1. All entering students must complete the core courses with grades of A or B in the first year of study unless the DGS agrees on a longer plan. Political Science courses taken prior to satisfactory completion of the core will not count towards the Ph.D. degree without special approval of the DGS. Students earning a grade lower than B in any core course must repeat the course. Core courses with grades lower than B will not be counted towards the Ph.D.
2. During the month of March in the first year of study, students will meet with the DGS to choose an advising committee of three political science faculty. No more than two of the committee members may be in the same subfield. The advising committee will design a plan of study with the student and monitor its progress until the student has reached ABD (all but dissertation) status in the program . Any changes in the plan of study must be approved by the advising committee. The student should consult the committee before registering each semester. The committee will review the student's progress yearly and report unsatisfactory progress to the DGS who may recommend to the Graduate College that the student be dismissed from the program. Unsatisfactory progress may include failure to comply with Graduate College regulations; undue delays in forming an advising committee or choosing sub-field specializations, completing advising committee recommendations, taking exams, or completing program requirements; or an inability to develop a research topic or form a dissertation committee.
3. After satisfactory completion of the core courses, the student will prepare for the preliminary examinations by first meeting with his/her advising committee. The student must then complete requirements outlined by his/her advising committee, subfield committees and elective pool graders. Among these requirements are satisfactory completion of the research paper requirement, designated elective coursework, and mastery of the subfield reading lists. The student's advising committee will decide when a student is ready to sit for the exams. Exams are offered each semester and must be taken all at once. Students must complete the preliminary examinations within five years from date of entry. Students must satisfactorily retake any failed parts of the examination within one year. Two failures of an exam will result in dismissal from the program.
4. After satisfactorily completing the preliminary examinations, the student will be admitted to doctoral candidacy by the Graduate College. Within six months the department requires the student to form a dissertation committee and successfully defend a dissertation proposal before that committee. Official recognition of the dissertation committee by the Graduate College may occur one year after the student is admitted to the candidacy. The student will be advised solely by the dissertation committee from this point until graduation. Graduate College regulations pertaining to registration, dissertation procedure and time to degree are strictly enforced.
5. Detailed information regarding the research paper requirement, preliminary examinations and Graduate College and University regulations are available from the department graduate office.
6. Recommendations for continuation of financial aid awards in the form of department assistantships or department or University fellowships are contingent on the awardee's timely progress in the program as well as scholarship and satisfactory performance of assigned duties.