Ph.D. Program – Student Status and Standing

Annual Progress Reports (APRs)

The Ph.D. Program requires that all doctoral students file progress reviews on their academic performance on an annual basis. Progress reviews allow FAs/Chairs and the Ph.D. Committee to monitor student progress, learn about problems in a timely manner, and provide support as needed. It is also on the Annual Progress Report where students can request JSIS funding for the upcoming academic year, making it imperative for the student to submit the Report by the required deadline.

The GPA will email the APR forms to students and faculty. All students are advised that the Ph.D. Program requires typed and dated electronic copies of all APRs, which should be emailed to jsisphd@uw.edu. The specific timelines for the APRs is as follows:

• Ph.D. Student receives APR form: Last Friday of Winter quarter
• Deadline to file APR form: 1st school day of Spring quarter

APRs will be reviewed by the GPA and the Ph.D. Director with input from faculty. Students will be then notified if there are any changes in their academic standing. All communications to the student are copied to the FA/Chair. Students with questions about their evaluations are directed to approach their FA/Chair and then the Ph.D. Program Director.

Academic Progress

Doctoral students are expected to complete the required curriculum listed under Required Courses and Electives within two years of entrance into the program. Students are required to pass the Preliminary and General Exams in the second year in order to be eligible to continue in the JSIS Ph.D. Program.

• Satisfactory Progress

The Ph.D. Program defines satisfactory progress as follows:

• • maintaining a cumulative annual grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (Note: I grades and X grades are not counted towards student’s GPA but they could prevent you from having a satisfactory progress if you received these grades for a core requirement course)
  • achieving an average cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher across the required methods and research courses (JSIS 501, JSIS 511, JSIS 510 & QUAL course)
  • obtaining supporting evaluations by the FA and/or Chair of the Doctoral Supervisory Committee and subsequently the Doctoral Reading Committee
  • complete the 40-42 credits for electives; 10 for Area Courses, and 5 for Thematic Course (courses with I grades and/or X grades are not counted) and General Exams by the start of student’ seventh quarter
  • a student has met with GPA at least once per year to review academic progress

• Unsatisfactory Progress

If a doctoral student fails to meet the JSIS Ph.D. Program’s satisfactory progress expectations, as well as the requirements for satisfactory performance set out below, this fact will be noted at the end of their APR. Evaluations of unsatisfactory performance require the extensive involvement of the FA/Chair. The purpose of the evaluations is to ensure that the student can return to satisfactory performance.

In line with Graduate School rules, students will receive written notification of unsatisfactory performance, which can result in probation or final probation and the steps necessary to return to satisfactory performance by the Ph.D. Director. Such notification always precedes the more drastic recommendation for dropping a student from the Ph.D. Program.

As required, the Director of the Ph.D. Program will transmit that information – that is, name of the student, recommendation for action (i.e. probation, final probation, or drop) – directly to the Graduate School.

Doctoral students may appeal the evaluation of the Ph.D. Program by filing a formal appeal with the Director of the Jackson School. After consideration, the Director of the Jackson School will make a recommendation to the Ph.D. Director, which is forwarded to the Dean of the Graduate School.

Withdrawal

Students are directly responsible for withdrawing either in person or in writing if they are unable to attend any quarter in the academic year. Depending on when students withdraw, their courses may or may not be recorded on their UW transcript. Also depending on when they withdraw, students may or may not be eligible for a refund of all or a portion of their tuition and fees for a given quarter.

Withdrawal from any quarter prior to the first day of the quarter for a newly admitted student invalidates the status as a continuing student. Students who withdraw during the first week of two consecutive quarters will not be eligible to register as a continuing student for the third quarter. Students are advised to see the complete details and full set of requirements at the URL indicated above and to also take account specifically of the time-bound procedures in the student guide.

On-leave Status

Students must be accounted for (i.e., either registered or officially on-leave) during every term except summer quarter until they complete their degree. Any student who does not apply for on-leave status before going on leave for one or more quarters during the academic year will be dropped from the UW Graduate School and will need to request reinstatement to the UW before returning.

Filing for on leave status: If you must take a leave of absence for personal or professional reasons, please notify the GPA via email or in person first. Then submit an online request to go on leave using your MyGrad Program portal. You must submit an on-leave request each quarter you are absent from the university. Students must have completed at least one quarter of study prior to filing an on-leave petition. International students must have completed at least 3 quarters of full-time work before they submit an on leave petition.

Once your request has been submitted, the GPA will approve or deny your request and you will then be prompted to pay a $25 non-refundable fee. On-leave requests can be submitted as early as two weeks prior to the start of the quarter, but they must be submitted, approved, and paid for no later than 11:59pm PST on the last day of instruction (or the 10th week of the quarter). The Graduate School has additional information about this process on this website.

Returning from on leave status: In order to return from on leave status, simply register for the quarter you wish to return. Please also notify the GPA so they can make any other necessary arrangements.

Reinstatement

If you failed to maintain your graduate student status (in other words, if you did not apply for on leave status and simply stopped registering for classes), and you wish to resume your studies, you must first contact the GPA and the GPC to request permission. Once you have received permission from the GPC, you may request reinstatement to the Graduate School.

Requests will be approved or denied by the GPA according to previous communication. If your request is approved, you must pay a non-refundable fee of $250 before you are eligible to register for the reinstatement quarter.