Ph.D. Academic Policies and Procedures

Change of Program

Students wishing to change their field or degree program must follow Graduate School-Newark procedures for doing so.

M.S. en Route to the Ph.D.

Ph.D. students may also acquire the M.S. en route to a doctoral degree. In order to do so, Ph.D. students must receive the permission of the DGA graduate program director, pass the Ph.D. comprehensive examination, fulfill all M.S. requirements, complete three forms (Application for Admission to Candidacy for the Master's Degree, Graduate Diploma Application for Newark Students, and Application for Admission to Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy), and submit them to the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School-Newark, Conklin Hall, Room 241.

Grades

Courses taken in fulfillment of the Ph.D. are graded in the following manner:

• All core courses, courses taken in fulfillment of the methodology, concentration, and distribution requirements, and independent study courses receive letter grades. Instructors provide grades for core courses, methodology courses, and concentration/distribution courses; DGA faculty members supervising students' independent study provide grades for independent study courses.

• Colloquium and internships receive Pass/Fail grades. Faculty members organizing the colloquia provide the grades; the students' DGA faculty advisers provide grades for internships.

• Dissertation Research receives grades of S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory). Students' DGA dissertation advisers provide grades for Dissertation Research. Members of the Graduate Faculty of the Graduate School-Newark may serve as dissertation advisers. 
  

• Students receiving a grade of B or below in all courses but methods are recommended to take the DGA writing course 26:478:501.
  

Faculty and Dissertation Advisers

The DGA deputy director advises students on requirements for the Ph.D. program. All other questions should be addressed to faculty advisers and dissertation advisers.

Faculty advisers are DGA core faculty members. Faculty advisers provide intellectual and academic guidance, approve and provide grades for internships, approve independent study courses, and mentor students on the writing of their dissertation. By the time the Ph.D. student is in his or her second year of coursework, he or she should begin finding a dissertation adviser and three additional committee members. 

Dissertation advisers are DGA core faculty members who help Ph.D. students choose a dissertation topic, approve the dissertation proposal, and, together with the student, form the dissertation committee. Dissertation advisers also chair dissertation committees, provide grades for dissertation research, and monitor Ph.D. students' progress by approving their annual study plans.

As a rule, students request that members of the DGA core faculty who share their research interests serve as their dissertation advisers. The dissertation committee consists of two members of the DGA core faculty (one being the dissertation chair or adviser) and at least one member of the committee should be from outside of Rutgers University. It is highly recommended that at least one committee member be an expert in the student's field of study.

Complaints and Appeals

All complaints about any aspect of the DGA graduate program should be directed, in writing, to the DGA deputy director.

Timetable for Completion of the Ph.D.

Ph.D. students are expected to complete all the requirements in a timely manner consistent with the schedule delineated below:

       Students must take the comprehensive examination within six months of passing the 52-Credit Review. This should be no later than four years after entering the Ph.D. program. Students who fail to take the comprehensive examination within this time may, after appropriate deliberations between the DGA core faculty and students' faculty or dissertation advisers, be asked to withdraw from the Ph.D. program. 

       Dissertation proposals are developed in consultation with the student's dissertation adviser following the student's successful completion of the comprehensive examination. Dissertation proposals must be approved by the student's full dissertation committee within one year of beginning dissertation research credits. Verification of passing the proposal should be submitted to DGA associate director via email from the student's dissertation adviser with a carbon copy to the additional three committee members. Students may submit a written request for an extension to DGA deputy director.

The proposal should include:

• presentation of the topic (paradoxical observation/puzzle that is addressed in the dissertation)
• literature review (relevant books, articles, data sources) and theoretical perspectives
• research methodology (questions, hypotheses, variables, and measurement, as well as research methods used in the dissertation)
• preliminary chapter organization
• schedule for completion of the dissertation
• bibliography

       Students must make demonstrable progress on their graduate studies in each semester of enrollment. Failure to satisfy program degree requirements within the university's time-to-degree deadlines may result in termination of studies.

       Students who withdraw from the Ph.D. program may apply for readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed. The Office of the Dean of the Graduate School-Newark handles all applications by former students seeking readmission to the school.

Termination of Studies

Students may be required to terminate their graduate studies and withdraw from the Graduate School-Newark if they fail to meet the minimum requirements of the program or the school. Failure to make continuous progress toward the attainment of the degree may constitute a basis for termination. 

Matriculation Continued

Human Subject Research

Students who conduct research involving human subjects must consult with the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research (IRB), the body at Rutgers charged with the protection of individuals who volunteer to participate in research conducted by university personnel. All research protocols that involve human subjects must be reviewed and approved by the IRB prior to initiation of study procedures. The IRB is an autonomous body. Decisions of the board may not be influenced by any individual, department, office, or other university entity. For details and procedures, see https://research.rutgers.edu/researcher-support/research-compliance/human-research-protection-program/irb-process.