Year-End Review
The Department meets at the end of each academic year to review the progress of first- and second-year students and any other students in need of additional evaluation. The Director of Graduate Studies will meet with first- and second-year students to report the faculty’s evaluation of their overall performance in the program.
Students who do not receive a passing grade on their dossier may be asked to revise and improve one of the papers or to write a new and superior paper on a topic acceptable to the Department. Continuation in the program may depend on the quality of the revised paper. The Department may also require the student to take courses for a grade instead of pass/fail during the third year in order to improve his or her writing skills. If a student’s overall record is unsatisfactory, the department may decide at the year-end review meeting not to allow them to continue in the program. A failing grade on the dossier, unsatisfactory performance in coursework, failure to fulfill teaching responsibilities, or conduct that violates university policy can be grounds for dismissal. Except in rare instances, students will be retained in the program at least until the second-year review.