Graduate School

General Information

1.1 History

 

1.2 Graduate Education Assumptions of
      a Multicampus University

1.3 The Graduate School

The Graduate School is responsible to administer, develop, and evaluate graduate education throughout the University. Graduate School personnel work in partnership with the faculty, program and department chairs, the deans, graduate students (particularly through the GPSA) and the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) to further graduate education. The Graduate School is responsible for the following:

  development of academic policies and procedures;
  assisting with the preparation of new graduate degree options and programs;
  enrollment management at the graduate level;
  admission of graduate students;
   
monitoring graduate students’ progress toward degrees,
  accepting and approving theses and dissertations, and certifying the successful completion of graduation requirements;
 

certifying eligibility of graduate students to hold teaching and research assistantships, TAs and RAs

  appointment and reappointment of faculty;
  advocating and promoting a nurturing climate for graduate education, including the sound mentoring of graduate students;
 

facilitating the Preparing Future Professoriate Program and the Summer Doctoral Fellows Program.

  The Graduate School also supports the development of interdisciplinary degree programs that have core research activities, but might otherwise be limited by artificial philosophic or academic boundaries.
  Specifically, the Graduate School is responsible for administration of the Individual Interdisciplinary Doctoral Degree Program.

    

1.4 The Graduate Studies Committee

The Faculty Senate’s Graduate Studies Committee is composed of fourteen members of the faculty (appointed for three-year terms) and five graduate students (appointed for two-year terms). Each college and the Intercollegiate College of Nursing will have at least one, and no more than two, representatives. 

At least two members of the Graduate Studies Committee must also be members of the Faculty Senate. The president of the GPSA, Dean of the Graduate School, Provost or designee, Dean of WSU Spokane, Dean of WSU Tri-Cities, and Dean of WSU Vancouver serve as non-voting members. 

The functions of the Graduate Studies Committee are the following:

  review and appraise graduate educational policies, programs, and procedures.
  Recommend establishment, continuation, modification and termination of graduate courses and degree programs.
  Advise the Dean of the Graduate School.
  Make policy recommendation regarding the granting of graduate scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships.
  Administer the graduate student travel fund.
  Consult with the Academic Affairs Committee on those policies and procedures that jointly affect graduate and undergraduate education.

   

1.5 Policies for Faculty Involvement

Faculty involvement in graduate education at WSU is among the top 50 Research Extensive Universities in the United States. Inherent in this ranking is our serious commitment to graduate education and the training of new Ph.D. scholars. WSU hires quality faculty members who desire to expand participation in the graduate program. Department or program faculty and chairs are those in the best position to determine who should teach graduate courses, advise graduate students, and serve on guidance committees.

The WSU faculty is responsible for conducting graduate education. Graduate students deserve to be advised by faculty members who have experience conducting research and training students, and who are active scholars or researchers. Vigorous programs should be well-populated with active research scholars to serve as mentors.

Faculty of the various programs, departments, and colleges make decisions on qualifications to serve as chair of a graduate committee.

Minimum expectations should include the following:

  evidence of past and continuing scholarly or creative work within the past five years.
  These criteria shall be developed by the unit and approved by that unit’s Graduate Studies Committee or its agent.
  Evidence of substantial involvement in graduate education within the past five years, e.g., by directing graduate student research and/or graduate teaching. 
  New faculty members without previous involvement in graduate student advising can satisfy this requirement by having a named mentor.
   

The role of the mentor is to help the new faculty member advise and direct graduate students, so each must possess an advanced degree appropriate to the unit. Beyond the minimum standards stated above, each unit should establish their own specific criteria.

Incumbent in these criteria should be the rights of the graduate student detailed in the WSU Student Code and excerpted below. The research and scholarship basis for participation in graduate education is essential and units should use the annual review process to monitor and refine individual faculty roles in this endeavor.

Expectations of faculty advisors and mentors.

High quality graduate programs are those with notable faculty and systems for advising and mentoring graduate students who need sound advice during their early experiences in graduate school. They also deserve guidance from faculty whose interests goes beyond the advisor-director role to one of teacher and mentor. Departments and programs are responsible for encouraging and insuring effective mentorship for graduate students during the course of their studies.

A mentor assists scholarly development, contributes to intellectual stimulation, and fosters professionally enriching relationships with graduate students. A faculty mentor is a peer-to-be, one who encourages and supports independent development; one who, through insightful guidance, trust, and mutual respect, nurtures a rapid transition from graduate student to colleague .

Students should expect that mentors will interact with them on a regular basis, providing the guidance, advice, and intellectual challenge necessary to help students complete their degree programs. Students may also change mentors at any time, without fear of reprisal.

Graduate students should expect that advisors and mentors will do the following:

  interact in a professional and civil manner consistent with University policies governing nondiscrimination and sexual harassment.
  Create an ethos of collegiality in classroom, laboratory, or studio supervisory relations that stimulates and encourages students to learn creatively and independently.
  Develop clear understandings about specific research expectations and responsibilities, including timelines for completion of theses or dissertations.
  Provide verbal or written comments and evaluation of students’ work in a timely manner.
  Discuss laboratory, studio, or departmental authorship policy with graduate students in advance of entering into collaborative projects.
  Acknowledge student contributions to research presented at conferences, in professional publications, or in applications for copyrights and patents.

  

Objective of the Master’s Program

All master’s programs require that a candidate prepare a thesis, complete a special problem or pass a comprehensive exam. The thesis is a scholarly study, which makes a significant contribution to the knowledge of the chosen discipline. To successfully complete a master's degree program the candidate must satisfactorily demonstrate to the faculty that they can carry on a critical dialogue, integrating and interpreting material in their major and supporting fields.

Master’s Committee

Committee Chair

During the first semester or summer session of enrollment, the chair of the major department or program should, in conjunction with the student, appoint an advisor to serve as chair of the student’s master’s committee. The chair must hold a degree of comparable level to that degree sought by the candidate; by special action, the Graduate Studies Committee may make individual exceptions on the basis of adequate justification.

Committee Members

The master’s committee is nominated on the Master’s Program of Study. For both thesis and non-thesis programs, a master’s committee should include at least three faculty members who hold either master’s or doctoral degrees.

Doctoral Committee

Committee Chair

The chair of a doctoral committee must hold a graduate doctoral degree comparable to the degree sought by the candidate; by special action however, the Graduate School may make individual exceptions on the bases of adequate justification. The chair must be a person who meets the minimum criteria listed above and any additional conditions the unit might have established internally.

Committee Members

The doctoral committee must include a chair (the advisor) and at least two other faculty members. An additional member who holds the highest appropriate degree and whose special knowledge is particularly important to the proposed program, but who is not a member of the WSU faculty, may be appointed to the committee and shall vote. At least one faculty member of the committee must be from the minor department/program if a minor is declared on the doctoral program. It is strongly encouraged that the committee be broad in academic scope.

The doctoral committee is subject to approval by the chair of the major and minor (if applicable) departments/programs and Dean of the Graduate School. This committee, once approved, has the responsibility of directing the student’s progress, supervising the dissertation, and participating in the preliminary and final examinations.

Research and clinical faculty deemed appropriate by the degree-offering unit, may chair doctoral supervisory committees after receiving approval of the Department Chair and Dean of the Graduate School.

Adjunct faculty are not officially appointed as WSU faculty, but can make a contribution to graduate education at WSU as stipulated by the following mechanisms.

    a. Eligible to co-direct master’s theses
    b. Eligible for membership on graduate committees
    c. Eligible for membership on doctoral committees but not chair of these committees without special permission. (Adjunct members may, with approval of the department and Dean of the Graduate School, co-chair a dissertation committee.)

Examination Failure

In over 95% of the cases of examination failure the student is given a second examination. Under the new system, the Graduate School will send an official representative to preside over the second examination to protect the rights of the student, faculty, and program. The Graduate School will train a group of willing faculty members in the appropriate procedures to be followed for a second examination. 

    1. The current Graduate Representative will be supplanted by a different mechanism. A student, Department Chair, or Committee member may request an independent observer from the Graduate School. All such requests will be fulfilled and will draw on a group of faculty who have agreed to serve in this role and have received training. All repeat examinations or defenses will have such a representative.

    2. All repeat examinations or defenses will have a specially trained independent faculty member present. 

1.6 Office of the Dean

The Dean of the Graduate School administers the diverse graduate programs throughout the multicampus University within the policies and regulations established by the Graduate Studies Committee, and the Faculty Senate.

1.7 Graduate School Policy

Graduate School policy is established by action of the Graduate Studies Committee, the Faculty Senate, the President, and Board of Regents. Interpretations of policy are made by the Graduate Studies Committee or Dean of the Graduate School acting for the Committee. Please note: Recommendations for changes in policy should be addressed to the Graduate Studies Committee through its chair or through the Dean of the Graduate School.

It is the intention of the Graduate School to relieve professors and departments of the details of administration, permitting maximum freedom in decision-making consistent with established policies and with high standards of graduate education. In general, the policies of the Graduate School represent minimal standards for graduate student admission, continuance, and degree completion. Departmental requirements may, and usually do, go beyond these minimum standards.

Subsequent changes in degree requirements of the Graduate School or in departmental requirements may be substituted at the option of the student upon approval by the student’s committee, departmental chair, and Dean of the Graduate School.

The graduation requirements of the Graduate School, which must be met for completion of a graduate degree program, are those published in the Policies and Procedures of the Graduate School in effect at the time of the student’s initial admission as a regular or provisional student. Departmental requirements are those in effect at the time the student files a program.

If a student is dropped from the University for failure to maintain continuous enrollment, the requirements of the Graduate School are those in effect at the time of re-admission to the Graduate School. Modification of certain aspects of Graduate School policy may be necessary to conform to legislation enacted by the Washington State Legislature.

1.8 Exceptions to Policy, Appeals Procedure

Any request for an exception to policy for an individual student should be submitted in writing through the major professor and chair of the major department/program to the Dean of the Graduate School, who may then act upon the request, or refer it to the Graduate Studies Committee.

Any decision by the Graduate School concerning the academic status of a student may be referred to the Graduate Studies Committee for review upon request of the student, department/program chair, or committee chair (The Graduate Student Code – see Appendix).

Graduate students with disabilities are encouraged to ask for reasonable accommodation and assistance through the Disability Resource Center, the department/program, and the Graduate School.

1.9 Institutional Responsibility to Current Graduate Students

In the event that a degree program is discontinued, currently enrolled graduate degree aspirants will be permitted to complete their degrees within a reasonable period of time. To facilitate this process, department and program chairs (or the appropriate dean) may do the following:

  encourage students to complete requirements in a similar or related degree tract;
  waive or substitute departmental degree requirements (except the minimum total hours required);
  and/or permit students to take courses or conduct research at another institution when approved by the student’s graduate committee and the Graduate School.
  All financial obligations are the responsibility of the individual student, except as otherwise noted in these Policies and Procedures.

 

1.10 Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity

The Graduate School at Washington State University subscribes to the principles and laws of the State of Washington and the federal government pertaining to civil rights and equal opportunity. Our policy strictly prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, including sexual harassment, religion, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, physical, mental, or sensory disability, marital status, sexual orientation, and status as a Vietnam-era or disabled veteran in the recruitment, admission, and retention of graduate students as well as the implementation of Graduate School policies and procedures.

Graduate School, P.O. Box 641030, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-1030, 509-335-1446, Contact Us