Departmental committees

Each department exercises a large measure of autonomy for its graduate program under policies established for the Institute as a whole. Under the general responsibility of the department head, each department has a departmental graduate committee, including one or more graduate registration officers, to administer departmental graduate procedures.

A departmental graduate committee acts with power on:

  • The program of subjects, research, and examinations (other than language examinations) leading to any advanced degree for each graduate student registered in its department;
  • Acceptance of credits toward graduate degrees;
  • Applications for graduate study in the department;
  • Determination of residence credits;
  • Approval of departmental degree lists.

It recommends action upon:

  • Applications for fellowships and scholarships;
  • New subjects of graduate instruction within its department;
  • Requests for exceptions to usual procedures;
  • Cases of failure to meet scholastic requirements.

The committee reports to the Registrar:

  • Results of general examinations;
  • Grades on theses and thesis examinations;
  • Subjects accepted toward a graduate degree.