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GRADUATE POLICY HANDBOOK Edited: September, 2011 |
Introduction
Program Overview
Requirements for
Admission
Financial Aid
Transfer of Credit
Advisement
Regulations Regarding
Graduate Status
Course Requirements for
the Master's Degree
Course Requirements for
the Doctoral Program
Instructional Education
for Teaching Assistants
Addendum
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The
Graduate Policy Handbook includes all policies and procedures pertinent to
the graduate program in the Department of Sociology and Criminal
Justice. The interpretation of these policies and procedures is the
responsibility of the Graduate Policy Committee. Petitions for waivers
of any requirements are the responsibility of, and must have the approval of,
the Graduate Policy Committee. Students
may appeal decisions of the GPC following this procedure: 1.
Petition the GPC for reconsideration by adding additional information that
the applicant feels may be significant. Students
who allege they have been aggrieved because of perceived discrimination on
the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, handicap or because a member of
the University community fails to follow published University or Departmental
procedure should utilize the Student Grievance Procedure stipulated by
University policy. Deletions
or modifications to the Graduate Policy Handbook become effective at the
beginning of the following academic year. Students are subject to rules
existing at the time of entrance into the program. Students
should also consult the Graduate Catalog of the University of Delaware for
University regulations regarding graduate degrees. This
version of the Graduate Handbook includes all revisions made since the
publication of the original in 1991. Important: The
Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice offers a Master of Arts and a
Doctor of Philosophy degree program in both Sociology and Criminology. The
primary focus of the program is the preparation of members of the next
generation of sociologists and criminologists by emphasizing systematic
training in theory and research methodology as well as teaching. These
advanced education degrees are intended for persons interested in careers in
academia, public service, or private enterprise. The Department has a large
number of full-time distinguished faculty from the disciplines of Sociology,
Philosophy, Law, Political Science, Criminology, History and Criminal
Justice. This allows students to work closely with faculty members while
preserving a reasonable breadth of interests. Thus, while both the Sociology
and Criminology degrees rely on strong theoretical and methodological
foundations, they also allow students to tailor a program that meets their
individual needs. II. REQUIREMENTS FOR
ADMISSION (International
Students See: http://www.udel.edu/ofs) All
admission and funding decisions are made by the Graduate Policy Committee
(GPC). Applicants are evaluated on several criteria: GRE scores, undergraduate/graduate
grade point average, letters of recommendation (three), and applicant's
statement of objectives. Applicants are also encouraged to submit a short
writing sample. The GPC may also consider a limited number of other factors,
includingchallenging social, economic, educational, cultural or other life
circumstances, , quality of undergraduate program, undergraduate major,
relevant work/field/research experience, publications and reports,
presentations, or other work demonstrating the ability to do graduate study
in the field. International students must submit TOEFL or IELTSscores .
Admission to the graduate program is selective and competitive based on the
number of well-qualified applicants and the limits of available faculty and
facilities. Those who meet minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed
admission, nor are those who fail to meet those requirements necessarily
precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths. Completed
applications are due February 1. We offer Fall admission only. A.
Procedures for Awarding Funding Financial
aid is available to graduate students in the form of teaching assistantships,
research assistantships, tuition scholarships, and University fellowships.
Assistantships and fellowships consist of tuition and a stipend for the
September-May academic year. Awards are competitive and merit-based. All
funding decisions are made in consultation with the Graduate Policy Committee,
the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Department Chair. Continuing
students without funding may petition the GPC tobe considered for future
funding. Letters of petition should be sent to the Chair of the GPC by the
end of the Fall semester in order to be considered for funding for the
following academic year. B.
Procedures for Assigning Assistantships Research
Assistantships: Appointments are made in consultation with the faculty member
conducting the research, the Director of Graduate Studies and the Department
Chair. Faculty who anticipatefunding for a research assistantship for the
following academic year are encouraged to contact graduate students to inform
them of possible research assistantship opportunities and to identify
qualified students who wish to work on their projects. Research
assistantships on funded projects may be offered to students not currently
funded by the University or Department. Teaching
Assistantship: Appointments are made by the Director of Graduate Studies in
consultation with the Chair each semester. Faculty are required to submit a
request for a teaching assistant form for each semester they are seeking an
assistant specifying their expectations of the assistant(e.g., facilitation
of classroom discussion, preparation and grading of examinations). The
assignment of graduate students to faculty members should balance scholarly
interests and professional objectives of the student and the teaching and
research needs of the department. The Director of Graduate Studies may change
assignments as necessary and make additional assignments if new sources of
funding become available. C.
Responsibilities of Funded Students Assistantships
carry the expectation of twenty hours of work per week. University guidelines
stipulate that students holding assistantships are expected to give their
full-time attention to graduate study and their assigned assistantship work
during the fall and spring semesters. Students receiving University
fellowships are expected to devote their fulltime to graduate study and may
not engage in any remunerative employment while holding the fellowship.
Students holding tuition scholarships have no employment restrictions. All
students receiving financial aid must maintain a minimum grade point average
of 3.0. Students awarded assistantships must satisfactorily fulfillthe
requirements of their assignments. D.
Limits on Funding Typically,
eligibility for student funding is limited to 2 years of funding for students
with a B.A. to earn the M.A. degree, and 3 additional years for these
students to earn the Ph.D; for students entering with an M.A. degree,
eligibility in typical cases ends after 4 years of funding. The GPC may
recommend extending these time frames based on a student’s progress toward
his/her degree and individual circumstances. Funded
students are not required to apply for renewal of their financial aid.
Student funding is renewed as long as they remain in good standing in the
program. "Good standing" is defined as strong performance in
coursework, satisfactory fulfillment of their research/teaching assistantship
duties, and timely progress toward completion of the degree. The Director of
Graduate Studies is in charge of monitoring student progress, in consultation
with the Graduate Policy Committee. A
maximum of nine (9) hours of graduate credit may be transferred toward the
master's or Doctoral degree. Petitions
for graduate credit transfer may be submitted only after six (6) hours of
graduate work have been completed at the University of Delaware. All
petitions for transfer of graduate credit require the approval of the
Graduate Policy Committee. Only
credits earned with grades of B- or higher are transferable. All
students entering the program are assigned a Faculty Advisor and Graduate
Student Peer Mentor. Assignments attempt tomatch the academic interests of
students and faculty. The
academic advisor and student should plan and periodically review a plan of
study that fulfills departmental requirement and provides comprehensive
professional training. This plan of study should take account of students'
backgrounds and available departmental resources. Final
responsibility for course selection and the meeting of departmental
requirements resides with the student. VI. REGULATIONS
REGARDING GRADUATE STATUS A. Definition
of Full-time Status Students
holding teaching or research assistantships involving specific
responsibilities are required to register for a minimum of 6 graduate credits
per semester. Please note, however, that in order to make normal progress through
the program, it is typically necessary to take more than 6 credits per
semester. Students holding a fellowship or scholarship with no work
assignment are required to register for at least 9 credits of graduate level
courses per semester. Full
time status is defined as 9 hours for unfunded students. B. Normal
Progress and Time Limits for Completion of the Degrees Normal
Progress:Students
are expected to make continuing progress toward the completion of their
graduate education. In order to assess their progress and professional
development, each graduate student is required to submit a self-evaluation to
the Director of Graduate Studies by April 15. The self-evaluation should
cover the student's activities involving completion of required course work,
area examinations, thesis or dissertation progress, professional engagement
(publications, conference presentations, involvement in external funding
activities, and participation in research projects other than the thesis or
dissertation), teaching, and other relevant items. In addition, a letter from
one faculty member of the student's choice should be submitted. Under
ordinary circumstances we define "normal progress" in the following
ways: Full-time
students entering the master's program are expected to complete their
master's degree by the end of their second year in the program. Students
continuing into the doctoral program are expected to complete the doctorate
by the end of their fifth year in the program. Full-time
students entering the Ph.D. program with a master's degree from another
program or university are expected to complete the doctorate by the end of
their fourth year in the program. Time
Limits:
The statutes of limitations adopted by the Office of Graduate and
Professional Education are as follows: For students entering into a master's
program, ten consecutive semesters (5 years). Students completing the
requirements for the master's degree who are subsequently granted admission
into the doctoral program are given an additional 10 consecutive semesters (5
years). Students entering the doctoral program with a master's degree are
given 10 consecutive semesters (5 years). Exceeding
these limits may result in dismissal from the program. Requests for
extensions must be made in writing by the student and approved by the
Graduate Policy Committee before they can be considered by the Office of
Graduate and Professional Education. C. Quality
of Graduate Work Consistent
with University regulations, a minimum "B" average (3.00) is
required for certification of readiness to take comprehensive examinations
and for conferral of a graduate degree. Students should consult the
University catalog for further information regarding graduate standing. VII. REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE MASTER'S DEGREE A.
Course Requirements All
students at the master’s level are required to take 30 hours of graduate
credit, at least 21 of which must be in the Department of Sociology and
Criminal Justice. Students
have twoM.A. options: Courses Required for M.A. in Sociology 1) M.A. in Sociology with
Thesis Option SOCI 605– Data Collection SOCI
612– Development of Sociological
Theory One course from the
following: SOCI 606– Qualitative Methodology OR SOCI 614– Advanced Data Analysis OR SOCI 625– Advanced
Social Statistics OR PSYC 867 –
Hierarchical Linear ModelingOR (another course approved by the department
methods comprehensive exam committee) 5 elective courses -
from at least two different substantive areas to assure breadth in
substantive areas of sociology. Substantive areas include: Race, Gender,
Collective Behavior/Disasters/Social Movements, Criminology, Law and Society,
Deviance, Theory, and Research Methods. SOCI 869
- M.A. Thesis (6 credits) cannot be taken pass/fail 2)
M.A. in Sociology with Master’s Examination Option If a
student chooses not to pursue a thesis, he/she can complete the M.A. in
Sociology with a Master’s Examination Option. However, this is for a terminal
M.A. only. SOCI 605- Data
Collection SOCI 612 - Development
of Sociological Theory SOCI 621 - Deviance
SOCI 606 - Qualitative
Methodology OR SOCI 625– Advanced
Social Statistics OR PSYC 867– Hierarchical
Linear ModelingOR (another course
approved by the department methods comprehensive exam committee) 7
elective courses - from at least two different substantive areas to assure
breadth in substantive areas of sociology. Substantive areas include: Race,
Gender, Collective Behavior/Disasters/Social Movements, Criminology, Law and
Society, Deviance, Theory, and Research Methods. Courses
Required for M.A. in Criminology 1) M.A. in Criminology
with Thesis Option SOCI 835 –Theoretical
Criminology I One course from the
following: SOCI 606 – Qualitative
Methodology OR PSYC 867 – Hierarchical
Linear ModelingOR (another course
approved by the department methods comprehensive exam committee) 4 elective courses (12
credits) from Group A and B with at least one course from each group:
SOCI 630 - Juvenile
Justice & Inequality Group B: Criminal Justice and Legal Systems SOCI 658 – Social
Science, Law, and the Legal Process SOCI 667 – When topic
is law or justice system SOCI 837 – Criminology
and Systems of Criminal Justice 6
thesis credits 2) M.A. in Criminology
with Master’s Examination Option If a student chooses
not to pursue a thesis, he/she cancomplete the M.A. in Criminology with a
Master’s Examination Option. However, this is for a terminal M.A. only.
One course from the
following: SOCI 606 – Qualitative
Methodology OR PSYC 867 –
Hierarchical Linear Modeling OR (another course
approved by the department methods comprehensive exam committee) SOCI 835 –Theoretical
Criminology I 6 elective courses (18
credits) from Group A and B with at least one course from each group:
SOCI 630 - Juvenile
Justice & Inequality Group B: Criminal Justice and Legal Systems SOCI 658 – Social
Science, Law, and the Legal Process SOCI 837 – Criminology
and Systems of Criminal Justice SOCI 667 – When topic
is law or justice system B.
Master’s Thesis The
thesis will be in the form of a scholarly journal article. With advice
of the thesis committee each student will select a journal most appropriate
to his/her area of interest, and write a paper of the type normally
considered by that journal. Each
thesis will adhere to a particular journal’s page limits, bibliographic
format, manner of data presentation, etc. Where appropriate, students
are encouraged to develop their thesis from research conducted for their
course work, or from faculty members’ data bases. [Adopted April 12, 1996].
Candidates
without a thesis committee may not accumulate more than three credits in SOCI
869. 1.
Thesis Proposal Procedures It
is the responsibility of the student to form an M.A. thesis committee
consisting of a Chairperson who is a member of the faculty of the department
of Sociology and Criminal Justice and two additional members (one of whom may
be from an outside department). Upon
obtaining the written consent of all potential members, the student notifies
the Graduate Policy Committee and the Director of Graduate Studies by memo of
the composition of the Thesis Committee. The
M.A. proposal defense is optional; the process for an M.A. proposal defense
follows that of the Ph.D. proposal defense (below).Upon subsequent approval
of the M.A. Thesis Proposal by the committee students provide one copy for
their file (approved and signed by all members of the committee). The
chair of the Thesis Committee shall notify the Graduate Policy Committee and
the Director of Graduate Studies and all members of the faculty by memo of
the existence of the signed proposal as well as the proposed thesis title. 2.
Oral Defense of the Master’s Thesis All
requirements for the Master’s degree must be completed prior to defending the
thesis. Any
faculty member of the department may attend and examine if desired, but the
right of voting is reserved to members of the thesis committee. A
majority vote of the committee is required for any action. The thesis and
oral defense will be evaluated as a combined effort. There are twopossible
outcomes: PassandFail. In the case of failure, the oral defense may be
repeated within one semester of the first attempt. It
is the responsibility of the Chairperson of the Thesis Committee to notify
the Director of Graduate Studies in writing of the outcome. Successful
candidates need to provide copies of the completed thesis to the Office of
Graduate and Professional Education, and one copy for the departmental
archives and one copy for the chair of the committee. Students should consult
with the Office of Graduate and Professional Education regarding regulation
for graduate theses. C.
Examination Option Candidates
for the Master’s degree must take the Master’s examination prior to
completion of their fourth semester in the program. Students considering
the examination option must notify the Director of Graduate Studies to
express the intent to take the examination the semester prior to taking the
exam. Examinations
are written, and a maximum of three hours per exam is allowed.
Successful completion of the Master’s examination requires passing the exam
in two areas. Upon completion of the written examinations, an oral
examination may be required at the option of the Area Examination Committee. Candidates
for the master’s degree are examined in: The
examination in theory will cover the course content of SOCI 612 and a reading
list provided by the area committee. The examination in methods will
cover the course content of SOCI 605, SOCI 614 or Method equivalents and a
reading list provided by the area committee. Standing area committees
are responsible for providing reading lists and constructing and evaluating
examinations. Reading lists are to be provided at least one semester
prior to the scheduled examinations. If
the candidate wishes to be examined in a specialized area for which there is
no standing committee, the student must obtain three faculty members willing
to serve as examiners in that area by providing reading lists and
constructing and evaluating exams. The
Graduate Policy Committee must review and approve the petition of the student
and inform the Director of Graduate Studies and the chairperson of the
department and the committee of the decision. Grading
- Possible outcomes are: Pass and Fail. It is the responsibility of the
Chairpersons of the examinations committees to notify the Director of
Graduate Studies in writing of the action taken by the examination
committee. Within one week of notification of the grade on the master’s
examination, students will receive a detailed evaluation in writing from the
chair of the examination committees. VIII. REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE DOCTORAL DEGREE A.
Admission to the Doctoral Program for students with an M.A. in
Sociology or Criminology from the University of Delaware. After
successfully defending an M.A. thesis or passing an M.A. examination, the student submits a dossier to the GPC.
The dossier includes: This
dossier should be submitted by the end of the semester in which the student
completes the M.A. degree. If this occurs during the summer, or during the
beginning of the semester in which admission to the Ph.D. program is being
requested, the GPC will consider the request as soon as possible during the
fall semester. The student may register for Ph.D. courses while awaiting a
decision on acceptance into the program. Normally,
the minimum GPA in all graduate course work should be a 3.5 but the Graduate
Policy Committee may evaluate the GPA in light of other criteria such as
course difficulty. Passage of the Master’s thesis is also required. The
application must be approved by the GPC. B.
Course Requirements
Regulations of the Office of Graduate and Professional Education require one
continuous academic year of full-time residency for the Ph.D. Ph.D.
in Sociology To
permit maximum flexibility for developing an individualized Ph.D. program,
there are no minimum course hour requirements. However, the following specific
coursesare required: SOCI 605 - Data
Collection and Analysis SOCI 614 - Data
Analysis SOCI 606 - Qualitative
Methodology SOCI 612 - Development of Sociological Theory SOCI 698 - Teaching
Social Science (1 credit)
One course from the
following: SOCI 625– Advanced
Social Statistics (Highly Recommended) OR PSYC 867 –
Hierarchical Linear ModelingOR (another course
approved by the department methods comprehensive exam committee) 4 elective courses (12
credits excluding independent studies) Comprehensive Exams in
two areas SOCI 969 -
Dissertation (9 credits) Ph.D.
in Criminology To
permit maximum flexibility for developing an individualized Ph.D. program,
there are no minimum course hour requirements. However, the following
specific courses are required: SOCI 605 - Data
Collection and Analysis SOCI 614 - Data
Analysis SOCI 606 - Qualitative
Methodology SOCI 612 - Development
of Sociological Theory One course from the following: SOCI 625– Advanced
Social Statistics (Highly Recommended) OR PSYC 867 –
Hierarchical Linear ModelingOR (another course
approved by the department methods comprehensive exam committee) 4 elective courses
(excluding independent studies) from the courses listed in Parts A and B of
the M.A.; HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: SOCI 837 - Criminology and Systems of Criminal
Justice Comprehensive exam in
Criminology and one additional area, except Social Deviance SOCI 969 -
Dissertation (9 credits) C.
Ph.D. Comprehensive Exams Candidates
for the doctoral degree must be certified in two specialized areas. The
department currently offers specialization in the following areas: Collective
Behavior/Disaster Studies, Criminology, Deviance, Gender, Law and Society,
Methodology/Statistics, Race, and Theory. NOTE: Students in Criminology
may not select deviance as their second area. Students
are required to take at least one of their certified areas from the standing
areas offered by the department. If the candidate wishes to be
certified in a specialized area for which there is no standing area
committee, she or he may petition to do so after securing the agreement ofthree
(3) faculty members willing to serve as examiners in that area by providing
reading lists, constructing and evaluating examinations and other
certification requirements. The Graduate Policy Committee must review
and approve the petition of the student and inform the Director of Graduate
Studies and the Chairperson of the department of its decision. 1.
Administration of Comprehensive Exams Two
dates will be established for comprehensive examinations, one at the beginning
of the semester and one at the end of the semester. A given area exam, e.g.,
deviance, will be offered once per semester. The Director of Graduate
Studies, in consultation with the area committee chairs, is in charge of
scheduling. Comprehensive examinations will be administered to students in a
common room with a maximum 6-hour time allotment and proctored by a faculty
member. 2.
Area Committees Area
committees are responsible for preparing reading lists, overseeing the
respective curriculum in this area, and providing students with written
guidelines to aid them in the selection of courses and preparation for
examinations. Area committees are responsible for designing the
specific certification requirements for their particular area, preparing examination
questions, and reading and evaluating exams. Published
guidelines and reading lists are reviewed and revised as necessary, usually
on a regular cycle of every two (2) years. Members
of area committees and their chairs are appointed by the Chair of the
Department. Committees are composed of at least three (3) members of
the faculty, but committees may consult other members of the faculty with
competence in the area during the preparation of exams and reading lists. Chairs
of the committees are responsible for notifying students of their exam
results. Committee Chairs are also required to notify the Director of
graduate Studies of the results of examinations within one month of the exam.
3.
Scope of the Examinations Minimal
preparation for written examinations includes the review of reading lists
provided by area committees. However, reading lists are merely
guidelines and should not be considered as the sole basis for
examinations. Committees are responsible for clarification of the goals
of reading lists, with specific attention to the question of whether such
lists represent “minimal” or “exhaustive” definitions of the core literature.
For each area of certification the candidate is expected to be: up-to-date
with the literature in the field at the time of the exam, able to discuss the
most important controversies, issues and problems (in both theory and
methodology) that exist in the field, and capable of evaluating existing
theory and methodology and suggesting new direction of effort. 4.
Pre-requisites and Schedule of Examinations Students
are required to declare their intent to take a comprehensive examination, in
writing, within the first two weeks of the previous semester to the Director
of Graduate Studies who will notify the relevant Area Committee. The
Committee will schedule an interview with the student to explore his or her
level of preparedness. Students are expected to provide Committee
members with written documentation of their preparedness in that area prior
to the interview (e.g. courses taken, etc.) IMPORTANT: All Ph.D.
course requirements, including any outstanding incomplete grades, must be
completed before students are eligible to take Ph.D. examinations. Students
are required to take both comprehensive exams (and repeats thereof) in the
same semester, or in consecutive semesters. 5.
Grading The
outcome of examinations is determined by majority vote. There are four
possible outcomes: Pass with distinction, Pass, Conditional outcome, Fail. Conditional
Outcomes: Students receiving this grade are required to complete additional
work within two months of formal notification of the committee’s
decision. If the committee is satisfied with the quality of the work,
the student will receive a grade of Pass. If the committee is not
satisfied with the quality of the work, the student will receive a grade of
Fail. Within
one week of formal notification of the grade, students will receive a
detailed evaluation in writing from the chair of the area committee. Students
who fail a written exam, or any part thereof, may request a re-reading from
the original area examination committee. This request is to be
submitted within 20 days of the student receiving the detailed written
evaluation. 6.
Repeats of Examinations
Formal
Ph.D. candidacy follows the approval of the dissertation proposal. Procedures
for admission to Ph.D. candidacy are as specified by the Office of Graduate
and Professional Education. Admission to candidacy must be obtained before
the deadlines specified in the academic calendar. Responsibility for seeing
that admission is secured at the proper time rests with the student, but must
include the recommendation of the student’s dissertation committee and the
chairperson of the department. Students must complete and submit the required
form. E.
DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS 1.
Dissertation Committees It
is the responsibility of the student to form a four-person Ph.D. dissertation
committee, consisting of a chairperson, who must be a member of the
department, and three additional members, two from within the department and
one from an outside department. Faculty on joint appointments in the
Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice are considered to be inside
members of the department for the purposes of dissertation committees. After
obtaining the written agreement of all members of the committee, the student
must notify the Director of Graduate Studies. Subsequent changes in the
composition of the dissertation committee also require the approval of the
Graduate Policy Committee. Overlap in membership between the Graduate Policy
Committee and the dissertation committee does not require those involved to
disqualify themselves. Candidates
without an approved dissertation committee may not enroll for more than three
credits of dissertation research (SOCI 969). 2.
Dissertation Proposals Dissertation
proposals should be worked out with the advice of the dissertation committee.
It is strongly suggested that the committee meets with the student to discuss
the proposal. The student makes a copy of the proposal available to the
departmental faculty at least 10 business days in advance of the scheduled
dissertation proposal defense date. The
Committee Chair communicates final approval of the proposal tothe faculty and
the Director of Graduate Studies. A signed copy of the proposal is placed in
the student's permanent file. The
student is responsible for initiating the paperwork necessary for admission
to formal candidacy by the University Coordinator of Graduate Studies.
(Please consult the graduate catalog for specific time schedules). 3.
The Ph.D. Dissertation Students
are expected to prepare copies of the dissertation for the departmental
archives, the chair of the committee, and those required by the Office of
Graduate and Professional Education. 4.
Oral Defense of Dissertation An
oral defense of the dissertation is required. It is administered by the
dissertation committee.The dissertation Chairperson is responsible for
notifying the faculty 10 days prior to the scheduled examination and to see
that a copy of the dissertation is on file in the department office 10 days
prior to the scheduled defense. The oral defense is open to the public, though
the right of voting is reserved to the dissertation committee. All
other requirements for the degree must be completed before the oral defense
of dissertation can be scheduled. Grading
is limited to Pass or Fail, and a majority vote is required for any action.
It is the responsibility of the chairperson of the dissertation committee to
notify the Director of Graduate Studies of the decision of the dissertation
committee. IX. INSTRUCTIONAL
EDUCATION FOR TEACHING ASSISTANTS The
majority of graduate students in Sociology and Criminology are pursuing
Ph.D.’s in preparation for a career in higher education. Therefore, we
are committed to providing our students with a broad and systematic set of
instructional experiences as an integral part of their graduate education. This
will normally include the following elements: A.
CTE Conference: All
incoming students holding a teaching assistantship are required to
participate in the Annual Conference for Graduate Teaching Assistant
sponsored by the Center for Teaching Effectiveness. B.
Mentoring Experiences: All
faculty have accumulated a storehouse of knowledge and skills that they can
and should share with students as part of an “every faculty as mentor”
approach to the teaching enterprise. Therefore, faculty supervising TAs
are expected to offer students meaningful introductory instructional
experiences commensurate with students’ experience and ability.
Included among the suggested activities are preparing exams, handling review
sessions, developing a lecture or a seminar session. We envision a
process of planning, supervision and feedback for each of these activities. C.
Instruction in Teaching Techniques: All
Ph.D.students are required to enroll in a one-semester, one-credit Pass-Fail
course in teaching techniques(SOCI 698: Teaching Social Science). It
will focus on some of the central elements in course preparation and
instruction, vis., instructional philosophy, textbook evaluation, selection
of reading assignments, syllabus preparation, managing large and small
classes, developing lecture outlines and student evaluation techniques. D.
Individual Courses: Students
having participated in the courses on teaching and acted as a seminar leader
will earn the privilege of teaching their own sections. Students have
the responsibility of enlisting the cooperation of a faculty mentor of their
choice to provide advice and assist in assessing their effectiveness. A.
Independent Studies Independent
study courses are not required. Rather, they are designed to provide students
with the opportunity to take a course in an area or on a topic that is not
offered by the Department but which is crucial to their area(s) of
specialization. B.
Pre-candidacy Credits Pre-candidacy
credits are taken in preparation for the dissertation. They are taken after
all required coursework has been completed but when students have not yet
passed their comprehensive examinations and have not yet had their proposal
approved. Students may enroll for anywhere from 3 to 12 credits.
Pre-candidacy credits are not required. According to the Office of Graduate
and Professional Education, pre-candidacy credits no longer count toward the
degree after the completion of 12. If the student registered in Pre-Candidacy
is admitted to candidacy before the end of the free drop/add period of the
next semester, the registration in Pre-Candidacy Study (964) for the
preceding semester may be changed to Doctoral dissertation (SOC 969). Once a
student has passed his or her comprehensive examinations and has an approved proposal
on file, Pre-Candidacy credits can be used as Doctoral Dissertation credits
as described in the previous sentence. In order to do so, the student must
contact the Assistant Provost in the Office of Graduate and Professional
Education. While these are not independent studies, a student must enroll
using a faculty member's supervised study number. It is typical that a
student will enroll with the faculty member who will be chairing his or herdissertation.
C.
Dissertation Credits Once
a student has passed his or her comprehensive examinations and has an
approved proposal on file, he or she enrolls for 9 dissertation credits.
While these are not independent studies, a student must enroll using a
faculty member's supervised study number with the faculty member who is
chairing their dissertation. A student may enroll for all nine credits in one
semester. A student who wishes to enroll in 6 one semester and 3 in another
must augment those 3 dissertation credits with 3 more credits from another
source including: A course, an independent study, or 3 additional
dissertation credits in order to maintain full-time status. D.
Doctoral Sustaining Doctoral
sustaining is for students who are ABD. They will have passed their
comprehensive examinations, have an approved proposal on file, and have all 9
dissertation credits completed. Enrolling for doctoral sustaining implies
that a student is working full-time on his or her dissertation and confers
full-time status on that student. E.
Forms Below
is a list of the forms that students must complete as they progress through
the program. Copies
of the forms are available in the Sociology office and online. Important:
Students are responsible for the submission of all forms. Dates and deadlines
can be found on the Office of Graduate and Professional Education homepage
(udel.edu.gradoffice) under "UD STUDENTS." 1.
"Application for Advanced Degree" form. Submitted in the semester
you plan to graduate. Students completing the M.A. degree who intend to continue
in the Ph.D. program must fill out and attach the "Change of
Status" form. (To graduate as M.A. and as Ph.D.) 2.
“Supervisory Committee Notification” form. Submitted to Department when
members of the M.A. thesis committee of Ph.D. dissertation committee have
been formally selected and agreed to serve. 3.
"Confirmation of Dissertation Committee" form. Submitted to the
Office of Graduate and Professional Education after successful completion of
the comprehensive examinations when members of the defense committee have
been formally selected and agreed to serve. 4.
"Recommendation for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree" form. Submitted
after dissertation proposal has been approved. 5.
“Defense Notification” form. Submitted prior to a defense. 6.
"Ph.D. Defense Certification" form. Submitted after the defense. F. Resources Several
resources are available for students who seek help with academic and personal
needs, including: ·
Center for Counseling and Student Development ·
Office of Disability Support Services ·
LGBT Community Office ·
Center for Black Culture ·
Office of Equity and Inclusion ·
University Writing Center ·
Center for Teaching and Learning ·
Research Office ·
Office of Professional and Graduate Education Students
should also be aware of University policies on behavior, including academic
honesty, which can be found in the student guide to university policies. Note
that graduate students who supervise undergraduates through TA or RA
responsibilities may also be held to standards of the faculty handbook. |
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The Graduate Program in Sociology and Criminal
Justice