Department of Individual and Family Studies

College of Human Services, Education, and Public Policy

University of Delaware

Handbook

For

Graduate Programs

in

Human Development and Family Studies

Master of Science

Doctor of Philosophy

2005

Using the skills and knowledge of an interdisciplinary and applied faculty, the IFS graduate programs take a systemic focus examining relationships within families, between the family and its context, and various service systems that affect individuals and families throughout their lives.

IFS Graduate Programs

in

Human Development and Family Studies

The Department of Individual and Family Studies offers programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. All IFS graduate programs offer a strong interdisciplinary background in human development and family studies with an emphasis on relationships in a changing society. All programs provide background in family systems and the relationship of the family and its members to other systems across the life course.

At the Master’s level students choose one of three concentrations. Students who want to focus on research and evaluation in applied human development and family services as well as those who want to continue on into a doctoral level program would enroll in the Family and Human Development Research concentration. This concentration requires the completion of a thesis or theoretical paper. Students who seek a more professional concentration can specialize in either Applied Family and Community Studies, Early Childhood Development and Inclusive Education or Risk and Disabilities.

Course work in the Applied Family and Community Studies area is designed to increase leadership skills, understanding of program and evaluation research, and an understanding of the relationship of the service system to the family. Students in the Early Childhood Development and Inclusive Education concentration focus on the context of early childhood examining the relationship of children to their family, peers, teachers, and learning environments. This concentration is designed for early childhood teachers in the field who wish to increase their expertise as well as individuals who have studied in other areas and now wish to become teachers of children birth to 5 years in inclusive classrooms. Most students with this professional emphasis complete a portfolio as their final scholarly product. However, students planning to continue their graduate studies are encouraged to complete a thesis. Coursework in the Risk and Disabilities concentration is designed to prepare professionals to serve individuals with disabilities or at risk for disabilities across the life span. This concentration will allow for masters level students to specialize in the services needed to support individuals and families with disabilities; to manage those services; and to evaluate those services.

The doctoral program in Human Development and Family Studies is designed to prepare scholars for positions as researchers, professors, or leaders in human service fields. This program has a strong emphasis on understanding theory and research as it relates to individuals and their families. The Ph.D. requires a research based dissertation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………….6

Faculty……………………………………………………………………………………………….7

A. GETTING STARTED...................................................................................... 11

First Steps.................................................................................................... 11

Pre- Registration and Registration.................................................................. 11 Course Selection……………………………………………………………………….............. 11

Selecting an Advisor…………………………………………………………………….12

Financial Support………………………………………………………………………..12

B. PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM OF STUDY............................ 13

Course Requirements: M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies........ 13

Course and Residency Requirements: Ph.D. in Human Development

and Family Studies

Time Limits for Completion of M.S. and Ph.D.................................................. 15

Leave of Absence………………………………………………………………………..16

Transfer from the Master’s to the Ph.D. Program............................................. 16

Formation of Committees.............................................................................. 16

Master's Committee.......................................................................... 17

Doctoral Committee.......................................................................... 17

Teaching Requirements................................................................................ 17

Annual Review of Graduate Student Progress................................................ 18

C. COMPLETION OF MASTER'S THESIS, THEORETICAL

PAPER, FIELD PLACEMENT WITH PROJECT, OR PORTFOLIO

AND DOCTORAL DISSERTATION ................................................................. 18

Culminating Experiences............................................................................... 18

Developing the Proposal.............................................................................. 19

Proposal Approval........................................................................................ 19

Human Subjects Approval……………………………………............................... 20

Completing the Research.............................................................................. 20

Submitting the Approved Master’s Written Product/Doctoral Dissertation………...21

D. DOCTORAL CANDIDACY.............................................................................. 21

University Requirements for Candidacy.......................................................... 21

Department Requirements for Candidacy....................................................... 23

Special Registration Prior to Candidacy......................................................... 24

Admission to Candidacy............................................................................... 24

Dissertation Defense…………………………………………………………………….25

Submitting the Approved Doctoral Dissertation………………………………………26

E. Completing Final Requirements..................................................................... 26

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the graduate program in the Department of Individual and Family Studies at the University of Delaware. You are about to begin challenging and exciting work in the field of Human Development and Family Studies. This handbook is intended to assist you in the procedures to be followed as you progress in your graduate program. This handbook does not replace the official University of Delaware Graduate Catalog. It will be useful for you to retain a copy of the University of Delaware Graduate Catalog of the year of your admission, and this handbook as together they provide the operational guidelines for your study at the University of Delaware. Different forms that you will need can be obtained from the Department Graduate Secretary or you can download them from the Department web site at http://www.udel.edu/ifst/students/. Your suggestions about the handbook and the graduate program are always welcomed. If you have questions or concerns, you may contact your advisor and/or:

Dr. Penny L. Deiner Dr. Martha J. Buell Tamara L. Salzbrenner Tina M. Fontana

Chairperson Graduate Coordinator Assistant to the Chair Graduate Secretary

111B Alison West 316 Alison South 111 Alison West 112 Alison West

302/831-2969 302/831-6032 302/831-1011 302/831-6932

pennyd@udel.edu mjbuell@udel.edu tsalz@udel.edu tfontana@udel.edu

Dr. John B. Bishop Students taking College Counseling or Student

Associate Vice President for Counseling Affairs Practice and Higher Education should

And Student Life contact Dr. Bishop’s office for their graduate

287 Perkins Student Center handbook.

302/831-8107

john.bishop@udel.edu

Some additional departmental information that you may need:

The fax number for the Department of Individual and Family Studies is (302) 831-8776.

Graduate Assistants are housed in 4 different locations in Alison South and Alison West. The office locations and phone numbers are:

113 Alison West- (302) 831-6764

209 Alison South - (302) 831-3386 – Graduate Lounge

308 Alison South- (302) 831-6729

313 Alison South - (302) 831-2055

319 Alison South - (302) 831-3387

326 Alison South - (302) 831-3486 – Graduate Student Commons

Faculty

Penny L. Deiner, Ph.D. (Penn State), Professor and Chair, Family resilience and violence, children with special needs and their families, inclusive early childhood education, infancy.

Aparna Bagdi, Ph.D. (Syracuse University), Assistant Professor, Cultural diversity, early childhood, stress.

John B. Bishop, Ph.D. (Ohio University), Professor and Associate Vice President for Counseling and Student Life. Counseling, adolescent development, administration in higher education.

Martha J. Buell, Ph.D. (North Carolina-Greensboro), Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator. Early childhood classroom quality; early childhood teacher professional development; and emergent literacy.

Nancy J. Edwards, M.Ed. (Temple), Clinical Faculty/ Instructor, National Board Certified Teacher. University of Delaware Laboratory Preschool. Math and science education.

Alice P. Eyman, M.A. (Columbia), Assistant Professor; Director, University of Delaware

Laboratory Preschool and Student Teaching Coordinator. Professional development; laboratory schools.

Michael Ferrari, Ph.D. (Rutgers), Associate Professor, (Joint appointment, Psychology). Families and neurodevelopmental disorders, brain injury, dementia research, rehabilitation.

Ruth E. Fleury, Ph.D. (Michigan State). Assistant Professor, Community responses to violence against women.

Norma Gaines-Hanks, Ed.D. (University of Delaware), Clinical Faculty/Assistant Professor.

Working with diverse populations, parental satisfaction with schools, mentorship, and cultural diversity.

Michael Gamel-McCormick, Ph.D. (Virginia Commonwealth), Associate Professor, Director of Center for Disabilities Studies. Early childhood development and education, intervention with special needs populations, program evaluation, qualitative analyses.

Judith A. Greene, Ed.D. (Temple), Assistant Professor, Policy Scientist. Conflict management, intercultural communication, community integration.

Myae Han, Ph.D. (Arizona State), Assistant Professor, Early childhood education, reading education, early literacy.

Dene G. Klinzing, Ph.D. (Penn State), Professor. Hospitalized children, child development,

parenting, medical communication.

Laura Morris, M.Ed. (Wilmington College), Clinical Faculty/Instructor. University of Delaware Laboratory

Preschool. Literacy and behavior management.

Christine M. Ohannessian, Ph.D. (Penn State), Assistant Professor. Adolescent development, adolescent problem behaviors, developmental psychopathology, children of alcoholics.

Robin J. Palkovitz, Ph.D. (Rutgers), Professor. Father-child relations across the life-span,

parental development, life-span development.

Cynthia Paris, Ph.D. (University of Pennsylvania), Assistant Professor. Early childhood education, assessment, supervision, mentoring.

Barbara H. Settles, Ph.D. (Ohio State), Professor. Cost and quality issues in family care, family theory,

family life education, family futures.

Bahira Sherif, Ph.D. (Penn), Associate Professor. Culturally diverse families, gender issues,

intergenerational relationships.

Tara M. Sutton, M.S. (University of Delaware), Clinical/Faculty Instructor. University of Delaware Laboratory Preschool. Early childhood education.

Donald G. Unger, Ph.D. (South Carolina), Professor. Social support and family coping, child and family intervention, teenage pregnancy, prevention and empowerment with families.

John Vacca, Ph.D. (Penn State), Assistant Professor. Early Intervention and School Psychology.

Julie Mapes Wilgen, Ph.D. (Texas Tech), Clinical Faculty/Assistant Professor, Human Sexuality.

Lynn Worden, Ph.D. (University of Delaware), Clinical/Faculty Instructor. Parenting, stress and coping in

children; death education.

Secondary Faculty Appointments

Charles L. Beale, Ed.D. (College of William and Mary), Assistant Professor, Associate Director, Center for Counseling and Student Development.

Sally Bould, Ph.D. (Berkeley), Professor, Sociology (Joint appointment), Social stratification, and economic work.

Timothy F. Brooks, Ed.D. (Oregon State University), Assistant Professor, Retired Dean of Students

John P. Brunelle, Ph.D. (Virginia Commonwealth University), Assistant Professor; Psychologist, Center for Counseling and Student Development

Karen A. Curtis, Ph.D. (Temple), Associate Professor, Urban Affairs & Public Policy (Joint appointment). Non-profit leadership in voluntary sector, applied research and public policy analysis.

Mark C. Fleming, Ph.D. (Penn State), Assistant Professor, Psychologist, Center for Counseling and Student Development.

Merris A. Hollingsworth, Ph.D. (University of Maryland), Assistant Professor, Psychologist, Center for Counseling and Student Development.

Patricia T. Nelson, Ed.D. (Columbia), Family and Child Development Specialist, Food and Resource Economics and Associate Professor (Joint appointment). Family stress, family concerns, parenting.

Marilyn S. Prime, ED.D. (University of Delaware), Assistant Professor, Director; Student Centers

Richard S. Sharf, Ph.D. (University of Iowa), Associate Professor, Senior Psychologist, Center for Counseling and Student Development.

Karen Y. Tsukada, Ph.D. (Ohio State University), Assistant Professor; Center for Counseling and Student Development.

CENTER FOR DISABILITIES STUDIES - FACULTY AND STAFF

Gamel-McCormick, Michael, Director, Professor, Individual & Family Studies

Adams, Jennifer, M.ED., Project Create Coordinator

Amsden, Deborah, IRMC Coordinator

Baker, Ada, Child/Family Spec. NDEHS

Beck, Heidi, M.S., NDEHS Program Manager

Bernstein, Mark, Training Coordinator

Boyer, Deborah, Project Manager, PBS

Brooks, Timothy, Family Support

Buell, Martha, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Individual & Family Studies

Cavalier, Albert, Affiliated Faculty

Chandler, Alison, Secretary, DAPA

Cohen, Rita Yopp, Discipline Coordinator (Psychology)

Crossen, Shaunna, Co-Director, DAPA

Davidson, Jeffrey, Discipline Coordinator (Social Work)

Denson, Carol, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Consumer Studies

Eisenman, Laura, Director, Transition Partnership Program

El-Williams, F. Renee, Child & Family Spec., NDEHS

Ellis, Theda M., Associate Director

Gallagher, Jackie, Co-Project Directior – Transition Partnership Project

Green, Judy, Training Coordinator

Grice, Norma, Secretary, NDEHS

Harbaugh, Robin, Senior Accountant, NDEHS

Hardy, Rebecca, B.A., Adiminstrative Coordinator

Harper, Vanessa, Program Specialist, Family Support

Hearn, Sarah, Research Associate, PBS

Knights, Michelle, Family Service Coordinator, NDEHS

Koch, Deborah, Secretary

Medearis, Carolyn, Child & Family Specialist, NDEHS

Mejia, Teresita, B.S., Evaluator

Merrill, Diane, Co-Project Director – Transition Partnership Project

Miller, Allison, M.Ed., NDEHS Child Family Specialist

Minke, Kathleen, Affiliated Faculty

Salt, James, Limited Term Researcher

Seaman, Kenneth, Discipline Coordinator (Physical Therapy)

Selekman, Janice, Discipline Coordinator (Nursing)

Smith, Jack L., Discipline Coordinator (Nutrition)

Stapleford, Beverly, B.S. Lead Training Coordinator

Summers, Amy B.S., Lead Training Coordinator

Thomas, Mary, Secretary

Tressell, Patricia, M.A., Research Associate III

Unger, Donald, Ph.D., Professor, Individual & Family Studies

Vacca, John, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Individual & Family Studies

Vela, Lidia, B.S., NDEHS Child Family Specialist

Warren, Janine, Trainer, DAPA

CENTER FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND SERVICE – FACULTY AND STAFF

Cooksy, Leslie, Ph.D., Director and Associate Professor, School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy

Andrews, Christina, MA, Training Coordinator, Public Allies-Delaware

Auger, Deborah, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Policy Scientist, School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy

Barlow, Janice, M.P.A., Assistant to the Director

Brown, Gweneth, Ed.D. Coordinator

Camasso, Anne, Ph.D., Coordinator, Nonprofit Community Resource Center

Carroll, Patrick, M.Ed., Director, Public Allies-Delaware

Curtis, Karen, Ph.D., Policy Scientist & Associate Professor, School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy and Individual & Family Studies

Garrett, Christina, B.A., Training Coordinator, Public Allies-Delaware

Jabbar-Bey, Raheemah, M.A., Policy Specialist II & Instructor, School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy

Leland, Pamela, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy, Director, Nonprofit Community Resource Center

Peuquet, Steven, Ph.D., Policy Scientist & Assistant Professor, School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy

Ross, Crystal, Senior Secretary

Schooley, Teresa, B.S., Assistant Policy Scientist & Director, Kids Count Delaware

Tilghman, Tanya, Staff Assistant, Urban Affairs Association

Ware, Leland, J.D., Redding Professor, School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy and Policy Fellow, CCDFP

Wilcoxon, Signe, M.P.A, Communications and Special Projects Coordinator

Yanich, Danilo, Ph.D., Senior Policy Scientist & Associate Professor, School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy

CENTER FOR COUNSELING AND STUDENT DEVELOPMENT - FACULTY AND STAFF

Bishop, John B., Ph.D., Professor, Assistant Vice President/Director

Beale, Charles L., Ed.D. Associate Director

Cohen, Deborah, Ph.D., Psychologist I

Lacour, Mary Anne M., Ph.D., Senior Psychologist

Lewis, Jonathan D., Ph.D., Senior Psychologist

Sharf, Richard S., Ph.D., Senior Psychologist

Spinelli, Robert N., M.D. Psychiatrist

A. Getting Started

Graduate Student Orientation

The Graduate Student Orientation is a meeting that takes place the day before classes officially begin during the fall semester. This orientation provides the opportunity for new students to meet the current graduate students, faculty, and staff and to learn more about the graduate program, the Graduate Student Association (GSA), where graduate students are housed in Alison Hall and, if they have an assistantship, to spend a little time getting to know the faculty member with whom they will be working. It also provides the opportunity to address last minute items related to registration for courses, parking, and other problems.

First Steps

Pre-registration and registration

Course registration forms are available in the Student Services Building. Graduate students are expected to enroll for courses during the designated enrollment period. As a service to our students in enrolling in IFST courses, the Graduate Secretary may register students during designated time periods.

Students may also register or change their registration through UDPHONE Drop/Add. The Drop/Add period for registration is usually during the first two weeks of each semester. Graduate students new to the University may register during this period. Special permission can be sought from the Office of Graduate Studies to waive the late registration fee.

The Department makes every effort to regularly offer courses required for graduate degree programs. However, students need to be aware that courses are not necessarily offered every year, or even every two years. Course offerings are largely driven by enrollment demands as they match with faculty availability. The University has established policies that dictate minimum enrollments for graduate courses, and they strongly urge departments to cancel projected offerings with low pre-registration numbers. Therefore, to assist in planning, it is essential that students pre-register for courses to help prevent needed courses from being canceled because of low enrollment projections.

Course Selections

Students should feel free to contact course instructors, the Graduate Coordinator, and/or their advisors when selecting courses. Syllabi for all IFS courses are on file in the department office (112 Alison West) and many are on the web. You are welcome to review them. Graduate credit may be earned for courses numbered 600-699, 800-899 and 900-998.

Often students have questions concerning the appropriateness of specific methodology and statistics courses for their degree program. This is particularly true for courses offered by other departments. A listing, entitled “Guide to Graduate Research Courses & Statistics,” is available in the graduate secretary’s office. This listing has course descriptions for graduate-level methodology and statistics courses as well as past syllabi from a majority of the courses. Please consult this resource when selecting courses. Additionally, talk with other students and confirm who is teaching the course during the semester you plan to take the course.

Selecting an Advisor

The graduate coordinator will often serve as the temporary advisor to new graduate students during their first semester. During the Fall there will be several roundtable lunches where one faculty member will be at a table with 3 to 4 graduate students. The faculty member will talk about his/her research and the students will have the opportunity to ask questions and meet the faculty on an informal basis. Each new student will be given a list of faculty members who have expressed an interest in working with him/her or have a similar area of interest. Students are encouraged to talk with these faculty as well as those who have identified themselves.

There will also be a meeting with all new graduate students and current graduate students who have not filled their committees. The meeting will address choosing a committee and a chair and will deal with goal setting and program planning. After this meeting, and before the end of the semester, students are expected to identify a faculty member to serve as chair of their academic advisory committee as well as two additional members who they would like to have serve on their committee. Because these positions impact faculty workload these request must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator and the Department Chair. To initiate this process fill out a Request for Chair and Committee Form obtained from the web or the Graduate Secretary.

Although it is expected that these choices will be approved and will meet the needs of the students and faculty this is not always true. Over time students my find that their area of interest has changed or that they have become involved in a research project that they can use for their research or any number of other reasons. It is possible to change both the chair of a committee and any member of a committee. To initiate this process, a Graduate Student Change of Advisor/Faculty Committee Form needs to be completed and submitted to the Graduate Coordinator and Department Chair.

Financial Support

The Department of Individual and Family Studies offers every type of financial support available through the University. For a complete listing of financial assistance opportunities, consult the current University of Delaware Graduate Catalog. Most commonly, Teaching Assistantships (TAs), Research Assistantships (RAs), and Fellowships (FE) are available on a competitive basis. In either January or February the IFS Graduate Coordinator will send a letter to each active graduate student in the program detailing procedures for application for financial assistance for the coming academic year.

The Department aims to support students financially through the completion of their degree provided they remain in good academic standing and are progressing in a timely fashion. Students on funding must be enrolled full-time. This is defined as 9 graduate credit hours per semester (see CHEP graduate funding policy).

B. PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM OF STUDY

All programs in Individual and Family Studies require courses in research methods and all require a final scholarly product, a field project, theoretical paper, portfolio or thesis/dissertation.

Early in a student’s graduate school career, he/she needs to plan a program of study that meets all the requirements to graduate in a timely fashion. Each student should meet with his/her advisor and committee at the end of the first semester of course work or after the completion of 9 credits to begin M.S./Ph.D. goal planning for the remaining semesters. There are several worksheets designed to guide the process. These are described in the section about the annual review. This process helps students meet specific requirements in communications, teaching, and research/statistics as well as core and elective course requirements. The worksheet is a useful way to identify individual goals, strategies for meeting those goals, and a projected time line. It also provides information to the faculty on courses that students wish to take. Graduate programs are more than a collection of courses. Graduate students have goals that are beyond the completion of course work. They may involve field projects, study abroad, or competencies in technology or teaching in higher education that students and faculty feel are part of their graduate education.

Requirements for the Degrees

M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies

The M.S. program in Human Development and Family Studies focuses on the relationship of the family and its members to other systems across the life span. The minimum total credits for the M.S. in Individual and Family Studies is 30. It provides concentrations in Early Childhood Development and Inclusive Education, Applied Family and Community Studies, Risk and Disabilities, and Family and Human Development Research. Requirements are listed below. Consult with your advisor on specialty courses. IFST 869 is the culminating experience for all M.S. degrees.

Human Development and Family Studies (M.S.) 30 Credits

All concentrations require:

IFST 601 Theories of Human Development 3

IFST 615 Research Methods 3

IFST 621 Family Studies I: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives 3

Concentration in Early Childhood Development and Inclusive Education

IFST 637 Program Evaluation and Assessment 3

IFST Interest Electives in early childhood education* 12

IFST 869 Thesis or field experience with project/portfolio 6

Concentration in Applied Family and Community Studies

IFST 637 Program Evaluation and Assessment 3

IFST 642 Leadership in Human Services 3

600/800 level IFST course 3

600/800 level Policy and Community course 3

600/800 level Human Service Skills course

IFST 869 Thesis or field experience with project/portfolio 6

Concentration in Risk and Disabilities

IFST 637 Program Evaluation and Assessment 3

IFST 670 Family Risk and Resiliency 3

IFST 870 Families, Disabilities and Institutions 3

600/800 Disabilities/Human Services* 12

IFST 869 Thesis or Theoretical Paper 6

Concentration in Family and Human Development Research

EDUC 665 Elementary Statistics** 3

600/800 level Statistics course 3

600/800 level IFST course 3

600/800 level Interest Electives 6

IFST 869 Thesis or Theoretical Paper 6

TOTAL 30 credits

** Substitution for EDUC 665 needs approval from the Advisor.

* Courses must be focused on the delivery of services to individuals and disabilities or in risk situations

and/or their families. These services can include residential, employment, health and medical,

transportation, family support or other specific services.

Master’s program timelines:

1. During the first semester, the student chooses an advisor.

2. Completion of required course work. Including interest electives are chosen by the student in

consultation with the student’s Advisor and Committee.

3. A written proposal for the thesis, theoretical paper, field experience with project or portfolio that is

defended before the student’s committee. The committee consists of a student’s advisor and two

members of the IFS faculty. In addition, the student may choose a committee member from

outside the department. The committee for the culminating experience requires a minimum of (3)

IFS faculty.

4. Defense: A presentation and oral defense is required for all culminating experiences.

Student holding a graduate appointment during a semester must register for a minimum of 9 credits. Students who have completed all their credits but have not completed their culminating experience must register for UNIV 899 (Master’s Sustaining).

Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies

From an interdisciplinary perspective, the Ph.D. program in Human Development and Family Studies focuses on applied theory and research related to families and individuals from an interdisciplinary perspective. Emphasis is placed on issues relating to relationships among family members and the relationship of the family system to other systems in society. The Ph.D. in Family Studies requires a minimum of 72 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree or a minimum of 42 credits for students entering with a master’s degree. Core requirements are listed below. Consult with your advisor on specialty courses.

Human Development and Family Studies Ph.D. 42 credits

IFST 601 Theories of Human Development 3

IFST 803 Human Development in Life Span Perspective 3

IFST 815 Research Issues and Designs 3

EDUC 856 Introduction to Statistical Inference 3

EDUC 812 Regression Models in Education 3

600/800 level Qualitative or Quantitative Methods 3

IFST 621 Family Studies I: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives 3

IFST 855 Family Studies II: Analysis and Critical Issues 3

600/800 level Courses in Area of Emphasis* 9

IFST 969 Dissertation 9

TOTAL 42 credits

*The Area of Emphasis is selected in consultation with the student’s advisor and committee.

Ph.D. Program Timelines

1. During the first semester, a student chooses an academic advisor.

2. After completion of required course work, the student must pass a written and oral examination covering three areas of concentration: family studies, research methodology and statistics, and an area of emphasis as determined by the student and advisory committee. Failed exams may be retaken once but students must wait 6 months before a re-examination.

3. Residency Requirement: Students must meet the University requirement of one year in residence (one continuous academic year – 9 credit hours per semester, spring, fall or fall, spring).

4. The student must submit a written dissertation proposal that is defended before the student’s dissertation committee. The dissertation committee consists of a student’s advisor and at least two members of the IFS faculty. The committee must have no fewer than four (4) and no more than six (6) faculty members. The majority of the committee, including the chair must be within the IFS Department. A minimum of one (1) committee member must be from outside the IFS Department.

5. Dissertation and defense: Students must submit an original work of scholarship, meeting Department, University, and professional requirements, and successfully orally defend the dissertation.

If a student has registered for all course requirements in the IFST doctoral program but has not met all of the requirements for passing into candidacy, the student must maintain registration during the fall and spring semesters through further course work or three (3) to twelve (12) hours of credits in IFST 964, Precandidacy Study (graded pass/fail). If the student registered in 964 is admitted into candidacy before the end of the free drop/add period in the next semester, the registration in 964 from the preceding semester is permitted to be changed to Doctoral Dissertation, IFST 969. (See Section D: Preparation for Doctoral Candidacy).

Doctoral students must register for at least nine (9) credits of 969 following admission to candidacy. All 969 credits will be assigned grades of U (Unsatisfactory) or S (Satisfactory) while the research is in progress. When the Doctoral dissertation is complete, the faculty/advisor changes the U or S (from the first time enrolled) to a “pass” before a student is cleared for graduation.

Time Limits for Completion of M.S. and Ph.D.

Time limits for the completion of degree requirements begin with the date of matriculation and are specifically stated in the student’s letter of admission. The University policy for students entering a master’s degree program allows for ten consecutive semesters to complete the degree requirements. Students completing the requirements for the master’s degree who are subsequently granted permission to continue toward the doctoral degree are given an additional ten consecutive semesters.

Students entering the doctoral program with a master’s degree are given 10 consecutive semesters to complete the requirements. Students who change their degree plan and have transferred from one degree program to another degree program are given ten consecutive semesters from the beginning of the first year in the latest program.

Extension of these time limits may be granted for circumstances beyond the student’s control. Requests for time extensions must be made in writing and approved by the student’s chair and advisory committee, the department’s graduate committee and the graduate coordinator. The Graduate Coordinator forwards the request to the Office of Graduate Studies. The Office of Graduate Studies ultimately determines the student’s eligibility for a time extension and will notify the student in writing of its decision.

Leave of Absence

Continuous registration in the graduate program is required for all matriculated students. The only exception to this is if the student has obtained an official leave of absence. To request a leave of absence for medical or professional reasons, the student and his/her advisor should send a memo to the IFS Graduate Coordinator explaining the reason for the request and duration of the proposed leave. No forms exist for this process. After review of the IFS Graduate Committee, the request and committee recommendation are forwarded to the University Office of Graduate Studies by the Graduate Coordinator. (Please see further details in the University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog).

Transfer from the Master’s to the Ph.D. Program

Students matriculated in the IFS Master’s program who wish to continue their graduate education in the IFS Doctoral program must submit a full application to the Office of Graduate Studies and pay the required fees. Deadlines for application are the same as those for newly entering students. Students should coordinate the application process with the Graduate Coordinator.

Graduate Committees

The chair and the majority of a student’s committee members must be members of the IFS faculty. This committee should be in place by the time the student has completed one full semester or 9 credits. A faculty member at the University of Delaware may remain chair of an existing committee after leaving employment at the University of Delaware. However, there must be a co-chair who is on the faculty in the Department of Individual and Family Studies at the University of Delaware.

In case of temporary absence (e.g. disability, sick leave, study abroad, sabbatical), of the chair of a student’s advisory or dissertation committee the chair of the committee and the department chair must designate a temporary advisor for the student.

Master’s Committee

A master’s student should consult with his/her advisor to choose two members of the IFS faculty in addition to the advisor to serve as his/her committee. This committee is also the student’s Master’s culminating experience committee unless the student and advisor decide otherwise based on the student’s interests. In addition, the student may choose a committee member from outside of the department. The thesis committee requires a minimum of three departmental faculty.

Doctoral Committee

A doctoral student should consult with his/her advisor to choose at least two members of the IFS faculty in addition to the advisor to form his/her committee.

The total doctoral committee must have no fewer than four (4) and no more than six (6) faculty members. The majority of the committee, including the chair, must be from within the IFS Department, at least 3 members. A minimum of one (1) committee member must be from outside of the Department.

Teaching Requirement

The IFS department requires all graduate students to have a documented, supervised teaching experience. This is a teaching experience that has had prior approval of the advisor and a documented level of competence. The level of competence can be documented through class evaluations, observation, videotaping and critiquing the experience, or through the TA evaluation form. All students are encouraged to participate in a variety of teaching experiences to document their professional development and to be competitive in the job market.

Master’s Student

Students at this level are expected to demonstrate competence in activities such as leading a discussion group or giving a guest lecture in a course. This experience is supervised and evaluated by a faculty mentor.

Doctoral Student

Doctoral students are required to demonstrate competence in an extended teaching experience. The requirement is individualized and should be designed in line with the student’s long-term goals. That is, students who expect to teach in academic settings might fulfill this requirement by teaching an undergraduate course with a faculty member as mentor. Others might find that a day long presentation (perhaps a pre- or post- conference training workshop) would be a more appropriate method for demonstrating this requirement.

Annual Review of Graduate Student Progress

Yearly reviews of students’ progress toward completion of the degree are held by IFS Department faculty usually in early February. The purpose of these reviews is to help graduate students progress toward their degree, to share information about students’ work, and to identify and assist with any problems. Students and faculty advisors will receive a letter from the graduate coordinator requesting that students provide their advisor information substantiating their progress. At the end of the fall semester or beginning of the spring semester students should plan for an extended meeting with their advisor to prepare the following planning forms and materials:

· M.S./Ph.D. Goals

· Graduate Planning Form

· Curriculum Vitae

After conferencing with their advisor students should complete the forms and return them, one copy to the

advisor and one to the graduate coordinator.

On the basis of this information, the student’s advisor makes a recommendation that the student either continue in good standing, be placed on probation, or be dropped from the program. These recommendations are governed by University Graduate Policies as described in the Graduate Catalog. In case of probation, the advisor will present a plan of intervention developed in cooperation with the faculty that includes frequent monitoring of the student’s progress toward correcting identified areas of concern. Faculty discuss and vote upon the advisor’s recommendation. Students are encouraged to contact their advisors for feedback. If the recommendation is for probation or termination a written report of the review will be placed in the student’s permanent file. A student can facilitate the review process by taking responsibility for periodically updating his/her advisor on degree-related and professional activities. Placing related materials in a student’s permanent file will also help ensure that adequate information will be available to write letters of recommendation for awards and assistantships as well as for letters of reference after the students’ graduation.

C. COMPLETION OF MASTER’S THESIS, THEORETICAL PAPER, FIELD PLACEMENT WITH

FIELD PLACEMENT WITH PROJECT, OR PORTFOLIO AND DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Graduate students in IFS complete formal scholarly work or research through the Master’s culminating experience (M.S.) and dissertation (Ph.D.). It is important to begin considering research interests early in the program so subsequent course work can reinforce that area of interest.

Culminating Experiences

M.S. Culminating Experiences

A Master’s student can choose to complete a research-based Master’s Thesis, a Theoretical Paper, a

Field Placement with Projects or a Portfolio. The department faculty considers each of these options to be

equally rigorous. Each requires the same committee structure, a formal written proposal, a significant

written product, and an oral defense. Students must provide convincing rationale to their Master’s

Committee for choosing the option selected. Specifically, they must demonstrate that the option selected

provides the optimal culminating experience for their degree program and their long term plans.

The M.S. Thesis reflects the ability to (1) conduct scholarly research and (2) report the results in a manner

appropriate for publication.

Theoretical Papers will include substantive literature review, synthesis, analysis, evaluation, and original

theorizing.

Final written products from each of these options will be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies

following the guidelines, procedures, and deadline dates appropriate for Theses.

Field placement with Project and Portfolios can be carried out at the student’s place of employment or in

other settings. However, if the project is conducted through the work place the student must submit

documentation that the project represents significant extension beyond the normal job description to

include new skills or responsibilities which are not part of the employment agreement. The final products

from the field placement or portfolio do not go to the Office of Graduate Studies. The student’s committee

will determine the final products. It may be a traditional written document, a portfolio, or other form of

documentation that the committee deems appropriate. A final copy of the product should be given to the

Graduate Secretary to become part of the Individual and Family Studies collection.

Developing the Proposal

The required courses in research methods and statistics are designed to prepare students for developing research proposals. It is important to complete these courses before writing the proposal.

A proposal for the Master’s culminating experience must be approved by the student’s committee before the formal research is begun. It is appropriate to register for 1-3 credits of IFST 669, 868 or 869 as the proposal is being developed.

Approval of the proposal for the M.S. culminating experience includes:

1. Scheduling a formal meeting, by the student and advisor, for the student’s Committee to

review and discuss the proposal.

2. Submission of the written proposal to the Committee members a minimum of one

week before the proposed meeting.

3. Holding a formal meeting to discuss and consider approval of the proposal, with or without

changes. The Master’s Degree Proposal Approval Form is completed and signed by the

Committee members.

The process for approval of the dissertation proposal is covered under the section “Preparation for Doctoral Candidacy.” When the Ph.D. dissertation proposal is approved, the Confirmation of Dissertation/Executive Paper Committee form is completed and signed. The form is then submitted by the student’s advisor to the IFS Graduate Coordinator for forwarding to the Office of Graduate Studies for signing and processing.

Human Subjects Approval

All projects involving contact with human subjects must be submitted to the Human Subjects Committee before beginning the project. Please refer to the current policies and procedures of this committee. These forms are available from the Graduate Secretary in Room 112 Alison West and on the Department web site at http://www.uel.edu/ifst

Completing the Research

Students should work closely with their committee throughout the project/research, using their expertise and advice. Collaborative efforts will benefit both faculty and graduate students.

The Thesis Manual, available in the campus bookstore, outlines the University’s requirements for development and completion of the thesis/dissertation. This is also available on-line through the website from the Office of Graduate Studies

The Oral Defense and Final Approval

Copies of the completed Master’s written product or should be submitted to the student’s committee members for review a minimum of one week before a formal, two-hour Oral Defense. This meeting is planned cooperatively by the student and advisor. By University policy, defenses are open and announced to the “public.” The student is responsible for posting notices of the time and place of the defense.

The final oral examination consists of a defense of the thesis, or written product and a test of the candidate’s mastery of the fields covered in the program. The final oral examination is conducted by the student’s advisory committee. At the end of the examination, the student is asked to step out of the room and the committee members are to express clearly their position in regard to the following:

a. Was there a satisfactory defense?

b. Did the student perform well in the examination?

c. Is the document acceptable as presented? If not, what changes are to be made?

The oral defense is evaluated on a pass/fail basis. In case of dissenting votes, the majority opinion rules.

The oral defense must be completed before the date established by the University for degree completion, and certification of a successful defense must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. If the degree candidate should fail to successfully defend his/her thesis, dissertation, or final written product, the candidate can appeal to the Department. A second defense can be granted, however the student must wait a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 12 months before attempting to defend a second and final time. Students must successfully defend by their second attempt. No further defenses can be scheduled beyond the second attempt. Upon approval of the Master’s written product by the student’s committee, the Oral Examination for Master’s Degree form is completed and signed.

Submitting the Approved Master’s Thesis

The M.S. written product must be approved and signed by (a) the Chairperson of the committee in charge of the candidate’s degree program, (b) the student’s committee, (c) the Chairperson of the Department, (d) the Dean of the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy, (e) the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies. Three approved, unbound copies of the thesis with two abstracts must be delivered by the student to the Office of Graduate Studies approximately six weeks prior to the degree conferral. Consult the official University Academic Calendar when nearing degree completion to be certain of due dates.

Responsibility for the scholarly and written quality of thesis rests with the student, advisor, and committee. Review of manuscripts at the Office of Graduate Studies level will consist of verifying that the documents have been prepared with the appropriate format as described in the Thesis and Dissertation Manual. This review is necessary in order to ensure that dissertations will be accepted by University Microfilms, and to ensure that all documents are complete and suitable for binding. Content and style reviews are the responsibility of the student and the committee, not of the Office of Graduate Studies.

The guidelines for preparing theses described in the Thesis and Dissertation Manual must be followed by students. Theses will not be accepted by the Office of Graduate Studies unless all signatures of appropriate advisors, committee members, chairs, and deans have been obtained (unless other arrangements have been agreed to by the Office of Graduate Studies in advance) and an Application for Advanced Degree form must be on file.

Master’s written products and dissertations will be reviewed thoroughly both within and outside the Department. Last minute changes may be necessary before the student is cleared for graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to make such changes in a timely manner. One bound copy of each

Master’s written product will be retained for inclusion in the IFS collection. It is customary for students to provide a copy of the final document to the Chairperson and members of the student’s advisory committee. These may be bound or unbound.

D. DOCTORAL CANDIDACY

University Requirements for Candidacy

University prerequisites for admission to Doctoral candidacy are:

a. Completion of the year of residency

b. Demonstration of the ability to carry out research

c. An approved program of study

d. Passing a departmental qualifying exam

e. Approval of a dissertation proposal

Completion of the Year of Residency

All doctoral students are required to take two contiguous semesters or a minimum of 9 credits each semester. The residency semesters can be initiated in the fall or spring, but do not include Winter or Summer sessions.

Demonstration of the Ability to Carry Out Research

Prior completion of a Master’s thesis is one indication of the ability to carry out research when coupled with the required courses in research methods and statistics. Students who are admitted to the program without a Master’s thesis may be required to meet a collateral research requirement. Although the content of the research is individualized, the expectation is that the student will complete a project which will provide adequate background for Ph.D. level research. The 6-credit collateral research requirement is in addition to the credits for the doctoral degree and must be met during the first year of the student’s program.

An Approved Program of Study

This Approved Program of Study is documented by the M.S./Ph.D. Program Goals and the Graduate Planning Form.

Passing a Departmental Qualifying (Candidacy) Exam

Doctoral comprehensive examinations (the IFS Candidacy Exam) are individually scheduled.

Scheduling the exam

Doctoral students, in consultation with their advisory chair and committee, will schedule Parts I, II, and III of their qualifying exams. Exams are expected to be scheduled so they fall within the official dates of the Fall and Spring semesters and take no more than 6 weeks from administration of the first exam until the final oral. Exams I and II must be completed within 6 working days. Feedback from the advisory committee chair will be given to the student within 5 working days of the completion of the second exam. Taking Part III is predicated upon passing Parts I and II. Part III must be completed within 15 working days, in some cases the required content of Part III may be influenced by performance on Parts I and II. The final oral is held within 5 working days (if Part III passes). Exceptions to these procedures must be cleared with the student’s chair and the graduate coordinator.

The Qualifying Examination

The qualifying exam is composed of three parts. Part I: Human Development and Family Studies; Part II: Research Methods and Statistics; Part III: Specialty exam individualized for each student. The exams themselves are designed to test the core concepts in the field of Individual and Family Studies. It is expected that students have a strong knowledge base in theory gleaned from courses such as IFST 601,IFST 803 and IFST 621, IFST 855 and the ability to not only explicate this knowledge, but to apply it to specific individual and family situations, events, and public policy with the appropriate research base and citations. Part II focuses on research methods and statistics and challenges students to explain and apply knowledge in this area including information gained from courses such as IFST 815, EDUC 856 and 812 as well as statistics. Additional expectations revolve around the interpretation, design and evaluation of research. Examinations for Parts I and II are closed book 4 hour examinations.

Part III is individualized for each student with his/her committee. However, the exact nature of Part III must be made known to the Graduate Coordinator when the exams are scheduled. The content and format of the examination is negotiated by the student and his/her committee, but must be a rigorous assessment of specialized knowledge. If taken as an examination it can be longer than 4 hours, open or closed book, or it can be a project that can be completed during the allotted time frame.

Instructions to be put on each exam when administered:

“Upon the completion of your examination, a copy of your answers will be maintained in your departmental file. You may have access to your response upon request and a copy will be available to you at the time of the oral examination. Please note that it is IFS policy that your answers are to be held in strict confidence and it is your professional and ethical responsibility to refrain from sharing your answers with other students.” Students are to sign a statement of understanding regarding this policy.

Consistent with the Qualifying Examination policies, students taking the exam, upon completion, will provide their advisor with a disk (or the written version if the exam is hand-written) containing the responses to the exam. The advisor will give the student a copy of the exam responses so the student can provide a list of full references. These references should be turned in within 24 hours of completing the exam.

Reading Committee

The student’s Chair and Advisory committee (excluding the outside member) will read and evaluate Parts I, II and III of the exams and make decisions on the final oral examination.

Retaking Exams

The student’s Chair provides the student with feedback on Parts I and II after the committee has met to evaluate them. If a student fails Part I and/or II, he/she may retake the failed exam(s) one time. A student must wait six months before retaking an exam. If successful upon re-examination Part III is then completed which may be either a pass or fail. The oral exam is scheduled only after Part III is passed. This may also be retaken one time if it’s failed.

Approval of Dissertation Proposal

The final requirement for admission to candidacy is having a formal written dissertation proposal approved by the student’s committee. A student has the option of substituting and expanding membership of his/her committee that will be most helpful in the research. A majority of the committee members must be from the IFS Department, and the committee must include at least one member from outside the IFS Department. If appropriate for the proposed research, the outside member may also be from outside the University of Delaware. After a student has presented copies of his/her proposal to all committee members for feedback, a formal committee meeting is held with the student present. Committee members must reach agreement on approval of the proposal and sign a Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Approval and the Recommendation for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree Forms. The committee may either sign the form at the proposal meeting or make additional suggestions for changes in the proposal. The student will make any changes required by the committee and have them approved before again seeking the signatures of all the committee members. It may not, however, be necessary to have another formal committee meeting.

Department Requirements for Candidacy

In addition to the University requirements outlined above, department prerequisites for admission to doctoral candidacy, as explicated earlier, include completion of core course credits and fulfillment of the teaching requirement.

Courses

Students are required to have taken their 28 non-elective credits as well as the required IFST credits before admission to candidacy. It is expected that most, if not all, of their remaining basic credits (600/800 level) will be completed.

Teaching Requirement

The IFS Department requires all doctoral students to have a documented, supervised teaching experience before admission to candidacy, as described in the Teaching Requirement. (See pages 17-18).

Special Registration Prior to Candidacy

Students preparing for doctoral candidacy can register for IFST 964, Pre-Candidacy Study, in the semester prior to achieving candidacy. If candidacy status is obtained prior to the Drop/Add date of the next semester, IFST 964 will convert to IFST 969, Doctoral Dissertation. For registration purposes, the candidate should sign up for IFST 964 or IFST 969, using the designated section number of the advisory committee chair.

Admission to Candidacy

After the University and Department requirements are met, the committee recommends the student for admission to doctoral candidacy. The following forms must be obtained from the IFS Graduate Secretary (112 Alison West): Admission to Doctoral Candidacy and Recommendation for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree. The student’s advisor needs to submit these forms and a Change of Classification Form for Graduate Students to the IFS Graduate Coordinator for processing. Assuming that all requirements have been met, these forms can be signed at the dissertation proposal meeting.

The Ph.D. Dissertation is expected to reflect the results of original and significant research. The expectation is that the dissertation will identify a significant issue to be studied and will demonstrate an appropriate level of conceptual, methodological and statistical competence.

Developing the Proposal

Among other reasons, the required courses in research methods and statistics are designed to prepare students for developing research proposals. It is important to complete these courses and others before writing the proposal.

A successful proposal for the Doctoral dissertation and full Human Subject’s approval must be obtained and approved by the student’s committee before formal research is begun. It is appropriate to register for 1-3 credits of IFST, 868, 869 or 969 as the proposal is being developed.

Approval of Dissertation Proposal

The final requirement for admission to candidacy is having a formal written dissertation proposal approved by the student’s committee. A student has the option of substituting and expanding membership of his/her committee that will be most helpful in the research. A majority of the committee members must be from within the IFS Department, and the committee must include at least one member from outside the IFS Department. If appropriate for the proposed research, the outside member may also be from outside the University. After a student has presented copies of his/her proposal to all committee members for feedback, a formal committee meeting is held with the student present.

Committee members must reach agreement on approval of the proposal and sign a Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Approval and the Recommendation for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree Form. The committee may either sign the form at the proposal meeting or make additional suggestions for changes in the proposal. The student will make any changes required by the committee and have them approved before again seeking the signatures of all the committee members. It may not, however, be necessary to have another formal committee meeting.

The major task of the doctoral candidate is to compile the research data necessary for the dissertation and what was approved by his/her committee proposal meeting.

Dissertation Defense

The final oral examination consists of a defense of the research and dissertation, and a test of the candidate’s mastery of the fields covered in the program. The final oral examination is conducted by the student’s advisory committee. The oral defense is evaluated on a pass/fail basis. In case of dissenting votes, the majority opinion rules.

The oral defense must be completed before the date established by the University for degree completion, and certification of a successful defense must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. If the degree candidate should fail to successfully defend his/ her dissertation, the candidate can appeal to the Department. A second defense can be granted, however the student must wait a minimum of 4 months and a maximum of 12 months before attempting to defend a second and final time. No further defenses can be scheduled beyond the second attempt. Upon approval of the dissertation by the student’s committee, the form Certification of Ph.D. Dissertation Defense is completed, signed and sent to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Guidelines for the Dissertation Oral Examination

1. The oral examination is scheduled in consultation with the committee, following the completion

of all course work and dissertation requirements.

2. The committee consists of the student’s committee. Members of the committee should be

given a copy of the dissertation at least one week (seven days) prior to the oral examination.

3. The oral examination is scheduled for at least 2 hours. It is rigorous and sufficiently challenging

to warrant the degree to be awarded.

4. The examination is primarily on the defense of the dissertation. Committee members assess the

student’s background in relevant course work. Everyone on the committee has an opportunity to

ask questions or pursue any specific point.

5. Discussion of editorial changes are held to a minimum; editorial changes and corrections are

passed on to the student and/or major professor on an individual basis.

6. At the end of the examination, the student is asked to step out of the room and the committee

members are to express clearly their position in regard to the following:

a. Was there a satisfactory defense?

b. Did the student perform well in the examination?

c. Is the document acceptable as presented? If not, what changes are to be made?

7. The formal vote on the student’s overall performance is recorded on the appropriate form and

any conditions prescribed by the committee are also recorded on the form at that time.

8. Copies of the oral examination form are distributed to the student, major professor, Department

Chair, Office of the Dean, College of Human Services, Education & Public Policy and the Office

of Graduate Studies.

Submitting the Approved Doctoral Dissertation

The dissertation must be approved and signed by the Chair of the committee in charge of the candidate’s degree program, student’s committee, the Chair of the Department, the Dean of the College of Human Services, Education & Public Policy, and the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies.

Three copies of the Ph.D. dissertation with an additional copy of a one-page abstract, approved by the

Chair of the student’s committee and by the Chair of the Department, must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies approximately eight weeks prior to the degree conferral (as established by the University). Please consult the official University Academic Calendar when nearing degree completion to be certain of due dates.

Responsibility for the scholarly and written quality of dissertations rests with the student, advisor, and committee. Review of manuscripts at the Office of Graduate Studies level will consist of verifying that the documents have been prepared with the appropriate format as described in the Thesis and Dissertation Manual. This review is necessary to ensure that dissertations will be acceptable by University Microfilms, and to ensure that all documents are complete and suitable for binding. Content and style reviews are the responsibility of the student and the committee, not the Office of Graduate Studies.

The guidelines for preparing dissertations as described in the Thesis and Dissertation Manual must be followed. Dissertations will not be accepted by the Office of Graduate Studies unless all signatures of appropriate advisors, committee members, Chairs and Deans have been obtained (unless other arrangements have been agreed to by the Office of Graduate Studies in advance) and an Application for Advanced Degree form is on file. For dissertations and other doctoral papers, additional requirements include the signed abstract approval page, extra abstract, University Microfilm form and the Survey of Earned Doctorates.

Dissertations will be reviewed thoroughly both within and outside the Department. Last minute changes may be necessary before the student is cleared for graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to make such changes in a timely manner.

One bound copy of each doctoral dissertation will be retained for inclusion on the IFS collection. It is customary for students to provide a copy of the final document to the Chairperson and members of the student’s advisory committee. These may be bound or unbound.

E. COMPLETING FINAL REQUIREMENTS

Degrees are conferred at the end of Summer, Fall and Spring semesters. Approximately three months before the student’s expected graduation date, an Application for Advanced Degree must be completed by the student and signed by the student’s advisor and the Department Chairperson. It is submitted by the student with the required fee at the Cashier’s Office in the Student Services Building.

Because the application form includes the student’s program of studies (courses counted toward the degree), it is essential that the student check for changes such as titling of Independent Study courses or transferring credit. Students should confirm that final grades for IFST-868 and IFST-969 have been changed from S or U to a letter grade or a “pass,” as appropriate, by the supervising faculty member and submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. (See Change of Grade form).

As previously noted, changes in the Master’s written product or Doctoral dissertation may be required by the Office of Graduate Studies before clearance for graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to make needed changes in a timely fashion.