Scholars will normally be limited to two semesters or three quarters on another campus. Each university retains its full right to accept or reject any student who wishes to study under its auspices.

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Section IV. Academic Standing, Probation, and Dismissal

A. Nondoctoral Students. A nondoctoral departmental (master's, professional improvement, certificate) student, except one on conditional status, shall be placed on probation if, after completing 8 semester hours of graduate work, the student's cumulative grade-point average on graduate work done at The University of Iowa falls below 2.75. If, after completing 8 more semester hours of graduate work at this University, the student's cumulative grade-point average remains below 2.75, the student shall be denied permission to reregister within any departmental program; otherwise the student shall be restored to good standing.*

Nondoctoral, nondepartmental (nondegree, extension, workshop) students shall be evaluated for probation and dismissal purposes based on the same semester-hour sequence as stated above, at a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.50.

* This requirement shall apply to students entering nondoctoral departmental programs beginning with the Fall 2001 Semester. A minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.50 is required of nondoctoral departmental students admitted prior to that session.

B. Doctoral Students. A doctoral student on regular status shall be placed on probation if, after completing 8 hours of graduate work, the student's cumulative grade-point average on graduate work done at The University of Iowa falls below 3.00. If, after completing 8 more semester hours of graduate work at this University, the student's cumulative grade-point average remains below the required level, the student shall be dropped from the program and denied permission to reregister unless the student applies and is accepted for a nondoctoral degree or certificate program. If, after completing the second 8 semester hours, the cumulative grade-point average is at least 3.00, the student is returned to good standing.**

** This requirement shall apply to students entering doctoral programs beginning with the Fall 1979 Semester. A minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.70 is required of students admitted to doctoral programs prior to that session.

C. Restriction on Students on Probation. A student on probation shall not be permitted to take comprehensive or final examinations leading to any degree or certificate, nor may the student receive any graduate degree or certificate.

D. Departmental Regulations and Dissemination of Information. In addition to the above University-wide requirements, departments may establish further requirements which then determine the individual student's standing with regard to probation and dismissal. To this end, each department or program shall compile a written list of standards and procedures for work in that area. These documents shall be on file in each departmental office and the office of the Graduate College dean. Copies are to be available for students in the departmental office, and departments shall make all reasonable efforts to inform students. Subsequent changes in standards or procedures shall be communicated by the department to each student and the Graduate College dean. Whenever departments revise standards for a given program, the new regulations will not apply retroactively to the disadvantage of those already in the program. In addition to notifying students that they are subject to the rules of the Graduate College as set forth in the Manual of Rules and Regulations, any standards established by the department more stringent than the general Graduate College requirements shall be stated. Information shall be provided outlining required courses applicable to the various departmental programs of study, examination procedures and other formal evaluations, departmental policies with regard to awarding and renewing assistantships, time limits on programs of study, departmental registration policies, departmental grade-point requirements, requirements for changing from one degree program to another within the department, especially from the master's to the doctor's degrees, departmental probation and dismissal policies and procedures (see E following), and other matters as are appropriate. The nature of the departmental advisory system shall be explained to incoming students.

E. Academic Progress, Departmental Probation, and Dismissal Procedures. If a student is failing to meet departmental standards, the department shall warn the student of this fact in writing. The notification shall specify in what way(s) the student is failing to meet the standards. The student shall be provided a reasonable amount of time to meet the standards prior to departmental dismissal. If conditions such as conditional admission or probation are imposed, the department shall give at the time of its imposition written explanation of this status and its time limits.

A student who will not be permitted to re-register for failure to meet standards shall be notified of this fact in writing with reasons for the action provided. Such dismissal may follow failure to meet conditions of admission, conditions of probation, preannounced departmental grade-point requirements or other standards, or failure of a regularly scheduled examination or formal evaluation. If a student judges the dismissal decision improper, the student has a right to review. Each department shall establish procedures for handling such reviews. The procedures are to be approved by the Graduate College dean, and shall afford a fair and expeditious review. A description of these procedures shall be included in the departmental regulations described above. (See Section IV. D.)

F. Plagiarism by Graduate Students. The Online Oxford English Dictionary (http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50180578?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=plagiarize&first=1&max_to_show=10) defines “plagiarize” as follows, “to take and use as one's own (the thoughts, writings, or inventions of another person); to copy (literary work or ideas) improperly or without acknowledgement; (occas.) to pass off as one's own the thoughts or work of (another).”In practice, the exact definition of “plagiarize” or “plagiarism” is dependent upon the unique attributes of the creative work of a particular discipline. Thus, it is understood that different academic disciplines and cultures may have different interpretations as to the actual actions which constitute plagiarism. With this in mind, the Graduate College will operate in the following manner when a program or department discovers an act or acts of plagiarism on the part of a graduate student.

1) If the faculty members of a program or department determine that the transgression is not major, or else feel that there is a misunderstanding of the acts which constitute plagiarism, the program or department may wish to work with the student so as to prevent future occurrences of plagiarism on the part of that student. Written notification of the offense and the remediation for the offense must be sent to the Graduate College for inclusion in the student’s file.

2) If the faculty members of a program or department discover an act (or acts) of plagiarism that is (are) sufficiently egregious that expulsion from the program is warranted, the student will be terminated from his or her graduate program for reasons of plagiarism. In this case, the student will be simultaneously terminated from the Graduate College of The University of Iowa. The program or department must notify the student of his or her termination in writing. All relevant facts, as well as the process for appealing the decision, must be contained in the termination letter. The Graduate College must receive a copy of the termination letter. If the graduate student resigns from the program to avoid being terminated for reasons of plagiarism, the student will be considered to have simultaneously resigned from the Graduate College.

The appeal process for students accused of academic misconduct is specified in The University of Iowa document, “Policies and Regulations Affecting Students, C. Academic Misconduct,” which states:
“Questions of academic dishonesty arising within the colleges of Medicine, Law, Pharmacy, and Dentistry, and the Graduate College are treated on an individual basis.
In the Graduate College, the questions [of academic dishonesty] are handled at the departmental level. If the departmental decision is appealed, the dean may appoint an appeals committee of faculty and students from a slate of nominees prepared by the Graduate Council and the Graduate Student Senate to recommend an appropriate course of action.”

The appeal process must be initiated by the student. If the student wishes to appeal the department’s or program’s action, that appeal must be lodged with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the Graduate College within 30 days of program or departmental dismissal.

G. Graduate College Review of Departmental Dismissal. Questions involving judgment of performance will not be reviewed beyond the departmental level. If, however, the student feels there has been unfairness or some procedural irregularity concerning dismissal, the student may pursue a grievance according to the Academic Grievance Procedure (AGP) established by the Graduate College. The AGP is available in the Graduate College. The student should consult with the Graduate College prior to initiating an academic grievance.

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Section V. Credits

A. Transfer of Graduate Credit. Graduate work at other institutions will be entered on the student's Permanent Record by the Office of Admissions, and a report on this action will be sent to the student and to his or her major department. Credit for these courses toward an advanced degree at Iowa must have the approval of the major department and the dean of the Graduate College. (See Sections X. E. and XII. E. Reduction of Old Credits.)

B. Residence Transfer Credit. After admission to a departmental program in the Graduate College, residence graduate credit from another Iowa Regents' university may be counted as residence credit at this institution, provided such work is acceptable to the student's major department on the basis of the department's determination of its applicability toward the degree. (See Sections X. D. and XII. C. for minimum semester hours required on campus for the master's and doctor's degrees, and Section X. E. and XII. E Reduction of Old Credits.)

C. Graduate Credit for Veterans. Credit may be granted for studies pursued in war and military situations under such regulations as may be formulated by the national educational agencies and under such adaptations of standing rules as the Graduate Council may authorize from time to time to meet group or individual situations. The value of such credit in satisfying requirements for a degree will be determined by the major department with the approval of the dean.

D. Withdrawal of Registration and Proportional Credit for Students Entering Military Service.

1. Students who leave within the first six weeks of the semester receive no credit.

2. Students who leave within the period of seven to nine weeks receive 1/2 credit.

3. Students who leave within the period of ten to twelve weeks receive 2/3 credit.

4. Grade reports for the 1/2- and 2/3-credit periods: (a) Instructors report grades only as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. (b) Credit is to be assigned on the basis of total registration minus thesis and seminar. (c) Courses are to be counted toward specific degree requirements only after the student returns and then only with the department's approval.

5. Students who complete the twelfth week receive full credit.

6. Grade reports for the full credit period: (a) Grades are to be reported only at the end of the semester. (b) Credit is to be reported in specific courses.

7. In each instance the instructor reports the student's credit, grade and date of withdrawal. No credit is granted unless the student's work is satisfactory at the time of leaving.

8. The amount of credit in thesis and research registration is to be reported to the registrar by individual instructors on the above basis except that less or zero credit may be assigned.

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Section VI. Marking System

A. Marks Carrying Graduate Credit. These are A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C- and S-satisfactory.

B. Marks Carrying No Graduate Credit. These are D+, D, D-, F, I-incomplete, W-withdrawn without discredit, R-registered, and U-unsatisfactory.

C. Audit. R is assigned when a student registered for zero credit attends as an auditor throughout the course; if the student fails to meet the instructor's requirements for class attendance, W is assigned.

D. Incomplete. The grade of I is to be used only when a student's work during a session cannot be completed because of illness, accident, or other circumstances beyond the student's control. In registrations for thesis, research, or independent study, the S/U grades may be applied. (See next paragraph, E.) An Incomplete will automatically be converted to an F at the end of the next full semester (summer and winter sessions excluded), even if the student does not enroll after the session the I was posted. The specific deadline for the faculty's report on I grades to the registrar will be set by the Office of the Registrar for each session and printed in the academic calendar. Courses may not be repeated to remove incompletes; removal of an I is accomplished only through the completion of the specific work for which the mark is given.

E. Thesis, Research, Readings, Independent Study, and Special Projects. Grades of S and U may be used for registrations in thesis, research, readings, independent study, and special projects. S-satisfactory means that the student receives credit for the work; U-unsatisfactory means that he or she receives no credit. Neither S nor U is used in computing grade-point averages. At a later date, the instructor may change the S to a letter grade. In addition, departments may request permission from the Graduate College dean to use grades of S and U as described above for courses which, because of their special or experimental nature, are judged to be more appropriate for such grading. The type of grading system to be used in the above cases should always be mutually understood by the instructor and student.

F. Grades of S and U may be used for courses taken by a graduate student outside the major department or interdepartmental degree program, provided that the instructor of the course and the student's departmental adviser approve the registration. Arrangements for S/U grading in these courses are accomplished by filing a card with appropriate signatures in the Registrar's Office at the time of registration, or no later than the last day of the second week of a semester or the third day of the second week of a summer session. No changes from letter grades to S/U grades or vice-versa will be allowed after these dates.

It is not the policy of the Graduate College to abandon the traditional letter grades described in this section; however, in certain exceptional instances, departments having several areas of concentration involving widely differing types of effort may request the permission of the Graduate Council to allow students majoring in one area to register in courses in another area within the same department or program on an S/U basis. In these instances, S/U cards will be used as described in the preceding paragraph.

G. Computed Grade-Point Average. This is based only upon graduate work grade A+ = 4.33, A = 4.00, A- = 3.67, B+ = 3.33, B = 3.00, B- = 2.67, C+ = 2.33, C = 2.00, C- = 1.67, D+ = 1.33, D = 1.00, D- = .067, and F = 0. Although a grade of A+ will have a value of 4.33 in computing a student's grade-point average, the cumulative average will be truncated so as not to exceed 4.00.

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Section VII. Graduate Appointments

A. Scholarships. Scholarships are competitive and awarded on merit.

1. Eligibility for graduate scholarships and fellowships will include but will not be exclusive to: (a) registration in the Graduate College; (b) cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00; (c) a satisfactory rate of progress in completing the program for the degree.

2. Preference will be given to candidates for the doctoral degree.

3. Recommendations for graduate scholarships may be made to the Graduate College by the appropriate department executive, director, or dean. A graduate scholarship may be awarded whether or not a student holds an assistantship. The amount of scholarship for the academic year may vary, but in no case exceed the comprehensive fee assessed. Scholarships will be credited to the student's University account.

B. Graduate College Fellowships are awarded by the Graduate College upon recommendation by departments to students with outstanding academic records. Fellows must be registered as full-time students. The primary purpose of the awards is to permit an advanced student to complete the dissertation or creative project and take the degree. Other terms of the award will be established by the Graduate College dean in consultation with the Graduate Council.

C. Faculty Research Assistantships. Faculty research assistantships are awarded to qualified graduate students and serve two purposes: (a) to provide research service to professorial members of the academic staff and (b) to provide apprenticeship experience for graduate students who are in training in research. Not more than twenty hours of service per week are required of a half-time assistant. Other part-time service is scaled in proportion, and a limited academic schedule is permitted (see Section II. D.). Appointments ordinarily are made for the nine-month academic year, but appointments may be made for other periods of time by special arrangement. Stipends vary with the qualifications of the appointee and the amount of service rendered.

D. Graduate Teaching Assistantships serve two purposes: (a) assistance in the instructional program of the University and (b) the preparation of future college teachers. In order to achieve both aims, scholastically superior graduate students who show exceptional promise as teachers are selected for graduate teaching assistantships. All appointments are made by the dean of the appropriate college on recommendation of the department.

E. Eligibility for Scholarships, Fellowships, and Research Assistantships. Scholars, fellows, and faculty research assistants on the Graduate College budget must be registered as regular students in good standing in order to hold such appointments. Appointments will be terminated when registration and/or student status is terminated. In no instance may a student be promised or tendered an appointment until after approval for admission to the Graduate College by the director of Admissions.

F. Loans for graduate students requiring financial assistance are available at the Office of Student Financial Aid as described in the Catalog and elsewhere.

G. Other Forms of Support are available in many of the departments in the form of traineeships, part-time employment on research programs, or part-time teaching. Inquiries should be addressed directly to the major department.

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Section VIII. Advanced Programs Offered in the Graduate College

Departmental or Interdepartmental Program	Code No.	Degrees Offered
Accounting	(06A)	M.Ac.¹
African-American World Studies	(134)	M.A.*
American Studies	(045)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Anatomy and Cell Biology	(060)	M.S., Ph.D.
Anthropology	(113)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Applied Mathematical and Computational Sciences	(22A)	Ph.D.
Art	(001)	M.A.*, M.F.A.
Art History	(01H)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Asian Civilizations	(39C)	M.A.*
Astronomy	(29A)	M.S.*
Biochemistry	(099)	M.S., Ph.D.
Biology	(02A)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Biomedical Engineering	(531)	M.S. *, Ph.D.
Biostatistics	(171)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Business Administration (Departmental)	(06B)	M.A. *, Ph.D.
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering	(532)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Chemistry	(004)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Civil and Environmental Engineering	(533)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Classics	(043)	M.A.¹, Ph.D.
Clinical Investigation	(194)	M.S.*
Communication Studies	(036)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Community and Behavioral Health	(172)	M.S., Ph.D.
Comparative Literature	(48C)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Comparative Literature-Translation	(48L)	M.F.A.
Computer Science	(22C)	M.S.*, M.C.S.¹, Ph.D.
Counseling, Rehabilitation, and Student Development	(07C)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Dance	(137)	M.F.A.
Dental Public Health	(11D)	M.S.
Economics	(06E)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Education	(007)	M.A.*, M.A.T.¹, Ed.S.¹, Ph.D.
Educational Policy and Leadership Studies	(07B)	M.A.*, Ed.S.¹, Ph.D.
Electrical and Computer Engineering	(535)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
English	(008)	M.A.*, M.F.A., Ph.D.
Epidemiology	(173)	M.S. *, Ph.D.
Exercise Science	(27B)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Film and Video Production	(48V)	M.A.*, M.F.A.
Film Studies	(48F)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Free Radical and Radiation Biology	(077)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
French	(009)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Genetics	(127)	Ph.D.
Geography	(044)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Geoscience	(012)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
German	(013)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Greek	(014)	M.A.¹
Health and Sport Studies	(028)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Health, Leisure and Sport Studies	(28B)	M.A. *, Ph.D.
Health Management and Policy	(174)	M.H.A.¹, Ph.D.
Health Services and Policy	(192)	Ph.D.
History	(016)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Human Toxicology	(198)	M.S., Ph.D.
Immunology	(148)	Ph.D.
Industrial Engineering	(536)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Informatics	(200)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Integrative Physiology	(027)	Ph.D.
Journalism	(19J)	M.A.*
Latin	(020)	M.A.¹
Leisure Studies	(169)	M.A.*
Library and Information Science	(021)	M.A.*
Linguistics	(103)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Mass Communications	(19M)	Ph.D.
Mathematics	(22M)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Mechanical Engineering	(538)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Microbiology	(061)	M.S., Ph.D.
Molecular Biology	(142)	Ph.D.
Molecular and Cellular Biology	(142)	Ph.D.
Molecular Physiology and Biophysics	(072)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Music	(025)	M.A.*, M.F.A., D.M.A., Ph.D.
Neuroscience	(132)	Ph.D.
Nursing	(196)	M.S.N.*, Ph.D., D.N.P.
Occupational and Environmental Health	(175)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Operative Dentistry	(082)	M.S.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	(087)	M.S.
Oral Science	(151)	M.S., Ph.D.
Orthodontics	(089)	M.S.
Pathology	(069)	M.S.
Pharmacology	(071)	M.S., Ph.D.
Pharmacy	(146)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Philosophy	(026)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Physical Rehabilitation Science	(182)	Ph.D.
Physical Therapy	(101)	M.A.*, D.P.T.
Physics	(29P)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Physiology and Biophysics	(72A)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Political Science	(030)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health	(063)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Psychological and Quantitative Foundations	(07P)	M.A.*, Ed.S.¹, Ph.D.
Psychology	(031)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Public Health	(170)	M.P.H.¹
Religious Studies	(032)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Russian	(041)	M.A.*²
Science Education	(07R)	M.S. *, M.A.T.¹, Ph.D.
Second Language Acquisition	(164)	Ph.D.
Social Work	(042)	M.S.W.*, Ph.D.
Sociology	(034)	M.A. *, Ph.D.
Spanish	(035)	M.A.*, Ph.D.
Speech and Hearing Science	(03H)	Ph.D.
Speech Pathology and Audiology	(003)	M.A.*, Au.D.
Statistical Genetics	(185)	Ph.D.
Statistics	(22B)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Stomatology	(86P)	M.S.
Teaching and Learning	(07Z)	M.A.*, M.A.T.¹, Ph.D.
Theatre Arts	(049)	M.F.A.
Third World Development Support	(150)	M.A.*²
Translational Biomedicine	(163)	M.S.*, Ph.D.
Urban and Regional Planning	(102)	M.A., M.S.
Women's Studies	(131)	Ph.D.

* Department offers both program with or without a thesis.
¹ Nonthesis degree
² Student entry suspended

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Section IX. General Requirements for Advanced Degrees

A. Application for Degree. The student must file an application for an anticipated degree with the registrar by the deadline date printed in the Graduate College academic calendar for the session in which the degree will be conferred. The student must have the application signed by his or her adviser. Failure to file the application by the deadline date established by the Graduate College dean will result in the postponement of graduation to a subsequent session.

B. Enrollment in Final Session. The student must be enrolled during the session in which the degree is to be conferred. Students who are away from the University campus during that session may meet this requirement by registering for independent study, research, or thesis hours according to the practice in the various departments. Doctoral candidates who have completed all work except the final examination may register for Doctoral Final Registration described in Section XII. L. if such registration is appropriate. Master's candidates who have completed all work except the final examination may register for Master's Final Registration, if such registration is appropriate. Both the Doctoral Final Registration and Master's Final Registration require a 2 s.h. tuition/fee payment, and may be repeated if the degree requirements are not completed in this session. Registration in a course for which tuition/fees are not assessed (Cooperative Education Internship, for example) will not satisfy this requirement.

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Section X. Master's Degrees

A. Kinds of Degrees. The University of Iowa offers programs leading to the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree, Master of Science (M.S.) degree, and several professional master’s degrees.

M.A. and M.S. degrees require mastery of methodologies and practices of research and scholarship of the discipline. A thesis describing original scholarship or research may be required. M.A./M.S. degrees may be designed either as preparation for entry into Doctoral degree programs or to provide advanced study and accomplishment that serves a variety of career and other purposes. Degrees are awarded in many fields of study, or majors, consistent with conventions of the discipline (e.g., M.A. in Art, English, Psychology; M.S. in Chemistry, Mathematics, Physiology). (For complete list, see Section VIII.) M.A. and M.S. degrees require a minimum of 30 semester hours, a final examination, and, in some fields, a thesis.

Professional Master’s degrees provide knowledge, perspectives, and skills required for professional practice. Some programs may include introduction to research or scholarship sufficient to allow application of current literature to practice. Professional master’s degrees generally are indicated by a three- or four-letter designation; examples include the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), Master of Social Work (M.S.W.), Master of Public Health (M.P.H.), Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.), Master of Accountancy (M.Ac.). (For complete list, see Section VIII.) Professional Master’s degrees require a minimum of 30 semester hours. Some may require a final examination as well as a thesis, papers, projects, colloquia, internships, or other experiential-based activity typical of preparation for practice in the field.

A student may prepare a proposal for an interdisciplinary course of study, including the plan of study defining course work, examination requirements, a research plan, and a committee of at least three faculty members, with either the department most directly concerned or the Graduate College designated as the sponsor. Final approval of such individual programs is granted by the Graduate College dean, who may add members to the student’s supervising committee from other closely related departmental faculties or from the Graduate Council. The degree will be awarded in interdisciplinary studies (master’s) stipulated in the approved graduate program and, parenthetically, the name of the sponsoring department.

B. Plan of Study. The applicant for a master's degree must file a Plan of Study approved by the adviser and the departmental executive with the Graduate College within the session in which the degree is to be granted and by the deadline date printed in the Graduate College academic calendar. If the session in which a student takes his/her final exam is earlier than the session in which the degree is to be granted, the Plan of Study must be filed prior to the administration of the student's final examination. The plan shall meet the requirements for the degree approved by the graduate faculty. (See also Section IV. D. Departmental Regulations and Dissemination of Information.)

C. Major and Related Fields. The Plan of Study should provide for reasonable concentration in the major field of interest and, subject to the approval of the major department, may include related subjects from other departments.

D. Academic Residence Requirement. Of the minimum of 30 semester hours required for the degree, at least 24 semester hours must be completed under the auspices of The University of Iowa after admission to a graduate department/program. Various forms of extramural registration may qualify toward fulfillment of the aforementioned 24 semester hours residence requirement (see Section II. G. Extramural Registration) in addition to regular on-campus registration. Students who have elected or who are required to write a thesis for conferral of their master's degrees, must complete at least 8 semester hours of the 24-semester hour, academic residence requirement on campus. At the discretion of the department, the 8-semester hour, on-campus requirement may be waived for non-thesis master's programs. Election of the waiver option is to be applied programmatically, and not on a student-by-student basis, and must be formally conveyed to the Graduate College.

E. Reduction of Old Credits. Courses taken ten or more years, prior to the session in which the master's degree is to be conferred, must be evaluated by the major department in order to determine the possible use of these credit hours within a student's plan of study. The department, in turn, must send a letter of petition to the Graduate College, requesting the use of any or all of these credits toward the fulfillment of degree requirements.

F. Limit on Professional Courses. Work taken by a student in the colleges of Dentistry, Law or Medicine while enrolled for a professional degree may be credited to a graduate program leading to a master's degree if it is taken after the student has earned a bachelor's degree, or has completed work equivalent to that required for a bachelor's degree at The University of Iowa. The work accepted from the professional college must be directly related to the student's major field of study in the Graduate College and be approved as part of the Plan of Study by the student's adviser and the major department. Work completed while the student is registered for a professional degree in Law, Medicine, or Dentistry will be counted as part of the residence requirement for nondoctoral degrees in the Graduate College only when the student is registered in an appropriate joint degree program.

G. Two Master's Degrees. The granting by this University of two master's degrees simultaneously or in succession requires the satisfaction of all requirements for each degree separately, including two theses where a thesis is required for each, and two examinations, with a minimum combined total of 60 semester hours of graduate credit.

H. Master's Degree with Thesis. Not more than 9 semester hours of credit for thesis research and writing shall be counted in satisfying the 30-hour minimum requirement. The thesis may be a scholarly study or an artistic production.

One copy of the thesis, complete and in final typed form, must be presented to the Graduate College for a check of formal characteristics by the first-deposit deadline date in the session in which the degree is to be conferred. (See the Graduate College "Thesis Manual.") After approval by the Graduate College and by the thesis committee, two copies of the thesis must be deposited with the Graduate College by the final deposit deadline date in the graduation session. Failure to submit the first and final deposits of the thesis by the deadline dates established by the Graduate College will result in the postponement of graduation to a future session.

If the thesis is in some nonprint form (e.g., painting, statue, performance in music) the librarian will help the student and faculty adviser work out an appropriate method of preparing the work, if such help is needed. Once the accompanying manuscript is accepted, it is treated the same as any other thesis.

Nonrefundable fees are charged each thesis candidate to cover processing and publication costs of the thesis.

The thesis committee shall consist of at least three members of the graduate faculty and may or may not be identical to the final examination committee. (The final examination committee for the master's degree shall consist of at least three members of the graduate faculty, at least two of whom are from the major department. See Section X. K. following.)

I. Master's Degree without Thesis. A master's degree without thesis, consisting of at least 30 semester hours of graduate work, may be awarded upon the completion of a curriculum prescribed by a department and approved by the Graduate Council.

J. Final Examination. The requirements for master's degrees may include a final examination which, at the discretion of the major department, may be written or oral or both. Such an examination will not duplicate course examinations. It will be evaluated by the examining committee as satisfactory or unsatisfactory, with two unsatisfactory votes making the committee report unsatisfactory. The report of the final examination is due in the Graduate College not later than 48 hours after the examination, and by the deadline date established by the Graduate College.

If the department so recommends, a candidate who fails the examination may present himself or herself for reexamination, but not sooner than the next regularly scheduled examination period in the following session.

The examination may be repeated only once.

A student must graduate within one calendar year after passing the final examination for a master's degree; failure to meet this deadline will require reexamination of the student.

Upon recommendation of a department, the comprehensive examination for a doctoral degree may be substituted for the master's examination.

Some master’s programs do not require a final exam. Students are responsible for checking the specific requirements of their individual degree programs.

K. Examining Committee. The examining committee for the master's degree consists of at least three members of the graduate faculty, appointed by the dean upon recommendation of the major department or program, at least two of whom are from the major department. If the examination covers work in another department, one member of the committee must be from that department. Upon recommendation of the major department, the dean may appoint additional qualified persons (not necessarily members of the graduate faculty) to serve as voting members of the examining committee, and at his or her discretion the Graduate College dean may add a member to the committee.

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Section XI. Graduate Certificate Programs

Graduate Certificate programs reflect specialization, either within a field or in an area of study, research, or training. Some Graduate Certificate programs may be open only to students seeking degrees in related fields; others may be offered as independent programs. Graduate Certificate programs are designed to enhance skills, to provide professional development and career advancement opportunities, to broaden career options, and for other purposes, both for traditional, full-time students and for those with full-time employment.

Graduate Certificate programs usually require a minimum of 15 semester hours of specified course work and may, in addition, require papers, projects, or experiential learning components designed for specific cohorts. Certificate programs generally require two to three semesters to complete.

Examples include the Graduate Certificates in: Aging Studies, American Indian and Native Studies, Informatics and Advanced Nurse Practitioner. Requirements for each Graduate Certificate are included in The University of Iowa General Catalog.

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Section XII. Doctor's Degrees

A. Character of Degree. The Graduate College offers doctoral programs leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), the highest degree awarded by the university; the Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.); the professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.); the professional Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.); and the professional Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.). The Doctor of Philosophy degree indicates marked excellence in original research or other creative work, and superior comprehension in the discipline. The Doctor of Musical Arts degree indicates marked excellence in performance and pedagogy. The Doctor of Physical Therapy degree indicates marked excellence in physical therapy differential diagnosis and clinical integration. The Doctor of Audiology degree indicates marked excellence in theoretical and advanced clinical skills. The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree indicates marked excellence in clinical practice and the application of clinical theory in the classroom and administrative venues.

B. Prerequisites. The candidate must present evidence of having completed a satisfactory amount of undergraduate work in the subject proposed for investigation or, in the case of deficiency, must register for prerequisite courses.

C. Residence Requirement. The Ph.D. is granted primarily on the basis of achievement rather than on the accumulation of semester hours of credit; however, the candidate is expected to have completed at least three years of residence in a graduate college. At least part of this residence must be spent in full-time involvement in one's discipline, at this University, beyond the first 24 semester hours of graduate work; this requirement can be met either by: (1) enrollment as a full-time student (9 semester hours minimum) in each of two semesters, or (2) enrollment for a minimum of 6 semester hours in each of three semesters during which the student holds at least a one-quarter-time assistantship certified by the department as contributing to the student's doctoral program. (For purposes of record and assessment of fees, student registration should reflect accurately the amount and kind of work undertaken in the Graduate College. All doctoral programs, including acceptable transfer credit, will contain a minimum of 72 semester hours of graduate work.)

D. Interdisciplinary Studies Programs. A student may prepare a proposal for an interdisciplinary course of study, including the plan of study defining course work, examination requirements, a research plan, and a committee of at least five faculty members, with either the department most directly concerned or the Graduate College designated as the sponsor. Final approval of such individual programs is granted by the Graduate College dean, who may add members to the student’s supervising committee from other closely related departmental faculties or from the Graduate Council. The degree will be awarded in interdisciplinary studies (doctorate) stipulated in the approved graduate program and, parenthetically, the name of the sponsoring department.

E. Reduction of Old Credits. Courses taken ten or more years, prior to the doctoral comprehensive examination, must be evaluated by the major department in order to determine the possible use of these credit hours within a student's plan of study. The department, in turn, must send a letter of petition to the Graduate College, requesting the use of any or all of these credits toward the fulfillment of degree requirements.

F. Limit on Professional Courses. Work taken by a student in the colleges of Dentistry, Law, or Medicine while enrolled for a professional degree may be credited to a graduate program leading to a doctoral degree if it is taken after the student has earned a bachelor's degree, or has completed work equivalent to that required for a bachelor's degree at The University of Iowa. The work accepted from the professional colleges must be directly related to the student's major field of study in the Graduate College, and the Plan of Study must be approved by the student's adviser and the major department. Work completed while registered for a professional degree in Law, Medicine, or Dentistry will be counted as part of the one academic year that must be spent in residence as a doctoral student only when the student is registered in a formally established joint degree program.

G. Joint Program for Master's and Doctoral Degrees. Those students who expect to continue their training through the doctoral degree may pursue a joint program for the master's and doctor's degrees. The master's examination may be combined with the comprehensive examination for the doctorate for these candidates. The examining committee will file separate reports of its actions on the final examination for the master's degree and for the comprehensive examination. Upon recommendation of the department and approval of the dean, students who are well qualified by previous training may submit a Plan of Study that leads directly to the doctoral degree without earning the master's degree as an intervening part.

H. Requirement in Foreign Languages. There is no Graduate College-wide requirement in foreign languages. Those departments that do require competence in one or more foreign languages establish standards as to the extent and level of competence, as well as methods of testing. Specific requirements will be found in the departmental statements of standards and procedures. (See Section IV. D.).

Specifications of departmental requirements in foreign languages are filed in the Graduate College and may be changed upon the initiative of the departments.

I. Requirements for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.),the Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.)and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.). Students enrolled in professional D.P.T. and Au.D. programs do not take comprehensive and final examinations and do not deposit a thesis with the Graduate College. The departments will be required to submit a doctoral Plan of Study to the Graduate College during the session of degree conferral. The plan will provide a listing of all graduate courses taken that apply toward the degree and a listing of courses in progress. The plan is to be filed no later than the deadline date printed in the Graduate College academic calendar.

J. Plan of Study. The development of a Plan of Study at the doctoral level is the responsibility of the student working together with his or her adviser. A formal Plan of Study must accompany the departmental request to the Graduate College for permission to conduct the comprehensive examination. The plan will provide a listing of all graduate courses taken that apply toward the degree and a listing of courses in progress or to be completed after the comprehensive examination.

K. Comprehensive Examination. The candidate must satisfactorily complete a comprehensive examination, consisting of written or oral parts or both at the discretion of the major department. Admission to the comprehensive examination is granted upon the recommendation of the major department, the filing of the Plan of Study, and the approval of the dean of the Graduate College. A student must be registered in the Graduate College at the time of the comprehensive examination, which must be satisfactorily completed not later than the session prior to the session of graduation. This examination, administered only on campus, is intended to be an inclusive evaluation of the candidate's mastery of the major and related fields of study, including the tools of research in which competence has been certified.

The comprehensive examination is not a deferred qualifying examination. It is intended to evaluate a candidate's mastery of the subject at or near the end of the candidate's formal preparation and prior to the completion of the dissertation. The comprehensive examination and the final examination, which is concerned chiefly with defense of the thesis and related subjects, are the two principal examinations for the Ph.D and D.M.A. doctoral degrees.

The comprehensive examination will be evaluated by a convened meeting of the committee. Each committee member will sign the examination report as satisfactory, reservations, or unsatisfactory. The completed exam warrant will be submitted to the Graduate College office within fourteen days after the completion of the examination. Two "unsatisfactory" votes will make the committee report unsatisfactory.

A vote of "Reservations" should only be used when a faculty member feels that the deficiencies displayed by the student were modest, and can be readily rectified. In the event of a report with two or more votes of "Reservations," the actions required of the student, by the committee, that are necessary to correct the deficiencies must be recorded and submitted to the Graduate College with the examination report form. Copies of the written statement of necessary actions should be kept by: the appropriate departmental executive, the chair of the examination committee, and the student. The statement must specify the time allowed for completion of the aforementioned actions. The language describing the actions must be specific. For instance, if additional course work is required, a list of suitable courses must be presented. If the candidate needs to rewrite his or her research prospectus, the deficient areas must be identified, etc. If the candidate satisfies the required actions in the specified period of time, the appropriate departmental executive will send a written report to the Graduate College indicating the date for which the examining committee considers the actions to have been satisfied. Upon approval of the Dean of the Graduate College, the comprehensive exam will be recorded as "Satisfactory" as of that date. If the actions are not satisfied on time, or if the actions are not of sufficient quality, the appropriate departmental executive will send a written report to the Graduate College indicating that fact. Upon approval of the Dean of the Graduate College, the comprehensive exam will be recorded as "Unsatisfactory" as of that date. The candidate will not be admitted to the final oral examination of the dissertation until a grade of "Satisfactory" has been recorded for the comprehensive exam.

In the case of a report of unsatisfactory on a comprehensive examination, the committee may grant the candidate permission to present himself or herself for reexamination not sooner than four months after the first examination. The examination may be repeated only once, at the option of the department.

L. Continuous Registration after Completion of the Comprehensive Examination. The student is required to register each fall and spring semester after satisfactorily completing the comprehensive examination until the degree is awarded. If a student fails to register, the student may not be readmitted to candidacy until the student has submitted an application that has been approved by the student's adviser, the departmental executive, and the Graduate College dean.

In order to maintain continuous registration, doctoral students may register (1) for required and/or elective courses, research, and thesis hours to complete the plan of study, or (2) for Doctoral Continuous Registration (DCR). DCR requires a 2 s.h. tuition/fee payment. If a temporary lapse in a student's academic program is required due to military service, medical leave, maternity leave, or personal/family leave, a student may petition the Graduate College to be allowed to register for Ph.D. Postcomprehensive Registration (PCR), which allows for the assessment of a special minimum fee. If a petition is granted, it is to be understood that a student will not make significant use of university resources, or engage in significant consultation with the faculty. In the final semester, doctoral students may register for Doctoral Final Registration (DFR), which requires a 2 s. h. tuition/fee payment, or appropriate course work. The DFR may be repeated if the degree requirements are not completed in this session.

Under no circumstances may courses for which tuition/fees are not assessed (Cooperative Education Internship, for example), be used to satisfy the continuous registration or final registration requirement of the Graduate College.

No registration for the summer or winter session is required. The exceptions are when the student is taking a degree at the end of the summer session, or when enrollment is required by the student's department.

M. Dissertation for the Doctoral Degree. One copy of the dissertation, complete and in final form, must be presented at the office of the Graduate College by the first-deposit deadline date in the session in which the degree is to be conferred. Two copies of the approved dissertation must be deposited at the office by the final-deposit deadline date in the graduation session. The final deposit can be no later than the end of the semester (summers excluded) following the session in which the final examination is passed; failure to meet this deadline will require reexamination of the student. Failure to submit the first and final deposits of the thesis by the deadline dates established by the Graduate College will result in the postponement of graduation to a future session.

Regulations regarding preparation of the dissertation copy shall be promulgated by the dean of the Graduate College. Dissertations will be microfilmed and thus made available on a permanent basis. An abstract of the dissertation, not to exceed 350 words of text, is to be deposited with the dissertation. The abstract must be approved and signed by the dissertation adviser. The abstract is published in the journal of Dissertation Abstracts International. One copy of each hard-bound dissertation is indexed and shelved at the University Library. Electronic dissertations are indexed and made available to the public through the Iowa Digital Library.

If the dissertation is in some nonprint form (i.e. painting, statue, performance in music) the librarian will help the student and faculty adviser work out an appropriate method of preparing the work, if such help is needed. Once the accompanying manuscript is accepted, it is treated the same as any other thesis.

Dissertations shall be made available to all members of the examining committee not later than two weeks before the date of the examination.

N. Dissertation Fees. Nonrefundable fees are charged each doctoral candidate to cover processing and publication costs of the dissertation and abstract.

O. Final Examination. The work for the degree culminates in a final oral examination administered on campus. The examination should include: (1) a critical inquiry into the purposes, methods, and results of the investigation - not a mere recapitulation of the procedures followed - and (2) intensive questioning on areas of knowledge constituting the immediate context of the investigation.

The final examination may not be held until the next session after satisfactorily completing the comprehensive examination; however, a student must pass the final examination no later than five years after satisfactorily completing the comprehensive examination. Failure to meet this deadline will result in a reexamination of the student to determine his or her qualifications for taking the final examination. The procedures to be followed are the same as those for the comprehensive examination. (See Section XII. K.)

Final examinations for the doctorate are open to the public. Members of the faculty of the Graduate College are especially invited to attend and, subject to the approval of the chair, to participate in the examination.

The report of the final examination is due in the Graduate College office not later than 48 hours after the examination. The final examination will be evaluated as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Two unsatisfactory votes will make the committee report unsatisfactory. In case of a report of unsatisfactory in the final examination, the candidate may not present himself or herself for reexamination until the next session. The examination may be repeated only once, at the option of the major department.

P. Examining Committees. The comprehensive and final examinations are conducted by committees of no fewer than five members of the graduate faculty appointed by the dean upon recommendation of the major department, at least two of whom are from the major department. Departments may request the dean's permission to replace one of the five members of the graduate faculty by a recognized scholar of professorial rank from another academic institution. A member of the graduate faculty from outside the major department is required in those cases where a related field outside the major department is included in the comprehensive examination. For the final examination one member of the committee must be a member of the graduate faculty from outside the major department, whether that department is on campus or off campus.

Upon recommendation of the major department, the dean may appoint additional qualified persons (not necessarily members of the graduate faculty) to serve as voting members of the examining committees. However, four members of doctoral committees (two members for master's committees) must come from the regular (tenure and tenure-track faculty) Graduate Faculty. A voting member may be added at the discretion of the Graduate College dean.

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Section XIII. Procedures for Approving New Certificate, Subtrack, and Degree Programs

A. Considerations and Requirements for New Certificate, Subtrack, and Degree Program Proposals. Prior to the development and submission of any proposal for a new graduate program, it is necessary to evaluate the resources and support that will be required on a continuing basis. A sponsoring department or committee will:

1. Obtain a supporting letter, or letters, from the college, or colleges, housing the faculty of the proposed program. The Graduate College will not initiate its review of the draft proposal until such documentation is obtained.

2. Determine the level of faculty support for the program from related areas outside of the sponsoring department or committee. Letters documenting that support should be a part of the draft program proposal, and must be part of the proposal at the time that it is presented to the Graduate Council.

3. Evaluate existing courses offered at the graduate level, seminars available for graduate students only, and the likelihood of arrangements that will encourage independent study. A compilation of such courses should be prepared.

4. Compile a list of faculty in the department and in related fields actively engaged in research related to the proposed program, and the arrangements or mechanisms for including graduate students in those research activities.

5. Determine the depth and breadth of library resources that will support the research. (This includes specialized journals, documents, and special collections.) A compilation of these resources should be created.

6. Evaluate the laboratory facilities, equipment, funds for travel and field study, as appropriate to support the proposed program. A description of these facilities and resources should be created.

7. Evaluate the availability of fellowships, scholarships, and assistantships, supported at least in part by the University,which will be available to ensure a group of students in residence on campus. A compilation of the available and/or likely sources of student support should be created.

8. Compile a list of supporting conditions (i.e., changing accreditation and certification standards, academic strategic plan compliance, changing employment opportunities, etc.) which will justify further investment and help to increase the likelihood of success.

9. Define the title of the program in a manner which will allow a person in an academic area well-removed from the discipline to understand how the proposed program will fit into the University's offerings.

10. To the greatest extent possible, complete the Board of Regents' form entitled, "REQUEST TO IMPLEMENT A NEW BACCALAUREATE, MASTER'S, DOCTORAL, OR FIRST PROFESSIONAL DEGREE PROGRAM". Information from the Graduate College-mandated program proposal can, in many cases, be duplicated to complete the Board of Regents' form. This form should be available from all collegiate offices.

As much of the foregoing information as possible should be in the draft program proposal sent to the Graduate College. It is understood that the program proponents may not have all of the necessary information at the time that the draft proposal is first submitted for review. However, item 1 must be present at the time the draft proposal is submitted to the Graduate College for review, and items 2-9 must be complete in the proposal that is presented to the Graduate Council. Item 10 will not be complete until all of the necessary program approvals have been obtained.

B. Form of Proposal. Proposals should be drafted in accord with the considerations above and incorporated in the following outline:

Purpose of the program
Present need for the program
Description of program, including areas of emphasis and comparisons with similar programs in other universities, specifically in regard to potential program duplication with another Regents' university.
If applicable, relationship to program resources that have been developed by the CIC (Committee on Institutional Cooperation)
Comparison with standards established by a regional accrediting association where these exist
Analysis of the implications of the proposed program for undergraduate work and other closely allied programs in the University
At least three external letters of support should be included. These letters should be from individuals in the field who are familiar with the proposed program and who can comment on the importance, design of, and need for the proposed program.
A list of faculty available for the proposed program, including a clearance for the expected use of faculty in related departments. Faculty clearance will be achieved by the submission of letters of support from the appropriate department chairs.
Statement of additional needed budget support
Assessment of future needs, commitments, and opportunities

C. Review Procedure. Copies of the new proposal in sufficient number for review purposes should be sent to the dean of the Graduate College, who then becomes responsible for the review according to the following steps:

Degree Programs

Preliminary review by the Graduate College
Review and recommendation by the Graduate Council
Review by consultants from outside the University, appointed by the Graduate College dean, whenever the Graduate Council deems such outside advice necessary
Review and action by the Graduate Faculty
Review and recommendation by the Provost
Action by the Board of Regents

Certificate Programs

Preliminary review by the Graduate College
Review and recommendation by the Graduate Council
Review and action by the Graduate Faculty
Review and recommendation by the Provost
Board of Regents may choose to review the proposal

Subtracts

Preliminary review by the Graduate College
Review and recommendation by the Graduate Council
Graduate Dean's option to submit the proposal to the Graduate Faculty for approval
Review and recommendation by the Provost

D. Time for Submitting Proposals. Proposals for new programs leading to advanced degrees will be presented to the Graduate Council two semesters before the semester in which its recommendation is expected.

E. Changes in Existing Programs. Changes in the general requirements for a degree or certificate should be made in consultation with the dean of the Graduate College, who will then decide whether a broader review of the changes by the Graduate Council should be undertaken.

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Section XIV. Exceptions

Petitions to waive these regulations may be made for appropriate and justifiable reasons on behalf of any graduate student through the departmental executive to the dean and Graduate Council.

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Part 2. The Graduate Faculty

Section XV. Membership and Procedures

A. Membership. The graduate faculty shall consist of all tenure-track faculty members of the University in the ranks of assistant, associate, or full professor. Administrative officers who hold professorial rank are also members of the graduate faculty. Graduate faculty members may vote and hold office, serve on examining committees, and supervise graduate degree programs, theses, and dissertations.

Lecturers, visiting scholars, artists in residence, clinical-track faculty and other members of the instructional staff may be nominated by their departmental executive for a specified period and scope of membership (i.e., term appointment). Such nominations may be approved by the Graduate College dean upon recommendation of the Graduate Council, if satisfactory evidence is presented to attest to scholarly or artistic qualifications of the nominees and their participation in graduate instruction.

B. Procedures. Only members of the faculty, as herein defined, shall have the right to vote upon or consent to any matter upon which action by the faculty is taken or required.

Meetings of the graduate faculty may be called by the president or the president's representative, the dean of the Graduate College, the Graduate Council or upon written petition of 10 percent or more of the graduate faculty, filed with the dean of the Graduate College and the Graduate Council. Adequate notice is required for any meeting of the graduate faculty.

The presiding officer at all meetings of the graduate faculty shall be the dean of the Graduate College except in the event that the president elects to preside. The secretary of the graduate faculty shall be designated by the Graduate College dean. The secretary shall maintain a permanent record of the business transacted at all meetings of the graduate faculty, send out to members of the faculty minutes of the meetings and advance notices of meetings with agenda as prepared by the dean and the Graduate Council, maintain an active list of members of the graduate faculty, serve as election teller, and perform such other duties as the faculty, the Graduate Council, and dean may request.

A quorum shall be 5 percent of the graduate faculty. Unless the point of no quorum is sustained at a meeting, no action taken therein on items of business listed in the agenda shall be invalid for lack of a quorum. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of meetings unless otherwise determined by the faculty at the meeting. Approval of agenda items shall normally be obtained by vote of the graduate faculty members present at the meeting. However, upon the discretion of the dean of the Graduate College and in consultation with the Graduate Council, agenda items may be voted upon electronically by the graduate faculty.

C. Special Committees. Special committees may be created by the faculty, the Graduate Council, or the dean, and their personnel appointed by the dean unless otherwise provided by the creating authority. The term of each committee shall begin at the time of appointment and shall end upon completion of its assignment or on the date of the first regular graduate faculty meeting of the next academic year, whichever is earlier.

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Section XVI. The Graduate Council

A. Membership. The Graduate Council shall consist of the deans of the Graduate College as ex officio nonvoting members, thirteen members elected from the graduate faculty, and four graduate students chosen by the Graduate Student Senate for one-year terms.

Faculty representation on the Graduate Council shall consist of eleven collegiate representatives and two at-large representatives. One collegiate representative shall be elected by the graduate faculty of each of the colleges of Business, Dentistry, Education, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing

Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College

Manual of Rules and Regulations
of the Graduate College