Graduate School Requirements

The student is responsible for all Graduate School requirements whether listed here or not. Field requirements may be more stringent than Graduate School requirements in some instances. Please review the Code of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty for a thorough overview of policies regarding graduate studies at Cornell.

  • Student progression toward an advanced degree is determined not only by the quality of work completed (through faculty evaluations and formal exams) but also by the length of time spent in the pursuit of the degree. For research degrees, the Graduate School measures this progress in terms of registered semesters. PhD candidates are required to obtain a minimum of six registered semesters. Two of these six semesters are required after the A exam. At least half of the registered semesters must be earned from full-time academic-year study on the Ithaca campus. All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within seven years of the first registration in the Graduate School.
  • The special committee chair (advisor) shall provide qualitative feedback on student progress, from the first year through the completion of the degree, using the Student Progress Review (SPR) form. Students, in consultation with the committee chair, are required to complete a self-assessment, reflect on progress toward established academic goals, report on professional development activities, and identify future plans and timelines. The SPR will be completed by Communication PhD students in April of each year of their graduate career.
  • During the first semester, students are required to complete Cornell’s Responsible Conduct in Research Online Training and register with ORCID.
  • A PhD student may petition to have study in another graduate degree program at Cornell or study in other graduate schools counted toward the registration requirement. Upon recommendation of the special committee and approval of the Dean, a maximum of two semesters of advanced standing toward the PhD requirements may be awarded for a master’s degree completed at Cornell or at another university. Requests will not be formally considered until the student is registered as a PhD student in the Graduate School.
  • Students are required to take two examinations: a comprehensive admission to candidacy examination (the A exam) and a final examination after completion of the dissertation (the B exam).
  • Students must complete a dissertation.

Accountability and Due Process

All field policies will be enforced consistently across students and timeframes. A doctoral student is expected to design, execute, and manage an independent research agenda and meet their academic milestones in a timely manner. If a student is not meeting expectations, their special committee chair or advisor and the DGS will provide timely written notice (as soon as concerns become evident) outlining the issues, outcomes, or potential consequences, including:

  • Written notice of a lack of academic progress or loss of academic standing (separate, and in addition to, the SPR).
  • A clear explanation of the concerns and specific expectations for improvement.
  • A reasonable timeline and opportunity to meet expectations before any adverse action (e.g., changes in funding status or withdrawal recommendations).
  • Further, all students should be provided with an opportunity to meet with the DGS to discuss the concern and plan for improvement.

If a student fails to meet the conditions of that plan, the special committee in collaboration with the DGS will consult with the Graduate School to review the case and determine next steps. This can include academic withdrawal from their degree program and the Graduate School accompanied by documentation showing that the process above was followed, and in accordance with Graduate School policy and the terms of the CGSU-UE Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Graduate students will be given an opportunity to respond or appeal as outlined by the Graduate School and CGSU‑UE policies. Final decisions will be documented and archived by the DGS and GFA and the Graduate School.