Satisfactory Academic Progress

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the American and New England Studies Program guarantee five full years (12 months each) of financial support for students who maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. This support will be in the form of Teaching Fellowships, Research Assistantships or Graduate Fellowships. All requirements for the doctorate, including dissertation, must be completed within seven years (exceptions require a petition to GRS). A leave of absence of up to two semesters is permitted for appropriate cause, but the leave period counts towards the seven-year time limit. Given these time constraints, students should work closely with their dissertation readers to devise an efficient schedule for research, writing and revision. Faculty and students share responsibility for adhering closely to this schedule.

The following achievements are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress:

1. Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
2. Have no more than 2 failing grades (lower than B- or an incomplete grade older than 12 months)
3. Pass qualifying exams and other milestones on the recommended schedule specified under the listed PhD Requirements.