Satisfactory Progress

Though formally admitted to the Graduate Program in Toxicology, this admission is provisional in the sense that the student must satisfactorily complete a minimum course credit requirement and pass the Qualifying Examination before being formally admitted to candidacy for the PhD. Thus, admission to the program does not guarantee a degree. Earning a PhD entails completing all coursework, passing the qualifying exam, moving a research project forward in a substantive and demonstrable manner, writing and defending a thesis, and successfully meeting specific deadlines along the way.

Satisfactory progress is addressed in a statement under “Grading policy” in the University’s Official Bulletin, “Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Studies”: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/education/graduate/trainee-handbook/policies-benefits.aspx.

One measure of progress is the grade earned in course work. Academic probation results when a student receives a grade below B-.  A second grade below B- will trigger review by the Graduate Dean and could lead to dismissal from the graduate program. Satisfactory progress is also measured by performance in the research setting, e.g., presenting at conferences, submitting manuscripts, and by meeting required deadlines. The Program Directors, Faculty Mentor, and Thesis Advisory Committee evaluate these metrics of progress and performance. Poor performance in these areas can also result in academic probation or dismissal.