Appendix C: Satisfactory Progress
All Students entering program fall 2017 or after are subject to these guidelines. Students who entered the program prior to Fall 2017 are grandfathered under the handbook in place at the time of their admission to the graduate program.
Purpose:
The purpose of this policy is to make explicit for students, in consultation with their major professor, the minimum standards for making satisfactory progress through the graduate program in sociology. Students who do not meet these minimum standards will be at risk of dismissal from the program, per faculty review and vote. Many students will have achieved the goals and meet the standards well before the times stated in this document.
Minimum Satisfactory Progress for Student Entering without an Approved MS:
Year 1:
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
- Methods and Theory Coursework grades of “B” or better, B- will not meet satisfactory progress
- Successful completion of required and elective coursework
- Successful performance of teaching/research assistantship responsibilities
- Demonstrate professional engagement in the intellectual life of the department.
- Identification of Major Professor and advisory committee for AP
- Development of Analytic Project topic
Year 2:
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
- Methods and Theory Coursework grades of “B” or better, B- will not meet satisfactory progress
- Successful completion of required and elective courses
- Successful performance of teaching/research assistantship responsibilities
- Demonstrate professional engagement in the intellectual life of the department.
- Defense of Analytic Project Proposal by end of 3rd semester
- Submit Plan of Study by end of 3rd semester
- Analytic Project Defense prior to Annual Review meeting during the 4th semester
- Completion of M.S. degree no later than end of the 4th semester
Year 3:
- Admitted to PhD Program
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
- Successful completion of required and elective courses
- Methods and Theory Coursework grades of “B” or better, B- will not meet satisfactory progress
- Successful performance of teaching/research assistantship responsibilities
- Demonstrate professional engagement in the intellectual life of the department.
- Identification of Major Professor for PhD
- Initiation of preliminary work towards the dissertation proposal
Year 4:
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
- Methods and Theory Coursework grades of “B” or better, B- will not meet satisfactory progress
- Successful completion of required and elective courses
- Successful performance in teaching/research assistantship responsibilities
- Demonstrate professional engagement in the intellectual life of the department.
- By end of the 4th year, submission of at least one paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal (any authorship is acceptable)
- Consistent progress toward dissertation proposal
- Create Dissertation Committee
- Submit PhD Plan of Study
Year 5:
- Maintained at least 3.25 GPA
- Pass the Preliminary Examination by the end of the fall semester
- Evidence of ongoing efforts to complete dissertation research
- Successful performance in teaching/research assistantship responsibilities
- Demonstrate professional engagement in the intellectual life of the department.
- Evidence of ongoing efforts to revise/submit research papers for publication
- Instructor experience in freestanding courses, unless engaged in research assistantship
Year 6 and beyond:
- Maintained at least 3.25 GPA
- Evidence of ongoing efforts to complete dissertation research
- Successful performance in teaching/research assistantship responsibilities
- Demonstrate professional engagement in the intellectual life of the department.
- Evidence of ongoing efforts to revise/submit research papers for publication
- Instructor experience in freestanding courses, unless engaged in research assistantship
Minimum Satisfactory Progress for Student Entering directly into the PhD program with an Approved MS:
Year 1:
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
- Successful completion of required and elective courses
- Methods and Theory Coursework grades of “B” or better, B- will not meet satisfactory progress
- Successful performance of teaching/research assistantship responsibilities
- Demonstrate professional engagement in the intellectual life of the department.
- Identification of Major Professor for PhD
- Initiation of preliminary work towards the dissertation proposal
Year 2:
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
- Methods and Theory Coursework grades of “B” or better, B- will not meet satisfactory progress
- Successful completion of required and elective courses
- Successful performance in teaching/research assistantship responsibilities
- Demonstrate professional engagement in the intellectual life of the department.
- By the end of the 2nd year, submission of at least one paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal (any authorship is acceptable)
- Consistent progress toward dissertation proposal
- Create Dissertation Committee
- Submit PhD Plan of Study
Year 3:
- Maintained at least 3.25 GPA
- Pass the Preliminary Examination by the end of the fall semester
- Evidence of ongoing efforts to complete dissertation research
- Successful performance in teaching/research assistantship responsibilities
- Demonstrate professional engagement in the intellectual life of the department.
- Evidence of ongoing efforts to revise/submit research papers for publication
- Instructor experience in freestanding courses, unless engaged in research assistantship
Year 4 and beyond:
- Maintained at least 3.25 GPA
- Evidence of ongoing efforts to complete dissertation research
- Successful performance in teaching/research assistantship responsibilities
- Demonstrate professional engagement in the intellectual life of the department.
- Evidence of ongoing efforts to revise/submit research papers for publication
- Instructor experience in freestanding courses, unless engaged in research assistantship