Division of Graduate Studies Policies and Procedures
General Policies and Procedures
| Title | Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Grievance Process | No | A summary of the formal graduate student academic grievance process with a link to the official policy. |
| Grades and Incompletes | Yes | Learn more about the minimum grade requirements for graduate students, as well as information on incomplete grades. |
| Graduate Classifications | No | Refer to the Division of Graduate Studies section of the UO Catalog for a description of graduate student classifications. |
| Legal Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation Data Collection | No | As required by Oregon law, the University of Oregon has updated the collection of biographical data to include two new questions regarding gender identity and sexual orientation alongside an existing question on legal sex designation. |
| Research Ethics and Compliance | No | Ethical research practice requires that all students conduct their research in an open and honest manner and make every effort to ensure the accuracy of their findings. |
| Satisfactory Progress/Academic Standing | No | Graduate students are responsible for being aware of and in compliance with all Division of Graduate Studies and university requirements, including but not limited to those related to enrollment and registration, grades, and time limits. |
| Waive a Graduate Academic Policy | Yes | Graduate students may file a petition to waive a graduate academic policy or requirement, such as removing an incomplete or extending the 7-year deadline. Review petition procedures and forms. |
Enrollment and Residency Policies and Procedures
| Title | Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous Enrollment Policy | No | To remain in compliance with the continuous enrollment policy, graduate students must be registered for a minimum of three graduate credits each term starting with the term of admission. |
| Credit Limits and Full-Time Course Load | No | Information about credit limits for each term and minimum enrollment requirements. |
| Enroll in a WRGP/WICHE Regional Graduate Program | No | The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education coordinates the Western Regional Graduate Program, an exchange program for students from western states and U.S. territories to apply for admission to selected programs and be treated as resident students. |
| Final Term Registration Exceptions for Thesis and Dissertation Students | No | In general, graduate students must be registered for at least 3 credits during their final term with a few exceptions. |
| Joint-Campus Registration | No | Information on how University of Oregon graduate students can enroll in graduate courses at Oregon State University and Portland State University. |
| On-Leave Status | Yes | Students may request on-leave status for reasons such as a medical condition, family emergency, birth or adoption of a child, to conduct independent research, etc. Review what defines on-leave status and the eligibilities surrounding it. |
| Reservation of Graduate Credit | Yes | An undergraduate student who wishes to register for a graduate-level course must request permission by submitting a reservation of graduate credit form with the Division of Graduate Studies. |
Master's Policies and Procedures
| Title | Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Degree Requirements | No | These are Division of Graduate Studies minimums. Your specific graduate program may have higher or more stringent requirements. |
| Transfer of Graduate Credit | Yes | Some graduate programs allow master’s students to request a maximum of 15 graduate credits to be transferred. |
| Master’s Advisory Committee | No | Policies for master’s committees vary from department to department. |
| Master's Residency Requirement | No | At least 30 credits must be completed at the University of Oregon during at least two terms of study. |
| Degree Completion Deadlines | No | Term-by-term deadlines for master's degree completion |
| No | The thesis and dissertation style and policy manual was created as a guide to help graduate students establish the physical format and appearance of an electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD). | |
| Thesis Prefatory Page Templates | No | Graduate students are encouraged to use this template to ensure that they’re in formatting compliance for their thesis submission. |
| Thesis Submission Instructions | No | These instructions will guide graduate students through the ProQuest thesis submission process |
| Graduation Checklist | No | Steps for graduation for thesis and non-thesis master's students. |
| Accelerated Master's Programs (AMPs) | Yes | UO's Accelerated Master's Programs (AMPs) allow exceptional undergraduate students in selected majors the opportunity to earn both a bachelor's degree and master's degree in as few as 5 years. |
Didn't find the policy you were looking for? It might be in general Division of Graduate Studies policies and procedures.
Doctoral Policies and Procedures
| Title | Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Residency Requirements | No | At least 27 graduate credits toward the degree must be completed at the UO. |
| Credit Requirement | No | Doctoral candidates must complete the equivalent of at least 81 quarter credits of graduate-level work beyond the baccalaureate degree, over the course of at least three calendar years. |
| 7-Year Time Limit | No | Doctoral students have 7 years from the term of admission in which to complete the doctoral degree. |
| Transfer of Graduate Credit | No | Each program sets its own policy regarding acceptance of transfer credits. |
| Advancement to Candidacy | No | Advancing to candidacy signifies that the student has completed their coursework, as well as other requirements as defined by their graduate program, and is ready to move forward to the dissertation phase. |
| Dissertation Committee Policy | No | Review who is and who isn’t eligible to be a committee member for graduate students. |
| Graduate Faculty Policies and Procedures | No | Policies regarding who are graduate faculty and who can serve on dissertations. |
| Oral Defense Procedures | No | A formal public defense must take place at a date set by the committee chair and approved by the Division of Graduate Studies. |
| Oral Defense Attendance Policies (includes remote defense policies) | No | Review policies on remote defenses and committee members' attendance at defenses. |
| Degree Completion Deadlines | No | Term-by-term deadlines for doctoral degree completion. |
| Graduation Checklist | No | Steps for graduation for doctoral students. |
| APA Internship Policies for Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychology Doctoral Students | No | Doctoral students who are studying clinical, counseling, and school psychology are required, by the American Psychological Association to complete a 1-year internship before being awarded their doctoral degree. |
| Dissertation Formatting Guidelines | No | The thesis and dissertation style and policy manualwas created as a guide to help graduate students establish the physical format and appearance of an electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD). |
| Dissertation Prefatory Page Templates | No | Graduate students are encouraged to use this template to ensure that they’re in formatting compliance for their dissertation submission. |
| Dissertation Submission Instructions | No | These instructions will guide graduate students through the ProQuest dissertation submission process. |
Didn't find the policy you were looking for? It might be in general Division of Graduate Studies policies and procedures.
Graduate Employee (GE) Policies and Procedures
General GE Policies and Procedures
| Title | Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Complete Withdrawal from the University | No | Students are both academically and financially responsible for all classes in which they register until they officially withdraw from the university. |
| Disability Accommodations for GEs | No | Graduate students with an underlying physical or mental condition that is interfering with their ability to perform the duties of their position may qualify as an individual with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. |
| Exceptions to the .49 FTE Limit During Summer Term | Yes | A department may only hire a GE over .49 FTE under certain conditions during Summer term. Review the requirements and restrictions. |
| Family and Medical Leave | Yes | GEs may be entitled to family and medical leave as described in article 29, section 7 of their collective bargaining agreement (CBA). |
| Full-Time Equivalent | No | Full-time equivalent (FTE) is a unit that indicates the workload of an employee. |
| GEs Assisting Instructor-of-Record GEs | Yes | Typically, GEs are not assigned to other GE’s who have been appointed as an instructor-of-record. However, there may be some circumstances under which it is appropriate for a GE to be assisted by another GE. |
| GEs in Graduate-Level Courses | Yes | Under certain circumstances, GE’s may be able to assist with a graduate course. Review the specific restrictions for this placement. |
| Grievances | No | Graduate students with complaints arising from their employment as graduate employees should follow the grievance procedures specified by their collective bargaining agreement. |
| English Language Policy for Non-Native English-Speaking GEs | No | Non-native speakers of English who accept graduate employee positions (GE) for teaching-related positions must meet certain English language requirements. |
| Levels of Appointment | No | Review the definitions for the three levels of GE appointments. |
| Paid and Unpaid Absences | Yes | Information for students, academic departments, and GE hiring units when a graduate student needs to take prolonged absence—sick day, short-term absence, longer-term absence, family and medical leave—that may affect their ability to make progress toward the degree and/or carry out their GE duties. |
| SEVIS Fee Reimbursement for GEs | Yes | Eligibility information and instructions for SEVIS fee reimbursements. |
| Summer Tuition Waiver | Yes | Information about the summer tuition waiver benefit. |
Didn't find the policy you were looking for? It might be in general Division of Graduate Studies policies and procedures.
GE Hiring Policies and Procedures
| Title | Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment Costs | No | Details on costs associated with employing a GE. |
| Cost Charging Guidance | No | Details on how tuition, fees, insurance and OPE are charged; hiring a GE from a different college; centrally supported administrative GEs; tuition support for grant-funded level III GEs; and the financial implications of hiring a GE from a different college. |
| Employment Verification and References for GEs | No | Students must submit consent forms to their hiring unit in order for information to be released for employment and reference verifications. |
| GDRS Information | No | The GDRS is a document that outlines the GE hiring, appointment/reappointment, and evaluation procedures that are followed in each hiring unit. |
| Hiring Documents | No | There are a number of documents that must be submitted directly to the Payroll Office for those students who are being hired for the first time, for those who are international, and for those who've had a lapse in employment |
| Hiring Payroll Procedures | No | Information for students about the GE appointment process. |
| Hiring Process | No | Information for departments on the GE hiring process. Submit a GE job announcement |
| Hiring a GE vs. a Student Hourly Employee | No | Determine whether the graduate student can be hired as a student hourly employee or must be hired as a GE |
| Hiring Options for Term Before Admission | No | Review the options for hiring a graduate student in the term before their admission term. |
| Making Changes to a GE Appointment | No | The steps required to make a change to a GE appointment. |
| Personnel Files | No | Review the guidelines for housing GE performance and evaluation files |
| Preparing an Electronic Payroll Request Form (PRF) | No | Hiring units must complete and submit an PRF for every GE appointment and reappointment by the established deadline for the term of appointment. |
| Processing Teaching Awards to GEs | No | Awards made to GEs in recognition of teaching excellence are to be processed through the payroll system. |
| Records Retention | No | The Division of Graduate Studies retains PRFs and appointment contracts for five years in the Division of Graduate Studies and for an additional 70 years in offsite storage by the UO Libraries. |
| Resignations and Terminations | No | GE separation paperwork must be created when a GE resigns or is terminated. The hiring unit must also contact the Payroll Office. |
| Summer GE Hiring Options | Yes | GEs may be hired into Summer Option A or Summer Option B positions. Option B positions do not offer the tuition/fee benefit to GEs. |
| Summer Teaching GE Appointments | No | GEs appointed over summer term have specific hiring restrictions, requirements, and deadlines. |
Didn't find the policy you were looking for? It might be in general Division of Graduate Studies policies and procedures.
Specialization Policies and Procedures
| Title | Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pursuing a Graduate Specialization | Yes | Information for students about the requirements for completing a graduate specialization. |
| Proposing a Graduate Specialization | Yes | Instructions for creating a new graduate specialization. |
| No | There are several requirements needed for a student to pursue a specialization. Review the requirements needed in order to successfully pursue or administer a specialization. |
Didn't find the policy you were looking for? It might be in general Division of Graduate Studies policies and procedures.
Graduate Certificate Policies and Procedures
| Title | Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pursuing a Graduate Certificate | Yes | Information for students about the requirements for completing a graduate certificate. |
| Administering a Graduate Certificate Program | No | Information for departments about graduate certificates. |
Didn't find the policy you were looking for? It might be in general Division of Graduate Studies policies and procedures.
Concurrent Graduate Degree Policies and Procedures
| Title | Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pursuing Concurrent Degrees | Yes | For Students: Students pursuing concurrent degrees must follow the appropriate steps before their degree plan is approved. |
| Administering Concurrent Graduate Degrees | No | For Faculty and Staff: Students pursuing concurrent degrees must follow the appropriate steps before their degree plan is approved. |
Didn't find the policy you were looking for? It might be in general Division of Graduate Studies policies and procedures.
Faculty/Staff/Department Policies and Procedures
| Title | Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Access and Training | No | The Division of Graduate Studies offers training and also welcome requests for individual or small group trainings, invitations to present to departments, and suggestions for future training topics related to graduate education. |
| Best Practices in Mentoring | No | Learning how to be an effective mentor is a skill that anyone can obtain. Review some material from various graduate resources on how to be the best mentor. |
| Concurrent Faculty-Student Status | No | Faculty members, including officers of administration, who wish to pursue a UO graduate degree must petition to the Vice Provost of the Division of Graduate Studies for approval to hold concurrent faculty/graduate student status |
| Course Enrollment for Faculty and Staff Members | Yes | Faculty and staff members who want to take graduate courses should refer to the Office of Human Resources for information regarding staff registration benefits. |
| No | There are four potential stages of review for new or revised graduate programs. The nature of the proposal will determine which stages of review are required. Refer to this policy for guidance. | |
| Director of Graduate Studies Handbook | No | The DGS is a faculty member who serves a conduit between graduate students, faculty, and the Division of Graduate Studies. This handbook was written with Directors of Graduate Studies (DGS) in mind, but Graduate Coordinators, Department Heads, and graduate students may also find it helpful. |
| Excellence Awards | Yes | Information about the Excellence Award for Directors of Graduate Studies, the Excellence Award for Graduate Coordinators, and the Excellence Award for Outstanding Mentorship in Graduate Studies. |
| Graduate Fellow Identification and Rate | Yes | Resident rates may be requested for students on certain training grants and external fellowships. |
| Graduate Coordinator Handbook | No | The Graduate Coordinator Handbook provides an overview of Division of Graduate Studies policies and procedures for staff who support graduate programs. |
| Graduate Partners Meetings | No | The Division of Graduate Studies hosts quarterly meetings of departmental graduate coordinators and other staff who support graduate programs to provide information and updates and facilitate discussions about issues relevant to graduate education. |
| Funding Request | Yes | The Division of Graduate Studies considers requests for funding for programming, events, and other types of departmental support. |
Didn't find the policy you were looking for? It might be in general policies and procedures or GE Policies and Procedures.