Policies
The following policies and procedures help define the Graduate
School's community life, and reflect information found in
the current edition of the graduate Bulletin of Information.
For more information on these or any other gradauate policies,
please consult the The Graduate
School Bulletin of Information [PDF]. [Last updated:
2006]
Enrollment in the University
Once admitted, all degree and nondegree graduate students must enroll and register each semester at the dates and times announced by the University Registrar.
Any admitted student who fails to register and enroll for one semester or more must apply for readmission upon return. (See
"Continuous Enrollment," below.)
Full-time and Part-time Status
A full-time student is one who is working full time toward his or her degree objective. The student’s department is responsible for determining who is a full-time student, and who is otherwise a part-time student.
All degree-seeking students are expected to maintain full-time status and to devote full time to graduate study. No degree student may hold a job, on or off campus, without the express permission of his or her department and the Graduate School.
A nondegree student must register for at least nine credit hours per semester, or six in the summer session, to claim full-time status.
[top]
Academic Good Standing
Continuation in a graduate degree program or in nondegree status, admission to degree candidacy, and graduation require maintenance of at least a 3.0 (B) cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.). A student may be dismissed from the department or program if the G.P.A. in any one semester is below 2.5 or if the G.P.A. is below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters. Some departments require higher averages for enrollment and support continuance.
An adequate G.P.A. is only one factor taken into consideration in determining a student’s qualifications for an advanced degree. Degree students should be aware of their department’s performance criteria. The department and the Graduate School annually evaluate each graduate student’s overall performance on the basis of these criteria.
A student must be in academic good standing to be eligible for new or continued financial support. [top]
Continuous Enrollment
All students must enroll each semester in the academic year and register for at least one credit hour per semester to maintain student status. Continuous enrollment is met normally by both enrollment in the University and registration in a graduate-level course relevant to the student’s program. A student who is concurrently pursuing degrees in the Graduate School and in another school in the University meets the continuous enrollment requirement by registering for a course in either program. Any exception to this rule, including a leave of absence, must be approved by the Graduate School. (See “Leave of Absence,” below.) Degree students who have completed the course work requirement for their degree must register for at least one credit hour per semester, including the final semester or summer session in which they receive their degree. This credit hour should consist of either resident (599, 699) or non-resident (600, 700) thesis or dissertation research within their department. These students may be considered full-time students whether or not they are in residence. Students not in residence and taking one credit hour pursuant to continuous enrollment requirements are charged a special registration fee.
A student who fails to enroll and register for one semester or more must apply for readmission upon return.
Continuing students (i.e., degree-seeking students who are eligible to continue their studies in the fall semester) may have access to University facilities and services from May through August without enrolling and registering for academic credit in the summer session. [top]
Leave of Absence
For exceptional reasons and on the recommendation of the department, a student in good academic standing may request a leave of absence for a maximum of two consecutive semesters. A request for a leave of absence must be made before the semester in which the leave is taken, and all leaves of absence must be approved by the Graduate School. If, for some urgent reason, a student is allowed to leave the University after the beginning of the semester, the withdrawal procedure below must be followed. If at the end of the leave of absence period the student does not return, the student is considered terminated. Application for readmission is required if the student wishes to return. [top]
Medical Separation from Academic Duties
Students enrolled in the Notre Dame Graduate School who wish to temporarily interrupt their programs for medical reasons must submit to the Graduate School both a written request and a letter from the student's physician to confirm the need for the temporary leave and the initial date of separation. Students are eligible under this policy if they have a “serious medical condition.” For purposes of this policy, “serious medical condition” means a medical condition that (1) requires multiple day hospitalization OR (2) renders the student unable to engage in coursework and all other Graduate School-related duties for a period of at least ten (10) calendar days. Certification by a physician that the student has a serious medical condition as defined in this policy must be submitted to the Graduate School no less than three months prior to the separation period (for childbirth and other predictable requests) or as soon as the need is foreseen (for emergency requests). In situations involving childbirth, the separation period will generally begin on the actual date of childbirth; in all cases, regardless of the nature of the medical condition, the duration of the separation will be as certified by the physician up to a maximum of six weeks. Students may utilize this medical separation policy two non-consecutive times during their graduate studies. Should students need more than six weeks at any one time, they must withdraw from the University. Leaves of absence for one semester or more for medical or other reasons are governed by the Graduate School Leave of Absence policy.
Full-time degree-seeking students in their sixth year of study or less who are receiving financial aid from the Graduate School or external funds will receive a stipend equal to their normal stipend during their period of separation, for a maximum of six weeks paid by the Graduate School. Students will retain their tuition scholarships, access to on-campus medical facilities, and all other resources available to students during the entire separation period (up to six weeks). Students also will be deemed “continuously enrolled” at the University during the entire period of separation.
Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant duties will cease at least during the period of separation. Students are responsible for making arrangements, through their departments, to cover their duties. Students taking classes will be required to make arrangements with individual course instructors for completion of any courses in progress during the leave. Students will be granted the option to re-schedule exams, extend candidacy deadlines or other deadlines not discussed herein. Students are responsible for making arrangements to reschedule exams, extend deadlines and to make up other work not discussed herein. Unlike a regular one-semester leave, time off in conjunction with this policy will count towards the students’ degree time limit of eight years and university-sponsored funding cap of six years.
Withdrawal from the Program
To withdraw from the University before the end of the semester, a student must inform the department and the Graduate School as well as complete the notice of withdrawal in the Office of the Registrar, 105 Main Building. For information on refunds, refer to “Tuition and Expenses.”
Upon approval of the withdrawal, the University enters a grade of W for each course in which the student was registered. If a student drops out of the University without following the procedure described above, a grade of F is recorded for each course.
The credit for any course or examination will be forfeited if the student interrupts his or her program of study for five years or more.
The University reserves the right to require the withdrawal of any student when academic performance, health status, or general conduct may be judged clearly detrimental to the best interests of either the student or the University community.In the case of a medical leave of absence, clearance from the University Health Center is required prior to readmission. [top]
Notre Dame NetID Student Policy
The University of Notre Dame NetID accounts and related services are intended for faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students. "A student must register and enroll at the dates and times announced by the Registrar" (Academic Code 4.1). A student who fails to enroll by the announced date will forfeit the right to access his or her NetID account and related services. University computing resources supplied by way of the NetID are normally available to a student for up to 60 days after his or her graduation date. A student granted a leave-of-absence would normally retain access to University computing services for up to two semesters. A student who is separated from the University due to an academic suspension, academic dismissal, or withdrawal will no longer have access to University computing services, unless an extension has been approved by the dean of his or her college. A student attending Notre Dame for the summer only, with a nondegree seeking status will normally retain access to University computing service for up to 60 days after the August graduation date. A student who is separated from the University for other reasons, will no longer have access to University computing services. [top]
Registration and Courses
Maximal Registration
During each semester of the academic year, a graduate student should not register for more than 12 credit hours of graduate courses, i.e., the 60000 through 90000-level courses. In the summer session, a graduate student should not register for more than 10 credit hours. [top]
Course Numbers
Courses numbered 60000 ? 69999 are typically first-level graduate courses into which qualified advanced undergraduates may be admitted with the permission of the instructor and the approval of the chair. Courses numbered 70000 and above are advanced graduate courses open only to those who have completed the undergraduate and graduate prerequisites.
The advanced undergraduate courses numbered 50000 ? 59999 may, with the approval of the department chair and the Graduate School, be taken to satisfy up to 10 hours of graduate credit requirements. Departments may place additional constraints on the use of 50000-level courses to meet their degree requirements.
No graduate credit is allowed for courses below the 50000 level. [top]
Changes in Student Class Schedule
A student may add courses only during the first seven class days of the semester. A student may add courses after this time only on recommendation of the department and with approval of the Graduate School.
A student may drop courses during the first seven class days of the semester. To drop a course after this period and up to the midsemester point (see the Graduate School calendar for the exact date), a student must have the approval of the chair of the department offering the course, of his or her adviser, and of the Graduate School; however, no tuition adjustment will be made after the seventh class day of the semester. A course may be dropped after the midsemester point only in cases of serious physical or mental illness. Courses dropped after this date will be posted on the student’s permanent record with the grade of W.
A course taken for credit can be changed to an audit course after the midsemester point only in cases of serious physical or mental illness. [top]
Graduate Grades
Listed below are graduate grades and the corresponding
number of quality points per credit hour.
| A |
4 |
| A- |
3.667 |
| B+ |
3.333 |
| B |
3 |
| B- |
2.667 |
| C+ |
2.333 |
| C |
2 |
| F |
0 |
| I |
0 (Until Incomplete is removed) |
| NR |
Not reported |
| S |
0 Satisfactory |
| U |
0 Unsatisfactory |
| V |
0 Auditor (graduate students only) |
| W |
0 Discontinued with permission |
| |
Quality point values are used to compute the student’s G.P.A. The G.P.A. is the ratio of accumulated earned quality points to the accumulated earned semester credit hours. G.P.A. computation takes into account only those grades earned in Notre Dame graduate courses by students with graduate status at Notre Dame. For courses taken in a department or college in the University but outside the Graduate School, or taken outside the University, the grade will not be included in the G.P.A. computation.
The grades of C- and D are not awarded in the Graduate School.
A student receives the temporary grade of I when, for acceptable reasons, he or she has not completed the requirements for a 500- or higher-level graduate course within the semester or summer session. No grade of I can be given for courses below the 500 level or to graduating students in the final semester or final summer session of a terminal degree program.
The student then must complete the course work for a grade prior to the beginning of the final examination period of the next semester in which the student is enrolled. If a student receives an I for a summer session course, he or she must complete the course work for a grade before the final examination period begins for the next semester or summer session (whichever comes first) in which the student is enrolled.
The University temporarily computes this grade as the equivalent of an F in calculating the G.P.A. When the student fulfills the above requirements, the I is replaced by the new grade. Should the student not complete the course work as required, the I remains on the academic record and is computed in the G.P.A. as equivalent to an F.
The department and the Graduate School will review a student who receives more than one I in a semester or an I in two or more consecutive semesters, to determine his or her eligibility for continued support and enrollment.
The grades of S and U are used in courses without semester credit hours, as well as in research courses, departmental seminars, colloquia, workshops, directed studies, field education, and skills courses. These courses, if given the grade of S, do figure in a student’s earned semester credit-hour total but do not figure in the computation of the G.P.A. A grade of U will not count toward the student’s earned semester credit-hour total, nor will it figure in the computation of the G.P.A.
The grade of V has neither quality-point nor credit-hour value. It is the only grade available to the registered auditor who requests at the beginning of the semester that it be made part of his or her permanent record and who attends the course throughout the entire semester. The grade of V cannot be changed to a credit-earning grade.
The grade of W is given for a course that a student is allowed to drop after the midsemester point. [top]
Examinations
Unexcused absence from a scheduled final examination results
in an F. An absence excused in advance results in an I (incomplete). [top]
Grade Reports
The Office of the Registrar no longer mails a paper copy of grades unless a copy is requested. Grade information is available to students on IrishLink (a secure Web-based service). The Printed Grade Report Request form is available
from the Office of the Registrar Web site at http://www.nd.edu/~ndreg. [top]
Transfer Credits
A department may accept course work completed at another accredited university toward meeting its degree requirements. A student may transfer credits earned at another accredited university only if: (1) the student is in degree status at Notre Dame; (2) the courses taken are graduate courses appropriate to the Notre Dame graduate program and the student had graduate student status when he or she took these courses; (3) the courses were completed within a five-year period prior to admission to a graduate degree program at Notre Dame or while enrolled in a graduate degree program at Notre Dame; (4) grades of B (3.0 on 4.0 scale) or better were achieved; and (5) the transfer is recommended by the department chair and approved by the Graduate School.
These five requirements also apply to the transfer of credits earned in another program at Notre Dame.
The University considers a request for credit transfer only after a student has completed one semester in a Notre Dame graduate degree program and before the semester in which the graduate degree is conferred. The university of origin must submit two transcripts directly to the Notre Dame Graduate School. Credits not earned on the semester system, such as trimester and quarter-hour credits, will be transferred on a pro rata basis.
A student transferring from an unfinished master’s program may not transfer more than six semester credit hours into either a Notre Dame master’s or Ph.D. program.
If the student has completed a master’s or Ph.D. program, he or she may transfer up to nine semester credit hours to a Notre Dame master’s program and up to 24 semester-credit hours to a Notre Dame Ph.D. program.
Occasionally, a student may need to do dissertation research at another institution. Normally, the student would register for the appropriate number of credit hours of research at Notre Dame. If the student does not enroll at Notre Dame and expects to count research hours earned elsewhere toward the Notre Dame degree, the student must have the approval of the department and the Graduate School in advance. The University requires similar prior approval for formal courses taken elsewhere and applied to the degree program. Twenty-four credit hours, including research credit hours, is the maximum acceptable for transfer into a Notre Dame doctoral program.
No grades of transferred courses are included in the student’s G.P.A. [top]
Requirements for the Master's Degree
In addition to the following Graduate School requirements, individual departments may have higher standards. Students are expected to know their departmental requirements.
Credit Hours
The number of semester credit hours of course work for the master's degree is specified by the student's department. Students in a research program must also complete the research requirements of the department. (See also "Transfer Credits," above.)
Residency
The minimum residency requirement for the master's degree is registration in full-time status for one semester during the academic year or for one summer session.
Foreign Language Requirement
The Graduate School does not require foreign language reading proficiency for the master's degree. However, some departments do have this requirement. Students should consult their departments concerning this requirement.
Degree Eligibility
Failure to complete all requirements for the master's degree within five years results in forfeiture of degree eligibility.
A master's program that is pursued during the summer and the academic year must also be completed within five years.
A student attending summer session only must complete all requirements within seven years.
Thesis Directors
Each student is assigned an adviser from the time of enrollment. This may initially be the director of graduate studies, but an individual adviser or thesis director will be chosen as soon as practicable, following the department's policies.
Advisers and thesis directors are normally chosen from the teaching and research faculty of the student's department. There also may be one codirector chosen from the faculty outside (or within) the student's department. In exceptional cases, a department may choose a thesis director from the Notre Dame teaching and research faculty outside the student's department. Arrangements for extra-departmental directors or codirectors must be consistent with departmental policies and must be approved by the Graduate School.
Master's Examination
By the end of the term following completion of the course work required by the department, the degree candidate must have taken an oral and/or written master's examination demonstrating mastery in his or her field. Failure in either one or both parts of the examination results in automatic forfeiture of degree eligibility, unless the department recommends a retake. If a retake is recommended, it must be completed by the end of the following semester. The Graduate School allows only one retake of the master's examination.
Some departments have an equivalent requirement in lieu of the master's examination. Students are advised to be cognizant of their respective departmental requirements with regard to the master's examination or its substitute.
A doctoral student may receive the master's degree without taking the master's examination on the recommendation of the department and completion of (a) the course work required by the department for the master's degree and (b) all written parts of the doctoral candidacy or Ph.D. qualifying examination. Departments may have additional criteria or may choose not to offer a master's degree in this manner; students should consult the departmental guidelines.
Admission to Candidacy
To qualify for admission to candidacy, a student must be in a master's degree program. He or she must have been enrolled in the program without interruption and must maintain a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 in approved course work. A student who seeks admission to candidacy in a research master's program must also demonstrate research capability and receive departmental approval of his or her thesis proposal.
Admission to candidacy is a prerequisite to receiving any graduate degree. It is the student's responsibility to apply for admission by submitting the appropriate form to the Graduate School office through the department chair. The applicable deadline is published in the Graduate School calendar.
Thesis Requirement
The thesis is the distinctive requirement of the research master's program. With the approval of his or her adviser, the student proposes a thesis topic for departmental approval. The approved topic is researched and the results presented under the supervision of a thesis director.
The thesis director indicates final approval of the thesis and its readiness for the readers by signing the thesis. The candidate then delivers the number of signed copies of the completed thesis required by the department to the department chair. These copies are distributed to the two official readers appointed by the department. Readers are appointed from among the regular teaching and research faculty of the student's department. The appointment of a reader from outside the student's department must have the Graduate School's prior approval. The thesis director may not be one of the official readers. Each reader must unconditionally approve the thesis and the department should promptly report the results to the Graduate School.
Submitting the Thesis
The format of the thesis should follow the guidelines published in the Graduate School’s Guide for Formatting and Submitting Dissertations and Theses, available at the Graduate School office and on the Graduate School Web site at http://graduateschool.nd.edu.
When the thesis is given to the readers, the candidate should also give a complete copy to the Graduate School office for a preliminary review of the format. This copy may be submitted electronically as a PDF or delivered as a printed document.
After the readers approve the thesis and any necessary changes have been made, the candidate must then present the final version of the thesis to the Graduate School for final approval and submission on or before the date specified in the Graduate School calendar. Candidates should be cognizant of deadlines for graduation established by the Graduate School and the department.
The thesis may be submitted either in electronic (PDF) form or in printed manuscript form. Only the official submission will be accepted by the Graduate School.
To submit the thesis electronically, the candidate must upload one complete PDF copy to the Hesburgh Library’s Electronic Dissertation and Thesis database, and provide three signed title pages and any other necessary forms to the Graduate School.
To submit printed copies of the thesis, the candidate must present two clean copies, each signed by the thesis director. The candidate pays the binding costs for the two official copies required by the Graduate School.
Candidates must check with their departments for any additions to the Graduate School requirements.
Should a candidate and adviser decide to microfilm a thesis, information concerning the ProQuest Information and Learning Master's Publishing Program may be obtained from the Graduate School office. [top]
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree
The goal of the University in its Ph.D. programs is to develop productive scholarship and professional competence in its students. In addition to a broad acquaintance with the historical and contemporary state of learning, the University encourages its students and faculty to make contributions to the advancement of their respective fields.
In addition to the following Graduate School requirements, individual departments may require higher standards. Students are expected to know their department's requirements.
Credit Hours
The number of semester credit hours of formal courses, directed studies, and research is specified by the student's department. (See also, "Transfer Credits," above.)
Residency
The minimum residency requirement for the Ph.D. degree is full-time status for four consecutive semesters (may include the summer session).
Foreign Language Requirement
This requirement varies from department to department, in both the choice of language and the degree of proficiency required. Students should consult their department concerning this requirement.
Award of Master's Degree to Doctoral Students
A doctoral student may receive the master's degree without taking the master's examination on the recommendation of the department and completion of: (a) the course work required by the department for the master's degree and (b) all written parts of the doctoral candidacy or Ph.D. qualifying examination. Departments may have additional criteria, or may choose not to offer a master's degree in this manner; students should consult the departmental guidelines.
Degree Eligibility
The student must fulfill all doctoral requirements, including the dissertation and its defense, within eight years from the time of matriculation. Failure to complete any of the Graduate School or departmental requirements within the prescribed period results in forfeiture of degree eligibility.
Advisers and Dissertation Directors
Each student is assigned an adviser from the time of enrollment. This may initially be the director of Graduate Studies, but an individual adviser or dissertation director will be chosen as soon as practicable, following the department's policies.
Advisers and dissertation directors are normally chosen from the teaching-and-research faculty of the student's department. There also may be one codirector chosen from the faculty outside (or within) the student's department. In exceptional cases, a department may choose a dissertation director from the Notre Dame teaching and research faculty outside the student's department. Arrangements for extra-departmental directors or codirectors must be consistent with departmental policies and must be approved by the Graduate School.
Candidacy Examination
The candidacy examination should be passed, and the dissertation proplosal approved (if the approval process is not part of the candidacy exam), by the end of the student's eighth semester of enrollment. The examination consists of two parts: a written component and an oral component. The written part of the examination normally precedes the oral part. It is designed, scheduled, and administered by the department. The oral part of the examination is normally taken after the completion of the course work requirement. The oral part, among other things, tests the student’s readiness for advanced research in the more specialized area(s) of his or her field. In total, the examination should be comprehensive. Successful passage indicates that, in the judgment of the faculty, the student has an adequate knowledge of the basic literature, problems, and methods of his or her field. If the proposal defense is part of the oral, it should be a defense of a proposal and not of a completed dissertation.
A board of at least four voting members nominated by the department and appointed by the Graduate School administers the oral part of the examination. Normally, this board has the same membership as the student’s dissertation committee. Board members are chosen from the teaching and research faculty of the student’s department. The Graduate School should be consulted before the department or the student invites a faculty member outside the student’s department to be a board member.
A faculty member appointed by the Graduate School from a department other than the student’s department chairs the examination board. This chair represents the Graduate School and does not vote. After completion of the examination, the chair calls for a discussion followed by a vote of the examiners. On a board of four, three votes are required to pass. If a department chooses to have five members, four votes are required to pass. The chair should, before the examination begins, ask the student’s adviser to confirm departmental regulations for conduct of the examination and voting procedures. The chair sends a written report of the overall quality of the oral examination and the results of the voting immediately to the Graduate School.
In case of failure in either or both parts of the doctoral candidacy examination, the department chair, on the recommendation of a majority of the examiners, may authorize a retake of the examination if this is permitted by departmental regulations. An authorization for retake must be approved by the Graduate School. A second failure results in forfeiture of degree eligibility and is recorded on the student’s permanent record.
Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy is a prerequisite to receiving any graduate degree. To qualify for admission to doctoral candidacy, a student must:
- be in a doctoral program;
- have been continuously enrolled in the program without withdrawal;
- complete the departmental course work requirement with a cumulative average of 3.0 or better;
- pass the written and oral parts of the doctoral candidacy examination, and have the dissertation proposal approved (if this is not part of the candidacy exam) by the end of the eighth semester of enrollment.
It is the responsibility of the student to apply for candidacy admission by submitting the appropriate form to the Graduate School office through the department chair.
The Dissertation
In continuing consultation with the dissertation director, the candidate explores research areas in his or her field to formulate a dissertation proposal. The methods of approval of the dissertation proposal are determined by the individual departments.
The department chair or director of graduate studies will appoint a dissertation committee consisting of the dissertation director and three readers. Normally, the committee is drawn from the membership of the student's oral candidacy board. The Graduate School must be consulted before the department invites a committee member from outside the teaching and research faculty of the candidate's department.
The candidate delivers typed copies of the finished dissertation, signed by the director, to the department chair for distribution to the three readers.
At the same time, the candidate should also give a complete copy to the Graduate School, where it will be reviewed for compliance with the Graduate School style manual. (See "Submitting the Dissertation" below.)
Readers normally have two to four weeks to read the dissertation, decide whether it is ready to be defended, and so indicate on the appropriate form to the Graduate School. Reader approval of the dissertation for defense does not imply reader agreement or support; it implies reader acknowledgment that the dissertation is an academically sound and defensible scholarly product. Only a dissertation that has been unanimously approved for defense by the three readers may be defended.
Even though the dissertation has been approved for defense, revisions may be required. If defects in the dissertation come to light at the defense, the candidate may be asked to revise the dissertation before it is accepted by the Graduate School and the degree is conferred. In that case, it will be the responsibility of the dissertation director, or such person as the committee may appoint, to report to the Graduate School that such revisions have been completed satisfactorily.
Defense of the Dissertation
In defending the dissertation, the doctoral candidate supports its claims, procedures, and results. The defense is the traditional instrument that enables the candidate to explore with the dissertation committee the dissertation's substantive and methodological force. In this way, the candidate and the committee confirm the candidate's scholarly grasp of the chosen research area.
The format of the defense is determined by the department with the Graduate School's approval. The defense is chaired by a faculty member who is appointed by the Graduate School from a department other than the candidate's department. This chair represents the Graduate School and does not vote. After the examination is completed, the chair calls for a discussion followed by a vote of the dissertation committee. At least three votes out of four will be required to pass a candidate. The chair sends a written report of the overall quality of the defense and the voting results immediately to the Graduate School.
In case of failure of the defense, on the recommendation of a majority of the examiners, another opportunity to defend may be authorized if this is permitted by departmental regulations. An authorization for a second defense must be approved by the Graduate School. A second failure results in forfeiture of degree eligibility and is recorded on the candidate's permanent record.
Submitting the Dissertation
To receive the degree at the next commencement, the doctoral candidate who has successfully defended his or her dissertation must submit it to the Graduate School on or before the deadline published in the Graduate School calendar. Candidates should be cognizant of deadlines for graduation established by the Graduate School and the department.
To be accepted by the Graduate School, the dissertation should be prepared according to the formatting guidelines published in the Graduate School's Guide for Formatting and Submitting Dissertations and Theses, even if the candidate has previously published the substance of the dissertation in scholarly journals. The guide is available at the Graduate School office and on the Graduate School Web site at http://graduateschool.nd.edu.
When the dissertation is given to the readers, the candidate should also give a complete copy to the Graduate School, where it will be reviewed for compliance with the style manual. This copy may be submitted electronically as a PDF or delivered as a printed document.
After successfully defending the dissertation and making any necessary changes, the candidate must present the document to the Graduate School for final approval and submission.
The student may submit the dissertation electronically by uploading one complete PDF copy to the Hesburgh Library's Electronic Dissertation and Thesis database, and providing one signed title page and any other necessary forms to the Graduate School.
Alternatively, the candidate may present two clean, printed copies of the dissertation, each signed by the dissertation director. The candidate pays the binding costs for the two official copies required by the Graduate School and for any additional copies required by the department or for personal use.
The Graduate Council requires that all doctoral dissertations be microfilmed by ProQuest Information and Learning. Microfilming costs are also paid at the Graduate School office, which handles this publication requirement for the candidate. [top]
Academic Integrity
Integrity in scholarship and research is an essential characteristic of our academic life and social structure in the University. Any activity that compromises the pursuit of truth and the advancement of knowledge besmirches the intellectual effort and may undermine confidence in the academic enterprise. A commitment to honesty is expected in all academic endeavors, and this should be continuously emphasized to students, research assistants, associates, and colleagues by mentors and academic leaders.
The procedures for ensuring academic integrity in the Graduate School are distinct from those in the Undergraduate Code of Honor.
Violations of academic integrity may occur in classroom work and related academic functions or in research/scholarship endeavors. Classroom-type misconduct includes the use of information obtained from another student’s paper during an examination, plagiarism, submission of work written by someone else, falsification of data, etc. Violation of integrity in research/scholarship is deliberate fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reporting research or other deliberate misrepresentation in proposing, conducting, reporting, or reviewing research. Misconduct does not include errors of judgment, errors in recording, selection, or analysis of data, differences in opinions involving interpretation, or conduct unrelated to the research process. Misconduct includes practices that materially and adversely affect the integrity of scholarship and research.
Any person who has reason to believe that a violation of this policy has occurred shall discuss it on a confidential basis with the department chair or director of the appropriate institute. If a perceived conflict of interest exists between the chair/director and the accused, the next highest academic officer shall be notified of the charge. The chair/director shall evaluate the allegation promptly. If it is determined that there is no substantial basis for the charge, then the matter may be dismissed with the fact of dismissal being made known to the complainant and to the accused if he or she is aware of the accusation. A written summary of charges, findings, and actions shall be forwarded to the vice president for graduate studies and research as a matter of documentation. Otherwise, the chair will select an impartial panel consisting of three members, one of whom may be a graduate student, to investigate the matter. The chair will inform the accused of the charges. The panel will determine initially whether to proceed directly to a hearing to further investigate the case, or to dismiss the charges. If the panel decides to proceed directly to a hearing, the hearing will be held within 10 days of the original notification. If the panel decides that further investigation is necessary, it shall immediately notify the chair. If it decides that a hearing is not warranted, all information gathered for this investigation will be destroyed. The utmost care will be taken to minimize any negative consequence to the accused.
The accused party must be given the opportunity to respond to any and all allegations and supporting evidence at the hearing. The response will be made to the appointed panel. The panel will make a final judgment, recommend appropriate disciplinary action, and report to the chair in writing. The report will include all of the pertinent documentation and will be presented within 30 days after meeting with the accused. Copies of the report are to be made available to the accused, the chair, and the vice president. If a violation is judged to have occurred, this might be grounds for dismissal from the University; research/scholarship violations might be reported to the sponsor of the research effort (e.g., NSF, NIH, Lilly Foundation, etc.), if appropriate.
If the student chooses to appeal, he or she must address the appeal in writing to the vice president for graduate studies and research within 10 days. The student has the right to appear before the vice president or his or her delegate. The vice president may decide to appoint an ad hoc committee to handle this appeal, if deemed necessary.
Violations of academic integrity by individuals who are not students are governed by different rules; students who are working on externally sponsored programs may also be covered by sponsor-mandated rules. Contact Dr. Richard A. Hilliard, director of research compliance, (574) 631-5386, for further information. [top]
Academic Counselor
The vice president for graduate studies and research has appointed an academic counselor in the Graduate School to be available to graduate students who want to confidentially discuss problems they are having in their programs. The counselor can help a student decide how to resolve the problem. The Graduate School’s academic counselor is Dr. Barbara M. Turpin, associate dean. [top]
Grievance and Appeal Procedures
Students follow the grievance and appeal procedures of the
department in which they are studying. Where department procedures
are not clear, students contact the department chair and/or
the director of graduate studies. Appeals beyond the department
are made directly to the vice president for graduate studies
and research/dean of the Graduate School.
A more detailed outline of the grievance and appeal procedure as approved by the Graduate Council is available as a PDF. [top]
Policies on Harassment and Other Aspects of Student Life
Sexual and discriminatory harassment and harassment in general
are prohibited by the University. Definitions and policies
regarding all forms of harassment and other aspects of student
life and behavior are described in the Graduate and Professional
Student Handbook, which contains the University's description
of student life policies and procedures for advanced-degree
students. The codes, rules, regulations, and policies that
establish the official parameters for student life at Notre
Dame are contained in the handbook. Unless otherwise noted,
the policies and procedures in the handbook apply to all graduate
and professional students, whether the behavior occurs on
or off campus. The handbook may be obtained from the Office
of Residence Life and Housing, located at 305 Main Building,
and is available from the Office of Residence Life and Housing
Web site at http://orlh.nd.edu. [top]
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