The collegewide doctor of philosophy degree in the College of Communication & Information Sciences is designed to:
- prepare communication scholars for positions of leadership in education, public service, the media, libraries, information-management positions, and other communication-related fields
- add to a student's usable body of knowledge in a chosen area of specialization within the field of communication and information sciences
- develop each student's research, teaching, and professional capabilities
- promote scholarly achievement and advancement of knowledge in the communication and information science disciplines, through basic and applied research
Representing four academic units of Advertising & Public Relations, Communication Studies, Journalism & Creative Media, and Library & Information Studies, C&IS offers a multidisciplinary doctoral program in communication and information sciences that enables students to either build an interdisciplinary plan of study or specialize in one of seven concentrations, in Advertising & Public Relations, Book & Publishing Studies, Health Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Media Processes & Effects, Rhetoric & Political Discourse, or Social Justice & Inclusion Advocacy. The interdisciplinary plan of study allows students to craft a curricular plan unique to their skills and interests while the concentrations provide students an opportunity to earn distinction through a prescribed suite of courses preparing them to contribute to the academe as distinguished scholars and teachers at a variety of institutions across the globe.
Students who take the interdisciplinary approach or select a concentration are encouraged to pursue their own research agendas in tandem with their coursework.
Admissions
Applicants to the doctoral program in communication and information sciences must meet the admission criteria of the Graduate School of The University of Alabama and those stated below.
Applicants may be considered for regular admission if they have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 overall, 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours in a degree program, or 3.0 for a completed graduate degree program. International applicants who are required to submit a English language test score (please see the admission section of this catalog) must score at least 90 on the TOEFL iBT language proficiency exam and also score at least 24 on the speaking and writing sections of the iBT exam. International applicants who prefer to submit IELTS test scores must score at least 7.0 and also score at least 7.5 on the speaking section and 6.5 on the writing section. International applicants who meet these criteria may also be invited to participate in a videoconference with the college application review committee.
Applicants may be considered for admission on a permission-to-continue basis if they do not meet the GPA criterion for regular admission.
In addition to the Graduate School requirements, applicants must:
- Provide a Statement of Purpose. Please consult our program guidelines for the Statement of Purpose, available on the program website.
- Provide a resume/CV
- Provide a Writing Sample. Please consult our program guidelines for the Writing Sample, available on the program website.
- Provide names and contact information, including an email address and phone number, for three academic references in the “Other Documents” section of the application. Actual letters of recommendation are required only if you would want to be considered for University-wide fellowship opportunities. Please note that if you put names in the “Letters of Recommendation” section of the application, those references will receive an automatic request to provide a letter in your behalf.
Admission without a Master’s Degree: The Expedited Admission Track
The Expedited Admission Track into the C&IS doctoral program allows highly qualified students to be admitted into the doctoral program after they complete an undergraduate degree. Such students must:
- Submit a statement of purpose (for the master’s and doctoral program) indicating interest and commitment to graduate work through the doctoral level
- Hold regular admission status for a specific College of Communication and Information Sciences master's program.
Students admitted on the expedited track are encouraged to apply to be awarded the master’s degree when they have completed the requirements for the master’s degree. Students admitted on the expedited track must complete the requirements for master’s degree to be awarded the Ph.D. degree. Students supported in graduate assistant positions must complete the requirements for the master’s degree in four contiguous regular semesters of enrollment to be eligible to hold a graduate assistant position in the fifth and subsequent semesters in the program.
See the Admission Criteria section of this catalog for more information.
Curricular Requirements
The student’s program advisory committee determines, in consultation with the student, the specific courses the student must take to satisfy program requirements. Students must complete 48 coursework hours and 18 hours of dissertation research.
| C&IS PhD Curriculum | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Core Foundation Requirement | 3 | |
| Foundations Doctoral Study CIS | ||
| Core Theory Requirement | 6 | |
| Mass Communication Theory | ||
| Cultural and Critical Theory | ||
| Knowledge & Information Theory | ||
| Theory Constructn Epistemolgy | ||
Advisor Approved Alternative Elective (up to 6 hours) | ||
| Core Resesarch Methods Requirement | 6 | |
| Quantitative Research Methods | ||
| Qualitative Research Methods | ||
| Humanistic Research Methods | ||
Advisor Approved Alternative Elective (up to 6 hours) | ||
| Concentration or Focused Area of Study 1 | 12-18 | |
Advertising and Public Relations Concentration | ||
Book and Publishing Studies Concentration | ||
Health Communication Concentration | ||
Interpersonal Communication Concentration | ||
Media Processes and Effects Concentration | ||
Rhetoric and Political Discourse Concentration | ||
Social Justice and Inclusion Advocacy Concentration | ||
Focused Area of Study - Advisor Approved | ||
| Cognate | 9-15 | |
Advisor Approved Courses | ||
| Electives 2 | 0-12 | |
| Dissertation | 18 | |
| Dissertation Research | ||
| Footnotes | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Students must select either a formal concentration or a focused area of study. |
| 2 | Students must reach a minimum of 48 course hours independent of dissertation research. |
Additional Academic Requirements
In addition to the credit hour and coursework requirements specified above, the following policies apply:
- A minimum of 36 hours of coursework, exclusive of dissertation research hours, must be completed after enrollment in the CIS doctoral program.
- If approved by the student's program advisory committee, up to 12 of the 48 hours exclusive of dissertation research hours required in the program may be hours of graduate coursework completed prior to enrollment in the program. Credits so approved must have been earned within a period of no more than six years prior to the semester of admission to the program. Please see the Transfer Credit section below for additional information.
- A minimum of 24 hours of coursework exclusive of dissertation research hours must be at the 600 level. The remainder of hours of approved graduate course credit must be at the 500 or 600 level. A maximum of six hours of 400- or 400/500-level credit may be transferred if completed as part of a master's degree program.
- Each student must complete a minimum of nine hours in 600 level courses in the College of Communication & Information Sciences exclusive of dissertation research hours, and exclusive of credit hours that satisfy the student's core program requirements. In other words, any course counted toward meeting the student's core program requirements cannot also be counted toward meeting the requirement that students complete a minimum of nine hours in 600 level courses in the College of Communication & Information Sciences exclusive of dissertation research hours.
- Students in one of the seven approved concentrations in the program cannot count a course required in their concentration as an alternate theory or alternate research methods course in satisfying their core theory or research methods requirements. In other words, a course that is to serve as an alternate theory or alternate research methods course cannot also be counted toward satisfying the requirements for the concentration.
- It is not permissible to complete more than one doctoral concentration. That is, the degree awarded to students who complete a concentration will list one and only one concentration. However, students are permitted and encouraged to consider electing additional courses for their programs of study from across all seven concentrations in the program.
Advertising and Public Relations Concentration
Students must select CIS 604 Mass Communication Theory in their program core and complete the following list of courses:
| Advertising & Public Relations | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 682 | Sem: Advertising + PR | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Health Communication Campaigns | ||
| Advanced Topics: Ad + PR | ||
| Media Strategy and Analytics | ||
| Media Relations | ||
| Reputation Comm Strategy | ||
| Brand Communication Strategy | ||
| APR Management | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Global Comm Management | ||
Advisor-approved course in Advertising & Public Relations | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Book and Publishing Studies Concentration
Students in the concentration must select CIS 605 Cultural and Critical Theory and CIS 609 Humanistic Research Methods in their program core and then select 15 hours of coursework from the following courses, with at least one course from each category (Physical Book, Theoretical Book, and Future Directions), and with at least 9 hours at the 600 level:
| The Physical Book | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| BA 520 | Elements of Letterpress | 3 |
| BA 530 | Elements of Bookbinding | 3 |
| BA 541 | Techniques of Hand Papermaking | 3 |
| The Theoretical Book | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| LS 555 | Intro Archival Studies | 3 |
| LS 557 | Archival Appraisal | 3 |
| LS 653 | Descriptive Bibliography | 3 |
| LS 654 | Print Culture and Society | 3 |
| LS 655 | Book Artifact Materiality Text | 3 |
| Future Directions of the Book | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 656 | Electronic/Contemporary Pub. | 3 |
| CIS 672 | Media History | 3 |
Health Communication Concentration
Students must complete the following list of courses:
| Health Communication | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 650 | ST: C&IS (Health Communication) | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Interpersonal Health Comm | ||
| Health Information Seeking | ||
| Interpersonal Comm Theory | ||
| Health Communication Campaigns | ||
| Health and Mass Media | ||
| Info Sci & Tech | ||
| Information in Communities | ||
Advisor-approved course in Health Communication | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Interpersonal Communication Concentration
Students in this concentration select CIS 603 Quantitative Research Methods in their program core and complete the following course list:
| Interpersonal Communication | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 660 | Interpersonal Comm Theory | 3 |
| COM 513 or | Communication & Diversity | 3 |
| COM 565 | Intercultural Communication | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Interpersonal Health Comm | ||
| Mediated Interpersonal Comm | ||
| Deception | ||
| Persuasive Communication | ||
| Relational Communication | ||
Advisor-approved course in Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Media Processes and Effects Concentration
Students in this concentration must select CIS 603 Quantitative Research Methods and CIS 604 Mass Communication Theory and complete the following course list:
| Media Processes & Effects | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 680 | Sem. Media Processes/Effects | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Health and Mass Media | ||
| Political Communication | ||
| Sports Media | ||
| Advanced Quantitative Methods | ||
| Advanced Topics - Media P&E | ||
Advisor-approved course in Media Processes and Effects | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Rhetoric and Political Discourse Concentration
Students in this concentration must select CIS 605 Cultural and Critical Theory and CIS 609 Humanistic Research Methods in their program core and complete the following list of courses:
| Rhetoric & Political Communication | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 673 | Political Communication | 3 |
| COM 541 | Contemporary Rhetorical Theory | 3 |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Sem Culture Criti Rhetor Stdy | ||
| Information Policy | ||
| ST: Visual Communication | ||
| Gender & Pol Com | ||
| Sem Rhetorical Criticism | ||
| Seminar in Public Address | ||
Advisor-approved course in Rhetoric or Political Communication | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Social Justice and Inclusion Advocacy Concentration
Students in this concentration must select CIS 605 Cultural and Critical Theory and CIS 609 Humanistic Research Methods in their program core and complete the following list of courses:
| Social Justice & Inclusion Advocacy | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 668 | Social Justice & Inclusion | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Sem Culture Criti Rhetor Stdy | ||
| Community-Engaged Scholarship | ||
| Communication & Diversity | ||
| Social Aspects of Information | ||
| Div Leadership in Info Orgs | ||
Advisor-approved course in Social Justice & Inclusion Advocacy | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Information Policy | ||
| Persuasive Communication | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Cultural Div Prog Youth & Fam | ||
| Outreach to Diverse Population | ||
| Universal Design for Info Tech | ||
| Race Gender & Sexuality in LIS | ||
| Intercultural Youth Lit | ||
Advisor-approved course in Social Justice & Inclusion Advocacy | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Transfer Credit
The university Graduate School-wide policies related to transfer credit are applicable to the doctoral program in communication and information science, with a notable exception that students in the program are eligible to have no more than 12 hours of graduate coursework completed prior to enrollment in the program count toward the requirement that students complete 48 hours of coursework exclusive of dissertation hours.
Doctoral Plan of Study Requirement
It is recommended that students in the doctoral program in communication and information sciences file an advisor-approved Plan of Study in their first semester in the program. It is strongly recommended students do this no later than the semester during which they will complete 12 hours of university course credit that they plan to count toward their degree requirements. It is required that students do this no later than the semester during which they will complete 30 hours of university and/or transfer course credit. By the time each doctoral student has completed 30 graduate semester hours of university and/or transfer credit, the student must have a doctoral Plan of Study approved by the Office for Graduate Studies. Failure to obtain approval of the Plan of Study by the completion of 30 hours may result in the student’s having a hold placed on future registrations.
Students admitted to the doctoral program may be required to complete additional coursework to be prepared for doctoral-level (600-level) study and research in communication and information sciences, at the discretion of the student's program advisory committee or the Office for Graduate Studies.
Doctoral students who begin the program with incomplete master's theses must complete the master's thesis during the first year of doctoral study. Students must provide official transcripts of their master's degree work as evidence that their master's degree has been awarded. If a student fails to provide the transcript, the College may refuse to administer the PhD preliminary examination and/or may withdraw financial support. The Graduate School may nullify the doctoral program admission.
Preliminary Exam
A preliminary examination is required of all doctoral students. This examination is given after
• any foreign language/research skill requirements are met;
• two full years of graduate study are completed; and
• the Dissertation Committee deems the student to have adequate preparation in the major and minor fields of study.
The examination is overseen by the student’s Dissertation Committee Chair, who has discretion on the individuals involved in the examination committee to include no fewer than 2 other members of the student’s Dissertation Committee. The chair may call on other faculty members associated with the student’s coursework for assistance in preparing the examination questions.
Whereas one of the purposes of the preliminary examination is to determine the student’s research competence to begin work on a dissertation, the examination should be completed at least nine months before the degree is to be awarded. A student may take the examination only twice. Failing the examination twice results in dismissal from the degree program and the Graduate School.
The student must demonstrate, through written and oral components, a capacity to understand, synthesize, and apply theory and research techniques in communication and information sciences, as well as demonstrate knowledge of the pertinent literature, issues, and recent advances in the student’s concentration or focused area of study and cognate area of study. In other words, the examination must cover the student’s (1) theory core, (2) research methodology core, (3) concentration or focused area of study, and (4) cognate area.
Comprehensive exam questions may be answered exclusively in a controlled “in-house” format in the College, exclusively as a “take-home” format, or some combination of both “in-house” and “take-home” formats depending on the examination committee’s decision about the best way to examine a particular student. The rigor of the comprehensive exam questions and the expected quality of answers are to be commensurate with the time and access to materials allowed by the question modality. The oral component of the exam must be scheduled as quickly as possible following the written component. Oral components are determined by the examination committee, and examples include, but are not limited to, a formal defense by the student of each examination question, an academic discussion about theory and methods between the student and examination committee, or an academic conference-style presentation which includes a question and answer session.
Comprehensive examination questions that are assigned as “in-house” are closed book—meaning students must answer those questions on campus without reference material or internet access. No individual “in-house” examination question can exceed 4 hours, and the total time assigned for “in-house” examination questions cannot exceed 16 hours.
Comprehensive examination questions that are assigned as “take-home” are open book—meaning students may answer those questions from any location and may use any available reference materials. No individual “take-home” examination question can exceed 5 days, and the total time for all examination questions cannot exceed 21 calendar days from the beginning date of the first question.
Upon completion of the comprehensive exam, the examination committee will convene to determine whether the student has passed or has failed the examination. No revisions of questions following the oral defense are permitted.
A student may take the examination only twice. Any question(s) failed may be retaken after three months from the initial fail decision and before six months have elapsed. Questions passed on the first attempt need not be retaken. Failing any question twice results in dismissal from the degree program and the Graduate School.
Admission to Candidacy Requirements
A student is certified by the dean of the UA Graduate School for admission to candidacy for the PhD in Communication & Information Sciences after the student has completed of all required coursework, exclusive of dissertation hours, as listed on the student's approved program of study.
Continuous Enrollment Policy
Students should be aware of university policy related to continuous enrollment in Dissertation Research, as specified in the university Graduate Catalog. Students in the C&IS doctoral program are required to complete 18 hours in dissertation research through enrollment in CIS 699 Dissertation Research.
Students are able to initiate enrollment in CIS 699 no earlier than the semester following admission to candidacy. In other words, students must be admitted to candidacy before they are permitted to initiate enrollment in CIS 699. Students cannot initiate enrollment in CIS 699 in the same semester in they will have completed all coursework listed on the approved program of study; students must be admitted to candidacy prior to initiating enrollment in CIS 699.
Students register for CIS 699 with their dissertation advisor as the instructor. If a student does not yet have an approved dissertation committee, the student may enroll in CIS 699 with an intended dissertation advisor if the intended advisor approves of this arrangement, so long as the intended advisor is a member of the C&IS faculty who is eligible to chair or co-chair dissertation committees under university and program guidelines for the dissertation committee. If the student has not yet identified an intended dissertation advisor, the student may initiate CIS 699 enrollment with the chair of the student’s approved program advisory committee serving as instructor in CIS 699 if the program committee chair approves of this arrangement.
Students who plan to initiate enrollment in CIS 699 but who do not yet have an approved dissertation committee should contact the associate dean for graduate studies to report that an intended dissertation advisor or their approved program committee chair has agreed to serve as instructor of CIS 699 in the initial semester of registration. The associate dean for graduate studies will verify the intended dissertation advisor or approved program committee chair has agreed to serve as the instructor of CIS 699 in the initial semester of registration. Having verified this, the associate dean for graduate studies will issue a permit for the student to register for CIS 699 with this instructor.
Students unable to secure an instructor for CIS 699 should contact the associate dean for graduate studies to develop a plan to secure an instructor.
Students who initiate enrollment in CIS 699 with an instructor who is the student’s intended but not yet approved dissertation advisor or the student’s program committee chair must in the next semester register for CIS 699 with the approved dissertation advisor as the instructor. In other words, students who initiate 699 enrollment with an instructor who is not the approved dissertation advisor must have a dissertation committee approved before they will be permitted to register for second semester in CIS 699. Only students with approved dissertation committees will be permitted to register for a second semester in CIS 699.
Students who may be uncertain that a dissertation committee can be approved before a second semester in CIS 699 begins should not initiate 699 enrollment. Such students should consider registering for coursework other than CIS 699, coursework that can help prepare the student for pursuing dissertation research continuously, under the direction of an approved dissertation advisor, when CIS 699 enrollment is initiated.
Dissertation Requirements
Students in the doctoral program in Communication & Information Sciences must form a dissertation committee. It is important to note that program policy regarding the committee includes stipulations in addition to the stipulations specified in university Graduate School-wide policy regarding the dissertation committee.
The dissertation committee, with the director of the dissertation as its chairperson, supervises the preparation of the dissertation. The committee shall have not fewer than five members. The Graduate Faculty of the College of Communication & Information Sciences must be represented by at least three members. Other members may be from the College of Communication & Information Sciences or from a college or school outside the College of Communication and Information Sciences. One member must be from a college or school outside the College of Communication & Information Sciences.
All members of the committee must be members of the university Graduate Faculty. The chair of committee must be a full member of the Graduate Faculty. At least one committee member in addition to the chair must also be a full member of the Graduate Faculty. All other members may be associate members of the Graduate Faculty. No more than one affiliate member of the Graduate Faculty may serve on the committee. A majority of the committee members must be regular UA faculty.
The UA graduate dean’s approval of the proposed dissertation committee must be obtained before significant progress is made on the dissertation--typically just before or just after the dissertation proposal meeting. For this purpose, the student submits the form for Appointment/Change of a Doctoral Dissertation Committee.
Dissertation proposal
After successful completion of the preliminary examination, degree candidates must submit a written proposal to their dissertation committee.
The proposal describes the importance of the proposed topic, outlines the hypotheses to be evaluated, provides and overview of relevant literature, specifies the methodology to be used, and lays includes a timetable for completion of the project. The dissertation must make a significant original contribution to the field of communication and information sciences and must demonstrate the candidate's ability to report that research in writing in a clear, comprehensive, and scholarly manner.
The student must submit the proposal, and later the dissertation, to the committee at least 14 days prior to the defense. After the proposal has been circulated among the members, the student's dissertation committee meets for the student's oral defense of the proposal.
Dissertation final examination
The candidate must present a copy of the final draft of the dissertation to each committee member at least two weeks before the scheduled date of the final examination. After the dissertation has been completed and accepted by the candidate's dissertation committee for purposes of the examination, the candidate will be given a final oral examination by the dissertation committee.
The final examination is concerned primarily with the research embodied in the dissertation and with the field in which the dissertation lies, but it may extend over the student's entire primary field of study. The final oral examination is governed by the rules of the Graduate School of The University of Alabama.
The dissertation must comply with the regulations in A Student Guide to Preparing Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Graduate School deadlines, including each semester's dissertation deadline, are available at the Graduate School's homepage.
Electronic submission of theses and dissertations (ETD) is required. Consult the ETD website for details of ETD submission.
Time Limits for Degree Completion
The doctoral program in communication and information sciences follows university Graduate School-wide policy regarding the time limits for degree completion.
Academic Misconduct Information
The doctoral program in communication and information sciences follows university Graduate School-wide policy regarding academic misconduct.
Withdrawals and Leave of Absence Information
The doctoral program in communication and information sciences follows university Graduate School-wide policy regarding withdrawals and leaves of absence.
Academic Grievances Information
The doctoral program in communication and information sciences follows university Graduate School-wide policy regarding academic grievances.
Grades and Academic Standing
A student must maintain cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for graduate courses undertaken following admission to the doctoral program. A doctoral student whose grade point average falls below 3.0 at any time after 12 semester hours have been completed will be placed on academic warning by the Graduate School and the College of Communication & Information Sciences. A student on academic warning will not be permitted to apply for admission to candidacy and may not hold an assistantship. Students who are suspended from the program for failure to raise their GPA to 3.0 under academic warning status may petition the college for readmission. The college may in turn make a request to the dean of the university Graduate School for approval of the student's readmission.
University Graduate School-wide policies related to grades and academic standing.
Graduate School Deadlines Information
Information on Graduate School Deadlines.
Application for Graduation Information
Information on the Application for Graduation.
Acquisition of Financial Support:
All admitted and currently enrolled graduate students in good standing in the College of Communication & Information Sciences, both main campus and online, are eligible to apply for a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA), graduate research assistantship (GRA), and/or graduate administrative assistantship (GAA) position funded by the college by submitting the C&IS Graduate Assistantship Interest Application.
Positions range from 10 hour a week (.25 FTE) positions with half tuition and benefits to 20 hour a week (.5 FTE) positions with full tuition and benefits, although online students are not eligible for university sponsored health insurance. Positions and funding offers vary from one semester in duration to multiple years. Funding levels and lengths are communicated via an offer letter or memorandum of appointment, which will indicate an end date of financial support.
Funding decisions for incoming students are generally made between January and May, and decisions for currently enrolled students without funding are generally made between May and July. Currently enrolled students in good standing whose funding is expiring may petition the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in writing for continued support, and those decisions are also generally made between May and July.
In addition to college assistantships, excellent students may be nominated by the college for University of Alabama fellowships. Fellowship recipients are guaranteed paid tuition and fees, a stipend, and benefits without work expectations for a defined period set by the Graduate School.
Beyond college-funded assistantships, additional funding opportunities may arise from individual faculty or departments in support of grant work, research projects, teaching specific courses, assisting with administrative projects, etc.
All students funded on assistantships must meet the Performance Expectations for Continuing Financial Support (see below) and funding may be removed prior to the end date of financial support in accordance with the Conditions for Termination of Financial Support (see below).
Performance Expectations for Continuing Financial Support:
- The student must be in good academic standing in a degree program in the College of Communication & Information Sciences and be making satisfactory academic progress to the completion of the degree.
- The student must complete all mandatory trainings and abide by all rules and policies held by The University of Alabama, College of Communication & Information Sciences, and the department of their work assignment.
- The student must adequately perform all duties assigned to them in a timely manner as defined by the supervisors of their work assignments, including logging work hours if assigned for the position and submitting a semesterly evaluation of their work assignment.
- The student must remain clear of all infractions outlined under Conditions for Termination of Financial Support.
Conditions for Termination of Financial Support:
Students who meet one or more of the following criteria may be subject to termination of financial support pending C&IS Office for Graduate Studies administrative review. Depending upon the severity of the infraction or the extent of non-compliance, the Academic Unit Head and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies may recommend immediate termination of financial support, termination of financial support at the end of the current semester or termination of financial support at the end of the following semester. Students will be notified in writing of any decision to terminate financial support prior to the original end date of funding.
- Dereliction of Duty. Dereliction of duty includes, but is not limited to, failure to comply with UA safety and interpersonal conduct policies; absence from scheduled obligations without prior notification to the supervisor; failure to satisfactorily complete all activities associated with the funded position as defined by the supervisor; failure to submit required performance evaluations, etc.
- Academic Misconduct. Penalties for resolved academic misconduct cases, including potential loss of financial support, will be determined with guidance from the UA Graduate School and the Office for Graduate Studies.
- Insufficient Academic Progress. Insufficient academic progress, as determined by the student's advisor and the Office for Graduate Studies, includes, but is not limited to, students taking courses that do not align with the program requirements; students admitted to candidacy who do not make adequate research progress on their dissertation, failure to pass comprehensive exam, failure to pass proposal defense, etc.
- Academic Warning & Academic Suspension. Students on academic warning from the UA Graduate School are not eligible to hold assistantships. In addition to the loss of the assistantship for the semester of Academic Warning, a review of the student will determine if future committed funding will be revoked regardless of successfully earning good standing within the completion of the next 12 credit hours. In all cases, if a student is suspended, all future funding commitments are revoked.