Procedures for Administration
of Approved Policies
for the Award of Advanced Degrees
The Graduate Board
March 2000
Composition of the Graduate Board
Degrees Administered by the Graduate Board
II.
University Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy and
Masters of Arts Degrees
III. Residence and Registration
Term Leave of Absence and Predoctoral Nonresident Status
IV. Information for Degree Candidates
Graduate Board Calendar and Deadlines
Scheduling the Graduate Board Oral Examination
V. Graduate Board Oral Examinations
Types of Graduate Board Oral Examinations
Oral Examination Committee Eligibility
Composition of the Oral Examination Committee
Duties of the Chair of the Graduate Board Examination Committee
Reports and Records of Oral Examinations
Appendix A: Application for Term Leave of Absence or Nonresidency
Appendix B: Sample of the Graduate Board Calendar
Appendix C: Oral Examination for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Form
Appendix D: Certification of Completion of Language Requirements
Appendix E:
Certification for an Advanced Degree
The Graduate Board is a subcommittee of the Academic Council of the Schools of Arts and Sciences and Engineering. The first Ph.D.s and M.A.s were awarded in the School of Arts & Sciences. The Graduate Board expanded its membership to include members from other University divisions as these divisions developed programs and began to offer the Ph.D. and M.A.. It is responsible for the administration of University-wide policies and procedures for the award of Master of Arts, M.A., and Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D..
It is the responsibility of the Graduate Board to:
- Administer University-approved procedures related to the awarding of M.A. and Ph.D. degrees
- Make recommendations to the Academic Council of the Schools of Arts and Sciences and Engineering on University-wide requirements for the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees
- Make recommendations to the Academic Council concerning changes in existing programs or approval of new programs for the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees.
- Provide an information system concerning graduate education in the University
- Use an information database to review general trends of graduate education in the University.
Composition of the Graduate Board
The Dean of Arts and Sciences nominates the Graduate Board and forwards the nominations to the Academic Council for final approval. To be eligible for appointment, a faculty member must hold a regular full-time appointment as a professor, associate professor, or assistant professor in a Ph.D. granting department/program of the University. Faculty members serve for three-year terms; graduate student representatives are appointed for one year. The Chair of the Board is the Dean of Arts and Sciences or the Dean’s designee and the Associate Chair is a member of and appointed by the Academic Council. The Board itself comprises 14 members:
- The Chair of the Graduate Board
- The Associate Chair of the Graduate Board
- One faculty member from each of the four disciplines in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences: Biological Sciences, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities
- One faculty member from the Whiting School of Engineering
- One faculty member from the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
- One faculty member from
each of the two disciplines in the
- One faculty member from the
- One faculty member from the
- Two graduate students – one representing the Homewood Graduate Representative Organization (GRO) and one representing the East Baltimore Graduate Student Association (GSA).
The Chair, Associate Chair and graduate students are ex-officio members and, as such, have no voting rights.
The Graduate Board is empowered to establish subcommittees as needed. The Chair can appoint faculty other than Board members to serve on these subcommittees.
The Graduate Board shall submit its minutes to the Academic Council. Recommendations regarding establishment of new programs, changes to existing programs, and changes to requirements, policies, and procedures will be made to the Academic Council in a timely manner.
Degrees Administered by the Graduate Board
Although divisions of the University offer other advanced degrees, the following are the only ones administered by the Graduate Board:
Division Degree(s)
Arts and Sciences Ph.D., M.A.
Engineering Ph.D.
Medicine Ph.D., M.A.
Hygiene and Public Health Ph.D.
S.A.I.S. Ph.D.
Nursing Ph.D.
II.
UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
AND MASTER OF ARTS
DEGREES
- Minimum of two consecutive semesters of registration as a full-time, resident graduate student
- Graduate Board Oral Examination
- Dissertation approved by at least two readers and certified by them to be a significant contribution to knowledge and worthy of publication
- Certification by a department or program committee that all departmental or committee requirements have been fulfilled
- Submission of a dissertation to the library that adheres to the Graduate Board Dissertation Guidelines
- Minimum of two consecutive semesters of registration as a full-time, resident graduate student
- Certification by a department or program committee that all departmental or committee requirements have been fulfilled
- Thesis approved by at least one reader when the department or program requires a thesis
- Submission of the thesis to the library when a Masters of Arts with Essay is being requested
III. RESIDENCE AND REGISTRATION
To be classified as a graduate student in the University, the student must be admitted to the graduate program and registered as a Predoctoral Resident student or Special student either on a full-time or part-time basis on campus. Special student status is awarded to graduate-level students who are not candidates for a Johns Hopkins advanced degree and is limited to two consecutive terms of either full or part-time status. Once students begin their graduate course of study toward a degree, they must complete a minimum of two consecutive semesters of registration as a full-time, resident graduate student. To qualify as a resident student, the student must be present on campus and working toward fulfilling the requirements for the degree. The Chair of the department/program or appropriate designated faculty determines, for each of its students, what constitutes a program of full-time or part-time study. In order to be registered full-time, a student must engage in a full-time program of courses, seminars and/or research approved by the Chair of the department/program or appropriate designated faculty. The University does not define full-time in terms of credits, courses, or any other such unit. The Chair of the department/program or appropriate designated faculty certifies each student’s status at the beginning of every semester/quarter. The time-to-degree from matriculation for degree candidates is determined by the department/program/division, but may not exceed 12 years. Any approved leave of absence would not count toward the 12 years.
Students wishing to pursue a degree involving more than one department or division must apply to and be accepted by both departments/divisions. Except in approved joint programs, the intention to pursue more than one degree simultaneously must be approved by the Graduate Board before the end of a student’s first year. Students pursuing a combined bachelors-masters program must formally apply to and be accepted at the time the program is initiated.
Students must register each semester from matriculation through graduation. A student’s departure from the University without an arranged term leave of absence or predoctoral nonresident status will be deemed a permanent withdrawal from the student’s program. While on leave or nonresident status, students are expected to provide the Registrar’s Office and their department with an updated current address and are expected to respond to all communications and mailings (e.g. the Annual Report Form) within the deadlines specified. Failure to return these forms will be deemed a withdrawal. Students who withdraw from their programs must be formally readmitted, at the discretion of the Chair of the department/program or appropriate designated faculty, before they may return to the University. If readmitted, they need not pay a second admission fee but must satisfy the residence requirements for the degree following readmission (even if previously satisfied) and must pay all outstanding fees. Failure to register by the published deadlines of each division may be interpreted as a withdrawal from the program.
Courses required by the department/program and completed by the student should be entered on the official transcript.
Term Leaves of Absence and Predoctoral Nonresident Status
Predoctoral nonresident status is normally reserved for doctoral candidates who have completed all requirements for the degree except the dissertation and have the permission of the Chair of the department/program or appropriate designated faculty and the Graduate Board to continue work away from the University. Arts & Sciences and Engineering students must petition the Graduate Board for changes of registration status. Before submitting the Application for Term Leave or Nonresidency (see Appendix A)to the Graduate Board, students must submit it to their department/program chair for approval and, in the case of international students, to the Director of International Student and Scholar Services for the Homewood Campus or the International Student and Faculty Services Office on the East Baltimore Campus for approval. A letter of explanation must accompany the request for a term leave. Generally, students will petition the Graduate Board for a leave of absence or nonresident status well in advance of the semester for which it is desired. When requesting a change of status for the current term, such petitions must be submitted no later than the end of the second week of the semester.
A student with nonresident status or on term leave is not to be present at the University, to make use of any University services or facilities (e.g. computing labs, library, labs, athletic facilities, etc), with exception to the Counseling and Health Centers, or work in any division of the University or in its central administration.
Term Leave of Absence. Students may apply for a term leave of absence when medical conditions, compulsory military service, or personal or family hardship prevent them from continuing their graduate studies. Financial difficulty alone does not warrant a leave. A term leave of absence will be granted for a specific period, not to exceed a total of two years. The Chair of the Graduate Board will notify the student when he or she is placed on term leave of absence. During the leave period, a student may not be enrolled at another university. The University cannot guarantee that financial support will be available when the student resumes his/her studies. (Students on leave of absence must reapply for tuition assistance, research assistantships, fellowships, or teaching assistantships.)
Predoctoral Nonresident Status. With the approval of the Chair of a department and the Chair of the Graduate Board, a graduate student may be placed on predoctoral nonresident status for a period not to exceed five years. Such status is normally reserved for doctoral candidates who have completed all requirements for the degree except the dissertation and who have permission to continue dissertation work away from the University. The Chair of the Graduate Board will notify a student when he or she is placed on nonresident status. Each student on nonresident status will be required to pay a fee of 10% of the full-time tuition to cover administrative costs and a computer account each semester.
IV. INFORMATION FOR DEGREE CANDIDATES
The Graduate Board considers candidates for Ph.D. and M.A. degrees two times each year (November, and May). Although the degree becomes effective when approved by the Graduate Board, diplomas are only awarded in May. Once the Graduate Board approves candidates, the Registrar’s Office can provide certification of their completion of all requirements for the Ph.D. and M.A. degrees. Candidates who need certification before the Graduate Board meets should contact their department/program. If a letter from the Graduate Board is required, candidates may request in writing that a letter be sent by the Graduate Board directly to an institution after all certifications have been submitted.
Graduate Board Calendar and Deadlines
In June, the Graduate Board prepares a calendar
for the upcoming academic year. This calendar lists the deadlines for completion of requirements and submission of materials. Copies are sent to all divisions and are posted on the Graduate Board website.
Approximately two months before the date of the Graduate Board meeting, departments send a "tentative degree list" to the Registrar's Office. Students expecting to complete degree requirements should ask their departments to place their name on this list. Departments will be informed of any problems with a student’s candidacy within one week of all certifications and materials being received by the Graduate Board. Students must be registered during the semester they are considered by the Graduate Board. Since students on leave of absence cannot be registered or present on campus, they are ineligible to receive a degree during the semester of leave.
Scheduling the Graduate Board 0ral Examination
Graduate Board Oral Examinations may be held at any time during the year. The examination committee is approved by the chair of the department/program and forwarded to the Graduate Board Office for approval of the committee and selection of the chair of the committee. Alternates to the five members must be designated before the department chair approves the committee. These alternates may be used in the event one of the five approved members cannot participate in the exam. For information on Oral Examination Committee Eligibility see page 9.
The form, Oral Examination for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (See Appendix C for sample), may be obtained from the department or the Graduate Board. The Graduate Board Office must receive the original form in Mergenthaler Hall, a minimum of three weeks before the proposed examination. The student must be registered and all missing/incomplete grades resolved before the exam is approved.
If the department/program wishes to include a member who is not on the
The Guidelines for the Preparation of Dissertations and These are available
from the Graduate Board website, http://www.jhu.edu/~gradbd/, the department,
and the Commercial Binding Office of the Milton S. Eisenhower Library.
Dissertations not conforming to the
A Reader's Report must be submitted for all students receiving a Ph.D., or a Masters Degree with essay. Dissertation and thesis readers are selected and appointed by the chair or appropriate faculty of the sponsoring department or committee. Any duly appointed member of a department or committee holding the rank of assistant professor or higher (excluding lecturers) is eligible for selection as a referee without prior approval. The Graduate Board Office must approve readers from outside the University, or from any non-Ph.D. sponsoring department, laboratory or institute within the University. Such approval will be forthcoming only when such an appointment is justified in writing by the chair of the department or committee making the request. Two readers are required for Ph.D. students and one for M.A. students.
The two principal readers are responsible for submitting a written report recommending acceptance of the dissertation. The report should testify that the work is a significant contribution to knowledge worthy of publication in its present form or with appropriate modifications and that it is worthy of acceptance in partial fulfillment of the University requirements for the Ph.D.. It must contain the student’s full name and the complete final title of the dissertation. The letter must be on letterhead, signed by both readers, and include the readers’ ranks, titles, departments, and schools. The letter must be in the Graduate Board office one week before final Graduate Board Oral Examinations. If the student’s Graduate Board Oral is of the preliminary nature, the readers’ letter must be submitted by the deadline specified in the Graduate Board Calendar. Schools of Arts & Sciences and Engineering reader’s letters should be submitted directly to the Graduate Board Office. Reader’s letters for graduate students in the Schools of Hygiene and Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, and Advanced International Studies should be submitted directly to the Registrar's Office of the student's school.
The University requirements for the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees vary. The chair or appropriate faculty of each department determines whether it requires a language, what language(s) fulfill the requirement, and the means used to test language proficiency.
When the language requirement has been fulfilled, the chair of the department or committee will file the form Certification of Completion of Language Requirements (See Appendix D for sample) with the Office of the Registrar. This form must be submitted before the deadline for receipt of all materials established by the Graduate Board for candidates who are about to receive their degrees. These forms can be obtained from the Registrar's Office.
The Certificate for an Advanced Degree (See Appendix E for sample) form must be signed by the chair of the student’s department/program and submitted by the department as soon as all degree requirements are complete. This form provides formal certification to the Graduate Board that the candidate has completed all departmental requirements for the advanced degree. The form should be completed and sent to the Graduate Board Office only after the following materials have been submitted to the designated offices:
- Dissertations or Theses
- Graduate Board Oral Examination signed by the committee and indicating the
results of the examination. If conditions were attached, written certification
by the chair of the committee that all conditions have been met must accompany
this form.
- Certification of Completion of Language Requirements
if necessary.
- Readers’ Report - The original should be submitted to the Graduate
Board Office or appropriate Registrar’s Office (See page 6) in
accordance with the dates shown on the calendar.
If the degree to be awarded is a final Master's Degree, this should be indicated on the certification form before it is submitted. Graduate students who become eligible for a Master's Degree should ask the department to submit credentials for consideration at the appropriate Graduate Board meeting. Should the student waive the Master's Degree at that time and later decide to obtain one, the date of the degree will be based on the date of Graduate Board meeting at which it is approved.
Certificates from the Krieger and
V. GRADUATE BOARD ORAL EXAMINATIONS
The Graduate Board Oral Examination for candidates for the Ph.D. degree has three major objectives:
1. To assess a candidate’s proficiency in the discipline.
2. To give a student the benefit of a critical examination of his or her work by scholars outside the department or program committee.
3. To provide a means for extra-departmental monitoring of the academic quality of departments and committees sponsoring candidates.
Types of Graduate Board Graduate Oral Examinations
There are two types of Graduate Board oral examinations: preliminary exams and final exams. Departments or program committees decide whether students will use a preliminary or a final examination to fulfill their Graduate Board requirement. Preliminary exams are given to students at an early stage in the progress toward the Ph.D.; final exams are given to those who have completed the doctoral dissertation.
Preliminary Examinations. The purpose of a preliminary examination is to test the depth and breadth of the student’s knowledge and reasoning abilities. The scope of such an examination cannot and should not be sharply defined. The Graduate Board Oral Examination Committee can determine the limits of the exam by reviewing the candidate’s formal coursework along with the requirements of the candidate’s school, group, department, or committee requirements (e.g., whether specific minor, as well as major, subjects are to be included). The preliminary exam may cover the student’s proposed dissertation topic; in that case, examiners should have information about the dissertation proposal well ahead of the examination.
Final Examinations. A final examination should concentrate on the student’s doctoral dissertation and its implications. It is reasonable for the Graduate Board Oral Examination Committee to explore the candidate’s breadth of knowledge in areas ruled germane to the thesis by the chair of the committee. The dissertation and the readers’ report must be available to the committee at least two weeks before a final exam.
Length of the Exam. The examination should be long enough for the committee to learn as much as it needs to judge the student’s qualification as a Ph.D. candidate. Ordinarily, examinations should be under two hours, but committees are free to set their own time limits.
Scheduling the Graduate Board Examination. The chair of the department or program committee sponsoring a candidate for the Ph.D. degree is responsible for scheduling the exam and submitting the form entitled Oral Examination for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Graduate Board Office. This form must be completed, signed by the chair, and submitted to the Graduate Board three weeks before to the proposed examination date. Only the original, signed form needs to be submitted to the Board. Exams may be conducted at anytime throughout the year.
Notification of Committee Members. After the Chair of the Graduate Board approves the examination request, the original will be sent to the appointed chair of the committee, a copy will be sent to the department, and the Graduate Board will maintain one copy. After this point, no substitution of examiners other than those named as alternates can be made without the approval of the Graduate Board Office. The chair of the department/program sponsoring the candidate is responsible for notifying the student and examiners of the time and place of the examination. For a final examination, examiners should have copies of the candidate’s dissertation and the readers’ letter at least two weeks before to the examination.
Oral Examination Committee Eligibility
To be eligible to serve on a Graduate Board Oral Examination Committee, a faculty member must hold:
- A faculty appointment as a Professor, Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor in a University department/program. Such appointments may be regular or visiting, full-time or part-time.
- One member of a committee may be from the public health scientist faculty track. Lecturers and visiting scholars may not serve.
Exceptions. The Chair of the Graduate Board and one other member of the Board must approve anyone not meeting these criteria. To be considered for approval, the chair of the department/program petitioning for authorization of an examiner outside of the University must submit:
- the full curriculum vita of the outside examiner, including recent peer-reviewed publications and evidence of scholarly work
- a one-page summary of the research of the Ph.D. student
- a one-page letter explaining how the expertise of the examiner meshes with the student’s research and why the department must go outside of the University to have this expertise represented on the committee.
The above request and documentation should accompany the examination form and must be received by the Graduate Board for review a minimum of four weeks before the scheduled Graduate Board Oral Examination.
Faculty members who leave the University may continue to mentor their former students for a period of five years with the approval of the chair of the department/program.
Composition of the Oral Examination Committee
Members of the Graduate Board Oral Examination Committee are selected by the candidate’s department chair or graduate program director and approved by the Chair of the Graduate Board. There must be at least five members. The chair of the committee must be either a Professor or Associate Professor and is named by the Graduate Board. Although consultation with candidates and their faculty advisors regarding possible exam committee members is appropriate, selection of the committee is the department/program chair’s responsibility and is not the candidate’s responsibility or prerogative.
Inside and Outside Examiners. Two examination committee members must be inside the department or program sponsoring the candidate, and two committee members must be from outside the department or program sponsoring the candidate. The fifth examination committee member will serve either as inside or outside the department, as determined by your department, program or division.* Ordinarily, the primary appointment of faculty members determines whether they are considered inside or outside the department. When determining a faculty member's primary appointment, the Graduate Board generally disregards appointments in non-Ph.D. degree granting departments. Advisors, however, are considered inside examiners even if their appointment is outside of the department sponsoring the candidate. Generally, the two primary readers/advisors serve as the two inside members of the examination if the final examination is considered as the Graduate Board examination. A department chair may request the Graduate Board to designate certain divisions within very large departments as outside programs.
*Approved by Academic Council on 02/04/04. Consult your department or program for further information.
- The chair of the examination committee will begin the meeting by identifying those present and, if necessary by distinguishing between voting and non-voting attendees.
- Before the candidate enters, the advisor or departmental representative serving as a member of the examination committee will advise the examiners and answer their questions concerning:
1. the candidate’s formal course record
- school, department, or committee requirements (e.g., whether specific minor as well as major subjects are required).
- special prerogatives that should determine the character of the examination.
At the conclusion of the examination, after a vote has been taken, the chair of the examination committee should record the results of the examination and have each committee member sign the form. The chair should also sign the form and fill in the date. The original signed copy is returned to the Graduate Board Office if the candidate is in Arts & Sciences or Engineering. The original should be returned to the Registrar’s Office for the Schools of Medicine, Hygiene and Public Health, Advanced International Studies, and Nursing.
- If the candidate receives an unconditional pass (e.g., a majority of favorable votes), the examination committee is discharged.
- If the candidate receives a conditional pass, the exact terms of the condition are to be reported on the examination form, i.e., what course(s), if any, need be taken, in what time frame the conditions(s) should be met, and any other pertinent information that will point out clearly to both the student and faculty how to satisfy the condition(s). As soon as all conditions have been met, the chair of the examination committee must report the removal of the condition in writing to the Graduate Board. The committee is then discharged.
- If the candidate fails, the examination committee, through the chair, should recommend a course of further action:
No further examination.
Re-examine the candidate by the same committee at a later date.
Re-examine the candidate by a different committee at a later date. Reasons should be given for the change in the committee membership. The newly formed committee must have representation from the previous committee.
- The committee may recommend whatever action in its judgment seems desirable, taking into consideration the background of the student, previous performance, potential, and reaction to oral questioning. The Graduate Board will be guided by these recommendations, but will assume responsibility for whatever action is taken.
Duties of the Chair of the Graduate Board Examination Committee
The duties of the chair of an examination committee are to:
- Preside at the examination
- Instruct the committee as to the scope, character, and conduct of the examination before questioning begins
- Allot time to inside and outside examiners
- Report the results of the examination to the Graduate Board immediately after the examination using the original examination form
- In the case of a conditional pass or failure, to monitor the further action recommended.
Reports and Records of Oral Examinations
Immediately after the examination, the chair of the examination committee should tell the candidate in person whether he or she passed or failed the examination, or received a conditional pass.
The advisor/departmental representative serving on the examination committee should report the results of the student’s examination to the department chair.
Should a student fail or receive a conditional pass, the Graduate Board will formally notify the department chair in writing.
The Graduate Board also notifies the Office of the Registrar, who in turn, enters passing results onto the student’s official transcript.
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