Rules & Regulations
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| Rules & Regulations |
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Requirements for the Doctoral Degree GENERAL PHILOSOPHY OF THE Ph.D. PROGRAM: Ecology is one of the most diverse of all the disciplines in the life sciences—linking studies in fields ranging from molecular evolution to those examining fundamental changes in Earth’s global environment due to both natural and anthropogenic effects. Consequently, students in the University Program in Ecology (UPE) are expected to think broadly in all aspects of their training. For example, many students in the Program are likely to enroll in graduate classes outside of the life sciences, including statistics, mathematics, and the geosciences.
TRAJECTORY THROUGH THE PROGRAM The DGS will assign to each beginning graduate student a temporary advisor (typically the sponsor of that student's admission). Before registering for the first semester, new students should discuss with their temporary advisors the courses they need to take. During the first semester, the student and the temporary advisor will convene an initial advisory committee composed of three faculty representing different specialties within the Program, who will review the student's past coursework and prescribe courses (typically 1 to 3) the student should take in preparation for their anticipated research program and the preliminary exam. During the first year of study, students are encouraged to arrange tutorial classes with different faculty members in the Program. Tutorials may involve laboratory work, directed reading in the primary literature, greenhouse or field studies, mathematical or computer modeling, or any other activity that would assist the student in identifying a suitable dissertation topic. Tutorials are an excellent way to expose students to the diversity of faculty research interests in their specialty and to help them to identify an appropriate advisor and dissertation committee.
During the third semester, the student must choose an advisor, and in consultation with the advisor and approval by the Graduate School, form the dissertation committee. The Dissertation committee will consist of at least four faculty members, with at least three members from the faculty of the UPE. In that semester, the student will convene an initial meeting of the full dissertation committee—known as the “Certification meeting.” The goal of the certification meeting is to assess the novelty, importance, and feasibility of the proposed dissertation topic, to ascertain whether the student needs to take any additional courses to prepare for the preliminary exam, and to decide the format of the written dissertation proposal (see below). If a student fails to meet with the dissertation committee before the end of the third semester, the DGS will notify the student of this fact in writing, and will discuss with the student's temporary advisor ways to resolve any difficulties. Preferably by the end of the fourth semester, but certainly by the end of the sixth semester, students must pass an oral preliminary examination to establish candidacy for the Ph.D. At least, one week prior to the exam, students must present to their committee members a written essay describing their proposed dissertation research. The exam is likely to be both specific and wide-ranging. That is, it will cover the specific research areas addressed in the student's proposal, but it will also test both the student's depth of knowledge in her/his area of specialty and the student's breadth of knowledge in ecology as a whole. When the dissertation research is completed, the student will present the written dissertation to the committee at least one week before the date of the dissertation defense. Students are also required to present their results in the UPE 303 seminar and strongly encouraged to present their research findings in at least one national or international scientific conference. Students will be expected to complete the degree requirements as rapidly as possible, ideally by the end of the tenth semester. MINORS All graduate students will be required at the time of the certification meeting to declare a minor. At least one member of the dissertation committee must represent the minor field, and will be charged with assessing the student's knowledge in the minor during the preliminary exam. The goal of the minor is to ensure that each student acquires a breadth of knowledge beyond his/her immediate specialty. Given the wide range of research areas represented in the Ecology Graduate Program, dissertation committees will have the freedom to determine the specific nature of the minor, so as to tailor it to the needs of the individual student. In some cases, the minor field will be clearly distinct from a students major area of focus (e.g., Major = Plant Ecology; Minor = Statistics). In other cases, the minor may represent a specialty area within the major (e.g., Major = Ecology; Minor = Soil Ecology). However, to ensure that the chosen minor is distinct from the student's specialty, minors are subject to approval by the DGS. SCHOLARLY PRODUCTIVITY To become recognized as independent scientists and to have an impact on their fields, graduate students must communicate their findings to their colleagues. Students are encouraged to compile their dissertation and a sequence of manuscripts, and all students are strongly encouraged to begin submitting the results of their research to refereed journals as soon as possible (ideally well before the dissertation is completed). To ensure that students benefit from input by their committee, they are encouraged to circulate each manuscript to be included in the dissertation to all members of the dissertation committee for comments before it is submitted to a journal for review. Each student should submit copies of papers accepted for publication to the DGS, to be included in the student's file. TEACHING Students must remember that service as a teaching assistant is not simply a mechanism to provide financial support to graduate students. Rather, teaching is an integral part of each graduate student's professional development as both an educator and a researcher. Therefore all graduate students will be required to serve as a teaching assistant for two semesters. It is strongly recommended that students complete this teaching requirement early in their graduate career, so that they can concentrate fully on their research in later years. The assignment of graduate students as teaching assistants in specific courses is made by the DGS of the Ecology Program, in consultation with the DGS in departments with faculty members participating in the Program. Except in unusual circumstances, students will be assigned to assist in introductory courses, so that they can derive the maximum benefit of the breadth of knowledge gained to the remainder of their graduate studies. ANNUAL EVALUATION OF STUDENT PROGRESS Prior to October 15 of each year, each graduate student in the third or later years of study will be required to present to the dissertation committee a written report on the progress during the previous year, and on any difficulties encountered. Before the end of the final exam period in December, the advisor will convene a meeting of the committee to discuss the progress report with the student. By January 31, the advisor must send a letter to the DGS summarizing the discussion in the meeting, providing the committee's evaluation of the student's progress, and recommending whether the student should receive continued support. This letter will be forwarded to the DGS of the Department/Division of the student’s advisor, since that unit is normally responsible for continued support beyond the second year. All faculty members not on the student's committee will also be invited to submit to the DGS any written commentary on the student's performance (e.g. as a student or teaching assistant in a course taught by that faculty member). |