RULES OF THE FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

On November 9, 2005 the Faculty of Arts and Sciences voted to change its Rules regarding the language requirement for the M.A. The changes are incorporated here. See section IV. C. 3.

I. ADMINISTRATION

A. ADMISSION TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Qualified graduates of liberal arts colleges or universities of recognized standing may be admitted to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. An applicant for admission should submit to the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences a copy of his or her full academic record accompanied by letters from the Dean and from two or more professors with whom the student has studied. Additional requirements of departments and/or programs are stated in the catalogue of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

B. REGISTRATION

1. Procedure

Every graduate student must obtain permission to take seminars or courses, graduate and undergraduate, from the departments and the instructors concerned, and must then register for these courses at the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences within the designated registration period. Students must register in the same way for all courses in which they are auditors. In departments which require participation in a journal club or colloquium, this part of the work shall be registered in the same way.

2. Changes

Graduate registration is considered final. Changes in registration may be made only with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the chair of the department concerned, and should not be made after the end of the third week of classes in a semester.

3. Auditors

A graduate student may become an auditor in any course, but only with the permission of the instructor and of the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Such audits must be registered as set forth above.

4. Leaves of Absence

Students wishing to discontinue their graduate work for a period of time should consult their department chair and notify the Graduate School. There are no leave restrictions except in the case of those who have been formally admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. It should be noted, however, that all work for the degree of Master of Arts must be completed within a period of five years. (See IV,C,1 below.)

Students who have been formally admitted to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy may be granted leave of absence by the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, with the approval of the department, for a semester or a full academic year, and leave may be renewed for an additional period, provided that the total does not exceed two academic years. Leaves of absence exceeding a total of two academic years can be granted to Ph.D. candidates only with the approval of the department, the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and will be granted only in the case of exceptional circumstances and demonstrated financial hardship. No fee is required of students granted leaves of absence, but students should recognize that leaves of absence may affect loan repayment obligations.

5. Continuing Enrollment

All graduate students, whether or not formally admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D., must register for one or more units of work or enroll under the continuing enrollment plan if they plan to present themselves for College examinations, or to use the College libraries or laboratories, or to consult members of the faculty in relation to work in progress.

Students who have been formally admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. must, in order to retain their candidacy, register for one or more units of work each semester, or enroll under the continuing enrollment plan, unless granted formal leave.

Enrollment under the continuing enrollment plan does not carry academic credit, but permits the student to be certified as at least a half time student. Departments must certify annually that students so enrolled are making adequate progress.

6. Certification to Outside Agencies

Students wishing certification to outside agencies should complete an appropriate form to be signed by the department chair and deposited in the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

C. ADVISING

In the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, primary responsibility for the advising of graduate students concerning rules and regulations rests with the department or program chair, unless the department wishes to elect another of its members as graduate advisor. Additionally, once a student is admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D., the director of the student's work assumes specific responsibilities for advising. Nonetheless, each department or program faculty shall regularly discuss the academic program of each graduate student with the student.

Entering students shall be fully informed concerning the departmental or program advising structure and departmental requirements and expectations. They are themselves responsible for familiarity with the general requirements for the M.A. and the Ph.D. as specified in the catalogue of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and in official departmental guidelines.

D. RECIPROCAL PLANS FOR ACADEMIC WORK

Students who have been accepted and enrolled to work toward advanced degrees in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Bryn Mawr College may take a limited amount of work for Bryn Mawr graduate credit at other institutions with which Reciprocal Plans have been approved by the President of the College and the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Occasionally, in the case of an individual student and special circumstances, the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences may also approve such an arrangement with other institutions.

The amount of graduate work which may be taken in this manner is limited to the equivalent of two units per year, and may not exceed one third of a student's total program. The procedure for registration and payment of tuition fees is the same as for students wholly enrolled at Bryn Mawr.

E. REPORTS FROM INSTRUCTORS

At the end of each semester, the instructor of each registered unit shall promptly submit a report on the student's work. In the case of year long courses or seminars, the formal grade and evaluation shall be assigned at the end of the academic year but an interim report shall be submitted at the end of the first semester.

The instructor shall also give an estimate of the student's ability for advanced study and suitability for professional work.

If a graduate student's work is incomplete in any unit, a record of "Incomplete" may be reported to the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the instructor shall state what the student must do, and by when, in order to receive credit for the course. The date set shall be no later than 30 days after the beginning of the next fall semester. If the work is not complete by the date set, the record of "Incomplete" shall stand permanently.

F. SYSTEM OF GRADING

In all graduate units there shall be only two formal grades: Satisfactory (S), and Unsatisfactory (U), (but see above on incomplete work). Any graduate student taking an undergraduate course for graduate credit should be graded according to the graduate standards, Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory, but the grade of Satisfactory shall only be awarded if the student's work has met or exceeded an undergraduate 3.0 standard. Any graduate student taking an undergraduate course not for graduate credit receives a grade according to the current Undergraduate College grading system.

G. EXCLUSION OR NON-CONTINUATION

In the case of unsatisfactory work, unsatisfactory progress toward the degree, or failure to pass the requirements for the M.A. or Ph.D. in timely fashion, the department may recommend the non-continuation or exclusion of a student to the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, who will notify the student of the decision. A decision not to continue or to exclude a student means that the academic programs and services of the College are no longer open to that student except in cases where the student is admitted, through the regular procedures, to another department.

If the student wishes to appeal the decision, the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (including the Provost) will hear the student and the department; the decision of the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the Provost will be binding.

Successful completion of an M.A. at Bryn Mawr College does not ensure departmental approval for continuation in graduate work toward the Ph.D.

A student whose behavior disrupts the normal conduct of academic affairs within or beyond his or her department may be excluded by the Dean, in consultation with the student's department. If the student wishes to appeal the decision, a committee constituted of no fewer than five persons to include faculty members of the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and representatives of the Graduate Student Association will hear the student, the chair of the department, and the Dean. The committee will make its recommendations to the President; the President's decision will be binding.

In cases of exclusion in the course of an academic year, fees will not be refunded or remitted in whole or in part; fellowships, scholarships, and assistantships will be canceled.

II. PROGRAM OF STUDY

A. ACADEMIC UNITS OF GRADUATE WORK

 The program of study in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is defined in terms of academic units. Six academic units constitute a full year's academic program. One year-long seminar counts as two academic units. A one-semester seminar, or a one-semester undergraduate course taken for graduate credit, or one-semester of supervised independent work, counts as one unit.

Upper level undergraduate courses may be taken for graduate credit if supplemented by additional work. Other undergraduate courses, which are also open to properly qualified graduate students, may be elected to complete a student's prerequisites or to provide essential training in an allied field but do not carry graduate credit.

B. SUMMER STUDY

Occasionally, at the invitation of members of the Faculty, arrangements can be made for graduate students to continue research at the College during the summer. Students register for such work at the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences early in June. The amount of credit earned for such work depends upon the particular circumstances.

Certain courses at the Institut d'Etudes Françaises d'Avignon and the Centro de Estudios Hispanicos in Madrid also carry graduate credit and may be offered for two units of work.

C. ADMISSION AND PREREQUISITES

Admission to and prerequisites for graduate courses are under the jurisdiction of the various departments which may, at their discretion, reject unqualified students or may require insufficiently prepared students to take certain introductory courses before being enrolled in a graduate course (unit). In special cases, with the approval of the department concerned, work in related subjects may be accepted as a prerequisite.

D. JOURNAL CLUBS AND COLLOQUIA

A colloquium or journal club, consisting of regular meetings of the instructors and the graduate students, may be required by any department as part of the regular program of study. Graduate students in these departments shall be registered for the journal club or colloquium in addition to their units of graduate work.

III. GRADUATE AWARDS

A. GENERAL RULES

1. Application

The majority of awards are made on the basis of an annual competition. Unless otherwise specified, candidates for all graduate awards must apply annually to the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

2. Dates

Dates for application, notification of awards, and acceptance or refusal of awards are set by the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

3. Eligibility

All graduate awards of Bryn Mawr College are open to men and women, with the exception of those endowed awards specifically restricted.

4. Procedure

a. Nominations

Candidates for graduate awards are nominated by departments or appropriate committees of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, after consideration of all relevant applicants. All nominations are submitted to the Committee on Graduate Awards. Alternates for graduate awards may also be nominated. If more than one alternate is nominated, alternates shall be listed in the order of the department's preference.

b. Committee on Graduate Awards Actions

The Committee on Graduate Awards considers the nominations of the departments and appropriate committees of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and reports its decisions to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. When the Committee on Graduate Awards is unwilling to make an award to a candidate strongly recommended by a department or committee, it shall consult with the department or committee before making a final decision.

c. Granting of Awards

Awards are offered on the basis of recommendations of the Committee on Graduate Awards, subject to the availability of funds. Recipients are notified by the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Awards lapse if not accepted or used in the designated year, but a candidate may reapply another year.

d. Withdrawal of Awards

(1) Withdrawal for Academic Reasons

In cases of unsatisfactory work, the Committee shall first consult the student's major department. Then the following accepted rules of due process shall apply: the student and his or her major department shall be informed in writing 1) that the Committee on Graduate Awards is considering revocation of his or her award, 2) that he or she may appear at a hearing to be held at a specified time and place. At the hearing the chair of the student's major department and other appropriate members of the faculty (including, for degree candidates, the director of the student's work) shall be present. The decision reached shall be final.

(2) Withdrawal for Misconduct

In cases involving misconduct, the same rules of due process shall apply. In addition, the student shall be informed of the specific misconduct charged, that he or she may have counsel present, shall have the right to face and to examine witnesses, to call witnesses on his or her own behalf, and to appeal. If a student wishes to appeal a decision made by the Committee, he or she should direct the appeal to the chair of a committee composed of the Secretary of the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Secretary of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Secretary of the General Faculty, and the President of the College. (In the event that any of these persons participated in the decision of the Committee on Graduate Awards, that person shall be disqualified and the Secretary of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences shall appoint a member or members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to fill the vacancy or vacancies.) This appeal committee shall arrange (if the student so desires) to add to its members three graduate students chosen by the Graduate Student Association. The enlarged committee shall conduct a formal hearing, to which all appropriate persons, including representatives of the student's major department, shall be invited to appear. The decision of the appeal committee shall be final.

B. BRYN MAWR COLLEGE FELLOWSHIPS

1. Eligibility

Fellowships may be awarded only to men and women who are or will be pursuing an advanced degree in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Bryn Mawr College.

2. Conditions of Tenure

a. Fellows are required to carry a full program of academic work unless a lesser program has been approved by their department or specified in the letter of award.

b. Fellows are expected to perform a limited amount of service for the College.

C. OTHER AWARDS

Other graduate fellowships, scholarships, grants, and prizes are awarded according to the provisions stipulated for the individual awards in the official publications of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and upon the recommendation of the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the Committee on Graduate Awards. The Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences will review these provisions at least biennially.

IV. THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS

A. DEPARTMENTS

The M.A. degree may be given in the following departments and programs: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology, Clinical Developmental and School Psychology, French, Geology, Greek, Latin and Classical History, History of Art, Mathematics, Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Physics and Russian.

B. CANDIDACY

1. Prerequisites

The prerequisites for admission to candidacy for the M.A. degree are: 1) an A.B. degree or its equivalent from an American college or university or recognized standing, or a degree or certificate of at least the same standard from a foreign university; 2) preparation which includes such undergraduate work in the candidate's major and allied departments as the departments shall require.

Qualified Bryn Mawr and Haverford students may undertake graduate work leading to the degree of Master of Arts concurrently with their work toward the A.B. The graduate work and the A.B. major work need not be in the same department. While students must arrange to fulfill all requirements for the A.B. and M.A. degrees, they are permitted to count a maximum of two advanced undergraduate courses (300-level or higher; either required for the major or non-required) presented in fulfillment of the requirements of the A.B. degree as two of the units required for the M.A. degree. Graduate credit for the advanced undergraduate courses will only be granted when they are supplemented by additional work in the usual way. Such students should file individual plans of study in advance for approval by the chair of the department in which the work toward the M.A. is to be done, the Dean of the Undergraduate College, and the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

2. Application

A student must make formal application to become a candidate for the M.A. degree. The application and the program of work endorsed by the candidate's department must be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences not later than one week (seven days) after the beginning of the second semester of the academic year in which the candidate wishes to take the degree. It shall then be reported to the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

C. REQUIREMENTS

1. Time

The work for the degree may be spread over several academic years which need not be in succession but must be included within a period of five years (60 months).

2. Program of Study for the M.A.

A minimum of six academic units, the equivalent of one full year of graduate study, is required for the M.A. degree.

Two units should consist of seminar or graduate course work. Two units may be taken in the form of supervised independent work, and two units may also be taken in upper level undergraduate courses with supplementary work for graduate credit. (See II,A.)

At least two thirds of the required units must be taken at Bryn Mawr College. One-third may be taken elsewhere under the auspices of Bryn Mawr College, through an approved Reciprocal Plan or similar approved arrangement. (See I,D.)

3. Languages

Each major department has established such requirements in foreign languages and/or special techniques as are essential for scholarly work in that discipline. These requirements, approved by the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, are advertised by departments and by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Any changes in these requirements must be approved by the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in order to become effective. Individual exceptions to the departmental rules require the approval of the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Students whose native language is not English may be permitted with the consent of the major department and the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, to write language examinations in their native language, if it is not the language being tested.

4. Testing of Requirements in Languages

Requirements in languages may be met by passing a Bryn Mawr College language examination, or by appropriate coursework. The language examinations consist of one or two passages, chosen by the major department, to be translated during a two-hour period. The use of a dictionary may be permitted at the discretion of the major department. The examination shall be read by two members of the major department and one representative of the language department concerned. Examinations deemed unsatisfactory by the department readers shall not be forwarded to the language department concerned. Departments schedule and administer their own foreign language examinations. The examinations are sent to the Graduate School after the two readings within the department and held there pending one of the two periods designated for foreign language department reading.

5. Paper in a Special Field of the Major Subject

Every candidate must present a paper in a special field in the major subject, which shall be related to one of the seminars or units of work in the candidate's program of study.

The paper must be completed to the satisfaction of the major department before the candidate is admitted to the final examination.

The date when the paper in the special field is due shall be set by the individual departments when the candidate is in residence at Bryn Mawr College. A candidate who is completing the requirements for the M.A. degree away from Bryn Mawr College is required to present the paper in finished form no later than 30 days before commencement of the year in which the degree is awarded.

The paper of each candidate shall be read, and approved or rejected, by at least two members of the major department or one member of the major department and one of the allied department.

6. Final Examination

a. Admission to the Examination

Before being admitted to the final examination, candidates must complete to the satisfaction of the instructor the courses in which they are registered for the M.A. degree, the paper in the special field, and any requirements in languages and/or special techniques.

b. Description

Every candidate must pass a final examination which shall test ability to place the special field in a more general background of the major subject. This examination shall be either written, with four to six hours of examination, or oral, lasting not less than one hour, or written and oral, a written examination of three hours and an oral examination of one hour. An experimental or open book examination of greater length may be substituted for the written examination. Whenever a written paper is not included in the final examination, a written examination in one of the courses offered must be passed. The examination shall be judged by the two members of the major department or allied department who have read the candidate's paper.

If a candidate is completing work for the M.A. degree and is at the same time ready to take the Preliminary Examination for the Ph.D. degree, this examination may also be accepted for the final examination for the M.A. degree, provided that the candidate is required to answer questions related to the M.A. paper in the special field.

c. Final Dates for Examinations and Reports of Examinations

The last Monday before Commencement Day is the latest day on which final written examinations for the M.A. degree may be set, and the last Tuesday before Commencement Day at 1 p.m. is the latest time at which grades of candidates for the M.A. degree may be reported to the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. For a December degree, the deadlines are the last day of classes in Semester I for the final written examination, and the following day for the reporting of grades.

7. Rule Concerning Unsatisfactory Paper or Examination

A candidate who has submitted an unsatisfactory paper in the special field or who has failed the final examination may, on the recommendation of the major department, submit another paper, revise the original, take another examination or may be refused this opportunity. The major department shall make a report to the Council of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences concerning its decision on such cases.