UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Admissions Policies
ADMISSION TO GRADUATE SCHOOL
Responsibility for admitting applicants to graduate programs rests with the Dean of the Graduate School.
Academic department and program oices review admissions applications and credentials and make
admissions recommendations to the Graduate Dean. In cases where credentials were earned abroad, the
Graduate School admissions sta will evaluate to ensure that the applicant has the equivalent of an accredited
4 year U.S. baccalaureate degree. The standards maintained by the Graduate School and individual
departments and programs are applied to ensure that applicants admitted to the University are well qualified
On This Page
Overview
Admission to Graduate School
Criteria for Admission
The Admission Process
Admissions Records and Disposition
Admission to Degree Programs
Full Graduate Student Status
Conditional Graduate Student Status
Oer of Admission
Admission Term Changes
Non-Degree Admission: Non-Degree Seeking Student Status
Visiting Graduate Student Status
Golden Identification Card for Senior Citizens of Maryland
Change of Status or Program
Admission of Members of the Faculty
Admission to An Institute
Immunization
Residency Classification
and trained to study at this institution and have a reasonable expectation of successfully completing a graduate
program. Standards for admission to doctoral degree programs are frequently higher than those for admission
to master's degree programs. In many degree programs, the number of applications received from individuals
qualified for graduate study regularly exceeds the number of applicants who can be accommodated. In such
cases, only the most highly qualified are oered admission. The number of spaces available in various
departments is limited according to the availability of faculty, special resources, and funds for students
requiring financial assistance.
CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION
Those applicants who have earned or will earn a bachelor's degree at a regionally accredited college or
university in the United States (or the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree from a nationally recognized
institution in another country) are eligible to be considered for admission to the Graduate School at the
University of Maryland. With the exception of established dual-degree programs, an applicant can matriculate
in only one graduate program at a time.
Admission to graduate programs is highly competitive, and space is limited. The decision to admit an applicant
to a program is based primarily on a combination of the following criteria, evaluated from a complete
application:
Quality of previous undergraduate and graduate work. The Graduate School requires as a minimum
standard an average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all undergraduate courses taken at a regionally accredited
college or university, as calculated by the institution that conferred the bachelorʼs degree. Adequate
performance in prerequisite courses is required. Applicants with international credentials must submit in
the original language those academic records that are not written in English. Such credentials must be
accompanied by a literal English translation. Both must be submitted by the published international
application submission deadline for the degree or certificate program. Original copies must be submitted to
the Graduate School before the completion of the first term (semester or 12-week term) of enrollment.
Strength of letters of recommendation from persons competent to judge the applicant's probable
success in graduate school. These letters are usually from the applicant's former professors who are able
to give an in-depth evaluation of the applicant's strengths and weaknesses with respect to academic work.
Additional recommendations may come from employers or supervisors who are familiar with the
applicant's work experience.
Scores on a nationally standardized examination. The three most widely used standardized examinations
are the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and the
Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Because the predictive utility of these test scores may vary from one group of
applicants to another, a discriminating use of all relevant materials will be made in each applicant's case.
The TOEFL, IELTS Academic, or PTE Academic are required of international applicants who are not native
speakers of English. More information on English Proficiency requirements can be found on our Graduate
School website.
Applicant's statement of his or her academic career objectives and their relation to the intended
program of study. These statements help the program to identify students whose goals are consonant with
the program's objectives and expertise.
Other evidence of potential success in graduate studies. Some programs require other evidence of
potential for success in graduate study, such as a portfolio of creative work, completion of specialized
examinations, personal interviews, or an example of scholarly work.
Availability of an advisor in the applicant's specific field, available space in the program, and
competitive rating within the applicant pool for the given term of entry.
Prospective students may apply for admission to the University of Maryland during or aer their final year of
undergraduate study but must furnish proof of graduation before the end of their first term (semester or 12-
week term) of enrollment at the University. Students applying for admission to a graduate degree program
in a field of specialization in which they already hold that same degree or its equivalent may do so only if the
previous degree program was of substantially dierent character or was not accredited. Summer-only
students applying for entrance in either of the two summer sessions should visit the Oice of Extended
Studies website for more information. In exceptional cases, programs may make a request to their collegiate
dean for an exception to the requirement that students hold a U.S. Bachelorʼs or comparable degree. Such
requests must then be submitted from the collegiate dean to the Dean of the Graduate School for approval.
THE ADMISSION PROCESS
To be considered for admission to the Graduate School, each applicant must follow the Graduate School
application procedures. The process requires the following:
Completion of the University of Maryland Graduate Application (online);
Payment of the non-refundable application fee;
Submission of all relevant transcripts and supplementary application materials;
Fulfillment of all graduate program admissions requirements;
Adherence to published application deadlines.
ADMISSIONS RECORDS AND DISPOSITION
All records, including both standardized test scores and academic records from other institutions, become part
of the oicial file and can neither be returned nor duplicated for any purpose. Students should retain an
additional copy of their oicial credentials to keep in their possession for advisory purposes and for other
personal requirements.
The admission credentials and the application data of applicants are retained from the date of receipt for 12
months only and then destroyed in the following cases:
1) Applicants who do not register for courses at the time for which they have been admitted;
2) Applicants whose applications have been disapproved;
3) Applicants who do not respond to graduate program requests for additional information; and
4) Applicants whose applications are not complete with respect to the inclusion of all transcripts or test results.
ADMISSION TO DEGREE PROGRAMS
Graduate students are admitted to a particular program for a specific degree objective (M.A., Ph.D., Ed.D, etc.).
With the exception of established dual degree programs, joint-degree programs, and certificate programs,
graduate students are permitted to matriculate into only one graduate degree program at a time. Graduate
students are admitted to either full or conditional status as outlined below:
FULL GRADUATE STUDENT STATUS
Students may be admitted to full graduate status if they have submitted oicial documents indicating a
completed baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution or have earned a degree equivalent to
a baccalaureate degree from another country, and are fully qualified in the judgment of the individual program
and the Graduate School.
CONDITIONAL GRADUATE STUDENT STATUS
Students may be admitted to conditional status if:
The previous academic record is not outstanding; or
The prerequisite coursework in the chosen field is insuicient; or
The applicant has majored in another field with a creditable record but has not yet clearly demonstrated
abilities in the proposed new field; or
The applicant needs to fulfill an English remediation requirement; or
The applicant has not provided oicial verification of information required by the graduate program or the
Graduate School, such as the last semester's work or receipt of a degree.
Oicial transcripts indicating receipt of the degree must be submitted before the end of the first term of
enrollment (semester or 12-week term). Registration for a second term (semester or 12-week) will not be
permitted unless these documents are received by the Graduate School.
OFFER OF ADMISSION
All completed applications will be reviewed by the Graduate School and the graduate program to which the
applicant applied. Applicants may receive correspondence from each of these oices requesting clarification or
additional information or documents. Responses should be directed to the inquiring oice directly.
Formal admission to The University of Maryland is oered only by the Graduate School. Applicants admitted to
the Graduate School will receive a written oer of admission from the Dean of the Graduate School. To accept or
decline the oer, applicants must notify the Graduate School by the first day of classes of the term (semester or
12-week term) for which the applicant was accepted or the oer becomes void. Immediately following written
acceptance, applicants should contact the graduate program for registration information. Applicants are
allowed a one-time only deferral of the admission of up to one year, subject to approval by the graduate
program. Students admitted to a combined Bachelorʼs-Masterʼs Program may not defer the start of their
Masterʼs program, but may request a Leave of Absence in their first year in the Master's program. Applicants who
are unsuccessful in gaining admission to a graduate program are also notified in writing by the Graduate
School.
ADMISSION TERM CHANGES
The Oer of Admission is extended to the applicant only for a specified term (semester or 12-week term). If an
admitted student or a Graduate Program wishes to change the term of entry (semester or 12-week term), they
must petition the Graduate School in writing. The Graduate School will allow one (1) term (semester or 12-week
term) change requested by the program, and one (1) requested by the admitted student, contingent upon the
approval of the program's Director of Graduate Studies. Any further changes will require a new application to
the Graduate School.
NON-DEGREE ADMISSION: NON-DEGREE SEEKING
STUDENT STATUS
Although the primary mission of the Graduate School is to conduct programs of graduate instruction leading to
advanced degrees, the Graduate Faculty will admit qualified students without degree objectives as Non-Degree
Seeking Students, to the extent that resources allow. Unoicial transcripts or photocopies of diplomas will be
accepted with the application for evaluation purposes, but the student must submit oicial copies of all
required documents before the end of the first term of enrollment (semester or 12-week term). Oicial
transcripts must be submitted from all institutions except the University of Maryland, College Park.
The Non-Degree Seeking Student status is not available to international students who would require the
University of Maryland to sponsor them on an F-1 student visa.
Applicants for admission to Non-Degree Seeking Student status must hold a baccalaureate degree from a
regionally accredited institution, with a cumulative 3.0 grade point average, and:
Submit oicial transcripts covering all credits used in satisfying the baccalaureate degree requirements, or
If the applicant holds a master's or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution, submit an
oicial transcript showing the award of a master's or doctoral degree, or
Achieve a score that places the applicant in the upper 50th percentile of appropriate national standardized
aptitude examinations, including the Graduate Record Examination, the Miller Analogies Test, and the
Graduate Management Admissions Test (where dierent percentiles are possible, the Graduate School will
determine which score is acceptable), or
Provide a strong letter of support from the Graduate Director of the program in which the applicant plans to
take a course.
Admission to Non-Degree Seeking Student status will continue for five years. If there is no registration in two
consecutive academic terms (semesters -Fall and Spring or 12-week term), the admitted status will lapse and a
new application will be required.
Non-Degree Seeking Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average. Non-Degree Seeking Students whose
grade point average falls below 3.0 will not be permitted to register. Non-Degree Seeking Students must pay all
standard graduate fees. Students in this status are not eligible to hold appointments as Graduate Teaching or
Research Assistants or Fellows, or to receive other forms of financial aid. All other services available to them
(e.g., parking, library privileges) are the same as those accorded to other graduate students.
Successful completion of courses taken as a Non-Degree Seeking Student does not guarantee admission to a
graduate degree or certificate program. Each program may accept such courses in satisfaction of program
requirements to a maximum of nine (9) credits, contingent on admission to the degree or certificate program
and on the approval of the faculty in the program. For consideration of admission to a degree program at a later
time, the student must submit a new application. (For those admitted as an Advanced Special Student prior to
the Fall 2017 term, each program may accept such courses in satisfaction of program requirements to a
maximum of twelve (12) credits, contingent on admission to the degree or certificate program and on the
approval of the faculty in the program.)
VISITING GRADUATE STUDENT STATUS
A graduate student matriculated in another graduate school who wishes to enroll in the Graduate School of the
University of Maryland and who intends to return to the graduate school in which he or she is matriculated, may
be admitted as a Visiting Graduate Student.
To apply, the applicant must submit a completed application and pay the current application fee. Transcripts,
letters of recommendation, and test scores are not required. In lieu of transcripts, the applicant must submit a
letter from the Graduate Dean at the applicant's institution confirming that the applicant is in good academic
standing and that courses taken at the University of Maryland will be transferred to the home institution.
GOLDEN IDENTIFICATION CARD FOR SENIOR
CITIZENS OF MARYLAND
The University's services and courses are available without charge to citizens who are residents of the State of
Maryland, 60 years of age or older, and retired (retired persons will be considered those who airm that they are
not engaged in gainful employment for more than 20 hours per week). Individuals who meet these
requirements may apply for graduate admission, either as degree-seeking or non-degree-seeking students, and
must meet all admissions criteria. Once admitted and issued the Golden Identification Card, senior citizens may
register for courses in any session on a space-available basis, and may use the library and other University
facilities during the time they are enrolled in courses. Tuition will be waived for Golden Identification Card
holders, but mandatory fees must be paid. Golden ID Card holders may register during the first week of classes
for up to 3 courses; they may not pre-register. Please refer to the Registration Guide for more information on the
Golden ID registration procedures.
CHANGE OF STATUS OR PROGRAM
Students are admitted with a particular status to a specified program for a specified objective. If a student
wishes to change to a dierent program within the same school or college and the degree objective will remain
the same or will change to a lower-level objective (e.g., PhD to M.A.), a Program/Degree Objective Change Form
may be submitted to the Graduate School. This form may also be used if a student wants to remain in the same
program, but change to a lower-level degree objective.
A new application will be required if:
The student wishes to change a program outside of their current school or college (students may be
admitted to only one graduate program at any one time); or
The student wishes to change status (from non-degree to degree); or
The student wishes to pursue a higher-level degree objective (e.g., change from master's to doctoral
degree).
Programs may request an exception to these rules. For example, a college or department may wish to allow
students in a particular masterʼs of professional studies program to be eligible to change their degree objective
to a particular masterʼs program without requiring a new application.
Admission to a new program and/or status is not granted automatically. Each application is reviewed and must
meet the following criteria:
Eligible students can submit a petition during any term, but can only petition to change their program
and/or degree objective once during their University of Maryland graduate school career. Any subsequent
requests to change a program and/or degree objective will require a new application and will be handled
through the normal admissions process.
To submit a petition, eligible students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher or obtain Graduate School approval
to waive this requirement. The process to waive this requirement is detailed in the petition process below.
If a student changes their program and/or degree objective, they are responsible for adhering to the policies
of their new degree program. Students should be aware that a change in program and/or degree objective
may result in a change in, or loss of, fellowship and/or assistantship funding.
Petition Process
To submit a petition, students will:
Secure permission for the program and/or degree objective change from the requested program. Each
program designs their own review process and approval criteria, which is applied to all students who wish
to change their program and/or degree objective. Each program must provide a path for students to change
their degree objective from a higher to a lower level within the same program if such a masterʼs degree
exists (e.g., a doctoral student has met the degree requirements for a masterʼs degree in the same program
and desires to exit with the masterʼs degree). Each program must also provide reasonable options to meet
any remaining masterʼs degree requirements within one year aer the student elects to change their degree
objective to a lower level within the same graduate program.
Submit a petition for a change of program or change of degree objective to the Graduate School. The
petition asks students to identify: (a) their current graduate program and degree objective, (b) the new
graduate program, if dierent from the current program, and (c) their new degree objective. In some cases,
graduate students may change their degree objective within the same program (e.g., change from a
doctoral degree objective to a masterʼs degree objective).
Before submitting the petition to the Graduate School, students must obtain approval and signatures from
the Director of Graduate Studies of their current program and their new program, if dierent from the
current program.
Once the program/degree objective is changed, the new Director of Graduate Studies will submit any/all
relevant inclusion of credit requests, including any/all relevant course conversions (e.g., 899 to 799).
International students on F-1/J-1 status must meet with the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS)
and obtain approval for the requested change via a signature on the petition.
For students with a GPA of 3.0 or lower, the Director of Graduate Studies must submit a letter to the
Graduate School to justify why the petition should be approved. The letter must include a plan for meeting
the University's graduation requirement of a 3.0 or higher for all graduate students.
Deadlines
Students must submit a completed petition to the Graduate School prior to the last day of final exams.
Petitions for changes in program and/or degree objective received aer final exams will be considered for
the following term. A student must be enrolled during the term in which a degree is conferred, per the
continuous registration requirement.
For approved petitions, the studentʼs Graduate School program termination date will be reset for those that
change programs. For approved petitions for students who change a degree objective within the same
program, the termination date does not restart. Program termination dates are separate from the
termination dates for other requirements such as for the I-20 or for fellowship funding.
ADMISSION OF MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY
No member of the faculty who is employed by the University of Maryland with the position of assistant
professor or higher is permitted to enroll in a program leading to an advanced degree in his or her academic
college or school. A faculty member who wishes to take course work for personal enrichment in his or her
academic college or school may choose to investigate the Non-Degree Seeking Student status. A faculty
member who wishes to pursue an advanced degree in a graduate program outside his or her academic college
or school may do so by obtaining written consent from the Deans of both the academic college/school in which
he or she is employed and that from which he or she seeks a degree, and, subsequently, from the Dean of the
Graduate School.
ADMISSION TO AN INSTITUTE
Application for admission to an institute should be made directly to the director of the institute. If admission to
the Graduate School is also necessary, the decision will be based on the same criteria for admitting other
degree applicants. Admission to an institute does not imply that the individual will be automatically admitted in
any other status at the University of Maryland at a later date. The status terminates upon completion of the
institute in which the student is enrolled. A new application and fee must be submitted for admission to any
other graduate status or program.
Students already admitted to a regular graduate degree or non-degree status may also qualify for participation
in an institute.
IMMUNIZATION
The University of Maryland requires all freshmen, new graduate students, and transfer students to provide
documentation of measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus / diphtheria immunizations. It is a student's
responsibility to provide this information to the Health Center before school begins. This requirement will not
be waived.
RESIDENCY CLASSIFICATION
Petitions, related documents and questions concerning the Board of Regents Policy on Student Classification
for Admission and Tuition Purposes should be directed to the Residency Reclassification Services in the Oice
of the Registrar.
Determination of In-State Status for Admission and Tuition Purposes:
See www.usmh.usmd.edu/regents/bylaws/SectionVIII/VIII270.html for the complete text of this policy.
An initial determination of in-state status will be made by the Graduate School at the time a students'
application for admission is considered. The determination made at that time, and any determination made
thereaer, shall prevail in each term (semester or 12-week term) until the determination is successfully
challenged. Students may challenge their classification by submitting a timely petition to the Residency
Reclassification Services. Determinations are based on the residency policy and requirements. The deadline for
submitting a complete petition along with all supporting documents, is the first day of the term (semester or 12-
week) in which the student wishes to be classified as in-state.
The volume of requests for reclassification may necessitate a delay in completing the review process. A decision
in each case will be made within 60 days of receipt of a complete petition and all required documentation.
During this period of time, or any further period of time required by the university, any fees and charges based
on the previous determination must be paid. The student is solely responsible for any late charges incurred by
the residency process. If the determination is changed, any excess fees and charges will be refunded.
Students classified as in-state for admission and tuition purposes are responsible for notifying the Residency
Reclassification Services in writing within 15 days of any change in their circumstances that might in any way
aect their classification at the University of Maryland.
For more information, refer to the Residency Classification Services web page.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Registration Policies
REGISTRATION AND CREDIT INFORMATION
To attend classes at the University of Maryland, College Park, it is necessary to process an oicial registration.
Specific registration dates and instructions are available at registrar.umd.edu. Registration information for
Summer Session, Winter Session, and Professional Graduate Programs administered by the Oice of Extended
Studies may be found at oes.umd.edu.
On This Page
Registration and Credit Information
Health Insurance for Graduate Students
Designation of Full-Time and Part-Time Status
Course Numbering System
Continuous Registration Requirements
Waiver of Registration for Certificate, Master's, and Pre-Candidacy Doctoral Students
Waiver of Registration for Doctoral Candidates
Waiver of Mandatory Fees
Leave of Absence for Childbearing, Adoption, Serious Health Condition, Dependent Care, or Financial Hardship
Leave of Absence for Military Service
Academic Calendar
Course and Credit Changes
Withdrawal From Classes
Resignation From the University
Grading Systems
Graduate Credit for Undergraduates
Undergraduate Credit for Graduate Courses
Partial Credit for Students With Disabilities
Inter-Institutional Registration, University System of Maryland
The Washington Consortium Arrangement
The University of Maryland has adopted email as the primary means for sending oicial communications to
students. Academic advisors, faculty, and campus administrative oices use email to convey important
information and time-sensitive notices. All enrolled students are provided a university email address. Students
are responsible for keeping their email address up to date or for forwarding email to another address. Changes
of email address and other contact information can be completed online
at registrar.umd.edu/current/index.html#online-transactions.
HEALTH INSURANCE FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Health insurance is important for maintaining physical and mental well-being while in graduate school.
Unexpected healthcare expenses can be disruptive to studentsʼ academic progress. Beginning with the Fall
2020 semester, all students enrolled full-time in a masterʼs or doctoral program at the College Park campus
must have health insurance coverage. Full-time students are those who are enrolled for at least 48 units for the
semester or 36 units for a 12-week term. Part-time students, non-degree-seeking students, and students
enrolled in certificate programs, exclusively on-line programs, and/or programs at the Shady Grove campus are
encouraged but not required to have health insurance, unless required by immigration status.
Students holding a graduate assistantship can choose to 1) enroll in a Maryland State Employee Health
Insurance Plan, 2) enroll in the Universityʼs Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), or 3) enroll in an external
plan.
Students not holding a graduate assistantship can choose to 1) enroll in the Universityʼs Student Health
Insurance Plan (SHIP) or 2) enroll in an external plan.
Students who enroll in an external plan, including under someone else's plan (a parent or a spouse), will be
asked to provide insurance information to the Graduate School.
Information about the Maryland State Employee medical, prescription drug, and dental plans available to
graduate assistants can be found at uhr.umd.edu/benefits/medical-insurance. Information about the Student
Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) available to all students can be found at umd.myahpcare.com. More information
and resources about health insurance are available on the Graduate School Health Insurance webpage
at gradschool.umd.edu/health-insurance.
DESIGNATION OF FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME
STATUS
The Graduate School uses a unit system in making calculations to determine full-time or part-time student
status. Please note that graduate units are dierent from credit hours. The number of graduate units per credit
hour is calculated in the following manner:
Courses in the series: 400-499 carry 4 units per credit hour.
Courses in the series: 600-897 carry 6 units per credit hour.
Master's Research course: 799 carries 12 units per credit hour.
HESP829 course carries 18 units per credit hour.
Pre-candidacy Doctoral Research courses: 898 carries 18 units per credit hour.
Doctoral Dissertation Research: 899 carries 18 units per credit hour. All doctoral candidates must pay
candidacy tuition for which they will be registered for six (6) credit hours of 899; this defines all currently
registered doctoral candidates as full-time.
For programs on the semester term, to be certified as full-time, a graduate student must be oicially registered
for a combination of courses equivalent to 48 units per semester. Graduate assistants holding regular (20 hour
per week) assistantships must be registered for at least 24 units in addition to the assistantship; holders of half
(10 hour per week) assistantships must be registered for at least 36 units. Audited courses do not generate
graduate units and cannot be used in calculating full-time or part-time status.
For programs on the 12-week term, to be certified as full-time, a graduate student must be oicially registered
for a combination of courses equivalent to 36 units per 12-week term. Graduate assistants holding regular
appointments must be registered for at least 18 units in addition to the assistantship; holders of half-time
assistantships must be registered for at least 27 units. Audited courses do not generate graduate units and
cannot be used in calculating full-time or part-time status.
COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM
Courses are designated as follows:
000-099: Non-credit courses
100-199: Primarily first-year courses (not acceptable for credit toward graduate degrees).
200-299: Primarily sophomore courses (not acceptable for credit toward graduate degrees).
300-399: Junior and senior courses (not acceptable for credit toward graduate degrees).
400-499: Junior and senior courses acceptable for credit toward some graduate degrees. The number of
such credits is limited by policies of the Graduate School and by the graduate program.
500-599: Professional school courses (Dentistry, Law, Medicine) and post-baccalaureate courses not for
graduate degree credit.
600-898: Courses restricted to graduate students (see above for exceptions).
799: Master's thesis credit.
899: Doctoral dissertation credit.
The first character of the numeric position of the course number determines the level of the course and the last
two digits are used for course identification. Courses ending with the numeral 8 or 9 are the only courses that
are repeatable for credit.
CONTINUOUS REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
All graduate students must register for courses and pay associated tuition and fees each term (semester or 12-
week term), not including summer and winter sessions for semester-based programs, until the degree is
awarded. During the term that they graduate, all graduate students must be registered for a minimum of one
credit at the University of Maryland, either on the College Park campus or at an approved University of
Maryland instructional site.
A student who fails to register and who has not requested and received a waiver of registration or "Leave of
Absence for Childbearing, Adoption, Illness or Dependent Care" will be notified by the Graduate School aer the
first day of classes that they must register for the current term (semester or 12-week term). The Graduate School
will also inform the Graduate Director of the graduate program that the student is in jeopardy of termination. If
the student does not register, they will be dismissed from the Graduate School at the end of the term (semester
or 12-week term) for failure to comply with the continuous registration requirement.
A student who is dismissed for non-registration may appeal dismissal during a 30-day period following the end
of the semester or during a 10-day period following the end of a 12-week term of non-registration. If the student
does not appeal, or if the appeal is denied, and the student wishes to continue in the Graduate School, the
student must apply for readmission. In this case, readmission does not alter the initial requirements for time to
complete the degree or advance to candidacy.
WAIVER OF REGISTRATION FOR CERTIFICATE,
MASTER'S, AND PRE-CANDIDACY DOCTORAL
STUDENTS
Certificate, Master's, and pre-candidacy Doctoral students who will be away from the University for a term
(semester or 12-week term) or for two terms (a year on the semester system or two 12-week terms) may request
a waiver of continuous registration and its associated tuition for the term(s) granted. Waivers of registration will
be granted only if the student is making satisfactory progress toward the degree and can complete the degree
requirements within the required time limits. Interruption of registration cannot be used to justify a time
extension.
Permission for non-registration is obtained from the Graduate Director of the student's program and the waiver
must be filed with the Graduate School. Students who are not registered may not use any University facilities,
including the library, and should expect to consult with members of the Graduate Faculty seldom or not at all.
A request for a waiver of registration should be filed 30 days before the beginning of the term (semester or 12-
week term) for which the waiver is sought. Tuition waiver requests will be granted only when the student
airms in writing that they will not be using any University resources, including the time of faculty members,
during the waiver period.
WAIVER OF REGISTRATION FOR DOCTORAL
CANDIDATES
Doctoral Candidates are not eligible for Waivers of Continuous Registration. Each doctoral Candidate must
maintain continuous registration in 899 (Doctoral Dissertation Research) until the degree is awarded. Waivers of
Registration may be granted only under the University's policy for Leave of Absence for Graduate Students for
Childbearing, Adoption, Illness or Dependent Care (see below).
WAIVER OF MANDATORY FEES
A waiver of Mandatory Fees may be granted to any graduate student, including Doctoral Candidates, if the
registered student will be away from the College Park campus for an entire term (semester or 12-week)
exclusively for the purpose of thesis or dissertation research (799, 898, or 899) or a required full-time
professional experience (e.g., an internship, apprenticeship, or practicum). To qualify, the o-campus research
or professional experience must be at least 50 miles from the College Park campus. Students who are o
campus for other reasons (e.g., taking all online courses) are not eligible for this waiver. An application for a
Waiver of Mandatory Fees must be submitted to the Graduate School. Students are not eligible for a Waiver of
Mandatory Fees for the term in which they complete their degree requirements. More information on
Mandatory Fees can be found here.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR CHILDBEARING, ADOPTION,
SERIOUS HEALTH CONDITION, DEPENDENT CARE,
OR FINANCIAL HARDSHIP
In recognition of the eects that childbirth, adoption, serious health condition (mental and/or physical), caring
for incapacitated dependents (such as children, ill or injured partners, or aging parents), and situations that
present financial hardship may have on the time and capacity that graduate students have to devote to their
educational programs, the University allows students in such circumstances to apply for a leave of absence of
up to two semesters or up to three 12-week terms during which time they do not intend to make academic
progress toward the completion of their degree. The time taken on an approved leave of absence is not
included in the time limitations for degree completion and advancement to candidacy. For the Graduate
Student Parental Accommodation Policy, which provides students the option to maintain full-time enrollment
status rather than take a leave of absence, see the Parental Accommodation Policy.
LENGTH OF LEAVES
Application for a leave of absence may be made either on a one- or two-semester basis or on one- or two- or
three 12-week term basis. A leave of absence ordinarily will not be granted for more than one academic year.
Leaves requested for a longer period are approved only in exceptional circumstances; if the absence exceeds a
total of two years, the student should withdraw from the program and reapply when capable of returning to
active graduate study. An approved leave for one semester will be extended to two semesters as needed or an
approved leave for one 12-week term will be extended to two and will be extended to three, if so requested by
the applicant prior to the expiration of the approved one- term (semester or 12-week) leave of absence.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
A leave of absence normally must be requested and approved prior to the beginning of the academic term for
which it is being requested. If a leave of absence is submitted during a term, the policies for Withdrawal from
Classes and Grading Systems (i.e., assigning a grade of “incomplete”) apply. The Petition for a Waiver of
Regulation can be employed aer the add/drop period for approved leave of absences. A leave of absence
cannot be requested retroactively aer a term ends (i.e., the last day of classes in a semester).
The student can request the Leave of Absence by completing and submitting the Leave of Absence
Request Form. Requests for medical leaves of absences require a supplemental form to be completed by the
studentʼs health care provider. The request must be approved by the student's faculty advisor and Graduate
Director prior to submission to the Graduate Dean. Approved leaves will stop the student's "time-to-degree
clock." At the end of the leave of absence, the student must complete and submit the Return from Leave of
Absence Form prior to the beginning of the term the student intends to return to active study. Students who
were on a Leave of Absence for medical reasons will be required to submit a supplemental form completed by
the studentʼs health care provider. Students will not be eligible to register until they have requested to return
from their leave of absence.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Registration Requirements. Students on approved leaves of absence are not registered at the University
and, therefore, do not have the rights and privileges of registered students. Students must be registered
during a term (semester or 12-week) in which they fulfill a University or departmental degree requirement,
such as taking qualifying exams or submitting a dissertation/thesis. In addition, students must also be
registered in order to be eligible for any form of University financial aid (e.g., a teaching or research
assistantship) and to be certified as full-time students.
Impact on Funding. When contemplating a leave of absence, graduate students are advised to consult with
the sources of their funding to determine whether a leave might involve a long-term financial loss. Because
academic programs and financial aid packages may be constructed and sequenced over a period of years,
individual interruptions to the normal sequence of academic progress and scheduled employment may
result in a loss of future funding and a slower time to completion of degree. In some programs, a leave of
absence may mean that students may have to join a new project upon return, with the likelihood that their
research may take longer to complete. Whenever a leave of absence is being considered, a student should
meet with the advisor to develop a plan for resumption of study and gain a clear understanding of future
funding opportunities. Some outside funding agencies frown on interruptions to a degree program. Some
only allow leaves for medical reasons or military service. Others require prior approval of the fellowship
agency.
Students with outstanding educational loans need to consider the eect of taking a leave of absence on
their loan status. For some student loans, a grace period for repaying the loan begins once the student stops
registering. If the leave period is longer than the grace period, then the student may have to begin repaying
the loan while on a leave of absence. Prior to taking a leave, students should arrange to meet with a Student
Financial Aid oicer, and/or contact their lenders.
International students. Non-immigrant F-1 and J-1 students and their dependents must maintain legal
immigration status at all times. Students with F-1 or J-1 visas must be enrolled full-time every term
(semester or 12-week) at the University while they remain in the United States. The only possible exception
that might allow a student to remain in the United States while on an approved leave of absence might be a
serious illness or medical condition. Students are advised to consult with International Student and Scholar
Services for more information when considering a leave of absence.
Student Accounts. Students are advised to check with Student Financial Services and Cashiering prior to
taking an approved leave of absence in order to determine the status of their student accounts. Students are
advised that accounts that are overdue will be subject to regular procedures in accordance with University
guidelines, notwithstanding any approved leave of absence: specifically, late fees and finance charges will
continue to accrue, students will be blocked from future registration upon their return, and accounts will be
referred to the State Central Collection Unit, with the imposition of additional collection charges, for non-
payment in accordance with regular time frames.
University Housing. The University's general policy is that students must be registered to be eligible for
University housing. For specific information about continued eligibility for University housing during an
approved leave of absence, students are advised to contact the Department of Resident Life. Additional
restrictions may apply to students leasing housing through Southern Management Corporation or other
third-party entity. For specific information, students should contact the appropriate rental agent.
Access to University Resources. Students who are on a leave of absence do not have a valid University of
Maryland Identification card and therefore are not entitled to use University resources, such as the libraries,
recreational centers, shuttle buses, and other services covered by mandatory fees. Students seeking
information on the use of the libraries may check lib.umd.edu/access/access-privileges, or contact the
McKeldin Library Circulation Department, Community Borrowers Oice, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00
p.m.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR MILITARY SERVICE
Graduate students in the United States Armed Forces, including members of the National Guard or Reserve,
may apply for a leave of absence to fulfill a voluntary or involuntary service commitment. Students may apply
for a leave of absence of up to two semesters, during which time the requirement of continuous graduate
registration is suspended.
LENGTH OF LEAVES
Application for a leave of absence may be made for one or two semesters. An approved leave for one semester
may be extended to two semesters if requested by the applicant at least four weeks prior to the expiration of the
approved one-semester leave of absence. Leaves of absence for more than two semesters will be considered on
a case by case basis for the duration of the military service.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
A leave of absence for military service must be requested and approved prior to the beginning of the academic
term for which it is being requested. The student can request the Leave of Absence by completing and
submitting the Leave of Absence Form. The student must submit a copy of paperwork confirming induction or
authorization for active duty, The request must be approved by the studentʼs faculty advisor and Graduate
Director prior to submission to the Graduate Dean. Approved leaves will stop the student's "time-to-degree
clock." Students will not be eligible to register until they have requested to return from their leave of absence.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Registration Requirements. Students on approved leaves of absence are not registered at the University
and, therefore, do not have the rights and privileges of registered students. Students must be registered
during a term (semester or 12-week) in which they fulfill a University or departmental degree requirement,
such as taking qualifying exams or submitting a dissertation/thesis. In addition, students must also be
registered in order to be eligible for any form of University financial aid (e.g., a teaching or research
assistantship) and to be certified as full-time students.
Impact on Funding. When contemplating a leave of absence, graduate students are advised to consult with
the sources of their funding to determine whether a leave might involve a long-term financial loss. Because
academic programs and financial aid packages may be constructed and sequenced over a period of years,
individual interruptions to the normal sequence of academic progress and scheduled employment may
result in a loss of future funding and a slower time to completion of degree. In some programs, a leave of
absence may mean that students may have to join a new project upon return, with the likelihood that their
research may take longer to complete. Whenever a leave of absence is being considered, a student should
meet with the advisor to develop a plan for resumption of study and gain a clear understanding of future
funding opportunities. Some outside funding agencies frown on interruptions to a degree program. Some
only allow leaves for medical reasons or military service. Others require prior approval of the fellowship
agency.
Students with outstanding educational loans need to consider the eect of taking a leave of absence on
their loan status. For some student loans, a grace period for repaying the loan begins once the student stops
registering. If the leave period is longer than the grace period, then the student may have to begin repaying
the loan while on a leave of absence. Prior to taking a leave, students should arrange to meet with a Student
Financial Aid oicer, and/or contact their lenders.
Student Accounts. Students are advised to check with Student Financial Services and Cashiering prior to
taking an approved leave of absence in order to determine the status of their student accounts. Students are
advised that accounts that are overdue will be subject to regular procedures in accordance with University
guidelines, notwithstanding any approved leave of absence: specifically, late fees and finance charges will
continue to accrue, students will be blocked from future registration upon their return, and accounts will be
referred to the State Central Collection Unit, with the imposition of additional collection charges, for non-
payment in accordance with regular time frames.
University Housing. The University's general policy is that students must be registered to be eligible for
University housing. For specific information about continued eligibility for University housing during an
approved leave of absence, students are advised to contact the Department of Resident Life. Additional
restrictions may apply to students leasing housing through Southern Management Corporation or other
third-party entity. For specific information, students should contact the appropriate rental agent.
Access to University Resources. Students who are on a leave of absence do not have a valid University of
Maryland Identification card and therefore are not entitled to use University resources, such as the libraries,
recreational centers, shuttle buses, and other services covered by mandatory fees. Students seeking
information on the use of the libraries may check lib.umd.edu/access/access-privileges, or contact the
McKeldin Library Circulation Department, Community Borrowers Oice, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00
p.m.
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
The academic calendar contains important information regarding registration. Graduate students preparing to
graduate should refer to the Deadlines for Graduate Students.
COURSE AND CREDIT CHANGES
A graduate student may drop a course, add a course, change between audit and credit status, change the
number of credits for a course within the listed range, cancel registration, or withdraw from the University
without special approval until the end of the Schedule Adjustment Period. The deadlines are published each
term on the Registrar's website. No credit level changes or grading option changes are permitted aer the
"Graduate Student Deadline To" date. Drop/Add and other changes may be done in person at the Oice of the
Registrar or online at testudo.umd.edu.
Graduate students can adjust their schedule (add, drop, etc.) without penalty until the close of business on the
fih business day of classes. (Monday through Friday when the university is open for business). Any schedule
adjustment made aer the fih business day is subject to a financial penalty. The refund schedule for courses
dropped is also published on the Registrarʼs website. For more information, please see the Refunds sections of
this Catalog.
Exceptions to the published deadlines require a petition to the Graduate School which must include the written
approval of the instructor and the Graduate Director of the program. Petitions should be submitted to the
Graduate School. The graduate program stamp must be placed on the change of grading option/credit level
form.
WITHDRAWAL FROM CLASSES
The term "withdrawal" means termination of enrollment in all classes for a given term (semester or 12-week).
The date of the withdrawal is indicated on a graduate student's academic record. To withdraw from a term
(semester or 12-week) on or before the last day of classes a graduate student must complete the Degree-
Seeking Graduate Student Withdrawal form and submit to the Oice of the Registrar, 1113 Mitchell Building, in
person or by email at registrar-graduat[email protected]. Withdrawal becomes eective on the date notification is
received in the Records Oice. The University Refund Policy applies to withdrawals aer the first day of classes.
Students who withdraw from classes must also submit a request for Waiver of Continuous Registration to the
Graduate School at gr[email protected].
If the time limitation in a master's or pre-candidacy student's program has not lapsed (5 years to obtain a
master's degree and 5 years to reach doctoral candidacy), the graduate student is eligible to re-enroll without
readmission provided they have received a waiver of registration from the graduate program or have received
an approved Leave of Absence from the Graduate School; withdrawal by a graduate student without an
approved Leave of Absence or Waiver of Registration will oicially end the student's status as a graduate
student.
RESIGNATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY
A graduate student wishing to withdraw from the University and terminate their graduate student standing may
do so by submitting an email or letter to the Graduate School at gr[email protected]. The email used must be
the studentʼs oicial University of Maryland email address. The Graduate School will then cancel the student's
admission status, eective the date the letter is received. If the student is registered for classes at the time of
their resignation, the student must complete the Degree-Seeking Graduate Student Withdrawal form and
submit to the Oice of the Registrar, 1113 Mitchell Building, either in person or by email at registrar-
graduat[email protected]. The University Refund Policy applies for resignation aer the first day of classes. A
graduate student seeking to return to the University of Maryland aer resigning must reapply for admission and
is subject to all graduate program and Graduate School requirements. They may be required to repeat
previously taken courses (see time limits for relevant degree or certificate programs).
GRADING SYSTEMS
The University's A through F grading system is used in graduate level courses. A "Satisfactory or Failure" (S-F)
grading system may be used for certain types of graduate study at the discretion of the graduate program.
These include courses that require independent fieldwork, special projects, or independent study. Graduate
program seminars, workshops, and graduate program courses in instructional methods may also be
appropriate for the S-F grading system. The "Pass-Fail" grading system is not available for graduate students.
However, a graduate program may allow, in certain cases, a graduate student to use the Pass-Fail option for
100-300 level courses. Graduate credit may not be earned for these courses. Either the A-F or the S-F grading
system may be used for pre-candidacy (898) and courses labeled "Independent Study" or "Special Problems."
Only one grading system may be used per course in a particular term (semester or 12-week). The grading
system will be designated by the student's graduate program or the graduate program oering the course.
The S-F grading system must be used for masterʼs thesis (799) and doctoral dissertation (899) research. A grade
of S indicates satisfactory progress towards the completion of the thesis or dissertation; a grade of F indicates
failure to make satisfactory progress. A grade of F will trigger a review to determine whether the studentʼs
enrollment should be terminated. Determinations of satisfactory progress occur at the graduate program level.
A grade of I (incomplete) may be assigned if the advisor is unable to determine that the student is making
satisfactory progress. The grade of I should be used sparingly and only aer the advisor has spoken with the
student about concerns regarding satisfactory progress. For 799 and 899 there are no incomplete contracts.
Advisors should change grades of I to S when the student has demonstrated satisfactory progress, or to F if the
advisor determines the student is incapable of making satisfactory progress. Upon successful completion of all
degree requirements and the award of the degree, any remaining I grades for 799 and 899 will automatically be
changed to S.
GRADUATE CREDIT FOR UNDERGRADUATES
An undergraduate degree-seeking student at the University of Maryland may register for graduate-level courses
with the approval of the Dean of his or her academic college, the chair of the department, the instructor oering
the course, and the Dean of the Graduate School. These courses will be recorded as "for graduate credit only"
and may ONLY be applied toward an advanced degree at this university or elsewhere. Students eligible for this
option must have achieved Junior standing, will have a GPA of at least 3.0, and will have successfully completed
the prerequisite courses with a grade of "B-" or better.
The student must submit a plan of study showing that taking graduate courses will not unduly delay completion
of the requirements for the bachelor's degree. The total of graduate and undergraduate credits attempted in
any semester may not be more than 18. The graduate credits so earned will not count toward any requirements
for the bachelor's degree. An undergraduate student may take a maximum of nine graduate credits when taken
as graduate credits only. Programs can petition the Dean of the Graduate School to request up to 12 graduate
credits for undergraduates, such as for combined bachelorʼs-masterʼs programs. Courses in a 12-week term
program are not open to undergraduate students. In order to earn a graduate degree or certificate, students
must be admitted into the Graduate School. Please see the combined bachelor's-master's policy for credit limits
that pertain to those programs.
UNDERGRADUATE CREDIT FOR GRADUATE COURSES
Subject to requirements determined by the Graduate Faculty of the department or program oering the course,
undergraduate degree-seeking students may register for graduate-level courses, (those numbered from 600 to
897) with the exception of 799, for undergraduate credit. The student must obtain the prior approval of the
department and instructor oering the course.
Enrollment in a graduate-level course does not in any way imply subsequent departmental or Graduate School
approval for admission into a graduate program. The course may not be used as credit for a graduate degree at
the University of Maryland except as part of an approved Bachelor's/Master's program into which the student
has been admitted. Courses in 12-week programs are not open to undergraduate students.
PARTIAL CREDIT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
The Graduate School recognizes that students with documented disabilities may be prevented from
participating courses that include laboratories, studio work, or other non- classroom activities in which the
student is prevented from participating because of the disability. Therefore, it is the Graduate School 's policy to
allow students with disabilities to enroll in such courses, complete only those parts of the course that their
capabilities permit, and receive credit for the course proportionate to their levels of participation. Students with
disabilities should contact Disability Support Services (DSS) for information and assistance with any disability-
related issue. Phone (301) 314-7682 (V/TTY). Graduate students with disabilities who wish to enroll under this
policy should consult the Graduate School. The Dean, in consultation with DSS, will assist the student in making
the necessary arrangements with the graduate program oering the course, the graduate program in which the
student is enrolled, and the Oice of Registrar. The final agreement as to the student's level of participation and
the amount of credit to be awarded will be specified in an agreement to be drawn up by the Dean of the
Graduate School and signed by all parties concerned.
INTER-INSTITUTIONAL REGISTRATION, UNIVERSITY
SYSTEM OF MARYLAND
A student admitted to the Graduate School in any institution of the University System of Maryland is eligible to
take courses at any other institution of the University System of Maryland subject to the approval of the
Graduate Directors and the Graduate Deans of the home and host institutions. Credits earned at a host
institution are considered resident credit at the home institution, and, following normal procedures for
graduate program approval, these credits may be used to meet University of Maryland graduation
requirements. Transcripts of courses taken at another institution will be maintained at the home institution and
fees will be paid to the home institution. Forms for registration as an inter-institutional student may be
obtained from the Oice of the Registrar. For more information, refer to Inter-Institutional Enrollment.
THE WASHINGTON CONSORTIUM ARRANGEMENT
The University of Maryland is a member of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.
Other institutions currently associated with the consortium include American University, The Catholic
University of America, the University of the District of Columbia, Gallaudet University, George Mason University,
Georgetown University, George Washington University, Howard University, Marymount University, Trinity
University, the National Defense University, The Joint Military Intelligence College, and Southeastern University.
Students enrolled in any one of these institutions are able to attend certain classes at the other institutions and
have the credit considered "residence" credits at their own institutions. Grades in these courses are calculated
into the student's GPA. Tuition remission awarded to graduate assistants and fellows may be used to pay for
courses at other consortium universities. Students from schools in the Consortium of Universities of the
Washington Metropolitan Area may register for University of Maryland courses on a space-available basis
beginning with the first day of classes.
The policies governing registration through the Consortium Arrangement are listed below.
Courses for majors in graduate programs at the University of Maryland that have restricted enrollment will
not be available to students from other consortium schools. Similar rules may apply at other consortium
universities.
Students from consortium schools are expected to meet all prerequisites for University of Maryland courses
for which they wish to enroll. Similar rules may apply at other consortium universities.
Students from consortium schools will not be permitted to register for practica, workshops, internships, and
other experiential courses at the University of Maryland . Similar rules may apply at other consortium
universities.
Students from consortium schools who have previously applied for admission to a University of Maryland
graduate degree program and have been denied admission will be permitted to register for graduate
courses in that program only with the specific approval of the Director of Graduate Studies of the program.
Students from consortium schools who have been dismissed from the University of Maryland for
disciplinary or financial reasons will not be permitted to enroll in courses at the University of Maryland
under the consortium arrangement.
Graduate assistants and fellows can use tuition remission provided by the University of Maryland to pay for
courses at other consortium universities.
For more information, refer to the D.C. Consortium Enrollment.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Tuition, Fees, and Expenses
PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES
Tuition rates and fees are posted on the University's website.
Tuition, fees, and other University charges may be paid by mail, online or in person at 1135 Lee Building, 8:30
a.m.- 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The University accepts checks (no fee) and Visa, MasterCard, American
Express, and Discover cards for payment. Checks should be made payable to "The University of Maryland."
Students can also obtain their account balances through Student Financial Services and Cashiering.
It is the policy of the University not to allow deferment of payment pending the result of an application for
financial assistance to an outside agency, including Veterans Administration benefits, bank loans, or guaranteed
student loan programs.
On This Page
Payment of Tuition and Fees
Forms of Financial Aid
Emergency Loans
University Refund Statement
Refunds for Withdrawal from All Classes
Refunds for Dropping Individual Courses
Fellowships, Assistantships, and Financial Assistance
Graduate Fellowships
Graduate Assistantships
Overload Payments for Graduate Students
Travel Grants
Each student is individually responsible for his or her bill and for meeting payment deadlines. Failure to meet
these deadlines may result in late charges or cancellation of registration. The University will suspend services to
students for delinquent indebtedness and failure to pay bills. The University will also transfer delinquent
accounts to the State Central Collections Unit, which will levy further late fees and take necessary steps to
obtain payment.
FORMS OF FINANCIAL AID
The Oice of Student Financial Aid administers a number of programs to assist graduate students (e.g. loans
and federal work study). Please visit the Oice of Student Financial Aid for more information.
EMERGENCY LOANS
Students may receive up to $500 as an interest-free loan that must be repaid in 60 days. If the loan is not repaid
within 60 days, the amount will be charged against the student's account and late fees may be incurred. These
loans are available from the Oice of Student Financial Aid, 1135 Lee Building . Applicants should bring
documentation of their need. They will then be asked to complete a short loan application form. They will
subsequently meet briefly with a loan counselor who will review their need. The loan counselor will either
approve or deny funds.
UNIVERSITY REFUND STATEMENT
Tuition, fees, and refundable deposits are authorized for refund only if the student completes the prescribed
withdrawal procedures or is dismissed from the University. Residence Hall and Dining Services charges are
authorized for refund only if the student completes the prescribed residence hall and dining services contract
release procedures. Please refer to the current Academic Deadlines for complete refund information and
procedures.
REFUNDS FOR WITHDRAWAL FROM ALL CLASSES
A Cancellation of Registration submitted to the Oice of the Registrar before the first day of classes entitles the
student to a full credit or refund of term (semester or 12-week) tuition and fees.
Aer classes begin, students who wish to terminate their registration and withdraw from all classes must follow
the withdrawal procedures specified in the Registration Guide. Students will find the necessary forms for
withdrawal by visiting the Oice of the Registrar, online or in person at 1113 Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Building.
The eective date used in computing refunds is the date the withdrawal form is filed with the Oice of the
Registrar. Stopping payment on a check, failure to pay the term (semester or 12-week) bill, or failure to attend
classes does not constitute withdrawal.
Students withdrawing from the University will be credited for tuition in accordance with the following schedule:
Period from data instruction begins Refundable tuition*
Two weeks or less 80%
Two to three weeks 60%
Three to four weeks 40%
Four to five weeks 20%
Over five weeks no refund
1
Fees are non-refundable aer the first day of classes.
Withdrawal from all classes may be a violation of the Graduate Schoolʼs Continuous Registration policy.
Students withdrawing from classes who intend to continue in their graduate degree or certificate program
should secure a Waiver of Continuous Registration or Leave of Absence from the Graduate School before
withdrawing.
REFUNDS FOR DROPPING INDIVIDUAL COURSES
Graduate students may obtain refunds for courses that are dropped during the Schedule Adjustment Period.
Graduate students can adjust their schedule (add, drop, etc.) without penalty until the close of business on the
fih business day of classes. (Monday through Friday when the university is open for business). Any schedule
adjustment made aer the fih business day is subject to a financial penalty. The refund schedule for courses
dropped is published on the Registrarʼs website.
FELLOWSHIPS, ASSISTANTSHIPS, AND FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE
The University of Maryland recognizes the high cost of education today and makes every eort to oer financial
assistance to qualified students through a variety of programs. Approximately seventy percent (70%) of all full-
time graduate students receive financial support, which may include remission of tuition, teaching and research
assistantships, work-study support, and University and other fellowships. Referrals for University or area
employment opportunities for students and students' spouses are also available in various graduate programs
and in specific student service centers at the University.
Admission to a graduate degree program is a prerequisite for the award of a teaching or research assistantship,
a fellowship, a traineeship, a loan, or a work-study award.
GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS
Graduate Fellowships are funded by the Graduate School through grants allocated to the academic colleges
specifically for this purpose. Applicants and current students must apply directly to their Graduate Programs for
fellowship funding. The Graduate School oers a limited number of dissertation fellowships. Applications are
solicited annually. More information may be obtained from the Graduate School's fellowship website as well
as the Fellowships chapter of this Catalog.
GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS
A graduate assistantship is an academic appointment not involving academic tenure. Such assistantships take
the form of teachings assistantships, research assistantships or, in a few cases, administrative assistantships.
Oers of these positions are made to graduate students directly by the programs and departments.
The assigned duties of a graduate assistant are consistent with the aims and objectives of the teaching and
research missions of the University. An appointment of 20 hours per week is considered a full-time
assistantship. An appointment of 10 hours per week is considered a half-time assistantship. The responsibilities
assigned to a graduate assistant should take into account what may be reasonably expected given the graduate
assistant's education and experience.
For more information, please see the Assistantships chapter of this Catalog.
OVERLOAD PAYMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Under certain circumstances, fellows and graduate assistants may be oered employment in addition to their
normal appointments. As outlined in the Graduate Assistants and Graduate Fellows chapters, approval for such
overload payments must be obtained from the Graduate School in advance of the appointment. The required
request form can be found at gradschool.umd.edu/forms.
TRAVEL GRANTS
The Graduate School administers the Jacob K. Goldhaber travel grants for graduate students. Goldhaber grants
are available to support part of the cost of attending conferences at which graduate students will present the
results of their research. Because funding is limited, students are urged to apply as soon as their presentations
have been accepted. More information is available at gradschool.umd.edu/funding.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G RADUAT E
Policies for Graduate Assistantships
GENERAL POLICIES
Graduate Assistants (GAs) are, first and foremost, graduate students pursuing an education. The opportunity to
work closely with faculty members and undergraduate students in teaching, research, or administrative
environments is an integral part of that education.
Graduate students who hold assistantships benefit educationally and professionally. They gain further expertise
in their field; enhance their research skills and develop pedagogical skills; acquire experience in leadership,
interpersonal eectiveness, and performance evaluation; acquire academic administrative experience; and
enjoy collegial collaborations with advisors that may result in joint publications and other professional
activities. Skills learned in assistantships prepare students not only for the academy, but also for corporate,
government, and nonprofit organizations.
Assistantships also provide graduate students with the financial resources necessary to pursue their degrees.
This financial support—stipend, tuition remission, and benefits—is part of the Universityʼs commitment to the
success of our graduate students.
On This Page
General Policies
Appointments
Duties and Time Commitments
Time Away from Duties
Compensation
Tuition Remission and Mandatory Fees
Conduct and Professional Behavior
Grievance Procedures
The University is committed to ensuring that graduate assistant assignments are productive, enhance student
qualifications, meet funding support and workload goals, and are consistent with the educational objectives of
the student and his or her program.
CATEGORIES
The oicial title of Graduate Assistant (GA) is used in all university documents, but, in general practice, Graduate
Assistants are referred to either as Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs), Graduate Research Assistants (RAs), or
Graduate Administrative Assistants (AAs). Additionally, a small number of Graduate Assistants serve as resident
life counselors. Qualified graduate students oen move between these kinds of appointments during their
graduate education.
ADMINISTRATION
Graduate Assistants at the University of Maryland, College Park are under the direct supervision of the
department, program, or unit that oers the appointment. The department determines the GAʼs assignment,
supervises his or her work, and recommends him or her for reappointment and promotion to various stipend or
compensation levels. The department is the primary source of information for the details of the assistantship.
Within the department, the GA's work assignment is determined by the Department Chair, the Director of
Graduate Studies, any duly appointed executive committees and assistants to the chair, and/or the faculty
member assigned to supervise the GA's particular course, laboratory session, or research project. Graduate
Administrative Assistants are under the supervision of the heads of the academic or non-academic units in
which they work.
QUALIFICATIONS
A Graduate Assistant must be a registered graduate student in good standing enrolled full-time in a degree
program at the University of Maryland, College Park and must be making satisfactory progress toward the
degree. Students enrolled full-time in dual degree programs with another University System of Maryland
institution may hold Graduate Assistantship appointments at the University of Maryland, College Park, while
completing degree requirements at the partner institution.
Appointments are normally given to those students who have shown superior aptitude in their field of study
and who appear likely to render a high quality of service to the university by their teaching or research activities
or their administrative work in a unit. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible to hold Graduate
Assistantships.
In rare instances, an appointment of a Graduate Research Assistantship (RA) may be made for a graduate
student who has been admitted into a graduate degree program at another campus within the University
System of Maryland. In this exceptional case, the student will be supported by a Principal Investigator whose
research contract or grant is administered by the College Park campus. The student's tuition, benefits, etc. will
also be paid from research funds.
STUDENT STATUS
A Graduate Assistant is on an academic appointment not involving academic tenure. The appointment may be
for a regular (20 hours per week) or half (10 hours per week) assistantship.
GAs holding regular 20-hour assistantships must be full-time students. They are full-time students if they are
registered for at least 24 units in a semester term or 18 units in a 12-week term program.
GAs holding half (10-hour) assistantships must be full-time students. They are full-time students if they are
registered for 36 units in a semester term or 27 units in a 12-week term program.
Audited courses do not generate units and cannot be used in calculating registration status. Individual
departments or graduate programs may have higher registration requirements for their GAs.
For more information about unit requirements, please view the Registration Policies.
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS
International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) who are non-native speakers of English are required to undergo an
evaluation of their spoken English abilities by the Maryland English Institute (MEI). The ITA Evaluation is not
required of students who serve only as graders or researchers, or whose entire education has been in the U.S,
United Kingdom, Ireland, English-speaking Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Anglophone Africa, or
Commonwealth Caribbean. Students must pass the ITA Evaluation prior to being assigned teaching duties,
including duties in labs. This requirement may not be waived.
The Graduate School pays the fee for the ITA Evaluation for students who have been formally appointed as TAs.
All other students are responsible for paying this fee. If the department wishes to cover the cost of the
evaluation for those students, the Graduate Director must indicate this in writing on the referral form.
Students who fail the ITA Evaluation are required to take an English course. On the basis of the evaluation
results, MEI will place the student into either UMEI 006 (pronunciation) or UMEI 008 (broader communication
patterns). If the student has been formally appointed as a TA, the department is responsible for the tuition of
the course and may not pass the cost of this instruction on to the student. If the student fails the ITA evaluation
and is not an ITA, the student is responsible for paying tuition for the course. Tuition remission cannot be used
for UMEI courses.
Full details regarding the ITA Evaluation can be found on the Maryland English Institute website.
APPOINTMENTS
APPOINTMENT, REAPPOINTMENT, DURATION OF APPOINTMENT
Most Graduate Assistants are appointed either for a regular academic year (9.5 months) or for 12 months. Some
appointments may be for a shorter period. The academic-year appointment begins in mid-August and ends in
May. Students may be reappointed one or more times at the discretion of the department in which they serve.
To allow a larger number of qualified students to benefit from assistantships, many departments limit the
number of years that a graduate student may serve as an assistant in any capacity. Importantly, once a student
completes all degree requirements and paperwork, they are not eligible for assistantships in the next term,
including students who complete their degree requirements in between terms (i.e., if a student successfully
defends and submits a thesis or dissertation during the winter term then they are not eligible for an
assistantship the following spring term).
Each department is responsible for determining and communicating its own specific criteria, within the limits of
university policy, for assessing student qualification for appointment and reappointment to a graduate
assistantship. In general, reappointment is dependent upon satisfactory performance and normal progress
toward a graduate degree. As with all university faculty and sta positions, appointment and reappointment
are contingent upon the availability of funds.
LETTERS OF APPOINTMENT
It is the responsibility of the department to notify the graduate student in an oicial letter of the final oer of
appointment. These letters provide information on the terms of the assistantship and should be explicit and
clear with respect to workload expectations. A template can be found on the Graduate School's Forms
webpage.
PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
Each department is responsible for determining procedures for review and evaluation of Graduate Assistants
and for informing GAs of these procedures. The process of evaluation will vary by departments, and may
include written assessment of work by an individual faculty member, classroom visitation by designated faculty
members, and written student evaluations. The results of reviews and evaluations should be discussed with the
GA concerned.
TERMINATION OR LOSS OF SUPPORT
A Graduate Assistant's appointment may be terminated before the expiration of its designated term for loss of
funding, for cause, for academic delinquency, by written notice, and by voluntary mutual agreement.
1. Loss of Funding. A graduate assistantship may be terminated on account of a loss, reduction, or reallocation
in appropriation, grant, contract, gi, or other funds with which to support the appointment. Subject to the
fiscal priorities of the unit, programs will make a good faith eort to find alternative funding for the full
term of the appointment for a GA who is in good standing and making satisfactory progress to degree. The
University will give the GA 30 calendar days written notice of termination for loss of funding.
2. Cause. An appointment may be terminated immediately for cause. The following are examples of suicient
cause for removal: incompetence, ineiciency, wanton carelessness or neglect of duty, insubordination,
repeated or extended absence, and misconduct related to the GA's suitability or capacity to continue to
perform assignments. GAs who are charged with any violation of the Code of Academic Integrity, the Code
of Student Conduct, another University policy, or with a criminal oense may be suspended from their
positions with pay while the charges against them are pending. GAs found responsible for any violation or
oense that is related to their GA duties will be terminated and any commitment to provide future GA
appointments will be invalid.
3. Academic Delinquency. An appointment may be terminated if the GA is not making satisfactory academic
progress to a degree or is otherwise not in good academic standing. The termination shall be in writing and
may be immediate or with such notice as the University believes compatible with the GA's academic
situation, not to exceed 30 calendar days.
4. Written Notice. An appointment may be terminated by delivery of 30 days written notice to the GA.
5. Voluntary Agreement. With the agreement of the University, an appointment may be terminated by the
voluntary written resignation of the GA.
SPECIAL APPEALS PROCESS
A Graduate Assistant whose appointment shall be terminated for the reasons 1, 2, 3, or 4 above, may obtain a
review by the Chair of the Department under the Informal Consultation procedure in Section VII, below.
Thereaer, if desired, the GA may obtain a special review by the Dean of the unit where the assistantship is
located.
1. The GA shall initiate the formal review by sending a letter to the College or School Dean with copies to
the faculty member and the Department Chair. To be considered, the letter must be received by the Dean
within 15 calendar days from the date the GA is first informed of the intent to terminate the
assistantship. The grounds for appeal in terminations based on Loss of Funding, Academic Delinquency,
and Written Notice shall be prejudicial procedural error and/or a violation of substantive due process.
2. The burden of proof in these types of termination shall be upon the GA. The burden of proof in
terminations for Cause shall be on the faculty member to demonstrate that cause exists and warrants
termination.
Upon receipt of the letter requesting formal review, the Dean will:
1. Solicit a written response from the faculty member; and,
2. Oer to meet with the GA and the faculty member, either individually or together, before reaching a
decision. The Dean shall consult with the Department Chair and such other persons as the Dean believes
may be knowledgeable about the matter. The Dean shall endeavor to convey a written decision and,
where appropriate, the remedy, to the GA and the faculty member within 10 calendar days of receipt of
the letter requesting formal review.
3. The decision of the Dean shall be final in all matters pertaining to the review.
RENEWAL AND NON-RENEWAL OF APPOINTMENT
The University does not guarantee an appointment as a Graduate Assistant will be renewed at the end of its
designated term. Although appointments are oen renewed, the University cannot promise and there can be no
expectancy that a graduate assistantship will be continued over an extended period of time.
For assistantships in non-academic units, “Dean” shall mean the Vice President of the division.
A termination would violate substantive due process if it is arbitrary or capricious or if it were based on an
illegal or unconstitutional consideration.
DUTIES AND TIME COMMITMENTS
The assigned duties of a Graduate Assistant are consistent with the objectives of the teaching and research
missions of the university, including the objective that assistantships are to be educationally productive for
graduate students. Workload expectations of the department, and of the studentʼs advisor/supervisor, should
be explicit and clear. The appointment may be full-time (20 hours per week) or half-time (10 hours per week).
Departments are to provide work assignments that GAs receiving full stipends can satisfactorily complete in no
more than a 20-hour average work week, and are to ensure that GAs spend no more than 20 hours per week on
average throughout the term of appointment on work unrelated to their research. The actual number of hours
required to complete assignments in any given week may vary.
GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS
The specific duties of Graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) vary across disciplines and departments. For the
majority of teaching assistants, however, assignments and responsibilities fall into four categories:
Assuming teaching responsibility for a laboratory or discussion session of a course;
Assuming teaching responsibility for a classroom section of a multi-sectional course, under the close
supervision of the director(s) of the course;
Assisting a faculty member in the grading, advising, and administrative duties necessary for a course(s);
Assisting in general departmental administrative duties, such as advising or the administration of
community programs, workshops, etc.
Within a department, the particular assignment depends on the department's needs and the experience and
academic qualifications of the TA. All graduate TAs serving in any capacity are under the direction and close
supervision of a member of the faculty. Prior to the start of the assistantship, supervising faculty member and
the TA will meet to review and confirm expectations including a summary for the nature of required duties. To
facilitate the discussions, a Statement of Mutual Expectations for Teaching Assistants template can be found on
the Graduate School's Forms webpage.
Time Commitment: For TAs, the 20-hour average should include the time spent in faculty lectures, class
preparation, classroom or laboratory teaching, reading and commenting on student papers or examinations,
oice consultation, and other duties required to carry out the teaching role. Although it is understood that
weekly workload will fluctuate during the term of appointment, a Teaching Assistant with a full-time
appointment shall be required to work no more than an average of twenty hours per week during the term of
appointment on specifically assigned duties related to his/her appointment, excluding non-TA-related activities
associated with academic progress toward the degree. A Teaching Assistant with less than a full-time
appointment shall work a prorated portion of a full-time appointment on specifically assigned duties related to
his/her appointment, excluding non-TA-related activities associated with academic progress toward the degree.
The time that TAs devote to their assignments varies. The proportion of hours spent in preparation, classroom
or laboratory time, and grading, for example, diers from one discipline to another. In some disciplines, a new
TA may find that a task such as grading initially requires more time than the usual 20-hour weekly average
allows. In determining the amount of time expected for a teaching assignment, consideration shall be given to
such factors as type of instruction, number of students instructed, and all other factors, including those specific
to the course or group of courses to which the instructional duty expectations apply.
TAs may be required to come to campus prior to the actual beginning of classes to participate in orientation and
class-preparation duties. TAs usually complete their formal duties when examinations have been graded.
GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
The specific duties of Graduate Research Assistants (RAs) vary according to the nature of the research project in
which they participate and the source of the funding. RAs may occasionally be asked to conduct some work at
home or to do their research at times when classes are not oicially in session. The duties of RAs are also
performed under the close direction and supervision of a member of the faculty. Prior to the start of the
assistantship, the supervising faculty member and the RA will meet to review and confirm expectations
including a summary of the nature of required duties. To facilitate the discussions, a Statement of Mutual
Expectations for Research Assistants template can be found on the Graduate School's Forms webpage.
Time Commitment: For RAs, the 20-hour average should include the time spent in library and/or laboratory, and
on all other research tasks providing assistance to the assigned project.
Graduate students working on research projects funded by grants are oen also working on material directly
related to their theses or dissertations. It is not unusual in such cases for grant work and personal work to
merge and for the work time to consume far more than the usual 20-hour weekly average.
Graduate RAs usually follow the project director's instructions regarding work when classes are not in session.
GRADUATE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS
A number of academic and non-academic units employ Graduate Administrative Assistants (AAs), generally to
perform administrative support functions in an oice setting. Such positions are expected to have a research or
professional development component. Some administrative appointments are for less than one academic
year. Prior to the start of the assistantship, the supervising faculty or sta member and the AA will meet to
review and confirm expectations including a summary of the nature of required duties. To facilitate the
discussions, a Statement of Mutual Expectations for Administrative Assistants template can be found on
the Graduate School's Forms webpage.
Time Commitment: For AAs, the 20-hour weekly average should include all time spent on assigned duties,
including mandatory training sessions. Unless explicitly stated in writing, AAs are expected to work no more
than the 20-hour average work week. If greater amounts of time are periodically required, the unit must provide
the AA with an oer letter that includes a statement of expected duties, approximate dates when extra hours
might be necessary, and maximum work hours required. If the AA is required to work more than 20 hours in a
given week, the time should be deducted from another week.
Just as the unit may require the AA to work more than 20 hours in a given week to meet peak work periods, the
AA may request that he or she be allowed to reduce time in a given week to finish a paper or study for an exam
and make up the hours later. Such arrangements are allowed and encouraged and should be made between the
student and the student's supervisor within the unit.
AAs follow the sta holiday and vacation schedule. Consequently, if the campus is closed (for any reason) for
regular sta, AAs who normally would work those days will receive the appropriate compensation and will not
be required to make up the hours missed.
TIME AWAY FROM DUTIES
The objective of graduate assistantships is education. They are a component of learning and, as practicum,
advance understanding through application. Stipends are an acknowledgment both of the expense and need
for support during graduate education and of the contribution made by the Graduate Assistant to the mission of
the University. The relation between the GA and a professor is academic, partaking of the traditions and
practices of the academy. While an appointment as graduate assistant shares some attributes of employment,
these are secondary. The following “Time Away” policies reflect these principles.
A. Accrued Leave. Graduate Assistants do not earn paid annual, personal, or sick leave.
B. Time Away from Duty. Graduate Assistants may have time away from their duties. A full time (20 hours per
week), 12-month assistantship is allowed ten workdays (40 hours) of collegially supported absence. Graduate
Assistants working full-time on 9- and 9.5-month appointments are allowed 30 hours of absence; Graduate
Assistants on half-time appointments will be allowed half of the hours aorded to full-time assistants.
The eligible time is awarded on a calendar year basis and multiple appointments do not increase the amount of
time during the calendar year. Time away from duties must be taken while holding an appointment; it may not
be accumulated or transferred. It does not include time when the University is closed. Because colleagues must
perform the GAʼs responsibilities during an absence, reasonable notice (at least 7 days, if the need for leave is
foreseeable) and prior approval by the GAʼs supervisor are required.
Time away from duty may be used for such purpose as the GA elects and is, therefore, distinct and separate
from allowable leave of absence for childbearing, adoption, illness, financial hardship, and dependent care,
which allow for semester-long leaves. For example, a GA may use time away from duty for bereavement, short-
term illness treatment, unplanned moves, short-term cancellation in childcare, and other unexpected
emergencies.
C. Absence due to Illness. If a Graduate Assistant becomes ill, time away from duties should initially be
supported collegially. Occasional, short-term absences on account of illness generally will not require the use of
the allowable “time-away from duty” days.
In the event an absence due to illness extends for a period longer than two weeks, support for time away from
duties must be requested by the GA and lies in the discretion of the head of the funding unit (in the case of a
State supported assistantship) or of the Principal Investigator or other grant administrator (in the case of an
externally funded assistantship). The GAʼs request must be accompanied by supporting medical documentation
satisfactory to the University, including a letter from a physician or other licensed heath-care professional that
provides (1) the nature of the illness; (2) a statement that the GA should not return to work for health reasons;
and (3) the duration of the required absence. The University may require the GA to have a fitness for duty
examination prior to resuming duties.
D. Absence due to Maternity or Adoption. On February 20, 2013, the Graduate Council updated the
approved Graduate Assistant Parental Accommodation Guidelines, subsequently endorsed by the Oices of the
Provost and President.
GRADUATE ASSISTANT PARENTAL ACCOMMODATION GUIDELINES
It is important that graduate assistants becoming parents be accommodated; that parental accommodation be
regarded as accepted practice; that the terms of an accommodation be reasonable and appropriate; that
accommodations within a unit be consistent and equitable in application; and that a request for parental
accommodation, if denied, receive timely review.
1. Graduate Assistants will be provided a guaranteed parental accommodation of six weeks, retaining their
full stipends and benefits during the accommodation. If both parents are Graduate Assistants, the six-week
accommodation will be divided between them.
2. Departments, faculty, and graduate assistants should continue to work collegially on further details of the
accommodation, recognizing that these may dier from case to case owing to individual student
circumstances and the diversity of assistantship responsibilities. The Graduate School's Parental
Accommodation Form should be submitted at least eight weeks prior to anticipated leave.
3. A graduate assistant whose request for a reasonable accommodation is not approved should consult first
with their Director of Graduate Studies or Department Chair. Next, as needed, graduate assistants should
consult with the Associate Dean for Graduate Education or the Dean of their School or College. If
necessary, graduate assistants should consult with the Dean of the Graduate School. Alternatively, the
assistant may go directly to the Ombuds Oicer for Graduate Students for confidential advice and/or
informal mediation. The Dean of the Graduate School serves as the final arbiter between the
College/School/department and student to resolve any conflicts.
Please visit the University's website on family care options for additional accommodation options.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
A GA who experiences problems related to workload should address them without delay through the process
indicated in "Grievance" Section below.
COMPENSATION
COMPENSATION AND STIPENDS
Three categories (called Steps) are used for the classification of graduate assistantships. These steps, based on
a studentʼs degree objective and progress toward the degree, determine compensation levels. Step I is only for
master's students; Step II is for doctoral students not advanced to candidacy; and Step III is reserved for
doctoral candidates.
Stipends should follow guidelines set annually by the Graduate School, in which the Graduate School sets
minimum stipend levels for each step and appointment term (9, 9.5, and 12 months). Departments and
programs may pay above the minimums and the stipend levels have no caps at any step. All GAs at a particular
step, in a particular unit, should be paid the same assistantship stipend. Assistantships should only be oered in
half (10 hours/week or 0.25 FTE) or full (20 hours/week or 0.50 FTE) appointments.
Teaching assistants must be oered a 9.5-month or 12-month assistantship due to duties and responsibilities
occurring aer the last day of classes. Teaching assistants may not be oered 9-month assistantships.
Additional Employment: On-Campus
Graduate Assistants may be employed on campus for an additional 10 hours per week beyond their
assistantship duties, with an overload approval. No individual may be employed in two capacities in the same
department without an overload approval. International students may be limited to a certain number of hours
of employment according to their visa status; these students should check with International Student and
Scholar Services.
Domestic students who are GAs and who wish to hold more than one position on campus may do so only if the
second position is paid on an hourly basis with Labor & Assistants funds (subcode 2075). This policy is
necessary to avoid complications concerning benefits. For such individuals, the only benefits allowed are those
associated with the graduate assistantship.
ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT: OFF-CAMPUS
It is expected that the combined responsibilities of graduate studies and assistantship duties will fully occupy a
student during the academic year. The University, however, does not prohibit Graduate Assistants from
accepting outside employment in addition to their assistantship appointment. It is up to the GA to determine
how much time, if any, he or she can devote to additional activities while still maintaining satisfactory progress
toward the degree and satisfactory fulfillment of the assistantship responsibilities. Departments and programs
have the discretionary right, however, to make appointments to students whose commitment suggests that
they are most likely to attain their educational goals and maintain their assistantship responsibilities
expeditiously and eectively.
OVERLOAD PAYMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Overload requests are for temporary, short-term arrangements only. They must be limited to one semester per
request and must be received and approved prior to the beginning of the appointment. No graduate student
may be employed in two capacities within the same department without an overload approval.
9.5-month Appointments
A full-time GA (20 hours per week) on a 9.5-month appointment must have an overload approval for any on-
campus employment above the assistantship assignment while classes are in session for the Fall and Spring
semesters.
An overload request must be submitted for Winter Term only if the student is teaching a Winter Term course, as
a TA or lecturer, in addition to his or her normal assistantship assignment.
An overload request must be submitted for Summer terms only if a student (a) is paid in the home unit over four
equal pays for summer or is paid hourly for 20 hours per week and (b) also will be paid in a second unit or in
Summer Programs. (The overload form should be completed for the second unit or Summer Programs.)
Graduate Assistants in a 12-week program must submit an overload request for each 12-week term.
12-month Appointments - Semester Term Programs
A full-time GA (20 hours per week) on a 12-month appointment must have an overload approval for any
employment above the assistantship assignment when classes are in session during Fall and Spring semesters.
During Winter Term and Summer terms, an overload request must be submitted only if the student is teaching a
class, either as a TA or lecturer, in addition to the assistantship appointment.
12-month Appointments - 12-Week Term Programs
An overload request must always be submitted for each 12-week term.
International Students
Federal Law prohibits international students from working more than 20 hours per week while classes are in
session; international students holding full-time assistantships (20 hours) are therefore ineligible for overload
assignments during the Fall and Spring semesters or during a 12-week term.
Sources of Funding
GAs may not be employed in more than one position eligible for benefits; their percentage on payroll may not
exceed 50%. Hours over and above the assistantship must be paid with Labor & Assistants funds (subcode
2075).
RETIREMENT AND SOCIAL SECURITY (FICA)
Retirement benefits are not withheld from the salaries of Graduate Assistants. GAs are exempt from Federal
Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) taxes provided that they maintain enrollment and are registered with at least
half-time status in the term (Semester or 12-week) they are holding an assistantship.
TAX STATUS
Pursuant to U.S. federal tax code revisions eective January 1, 1987, all graduate students are liable to pay
income tax on compensation received for Graduate Assistantships. The amount remitted for tuition is a benefit
and is not taxed. A GA with questions about tax obligations should consult a tax counsel or the Internal Revenue
Service (1-800-829-1040).
VOLUNTEER GRADUATE ASSISTANT
Under no circumstances should graduate students serve as volunteer graduate assistants, where they are
expected to provide service without a graduate assistantship (GA) appointment at the unitʼs standard stipend
level.
Course credit cannot be awarded to a student serving as a graduate teaching assistant in lieu of a GA
appointment. Programs may require that graduate students serve as teaching assistants as long as the students
receive a GA appointment. Programs may also require that graduate students complete a course in teaching
methods, so long as the course does not require students to serve in the capacity of a teaching assistant
without a GA appointment.
Rare circumstances that may warrant an exception to this policy must be approved in advance by the Dean of
the Graduate School on a case-by-case basis, at the request of the student.
TUITION REMISSION AND MANDATORY FEES
Graduate Assistants on a full-time appointment (20 hours per week) are eligible for 10 credits of tuition
remission in the Fall and Spring semesters and 6 credits in Winter Term. GAs on a half-time appointment (10
hours per week) are eligible for 5 credits of tuition remission in the Fall and Spring semesters and 3 credits in
Winter Term. GAs on a full-time 12-month appointment are also eligible for up to 8 credits of tuition remission
during Summer; and GAs on a half-time 12-month appointment are eligible for up to 4 credits during
Summer. Students enrolled in the 12-week Winter Term are eligible for up to 6 credits of tuition remission.
Students enrolled in in the OES 3-week Winter Term are eligible for up to 4 credits of tuition remission; to enroll
in and receive tuition remission for more than 4 credits, a student may submit a petition for waiver of regulation
to the Graduate School.
Tuition remission is credited at the prevailing standard in-state credit hour rate at the time the class is taken.
Some programs, such as the MBA, have higher credit hour rates or flat fee pricing. The tuition remission benefit
does not cover the dierence, which remains the responsibility of the GA.
Tuition remission does not cover Mandatory Fees. Please visit University Human Resources for more information
on mandatory fees and tuition remission.
RESIDENCY CLASSIFICATION
All Graduate Assistants on a full-time or half-time appointment are billed at the in-state rate for credits taken
during their appointment, including any credits taken over the tuition remission allowance. Oicial residency
classification, however, does not change. Consequently, at any time when a graduate student is no longer
supported by an assistantship—including summer months if the student is on a 9.5-month assistantship—he or
she will be billed according to the oicial residency status that was assigned upon admission. Thus, a student
may pay in-state rates during the academic year but out-of-state rates during the summer if the student is
classified as out-of-state. Graduate students are urged to be aware of their oicial residency classification status
and to address any problems immediately.
Contact Residency Reclassification Services at r[email protected] or 301-314-9596 for more information
regarding changing residency classification and changing residency statuses.
HEALTH INSURANCE
Graduate Assistants on a full-time or half-time appointment may enroll in the university employee health
benefits program. The personnel coordinator in the studentʼs department should be able to provide
appropriate forms. GAs must enroll within 60 days of their initial employment to be eligible for a health care
program. GAs may enroll their spouses and children under this program.
Any graduate student who is ineligible for the employee health care program may enroll in the student health
insurance program oered by the University Health Center. For more information, call the University Health
Center Insurance Oice at 301-314-8165.
FACILITIES AND PARKING
It is the expectation that departments will provide Graduate Assistants with suitable workspace, laboratory
space, and, when necessary, oice space. GAs also generally have access to desks, file space, mailboxes,
computers, telephones, and duplicating machines or services.
Vehicles must display a valid UMCP parking permit or be parked in metered spaces. While GAs are not assigned
to faculty parking lots, the Department of Transportation Services endeavors to assign GAs to a student lot close
to the building where they work. Students who register early have the best choice of parking assignments. The
Department of Transportation Services is located on the ground floor of Regents Parking Garage, phone 301-
314-PARK. Parking for GAs is not subsidized; each GA is responsible for the cost of his or her parking permit.
CONDUCT AND PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR
A Graduate Assistant's teaching, research, and administrative activities are subject to the ethical precepts and
codes of the academic profession, to the laws of the State of Maryland regarding its employees, and to
University policies governing institutional obligations. Violation of any of these regulations constitutes a basis
for disciplinary action in accordance with procedures set forth in the University's policies.
In their interactions with students, faculty, and all other members of the university community, GAs are
expected to conduct themselves with the same sensitivity and thoughtfulness that they expect to receive from
others. The University Human Relations Code states that the University of Maryland airms its commitment to a
policy of eliminating discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation,
marital status, personal appearance, age, physical or mental disability, political ailiation, or on the basis of the
exercise of rights secured by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
The precepts stated above apply equally to GAs and to supervisors of GAs.
SCHOLARLY MISCONDUCT
Scholarly misconduct means fabrication, falsification, plagiarism or other misconduct in proposing, performing,
reviewing, or reporting research and/or in connection with other scholarly or creative activities.
Other terms such as research fraud, scientific misconduct, or research misconduct are subsumed within the
term scholarly misconduct. Scholarly misconduct does not include honest error or honest dierences of
opinion. A finding of scholarly misconduct requires that there be a significant departure from accepted
practices of the scholarly community for maintaining the integrity of the research or scholarly record; the
misconduct must be committed intentionally, or knowingly, or in reckless disregard of accepted practices; and
the allegation must be proven by a preponderance of relevant evidence.
The full text of the University of Maryland's Procedures for Scholarly Misconduct can be found on the University
System of Maryland's webpage.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
The University of Maryland is committed to maintaining a learning and work environment in which students,
faculty, and sta can develop intellectually, professionally, personally, and socially. Such an environment must
be free of intimidation, fear, coercion, and reprisal. The University prohibits sexual harassment. Sexual
harassment may cause others unjustifiable oense, anxiety, and injury. Sexual harassment threatens the
legitimate expectations of all members of the campus community. Academic progress or progress in
employment is determined by the publicly stated requirements of classroom and job performance, and the
campus environment will not unreasonably impede study or work.
Sexual harassment by university faculty, sta, and students is prohibited and constitutes violation of campus
policy. Sexual harassment may also constitute violations of the criminal and civil laws of the State of Maryland
and the United States. For the purpose of campus policy, sexual harassment is defined as follows: 1) unwelcome
sexual advances; or 2) unwelcome requests for sexual favors; and 3) other behavior of a sexual nature where:
Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's
employment or participation in a university-sponsored educational program or activity; or
Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic or
employment decisions aecting that individual; or
Such conduct has the purpose or eect of unreasonably interfering with the individual's academic or work
performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or oensive educational or working environment.
The full text of the University of Maryland Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures can be found online.
STATEMENT ON SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS AND PROFESSIONAL
CONDUCT
While sexual relationships between instructors and the students in their classes are not prohibited in the sense
that penalties are attached to such conduct, all members of the campus community are urged to consider the
ethical concerns that may arise as a result of such relationships.
All members of the campus community should understand that sexual relationships that occur in the context of
educational evaluation are generally deemed very unwise because they present serious ethical concerns. Many
professional codes of conduct prohibit sexual relationships that occur within the context of one's profession.
Accordingly, faculty, supervisors, and Teaching Assistants are warned about the possible costs of even an
apparently consenting relationship. The element of power implicit in sexual relationships occurring in the
academic-evaluation context can diminish a student's actual freedom of choice. There is doubt whether any
such relationship can truly be consensual. In addition, sexual relationships between a faculty member or
Teaching Assistant and a student create an environment charged with potential conflicts of interest. Questions
of favoritism frequently arise. As a result, such conduct may subvert the normal structure of incentives that spur
work and learning and interjects attitudes and pressures that are not consonant with the education policies and
principles to which the campus is committed.
The full text of the University's Statement on Consensual Relationships and Professional Conduct can be found
at the end of the University of Maryland Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
The University of Maryland is an equal opportunity institution with respect to both education and employment.
The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, or disability in
admission to or access to, or treatment of employment in, its programs and activities, as required by federal law
(Title VI, Title IX, Section 504) and state laws and regulations. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or related legal requirements should be directed to:
Director, Human Relations Program
Oice of Human Relations
1130 Shriver Lab
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301-405-2838
Inquiries concerning the application of Section 504 and Part 34 of C.F.R. to the University of Maryland may be
directed to:
Director, Disability Support Services
0106 Shoemaker Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 204742
Telephone: 301-314-7682 (V/TTY)
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
The University is an academic and collegial community. Regular and clear communication between Graduate
Assistants and their advisors and supervisors is essential to maintaining an eective educational environment.
GAs who believe their workload is not in conformity with these Policies for Graduate Assistantships may seek a
review in accordance with this Section, as well as our Advisor Policy.
As regards workload, a GA may seek review under this Section if the assigned work that is unrelated to a
studentʼs research cannot reasonably be completed in an average of 20 hours per week over the term of the
appointment.
In addition to workload, a GA may also seek review under this Section of whether the GA is receiving Overload
Payments, Tuition Remission, and Time Away from Duties in accordance with these Policies.
In all instances noted above, the GA should attempt to resolve these matters locally, collegially, and informally.
If the diiculty has not been resolved to the GAʼs satisfaction through informal means, then he or she may elect
to file a formal grievance.
INFORMAL CONSULTATION
The Graduate Assistant should first attempt to resolve the diiculty by discussing the situation with his or her
faculty advisor/supervisor as expeditiously as possible.
1. In the case of a TA, this usually would be the professor in charge of the course; in the case of an RA, the
director of the research project on which the student is working; in the case of an AA, the immediate supervisor
of the student in the unit in which the student is working.
The GA should provide the reasons for complaint and a suggested resolution/remedy.
If a satisfactory resolution is not reached, the GA should next discuss the situation with the Chair of the
Department.
2. Either before or aer such discussions, the GA may wish to seek advice from another academic advisor, the
Director of Graduate Studies of the GAʼs program, an associate dean of the Graduate School, or the Ombuds
Oicer for Graduate Students. The GA is strongly encouraged to consult with the Ombuds Oicer early in the
informal discussion process, and must consult with the Ombuds Oicer before initiating a formal grievance.
OMBUDS OFFICER FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
The Ombuds Oicer is available to all graduate students with questions or concerns related to their graduate
experience, including their roles as GAs. The Ombuds Oicer provides informal assistance in resolving conflicts
and works to promote fair and equitable treatment within the University. The Ombuds Oicer works
confidentially within the scope of the law. The purpose of the Ombuds Oicer is to ensure that the graduate
studentʼs voice is heard and that problems receive prompt and impartial attention. The Ombuds Oicer does
not advocate for an individual; rather, the Ombuds Oicer advocates for a fair process that promotes the
Universityʼs commitment to excellence in graduate education and in the graduate student experience. Queries
may be directed to Ombuds Oicer for Graduate Students, The Graduate School, 2103 Lee Building, phone (301)
405-3132.
Please see our Advisor Policy for more information.
FORMAL GRIEVANCE
Most problems related to assistantships are resolved through informal consultation. If a problem pertaining to
Workload, Overload Payment, Tuition Remission, or Time Away for Duties has not been solved informally to the
GAʼs satisfaction, he or she may initiate a formal grievance. The formal procedures outlined below are intended
to provide a mechanism through which grievances related to assistantships can be formally made and decided.
THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
The process of formal consideration oers the GA a review by the Dean of the Graduate School or by a panel
appointed to make a recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate School. The steps are as follows:
If a satisfactory resolution has not been achieved following informal consideration by the Chair of the
Department, the GA may initiate a formal grievance by sending a letter to the Dean of the Graduate School. To
be considered, it must be received by the Graduate Dean within 30 calendar days from the action involved or
from the GA having reasonable knowledge of it. Under exceptional circumstances, that deadline may be
extended at the discretion of the Graduate Dean.
1. The letter must be signed and:
a. Contain a clear description of the facts giving rise to the grievance; and,
b. Identify the provision(s) of these Policies for Graduate Assistantships which have been violated; and,
c. Set forth the desired remedy; and,
d. Be copied to the faculty member and the Chair of the Department.
e. Elect to have the Graduate Dean decide the grievance either:
i. In the manner described in Paragraph 2.c., below; or,
ii. Following receipt of a recommendation from a three-person panel appointed by the Graduate
Dean to consider the matter.
2. Upon receipt of a letter of formal grievance, the Graduate Dean will:
a. Share the letter with the Dean of the appropriate college or school; and,
b. Solicit a written response from the Department Chair.
c. Oer to meet with the GA and the faculty member, either individually or together, before reaching a
decision. The Graduate Dean shall consult with the Academic Dean and such other persons as the
Graduate Dean believes may be knowledgeable about the policies and practices involved. The
Graduate Dean shall endeavor to convey a written decision and, where appropriate, the remedy, to the
GA and the faculty member within 15 calendar days of receipt of the letter of grievance.
d. If the GA elects to have a panel, the Graduate Dean will appoint two graduate faculty (one of whom
shall chair the panel) and one graduate student, each familiar with the GAʼs discipline but not from the
GAʼs program or department, to review the matter and make a recommendation. The Graduate Dean
will provide the panel with the letter of formal grievance and the written response of the Department
Chair. The panel shall oer to meet with the GA and the faculty member and proceed in the manner
described in Paragraph 2.c, above.
The Panel shall provide the Graduate Dean a written report containing a statement of the issues, the
panelʼs findings of fact, the controlling policy provisions, the panelʼs conclusions regarding the merits
of the grievance, and a recommended disposition of the grievance, including any suggested remedy.
The Graduate Dean shall decide the grievance and fashion any necessary remedy, giving substantial
weight to the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the panel.
The decision of the Graduate Dean regarding the merits of a grievance and, where appropriate, the remedy,
shall be final.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONTROLLING FORMAL GRIEVANCE
PROCEDURES
These Section VII procedures are not intended to mimic a courtroom and be adversarial in nature. Rather, they
are formal in the meaning of oering a structured method to investigate, weigh and remedy dierences. They
are designed to preserve collegiality and minimize injury to the student-faculty relationship. Because
grievances, if not made known or not considered expeditiously, threaten the learning experience, GAs, faculty,
and administrators share responsibility alike to deal with them promptly. Experience has shown that the
following rules promote the orderly and eicient disposition of grievances. Accordingly, they shall be observed:
1. There is a burden of proof. The GA has the responsibility of convincing the Graduate Dean or panel of three
things: a) that the Policies of Graduate Assistantships has not been followed; b) that the GA has been
adversely aected; and c) and that the requested remedy is appropriate.
2. All matters to be considered in support or defense of a grievance should be made known as early in the
informal process as possible. Absent extenuating circumstances, matters not raised in the informal process
should not be considered in the formal process. In both the informal and formal process, it is the
responsibility of the GA and faculty member, respectively, to produce in a timely way the evidence they
each wish considered, including any documents and witnesses.
3. The Grievance Procedure is not a trial. Formal rules of evidence commonly associated with criminal and
civil trials may be counterproductive in an academic investigatory process and shall not be applied. The
Dean, Graduate Dean, and three-member panel shall give eect to the rules of confidentiality and privilege,
but shall otherwise accept for consideration all matters which reasonable persons would accept as having
probative value in the conduct of their aairs, giving it such weight as they consider proper. Unduly
repetitive, irrelevant, or personally abusive material, however, should be excluded. They may also consider
matters within the common knowledge and experience of University faculty, including published policies
of the University System of Maryland and the University of Maryland.
4. The GA may be assisted at any meeting by an advisor, who must be a registered, degree-seeking graduate
student at the University. Although the GA is expected to take an active role in all meetings, the advisor may
help with the presentation of arguments and evidence.
5. The University has in place other grievance procedures and administrative processes designed to address
specific types of claims. These are meant to be the exclusive avenue for review and redress. Grievances that
by their subject matter may be considered under other established institutional procedures must be
brought under those procedures and may not be considered under this these Section VII formal
procedures. Matters pertaining to the general level of wages, wage patterns, fringe benefits, or to other
broad areas of financial management and staing are not grievable. Matters expressly excluded from
consideration under other procedures may not be grieved under these Section VII formal procedures.
These procedures also may not be used to challenge faculty judgment about a GAʼs academic performance
(including, for example, test scores, grades, waivers, dissertation defenses and other indicia of mastery of
subject matter and taught skills).
6. The filing of a grievance does not relieve the GA of the obligation to perform all duties as assigned unless
and until otherwise decided pursuant to a decision under these procedures. All remedies will operate
prospectively. Financial awards (e.g., “back pay,” “damages,” “compensation,” and “raises”) may not be
awarded. The acceptance of a proposed remedy by the GA shall terminate the grievance process. The
matter may not then be further considered or additional remedies sought under other campus procedures.
7. A decision may not be made at any step that conflicts with or modifies a policy, regulation, or grant of
authority approved by the Board of Regents, the Chancellor, the President, the Provost, or the University
Senate or with any applicable Federal or State of Maryland law.
8. Only currently enrolled University of Maryland graduate students may initiate a formal grievance. The
grievance must pertain to the GAʼs personal services, not those of another GA. Group grievances are not
permitted, although similar grievances may be consolidated and processed together as a single issue. As a
general matter, where a number of individual grievances have been reduced into a single grievance, not
more than three GAs selected by the group may be excused from their duties to attend.
9. Because it is critical to address potentially corrosive grievances sooner than later, and because the
remedies available are prospective, the time requirement established for initiating a formal grievance is
necessary to the eective administration of the graduate program. Unless otherwise agreed in advance
among the GA, the faculty member, and the Graduate Dean, strict adherence to them is a condition of
review and appeal under these Section VII procedures. Time requirements are measured from the first
occurrence of an event; “continuing” wrongs are not recognized for the purpose of satisfying time
requirements.
10. The Graduate Dean may delegate such parts of his responsibilities as he deems reasonable and eicient,
provided the final decision and any remedy must be reviewed and approved by the Dean personally.
In this Section VII, the term “faculty member” designates the individual directing and supervising the GA.
Depending on the circumstances of the GAʼs appointment, this person may, in fact, be a University sta
employee, and not on the faculty. It is the design of these procedures that the GA first raise the matter of
concern with the individual whose direction or decision has given rise to complaint.
In this Section VII, the term “Chair of the Department” shall also mean, as appropriate to the GAʼs appointment,
the Program Director or the unit head in non-departmental colleges and schools and in administrative
departments.
For the purpose of this Section VII, “Dean of the appropriate college or school” or “Dean of the unit” means the
academic dean of the unit where the assistantship is located. For assistantships in non-academic units, “Dean”
shall mean the Vice President of the division.
These include, for example, the Code of Academic Integrity, the Policy on Arbitrary and Capricious Grading,
the Code of Student Conduct, the Procedures for Scholarly Misconduct, the Human Relations Code, the Policy and
Procedures on Sexual Harassment, the Policy on Student Classification for Admission and Tuition Purposes,
the University of Maryland Policy on Intellectual Property and the Policy on Acceptable Use of Information
Technology Resources.
The resolution of a “workload” grievance, for example, may entail a reduction in work hours, future overload
pay when approved and budgeted, time management training, and referral to the Center for Teaching
Excellence.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G RADUAT E
Graduate Student Fellowships
Graduate fellowships are merit-based awards that enable the recipient to focus on graduate study, that do not
have to be repaid, and that generally include both a stipend and tuition remission. Fellowships dier from
Graduate Assistantships, which carry an obligation to teach classes, to work on a research project, or to perform
administrative tasks.
Fellowship oers are made by graduate programs to incoming students as part of a recruitment package; some
are made to current students through competitive awards processes. Applicants to graduate programs and
current students should contact the relevant program for more information on available fellowships.
On This Page
Status
Qualifications
External Fellowship Funding
Fellowship & Award Oer Letters
Duties
Supplementation of Support
Additional On-Campus and Outside Employment
Deferral or Duplication of Support
Overload Payments for Graduate Fellows
Stipend Disbursement
Tuition Remission and Mandatory Fees
Residency Classification
Tax Status
Health Insurance
Vacation and Sick Leave
Facilities
Fellowships are funded either internally, through several Graduate School's Fellowship programs, or externally,
through a variety of outside funding agencies. A list of the Graduate School Fellowship and Award Programs can
be found here.
The University of Maryland is committed to diversity and encourages programs to oer support to a diverse
range of students consistent with campus principles of equal opportunity.
STATUS
Fellowships and scholarships are oered only to graduate students admitted to or enrolled in graduate degree
programs at the University of Maryland. Fellows and scholars are expected to devote themselves full time to
graduate study and to register full time as defined by the unit system. Students on fellowships and
assistantships must be registered for 48 units. Audited courses do not generate units and cannot be used to
determine full-time status. Fellows who also hold half-time assistantships need only register for 36 units to
maintain full-time status.
Doctoral Candidates are automatically registered for Candidacy Tuition (899) each semester. This will satisfy the
unit requirement for full-time status.
For more information about unit requirements, please view the registration policies.
QUALIFICATIONS
Students whose records indicate superior academic achievement and promise and who will increase diversity
in their graduate program may be nominated for fellowships and scholarships. The determination of academic
merit is based on undergraduate and graduate Grade Point Averages (GPA); scores on such national tests as
the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), and the Miller
Analogies Test (MAT); the judgment of academic professionals in letters of recommendation; the nominee's
Statement of Goals and Research Interests; and the nominee's Statement of Experiences.
EXTERNAL FELLOWSHIP FUNDING
External Graduate Fellowships are fellowships sponsored and funded by organizations outside the university.
Corporations, charitable foundations, and numerous other groups fund graduate fellowships.
Private and Non-University Sponsored Fellowships. UMCP has several government and privately funded
fellowships that are handled through the graduate programs and colleges. Some of these fellowships are won
independently by students in national competitions; others are awarded directly to the colleges or programs,
which then select student recipients. Students submitting applications for admission to graduate programs will
be considered for such awards as appropriate; no additional application forms are required. Our graduate
students are supported on fellowships from the Department of Defense, Ford Foundation, National Science
Foundation, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, to name just a few. In addition, several graduate
programs sponsor fellowship programs jointly with federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health,
NASA, and the National Institute of Standards in Technology.
Matching Tuition Scholarships for External Fellowships. These scholarships are awarded, subject to the
availability of funding, to students who have received external fellowships that provide a stipend, but do not
provide separate funds to cover the cost of tuition. The Graduate School policy on External Fellowship Tuition
Remission is listed here.
FELLOWSHIP & AWARD OFFER LETTERS
A formal oer letter specifying the award of a Graduate School fellowship is sent to the student from the Dean
of the Graduate School in the spring semester. This letter specifies the stipend level, the duration of the
commitment, the amount of tuition remitted, and the details of the fellowship or scholarship.
DUTIES
No service of any kind, either during the tenure of a scholarship or fellowship or in the future, is to be required
of a fellow or scholar by their mentor or their graduate program. Fellows and scholars will carry out
independent research under the supervision and guidance of-and sometimes in collaboration with-their
mentors. Typically, at the start of their tenure as fellows or scholars, inexperienced students will require more
supervision and guidance. Eventually, however, fellows in particular, should be treated as junior research
associates. Under no circumstances are they to be assigned routine technical or administrative duties or given
teaching assignments during the years in which they are supported by fellowships or scholarships.
SUPPLEMENTATION OF SUPPORT
Students are not allowed to hold two full fellowships ($18,750 or higher each) concurrently. Please contact the
Graduate School if this situation occurs.
Gis, departmental fellowships, or other special funds may provide additional support, in an amount not to
exceed half the stipend of the fellowship or scholarship. If the fellowship allows, the fellow may be
supplemented by an appointment to a position such as a half-time graduate assistantship, or by hourly
employment not to exceed 10 hours per week.
Domestic students must consult the award's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or the Award Guidelines to
determine eligibility for supplementary employment. International students should consult International
Student and Scholar Services by phone at 301-314-7740, regarding supplementary employment while on
fellowship.
ADDITIONAL ON-CAMPUS AND OUTSIDE
EMPLOYMENT
According to university policy, full- time fellows and scholars may work on-campus or o-campus for a
maximum of 10 hours per week in addition to holding the fellowship or scholarship as long as the fellowship or
scholarship rules allow for supplementary employment. This policy applies to all fellowships, all scholarships,
and all additional employment regardless of the source of funds. This restriction on employment is intended to
assure that students make rapid progress toward their degrees.
International fellows should consult International Student and Scholar Services by phone at 301-314-7740,
regarding supplementary employment.
DEFERRAL OR DUPLICATION OF SUPPORT
Students are not allowed to hold two full fellowships or scholarships, either internal or external awards, or a
combination of both, simultaneously. Fellows or scholars who receive oers of external fellowships, such
as National Science Foundation, Ford Foundation Fellowships, or any other private or university-administered
fellowships may request to defer their Graduate School fellowship or scholarship oer until such time as their
other fellowship expires. Assuming satisfactory academic progress at that time, the student may again resume
the Graduate School fellowship or scholarship.
OVERLOAD PAYMENTS FOR GRADUATE FELLOWS
If a circumstance arises that a fellow must work over the 10 hours per week, an overload form is necessary. This
includes the winter term. Overload requests should be for temporary, short-term arrangements only. The
request must be limited to one semester per request and must be received and approved by the Graduate
School prior to the beginning of the appointment.
STIPEND DISBURSEMENT
Fellowships are awarded for the academic year only. Stipend disbursements for US citizens and Permanent
Residents may be given in lump sums at the start of each semester or spread out monthly. This disbursement is
processed through the student award system. For international students, those on a J1 or F1 visas, the
disbursement must be processed through payroll. Fellows must receive stipends within the ranges below in
order to qualify for associated benefits.
TUITION REMISSION AND MANDATORY FEES
The Graduate School provides tuition remission to graduate fellowship recipients who are paid from University
and Deanʼs Fellowship funds, or from external fellowship funds meeting the criteria specified below. Tuition
remission and health insurance subsidies are subject to continued availability of resources. Tuition remission
will be provided only for credits that are degree applicable.
Graduate Fellows Holding University or Dean's Fellowships
A University Fellow may be eligible for up to 10 credits of fellowship tuition remission per semester (Spring
and Fall only). A University Fellowship (UF) must supplement a standard support package (assistantship,
external fellowship, Deanʼs Fellowship, and/or other internal fellowship). Tuition remission credits deriving
from that support package will be applied first and augmented by fellowship tuition remission up to the
maximum remission indicated below:
Type Funding Per Year Total Annual Credits Fall Spring
University Fellowship (paid in 1yr) $20,000 20 10 10
University Fellowship (paid over 2 yrs) $10,000 10 5 5
University Fellowship (paid over 4 yrs) $5,000 0 0 0
A Deanʼs Fellow maybe eligible for up to 10 credits of fellowship tuition remission per semester (Spring and
Fall only). A Deanʼs Fellowship (DF) may be combined with a University Fellowship, additional Deanʼs
Fellowships, and/or other funding (assistantship, external fellowship, and/or other internal fellowship) to
create the support package. Tuition remission credits deriving from other funding will be applied first.
Tuition remission credits for Deanʼs Fellowships will be provided up to the maximum remission indicated
below:
Type Funding Per Year Total Annual Credits Fall Spring
Dean's Fellowships ≥$17,500 20 10 10
Deanʼs Fellowships ≥$10,000 10 5 5
Deanʼs Fellowships $7,500 0 0 0
NOTE: For FY23, budget permitting, the intention is to raise the minimum stipend for Graduate Fellowships to
$18,750 for 9-month Fellowships and $25,000 for 12-month Fellowships. This means the DF funding per year in
the table above will need to be $20,000 (or more) per year in order to be eligible for up to 10 credits each
fall/spring, due to the $2500 DF award increment requirement. The remainder of the table remains the same.
1. Graduate Fellows Holding Prestigious External Fellowships
(use the Request for Tuition Remission for External Fellowships and Scholarships form found on the Graduate
School Forms page on the Graduate School website.
Graduate students holding prestigious external fellowships may be eligible for fellowship tuition
remission. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or contractual agreement must be filed with the
Graduate School. Unless otherwise specified in the MOU or contract, fellowship tuition remission credits up
to 10 credits will be awarded as follows:
A prestigious external fellowship carrying an annual stipend of at least $17,500 may be awarded up to
10 credits of tuition remission per semester.
A prestigious external fellowship carrying an annual stipend of at least $7,500 may be awarded up to 5
credits of tuition remission per semester.
A prestigious external fellowship carrying an annual stipend of less than $7,500 is not eligible for
tuition remission
2. Graduate Fellows on Federal Training Grants
(use the Training Grant Fellowship Matching Tuition Remission Request found on the Graduate School Forms
page on the Graduate School website,
Federal Training Grants covering only partial tuition for fellows may be eligible for an institutional match of
fellowship tuition remission. Upon written agreement with the Graduate School, tuition remission may be
awarded to Training Grants on a 60% (grant) / 40% (GS) matching basis.
3. Graduate Fellows Holding Internal Fellowships Other Than University or Dean's Fellowships
Fellowship tuition remission is not awarded to fellowships funded from department or college sources;
state monies from any source, including DRIF, UM, and UMCP Foundations, unless formal agreements have
been made with the Graduate School. Tuition for these fellowships should be charged to the account to
which the stipend is being charged.
4. Tuition Remission for Summer Sessions and Winter Term
Fellowship tuition remission is not awarded for Summer Sessions or Winter term.
5. Tuition Remission for Programs with Non-Standard Tuition
Fellows enrolled in graduate programs with non-standard tuition rates (whether by course or by flat-fee
pricing) will be responsible for tuition costs above the standard rate covered by fellowship tuition
remission.
6. Other
The Graduate Schoolʼs Graduate Dean's Fellowships, the Wylie Dissertation Fellowships, the Lee Thornton
Fellowship, the Spencer Award, and the Longest Award are eligible for candidacy fellowship tuition
remission. Please see the oicial Fellowship Guidelines for each of these fellowships for complete
information about tuition remission eligibility. Fellowships and Award guidelines can be found on the
Graduate School Funding web page.
RESIDENCY CLASSIFICATION
The oicial residency classification of students holding fellowships, assistantships, and scholarships does not
change as result of their awards, but remain resident or non-resident as indicated in the original admissions
oer. Fellows and scholars who also hold a half-time graduate assistantship will be billed in-state tuition as a
benefit of their status only while they hold that assistantship. When/if the graduate student is no longer
supported by the assistantship-including summer months if the student is on a 9.5-month assistantship-he or
she will be billed according to their oicial residency status determined at the time of their admission.
Students are expected to be aware of their oicial residency classification status, how their assistantship,
scholarship, or fellowship may aect their billing for each semester, and to address any problems immediately
to avoid incurring unexpected tuition charges.
Questions about residency classification and changing status for those who intend to become residents of the
State of Maryland for tuition and billing purposes under the University System of Maryland Board of Regents
policy should be addressed to:
Residency Classification Oice
Room 1130 Mitchell Building
Phone 301-314-9596
Web: registrar.umd.edu/resreclass.html
Email: [email protected]
TAX STATUS
Fellows and scholars must pay tax on the stipends they receive to cover living and general expenses, but may
deduct certain educational expenses. Amounts awarded in payment of tuition are not taxable for fellows. Taxes
are not withheld from stipends disbursed through student financial aid so you may choose to file an estimated
tax payment. Please refer to the Internal Revenue Service Tax Publication 970, Benefits for Education, for more
information regarding the tax status of fellowship and scholarship stipends or call 1-800-829-1040.
HEALTH INSURANCE
Full-time Graduate fellows supported by University Fellowships, Deanʼs Fellowships, or prestigious external
fellowships are eligible to receive a reimbursement up to the annual Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
premium for individual coverage. Family health insurance is not covered.
The UHC plan must be purchased prior to submitting a request for reimbursement to the Graduate School. The
Health Insurance Reimbursement Request Form can be found on the Graduate School Forms page.
University or Deanʼs Fellows must provide a Health Insurance Reimbursement Request Form, proof of
payment, and copy of insurance card.
Holders of prestigious external fellowships must provide a Health Insurance Reimbursement Request Form,
proof of payment, copy of insurance card and a copy of the fellowship MOU or contract.
Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellows are entitled to a sum of up to $1,000.00 in addition to their stipend for the
cost of the health insurance premium for one semester of coverage.
Lee Thornton Dissertation Fellows are entitled to a sum of up to $1,000.00 in addition to their stipend for the
cost of the health insurance premium for one semester of coverage.
The following graduate fellows are not eligible for this subsidy: fellows holding internal fellowships other than
University or Deanʼs Fellowships; fellows holding half or full-time assistantships entitling them to employee
health insurance benefits; and fellows who are part-time students.
For information on the United Health Care plan, please visit the University Health Center website
at health.umd.edu/insurance. United Health Care oers online enrollment at firststudent.com/.
VACATION AND SICK LEAVE
There is no policy on vacation and sick leave for fellows or scholars. Fellows and scholars are required to
maintain satisfactory academic performance in order to retain their support. A fellow or scholar may request
deferment of a semester or year of fellowship tenure if documented personal illness prevents him or her from
satisfactorily completing academic requirements.
FACILITIES
Fellows are fully integrated into departmental activities and are to be provided with the same facilities as other
graduate students, such as mailboxes, oice space, access to a telephone and computer, and email and internet
access.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Academic Record
DEVELOPING A PROGRAM
The student is responsible for ascertaining and complying with the policies and procedures of the Graduate
School and all applicable graduate program requirements that govern the individual program of study.
Registration for the newly admitted graduate student seeking a certificate or degree begins with a visit to the
student's academic advisor in the graduate program to which the student has been admitted. There the student
will obtain information about specific certificate or degree requirements for satisfactory progress that
supplement those of the Graduate School. The student should consult the Schedule of Classes, and should
develop an individual program of study and research in consultation with his or her graduate advisor. Students
admitted as Non-Degree Seeking Students may seek advice from the Graduate School , Graduate Directors, or
On This Page
Developing a Program
Academic Integrity
Honor Pledge
Penalties for Violations of Academic Integrity
Academic Record (Transcript)
Grade Point Average Computation
Criteria for Courses to be Accepted for Graduate Credit
Credit for Alternative Learning
Incomplete Grades
Transfer of Credit
Satisfactory Progress
Graduate Student Parental Accommodation Policy
Good Standing
Academic Probation and Dismissal
Time Limitations
Time Extensions
from appropriate faculty members. Petitions for waivers of regulations of graduate degree requirements or for
appeals of decisions of graduate program faculty or administrators should be directed to the Dean of the
Graduate School, 2125 Lee Building.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The University is an intellectual community. Its fundamental purpose is the creation and dissemination of
knowledge. Like all other communities, the University can function properly only if its members adhere to
clearly established goals and values. Essential to the fundamental purpose of the University is the commitment
to the principles of truth and academic honesty. The Code of Academic Integrity is designed to ensure that the
principle of academic honesty is upheld. While all members of the University community share this
responsibility, The Code of Academic Integrity is designed so that special responsibility for upholding the
principle of academic honesty lies with students.
HONOR PLEDGE
On every examination, paper or other academic exercise not specifically exempted by the instructor, the
student will write by hand and sign the following pledge:
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this examination.
Failure to sign the pledge is not an honors oense, but neither is it a defense in case of violation of this Code.
Students who do not sign the pledge will be given the opportunity to do so. Refusal to sign must be explained to
the instructor. Signing or non-signing of the pledge will not be considered in grading or judicial procedures.
Material submitted electronically should contain the pledge; submission implies signing the pledge.
On examinations, no assistance is authorized unless given by or expressly allowed by the instructor. On other
assignments, the pledge means that the assignment has been done without academic dishonesty, as defined in
the Code of Academic Integrity, available online.
The pledge is a reminder that at the University of Maryland students carry primary responsibility for academic
integrity because the meaningfulness of their degrees depends on it. Faculty are urged to emphasize the
importance of academic honesty and of the pledge as its symbol.
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF ACADEMIC
INTEGRITY
Students who are found to have falsified, fabricated, or plagiarized in any context, such as course work,
laboratory research, archival research, or thesis / dissertation writing--will be referred to the Oice of Student
Conduct. The Oice of Student Conduct has some discretion in determining penalties for violations of the
University's standards of academic integrity, but the normal sanction for a graduate student found responsible
for a violation of academic integrity will be dismissal (suspension or expulsion) from the University.
To review the whole policy on academic integrity, see the University of Maryland Code of Academic Integrity.
The Code was amended on November 7, 2014.
ACADEMIC RECORD (TRANSCRIPT)
A graduate student's academic record (transcript) is intended to serve as a complete history of the student's
academic progress at the University of Maryland. Under no circumstances will academic records be altered
because of dissatisfaction with a grade or other academic accomplishment.
GRADE POINT AVERAGE COMPUTATION
The A+ and A is calculated at 4 quality points, A- at 3.7 quality points, B+ at 3.3 quality points, B at 3 quality
points, B- at 2.7 quality points, C+ at 2.3 quality points, C at 2 quality points, and C- at 1.7 quality points. The
grades of D+, D, D-, F, and I receive no quality points. Students do not earn credit toward the degree for courses
in which they receive a grade of D+, D, D-, or F. For graduate students, all courses taken that are numbered 400
and above (except 500-level courses, those numbered 799, 898, or 899, and those graded with an S) will be used
in the calculation of the grade point average. A student may repeat a course in an eort to earn a better grade.
Whether higher or lower, the most recent grade will be used in computing the grade point average. Grades for
graduate students remain as part of the student's permanent record. Changes in previously recorded grades
may be made if made within one term (semester or 12-week term) from original posting of the grade and if the
original instructor certifies that an actual mistake was made in determining or recording the grade. The change
must be approved by the department chair and the Dean of the Graduate School. Graduate credit transferred
from another institution will not be included in the calculation of the grade point average.
CRITERIA FOR COURSES TO BE ACCEPTED FOR
GRADUATE CREDIT
Any courses, workshops or seminars that take place in a span of time less than a normal academic term
(semester or summer session or 12-week) and oering graduate credit to the participants must meet the
following criteria:
There must be 15 "contact hours" per graduate credit.
Lectures: 50 minutes of lecture are equivalent to 1 contact hour.
Non-lecture contact (laboratories, workshops, discussion and problem-working sessions, etc.): One two-
hour or three-hour session is equivalent to one contact hour.
No more than three "contact hours" per day will be permitted. (Three "contact hours" are equivalent to 0.2
credits).
Credit may be accumulated at the rate of no more than one credit per week.
Courses numbered at the 100-, 200-, 300, and 500-level are ineligible for graduate credit. 400 level classes
are eligible for graduate credit provided they were not used in fulfillment of an undergraduate degree
requirement.
CREDIT FOR ALTERNATIVE LEARNING
The Graduate School supports alternative learning experiences that advance graduate studentsʼ programs of
study and aid in developing skills that prepare them to be successful for a broad range of career paths.
Alternative learning experiences include internships, practicums, or field experiences taken while a student is
enrolled in a degree at the University of Maryland. Graduate programs may establish their own courses for
alternative learning (e.g., internship courses), or may provide for individual alternative learning experiences
through an independent study course (e.g., 798). In other cases, credit for alternative learning can be provided
by examination or by petition.
The graduate program in which the student is enrolled may establish a limit on the number of credits that may
be earned in this manner, as long as it is at or below the Graduate School limit (see below). Courses replaced by
alternative learning credit cannot be repeated for credit. Alternative learning credit will not be included in the
calculation of the grade point average, but credit for alternative learning can count toward the completion of a
studentʼs degree program.
CREDIT BY EXAMINATION
Credit by examination will be awarded upon successful completion of a formal examination (typically written)
at a normal standard for examinations within the department or program. The examination must be approved
by a committee composed of the examiner plus two full members of the graduate faculty. A copy of the
examination, the studentʼs answers, and the names of the examiner and the other committee members must be
placed in the studentʼs file in the department or program.
Normally, credit by examination is not available for 600 level and higher courses. The maximum number of
credits by examination that can be applied to a 30-credit masterʼs degree is 12 for a non-thesis masterʼs degree
and six for the thesis option. Information on fees for credit by examination is available from the Oice of the
Registrar.
OTHER CREDIT BY PETITION
Programs may determine that certain courses completed at organizations other than accredited colleges or
universities, such as the Smithsonian Institution, are equivalent to graduate-level courses and qualify for other
credit. Other credit is not earned through traditional coursework or examination, and does not fall within the
Graduate Schoolʼs Transfer of Credit policy. The quantity and type of work to be considered for other credit
(such as contact hours, lectures, labs, and workshops) must correspond with the Graduate Schoolʼs policy
on Criteria for Courses to be Accepted for Graduate Credit.
Students can petition for up to six hours of other credit toward the completion of their degree, with the
exception of thesis and dissertation research credits (799, 898, and 899). Other credit is not available to students
in certificate programs.
Students interested in participating in courses that fall under the category of other credit are advised to seek
departmental approval of such courses before enrolling. Departments are advised to consult graduate credit
policy and the petitions criteria described below as a guide for approving courses. These criteria are rigorous.
Accordingly, programs should only consider supporting petitions for other credit only from well-established,
high-quality, and rigorous programs. Once the course is completed, students can petition the Graduate School
for credit.
Petitions must include:
Proof that the student has passed the course via description of assessment or culminating project;
Written statements of approval by the director of graduate studies and the thesis or dissertation advisor,
when applicable;
A statement from the program administering the course which explains how the course is equivalent to a
graduate course at an accredited US institution (prior acceptance of the course by other accredited
institutions is especially meaningful); and
A detailed description of the course, including information about program instructors, who should have
credentials that correspond at least with those in the Graduate Teaching Faculty category at the University
of Maryland.
Petitions must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School before submission to the Oice of the Registrar.
INCOMPLETE GRADES
An incomplete is a mark that an instructor may award to a student whose work in a course has been
qualitatively satisfactory, but who is unable to complete some portion of the work required because of illness or
other circumstance beyond the student's control. In awarding the mark of "I" for graduate courses other than 799
and 899, instructors must fill out an "Incomplete Contract for Graduate Students." The contract will specify the
work remaining to be completed, the date by which the work must be completed, and the letter grade that will
replace the incomplete if the work is not completed by the date specified. It must be signed by the instructor
and the student and maintained by the department oering the course. The student is responsible for providing
a copy of the contract to the director of graduate studies in his or her program. All courses must receive a grade
by the time the student graduates.
The mark of incomplete in 500-, 600-, 700-, and 800-level courses will automatically roll-over to letter grades if
the work is not completed by the specified date. Students are expected to complete courses in which they have
received an "I" by a date no more than twelve months from the end of the term (semester or 12-week) in which
the course was taken or by date of graduation. A course is considered complete in the semester that the
contract is fulfilled. The mark of incomplete in 400-level courses will be governed by the rules for awarding
incompletes to undergraduate students, including the provision of automatically converting an "I" to a letter
grade.
Advisors should stay current with their students in urging completion of incomplete grades, and programs
should review the status of incompletes in their annual reviews of students' progress toward their degrees.
Students will remain in good standing despite marks of incomplete if the courses are not required for their
degrees. For courses required for graduation, students will be considered to be making satisfactory progress
only if they fulfill the conditions of any outstanding incomplete contracts in a timely manner. An "I" can remain
in place on a student's transcript for a maximum of one year.
Departments and programs may specify the maximum number of incomplete credits students may carry. It is
the responsibility of the instructor or department chair concerned to submit the grade promptly upon
completion of the conditions of the Incomplete contract. If the instructor is unavailable, the department chair,
upon request by the student, will make appropriate arrangements for the student to complete the course
requirements.
TRANSFER OF CREDIT
All graduate study credits oered as transfer credit must meet the following criteria:
The student must have earned a grade of "B-" or better in the course.
The credit must not have been used to satisfy the requirements for any other degree.
Credits Earned at Another Institution. No more than six credit hours of graduate work may be transferred
from another institution, unless the program has special approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. The
courses must be graduate level and have been taken for graduate credit at a regionally accredited U.S.
institution or foreign university. The student must furnish an oicial transcript to the Graduate School. Graduate
credit transferred from another institution will not be included in the calculation of the grade point average.
Credits Earned at the University of Maryland. When changing programs within the University of Maryland,
the student may request inclusion of graduate credits earned at the University of Maryland. When moving from
non-degree to degree-seeking status, Non-Degree-Seeking Students may transfer up to nine (9) graduate credits
to the degree program (students admitted as non-degree seeking prior to Fall Term 2017 may transfer up to
twelve (12) graduate credits to the degree program), subject to the approval of the Graduate Program.
Masterʼs Students. The transfer coursework from the University of Maryland or from another institution must
have been taken within five years of the award of a University of Maryland master's degree for which the
student is currently enrolled. Courses older than five years at the time the degree is awarded must be
revalidated. More information on course revalidation can be found in the Time Extension policy section of this
catalog.
Doctoral Students. Programs may determine that coursework taken at another institution satisfies any or all
pre-candidacy coursework requirements. In such cases, transfer of credit is not required.
Approval Process:
The advisor and Graduate Director will need to certify that transfer courses are applicable to the student's
program and, for non-University of Maryland courses, that the courses have been validated (i.e., cover the
same content as similar courses at the University of Maryland).
A student seeking acceptance of transfer credit is advised to submit the necessary transcripts and
certification of program approval to the Graduate School as promptly as possible for its review and decision.
It should be noted that programs may impose more stringent requirements and time limitations concerning
the transfer of credits. In such cases the Graduate School must be notified accordingly. A form for Transfer or
Inclusion of Credit is available online on the Graduate School's Forms web page.
SATISFACTORY PROGRESS
The admission of all graduate students is continued at the discretion of the Graduate Director of the program
and the Dean of the Graduate School, consistent with the policies and practices of the Graduate School and
graduate program. A student must make satisfactory progress in meeting programmatic requirements, must
demonstrate the ability to succeed in his or her course of studies or research, and must attain performance
minima specified by the graduate program in all or in particular courses; otherwise his or her enrollment will be
terminated. Determinations of satisfactory progress occur at the graduate program level. Please contact the
Graduate Director for conditions for satisfactory progress.
GRADUATE STUDENT PARENTAL ACCOMMODATION
POLICY
The University of Maryland Graduate Student Parental Accommodation Policy provides a period of up to six (6)
weeks during which new parents may postpone completion of academic requirements. It is intended to provide
graduate students with an opportunity to integrate the challenges of new parenthood with the demands of
graduate-level training, scholarship, and research. In addition to providing support to young families, this
policy seeks to reduce attrition and improve time to degree for students who become parents.
The Parental Accommodation Policy is not a leave of absence. This policy allows students to maintain status as
full-time, registered graduate students, and thus be eligible for the rights and privileges of registered students
(e.g., access to University resources) while adjusting to their new familial obligations.
During this parental accommodation period, eligible students will continue to be enrolled as full-time graduate
students and will continue to pay tuition and fees. Students also will be expected to keep the lines of
communication with their departments open and demonstrate to their advisors that they are academically
engaged and making progress in coursework and research, though perhaps at a slower pace.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to apply for the benefits of the Parental Accommodation Policy, a new parent must
(1) have been enrolled full-time for at least one full semester in a graduate program at the University,
(2) be enrolled full-time at the time of application,
(3) be in good academic standing, and
(4) be making satisfactory progress toward degree.
Any parent (regardless of gender) is eligible to apply.
In the event that both parents are eligible, each is individually entitled to a Parental Accommodation period of
up to six (6) weeks. This Parental Accommodation period may be taken concurrently with or consecutively to
the Parental Accommodation period taken by the other parent, with or without some overlap. The total
combined Parental Accommodation period for both parents, however, may not exceed 12 weeks and must
conclude 12 weeks following the childʼs birth or adoption.
ACCOMMODATION
Approval of a studentʼs application for a period of Parental Accommodation allows the student, assuming the
prior agreement of instructors, advisor, and academic program, to modify deadlines and academic expectations
to accommodate the studentʼs new parental responsibilities. Students may be able to postpone completion of
course assignments, examinations, and other academic requirements for a period of up to six (6) weeks.
Students who will be enrolled in courses during the accommodation period must meet with their instructors to
develop a written plan as to how they will satisfactorily complete the course(s). These plans must be approved
and signed by the instructor(s) and submitted as part of the Parental Accommodation Application form. At the
end of the accommodation period, students are expected to return to graduate study and resume progress
toward completion of their degree. Deadlines with regard to time to degree, time to candidacy, time to
comprehensive or qualifying exams, etc. will be extended one semester per childbirth or adoption, upon the
request of the student. The total additional time granted for the extension of any deadlines as a result of the
studentʼs use of the Parental Accommodation Policy, however, cannot exceed a maximum period of one (1)
year, regardless of the number of births or adoptions, or the number of times the student invokes the Parental
Accommodation Policy.
The period of Parental Accommodation begins immediately upon the birth or adoption; must be taken in a
consecutive block of time; and cannot extend beyond six (6) weeks. The student may not divide the
accommodation period into separate periods or defer the accommodation period beyond this time limit. In the
event of simultaneous multiple births or adoptions, the maximum Parental Accommodation period for which a
student is eligible with respect to that event remains six (6) weeks.
APPLICATION
At least eight (8) weeks prior to the anticipated birth or adoption, students must submit a written application for
Parental Accommodation signed by the Faculty Advisor, Director of Graduate Studies, and the Chair of their
academic department, to the Graduate School. (In unusual or extraordinary circumstances, the Graduate
School may accept applications with less than eight weekʼs notice.)
Written plans to complete coursework, signed by the student and the instructor, must be provided for each
course in which the student will be enrolled during the accommodation period. The discretion to provide an
accommodation that allows a student to be away from the classroom for six weeks rests with the individual
course instructor. Faculty are strongly encouraged to work with students to develop an accommodation that
permits the student to fulfill academic coursework requirements while benefiting from a period of parental
accommodation, and that also maintains fairness with regard to other students. In some cases such an
accommodation may not be feasible. In such cases, faculty should provide a written explanation to the
departmentʼs Director of Graduate Studies as to why the accommodation is not possible, and students should
adjust their class schedules accordingly.
The Dean of the Graduate School will review the request and notify the student and the studentʼs academic
program if the request for a period of Parental Accommodation has been approved. The Graduate School will
coordinate with academic programs to make appropriate adjustments to the studentʼs deadlines and records.
Retroactive requests will not be considered. A copy of the application form is attached.
International students should discuss plans with the Oice of International Students & Scholar Services as soon
as possible in order to identify and address proactively any individual or unique visa issues and/or to consider
the latest applicable regulations. The intent of this policy is to permit all students to maintain their status as
full-time, enrolled students during this period of accommodation. Medical complications, prior to or following
the birth, are not covered by this policy. If a student is not able to return at the end of the period of
accommodation, s/he should consider applying for a Leave of Absence. See the Graduate School's Registration
Policies for more information.
GOOD STANDING
In order to maintain good academic standing, every graduate student must maintain a cumulative grade point
average (GPA) of 3.0 for all courses taken at the University.
ACADEMIC PROBATION AND DISMISSAL
A student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation by the
Graduate School. When a student is placed on probation, the Graduate School will notify both the student and
the Graduate Director of the student's program. Permission of the academic advisor and the Graduate Director
will be required for a student on probation to register for courses. Probation will be lied when the student
achieves a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
A student who has completed fewer than 12 credit hours and has a cumulative grade point average below 3.0 in
the first term (semester or 12-week) will receive a warning. A student who has completed 12 credit hours or two
or more terms (semester or 12-week) and whose cumulative grade point average is below 3.0 will be placed on
probation and have one term (semester or 12-week) to raise their grade point average 3.0 or higher or be
dismissed from the Graduate School. If the grade point average cannot be raised to 3.0 in that term, the student
will be prevented from registering and will be immediately dismissed from the Graduate School.
TIME LIMITATIONS
TIME LIMITATIONS FOR MASTER'S DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES
With the exception of the six credit hours of graduate level course credits applicable for possible transfer to the
master's degree and certificate programs, all requirements for the master's degree or graduate certificate must
be completed within a five-year period. Time taken for an approved Leave of Absence for Childbearing,
Adoption, Illness or Dependent Care does not count toward this five-year limit.
TIME LIMITATIONS FOR DOCTORAL DEGREES
Students must advance to candidacy within five years of admission to the doctoral program. Students must
complete the entire program for the doctoral degree, including the dissertation and final examination, during a
four-year period aer admission to candidacy. Under certain circumstances, time extensions may be granted by
the Graduate School as outlined below. Admission to the degree program terminates if the requirements are
not completed in the time specified. Time taken for an approved Leave of Absence for Childbearing, Adoption,
Illness or Dependent Care is not counted in these time limitations.
TIME EXTENSIONS
MASTER'S DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE STUDENTS
A student who has failed to complete all requirements by the prescribed deadlines may petition his or her
graduate program for a one-year extension of time in which to complete the outstanding requirements. This
extension may be granted by the graduate program, which must then notify the Graduate School in writing of its
decision. The Graduate School will confirm this decision in writing to the student.
A student who has failed to complete all requirements for the degree following the granting of an initial time
extension by his or her graduate program, and who wishes to pursue the degree, must seek an additional
extension by petitioning the graduate program. If the graduate program supports the request, the request must
be forwarded to the Graduate School for review with a letter of support from the Graduate Director that
includes a statement that the graduate program has approved the request. Departmental approval may be
either a vote of the department as a whole or of a committee designated to deal with such matters, such as the
Graduate Committee. The letter must include a time table listing specific goals to be accomplished at various
points during the extension period.
The letter should also include a request for revalidation of courses that will be more than five years old at the
time of graduation. Revalidation establishes that a course taken more than five years ago would, in combination
with other courses taken, satisfy the learning objectives of the current degree program. Full members of the
programʼs graduate faculty should vote unanimously to revalidate courses taken more than five years ago. Once
unanimously approved, these courses will satisfy the requirements for the degree. Typically, this extension will
be for a maximum of one year. The Graduate School 's decision will be communicated in writing to the
petitioner and a copy will be sent to the student's graduate program. Credits transferred at the start of a degree
program do not need to be revalidated when a student completes all requirements for a degree.
DOCTORAL STUDENTS
Extensions of time for doctoral students must be requested from the Graduate School by the doctoral program.
The first request for an extension of the deadline for admission to candidacy or completion of the doctoral
dissertation requires a letter of support from the Graduate Director. The letter must include a timetable listing
specific goals to be accomplished at various points during the extension period. Normally, the extension will be
for a maximum of one year.
The request for a second extension requires a letter of support from the Graduate Director that includes a
statement that the graduate program has approved the request. Departmental approval may be either a vote of
the department as a whole or of a committee designated to deal with such matters, such as the Graduate
Committee. The letter must include a timetable that lists specific goals to be accomplished at various points
during the extension period. Typically this extension will be for a maximum of one year.
Requests for a third extension will be honored only in rare instances when serious and unforeseen
circumstances that are not covered under the Leave of Absence for Childbearing, Adoption, Illness or
Dependent Care policy have interfered with the student's normal progress toward the degree. The request for a
third extension requires a letter of support from the Graduate Director that includes a statement that the
program has approved the request. The letter must include a timetable listing specific goals to be accomplished
at various times during the extension period. Typically, this extension will be for a maximum of one year. The
third extension is the final extension. Additional extensions will not be approved by the Graduate School.
In the event that a graduate program wishes to continue a student in the program beyond a third extension, the
following procedures must be followed:
The student must apply to be readmitted to the graduate program. The application must be accompanied
by a letter of support from the Graduate Director, which indicates the approval of the program for the
readmission.
The Graduate Director's letter must include a timetable listing specific goals to be accomplished at various
points during the re-admission period.
Doctoral students must be advanced to candidacy within one year of re-admission. No extensions will be
given for this deadline.
Doctoral students who have previously advanced to candidacy and who apply for readmission and re-
advancement to candidacy must demonstrate that their knowledge is current and consistent with those
standards that are in eect in the graduate program at the time that the re-advancement to candidacy is
made. The program will determine what constitutes an acceptable level of current knowledge on a case-by-
case basis and must include this determination in its recommendation for readmission. This could mean
that the student will be required to retake the comprehensive examination or otherwise demonstrate that
the student's knowledge is consistent with current standards of the graduate program.
Re-admitted students who have been advanced to candidacy will be allowed four years to complete the
dissertation. No extensions will be given aer this deadline.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Master's Degree Policies
APPROVED PROGRAM
The entire course of study undertaken for any master's degree must constitute a unified, coherent program that
is approved by the student's advisor and Graduate Director and meets Graduate School requirements.
CREDIT HOURS
A minimum of thirty credit hours in courses acceptable for credit towards a graduate degree is required. At least
12 of those credits must be earned in the major subject approved by the graduate program in which the student
On This Page
Approved Program
Credit Hours
Coursework Level
Residence Credit
Prerequisites
Single Credit Application
Graduate School Requirements for the Degrees of Master of Arts and Master of Science
Research Assurances
The Master's Thesis Examination
Procedures for the Oral Examination
Submission and Publication of the Thesis
Inclusion of One's Own Previously Published Materials in a Thesis or Dissertation
Inclusion of Copyrighted Materials in a Thesis or Dissertation
Corrections to Theses and Dissertations
Non-Thesis Option
Master of Professional Studies
is enrolled.
For a master's degree with the thesis option, a minimum of 12 credit hours of coursework at the 600 level and
above is required in addition to at least six credit hours of thesis research (799). No more than six credit hours of
thesis research may count towards satisfaction of the minimum degree requirements.
For the master's degree with the non-thesis option, a minimum of 18 credit hours in courses numbered 600 and
above is required, as well as one or more scholarly papers, some portion of which must be written. In many
cases, successful completion of comprehensive examinations is required by the program.
COURSEWORK LEVEL
The graduate program must include at least 12 hours of course work at the 600 level or higher; no fewer than 12
hours of course work credit must be earned in the major subject approved by the graduate program in which
the student is enrolled.
RESIDENCE CREDIT
A minimum of 50% of the credit hours required for the degree must be completed as a University of Maryland
graduate student, either on the College Park campus or at an approved University of Maryland instructional
site. Courses completed in University of Maryland graduate certificate program(s) would be considered
residency courses upon admission to a University of Maryland degree program. For more information on
courses acceptable for credit towards a University of Maryland graduate degree, please review the Academic
Record policies section of this catalog.
PREREQUISITES
If a student is inadequately prepared for the required graduate courses, additional courses may be deemed
necessary; such courses will not be considered part of the student's approved program of study.
SINGLE CREDIT APPLICATION
Credits to be applied to a student's program for a master's degree cannot have been used to satisfy any other
previously earned degrees (see policies governing the applicability of previously taken courses to University of
Maryland degrees).
GRADUATE SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
DEGREES OF MASTER OF ARTS AND MASTER OF
SCIENCE
A thesis must be submitted for the Master of Arts or Master of Science degrees except for those programs for
which a non-thesis option has been approved by the Graduate Council. Approval of the thesis is the
responsibility of a nominated and approved Examining Committee. The advisor is normally the chairperson of
the committee, and the remaining members of the committee are members of the Graduate Faculty who are
familiar with the student's program of study.
RESEARCH ASSURANCES
HUMAN SUBJECT RESEARCH
Everyone at the University of Maryland who is conducting research that involves human subjects must obtain
approval in advance from the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB is charged with approving the initiation
of research involving human subjects and conducts periodic reviews of that research to ensure that all projects
comply with Federal regulations. These regulations are strict and the Graduate School urges all graduate
students to consult with the IRB before beginning any research on living subjects. For application forms and
guidelines on such issues as research involving minors or prisoners, surveys, and the use of audio taping,
videotaping, digital recordings and photographs, please see the Institutional Review Board's website.
OTHER RESEARCH
If the thesis research involves the use of vertebrate animals, animal use protocols must be approved in advance
by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of record. If the thesis research involves hazardous
materials, either biological or chemical, or recombinant RNA/DNA, the research must be approved by the
appropriate University committee. These research assurances must be approved prior to the initiation of any
thesis-related research, and the approvals must be provided to the Graduate School at the time the student
submits the Nomination of Examining Committee form.
THE MASTER'S THESIS EXAMINATION
A final oral examination of the thesis will be held when the student has completed the thesis to the satisfaction
of the student's advisor, all other requirements for the degree have been completed, and a 3.0 grade point
average (computed in accordance with the regulations described under "Grades for Graduate students") has
been earned.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE THESIS EXAMINING COMMITTEE
The Thesis Examining Committee is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School, in accordance with the
policies listed below:
Eligibility. A student is eligible to be examined on a thesis if the student:
1. has met all program requirements for a thesis examination,
2. is in good standing as a graduate student at the University,
3. is registered for at least one credit,
4. has a nominated and approved Thesis Examining Committee,
5. has at least a 3.0 grade point average, and
6. if this is the second examination, the examination has been approved by the Graduate School.
Thesis Examining Committee Membership. The Committee will include a minimum of three members of
the Graduate Faculty, at least two of whom will be Full Members. The Chair of the Committee normally will
be the student's advisor, who will be a Full or Associate Member of the Graduate Faculty, or who has been
granted an exception to the policy by the Dean of the Graduate School.
Membership on a Thesis Examining Committee. Requires nomination by the student's advisor and
Graduate Director in the student's graduate program, and approval by the Oice of the Registrar. The
nomination of a Thesis Examining Committee should be submitted at least six weeks before the date of the
expected thesis examination. The thesis examination cannot be held until the composition of the Thesis
Examining Committee is approved. Furthermore, if the Graduate Faculty status of any member of an
approved Thesis Examining Committee changes, the approval of the Thesis Examining Committee may be
voided, and a new Committee nomination form will be required for approval.
Chair. The Thesis Examining Committee will have as chair the student's advisor, who must be a Full or
Associate Member of the Graduate Faculty or, by special permission, has been otherwise appointed by the
Dean of the Graduate School. Thesis Examining Committees may have co-chairs.
PROCEDURES FOR THE ORAL EXAMINATION
Oral Examination Requirement. Each master's thesis student must defend orally their master's thesis as a
requirement in partial fulfillment of the master's degree (an additional comprehensive written examination
may be required at the option of the program.)
Committee Preparation. The members of the Thesis Examining Committee must receive the thesis at least
seven working days before the scheduled examination. Should the Thesis Examining Committee deem it
reasonable and appropriate, it may require submission of the thesis more than seven working days in
advance of the examination.
Attendance at the Examination. Oral examinations must be attended by all members of the student's
oicially established Thesis Examining Committee as approved by the Oice of the Registrar. All
examinations must be open to members of University of Maryland Graduate Faculty. Programs may wish
routinely to open thesis examinations to a broader audience. In such cases, program policies must be
established, recorded, and made available to all master's students. Should a last-minute change in the
constitution of the Thesis Examining Committee be required, the change must be approved by the Dean of
the Graduate School in consultation with the program's Graduate Director and the chair of the student's
Thesis Examining Committee.
Remote Participation in Examinations. All questions related to remote defenses should be sent
to graduate-dean@umd.edu. Under normal circumstances, all members of a Thesis Examining Committee
must be physically present in the examination room during the entire defense and during the committee's
private deliberations following the examination. Participation by telephone is not permitted under any
circumstances. Remote participation by video teleconferencing is permitted under the following
circumstances:
Permission to conduct a remote-participation defense must be obtained by the thesis chair from the
Graduate School in advance. In making this request, the chair must indicate in writing that they have
read the rules for a remote defense listed below.
Video conferencing soware must be used that allows all participants to see and hear each other during
the entire defense.
The candidate and the committee chair (or at least one of the co-chairs) must all be present in the
examination room; none may be at a remote site except for under highly unusual circumstances that
restrict travel or in-person participation.
If necessary, other members of the committee may participate from one or more remote sites as long as
the conferencing soware supports the rules of conduct of the defense. Permission for remote
participation must be approved in advance by the Dean of the Graduate School. The request for remote
participation must provide a compelling reason and/or explanation as to why each remote committee
member cannot be physically present.
The remote participants must connect to the defense in a manner that will ensure that all participants
are visible and audible and that the connection is stable and available throughout the scheduled time of
the defense. Remote participation must occur from a private and quiet location that is free of
distractions and under conditions that allow remote participants to be fully attentive.
The committee chair is responsible for ensuring that all requirements for remote participation are met,
that the remote participation was uninterrupted, and if interrupted, that the defense was paused until
all remote participants were fully restored.
Units can opt to oer online synchronous viewing options even when all committee members are in-
person, with the defending studentʼs consent.
Location of the Examination. Oral examinations of theses must be held in University facilities that are
readily accessible to all members of the Thesis Examining Committee and others attending the examination.
The chair of the Thesis Examining Committee selects the time and place for the examination and notifies the
other members of the committee and the candidate.
Emergency Substitution Procedure. Last-minute emergencies can prevent a committee member from
attending a scheduled thesis examination. The Graduate School will work with the chair of the examining
committee and/or the Director of Graduate Studies to make last-minute substitutions in committee
membership to allow the examination to take place as
scheduled.
The request must be sent in writing via email to the Dean of the Graduate School. A telephone call to the
Graduate School explaining that an emergency request is coming will facilitate the process.
The proposed substitute must be a member of the Graduate Faculty consistent with the rules for
committee membership. Thus, if the Dean's Representative (who must be a tenured faculty member)
could not attend, the substitution of an untenured member of the Graduate Faculty would not be
acceptable.
Once the written request has been received, the substitution will be made, usually within the hour,
provided that the revised committee meets the requirements for committee membership.
When the substitution has been made, a written confirmation via email will be sent, along with a
telephone confirmation. The substitution is not oicial, however, until the written confirmation has
been received in the graduate program. A copy of the written request and the written confirmation must
be placed in the student's file for future reference.
An examination that is held with one or more substitute members on the committee, but without prior
written confirmation from the Graduate School that the substitution(s) have been approved, will be
voided and the examination will have to be repeated.
Invalidation of the Examination. The Dean may void any examination not carried out in accordance with
the procedures and policies of the Graduate School. In addition, upon the recommendation of the Thesis
Examining Committee or any member thereof, the Dean of the Graduate School may rule an oral
examination to be null and void.
Conclusion of the Examination. Aer the oral examination, the student and any others who are not
members of the Thesis Examining Committee will be asked to leave the room and the Thesis Examining
Committee will discuss whether or not the thesis (including its examination) has been satisfactory. The
Committee has the following options:
1. To accept the thesis and the oral defense without any recommended changes and sign the Report of
the Examining Committee.
2. To accept the oral defense, but recommend substantive revisions to the thesis and, except for the chair,
sign the Report of the Examining Committee. The chair will provide the committee and student with a
list of the required revisions. The chair will check that the changes to the thesis have been made, and,
upon their approval, sign the Report of the Examining Committee.
3. To recommend major revisions to the theses and/or to deem the oral defense deficient. In this case, the
committee would reconvene a closed meeting of only the Thesis Examining Committee and the student
to complete the student's examination. The chair will provide the committee and student with a list of
the required significant revisions to the thesis and/or deficiencies in the oral defense. The chair also will
inform the programʼs Director of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School of the required
revisions/deficiencies and the timeline for reconvening the Examining Committee. During the
reconvened meeting, committee membersʼ questions will focus on the revisions to the thesis and/or
the deficiencies in the prior oral defense. Ordinarily, the reconvened meeting of the Thesis Examining
Committee will occur within two months aer the initial meeting oral defense.
4. To rule the thesis (including its examination and oral defense) unsatisfactory. In that circumstance, the
student fails. Following the examination, the chair must inform the student of the outcome of the
examination. The committee chair must sign the Report of the Examining Committee, including a
statement explaining why the thesis was deemed unsatisfactory. A copy of this statement must be
included in the student's file at the graduate program oice, and a copy is given to the student. This
statement must be submitted to the program's Graduate Director, the Dean of the Graduate School, and
the student.
Passage or Failure. The student passes if all members of the Thesis Examining Committee accept the thesis
(including its examination) as satisfactory. One or more negative votes constitute a failure of the candidate
to meet the thesis requirement. A second examination may be permitted if the student will be in good
standing at the time of the proposed second examination. A second examination requires the approval of
the program's Graduate Director and the Dean of the Graduate School. If the student fails this second
examination, or if a second examination is not permitted, the student's admission to the graduate program
is terminated.
The Decision to Accept the Examination as Satisfactory Must Be Unanimous. Students may present
themselves for examination only twice. The report of the committee, signed by each member, must be
submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School no later than the appropriate date listed in the Schedule of
Classes if the student is to receive a diploma at the Commencement ceremony for the semester in which the
examination is held.
SUBMISSION AND PUBLICATION OF THE THESIS
Theses are to be submitted to the Graduate School in electronic format aer final approval of the document by
the Thesis Examining Committee. See the University of Maryland Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD)
website or the University of Maryland Thesis and Dissertation Style Guide for the details of this process.
Theses submitted to the University through the ETD process will also be deposited in the UM Library's online
electronic archive, DRUM (Digital Repository at the University of Maryland). This is a free public archive of
academic work by University faculty and graduate students. The submission of the thesis to the University in
fulfillment of degree requirements grants the University the one-time, non-exclusive right to publish the
document on DRUM.
THE UNIVERSITY'S RIGHTS
The University of Maryland retains non-exclusive distribution, reproduction, and archival rights to theses and
doctoral dissertations submitted to the Graduate Faculty in fulfillment of requirements for a graduate degree.
Such rights entitle the University of Maryland to reproduce, archive, and distribute theses and dissertations, in
whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, as it sees fit. Distribution is subject to a release date
stipulated by the student and approved by the University.
THE STUDENT'S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As the owner of copyright in the thesis or dissertation, students have the exclusive right to reproduce,
distribute, make derivative works based on, publicly perform and display their work, and to authorize others to
exercise some or all of those rights. As a condition of graduation, each student's thesis or dissertation must be
published to support the universityʼs mission of advancing knowledge as a public institution. When students
submit their work to the Graduate School, they will be given several options regarding access to their document
via ProQuest's Digital Dissertations and DRUM, the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland. The
student's options are:
Making the thesis or dissertation available via ProQuest and DRUM as soon as it is received. The
abstract and full text of your work will be present in ProQuest's Digital Dissertations for purchase, and will
be both freely available and searchable online via DRUM.
Automatically restrict online publication of the thesis or dissertation for two years. Students may place
an embargo (a restriction) of two years on electronic access to your document through ProQuest's Digital
Dissertations and DRUM . Should a student elect to restrict online publication of their work, a description of
the research, including the student's name, the document's title, the advisor's name (or advisorsʼ names),
and the abstract will be available via ProQuest and DRUM, but the actual electronic file will be unavailable
for viewing or download until the selected embargo period has passed. This embargo option does not
require special permission, but students should discuss this option with their advisor(s) in advance of
deciding whether to place a two-year embargo on their work
Request an online publication restriction of the thesis or dissertation for up to six years. Students may
request an embargo (a restriction) of up to six years on electronic access to their document through
ProQuest's Digital Dissertations and DRUM if there is legitimate reason to do so. Should the work be
restricted online for up to six years, a description of the research, including the student's name, the
document's title, the advisor's name (or advisorsʼ names), and the abstract will be available via ProQuest
and DRUM, but the actual electronic file will be unavailable for viewing or download until the selected
embargo period has passed. This embargo request requires written approval of the Dean of the Graduate
School. Students must complete this form, which includes attaching a letter co-signed by the student and
their advisor(s). The letter should briefly justify the request, including a strong rationale for the extended
embargo and the specific amount of embargo time requested. In rare circumstances, such time is necessary
(e.g., extended patent reviews, publishing monographs, ongoing legal cases related to the projectʼs
research, etc.). If a student previously embargoed their work for two years, they can only request an
additional four-year embargo. Extensions beyond six years will not be considered except for highly
extenuating circumstances (e.g., prolonged illness or caretaking responsibilities, long work deployment that
precluded focusing on publication, ongoing legal cases related to the research that prohibit publication,
etc.).
Request an indefinite online publication restriction of the thesis or dissertation. In extremely rare
cases, students may request an indefinite embargo (a restriction) on electronic access to their document
through ProQuest's Digital Dissertations and DRUM. In this case, a description of the thesis or dissertation,
including the student's name, the work's title, the advisor's name, and the abstract will be available via
ProQuest's Digital Dissertations and DRUM, but the actual electronic file will be embargoed indefinitely. This
embargo request requires written approval of the Dean of the Graduate School. Students must complete
this form, which includes attaching a letter co-signed by the advisor and student. The letter should briefly
justify the request. Indefinite embargoes can be placed only in service of a public good (e.g., for national
security reasons). This restriction can be lied at the request of the student at a later date.
INCLUSION OF ONE'S OWN PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED
MATERIALS IN A THESIS OR DISSERTATION
A graduate student may, upon the recommendation of the thesis director, and with the endorsement of the
home graduate program Graduate Director, include his or her own published works as part of the final thesis.
Appropriate citations within the thesis, including where the work was previously published, are required. All
such materials must be produced in standard thesis format.
It is recognized that a graduate student may co-author work with faculty and colleagues that should be
included in a thesis. In such an event, a letter should be sent to the Dean of the Graduate School certifying that
the student's Examining Committee has determined that the student made a substantial contribution to that
work. This letter should also note that inclusion of the work has the approval of the thesis advisor and the
Graduate Director. The format of such inclusions must conform to the standard thesis format. A foreword to the
thesis, as approved by the Examining Committee, must state that the student made substantial contributions to
the relevant aspects of the jointly authored work included in the thesis.
INCLUSION OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS IN A
THESIS OR DISSERTATION
Students are responsible for ensuring that their thesis or dissertation complies with copyright law. Copyright
law gives the owner of a work exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, display or perform the work publicly and
to modify or adapt the work and the exclusive right to grant others permission to exercise any of those rights in
the work, subject to certain exceptions. Students are responsible for determining if their use of another's work
requires his or her permission or falls within one of the exceptions. Permission is not required to use a work
when:
The work never qualified for copyright because, for example, it lacked originality or was created by Federal
employees in the scope of employment.
Copyright in the work has expired.
The use qualifies as a fair use.
Students should consult the following documents for guidance on complying with copyright law:
Did the work ever qualify for copyright protection?
Library of Congress, Copyright Basics
Library of Congress, Ideas, Methods, or Systems
Library of Congress, Blank Forms and Other Works Not Protected by Copyright
and Copyright Protection Not Available for Names, Titles, or Short Phrases
Has copyright in the work expired?
Library of Congress, Duration of Copyright
Cornell University, Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States
Is the proposed use a "fair use"?
Library of Congress, Can I Use Someone Else's Work?
University of Washington Copyright Connection, Fair Use
CORRECTIONS TO THESES AND DISSERTATIONS
Once submitted to the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM), the body of a thesis or
dissertation may not be changed. Students may, however, request that a dated addendum be appended to their
original thesis or dissertation document.
To add an addendum, students must submit:
A written request to the Graduate School (gr[email protected]) to add an addendum to the thesis or
dissertation document currently in DRUM.
The request should include the proposed addendum and a letter of support from the thesis or dissertation
chair. The letter of support should confirm that the addendum does not substantively change the content of
the document and that all members of the thesis or dissertation committee are aware of the submitted
addendum.
For corrections that arise from the process to review concerns under the the Universityʼs policy on scholarly
misconduct, the Graduate School will collaborate with the Oice of Faculty Aairs on the proper resolution
before a thesis or dissertation addendum will be posted. Thesis and dissertation chairs, committee
members, and students must adhere to the policyʼs reporting requirements if there is a concern that a thesis
or dissertation may require correction as a result of such misconduct.
With the written approval from the Graduate School, the thesis or dissertation author should send the
proposed addendum and Graduate School approval to the Libraries ([email protected]) to upload the
addendum.
Students who wish to add an addendum to their document on the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global
Database must contact ProQuest directly at disspub@proquest.com for procedures and fees.
NON-THESIS OPTION
For programs oering a non-thesis option, please see the individual program's website.
MASTER OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
The Master of Professional Studies is designed to allow campus units the flexibility to propose multidisciplinary
degree or certificate programs suited to the needs of employees of government or private sector organizations.
The Master of Professional Studies must meet all University of Maryland admissions and degree requirements
for the non-thesis master's degree. All courses included in the master's degree or certificate must be approved
graduate courses. Oering a course in the program requires the approval from the Department Chair under
whose auspices the course is oered. All faculty who teach the courses must be members of the Graduate
Faculty.
The 30-credit Master of Professional Studies Degree has the following components:
A core of at least four courses usually drawn from a current master's degree program.
Concentrations and electives drawn from a variety of academic unit course oerings to create a coherent
multidisciplinary master's degree program.
ACADEMIC OVERSIGHT AND ADMINISTRATION
The oversight committee should be composed of a full member of the graduate faculty from the “core” area
who will serve as the Graduate Director, a second member of the graduate faculty, a representative from the
Graduate School, and an administrative manager. Both the Graduate Director and second faculty member must
have the approval of their respective department chairs. This committee will provide the academic and
administrative oversight for the duration of the degree or certificate program.
Early consultation with the Oice of the Associate Provost for Academic Planning and Programs and with the
Graduate School is strongly recommended to identify any potential challenges and to ensure expedient
progress through the approval process. The Graduate School will be the academic home for the Master of
Professional Studies and will hold academic oversight responsibility. Academic units may choose to develop
and administer their own program or apply to the Oice of Extended Studies for these services.
For information about any one of the Professional Master's Program, please visit the graduate programs page.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Doctor of Philosophy Degree Policies
PURPOSE
The Doctor of Philosophy Degree is granted only upon suicient evidence of high attainment in scholarship and
the ability to engage in independent research. It is not awarded for the completion of course and seminar
requirements no matter how successfully completed.
CREDIT REQUIREMENTS
The Graduate School requires that every student seeking the Ph.D. or D.M.A. satisfactorily complete a minimum
of 12 semester hours of doctoral dissertation research credits. In most cases this requirement is satisfied by two
semesters (fall/spring) of post-candidacy registration, in which the candidate is automatically registered for six
credits of Doctoral Dissertation Research (899) per semester. In exceptional cases, in which a student is able to
On This Page
Purpose
Credit Requirements
Advancement to Candidacy
Research Assurances
The Doctoral Dissertation and Examination
Open Dissertation Examination
Procedures for the Oral Dissertation Examination
Submission and Publication of the Dissertation
Inclusion of One's Own Previously Published Materials in a Dissertation
Inclusion of Copyrighted Materials in a Dissertation
Corrections to Theses and Dissertations
Additional Requirements
Foreign Language Requirement
defend the dissertation before completing 12 credits of 899, this requirement can be satisfied by completing a
combined total of 12 credits of 898 (pre-candidacy dissertation research) and 899.
* Petition to the Graduate School to waive the minimum requirements of 899 could be considered aer the student
successfully defends and submits the required paperwork, but there is no guarantee that the petition will be
approved. The Graduate School will follow up based on the studentʼs progress towards graduation.
A student seeking an Ed.D. must satisfactorily complete a minimum of six semester hours of dissertation credits.
The number of research and other credit hours required in the program varies with the degree and program in
question.
ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY
Preliminary examinations, or such other substantial tests as the graduate programs may elect, are prerequisites
for advancement to candidacy. A student must be admitted to candidacy for the doctorate within five years
aer admission to the doctoral program. It is the responsibility of the student to submit an application for
admission to candidacy when all the requirements for candidacy have been fulfilled. Applications for admission
to candidacy are made by the student and submitted to the graduate program for further action and
transmission to the Graduate School. Application forms may be obtained at the Graduate School, Room 2123,
Lee Building, or on the web. Applications must be received by the Graduate School prior to the 25th day of the
month in order for the advancement to become eective the first day of the following month.
Doctoral candidates are automatically registered for six (6) credits of Doctoral Dissertation Research (899), for
which they pay the flat candidacy tuition.
RESEARCH ASSURANCES
HUMAN SUBJECT RESEARCH
Everyone at the University of Maryland who is conducting research that involves human subjects must obtain
approval in advance from the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB is charged with approving the initiation
of research involving human subjects and conducts periodic reviews of that research to ensure that all projects
comply with Federal regulations. These regulations are strict, and the Graduate School urges all graduate
students to consult with the IRB before beginning any research involving living subjects. For application forms
and guidelines on such issues as research involving minors or prisoners, surveys, and the use of audio taping,
videotaping, digital recordings, and photographs, please see the Institutional Review Board's website.
OTHER RESEARCH
If the dissertation research involves the use of vertebrate animals, animal use protocols must be approved in
advance by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of record. If the dissertation research involves
hazardous materials, either biological or chemical, or recombinant RNA/DNA, the research must be approved by
the appropriate University committee. These research assurances must be approved prior to the initiation of
any dissertation-related research, and the approvals must be provided to the Graduate School at the time the
student submits the Nomination of Examining Committee form.
THE DOCTORAL DISSERTATION AND EXAMINATION
A dissertation is required of all candidates for a Doctor of Philosophy degree. The Graduate School has
established the following procedures for the conduct of the doctoral dissertation examination.
The Dissertation. The ability to do independent research must be demonstrated by an original dissertation
on a topic approved by the graduate program in which the student is earning the degree. The dissertation is
not required for professional doctorates.
Eligibility. A student is eligible to defend a dissertation if the student (a) has advanced to candidacy, (b) has
met all program requirements for a dissertation examination, (c) is in good standing as a graduate student
at the University, (d) is registered for at least one credit, (e) has a valid Graduate School-approved
Dissertation Examining Committee, and (f) if this is the second examination, the examination has been
approved by the Graduate School.
Dissertation Examining Committee Membership. The Committee must include a minimum of five
members of the Graduate Faculty, at least three of whom must be Full Members. The Chair of the Committee
normally will be the student's advisor, who will be a Full Member of the Graduate Faculty, or who has been
granted an exception to the policy by the Dean of the Graduate School. Each Committee will have appointed
to it a representative of the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean's Representative may be one of the five
voting members. Alternatively, the Dean's Representative may not be a voting member of the Committee.
Whether the Dean's Representative votes or not is a decision made by the student, primary advisor, and the
Dean's Representative before the Dean's Representative is nominated for approval by the Dean of The
Graduate School. In addition, the Dean will ensure that there are five voting members on the Committee.
Therefore, Committees that have a non-voting Dean's Representative must have at least six members (five
voting members and the non-voting Dean's Representative.)
Nomination of the Dissertation Examining Committee. Membership on a Dissertation Examining
Committee requires nomination by the student's advisor and the Graduate Director of the student's
graduate program, and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. The nomination of a Dissertation
Examining Committee should be provided to the Oice of the Registrar at least six weeks before the date of
the expected dissertation examination. The dissertation examination cannot be held until the Graduate
School approves the composition of the Dissertation Examining Committee. Furthermore, if the Graduate
Faculty status of any member of an approved Dissertation Examining Committee changes, the approval of
the Dissertation Examining Committee may be void, and a new Dissertation Examining Committee
nomination form may be required to be approved by the Graduate School.
Chair. Each Dissertation Examining Committee will have a chair, who must be a Full Member of the Graduate
Faculty or, by special permission, has been otherwise appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School .
Dissertation Examining Committees may be co-chaired by two or more faculty members. At least one of the
co-chairs must be a Full Member and the other co-chair can be an Associate or Full Member. Special
Members may not co-chair a doctoral dissertation committee unless granted a special exception. Any
changes to the chair or co-chair(s) of an approved committee must be submitted at least six weeks before
the examination. Following the Emergency Substitution Procedure, last-minute emergency substitutions
are permitted under certain conditions.
Representative of the Dean of the Graduate School. Each Dissertation Examining Committee will have
appointed to it a representative of the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean's Representative should have
some background or interest related to the student's research. The Dean's Representative must be a
tenured member of the Graduate Faculty at the University of Maryland, College Park. The Dean's
Representative must be from a tenure home dierent from that of the studentʼs program, the primary
advisor or co-advisors, and the dissertation examining committee chair or co-chairs (if the chairs or co-
chairs are not the primary advisor or co-advisors). In the case of multi-disciplinary programs, the Dean's
Representative can be a member of the program, as long as they have a dierent tenure home from that of
the primary advisor or co-advisors and the dissertation examining committee chair or co-chairs.
The person nominated to become the Dean's Representative may serve as a regular member of the
student's Doctoral Graduate Committee from the time it is first convened. Alternatively, the person
nominated to be the Dean's representative may be added to the Doctoral Graduate Committee at a later
date and either take part in some Committee meetings including the qualifying examination, or only join as
a Doctoral Dissertation Committee member for the final dissertation defense. In all cases, the Dean's
Representative must be present for the full dissertation defense and serve to adjudicate the defense.
Associate Members. Non-tenure track faculty within the University of Maryland who have been approved
for Associate Membership in the Graduate Faculty may serve on Dissertation Examining Committees.
Associate Members also can co-chair dissertations as long as the chair is a Full Member of the Graduate
Faculty. These Associate Members must be in addition to the required three Full Members of the University
of Maryland Graduate Faculty. For procedures to nominate an individual for Associate Membership, please
refer to the section below on Graduate Faculty.
Special Members. Individuals from outside the University of Maryland who have been approved for Special
Membership in the Graduate Faculty may serve on Dissertation Examining Committees. These Special
Members must be in addition to the required three Full Members of the University of Maryland Graduate
Faculty. Special members cannot direct or co-direct dissertations. For procedures to nominate an individual
for Special Membership, please refer to the section on Graduate Faculty.
Service of former University of Maryland faculty members. Graduate Faculty who terminate
employment at University of Maryland (and who do not have emeritus status) retain their status as
members of the Graduate Faculty for a twelve-month period following their termination. Thus, they may
serve as members and chairs (but not as Dean's Representatives) of Dissertation Examining Committees
during this twelve-month period if they are otherwise eligible. Aer that time, they may no longer serve as
chairs or co-chairs of Dissertation Examining Committees.
Professors Emeriti and Associate Professors Emeriti may serve on Dissertation Examining Committees
provided they are members of the Graduate Faculty.
OPEN DISSERTATION EXAMINATION
The dissertation examination will consist of two parts:
Part 1 will be a public presentation by the candidate on the main aspects of the research reported in the
dissertation. During Part 1, questions from the audience to the candidate must be permitted. For questions
from persons who are not members of the Dissertation Examining Committee, the Chair of the Dissertation
Examining Committee will have discretion to decide whether such questions are germane to the topic of the
dissertation and how much time will be allotted for the answers.
Part 2 will be a formal examination of the candidate by the Dissertation Examination Committee. This
part will be open only to the Dissertation Examination Committee, other members of the Graduate Faculty,
and graduate students from the candidate's graduate program. During Part 2, only members of the
Dissertation Examination Committee will be permitted to ask questions. Programs may vote to establish a
policy to have Part 2 be open only to members of the Dissertation Examining Committee and members of
the Graduate Faculty.
Attendance at the final discussion and vote will be limited to the members of the Dissertation Examining
Committee.
Announcements of the date, time, and location of the examination, as well as the candidate's name and
the dissertation title, will be disseminated five working days in advance to all members of the Graduate
Faculty and graduate students within the graduate program in which the candidate's degree is to be
awarded. Mass-distribution methods, such as e-mail, a faculty/student newsletter, or individual
announcements are acceptable. Merely posting a paper notice on a corridor bulletin board will not
constitute a suicient announcement.
Departments and graduate programs may petition the Dean of the Graduate School for exceptions to these
policies.
PROCEDURES FOR THE ORAL DISSERTATION
EXAMINATION
Oral Examination Requirement. Each doctoral candidate is required to defend orally their doctoral
dissertation as a requirement in partial fulfillment of the doctoral degree. The oral examination consists of
two parts.
Part 1: Student Presentation. Part 1 will be a public presentation by the candidate on the main aspects
of the research reported in the dissertation, emphasizing the important results and giving an
explanation of the reasoning that led to the conclusions reached. Questions from the audience to the
candidate will be permitted. For questions from persons who are not members of the Dissertation
Examining Committee, the Chair of the Dissertation Examining Committee will have discretion to decide
whether such questions are germane to the topic of the dissertation and how much time will be allotted
for the answers.
Part 2: Formal Examination. Part 2 will be a formal examination of the candidate by the Dissertation
Examination Committee. The chair invites questions in turn from each member of the Dissertation
Examining Committee. Only members of the Dissertation Examination Committee will be permitted to
ask questions. The questioning may continue as long as the Dissertation Examining Committee feels
that it is necessary and reasonable for the proper examination of the student. Part 2 will be open to
other members of the Graduate Faculty and graduate students from the candidate's graduate program.
Programs may vote to establish a policy to have Part 2 be open only to members of the Dissertation
Examining Committee and members of the Graduate Faculty. Opportunity for Questioning by Members
of the Dissertation Examining Committee.
Conclusion of the Examination. Aer questioning has been completed, the student and any others
who are not members of the Dissertation Examining Committee are asked to leave the room while the
Dissertation Examining Committee discusses whether or not the dissertation and its defense are
satisfactory. The Committee has the following options:
1. To accept the dissertation and the oral defense without any recommended changes and sign the
Report of the Examining Committee.
2. To accept the oral defense, but recommend substantive revisions to the dissertation and, except for
the chair, sign the Report of the Examining Committee. The chair will provide the committee and
student with a list of the required revisions. The chair will check that the changes to the dissertation
have been made, and, upon their approval, sign the Report of the Examining Committee.
3. To accept the oral defense, but recommend substantive revisions to the dissertation and not sign
the Report of the Examining Committee until the student has made the changes and submitted the
revised dissertation for the Dissertation Examining Committee's approval. The chair will provide the
committee and student with a list of the required revisions. The Dissertation Examining Committee
members sign the Report of the Examining Committee if they approve the revised dissertation.
4. To recommend major revisions to the dissertation and/or to deem the oral defense deficient. In this
case, the committee would reconvene a closed meeting of only the Dissertation Examining
Committee and the student to complete the student's examination. The chair will provide the
committee and student with a list of the required significant revisions to the dissertation and/or
deficiencies in the oral defense. The chair also will inform the programʼs Director of Graduate
Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School of the required revisions/deficiencies and the timeline
for reconvening the Examining Committee. During the reconvened meeting, committee membersʼ
questions will focus on the revisions to the dissertation and/or the deficiencies in the prior oral
defense. Ordinarily, the reconvened meeting of the dissertation committee will occur within two
months aer the initial meeting oral defense.
5. To rule the dissertation (including its examination and oral defense) unsatisfactory. In that
circumstance, the student fails. Following the examination, the chair, in the presence of the Dean's
Representative, must inform the student of the outcome of the examination. The committee chair
and the Dean's Representative both sign the Report of the Examining Committee, including a
statement explaining why the dissertation was deemed unsatisfactory. A copy of this statement
must be included in the student's file at the graduate program oice, and a copy is given to the
student. This statement must be submitted to the program's Graduate Director, the Dean of the
Graduate School, and the student.
a. A second examination may be permitted if the student will be in good standing at the time of
the proposed second examination. A second examination requires the approval of the
program's Graduate Director and the Dean of the Graduate School.
b. If the student fails this second examination, or if a second examination is not permitted, the
student's admission to the graduate program is terminated unless the student desires to and is
eligible to change their degree objective (e.g., to a masterʼs degree in the same program). For
more information on changing a degree objective, consult the Policy on Change of Status or
Program.
Passage or Failure. The student passes if one member refuses to sign the Report, but the other members of
the Dissertation Examining Committee agree to sign, before or aer the approval of recommended changes.
Two or more negative votes constitute a failure of the candidate to meet the dissertation requirement.
Committee Preparation. The members of the Dissertation Examining Committee must receive the
dissertation at least ten working days before the scheduled examination. Should the Dissertation Examining
Committee deem it reasonable and appropriate, it may require submission of the dissertation more than
ten working days in advance of the examination.
Attendance at the Examination. Oral examinations must be attended by all members of the student's
oicially established Dissertation Examining Committee as approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.
All examinations must be open to all members of the University of Maryland Graduate Faculty. Programs
may wish routinely to open dissertation examinations to a broader audience. In such cases, program
policies must be established, recorded, and made available to all doctoral students.
Emergency Substitution Procedure. Last-minute emergencies can prevent a committee member from
attending a scheduled dissertation examination. The Graduate School will work with the chair of the
examining committee and/or the Director of Graduate Studies to make last-minute substitutions in
committee membership to allow the examination to take place as
scheduled.
The request must be sent in writing via email to the Dean of the Graduate School. A telephone call to the
Graduate School explaining that an emergency request is coming will facilitate the process.
The proposed substitute must be a member of the Graduate Faculty consistent with the rules for
committee membership. Thus, if the Dean's Representative (who must be a tenured faculty member)
could not attend, the substitution of an untenured member of the Graduate Faculty would not be
acceptable.
Once the written request has been received, the substitution will be made, usually within the hour,
provided that the revised committee meets the requirements for committee membership.
When the substitution has been made, a written confirmation via email will be sent, along with a
telephone confirmation. The substitution is not oicial, however, until the written confirmation has
been received in the graduate program. A copy of the written request and the written confirmation must
be placed in the student's file for future reference.
An examination that is held with one or more substitute members on the committee, but without prior
written confirmation from the Graduate School that the substitution(s) have been approved, will be
voided and the examination will have to be repeated.
Date, Time, and Location of the Examination. Oral examinations must be held in University facilities that
are readily accessible to all members of the Dissertation Examining Committee and others attending the
examination. The chair of the dissertation examining committee selects the time and place for the
examination. Announcements of the date, time, and location of the examination, as well as the candidate's
name and the dissertation title, will be disseminated five working days in advance to all members of the
Graduate Faculty and graduate students within the graduate program in which the candidate's degree is to
be awarded. Mass-distribution methods, such as email, a faculty/student newsletter, or individual
announcements are acceptable. Merely posting a paper notice on a corridor bulletin board will not
constitute a suicient announcement.
The Dean's Representative. The Dean's Representative must be identified at the beginning of the
examination. The responsibilities of the Dean's Representative include the following: ensuring that the
procedures of the oral examination comply with those of the Graduate School (as described herein) and
reporting to the Dean of the Graduate School any unusual problems experienced in the conduct of the
examination.
Invalidation of the Examination. The Dean of the Graduate School may void any examination not carried
out in accordance with the procedures and policies of the Graduate School. In addition, upon
recommendation of the Dean's Representative, the Dean may rule an oral examination to be null and void.
Remote Participation in a Dissertation Defense. All questions related to remote defenses should be sent
to graduate-dean@umd.edu. Under normal circumstances, all members of a Dissertation Examining
Committee must be physically present in the examination room during the entire dissertation defense and
during the committee's private deliberations following the examination. Participation by telephone is not
permitted under any circumstances. Remote participation by video teleconferencing is permitted under the
following circumstances:
Permission to conduct a remote-participation defense must be obtained by the dissertation chair from
the Graduate School in advance. In making this request, the chair must indicate in writing that they have
read the rules for a remote defense listed below.
Video conferencing soware must be used that allows all participants to see and hear each other during
the entire defense.
The candidate, the committee chair (or at least one of the co-chairs), and the Deanʼs Representative
must all be present in the examination room; none may be at a remote site except for under highly
unusual circumstances that restrict travel or in-person participation.
If necessary, other members of the committee may participate from one or more remote sites as long as
the conferencing soware supports the rules of conduct of the defense. Permission for remote
participation must be approved in advance by the Dean of the Graduate School. The request for remote
participation must provide a compelling reason and/or explanation as to why each remote committee
member cannot be physically present.
The remote participants must connect to the defense in a manner that will ensure that all participants
are visible and audible and that the connection is stable and available throughout the scheduled time of
the defense. Remote participation must occur from a private and quiet location that is free of
distractions and under conditions that allow remote participants to be fully attentive.
The Deanʼs Representative is responsible for ensuring that all requirements for remote participation are
met, that the remote participation was uninterrupted, and if interrupted, that the defense was paused
until all remote participants were fully restored.
Units can opt to oer online synchronous viewing options even when all committee members are in-
person, with the defending studentʼs consent.
Exceptions. Departments and graduate programs may petition the Dean of the Graduate School for
exceptions to these procedures.
SUBMISSION AND PUBLICATION OF THE
DISSERTATION
Dissertations are to be submitted to the Graduate School in electronic format aer final approval of the
dissertation by the Dissertation Examining Committee. See the University of Maryland Electronic Thesis and
Dissertation (ETD) website or the University of Maryland Thesis and Dissertation Style Guide for the details of
this process.
Dissertations submitted to the University through the ETD process will also be deposited in the UM Library's
online electronic archive, DRUM (Digital Repository at the University of Maryland). This is a free public archive of
academic work by University faculty and graduate students. The submission of the thesis to the University in
fulfillment of degree requirements grants the University the one-time, non-exclusive right to publish the
document on DRUM. The students' and University's rights regarding dissertation and thesis submission and
publication are outlined below.
THE UNIVERSITY'S RIGHTS
The University of Maryland retains non-exclusive distribution, reproduction, and archival rights to doctoral
dissertations submitted to the Graduate Faculty in fulfillment of requirements for a graduate degree. Such
rights entitle the University of Maryland to reproduce, archive, and distribute dissertations, in whole or in part,
in and from an electronic format, as it sees fit. Distribution is subject to a release date stipulated by the student
and approved by the University.
THE STUDENT'S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As the owner of copyright in the thesis or dissertation, students have the exclusive right to reproduce,
distribute, make derivative works based on, publicly perform and display their work, and to authorize others to
exercise some or all of those rights. As a condition of graduation, each student's thesis or dissertation must be
published to support the universityʼs mission of advancing knowledge as a public institution. When students
submit their work to the Graduate School, they will be given several options regarding access to their document
via ProQuest's Digital Dissertations and DRUM, the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland. The
student's options are:
Making the thesis or dissertation available via ProQuest and DRUM as soon as it is received. The
abstract and full text of your work will be present in ProQuest's Digital Dissertations for purchase, and will
be both freely available and searchable online via DRUM.
Automatically restrict online publication of the thesis or dissertation for two years. Students may place
an embargo (a restriction) of two years on electronic access to your document through ProQuest's Digital
Dissertations and DRUM . Should a student elect to restrict online publication of their work, a description of
the research, including the student's name, the document's title, the advisor's name (or advisorsʼ names),
and the abstract will be available via ProQuest and DRUM, but the actual electronic file will be unavailable
for viewing or download until the selected embargo period has passed. This embargo option does not
require special permission, but students should discuss this option with their advisor(s) in advance of
deciding whether to place a two-year embargo on their work
Request an online publication restriction of the thesis or dissertation for up to six years. Students may
request an embargo (a restriction) of up to six years on electronic access to their document through
ProQuest's Digital Dissertations and DRUM if there is legitimate reason to do so. Should the work be
restricted online for up to six years, a description of the research, including the student's name, the
document's title, the advisor's name (or advisorsʼ names), and the abstract will be available via ProQuest
and DRUM, but the actual electronic file will be unavailable for viewing or download until the selected
embargo period has passed. This embargo request requires written approval of the Dean of the Graduate
School. Students must complete this form, which includes attaching a letter co-signed by the student and
their advisor(s). The letter should briefly justify the request, including a strong rationale for the extended
embargo and the specific amount of embargo time requested. In rare circumstances, such time is necessary
(e.g., extended patent reviews, publishing monographs, ongoing legal cases related to the projectʼs
research, etc.). If a student previously embargoed their work for two years, they can only request an
additional four-year embargo. Extensions beyond six years will not be considered except for highly
extenuating circumstances (e.g., prolonged illness or caretaking responsibilities, long work deployment that
precluded focusing on publication, ongoing legal cases related to the research that prohibit publication,
etc.).
Request an indefinite online publication restriction of the thesis or dissertation. In extremely rare
cases, students may request an indefinite embargo (a restriction) on electronic access to their document
through ProQuest's Digital Dissertations and DRUM. In this case, a description of the thesis or dissertation,
including the student's name, the work's title, the advisor's name, and the abstract will be available via
ProQuest's Digital Dissertations and DRUM, but the actual electronic file will be embargoed indefinitely. This
embargo request requires written approval of the Dean of the Graduate School. Students must complete
this form, which includes attaching a letter co-signed by the advisor and student. The letter should briefly
justify the request. Indefinite embargoes can be placed only in service of a public good (e.g., for national
security reasons). This restriction can be lied at the request of the student at a later date.
INCLUSION OF ONE'S OWN PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED
MATERIALS IN A DISSERTATION
A graduate student may, upon the recommendation of the dissertation director, and with the endorsement of
the home graduate program's Graduate Director, include his or her own published works as part of the final
dissertation. Appropriate citations within the dissertation, including where the work was previously published,
are required. All such materials must be produced in standard dissertation format.
It is recognized that a graduate student may co-author work with faculty members and colleagues that should
be included in a dissertation. In such an event, a letter should be sent to the Dean of the Graduate School
certifying that the student's examining committee has determined that the student made a substantial
contribution to that work. This letter should also note that inclusion of the work has the approval of the
dissertation advisor and the program chair or Graduate Director. The letter should be included with the
dissertation at the time of submission. The format of such inclusions must conform to the standard dissertation
format. A foreword to the dissertation, as approved by the Dissertation Committee, must state that the student
made substantial contributions to the relevant aspects of the jointly authored work included in the dissertation.
INCLUSION OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS IN A
DISSERTATION
Students are responsible for ensuring that their thesis or dissertation complies with copyright law. Copyright
law gives the owner of a work exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, display or perform the work publicly and
to modify or adapt the work and the exclusive right to grant others permission to exercise any of those rights in
the work, subject to certain exceptions . Students are responsible for determining if their use of another's work
requires his or her permission or falls within one of the exceptions.
Students should consider the following questions and consult the following documents for guidance on
complying with copyright law:
Did the work ever qualify for copyright protection?
The work never qualified for copyright because, for example, it lacked originality or was created by Federal
employees in the scope of employment.
Copyright in the work has expired.
The use qualifies as a fair use.
Library of Congress, Copyright Basics
Library of Congress, Ideas, Methods, or Systems
Library of Congress, Blank Forms and Other Works Not Protected by Copyright and Copyright Protection Not
Available for Names, Titles, or Short Phrases
Has copyright in the work expired?
Library of Congress, Duration of Copyright
Cornell University, Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States
Duke University, Center for the Study of the Public Domain
Is the proposed use a "fair use"?
Library of Congress, Can I Use Someone Else's Work?
University of Washington Copyright Connection, Fair Use
CORRECTIONS TO THESES AND DISSERTATIONS
Once submitted to the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM), the body of a thesis or
dissertation may not be changed. Students may, however, request that a dated addendum be appended to their
original thesis or dissertation document.
To add an addendum, students must submit:
A written request to the Graduate School (gr[email protected]) to add an addendum to the thesis or
dissertation document currently in DRUM.
The request should include the proposed addendum and a letter of support from the thesis or dissertation
chair. The letter of support should confirm that the addendum does not substantively change the content of
the document and that all members of the thesis or dissertation committee are aware of the submitted
addendum.
For corrections that arise from the process to review concerns under the the Universityʼs policy on scholarly
misconduct, the Graduate School will collaborate with the Oice of Faculty Aairs on the proper resolution
before a thesis or dissertation addendum will be posted. Thesis and dissertation chairs, committee
members, and students must adhere to the policyʼs reporting requirements if there is a concern that a thesis
or dissertation may require correction as a result of such misconduct.
With the written approval from the Graduate School, the thesis or dissertation author should send the
proposed addendum and Graduate School approval to the Libraries ([email protected]) to upload the
addendum.
Students who wish to add an addendum to their document on the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global
Database must contact ProQuest directly at disspub@proquest.com for procedures and fees.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
In addition to those requirements specified above, each graduate program may impose additional
requirements. For these requirements, consult the descriptions that appear under the graduate program
listings or the special publications that can be obtained from the graduate programs or colleges.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
Some graduate programs have a foreign language requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. The
student should inquire in the graduate program about this requirement. Students must satisfy the graduate
program requirement before they can be admitted to candidacy for the doctorate.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Professional Practice Doctoral Degree
Policies
PURPOSE
The Professional Practice Doctorate is a rigorous and adaptable graduate degree that meets the evolving
professional needs of strategically identified target audiences. The Professional Practice Doctoral degree is
granted only upon suicient evidence of high attainment in professional practice. It is not awarded for the
completion of course and seminar requirements no matter how successfully completed. These degrees dier
from the research and scholarship Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. The following degree programs are
recognized as Professional Practice Doctoral Degrees at the University of Maryland: Doctor of Education (Ed.D.),
Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.), and Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.)
COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS
The Graduate School requires that every student seeking a professional practice doctoral degree satisfactorily
complete a minimum of 24 semester hours of course credits (beyond the masterʼs degree) and 6 semester hours
On This Page
Purpose
Course and Credit Requirements
Mid-Program Evaluation
Research Assurances
The Doctoral Capstone and Examination
Procedures for the Oral Doctoral Capstone Examination
Submission and Publication of the Capstone
Additional Requirements
of Doctoral Capstone credits (829). The required number of practice and other credit hours may be greater for
particular programs.
MID-PROGRAM EVALUATION
Professional practice doctoral programs are typically defined by two major components: didactic coursework
credits and professional practice credits. The distribution and intermingling of these experiences and credits
may dier by program. Programs shall perform an evaluation of each student at a point that reflects the
transition to the final practice and Doctoral Capstone components of the program, referred to as either the Post-
Coursework or Mid-Program Evaluation. Programs will define program outcomes and evaluation procedures,
such as examinations or other substantial activities and products (e.g., Doctoral Capstone proposal) as
appropriate to the professional practice doctoral program for students to successfully complete prior to
pursuing the doctoral capstone.
A student must successfully complete a Mid-Program Evaluation for the doctorate within five years aer
admission to the doctoral program and at least six months before the date on which the degree will be
conferred. It is the responsibility of the student to submit an Approved Mid-Program Evaluation Form when all
the requirements have been fulfilled and the faculty have approved the student to proceed to the final phase of
the program. Forms may be obtained at the Graduate School, Room 2123, Lee Building, or on the web.
Paperwork must be received by the Graduate School prior to the 25th of the month in order for the
advancement to become eective the first day of the following month. Professional practice doctoral students
who have successfully completed the Mid-Program Evaluation are then automatically registered for a minimum
of 1 Doctoral Capstone credit (e.g., 829) within their program; students are continually registered for Doctoral
Capstone credits until they graduate except in special circumstances.
RESEARCH ASSURANCES
Where professional practice doctoral students engage in activities that require data collection or research
activities involving human or animal subjects, please refer to the information below.
HUMAN SUBJECT RESEARCH
Everyone at the University of Maryland who is conducting research that involves human subjects must obtain
approval in advance from the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB is charged with approving the initiation
of research involving human subjects and conducts periodic reviews of that research to ensure that all projects
comply with Federal regulations. These regulations are strict, and the Graduate School urges all graduate
students to consult with the IRB before beginning any research involving living subjects. For application forms
and guidelines on such issues as research involving minors or prisoners, surveys, and the use of audio taping,
videotaping, digital recordings, and photographs, please see the Institutional Review Board's website.
OTHER RESEARCH
If the doctoral capstone involves the use of vertebrate animals, animal use protocols must be approved in
advance by the Animal Care and Use Committee. If the activity involves hazardous materials, either biological or
chemical, or recombinant RNA/DNA, the research must be approved by the appropriate University committee.
These assurances must be approved prior to the initiation of any capstone-related research, and the approvals
must be provided to the Graduate School at the time the student submits the Nomination of Examining
Committee form.
THE DOCTORAL CAPSTONE AND EXAMINATION
A Doctoral Capstone is required of all students for a professional practice doctoral degree, with the specific
requirements and outcomes determined by the degree program, unless otherwise approved by the Graduate
School. The Graduate School has established the following procedures for the conduct of the doctoral capstone
examination.
The Doctoral Capstone and Capstone Outcomes. The completion of a doctoral capstone is required of all
professional practice doctoral students, allowing demonstration of excellence in professional practice in the
field as determined by the graduate program in which the student is earning the degree. The topic,
activities, and outcomes related to the doctoral capstone are approved by the doctoral advisor and doctoral
capstone committee, with the Doctoral Capstone outcomes presented and defended by the student.
Eligibility. A student is eligible to defend a doctoral capstone if the student (a) has successfully completed
the Mid-Program Evaluation, (b) has met all program requirements for a doctoral capstone examination, (c)
is in good standing as a graduate student at the University, (d) is registered for at least one credit, (e) has a
valid Graduate School-approved Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee, and (f) if this is the second
examination, the examination has been approved by the Graduate School.
Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee Membership. The Committee must include a minimum of five
members of the Graduate Faculty, at least three of whom must be Full Members or Associate Members
whose primary academic ailiation is with the University. The Chair of the Committee normally will be the
student's advisor, who will be a Full or Associate Member of the Graduate Faculty, or who has been granted
an exception to the policy by the Dean of the Graduate School. Each Committee will have appointed to it a
representative of the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean's Representative may be one of the five voting
members. Alternatively, the Dean's Representative may not be a voting member of the Committee. Whether
the Dean's Representative votes or not is a decision made by the student, primary advisor and the Dean's
Representative before the Dean's Representative is nominated for approval by the Dean of The Graduate
School. In addition, the Dean will ensure that there are five voting members on the Committee. Therefore,
Committees that have a non-voting Dean's Representative must have at least six members (five voting
members and the non-voting Dean's Representative.)
Nomination of the Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee. Membership on a Doctoral Capstone
Examining Committee requires nomination by the student's advisor and the Graduate Director of the
student's professional practice doctoral program, and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. The
nomination of a Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee should be provided to the Graduate School at
least six weeks before the date of the expected capstone presentation and defense. The capstone
examination cannot be held until the Graduate School approves the composition of the Doctoral Capstone
Examining Committee. Furthermore, if the Graduate Faculty status of any member of an approved Doctoral
Capstone Examining Committee changes, the approval of the Committee may be void, and a new Doctoral
Capstone Examining Committee nomination form may be required to be approved by the Graduate School.
Chair. Each Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee will have a chair, who must be a Full Member of the
Graduate Faculty, an Associate Member who has been approved by faculty, or, by special permission, has
been otherwise appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School. Doctoral Capstone Examining Committees
may be co-chaired; at least one of the co-chairs must be a Full or Associate Member of the University of
Maryland Graduate Faculty or an individual so appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School.
Representative of the Dean of the Graduate School. Each Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee will
have appointed to it a representative of the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean's Representative should
have some background or interest related to the student's activities, and may be a voting or non-voting
member of the committee. The Dean's Representative must be a tenured member of the Graduate Faculty at
the University of Maryland, College Park. The Dean's Representative must be from a tenure home dierent
than that of the studentʼs program, the primary advisor or co-advisors, and the dissertation examining
committee chair of co-chairs (if the chairs or co-chairs are not the primary advisor or co-advisors). In the
case of multi-disciplinary programs, the Dean's Representative can be a member of the program, as long as
they have a dierent tenure home from that of the primary advisor or co-advisors and the dissertation
examining committee chair or co-chairs.
The person nominated to become the Dean's Representative may serve as a regular member of the
student's Doctoral Graduate Committee from the time it is first convened. Alternatively, the person
nominated to be the Dean's representative may be added to the Doctoral Graduate Committee at a later
date and either take part in some Committee meetings including the Mid-Program Evaluation, or only join
as a Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee member for the final capstone defense. In all cases, the
Dean's Representative must be present for the full capstone presentation and defense and serve to
adjudicate the defense.
Special Members. Individuals from outside the University of Maryland who have been approved for Special
Membership in the Graduate Faculty may serve on Doctoral Capstone Examining Committees. These Special
Members must be in addition to the required three Full or Associate Members of the University of Maryland
Graduate Faculty. Special Members may also co-direct Doctoral Capstone Examining Committees with a Full
or Associate Member. For procedures to nominate an individual for Special Membership, please refer to the
section below on Graduate Faculty.
Service of former University of Maryland faculty members. Graduate Faculty who terminate
employment at University of Maryland (and who do not have emeritus status) retain their status as
members of the Graduate Faculty for a twelve-month period following their termination. Thus, they may
serve as members and chairs (but not as Dean's Representatives) of Doctoral Capstone Examining
Committees during this twelve-month period if they are otherwise eligible. Aer that time, they may no
longer serve as chairs of Doctoral Capstone Examining Committees, although, if granted the status of
Special Members of the Graduate Faculty, they may serve as co-chairs.
Professors Emeriti and Associate Professors Emeriti may serve on Doctoral Capstone Examining Committees
provided they are members of the Graduate Faculty.
PROCEDURES FOR THE ORAL DOCTORAL CAPSTONE
EXAMINATION
Oral Examination Requirement. Unless otherwise approved by the Graduate School, each professional
practice doctoral student is required to defend orally their doctoral capstone as a requirement in partial
fulfillment of the degree. The oral examination consists of two parts.
Part 1: Student Presentation. The student presents a summary of the capstone, emphasizing the key
activities, important outcomes, and relevance to the practice field of the discipline, with the details of
these presentations determined by the program. During Part 1, questions from the public audience to
the student will be permitted. For questions from persons who are not members of the Examining
Committee, the Chair of the Committee will have discretion to decide whether such questions are
germane to the topic of the capstone and how much time will be allotted for them and the answers.
Part 2: Formal Examination of the Student by Members of the Examining Committee. This part will
be open only to the Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee, other members of the Graduate Faculty,
and graduate students from the studentʼs graduate program. During Part 2, only members of the
Examining Committee will be permitted to ask questions. Programs may vote to establish a policy to
have Part 2 be open only to members of the Examining Committee and members of the Graduate
Faculty. The chair of the Examining Committee invites questions in turn from each member of the
Examining Committee. The questioning may continue as long as the Examining Committee feels that it
is necessary and reasonable for the proper examination of the student.
Conclusion of the Examination. Aer questioning has been completed, the student and any others
who are not members of the Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee are asked to leave the room while
the Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee discusses whether or not the capstone and its defense are
satisfactory. The Committee has the following options:
1. To accept the capstone and the oral defense without any recommended changes and sign the
Report of the Examining Committee.
2. To accept the oral defense, but recommend substantive revisions to the capstone and, except for
the chair, sign the Report of the Examining Committee. The chair will provide the committee and
student with a list of the required revisions. The chair will check that the changes to the capstone
have been made, and, upon their approval, sign the Report of the Examining Committee.
3. To accept the oral defense, but recommend substantive revisions to the capstone and not sign the
Report of the Examining Committee until the student has made the changes and submitted the
revised capstone for the Examining Committee's approval. The chair will provide the committee
and student with a list of the required revisions. The Examining Committee members sign the
Report of the Examining Committee if they approve the revised capstone.
4. To recommend major revisions to the capstone and/or to deem the oral defense deficient. In this
case, the committee would reconvene a closed meeting of only the Examining Committee and the
student to complete the student's examination. The chair will provide the committee and student
with a list of the required significant revisions to the capstone and/or deficiencies in the oral
defense. The chair also will inform the programʼs Director of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the
Graduate School of the required revisions/deficiencies and the timeline for reconvening the
Examining Committee. During the reconvened meeting, committee membersʼ questions will focus
on the revisions to the capstone and/or the deficiencies in the prior oral defense. Ordinarily, the
reconvened meeting of the Examining Committee will occur within two months aer the initial
meeting oral defense.
5. To rule the capstone (including its examination and oral defense) unsatisfactory. In that
circumstance, the student fails. Following the examination, the chair, in the presence of the Dean's
Representative, must inform the student of the outcome of the examination. The committee chair
and the Dean's Representative both sign the Report of the Examining Committee, including a
statement explaining why the capstone was deemed unsatisfactory. A copy of this statement must
be included in the student's file at the graduate program oice, and a copy is given to the student.
This statement must be submitted to the program's Graduate Director, the Dean of the Graduate
School, and the student.
a. A second examination may be permitted if the student will be in good standing at the time of
the proposed second examination. A second examination requires the approval of the
program's Graduate Director and the Dean of the Graduate School.
b. If the student fails this second examination, or if a second examination is not permitted, the
student's admission to the graduate program is terminated unless the student desires to and is
eligible to change their degree objective (e.g., to a masterʼs degree in the same program). For
more information on changing a degree objective, consult the Policy on Change of Status or
Program.
Passage or Failure. The student passes if one member refuses to sign the Report of the Examining
Committee, but the other committee members agree to sign, before or aer the approval of recommended
changes. Two or more negative votes constitute a failure of the student to meet the capstone requirement.
Committee Preparation. The members of the Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee must receive any
written components and related artifacts of the capstone at least ten working days before the scheduled
examination. Should the Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee deem it reasonable and appropriate, it
may require submission of the capstone materials more than ten working days in advance of the
examination.
Attendance at the Examination. Oral examinations must be attended by all members of the student's
oicially established Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee as approved by the Dean of the Graduate
School. All examinations must be open to all members of the University of Maryland Graduate Faculty.
Programs may wish routinely to open capstone examinations to a broader audience. In such cases, program
policies must be established, recorded, and made available to all doctoral students.
Emergency Substitution Procedure. Last-minute emergencies can prevent a committee member from
attending a scheduled capstone examination. The Graduate School will work with the chair of the
examining committee and/or the Director of Graduate Studies to make last-minute substitutions in
committee membership to allow the examination to take place as
scheduled.
The request must be sent in writing via email to the Dean of the Graduate School. A telephone call to the
Graduate School explaining that an emergency request is coming will facilitate the process.
The proposed substitute must be a member of the Graduate Faculty consistent with the rules for
committee membership. Thus, if the Dean's Representative (who must be a tenured faculty member)
could not attend, the substitution of an untenured member of the Graduate Faculty would not be
acceptable.
Once the written request has been received, the substitution will be made, usually within the hour,
provided that the revised committee meets the requirements for committee membership.
When the substitution has been made, a written confirmation via email will be sent, along with a
telephone confirmation. The substitution is not oicial, however, until the written confirmation has
been received in the graduate program. A copy of the written request and the written confirmation must
be placed in the student's file for future reference.
An examination that is held with one or more substitute members on the committee, but without prior
written confirmation from the Graduate School that the substitution(s) have been approved, will be
voided and the examination will have to be repeated.
Location and Announcements of the Examination. Oral examinations must be held in University facilities
that are readily accessible to all members of the Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee and others
attending the examination. The chair of the examining committee selects the time and place for the
examination.
Announcements of the date, time, and location of the examination, as well as the studentʼs name and
the capstone title, will be disseminated five working days in advance to all members of the Graduate
Faculty and graduate students within the graduate program in which the studentʼs degree is to be
awarded. Mass distribution methods, such as e-mail, a faculty/student newsletter, or individual
announcements are acceptable. Merely posting a paper notice on a corridor bulletin board will not
constitute a suicient announcement.
The Dean's Representative. The Dean's Representative must be identified at the beginning of the
examination. The responsibilities of the Dean's Representative include the following: ensuring that the
procedures of the oral examination comply with those of the Graduate School (as described herein) and
reporting to the Dean of the Graduate School any unusual problems experienced in the conduct of the
examination.
Invalidation of the Examination. The Dean of the Graduate School may void any examination not carried
out in accordance with the procedures and policies of the Graduate School as pertaining to Professional
Practice Doctoral degrees. In addition, upon recommendation of the Dean's Representative, the Dean may
rule an oral examination to be null and void.
Remote Participation in a Capstone Defense. Under normal circumstances, a majority of members of a
Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee must be physically present in the examination room during the
entire capstone presentation and defense and during the committee's private deliberations following the
examination, with all other committee members present remotely for the entire duration by video
teleconferencing. Participation by telephone is not permitted under any circumstances. Remote
participation by video teleconferencing is permitted under the following circumstances:
Permission to conduct a remote-participation defense must be obtained by the capstone chair from the
Graduate School in advance. In making this request, the chair must indicate in writing that they have
read the rules for a remote defense listed below.
The student, the committee chair (or at least one of the co-chairs), and the Dean's Representative must
all be present in the examination room. None of them may be at the remote site.
Video conferencing soware must be used that allows all participants to see and hear each other during
the entire defense.
The remote participants must connect to the defense in a manner that will ensure that all participants
are visible and audible and that the connection is stable and available throughout the scheduled time of
the defense.
No more than two remote sites may be used during the capstone defense.
Units can opt to oer online synchronous viewing options even when all committee members are in-
person, with the defending studentʼs consent.
Exceptions. Departments and graduate programs may petition the Dean of the Graduate School for
exceptions to these procedures.
SUBMISSION AND PUBLICATION OF THE CAPSTONE
Capstones oen have written or other components relevant for submission to the Graduate School in electronic
format aer final approval by the Doctoral Capstone Examining Committee, as evidence of successful
completion of the Doctoral Capstone. See the University of Maryland Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD)
website or the University of Maryland Thesis and Dissertation Style Guide for the details of this submission
process. General guidelines appropriate to all culminating written projects at the university are included here.
Not all capstones will have artifacts relevant to these procedures.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
In addition to those requirements specified above, each graduate program may impose additional
requirements. For these requirements, consult the descriptions that appear under the graduate program
listings or the special publications that can be obtained from the graduate programs or colleges.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Combined Bachelor's-Master's Programs
In a combined bachelor's/master's program, some graduate level courses initially taken for undergraduate
credit may also be applied towards the graduate credit requirements for a master's degree program at the
University of Maryland. A bachelor's/master's program may be developed for an individual student, or it may be
a structured program. Only graduate programs on the semester term are eligible for the combined degree. Each
student can pursue one combined bachelor's/master's program. Students admitted to a combined Bachelorʼs-
Masterʼs Program may not defer the start of their Masterʼs program, but may request a Leave of Absence in their
first year in the Master's program. Students who do not begin their Masterʼs program the term aer completing
their Bachelorʼs degree will have the double-counted credits converted to being counted only for the Bachelorʼs
degree.
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT BACHELOR'S/MASTER'S
PROGRAM
An individual bachelor's/master's program may be developed by a current UMD undergraduate student in
consultation with his/her academic advisor. Such a program is available only to students whose academic
performance is exceptional. It is to be developed according to the individual career interests and goals of the
student and should be an integrated learning experience rather than merely the completion of a certain number
of graduate and undergraduate credits. The proposed program requires the approval of the Directors of both
the undergraduate and the graduate programs involved and of the Dean for Undergraduate Studies and the
Dean of the Graduate School. Normally no more than nine credits of graduate courses applied to the bachelor's
degree may be counted also for graduate credit in an individual student's program. Courses to be double-
counted must be at the 600 level or above and must be passed with at least a "B-" grade. Individual study
On This Page
Individual Student Bachelor's/Master's Program
Structured Bachelor's/Master's Program
courses, internships, or courses given as credit by examination are not eligible. The credits to be double-
counted will be designated as applicable to the graduate program of study aer the student receives the
bachelor's degree and matriculates in the Graduate School.
STRUCTURED BACHELOR'S/MASTER'S PROGRAM
A structured bachelor's/master's program is a clearly defined curriculum combining an existing University of
Maryland (UMD) College Park undergraduate program and an existing master's program at UMD College Park,
oered by the same or by dierent departments. It is designed for students whose academic performance is
exceptional and should be an integrated learning experience rather than merely the completion of a certain
number of graduate and undergraduate credits. A proposal for such a program should be submitted by the
colleges housing the academic programs concerned and requires the approval of the Graduate Council, the
Dean of the Graduate School, the Senate PCC Committee, and the President.
Necessary features of a structured bachelor's/master's program include the following:
Specific requirements that speak to the exceptional performance of the students. At a minimum, students
accepted for the program must be clearly admissible to the graduate program portion.
The program should be designed so as not to unduly delay the completion of the bachelor's degree. Taking
graduate credits should not unduly limit the breadth of the student's experience through premature
specialization. Where appropriate, graduate courses taken while an undergraduate may substitute for
courses required in the undergraduate major program.
Formal admission to the Graduate School will require completion of all requirements for the bachelor's
degree.
The credits to be double-counted will be designated as applicable to the graduate program aer the student
receives the bachelor's degree and matriculates in the Graduate School.
A structured bachelor's/master's program may normally include up to nine credits of graduate level courses
that are counted both for the bachelor's program and the master's program. More than nine double-counted
credits may be allowed if both of the following conditions are satisfied:
The additional graduate credits applied to the undergraduate program do not unduly limit the breadth of
the student's experience through premature specialization.
The master's program requires more than thirty credits.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Dual Master's Degrees
Dual degree programs allow for interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education experiences that prepare
students for multifaceted professional careers. Dual masterʼs degree programs may be structured or individual.
Structured programs are university-approved dual masterʼs programs that integrate the curricula and
objectives of the component degrees. If a structured program is not available, individual dual-degree programs
allow a student to design a plan of study that will result in the award of two masterʼs degrees.
Structured dual master's programs:
Structured dual masterʼs programs should satisfy the program and learning objective of both masterʼs
degree programs.
The two masterʼs programs must be on the same term system (e.g., both on 15-week semesters or both on
12-week terms).
No fewer than 30 unique credits should be completed in each degree. Programs proposing structured dual
masterʼs degrees with fewer than 30 unique credits should articulate a compelling rationale for the
exception (e.g., dedicated capstone or other courses for the dual-degree program that satisfy the learning
objectives for both degrees).
No more than one-quarter of the total credit hours of both programs can double-count for the dual- degree
program. Programs proposing to double-count more than one-quarter of the total credits should articulate
a compelling rationale for the exception (e.g., substantial overlap in the curriculum of the individual
degrees).
All structured dual masterʼs programs must be approved by the Graduate Programs, Curricula, and Courses
(PCC) Committee.
The studentʼs GPA will be calculated as the combined GPA for both programs. Separate GPAs cannot be
provided.
Individual dual master's programs:
The student must be in good academic standing.
The two masterʼs programs must be on the same term system (e.g., both on 15-week semesters or both on
12-week terms).
No fewer than 30 unique credits must be completed in each degree program.
No more than one-quarter of the total credit hours of both programs should be double-counted for the dual
program. The maximum number of credits that may be double-counted is determined by adding the
minimum number of credits required for each program and dividing by four, rounding any fraction down to
the nearest whole number.
Final projects such as theses, capstones, and final papers should be preserved from both programs unless
the directors of graduate study of each program find there is reasonable and suicient overlap.
A Dual Masterʼs Plan of Study must be reviewed and approved by the directors of graduate study for both
graduate programs. This plan must be approved by the Graduate School. Copies of this plan must be placed
in the studentʼs file in each program.
The studentʼs GPA will be calculated as the combined GPA for both programs. Separate GPAs cannot be
provided.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D U AT E
Dual Doctoral and Master's Degrees
Graduate students who are enrolled in a doctoral program in one department/program may enroll concurrently
for a master's degree in a related area. Examples would be a doctoral student in PHYS enrolling concurrently for
a masters in MATH or a doctoral student in ECON enrolling concurrently for a master's in BMGT.
The following rules govern the dual-enrollment process:
The student must be in good academic standing.
Both graduate departments/programs must agree to the dual-degree enrollment.
The full degree requirements must be met in both programs.
The same course cannot be applied to both programs.
A written plan for the dual enrollment must be worked out between the two departments/programs
regarding credits, advising, semester loads, etc. Copies of this plan must be placed in the student's file in
each program and a copy sent to the Graduate School to be included in the student's records.
Students must complete the Dual Master's and Doctoral Program form and submit to the Graduate School
for final review.
Once the written plan is filed with the Graduate School, the student's doctoral program will be designated as
the primary degree and the masters program will be designated as the secondary degree. Students and
advisors should bear in mind that our present computer system has no way of knowing towards which degree a
given course grade should be applied for purposes of computing the GPA. Therefore, students enrolled in dual-
degree programs will only have an overall GPA, which reflects their combined performance in the two programs.
We are unable to provide separate GPAs for the masters and doctoral components of the two programs.
Students therefore should be advised that poor performance in their masters program would aect their overall
GPA as it is calculated on their transcript.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D U AT E
Graduate Certicate Policies
A post-baccalaureate certificate is awarded for the successful completion of a minimum of 12 credit hours of
graduate-level work in a defined subject area under the following conditions:
1. The program must include a minimum core requirement of nine credit hours chosen from a limited list as
designated by the graduate program.
2. Non-core courses must be chosen from a specific list of acceptable options.
3. No fewer than nine credit hours must be earned at the 600 level and above.
4. In a twelve credit certificate program three credits may be earned at the 400 level; for certificate programs
requiring more than 12 credits, a maximum of six credit hours may be at the 400 level.
5. All credits for a certificate must be completed at the University of Maryland.
6. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required for the award of a graduate certificate.
7. All requirements for the graduate certificate must be completed within a five-year period.
Courses completed in a post-baccalaureate certificate may count towards a masterʼs degree at the University of
Maryland if the following conditions are met:
1. Without prior PCC approval, the certificate courses are not used towards any other post-baccalaureate
certificate or masterʼs degree.
2. If the certificate was completed at an institution other than the University of Maryland, no more than 6
transfer credits may be used towards the masterʼs degree.
3. The certificate courses must satisfy existing requirements in the masterʼs degree program. All students in
the masterʼs degree program must be eligible to take the certificate degree courses. The learning outcomes
for all courses must be the same if dierent sections of the same courses are oered for a certificate
program and a masterʼs program.
4. The masterʼs degree has not yet been conferred.
Additional certificates may apply towards the masterʼs degree if approved by the Graduate Programs, Curricula,
and Courses (PCC) Committee. This approval process ensures that the masterʼs degree is cohesive for all
students regardless of whether they are admitted directly into the masterʼs program or earn the masterʼs degree
through stacking multiple certificates. Please review the Master's Degrees Policies section of this catalog for
more information on master's degree credit requirements.
Current UMD post-baccalaureate certificate students interested in pursuing a UMD master's degree should
consult with their prospective master's program department to understand the program's curriculum
requirements and admissions timeline. A new admissions application is required to pursue a higher-level
degree objective. More information on changing programs can be found in the Admissions Policies section of
this catalog.
Information on active Graduate Certificates can be found on our program listing page.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Graduate School Field Committees
Groups of faculty who are engaged in a common research area that crosses disciplinary or sub-disciplinary lines
may seek formal recognition as a Field Committee from the Graduate School. It is assumed that these
committees will find ways to sponsor collaborative scholarship by faculty and graduate students through the
sponsorship of symposia and lectures, the creation of courses, the direction of graduate student research. The
University of Maryland currently recognizes several oicial Graduate School Field Committees.
The Graduate School supports and encourages intellectual exchange and collegiality among the academic
fields and disciplines. These exchanges and interactions distinguish the University from a collection of isolated
teaching centers and research institutes, produce advancements in knowledge and intellectual synergy, and
promote a dynamic curriculum that reflects the current development of research and scholarship. To foster
these activities, the Graduate School encourages the formation of interdisciplinary Field Committees. The
purpose of these committees is to enhance collaborative research, foster intellectual achievement, use the
Graduate School 's resources to support advanced research, elevate the visibility of the University's expertise in
interdisciplinary areas, and attract graduate students.
REQUIREMENTS FOR FORMAL RECOGNITION
A minimum of five Full Members of the Graduate Faculty, representing at least two disciplines or sub-
disciplines, must agree to participate.
The Field Committee faculty must commit to meeting at least twice a semester.
The Field Committee faculty must keep regular minutes of the meetings.
On This Page
Requirements for Formal Recognition
Requirements for Oering Courses and Advising Students
Available Resources for Field Committees
The Field Committee faculty must select a spokesperson or convener for the Committee.
REQUIREMENTS FOR OFFERING COURSES AND
ADVISING STUDENTS
A set of regularly taught graduate courses must be identified in the Field Committee area.
The department chair of each member of the Committee must agree to the faculty member's participation
in the Committee.
Approved graduate programs must be willing to admit qualified students who express a prior interest in the
Committee, and departments must be willing to consider them for department/University support in an
open competition.
The spokesperson for the Committee must report each semester to the respective Graduate Program
Directors on the progress of graduate students who are ailiated with the Committee.
AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR FIELD COMMITTEES
The Committee may request financial assistance from the Graduate School for brochures and web site
development to advertise and promote the field.
The Committee may request financial support for speakers, symposia, and other intellectual events from
the Graduate School .
The Committee may request a sum equivalent to the cost of a course buy-out for the development of a new
course to be oered in the field. Funds will be available for up to two years. In order to receive Graduate
School funds, a department must be willing to support the course at the end of the two-year period if
student demand warrants.
The Graduate School will list the Field Committee in the Graduate Catalog.
The Graduate School will recognize Field Committees for an initial period of five years. At the end of that period,
the activities and accomplishments of the Committee will be reviewed. If the Committee members and the
Graduate Dean are both satisfied that the Committee is able to foster and enhance intellectual achievements,
the Committee's recognition by the Graduate School will be extended for another period of five years, at which
point it will be reviewed again. The criteria for each review will be the Committee's accomplishments in
enhancing collaborative research and intellectual achievement, and its success in attracting and educating
graduate students.
Approved by the Graduate Council on March 15, 2005.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Graduate Faculty Members
APPOINTMENT OF GRADUATE FACULTY
The Graduate Faculty are responsible for teaching graduate-level courses, designing the academic content of
graduate degree programs, and supervising the writing and defense of graduate student research in the form of
theses and dissertations.
GRADUATE FACULTY CATEGORIES AND
QUALIFICATIONS
There are four Graduate Faculty membership categories: Full, Associate, Graduate Teaching, and Special
Members.
1. Full Members: All tenure-track and tenured faculty and College Park Professors are automatically
appointed as Full Members of the Graduate Faculty.
Full Members are eligible to teach graduate-level courses, direct and serve on graduate program
committees, direct master's thesis research, chair master's thesis examining committees, direct doctoral
On This Page
Appointment of Graduate Faculty
Graduate Faculty Categories and Qualifications
Appointment Procedures
Termination Procedures
Faculty of Multi-Campus Graduate Degree Programs
Membership of Former University of Maryland Faculty
Exceptions to this Policy
dissertation research, and chair dissertation examining committees. They also can vote and serve on the
Graduate Council and its committees.
2. Associate Members: Professional-track faculty can be nominated to serve as Associate Members for
renewable terms of five years. Associate Members of the Graduate Faculty normally come from the ranks of
the following categories in the University of Maryland Policy and Procedures on on Appointment,
Promotion, and Tenure of Faculty:
a. Assistant Research Faculty ranks (assistant research professor, assistant research scientist, assistant
research scholar, assistant research engineer);
b. Associate Research Faculty ranks (associate research professor, associate research scientist, associate
research scholar, associate research engineer);
c. Research Faculty ranks (research professor, research scientist, research scholar, research engineer);
d. Artist-in-Residence Ranks (assistant artist-in-resident, associate artist-in-residence, artist-in-
residence);
e. Field Faculty (agent associate, senior agent associate, and principal agent associate);
f. Faculty engaged exclusively or primarily in library service (Librarian 3 and 4); and
g. Additional faculty ranks as appropriate (Adjunct Assistant Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor, and
Adjunct Professor; visiting appointments that correspond to eligible ranks listed above; Professor of
the Practice, and University of Maryland Professor).
Associate members are eligible to teach graduate-level courses, direct and serve on graduate program
committees, direct master's thesis research, and chair master's thesis examining committees. They can co-
direct doctoral dissertation research and co-chair dissertation examining committees, but they cannot
direct doctoral dissertation research or chair dissertation examining committees. They also can vote and
serve on the Graduate Council and its committees.
3. Graduate Teaching Members: All faculty teaching graduate-level courses must be members of the
Graduate Faculty. Professional-track faculty can be nominated to serve as Graduate Teaching Members for
renewable terms of five years. Graduate Teaching Members normally come from the ranks of the following
categories in the University of Maryland Policy and Procedures on on Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure
of Faculty:
a. Instructor
b. Assistant Clinical Professor, Associate Clinical Professor, or Clinical Professor; and
c. Additional faculty ranks as appropriate
Graduate Teaching Members are eligible to teach graduate-level classes. They cannot direct or serve on
graduate program committees, direct or co-direct master's thesis research, chair or co-chair master's thesis
examining committees, direct or co-direct doctoral dissertation research, or chair or co-chair dissertation
examining committees.
Graduate Teaching Members who hold the highest degree of their discipline do not need a faculty vote to
approve their nomination, though the unit has the option to hold votes for these nominees. Nominees
without the terminal degree must receive a vote from the Full Members of the Graduate Faculty in the
home unit.
4. Special Members: Scholars who have no oicial ailiation with the University of Maryland can be
nominated as Special Members of the Graduate Faculty for renewable terms of five year.
Special Members can serve on graduate program committees and co-direct master's thesis research. They
may not direct or co-direct doctoral dissertation research or chair master's thesis examining committees.
To qualify for appointment to any Graduate Faculty membership category, individuals normally will hold
the terminal degree in their discipline. All members of the Graduate Faculty will be associated with a home
unit. For Full Members of the Graduate Faculty, the home unit is the primary unit of appointment to rank.
For Associate, Graduate Teaching and Special Members of the Graduate Faculty, the home unit is the
academic unit responsible for the particular graduate program initiating the request for nomination. Once
appointed, members of the Graduate Faculty are available to serve across units and within
multi-/cross-/interdisciplinary graduate programs.
APPOINTMENT PROCEDURES
Tenured and tenure-track faculty are automatically appointed as Full Members of the Graduate Faculty. Tenured
faculty awarded Emeritus status continue as Full Members of the Graduate Faculty for five years aer retirement
and may be reappointed for additional five-year terms thereaer, subject to nomination by the home unit.
A nomination is required for appointment of Associate Members, Graduate Teaching Members, and Special
Members of the Graduate Faculty. Appointment is by approval of the Dean of the Graduate School.
Nominations for appointments to the Graduate Faculty are made by the Head of the home unit, on the
recommendation of the Full Members of the Graduate Faculty in the unit. Each nomination will include a letter
of support from the Head of the home unit, confirmation of approval of the Full Members of the Graduate
Faculty in the unit (except for Graduate Teaching Members with the highest degree), and current curriculum
vitae.
The Letter of Nomination should include information on how the nomineeʼs expertise, experience, or
credentials meet the departmentʼs guidelines to advise and/or teach graduate students. While the CV may
speak to some of this, the Letter of Nomination is an opportunity for the head of the unit to provide additional
insight as to this personʼs qualifications or how this person will provide expertise that is currently lacking
among the departmental faculty.
The term of appointment is five years and is renewable upon re-nomination by the Head of the home unit aer
appropriate review within the unit. The appointment is terminated upon resignation or retirement.
The Nomination to the Graduate Faculty Form is available here.
TERMINATION PROCEDURES
Graduate Faculty membership is granted to ensure that graduate education is of the highest quality in terms of
programs, intellectual acumen, and cutting-edge research. Members of the Graduate Faculty are expected to
conduct themselves ethically and in accordance with University policy.
If a member of the Graduate Faculty is deemed to have violated University policy, the Graduate Dean can
suspend or remove the faculty member from the Graduate Faculty which will result in the suspension of the
rights of membership (i.e., teaching classes restricted to graduate students, designing the academic content of
graduate degree programs, and supervising the writing and defense of graduate student research in the form of
theses and dissertations). In such cases, the Chair of the Department (or equivalent) and/or the College Dean
will ensure that the impacted graduate students are assigned a new advisor and their funding continues. The
term of the suspension will be determined by the Graduate Dean in accordance with University policies.
FACULTY OF MULTI-CAMPUS GRADUATE DEGREE
PROGRAMS
Exceptionally, faculty who hold appointments at other institutions of the University System of Maryland and
who participate in approved multi-campus graduate degree programs may be appointed Full Members of the
Graduate Faculty at the University of Maryland. Such exceptions will be proposed on an individual basis, be
subject to approval by the Dean of the Graduate School, and be reported to the Graduate Council at its final
meeting of each academic year.
Each request for an exception will include a letter of justification from the Graduate Director of the multi-
campus program, confirmation of approval of the Full Members of the Graduate Faculty in the program, and
current curriculum vitae. All exceptions will be eective for periods up to five years, and may be re-approved for
periods of up to five years based on a review by the program and the recommendation of the Graduate Director
of the program. The appointment is terminated upon resignation or retirement.
MEMBERSHIP OF FORMER UNIVERSITY OF
MARYLAND FACULTY
Full Members of the Graduate Faculty who terminate their employment at the University of Maryland under
honorable circumstances (and who do not have emeritus status) may for a 12-month period following their
termination serve as members and chairs of thesis and dissertation examination committees. They may not
serve as Dean's Representatives.
EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY
Exceptions to the prerogatives listed above must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School and will be
reported to the Graduate Council at its final meeting of each academic year.
In particular, the Dean of the Graduate School may authorize Associate and Special Members of the Graduate
Faculty to chair a doctoral Dissertation or master's Thesis Examining Committee on the recommendation of the
home unit that the member possesses the requisite skills and scholarly expertise.
Each request for an exception will include a letter of justification from the Head of the home unit, making a
compelling case that the exception is necessary to fill a particular need for a particular student, confirmation of
the approval of the Full Members of the Graduate Faculty in the home unit, and a current curriculum vitae. For
instance, it would be appropriate to request an exception for an Associate or Special Member to serve as the
sole chair of a particular doctoral examining committee if there is no Full Member who is available or qualified
to assist in the supervision.
All exceptions will be eective for periods of up to five years and may be re-approved for periods of up to five
years based on a review in the home unit and the recommendation of the Head of the home unit. The
appointment is terminated upon resignation or retirement.
No exceptions will be made for Graduate Teaching Members of the Graduate Faculty.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Other Graduate School Policies
WAIVER OF A REGULATION
All policies of the Graduate School have been formulated by the Graduate Council with the goal of ensuring
academic quality and approved by the Provost. These policies are to be equitably and uniformly enforced.
Circumstances occasionally occur that warrant individual consideration. A graduate student who believes that
there are compelling reasons for a specific regulation to be waived or modified, the student should submit a
written petition to the Dean of the Graduate School , Room 2125, Lee Building, explaining the facts and issues
that bear on the case. In all instances, the petition must be signed by the student's Graduate Director and, if the
petition involves a course, by the course instructor. If these individuals recommend approval, in writing, the
petition is then forwarded to the Oice of the Dean of the Graduate School for consideration. Forms for
Petitions for Waivers of Regulation are available on our Graduate School website.
APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION
During the academic year, applications for graduation must be filed with the Oice of the Registrar within the
first ten days of the semester in which the candidate expects to obtain a degree. During the summer session, the
application must be filed by the first week of the second summer session. Exact dates for each semester can be
On This Page
Waiver of a Regulation
Application for Graduation
Arbitrary and Capricious Grading Policies
Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities
Advisor Policy
Co-authorship for Faculty-Student Interactions or Collaborations
Appointments of Graduate Students as Instructional or Research Faculty
found on the Graduate School website. Failure to meet the specific deadlines to submit the required
documentation may result in a delay in graduation.
Students who missed the submission deadline for the current semester or failed to provide formatting changes
by the deadline, can be approved to graduate for the following semester and receive a registration waiver from
the Oice of the Registrar. The submission or formatting changes must be approved no later than 11 p.m.
Eastern Time of the last business day before the first day of class of the next semester. Students must have also
submitted a graduation application before the deadline for the applicable semester.
The documentation review takes 3-5 business days. The submission should be made within this time frame to
ensure approval by the deadline.
Importantly, once a student completes all degree requirements and paperwork, they are not eligible for
assistantships during the next term. This includes students who complete their degree requirements before the
start of the next semester.
Academic regalia are required of all candidates at commencement exercises. Those who so desire may
purchase or rent caps and gowns at the University of Maryland student supply store. Orders must typically be
filed eight weeks before the date of Commencement at the University Book Center in the Stamp Student Union.
ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS GRADING POLICIES
POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR REVIEW OF ALLEGED ARBITRARY
AND CAPRICIOUS GRADING IN COURSES
Arbitrary and capricious grading is constituted by the assignment of a course grade to a student on some basis
other than performance in the course, or the assignment of a course grade to a student by unreasonable
application of standards dierent from standards that were applied to other students in that course, or the
assignment of a course grade by a substantial and unreasonable departure from the instructor's initially
articulated standards.
A student who believes he or she has received an improper final grade in a course should inform the instructor
promptly. The instructor will meet with the student at a mutually convenient time and place within ten working
days of receipt of the information. The purpose of the meeting is to attempt to reach a resolution.
If the instructor has le the University, is on approved leave, or cannot be reached by the student, the student
should contact the Department Chairperson. The Department Chairperson, or a designee, will meet with the
student as described above to attempt to resolve the problem.
If these meetings (known as the informal process) do not resolve the problem, the student may initiate a formal
appeal. This appeal must be made in writing to the Dean of the Graduate School and must contain: the course
title and number; the instructor's name; and a statement detailing why the grade is believed to be arbitrary and
capricious as defined in this policy, and providing all relevant supporting evidence. The appeal must be
received in the Dean's Oice within twenty (20) days of the first day of instruction of the next semester
(excluding summer and winter semesters.) If these criteria are met, the Dean will institute a formal procedure.
FORMAL PROCEDURES
Each academic unit will have a standing committee of two tenured professors and two graduate level students
to hear appeals of arbitrary and capricious grading. The appeal will be heard within the academic unit oering
the course. If the instructor of the course is a member of the committee, that instructor will be replaced by an
alternate designated by the Department Chairperson.
Each written appeal is to be reviewed by the entire committee for a decision by the majority. The committee will
either dismiss the appeal, or move it forward. Grounds for dismissal are: the student has submitted the same
complaint to any other grievance procedure; the allegations, if true, would not constitute arbitrary and
capricious grading; the appeal was not timely; or the informal process has not been exhausted. If the appeal is
dismissed, the committee will notify the student in writing within ten days of the decision, and will include the
reason or reasons for the dismissal.
If the appeal is not dismissed, the committee will submit a copy of the appeal to the instructor. The instructor
must reply in writing to the committee within ten days. If, based on the instructor's reply, the committee feels
there is a viable solution, that solution should be pursued with the student and the instructor. If no solution is
reached, the committee shall hold a fact-finding meeting with the student and the instructor. It is to be non-
adversarial and informal, with neither party represented by an advocate.
Witnesses may be asked to make statements to the committee if the committee is informed prior to the
meeting. The meeting will not be open to the public. The committee will meet privately at the close of the fact-
finding meeting to decide whether a majority believes the evidence supports the allegation of arbitrary and
capricious grading beyond a reasonable doubt. The committee will notify the student, the instructor, and the
Dean of the Graduate School of the decision in writing within five days of the meeting.
The committee has the authority to take any action that it believes will bring about substantial justice, including
but not limited to directing the instructor to grade the student's work anew, directing the instructor to
administer a new final exam or paper, directing the cancellation of the student's registration in the course, and
directing the award of a grade of "pass" in the course. The committee does not have the authority to assign a
letter grade for the course or reprimand or take disciplinary action against the instructor.
The decision of the committee is final, and binding on both parties. The decision may not be appealed to any
other body within the University of Maryland or the University of Maryland System.
The Dean of the Graduate School will be responsible for implementing the decision of the committee.
For more information, please review The University Policy on Arbitrary and Capricious Grading.
POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR APPEALS OF ALLEGED ARBITRARY
AND CAPRICIOUS GRADING OF DOCTORAL QUALIFYING
EXAMINATIONS
The University procedures for reviewing alleged arbitrary and capricious grading of doctoral qualifying
examinations envision a multi-step process. (Qualifying examinations are defined as any examinations, oral or
written, that are necessary, but not suicient, for admission to candidacy for a graduate degree.) Prior to filing a
formal written appeal, the student must engage in an informal attempt to resolve the problem directly with the
Chair of the Examination Committee. The Graduate School 's Ombudsperson may be called upon to facilitate
resolution if both parties agree. If these informal eorts fail, then the student may file a formal appeal to the
Dean of the Graduate School. When such an appeal is received by the Graduate School, the Program will be
notified and will receive a copy of the appeal letter. An Appeal Committee of faculty and students established by
the Department/Program will then meet to conduct the formal appeal process.
The formal appeal process consists of four phases. In the first phase, the Committee evaluates the student's
written appeal and determines, according to certain established criteria, whether it should be dismissed on
procedural grounds or whether the process should move forward to the next phase. In the second phase, the
appeal is sent to the Chair of the Examination Committee for a written response.
In the third phase, the Appeal Committee decides if there may be a viable informal solution and if so, pursues it
with both the student and the graduate program. If the Appeal Committee does not feel that such an attempt
would be feasible or if the eort is unsuccessful, the process moves to phase four, which is the fact-finding
phase.
In the fact-finding phase, the student, the graduate director, and a member of the examination committee meet
with the Appeal Committee. Each party may make statements to the Appeal Committee and may call witnesses.
This phase, however, is both informal and non-adversarial, and neither side may be represented by an
advocate. Aer hearing both sides, the Appeal Committee meets privately to consider the evidence and decide
whether the evidence oered in support of the allegation of arbitrary and capricious grading is clear and
convincing. If the Appeal Committee supports the allegation, it then has several options for resolving the issue.
Whatever the decision of the Appeal Committee, it is binding on both parties and is final; i.e., it may not be
appealed elsewhere in the University of Maryland or elsewhere within the University System of Maryland.
Qualifying examinations are defined as any examinations, oral or written, that are necessary, but not suicient,
for admission to candidacy for a graduate degree. Arbitrary and capricious grading applies only to the grade
assigned in a doctoral qualifying examination. Arbitrary and capricious grading is defined as any of the
following:
a) The assignment of a grade to a student on some basis other than performance in the qualifying examination;
or
b) the assignment of a qualifying examination grade to a student by an unreasonable application of standards
dierent from standards that were applied to other doctoral students, where an objective comparison of
students is possible; or
c) the assignment of an examination grade by a substantial and unreasonable departure from the graduate
program's or the Examination Committee's initially articulated standards or requirements for the doctoral
qualifying examination.
THE INFORMAL APPEAL PROCESS
Before proceeding to a formal appeal, the student should contact the Chair of the Examination Committee and
meet, at least once, at some mutually convenient time and place in an attempt to resolve the issue or issues.
This meeting should take place within 10 campus business days of the Examination Committee Chair receiving
the informal appeal from the student. Campus business days do not include Saturdays, Sundays, and oicial
campus holidays.
If the Examination Committee Chair has le the university, is on approved leave, or cannot be reached by the
student, the student should contact the Department/Program Chair. The Department/Program Chair, or a
faculty member designated by the Chair, will to attempt to resolve the issue.
The Ombudsperson for Graduate Students and/or the Graduate Director may be called upon to facilitate
resolution if both parties agree.
THE FORMAL APPEALS PROCESS
If the informal process does not resolve the issue, the student must file a written appeal. The written appeal
must be received by the Oice of the Dean of the Graduate School within 20 campus business days aer the first
day of instruction of the following semester.
The deadline for appeals of a spring-semester examination, or an examination taken during either semester of
summer session, is the 20th campus business day aer the first day of instruction of the following fall semester.
Appeals of a fall semester examination or a winter term examination must be made by the 20th campus
business day aer the first day of instruction of the following spring semester.
The letter of appeal should contain the Examination Committee Chair(s) name, the Graduate Director(s) name,
the date(s) of the examination, and an explanation of why the student believes the examination result was
arbitrary and capricious, as defined by the policy. Any relevant supporting evidence should be included with the
letter.
Each Program should have a standing committee to hear appeals of arbitrary and capricious grading of doctoral
qualifying examinations. The Appeal Committee may be the same committee formed within the Program to
hear appeals of arbitrary and capricious course grades. This committee should generally be formed specifically
for the purpose of hearing appeals of arbitrary and capricious grading and not a subcommittee of any other
committee. The Appeal Committee should normally be appointed at the start of the academic year. The terms
of its members should be for at least one academic year.
The Appeal Committee should be composed of two tenured faculty and two graduate students appointed by
the Graduate Director of the Program oering the course. In addition, the Dean of the College will appoint one
additional member to the Appeal Committee who is a member of the Dean's Oice sta and who is also a
member of the Graduate Faculty. If no such person is available from the Dean's Oice sta, the Dean will
appoint a committee member from a Department/Program other than that of the appellant's
Department/Program within the college.
No member of the student(s Examination Committee may also be a member of the Appeal Committee. In such a
situation, a substitute member should be appointed by the Graduate Director.
All actions of the Appeal Committee are by majority vote. In the event that the Appeal Committee, at any stage
of the process, is unable to reach a majority decision, the Dean of the College or his/her designee, should cast
the deciding vote. In the case of inter-college programs, the participating deans may decide which of them will
have responsibility for casting the deciding vote.
The Initial Evaluation Phase
In this phase, the only task of the Appeal Committee is to review the letter of appeal to determine whether the
appeal should be dismissed on procedural grounds or moved forward to the next phase. If any of the specified
procedural grounds for dismissal are met, the appeal must be dismissed. The procedural grounds for dismissal
are as follows: a) The student did not meet with the Examination Committee Chair to resolve the issue
informally; or b) the appeal was not timely (i.e., it arrived later than the 20th campus business day aer the first
day of instruction of the following semester, as specified above); or c) the student has already submitted the
same complaint through another grievance procedure; or d) the allegations, if true, would not constitute
arbitrary and capricious grading of a qualifying examination.
During this initial evaluation phase, the Appeal Committee should consider only the student's letter of appeal; it
should not seek or consider comments or responses from the Examination Committee, or other faculty or
students. During this initial evaluation phase, the Appeal Committee is not to decide the truth of the student's
allegation(s); it should accept the student's allegations at face value (i.e., assume for the moment the
allegations are true.) If, based on its evaluation of the student's letter of appeal, the Appeal Committee decides
that one or more of the four procedural grounds for dismissal have been met, the Appeal Committee must
dismiss the appeal and the process ends. The Appeal Committee Chair should notify the student, the
Examination Committee Chair, the Graduate Director, and the Dean of the Graduate School in writing within 10
campus business days if the appeal is dismissed. The Appeal Committee Chair's letter should include the
reasons for the dismissal.
The Examination Committee's Response Phase
If the appeal is not dismissed, the Appeal Committee Chair should promptly submit a copy of the student's
written appeal to the Chair of the Examination Committee with a copy to the Dean of the Graduate School . The
Chair of the Examination Committee should submit a written response to the Appeal Committee Chair within 10
campus business days of receiving the appeal.
The Dispute Resolution Phase
If, aer reviewing the Examination Committee's response, the Appeal Committee feels that a solution may be
possible, the Appeal Committee should meet with the student and the Examination Committee, separately
and/or jointly, to attempt to resolve the dispute. The dispute resolution phase should not generally have a
duration longer than 30 calendar days from receipt of the Examination Committee's written response, unless
both Committee Chairs agree in writing to continue for a further, brief, specified period. If the Appeal
Committee's resolution eorts are successful, both Committee Chairs should sign a memorandum that states
the agreed-upon solution. A copy of this memorandum should be placed in the student's file in the
Department/Program and a copy should be sent to the Graduate School and to the student. If resolution by the
Appeal Committee either is not attempted or is unsuccessful, the Department/Program Chair, the Graduate
Director, the Examination Committee Chair, and the Dean of the Graduate School should be promptly notified,
and the process advances to the fact-finding phase.
The Fact-Finding Phase
If a solution is not attempted or is not reached through dispute resolution, the fact-finding meeting should be
held promptly thereaer. In addition to the Appeal Committee members, the student and the Chair of the
Examining Committee should be in attendance. Either party may invite witnesses to give evidence if the Appeal
Committee Chair is notified prior to the meeting. The Chair of the Appeal Committee should generally be given
at least 24 hours advance notice of the intention to call witnesses. During the fact-finding meeting, both the
student and the Examining Committee Chair may present statements, oral or written, to the Appeal Committee
as well as other documentation to support their positions. Neither party may be represented by an advocate of
any kind. The meeting will not be open to the public. The Graduate School may send an administrator to
observe the proceedings, but this observer should not participate substantively in the proceedings themselves.
The meeting is to be both informal and non-adversarial; its purpose is to determine the relevant facts in the
matter. At the close of the fact-finding meeting, the Appeal Committee will meet privately to consider the
evidence presented. If the majority of the Appeal Committee believes that the student has not provided clear
and convincing evidence of the allegation of arbitrary and capricious grading of a qualifying examination as
defined above, the appeal must be denied. If the majority of the Appeal Committee believes that there is clear
and convincing evidence that supports the allegation of arbitrary and capricious grading, the Appeal
Committee will decide which of the various actions within its authority (see below) should be taken. The Appeal
Committee Chair should notify the student, the Department/Program Chair, the Examining Committee Chair,
the Graduate Director, and the Dean of the Graduate School in writing of the Appeal Committee's decision on
the appeal within five campus business days aer conclusion of the fact-finding meeting.
The Authority of the Appeal Committee
The Appeal Committee generally has the authority to take any action it believes will bring about substantial
justice, except a) it may not direct that a passing grade for the qualifying examination be assigned for the
student; and b) it may not reprimand or take disciplinary action against the Examination Committee or any of
its members.
The following is a list of possible actions that the Appeal Committee may take. The list is not exhaustive; the
Appeal Committee may take other appropriate actions in order to achieve what it believes to be substantial
justice.
a) The Appeal Committee may direct the Department/Program that the examination be re-graded by a new
Examination Committee from within the Program.
b) The Appeal Committee may direct the Program that the examination be re-graded by a new Examination
Committee from outside the Program.
c) The Examination Committee may be directed to administer a new examination.
d) The Appeal Committee may direct that a new Examination Committee be formed from within the
Department/Program which will administer and grade an entirely new examination.
e) The composition of the new Examination Committee will be determined by the Appeal Committee in
accordance with the prevailing rules of the Program. At the discretion of the Appeal Committee, the new
Examination Committee may have one of its members from outside of the University of Maryland .
f) In the event that the qualifying examination was an oral examination, a new oral examination must be
administered.
In the event of a combined written/oral qualifying examination, a new oral portion must be administered. The
Appeal Committee may direct that this new examination be administered by an Examination Committee that
consists of some or all members of the original Examination Committee or an entirely new committee.
The Appeal Committee's Decision
The decision of the Appeal Committee is final and binding on both parties. The decision may not be appealed to
any other body within the University of Maryland or within the University System of Maryland. If, as a result of
this appeals process, the student's advisor no longer wishes to advise the student, the Graduate Director will act
as the student's temporary advisor for a period of not more than six months to allow the student time to find a
new advisor. If the Graduate Director is a member of the Examination Committee, this assignment will be
carried out by the Department/Program Chair.
Implementation of the Appeal Committee's Decision
The Director of Graduate Studies and the Department/Program Chair will be responsible to the Dean of the
Graduate School for implementing the decision of the Appeal Committee.
GRADUATE STUDENT RIGHTS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
It is the policy of the University of Maryland to maintain the campus as a place of study and work for students,
faculty, and sta in which all parties are expected to uphold the values of the University by conducting
themselves in accordance with University policies and procedures. Such an environment must be free of
intimidation, fear, coercion, reprisal, harassment, bullying or other unacceptable behaviors. Graduate students
can expect to be treated fairly and with dignity and respect as outlined in the University Non-discrimination
Policy and Procedures [VI-1.00(B)].
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
The University is an academic and collegial community. Graduate students are subject to a range of policies and
procedures relating to academic standards, as well as rules and regulations of behavior set forth by the
University and the Oice of Student Conduct. Graduate Assistants are subject primarily to the Policy on
Graduate Assistantships. If a graduate student believes that they have experienced treatment that is unethical,
grossly unjust, uncivil, or otherwise creates a hostile learning or working environment from a faculty member, a
sta member, or another student, the student should attempt to resolve the matters locally, collegially, and
informally. If the issue has not been resolved to the graduate studentʼs satisfaction or the treatment cannot be
stopped through informal means, the graduate student may elect to file a formal grievance.
LIMITATIONS
No other University grievance procedure may be used simultaneously or consecutively with this procedure with
respect to the same or substantially same issue or complaint, or with issues or complaints arising out of or
pertaining to the same set of facts. Neither the University of Maryland Non-Discrimination Policy and
Procedures (VI-1.00[B]) nor any other University grievance procedure may be utilized to challenge the actions,
determinations, or recommendations of any person(s) or board(s) acting pursuant to these procedures.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Policy to the contrary, the following matters do not constitute the basis
for a grievance under this procedure:
1. Policies, regulations, decisions, resolutions, directives and other acts of the Board of Regents of the
University System of Maryland, The Oice of the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland, and the
Oice of the President of the University of Maryland;
2. Any statute, regulation, directive, or order of any department or agency of the United States or the State of
Maryland; V-1.00(A) page 4
3. Any matter outside the control of the University System of Maryland;
4. Course oerings;
5. The staing and structure of any academic department or unit;
6. The fiscal management and allocation of resources by the University System of Maryland and the
University of Maryland;
7. Any issues or acts which do not aect the complaining party directly;
8. “Class-action” grievances are not permitted under these procedures. Grievances must be presented by
individual students. If multiple students file individual grievances on the same matter, a screening or
hearing board may, in its discretion, consolidate grievances presenting similar facts and issues, and
recommend generally applicable relief as it deems warranted;
9. Under these procedures, there may be no challenge to the award of a specific grade.
INFORMAL CONSULTATION
The graduate student is strongly encouraged but not required to first attempt to resolve the diiculty by
discussing the situation with the person/persons (faculty member, the sta member, and/or student) as
expeditiously as possible and/or practical. If a satisfactory resolution is not reached, the graduate student
should next discuss the situation with the Director of Graduate Studies (or equivalent) and/or the Department
Chair (or equivalent). It is expected that these discussions will be kept confidential and not discussed publicly
beyond the individuals involved. However, the Director and/or Chair should keep a record of such complaints
and report annually to the Graduate Ombuds Oice.
Either before or aer such discussions, the graduate student may wish to confidentially seek advice from
another academic advisor, an assistant or associate dean of their college or of the Graduate School, or the
Ombuds Oicer for Graduate Students. The graduate student is encouraged to consult with the Ombuds Oicer
early in the informal discussion process, and must consult with the Ombuds Oicer before initiating a formal
grievance. The Ombuds Oicer is available to all graduate students with questions or concerns related to their
graduate experience, including their roles as GAs. The Ombuds Oicer provides informal assistance in resolving
conflicts and works to promote fair and equitable treatment within the University. The Ombuds Oicer works
confidentially within the scope of the law. The purpose of the Ombuds Oicer is to ensure that the graduate
studentʼs voice is heard and that problems receive prompt and impartial attention. The Ombuds Oicer does
not advocate for an individual; rather, the Ombuds Oicer advocates for a fair process that promotes the
Universityʼs commitment to excellence in graduate education and in the graduate student experience. Queries
may be directed to Ombuds Oicer for Graduate Students, The Graduate School, 2103 Lee Building, phone (301)
405-3132.
FORMAL GRIEVANCE
These conflicts should be ideally addressed first by the Director of Graduate Studies (or equivalent) and then by
the Department Chair (or equivalent) according to the process of the college or school. If the conflict cannot be
resolved at this level and/or the graduate student does not feel comfortable disclosing an issue to one or more
of these parties, the grievance shall be formally filed with the dean of the college or school. The dean will
initiate the grievance process created within the college or school to address such issues. The process is to
remain confidential and not publicly discussed beyond the parties involved. If the Director of Graduate Studies
or Chair or Dean is the subject of the accused, said person will recuse him or herself.
In cases in which this process is not eectively resolved, the graduate student may file an appeal to the
Graduate School. If the grievance is with the Director of Graduate Studies or Dean, the appeal may be made
directly to the Dean of the Graduate School.
FORMAL APPEAL PROCESS
If a satisfactory resolution has not been achieved following procedures at the unit and/or college/school level,
either party may initiate an appeal process with the Graduate School by sending a written appeal to the Dean of
the Graduate School. To be considered, it must be received by the Graduate Dean within 30 calendar days from
the announcement of the decision at the level of the school or college. All parties will be notified of this
deadline at the time of the announcement of the college/school decision. Under exceptional circumstances, the
deadline may be extended at the discretion of the Graduate Dean.
1. The appeal must be signed and:
a. Contain a clear description of the facts giving rise to the grievance;
b. Provide a clear explanation of why the party filing the appeal found the outcome(s) of the unit and/or
college/school level grievance proceedings unsatisfactory;
c. Set forth the desired remedy; and
d. Elect to have the Graduate Dean decide the grievance either:
i. In the manner described in Paragraph 2.b below; or
ii. Following receipt of a recommendation from a three-person panel appointed by the Graduate
Dean to consider the matter.
2. Upon receipt of the formal appeal, the Graduate Dean (or designee) will:
a. Share the letter of appeal with the Dean of the appropriate college or school and solicit a written
response from the Department Chair and/or College Dean.
b. Oer to meet with the parties involved, either individually or together, before reaching a decision. The
Graduate Dean shall confidentially consult with the Academic Dean, Associate Provost for Faculty
Aairs, and such other persons as the Graduate Dean believes may be knowledgeable about the
policies, practices and issues involved. The Graduate Dean shall endeavor to convey a written decision
and, where appropriate, the remedy, to the parties involved within 30 calendar days of receipt of the
letter of appeal; or
c. If the grieving party is either a graduate student or faculty member and elects to have a panel, the
Graduate Dean will appoint two graduate faculty (one of whom shall serve as chair of the panel) and
one graduate student, each familiar with the graduate studentʼs discipline but not from the studentʼs
or other parties in the grievance program or department, to confidentially review the matter and make
a recommendation to the Graduate Dean. If the grieving party is a sta member, the Graduate Dean
will appoint one faculty (serving as chair of the panel), one sta person, and one graduate student, not
from the staʼs or other parties in the grievance program or department, to confidentially review the
matter and make a recommendation to the Graduate Dean. The panel should conduct its review in an
impartial and unbiased manner. The Graduate Dean will provide the panel with the letter of formal
grievance and written responses from the Department Chair (or equivalent) and/or College Dean. The
panel shall oer to meet with the parties involved, either individually or together, as well as
confidentially consult other people as appropriate in determining its recommendation. The panel shall
endeavor to convey its written report recommendation to the Graduate Dean within 30 calendar days
of the receipt of the letter of appeal; the Graduate Dean shall endeavor to convey a written decision
and, where appropriate, the remedy, to the parties involved within 15 calendar days of receipt of the
panelʼs report. The written report of the panel will contain a statement of the issues, the panelʼs
findings of fact, the controlling policy provisions, the panelʼs assessment regarding the merits of the
grievance, and a recommended disposition of the grievance, including a suggested remedy and/or
disciplinary action(s).
The decision of the Graduate Dean regarding the merits of the grievance and, where appropriate, the
remedy/disciplinary action shall be final. The Dean of the Graduate School will convey the final decision to the
parties involved as well as to the Associate Provost for Faculty Aairs for possible other actions.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONTROLLING FORMAL GRIEVANCE
PROCEDURES
These procedures are not intended to mimic a courtroom and be adversarial in nature. Rather, they are formal
in the meaning of oering a structured method to investigate, weigh, and remedy dierences and prevent
future occurrences of such action. They are designed to preserve collegiality and minimize injury to the student-
faculty, student-student, student-sta relationships. Because grievances, if not made known or not considered
expeditiously, may threaten the learning experience and/or mental health of the parties involved, graduate
students, faculty, and administrators share responsibility to deal with them promptly. It is also expected that
proceedings are conducted confidentially in order to protect the parties involved, to minimize damage to
reputations and relationships, and to prevent the occurrence of retaliatory actions. Experience has shown that
the following rules promote the orderly and eicient disposition of grievances. Accordingly, they shall be
observed:
1. There is a burden of proof. The graduate student has the responsibility of convincing the Graduate Dean or
panel of four things: a) that the policies of the University have not been followed; b) that the graduate
student has been adversely aected; c) that the actions and activities of the parties involved have long-
term impacts; and d) and that the requested remedy is appropriate.
2. All matters to be considered in support or defense of a grievance should be made known as early in the
informal process as possible. In both the informal and formal process, it is the responsibility of the
graduate student and faculty member (or student or sta member) to produce in a timely way the evidence
they each wish considered, including any documents and witnesses.
3. The Grievance Procedure is not a trial. Formal rules of evidence commonly associated with criminal and
civil trials may be counterproductive in an academic investigatory process and shall not be applied. The
Academic Dean, Graduate Dean, and three-member panel shall follow the rules of confidentiality and
privilege, but shall otherwise accept for consideration all matters which reasonable persons would accept
as having probative value in the conduct of their aairs, giving it such weight as they consider proper.
Unduly repetitive, irrelevant, or personally abusive material, however, should be excluded. They may also
consider matters within the common knowledge and experience of University faculty, including published
policies of the University System of Maryland and the University of Maryland.
4. The graduate student may be assisted at any meeting by an advisor, who must be a registered, degree-
seeking graduate student at the University or a current member of the University Faculty or sta. Although
the graduate student is expected to take an active role in all meetings, the advisor may help with the
presentation of arguments and evidence.
5. The University has in place other grievance procedures and administrative processes designed to address
specific types of claims. These are meant to be the exclusive avenue for review and redress. Grievances that
by their subject matter may be considered under other established institutional procedures must be
brought under those procedures and may not be considered under this formal procedures. Matters
pertaining to the general level of wages, wage patterns, fringe benefits, or to other broad areas of financial
management and staing are not grievable under this process. Matters expressly excluded from
consideration under other procedures may not be grieved under these formal procedures.
6. A decision may not be made at any step that conflicts with or modifies a policy, regulation, or grant of
authority approved by the Board of Regents, the Chancellor, the President, the Provost, or the University
Senate or with any applicable Federal or State of Maryland law.
7. Currently enrolled University of Maryland graduate students may initiate a formal grievance. A student that
withdrew from the University or was dismissed from the University has 30 days following the date of
withdrawal or dismissal to initiate a formal grievance. The Graduate Dean can grant an extension
depending on the circumstances. The grievance must pertain to the graduate student personally, not those
of another graduate student. Group grievances are permitted; similar grievances may be consolidated and
processed together as a single issue.
8. Because it is critical to address potentially corrosive grievances sooner than later, and because the
remedies and disciplinary actions available are prospective, the time requirement established for initiating
a formal grievance is necessary to the eective administration of the graduate program. Unless otherwise
agreed in advance among the graduate student, the faculty member (or other parties), and the Graduate
Dean, strict adherence to them is a condition of review and appeal under these procedures. Time
requirements are measured from the first occurrence of an event; “continuing” wrongs are not recognized
for the purpose of satisfying time requirements.
9. The Graduate Dean may delegate such parts of these responsibilities as the Dean deems reasonable and
eicient, provided the final decision and any remedy must be reviewed and approved by the Dean
personally.
10. The University and Graduate School should make all conduct and corresponding grievance policies and
processes clearly visible and accessible by graduate students, faculty and sta. The Dean of the Graduate
School will provide a summary report of grievances filed and actions taken under this policy to the
Graduate Council.
ADVISOR POLICY
An advisor is responsible for providing advice regarding graduate studies and for supervising a studentʼs degree
program. In some cases, particularly for incoming students, the program may assign an advisor. Advisors must
be Members of the Graduate Faculty (a listing is available here). With approval from the program, students may
have a co-advisor.
PROCEDURES FOR CHANGING ADVISORS
The advisor-student relationship is one of mutual agreement. Either party may request termination of the
relationship. A change of advisors may occur for a variety of reasons, such as students and advisors having
dierent research interests or work styles, or if faculty retire or leave the university (see the Graduate Faculty
Members Policy for emeritus and former faculty who can chair thesis and dissertation committees).
If both parties agree to terminate the relationship and the student has secured a satisfactory
arrangement with a new advisor, no further action is necessary. In extreme circumstances, when a change
of advisors cannot be resolved amicably, the following procedures support students and faculty in the change
of advisors process.
1. A change of advisors begins with an open and honest conversation among the student, current advisor,
potential new advisor, director of graduate studies, and/or the department chair. Each situation is unique,
but the important part is to have confidential conversations with the appropriate stakeholders. Before such
conversations, it may be helpful to prepare a document briefly identifying reasons for the change of
advisor.
The director of graduate studies and unit head can provide support for graduate students and faculty. If a
department, school, or college has an ombudsperson, that person can also be included in confidential
conversations, at the discretion of graduate students or advisors. For students and faculty, The Graduate
School Ombudsperson provides confidential and informal assistance in resolving conflict and promotes
fair and equitable treatment within the university. For extreme situations, the Graduate Student Rights and
Responsibilities Policy outlines the formal grievance procedure. Departments may have their own
grievance policies, which should also be consulted. When mental health challenges contribute to
diiculties with advisors, the Graduate Academic Counselor is available to consult with students and
faculty and can provide referrals to campus and other resources.
2. If agreement is not achieved or the student is unable to secure a satisfactory arrangement with a new
advisor, the student, advisor, director of graduate studies, and/or department chair should discuss
potential faculty members to serve as the new advisor. Once a new advisor is secured, a transition plan
should be created for completing work with the former advisor and starting work with the new advisor. The
transition plan must include any implications of the advisor change for coursework, exams, advancement
to candidacy, and other program requirements. For students with funding, the transition plan must also
address how studentsʼ funding will be maintained. Finally, the transition plan must address intellectual
property concerns (e.g., ownership of data, authorship on completed or ongoing research, etc.). The
student, former advisor, new advisor, and director of graduate studies must sign the transition plan. In
some cases it may not be possible to find a new advisor, despite the best eorts of the graduate director
and/or graduate program, particularly if the original conflict arose because of lack of student progress or
changes in the studentʼs desired research field. If a new advisor cannot be secured, students have the
option of consulting The Graduate School Ombudsperson and filing a grievance as outlined in the Graduate
Student Rights and Responsibilities Policy.
FUNDING CONSIDERATIONS
For graduate students with research, teaching, or administrative assistantships, funding typically will be
maintained to support graduate students who change advisors. For programs where graduate assistantship
funding is made independent of advising, no change of funding will occur when students change advisors.
Research Assistants
Funding will be maintained for research assistants at least through the semester while they change advisors,
including when graduate students are supported by their advisorsʼ external funding awards. Advisors will give
at least one monthʼs notice prior to terminating a studentʼs support. The former advisor, new advisor, or
graduate program will typically continue to support the student through the end of the semester if the support
is during the academic year as long as the student is making satisfactory contributions to assigned research
duties. If the support is over the summer, the advisor or graduate program will typically continue to support the
student over the summer as long as the student is making satisfactory contributions to assigned research
duties. If extraordinary circumstances compel the advisor to consider terminating the student with less than
one monthʼs notice, the director of graduate studies must approve the early termination.
Teaching Assistants
Funding will be maintained at least through the semester for teaching assistants while they change advisors.
The instructor of record or course supervisor will give at least one monthʼs notice prior to terminating a
studentʼs support. Typically, a graduate student will complete their instructional duties through the end of a
term as long as the student is satisfactorily completing teaching duties. If extraordinary circumstances compel
the instructor of record or course supervisor to consider terminating the student before the term ends, the
director of graduate studies must approve the early termination.
Administrative Assistants
Funding will be maintained at least through the semester for administrative assistants while they change
advisors. Typically, the assistantship sponsor will continue to support the student through the end of the
semester if the support is during the academic year as long as the student satisfactorily completes the assigned
administrative duties. If the support is over the summer, the assistantship sponsor will continue to support the
student over the summer as long as the student satisfactorily completes the assigned administrative duties. If
extraordinary circumstances compel the supervisor to consider terminating the student with less than one
month notice, the director of graduate studies must approve the early termination.
CO-AUTHORSHIP FOR FACULTY-STUDENT
INTERACTIONS OR COLLABORATIONS
The University of Maryland encourages faculty to co-author with students. Co-authorship is valuable for a
studentʼs professional development and advancement. It also can advance a faculty memberʼs career. However,
it is critical that authorship decisions, particularly those related to faculty-student interactions or
collaborations, be handled in an appropriate and respectful manner that protects the interests of our students
and faculty, demonstrates the value of authorship credit, and ensures the integrity of the institutionʼs approach
to publication.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Although specific disciplines may approach aspects of authorship or collaboration in dierent ways, there are
general principles that are universally applicable when it comes to the assignment of authorship credit and
order.
1. All individuals listed as authors on a manuscript should meet the criteria below for authorship, and all
individuals who meet these criteria should have the option to be listed on the manuscript.
2. The generally accepted criteria for authorship are as follows. These are generally accepted criteria, but
norms may dier by discipline. All three criteria should be met. Authors should also agree to be
accountable for all aspects of the work by ensuring that questions regarding the accuracy or integrity of any
part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.:
a. making substantial contributions to the conception and design of the research, the acquisition of the
data, or the analysis and interpretation of the data;
b. draing the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and
c. giving final approval of the version to be published.
3. Authorship credit should not be given solely based on the provision of funding, materials used in the
research, or space in which to conduct the research; collection of data; or general supervision of an author
or the research group.
4. Authorship credit, including the order of authors, should be discussed early and revisited oen, especially
if the scope of the work changes over time. Ordinarily, authorship order should follow the convention of
the relevant discipline(s). Authorship discussions must include individuals who have le the institution or
research group but who previously contributed to the work to be presented in the manuscript.
5. Individuals who make valuable contributions, but do not meet the requirements for co-authorship, may be
acknowledged in a publication with the permission of the individual(s) to be acknowledged.
6. Individuals must have the opportunity to satisfy the criteria set forth above (e.g., relevant individuals
should be notified that a manuscript is under preparation so that they have an equal opportunity to make
substantial contributions to the draing or revision process).
ISSUES COMMON TO FACULTY-STUDENT INTERACTIONS OR
COLLABORATIONS
The standards for co-authorship are the same for faculty and students. However, there are some circumstances
that arise in faculty-student interactions or collaborations that should be highlighted and addressed.
1. Faculty should not use their position of authority to request or demand co-authorship when it is
inappropriate, according to the standards outlined above. Students should not grant “honorary
authorship” by including a faculty member who has not met the criteria for authorship.
2. Faculty should oer students co-authorship when they have met the standards outlined above.
3. Whether a student should be a co-author depends only on their contribution to the work; faculty may not
refuse or place other conditions on student co-authorship.
4. Except under exceptional circumstances, a student should be listed as principal author on any multiple-
authored publications that are substantially based on the studentʼs independent research conducted
under faculty supervision (including thesis or dissertation).
Accordingly, faculty may co-author only when they have:
1. Made substantial contributions to the work (e.g., conception, design, conduct, analysis, or interpretation)
and have engaged in substantial draing and/or revisions of the intellectual content of the work; and
2. Reviewed and approved the final version and agreed to be accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the
published work.
Faculty should not co-author when they have only:
1. Provided funding, space, materials, or technical services, without making substantial contributions to the
work; and/or
2. Provided comments or suggestions of the sort that might be provided by peer review, including when
serving on a thesis or dissertation committee.
ADDRESSING AUTHORSHIP DISPUTES AND INAPPROPRIATE
AUTHORSHIP PRACTICES
If disagreements arise about co-authorship among faculty and graduate students, the Graduate Ombudsperson
can be consulted. Students may also consider the advice provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics
(COPE) in its guide for new researchers or its discussion document on authorship.
Failure of a faculty member to abide by the expectations set forth in this document may result in referral of the
matter to a faculty memberʼs department chair for review and action as appropriate. Failure of a graduate
student to abide by these expectations may result in a similar referral to the studentʼs director of graduate
studies or the Oice of Student Conduct, as appropriate.
Extreme cases of inappropriate authorship practices are forms of scholarly misconduct that would trigger the
process set forth in the Universityʼs Policy and Procedures Concerning Scholarly Misconduct. These cases
include improper assignment of credit, plagiarism, and misappropriation of ideas.
In cases where faculty members fail to abide by these expectations, the Graduate Dean can suspend or remove
a faculty member from the Graduate Faculty following the University Policy on Graduate Faculty Members. As
stated in the University's Policy and Procedures Concerning Scholarly Misconduct, disciplinary action for faculty
may also include suspension and/or termination of employment. Disciplinary action for students may include
termination of enrollment and/or degree revocation.
APPOINTMENTS OF GRADUATE STUDENTS AS
INSTRUCTIONAL OR RESEARCH FACULTY
Graduate students are a vital component of the University of Marylandʼs (UMD) undergraduate teaching and
research mission. At the same time, graduate students are students first. Accordingly, all full-time UMD graduate
students serving as instructors of record for a credit-bearing course will be appointed as graduate assistants
(e.g., teaching assistants) rather than in Professional Track Faculty Appointments (e.g., adjunct faculty, lecturer,
visiting faculty). Likewise, all full-time graduate students working with faculty on research will be appointed as
research assistants rather than as research faculty (e.g., faculty assistant, faculty specialist). Graduate students
who were UMD faculty or sta prior to entering a UMD graduate program are exempt from this policy.
Graduate assistants may serve as instructors of record for undergraduate courses. In exceptional cases,
graduate assistants may be appointed to teach graduate courses. In such cases, a graduate faculty member
should serve as co-instructor, supervising the GA, attending class on a regular basis, and overseeing grading. In
cases where no faculty member is available to serve as co-instructor, the unit may request approval from the
collegiate dean and the Dean of the Graduate School for the GA to be the sole instructor of record for a graduate
course. In truly exceptional cases, graduate students may be appointed as Graduate Teaching Members, as
provided below.
In exceptional circumstances, programs can petition the Graduate School to allow a graduate student to hold a
Professional Track Faculty Appointment. All of the following conditions must be met:
The graduate student will complete their degree requirements within one year.
Teaching appointments will not be renewable until the graduate student has completed all degree
requirements.
The salary provided to the graduate student will be higher than the stipend provided to the graduate
student in the prior calendar year. The salary also should be comparable to other adjunct, instructional,
or visiting faculty in the program.
The graduate student will remain enrolled in relevant coursework (e.g., 899).
To petition the Dean of the Graduate School for an exemption, a student must submit a Petition for Waiver of
Regulation Form and include the following information:
A letter of support from their advisor and director of graduate studies.
A detailed and accurate timeline for degree completion.
Statement from their advisor and director of graduate studies airming the above conditions will be met.
Upon successful completion of degree requirements, UMD graduate students are eligible for hiring as
instructional and research faculty. Retaining primary status as graduate students ensures that the Graduate
School can support UMD graduate students to timely degree completion.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Graduate School Services
THE OFFICE OF GRADUATE DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSION (OGDI)
The Oice of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion is dedicated to fostering a supportive University environment for
graduate students from under-represented and under-served groups. OGDI provides campus leadership for
identifying, recruiting, retaining, and graduating a diverse graduate student body. The Oiceʼs programs and
services aim to attract new students, to build a collaborative and cooperative community, and to promote
professional development among graduate students to ensure academic success. Itʼs initiatives include, but
are not limited to: conducting student recruitment activities, including campus visits, supporting summer
undergraduate research programs; building a supportive community through collaboration with graduate
student organizations; sponsoring programs and activities designed to foster professional development,
including workshops and seminars on academic and research skills, retention initiatives, and preparing
graduate students for the professoriate and other careers. The Oice also assists the Universityʼs various
colleges and departments in creating an environment supportive of the academic success of historically under-
represented and under-served graduate students. The Oice can be reached at 2100B Lee Building, 301-405-
0763, and by visiting the OGDI website.
On This Page
The Oice of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion (OGDI)
Graduate School Writing Center
Professional and Career Development
The Oice of Postdoctoral Aairs
Ombuds Oice for Graduate Students
Graduate Legal Aid Oice
English Editing for International Graduate Students
GRADUATE SCHOOL WRITING CENTER
The Graduate School Writing Center oers support for graduate students at every stage of their development as
academic and professional writers who can, in turn, fulfill the universityʼs mission of sharing research,
educational, cultural, and technological strengths with the broader community. You can read more about the
center's learning outcomes here.
We oer the following services:
Writing and oral communication consultations (see our consultation policies, find the right consultant for
you, pick a type of consultation, and schedule through our online system)
Writing workshop and weekly write-ins
Writing Groups
English editing for international graduate students
And the following resources:
Information on how to use sources in your writing
Resources for writing in your, or another, discipline
Resources for writing in a specific linguistic or cultural context
PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
The Graduate School's Professional and Career Development services provide graduate students with
opportunities to explore and prepare for a wide range of careers. Professional and career development services
for graduate students are delivered through a unique partnership between The Graduate School and The
University Career Center & The Presidentʼs Promise.
Engaging in purposeful professional development and career planning are important parts the graduate
experience and essential to maintaining a personally satisfying career across one's life-time. From day one, all
graduate students should actively engage with their adviser, participate in departmental events, attend career
workshops and pursue professional development opportunities in and outside of the university.
ACCESSING SERVICES
Career services for Master's students are provided by:
The University Career Center and the Presidents Promise
The Oice of Career Services at the Robert H. Smith School of Business
Engineering Career Services in the A. James Clarke School of Engineering
Career Services in the School of Public Policy
Master's students should contact these oice directly and visit the websites for more information about specific
services.
Professional development and career services for PhD students and Postdoctoral Associates are coordinated by
Dr. Susan Martin. For more information about resources and events, email [email protected], call (301) 405-
8236, or sign up for an appointment in Careers for Terps (C4T).
Unfamiliar with C4T? Download instruction sheets with steps and screenshots for setting up your C4T
account and scheduling an appointment in C4T.
To learn more about upcoming career events visit the Graduate School Events Calendar and The University
Career Center & The President's Promise Events Calendar.
Review and download the printable flier 2019-2020 PhD Career Development Workshops for current
doctoral students and postdocs.
THE OFFICE OF POSTDOCTORAL AFFAIRS
The Oice of Postdoctoral Aairs was established to provide the postdoctoral community with information,
training, mentoring, and services in support of career development.
POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS
Postdoctoral associates are a critical part of the University of Maryland academic community, bringing valuable
expertise, national prestige, and additional research funding into the university. UMD welcomes postdoctoral
associates in all disciplines to the university and hopes that the relationships formed and research done during
their tenure here will be most helpful in their professional development.
POSTDOCTORAL DEVELOPMENT
The Oice of Postdoctoral Aairs oers many workshops, of varying length, to support postdocs with their
professional development and career planning needs. All workshops are open to postdocs free of charge.
Please see the Events section for the current workshop schedule.
We welcome suggestions for workshops from postdocs and departments. Please contact Dr. Blessing Enekwe,
Program Director for the Oice of Postdoctoral Aairs, with questions.
OMBUDS OFFICE FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
The Ombuds Oice for Graduate Students seeks to ensure that the graduate student voice is heard and that
problems receive impartial attention. The Ombuds Oice is available to all graduate students with questions or
concerns related to their graduate experience. The Ombuds Oice provides confidential, informal, and
independent assistance to resolve conflicts, and promotes fair and equitable treatment within the University.
The oice can be reached at 301-405-3132, or by contacting Dr. Mark A. Shayman ([email protected]).
GRADUATE LEGAL AID OFFICE
The Graduate Legal Aid Oice provides free legal advice, referrals, and assistance to currently registered
University of Maryland graduate students. Sta members give general legal advice on a wide variety of matters,
including landlord-tenant issues, consumer problems, traic accidents, uncontested divorces, and University-
related matters. The Oice provides direct legal assistance in routine matters, but cannot sue on behalf of
students or represent them in court. The Oice is staed eight hours a week for student interviews; sta
members see students on a walk-in basis and by appointment. Walk-in and appointment schedules are posted
on the Oice door. The Oice cannot handle disputes between graduate students (though the Ombudsperson
for Graduate Students may be consulted for assistance in these disputes) and does not provide emergency
services. For more information, consult the Graduate Student Legal Aid Oice website.
ENGLISH EDITING FOR INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE
STUDENTS
The English Editing for International Graduate Students (EEIGS) program is a unique opportunity for enrolled
University of Maryland international students. Through this program, international students may submit
portions of required academic writing for free editing. Editors are volunteers from the universityʼs Volunteer
Service Corps.
This is an online service: students submit papers electronically as Word documents and editors respond using
the “track changes” feature in Word. All documents submitted for review must be submitted in Word; we cannot
review documents submitted in LaTeX, PDF, or PowerPoint.
EEIGS services are available only during the regular academic year (fall and spring semesters). Because services
are provided by volunteers, the number of requests that can be fulfilled and the time it takes to respond to
papers may fluctuate. Please be aware of this, and make sure to plan accordingly.
To use the services of EEIGS, students must follow these requirements:
Students must be currently enrolled, international graduate students at the University of Maryland, College
Park.
Students are limited to one request per week.
Each paper must be submitted with a student request form
Students may submit no more than 50 double-spaced pages per semester. Any papers over 10 pages long
may be worked on in sections over several weeks, as services are available).
EEIGS does not have the capacity to review entire dissertations for editing.
Papers must be submitted as Word documents. No other formats will be accepted. If your document is
generated in LaTex or PDF or as a PowerPoint presentation, you must convert the text to Word in order for it
to be reviewed. Please also be sure that you have removed any previous comments from the paper before
submitting it for review.
Students who use the services of EEIGS must inform their advisor or their programʼs director of graduate
studies about the aid received in this program. This is a matter of academic integrity.
Students are responsible for any assigned deadlines for their own work. EEIGS and the volunteer editors are
not responsible for any deadlines related to the assignment. Students should plan editing turnaround time
into their writing schedules.
Students should note that EEIGS has limited expertise with CVs or resumes; consult the University Career
Center with requests to review these documents.
Students using the services of EEIGS can expect that:
EEIGS volunteers will edit and proofread studentsʼ projects through the “comments” and “track changes” in
Microso Word.
EEIGS volunteers will be generalists who will not provide specific feedback about the content and
development of ideas in a paper (for that service, please request a consultation with the Graduate School
Writing Fellows)
The EEIGS coordinator will seek a volunteer editor for each request and will report the results to the
student. Students may request a specific editor; however, all requests will initially go through the EEIGS
coordinator.
Submitted requests up to 10 double-spaced pages will be returned within 5 days.
How to request editing services from EEIGS:
Requests (only one per week) must be submitted to the program coordinator through email
Each paper should be accompanied with a student request form that includes student contact information
and information about the assignment.
Questions? Please contact the EEIGS coordinator at [email protected].
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Appendices
Topics for which additional references can be found:
1. Policy for Student Residency Classification for Admission, Tuition and Charge-Dierential Purposes
Admissions Policies
Residency Classification Oice
2. Academic Integrity
Academic Record
III-1.00 Policy on Faculty, Student and Institutional Rights and Responsibilities for Academic Integrity
III-1.00(A) UMCP Code of Academic Integrity
3. Code of Student Conduct and Annotations
Graduate Catalog
V-1.00(B) UMCP Code of Student Conduct
4. Human Relations Code
Graduate Catalog
Oice of Legal Aairs
VI-1.00(B) University of Maryland Human Relations Code
5. Campus Policy and Procedures on Sexual Harassment
Graduate Catalog
VI-1.20 University of Maryland System Policy on Sexual Harassment
VI-1.20(A) University of Maryland Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures
VI-1.30 University of Maryland System Policy on Sexual Assault
VI-1.30(A) UMCP Procedures on Sexual Assault
6. UMCP Graduate Policy and Procedures for Review of Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading
Graduate Catalog
III-1.20 Policy for Review if Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading
III-1.20(A) UMCP Procedures for Review of Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading--Graduate Students
Procedures Guide for Conducting Appeals of Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading of Doctoral
Qualifying Examinations
7. University of Maryland at College Park Policy on Copyrights and Patents
Graduate Catalog - Master's Students
Graduate Catalog - Doctoral Students
IV-2.20 Policy on Classified and Proprietary Work
IV-3.00 Policy on Patents
IV-3.00(A) UMCP Procedures on Patent and Technology Transfer
IV-3.10 Policy in Copyrights
8. Class Exercises That Involve Animals
UM Policy
9. Animal Care and Use Program
UM Policy
10. Research Involving Human Subjects
Graduate Catalog - Master's Students
Graduate Catalog - Doctoral Students
IV-2.10 University if Maryland System Policy in Human Subjects of Research
11. Guidelines for Combined Bachelor's/Master's Programs
Graduate Catalog
III-2.20(A) UMCP Policy and Guidelines for Combined Bachelor's/Masters Programs
Policy on Combined Bachelor's/Master's Programs
12. Inter-Institutional Registration
Graduate Catalog
III-2.41 Policy on Graduate Student Inter-Institutional Registration
13. University Policy on Disclosure of Student Records
III-6.30 Policy on Confidentiality and Disclosure of Student Records
III-6.30(A) UMCP Policy and Procedures on the Disclosure of Student Education Records
14. Immunization Policy
Graduate Catalog
V-1.00(H) UMCP Immunization Policy
15. Policy on Student Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse
UMCP Policy on Student Alcohol and Other Drugs Abuse
16. Smoking Policy and Guidelines
UMCP Smoking Policy and Guideline
UNIVERSITY OF MARY L A N D
2023-2024 Catalog
G R A D UAT E
Resources
RESEARCH CENTERS & INSTITUTES
Research Centers, Institutes, Laboratories, Galleries, and Bureaus
Centers and Institutes by College or Division
Oice of Sustainability: Research Centers
CAMPUS SERVICES
Graduate Student Support Services
University Health Center
University Counseling Center
University Human Resources
Oice of Student Conduct
Oice of Student Financial Services and Cashiering
Oice of Financial Aid
Oice of the Registrar
Department of Transportation
Graduate Student Legal Aid Oice
On This Page
Research Centers & Institutes
Campus Services
Campus Engagement
International Student and Scholar Services
Disability Support Service
Dining and Housing Services
Family Care Resources
CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT
Leadership and Community Service-Learning
Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy
University Recreation and Wellness
Graduate Student Life
Veteran Student Life
Graduate Student Government
Student Organizations
