Doctoral Contract

Each student’s academic plan is recorded in a written doctoral contract which may be revised by mutual agreement of the Supervisory Committee and the student as the student’s work develops. A GoogleDoc template will be provided to each student by the Associate Director for Academic Affairs.

First-year students should submit their initial doctoral contract for review no later than September 15th.  Any changes or additions that are requested by the Committee should be incorporated into the doctoral contract by the student no later than October 1st, the final deadline for the approved initial contract to go on file in the Academic Affairs office.

Students who have not yet successfully defended their dissertation proposal should revise their doctoral contract each spring in connection with an annual meeting of the student with his/her Supervisory Committee. Students should submit the revised form for review no later than May 1st each year. Any changes or additions that are requested by the Committee should be incorporated into the doctoral contract by the student by May 15th, the final deadline for the approved contract to go on file in the Academic Affairs office each year.

Students who have already successfully defended their dissertation proposal should submit a current CV and a brief report on what has been accomplished in the last year in lieu of a revised doctoral contract. Students should submit the CV and report for review no later than May 1st each year.

All departures from the doctoral contract must be approved by the student’s Committee and communicated to the Academic Affairs office if done outside the normal committee meeting/contract revision timeline.