Policy on Academic Performance and Satisfactory Progress in University of Maryland Baltimore PhD Programs

Purpose:  Satisfactory academic performance and progress within the University of Maryland Baltimore’s doctor of philosophy (PhD) programs is a shared responsibility of the University of Maryland Baltimore Graduate School (UMBGS), the Doctoral Programs, and graduate students.  This policy specifies the elements of satisfactory academic performance and progress for students in UMBGS PhD programs. 

UMBGS Standards

• After admission to a doctoral program, each student must continue a course of study and must register fall and spring semesters unless on an approved leave of Absence.  Failure to comply with the requirement to register every semester will be taken as evidence that the student has terminated his or her program and admission status in the Graduate School.

• Students accepted provisionally will have provisional admission status removed only after all provisions have been satisfied and the student has fulfilled all other UMBGS and Doctoral Program requirements for non-provisional admission.  This determination will be made by the Graduate Program Director and the UMBGS Academic Coordinator.

• Graduate students must maintain a minimum, cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

• UMBGS does not impose a uniform protocol for preliminary, qualifying, or comprehensive examinations.  Admission to candidacy occurs after fulfilling Doctoral Program requirements.

• Students must establish and maintain a professional relationship with a faculty research advisor.  The advisor must hold Regular membership in the Graduate Faculty[1] with the appropriate knowledge and expertise to serve as research advisor. 

• Students must demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research by developing, presenting, and defending an original dissertation on a topic approved by the Doctoral Program.  Evidence of completion of this requirement is submission of the committee approved dissertation to the Graduate School.[2]

• UMBGS requires that students take and pass a doctoral examination of the dissertation comprised of an open presentation and a formal examination.  The formal examination can only be attempted twice.  A failure on the second attempt means the PhD degree is forfeited.

• Students must be admitted to candidacy within five academic years of first term of enrollment in the Doctoral Program and at least two full sequential semesters or sessions (spring, summer, or fall) before graduation.  All degree requirements, including the final examination of the dissertation, must be completed within four years of admission to candidacy and no more than nine years after admission into the Doctoral Program.

• Students are expected to meet the highest standards of academic integrity.  Plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, cheating, and other acts of academic dishonesty, or abetting the academic dishonesty of another will result in sanctions and may lead to academic dismissal.[3]

Doctoral Program Standards

Students must meet all Doctoral Program requirements for satisfactory academic performance and progress as well as UMGBS requirements.  Students are advised to be familiar with all handbooks, requirements, and standards of their Doctoral Program.

• Doctoral Programs may have requirements that are in addition to the UMBGS standards listed above.  Examples of additional Graduate Program requirements are laboratory rotations, journal clubs, presentation of papers/abstracts, and publication(s).

• Doctoral Programs may have more stringent standards than the UMBGS.  Examples of more stringent standards are higher than 3.0 minimum GPA required by the UMBGS, advancement to candidacy within four years instead of five, and program completion within seven instead of nine years.

The student is expected to meet the most stringent standard for each requirement, whether it is a standard of the UMGBS or the Doctoral Program.

Failure to meet any of the UMGBS and Doctoral Program standards of academic performance and progress subjects a student to automatic academic probation and the possibility of dismissal.

Placement on Academic Probation or Dismissal

If a student does not meet the UMBGS and the Doctoral Program’s standards of satisfactory academic performance or progress, then the student will automatically be placed on probation or dismissed.  Written notice of this action will be provided by the Graduate School Office of Enrollment Affairs, including the reason for the action.  A copy of the notice will be provided to the student’s Doctoral Program Director.  Notice will be mailed to the student’s current address of record as noted on file with the UMB Registrar.  Notice is deemed received by the student within 10 calendar days from the date of the notice.  Each student is expected to notify the Registrar, UMBGS and the Doctoral Program of changes in address and check for correspondence at his or her address of record in a timely fashion.

For information on UMBGS policy and procedures for appeal of probation or academic dismissal see http://graduate.umaryland.edu/grad_policies/appeal.html.