Academic Information

General Requirements for PhD Degrees in Arts & Sciences

To earn a PhD at Washington University, a student must complete all courses required by their department; maintain satisfactory academic progress; pass certain examinations; complete all requirements for doctoral candidacy; fulfill residence and Mentored Experience Requirements; write, defend, and submit a dissertation; and apply for program completion (graduation) via Workday Student.

Enrollment and Registration

Students newly admitted to graduate programs in Arts & Sciences receive information about creating a WashU Key (a university login identity credential) from the university. The WashU Key and password are used to access Workday to register for courses online during open registration periods. All registrations require online approval by the student's faculty advisor and are monitored by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

Regular Enrollment

Students admitted to a PhD program in Arts & Sciences must maintain full-time continuous enrollment throughout the approved length of their programs. Most of our PhD programs will be completed within five years. During those years, students will be considered full-time if they have one of the following statuses:

• They are registered for 9 or more graduate-level (5000 and above) course units; or
• They are registered in a 0-unit course (ASGS 9000 Full-Time Graduate Research/Study or ASGS 9001 Full-Time Graduate Study in Absentia) that indicates the student's full-time engagement in research or academic writing. Note: Enrollment in ASGS 9000 Full-Time Graduate Research/Study or ASGS 9001 Full-Time Graduate Study in Absentia is not viewed as a full-time enrollment status by Veterans Affairs (VA). Students expecting to use VA benefits must be enrolled in 9 credit-bearing units.

During a student's period of regular registration, they may have a need or opportunity to study away from Washington University. Recommendations from departments for students' registration in absentia will be considered by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, on a case-by-case basis. If approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, the student will be registered for ASGS 9001 Full-Time Graduate Study in Absentia. Students may be allowed to register for ASGS 9001 Full-Time Graduate Study in Absentia for up to four consecutive or nonconsecutive fall/spring semesters. Semesters in which a student is registered in absentia are counted as part of the student's program length. International students are not eligible for ASGS 9001 Full-Time Graduate Study in Absentia. 

PhD students in Arts & Sciences who are fully funded, registered full-time, within their program length, and making satisfactory academic progress will receive tuition remission for credits required for their A&S program(s) of study to which they have been admitted. They will also receive a 90% subsidy of health insurance, dental insurance, and wellness fees. Tuition each semester will be calculated based on the number of registered course units, where applicable.

Enrollment Extension

Students may be permitted to register for up to one additional year beyond their program length. When recommended by their department and approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, these students will be registered in a 0-unit course (ASGS 9002 Full-Time Graduate Study Extension) that confers full-time enrollment status. Students registered for ASGS 9002 Full-Time Graduate Study Extension may or may not receive stipend support and may or may not be eligible to receive other benefits available to full-time PhD students in Arts & Sciences, including health insurance and wellness fee subsidies.

Students may be registered for ASGS 9002 Full-Time Graduate Study Extension for a maximum of two semesters. Students who do not complete their programs within this time limit must either withdraw from the program or be designated as Degree Candidacy Extension.

Degree Candidacy Extension

Upon the recommendation of their departments and the approval of the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, students who do not complete their PhD degrees within their program length and potential one-year enrollment extension may remain doctoral candidates for up to three years. Extended degree candidates are not registered for any courses, have no enrollment status, and receive none of the benefits available to registered Washington University students, including student loan deferment.

Part-Time Students

PhD candidates are not admitted as part-time students. Part-time status will be calculated strictly on the basis of registration in fewer than 9 course units without ASGS 9000-level registration. Part-time enrollment will be permitted only in extraordinary circumstances.

Courses and Tuition Remission

Students pursuing a certificate or an unrelated master's degree in addition to their PhD must consult the departments and advisors about credit sharing between the programs. Please consult the policy on graduate certificates.

Online Courses

Online courses are not applicable to Arts & Sciences degree programs. Therefore, students may not enroll in online courses offered by other schools at Washington University nor attempt to transfer courses, taken at other institutions, that were delivered online.

Grades

Grade options available for graduate students in Arts & Sciences are as follows:

Grade/Notation/Value

Grade/Notation	Value
A+	4.0
A	4.0
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0
C-	1.7
D+	1.3
D	1.0
D-	0.7
F	0.0
P	Pass
NP	No Pass
I	Incomplete (work still pending for assessment of final grade)
W	Withdrawal
R	Retake
L	Successful audit
Z	Unsuccessful audit
T	Transfer (coursework transferred in)
EC	Exam Credit

In the rare event that an instructor is unable to submit a grade by the grade deadline, an N, signifying that the grade has not yet been submitted, may temporarily appear as a transcript notation on the student's record. Grades that are not posted within 120 days of the last day of the semester for which the N notation was posted will result in these temporary notations being automatically changed to a grade of F (or, in the case of a course taken as Pass/No Pass, to a grade of NP).

Grades cannot be changed after the sealing of a student's transcript, which follows conferral of the student's degree.

Zero-unit ASGS 9000-level courses will have only the Pass/No Pass grade option. 

Grade Appeals

If a student receives a grade they believe to be unjustified, whether for a single assignment or for the course grade as a whole, they have the right to discuss any grade(s) with their instructor and to appeal the grade(s). (Students considering appealing their grades are welcome to consult with their advisor or the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, Student Affairs team; contact artscigrads@wustl.edu to connect with the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, Student Affairs team. Neither the advisor nor the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, Student Affairs team may make any decisions with regard to the appeal, but they can inform students about possible options for approaching the appeal.)

Grounds for Appeal

Sufficient grounds for appeal include clerical or mathematical errors in calculating the grade; inequitable use of the syllabus’s grading rubric or policies; and grading impacted by issues beyond the course content.

Students should be aware that an appeal may include a complete review of the student’s work in the course as a whole, which may result in a grade being either raised or lowered.

Students may not appeal to raise their grade by completing additional assignments (i.e., “extra credit”) or by submitting late work except in the case of an official Incomplete.

If a student believes that the grade is the result of identity-based discrimination, they should make a report to the Office of Institutional Equity rather than file a grade appeal through this process. In addition, grades that are a result of sanctions for a violation of Academic Integrity (as determined by the Academic Integrity Board) are not eligible for appeal through this process.

Timing of Appeals

Grade appeals must be initiated within 30 days of the grade being posted and must be addressed by the instructor in a timely manner. Grade appeals in the semester prior to the student’s graduation must be raised immediately and addressed on an expedited timeline so that the appeal may be resolved prior to the conferral of a degree and the sealing of the student’s transcript. A grade appeal submitted after a student graduates will not be reviewed as grade changes cannot be made following degree conferral.

Appeals Process

• The student must first appeal the grade with the instructor. The appeal must be in writing, reference this grade appeal policy, and outline the reasons for the appeal. The instructor must reply to the student in writing within two weeks of the student’s request, providing detailed justification for retaining the assigned grade or confirming that the grade will be changed in light of the student’s appeal.
• If the student’s written concerns have not been met by the instructor’s justification, they may raise the grade appeal to the director of graduate studies (DGS) in the appropriate department or program (based on the department or program that owns the course and not on the student’s program of study) within one week of the instructor’s response. The subsequent appeal must be submitted in writing, and it must reference this grade appeal policy, respond to the instructor’s detailed justification, and explain why the student believes there remains cause for appeal. Disagreement with the instructor’s professional judgement is insufficient grounds for further appeal, and appeals to the DGS that merely reiterate a student’s initial concerns will not be considered. The DGS will review the appeal and provide a written response to the student within three weeks.
• In the rare instance that the student believes further appeal to be necessary, the student may direct a final appeal to the Vice Dean of Graduate Studies. If a student wants to pursue a grade appeal at this level, the appeal must be in writing and be submitted within one week of the written response from the DGS. The student’s statement should acknowledge both the instructor’s and the DGS’s responses and explain why the student believes there remains cause for appeal. Disagreement with the instructor’s or DGS’s professional judgement is insufficient grounds for further appeal. The Vice Dean of Graduate Studies must respond in writing within four weeks of the student’s appeal. The decision of the Vice Dean is final.

Incomplete Grades

Students who are not making satisfactory progress in a course should withdraw from the course prior to the published withdrawal deadline. However, should a student experience medical or acute personal challenges after the withdrawal deadline that make the satisfactory completion of coursework difficult or unlikely, they may be eligible for a grade of Incomplete. In extreme circumstances, students may want to discuss a Medical Leave of Absence with their advisor.

To request a grade of Incomplete (I) from one or more instructors, students must take the following steps with each instructor:

1. The student should meet with the instructor before the final examination or due date for the final paper/project to request the Incomplete. 
2. If the instructor grants the Incomplete, the student and instructor should agree on the scope of the work remaining to complete the course and a date when it will be submitted. This date should be within 120 days of the last day of the semester in which the course is being taken. The instructor should confirm with the student, in writing, the details of the work with respective deadlines.

Whether or not to grant an Incomplete is at the instructor’s discretion. When determining whether to do so, the instructor should consider whether the student has consistently attended and engaged with the course (for example, whether the student has submitted all assignments except the final assignments/assessments) and made satisfactory progress in the course. Incompletes should not be granted unless the student has completed at least two thirds of the assignments/assessments for the course.

If sufficient work has not been completed, the grade of Incomplete will not be feasible. In such situations, the instructor will submit whatever final grade the student has earned. The student may retake the course at a later time if they choose. (For information about retaking a course, see below.)

If an Incomplete is granted, the work should be completed in the time frame agreed upon with the instructor. However, this time frame should not extend more than 120 days from the last day of the semester in which the Incomplete is granted/the course for which the Incomplete is granted is taken.

Failure to submit completed work and for the earned grade to be posted within 120 days of the last day of the semester in which the Incomplete was granted will result in the grade of Incomplete being automatically changed to a grade of F (or, in the case of a course being taken as Pass/No Pass, to a grade of NP).

Further, students cannot have a grade of Incomplete on their transcripts when their degrees are conferred. Thus, students who are expecting to graduate at the end of the semester in which the course being considered for an Incomplete was taken should not request or be granted a grade of Incomplete.

Any student who does have an Incomplete on their transcript at the time of certification and degree conferral will have the Incomplete changed to a grade of F (or, in the case of a course being taken as Pass/No Pass, to a grade of NP).

Grades cannot be changed after the conferral of a student's degree.

Note: If an Incomplete is granted, students cannot be added to the Canvas shell of a subsequent offering of the course in order to complete the previous enrollment. Instead, at the instructor’s request, the student can be given access to the original course shell, and the instructor can reopen assignments within that course shell. All work for an Incomplete should occur within the original course’s Canvas course shell or outside of Canvas entirely.

Retaking a Course

Graduate students may be allowed to retake a course in which they have earned a B or lower (grades of P for Pass, A, B+, and Incomplete are not eligible for retakes; audits — whether successful or unsuccessful — are also not eligible for retakes) once with prior permission from their department or program. The department may refuse the student’s request. If permission to retake a course is granted, both registrations will show on the transcript; however, only the grade and units of the enrollment with the highest grade will be used to calculate the student’s GPA. The other attempt will have the letter R (denoting the retake) placed next to the grade. A student who retakes a course without prior permission might not receive permission retroactively. Please note that courses that are transferred in to Washington University as equivalents to a previously completed course will also be included in course attempts.

Transfer Credit

Students who have completed graduate-level coursework or a graduate degree at an institution prior to joining Washington University may request to transfer a portion of that credit toward the coursework in their Washington University degree program.

Graduate-Level Courses Completed Prior to Joining Washington University

A student may transfer graduate-level course credits amounting to a maximum of up to 35% of the coursework requirement in the Washington University PhD program and a maximum of up to 10% of the coursework requirement in the Washington University master's degree program. For example, in a PhD program that requires twelve 3-credit courses, a student could transfer, at most, four 3-credit courses toward their Washington University degree. Individual departments may choose to allow the transfer of fewer credits than the maximum percentage allowed by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Individual departments retain the autonomy to decide which specific courses can transfer from a previous institution and which courses will need to be completed at Washington University.

Please note that the Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) is an exception. It allows the maximum transfer of 15 credit units from institutions that have entered into special cooperative agreements with Washington University for this purpose.

Credit for previous graduate-level courses will be transferred to a student's Washington University record only to fulfill departmental course requirements. Students may not transfer credit for other program requirements (e.g., qualifying exams, mentored experiences, prospectus defense). In addition, graduate-level coursework that has been applied toward an undergraduate degree may not be transferred for credit in a Washington University PhD or master's degree program.

Transfer requests will be reviewed by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, and the Washington University department offering the student's degree program. The total number of credits transferred may impact the duration of funding the student receives from the university as well as the expected time to degree completion; these details are determined by the department of the student's program of study and the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

Joining a Graduate Program Through Faculty Recruitment

Faculty members recruited to Washington University may have students at their prior institution who would like to join the faculty member at Washington University. Those situations will be addressed through a separate process. Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, Admissions Team for further information.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory academic progress for students in Arts & Sciences PhD programs is monitored by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, as well as by the degree program. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress may result in a student's placement on academic probation or their immediate dismissal. Most financial awards — and all federally funded awards — are contingent on the maintenance of satisfactory academic progress. Moreover, satisfactory academic progress is a prerequisite for service on any committee authorized by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. The following are minimal standards of satisfactory academic progress for PhD students; degree programs may set stricter standards but must not relax these standards.

1. Students are expected to proceed at a pace appropriate to meet the deadlines established below and to enable them to complete all degree requirements within the stated time to degree for their program of study. Students are expected to have completed all program requirements for doctoral candidacy within the timeline established by their program. 
2. Students are expected to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Note that plus and minus marks alter the numerical value of a letter grade.
3. Students are expected not to carry, at one time, any more than 9 credit units for which an I (Incomplete) or N (grade not yet submitted) is recorded. The Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, may deny a student with more than 9 unfinished credits permission to register.
4. After two years of full-time graduate study, doctoral students who cannot identify three faculty members who are willing to serve on their Research Advisory Committee (RAC) are not considered to be making satisfactory academic progress. A student must file an RAC form by the end of their second year in order to identify membership of the RAC.
5. A student's Title, Scope and Procedure form must be filed at least one year before the degree is expected to be conferred or before beginning the eighth semester of full-time enrollment, whichever is earlier, in order to identify the composition of the dissertation work.
6. A one-year extension beyond a student's designated program length is available if circumstances warrant. Extensions are obtained by application by the student to the degree program; endorsement by the degree program to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences; and approval by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

Qualifying Examinations

Progress toward the PhD is contingent upon the student passing examinations that are variously called preliminary, qualifying, general, comprehensive, or major field exams. The qualifying process varies according to the program. In some programs, it consists of a series of incremental, sequential, and cumulative exams over a considerable time. In others, the exams are held during a relatively short period of time. Exams may be replaced by one or more papers. The program, which determines the structure and schedule of the required examinations, is responsible for notifying the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, of the student’s outcome, whether successful or unsuccessful.

Residence Requirement

Each student must spend at least one academic year enrolled full-time at Washington University. Any exceptions must be approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

Doctoral Candidacy

Candidacy marks the transition from coursework and initial study to independent research and dissertation writing. At this stage, the student is considered prepared to contribute to their field through independent scholarship.

The status of candidacy for WashU Arts & Sciences doctoral students indicates a student has, at minimum, completed and passed their qualifying exam/paper and pre-candidacy requirements. Pre-candidacy requirements are determined by each PhD program. Those requirements may include, for example, completion of required coursework; completion of required foreign language exams; completion of the Mentored Experience Requirement; successful submission of the Title, Scope and Procedure form; and completion of the oral presentation to propose the dissertation to their Research Advisory Committee.

Mentored Experience Requirement

Doctoral students, MFA in Writing students, and MFA in Dance students at Washington University must complete a department-defined Mentored Experience Requirement. The Mentored Experience Requirement is a degree requirement that is notated on the student's transcript when complete. Each department has an established Mentored Experience Implementation Plan in which the number of units that a student must earn through Mentored Teaching Experience(s) and/or Mentored Professional Experience(s) is defined. Each Mentored Experience Implementation Plan outlines how doctoral students within the discipline will be mentored to achieve competencies in teaching at basic and advanced levels. Some departments may elect to include Mentored Professional Experiences as an avenue for completing some units of the Mentored Experience Requirement. Doctoral students will enroll in ASGS 8005 MTE - Assistant in Instruction Experience, ASGS 8010 MTE - Assistant in Instruction Experience, or ASGS 8015 MTE - Assistant in Instruction Experience; ASGS 8020 MTE - Mentored Independent Teaching Experience; or ASGS 8120 MTE - Mentored Professional Experience to signify their progression toward completing the overall Mentored Experience Requirement for the degree.

The Doctoral Dissertation

A Research Advisory Committee (RAC) must be created no later than the end of the student's second year; departments may set shorter timelines (e.g., by the end of the student's third semester) for this requirement. As evidence of the mastery of a specific field of knowledge and of the capacity for original scholarly work, each candidate must complete a dissertation that is approved by their RAC.

A Title, Scope, and Procedure form for the dissertation must be signed by the committee members and by the program chair. It must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, at least one year before the degree is expected to be conferred or before beginning the eighth semester of full-time enrollment, whichever is earlier.

A Doctoral Dissertation Guide and a Dissertation Template that give instructions regarding the format of the dissertation are available on the website of the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Both should be read carefully at every stage of dissertation preparation.

The Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, requires each student to make the full text of the dissertation available to the committee members for their review at least one week before the defense. Most degree programs require two or more weeks for the review period; students should check with their faculty.

The Dissertation Defense

Approval of the written dissertation by the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) is strongly recommended before the student can orally defend the dissertation. The Doctoral Dissertation Committee that examines the student during the defense consists of at least five members. Normally, the members of the RAC also serve on the Doctoral Dissertation Committee. The dissertation committee is then additionally augmented to ensure that the following criteria are met:

1. Three of the five members (or a similar proportion of a larger committee) must be full-time Washington University in St. Louis faculty members or, for programs involving Washington University in St. Louis-affiliated partners, full-time members of a Washington University in St. Louis-affiliated partner institution. All members must be authorized to supervise PhD students and have appropriate expertise in the proposed field of study. One of these three members must be the PhD student's primary thesis advisor, and one may be a member of the emeritus faculty.
2. All other committee members must be active in research/scholarship and have appropriate expertise in the proposed field of study whether at Washington University in St. Louis, at another university, in government, or in industry.
3. At least one of the five members must bring expertise outside of the student's field of study to the committee, as judged by the relevant department/program and approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

The approval processes outlined in the RAC section of the Doctoral Council bylaws also apply to the Doctoral Dissertation Committee, including approval of each dissertation committee by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

The student is responsible for making the full text of the dissertation accessible to their committee members for their review in advance of the defense according to program rules. Washington University in St. Louis community members and guests of the student who are interested in the subject of the dissertation are normally welcome to attend all or part of the defense but may ask questions only at the discretion of the committee chair. Although there is some variation among degree programs, the defense ordinarily focuses on the dissertation itself and its relation to the student's field of expertise.

Attendance by a minimum of four members of the Doctoral Dissertation Committee, including the committee chair and an outside member, is required for the defense to take place. This provision is designed to permit the student's defense to proceed in case of a situation that unexpectedly prevents one of the five members from attending. Students should not plan in advance to only have four members in attendance. If four members cannot attend, the defense must be rescheduled. The absence of all outside members or of the committee chair also requires rescheduling the defense.

Students, with the support of their Doctoral Dissertation Committee chair, may opt to hold their dissertation defense in person or by utilizing a virtual or hybrid format.

Submission of the Dissertation

After the defense, the student must submit an electronic copy of the dissertation online to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, by the established deadline for their graduation term. Dissertations must be submitted no later than three months after the oral defense of the dissertation. Petitions for an extension to the three-month limit may be submitted to the director of graduate studies for consideration and approval. 

The submission website requires students to choose among publishing and copyrighting services offered by ProQuest's ETD Administrator. Students are asked to submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates separately. The degree program is responsible for delivering the final approval form, signed by the committee members at the defense and then by the program chair or director, to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Students who defend their dissertations successfully have not yet completed their PhD requirements; they finish earning their degree only when their dissertation submission has been accepted by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

Graduation Information

Students are responsible for applying for program completion via Workday in order to have their earned degree conferred. Deadlines for applying for program completion are listed on the website of the Office of the University Registrar. No degree will be awarded if the Workday process has not been completed. Students who do not complete their degree requirements by their intended graduation date must reapply for the next graduation date.

Students who are completing a master's degree along the way to the PhD must apply for their master's degree upon completion of the master's degree requirements in order to have the degree conferred; master's degrees completed along the way to PhD degrees are not automatically conferred.

Specific Circumstances

Changes in Program of Study

Students are admitted to graduate programs in Arts & Sciences to study toward specific degrees. Therefore, a change in the degree objective (e.g., from MA to PhD) is subject to the approval of both the student's program and the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. A request for a change in the subject of study (e.g., from economics to history) requires the approval of both programs concerned as well as that of the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Students may be required to fill out a new application for admission before making such changes, but they will not be charged a second application fee.

Student Grievances: Guidelines and Procedures  

Students may encounter experiences in which they have legitimate complaints regarding academic matters or an interaction with a faculty member, staff member, or fellow student. It is important that students and faculty have a common understanding of how such complaints may be expressed and resolved.

Students with complaints regarding academic matters or interactions with a faculty member, staff member, or fellow student should initially seek resolution from their faculty advisor, then from their director of graduate studies, and finally from the chair of their degree program. Complaints that remain unresolved may be addressed to the Vice Dean of Graduate Studies in the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS), Arts & Sciences. The Vice Dean may follow up with the complainant, with faculty in the student’s degree program, or with other stakeholders on campus to review and investigate the grievance and to work toward a resolution. Faculty involved in the process of receiving or reviewing a complaint should treat the information and relevant conversations as highly confidential.

Students with complaints regarding nonacademic matters (including but not limited to unprofessional behavior, a hostile learning environment, and abusive or offensive language and/or behavior) — whether by faculty, staff, or fellow students — are first encouraged, depending on the severity of the alleged behavior, to seek resolution with the alleged offender(s). If a complainant is not comfortable with doing so or if the problem persists after they have done so, they should seek resolution from their faculty advisor, then from their director of graduate studies, and finally from the chair of their degree program. Complaints that remain unresolved may be addressed in several ways:

• By the Ombuds: The Offices of the Ombuds serve as confidential, independent, and impartial resources that offer assistance in the informal resolution of university-related conflicts and advocate for fair treatment and process.
• By the OGS: The OGS does not adjudicate matters of nonacademic student grievance. However, it can and should be used as a source of support, mediation, and advising for such matters.
• By the University Compliance Office: Students with such complaints have the option of reporting suspected violations of the University Code of Conduct using the online form on the University Compliance Office webpage.​

All complaints regarding academic integrity should be first addressed to the respective department head(s). The department, with the counsel of the OGS, can submit a report of academic integrity through the appropriate mechanism (i.e., the Provost's Academic Integrity Officer for master’s student concerns and the Vice Provost for Graduate Education Academic Integrity Officer for PhD concerns).  ​

Washington University policies state that members of the university community can expect to be free from discrimination and harassment. Students, faculty, staff, and outside organizations working on campus are required to abide by specific policies prohibiting harassment. ​An allegation of discrimination or harassment may be appealed to the Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, who will determine whether to convene the Title IX Grievance Committee to hear the case. Allegations of bias, prejudice, or discrimination should be reported using the Bias Report and Support System. Visit the Discrimination and Harassment page on the Human Resources site for more information.​

Leaves of Absence

Students who wish to suspend their graduate study should apply for a leave of absence. Students wishing to request a leave of absence must complete the Time Away Form through Workday Student. Learn more about Time Away, including the Leave of Absence, Withdrawal, and Reinstatement Process on the Office of the University Registrar website.

A student's application for a leave of absence must be endorsed by the degree program and then approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, for up to one year. Extensions must be reapproved by submitting a written request to the director of graduate studies (DGS). The DGS will provide a recommendation to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, along with the student’s written request.

Approved leaves of absence are not counted as part of a student's program length and will not be approved for semesters beyond the program length, including enrollment extension. While on a leave of absence, the student is not registered and has no student status at Washington University. Students who begin a leave during any semester will be dropped from all course registrations for that semester and will receive no course credit for work completed during that semester prior to the leave.

Leaves of absence may be personal or medical. In the case of a medical leave, the student must present an authorization from the Student Health Center both at the beginning of and again at the end of the leave. At the end of a leave of absence, if approved for reinstatement, a student is reinstated into the School of Arts & Sciences under the conditions prevailing at the time the leave was granted. Being on leave suspends student status and financial support from the university. Therefore, taking a leave may adversely affect loan deferment, visa status, the right to rent university-owned housing, and so on. Most visa types would prevent international students from remaining in the United States while taking a leave of absence; international students should consult the Office for International Students and Scholars as well as their faculty advisor, their program's director of graduate studies, and the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, before taking a leave of absence.

Prior to taking a leave of absence, students should also consider their need for health insurance coverage. The continuation of student health insurance and access to the Student Health Center depends on such factors as the type of leave (medical or personal), the length of time the student has already been covered during the current insurance year, and the student's location during the leave. Students should consult the Student Health Center website for current policies related to leaves of absence; these policies may change annually if insurance carriers change.

Withdrawals

Students wishing to withdraw from their programs must fill out the Time Away Form through Workday Student. Learn more about Time Away, including the Leave of Absence, Withdrawal, and Reinstatement Process on the Office of the University Registrar website. This form should be completed in a timely manner to avoid any possible serious financial repercussions for the student and/or the university. International students should contact their advisors in the Office for International Students and Scholars before taking this action so that they can understand all potential visa and student status implications. Students who are not actively enrolled and not on an official leave of absence for two consecutive years will be administratively withdrawn from the university.

Dismissals

A program may wish to dismiss a student for a number of reasons, including willful misrepresentation to gain admission to graduate study, breaches of academic integrity, academic failure, or behavior destructive to the welfare of the academic community. Dismissals are recommended by the degree program and are not final until approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Any student who believes their dismissal was undeserved may appeal to the Vice Dean of Graduate Studies within 14 calendar days. Except for circumstances justifying immediate dismissal, a student may not be dismissed on the basis of academic performance without the opportunity to return to good standing during an identified period of probation.

For details of these or any other policies of the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, please visit the Policies & Procedures page.

Interdisciplinarity

Interdisciplinary Courses

PhD students can discuss with their advisors individual courses available outside of their school that may advance their research or professional goals. A university tuition agreement signed by all of the deans of the university's graduate and professional schools fosters interdisciplinary study across the schools and allows enrollment in courses outside of the student's home school. Many courses are available for graduate student enrollment, subject to the following eligibility guidelines:

• Students must be enrolled full-time in graduate degree programs and have the approval of their faculty advisor or administrative officer to take a course outside of their home school.
• Courses will be open to students outside of the discipline only if the students have met the required prerequisites and have the approval of both their department and the course instructor.
• Finally, courses in the evening divisions, including the School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS), are not part of this agreement. Courses that require individualized instruction and/or additional fees (e.g., independent studies, individual music lessons) are also excluded.

Dual Degree Programs

The university has set up numerous programs that permit students to earn two graduate and/or professional degrees at the same time. One of these programs includes a PhD:

• Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD in various disciplines)

The Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, uses the term dual degree to identify instances when two separate programs of study share some common curricular elements and may allow a specified amount of double-counting, which means that certain courses or credits can count toward the requirements for both programs. These programs have been designed and approved by either a cross-departmental or cross-school faculty committee or separately by both schools' committees who have agreed on the common elements. Students can only pursue two degrees at the same time if the programs are approved to be offered concurrently. Students cannot enroll in independent PhD programs simultaneously.

Students wishing to pursue dual degrees other than the Medical Scientist Training Program may be permitted to do so, but such requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Admission to an individualized dual degree program between two School of Arts & Sciences disciplines on the Danforth Campus must be recommended by the directors of graduate studies for both disciplines and approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Admission to an individualized dual degree program involving another school of the university must be recommended by the directors of graduate studies for both disciplines and approved by the deans of both schools. Recommendations should address a variety of academic and administrative concerns, including the timeline for the completion of both degrees and the responsibility for funding the student and remitting the tuition. Students should not undertake study toward an individualized dual degree program until it has been fully approved.

Graduate Certificates

To earn a graduate certificate at Washington University, a student must be currently enrolled in an applicable Washington University PhD program; apply and be accepted to the graduate certificate program; complete all courses required by the academic unit offering the certificate; maintain satisfactory academic progress; fulfill all academic and residence requirements; and apply for program completion (graduation) via Workday Student. Graduate certificates are not standalone programs and are only available to current students in applicable Arts & Sciences doctoral programs. Thus, graduate certificates are conferred at the same time as the student’s PhD. 

There are a number of graduate certificates offered to full-time PhD students in the School of Arts & Sciences, and they are all interdisciplinary in nature. Please consult the Degrees Offered page for available graduate certificate programs.

The minimum credit requirement for a graduate certificate is 12 credits. Individual graduate certificate programs may have additional requirements, so please consult individual graduate certificate program pages for more information.  

No more than 50% of the total credit requirement for the graduate certificate may count toward both the student's graduate certificate and the student's doctoral program degree requirements. For instance, in a graduate certificate program that requires 15 total credits, up to 7 credits earned by the student may be counted toward both the graduate certificate and the student's doctoral degree. In a graduate certificate program that requires 12 total credits, up to 6 credits earned by the student may be counted toward both the graduate certificate and the student's doctoral degree. 

All courses that count toward the degree requirements for the graduate certificate are defined by and subject to the approval of the academic unit offering the graduate certificate. Courses that will double count must be agreed upon by both the student's certificate and PhD programs. 

Interested students must fill out an application for admission to a certificate program on the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, Forms page and receive the approval of their degree program's chair, the certificate program's director, and the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Tuition remission will be granted for required units for a program of study to which a student has been admitted, including an approved Arts & Sciences graduate certificate program. Earning a certificate should not increase a student's expected time to degree or the amount of support from the School of Arts & Sciences. No student will be admitted to, given tuition remission for, or awarded more than one graduate certificate.

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