Table of Contents

I. Administration

• The Graduate School — Organization
• Graduate Directory
• Graduate Council 2004-2005
• Graduate Council Proposal and Meeting Dates
• Graduate Coordinator Functions and Responsibilities

II. Faculty Appointment Policy

• Graduate Faculty
• Criteria for Appointment
• Procedures for Appointment
• Retired Faculty

III. Curriculum

• Course Numbering, Credits, and Grades
• Repeating Courses
• New Course Procedures
• Traveling Scholar Program

IV. Admissions

• Requirements for Graduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions Processing System
• Graduate Applications
• How the Admissions Process Works
• Processing Admission Materials
• Processing Admission Decisions
• Calculating Grade Point Averages for Prospective Graduate Students
• International Applications
• Conditional Admissions
• Notification of Admission Decision
• Miller Analogies Test
• Prospective International Graduate Students
• Tests/Examinations for International Students
• International Student Services
• Visa Eligibility
• Certification of Financial Responsibility
• Conditional International Admission
• Emergency Admission
• Faculty Members Pursuing Graduate Degrees
• Concurrent Degrees
• Joint Degree Programs
• Students with Learning Disabilities
• Conditions Under Which Graduate School Approval Is Required

V. Financial Aid

• Types of Financial Aid
• Fellowships and Scholarships
• Minority Support
• Other Fellowships and Traineeships
• Graduate Assistant Appointments
• Required Full-time Registration
• General Employment Regulations
• Oral Proficiency Testing—SPEAK and TSE
• Oral Proficiency Requirements and Remediation—Academic Spoken English
• Visa Requirements for International Students
• Eligibility for In-State and Out-of-State Tuition Payments
• Reasons for Ineligibility or Cancellation of Tuition Payments

VI. Registration

• General Registration Information
• Petitions
• Graduate Student Classifications
• Registration in 7979, 7980, 6971, 6910, and 6940
• Tuition Fee Schedule-2001-2002 Academic Year
• Registration Requirements
• Interruption of Graduate Study

VII. Credit Requirements

• Master's Degree
• Degree of Engineer
• Doctor of Audiology
• Doctor of Plant Medicine
• Specialist in Education
• Doctor of Education or Doctor of Philosophy Degree

VIII. Supervisory Committee

• General Supervisory Committee Information
• Appointment
• Membership
• Master's Degree
• Specialist Degree
• Engineer Degree
• Doctor of Audiology Degree
• Doctor of Education and Doctor of Philosophy Degree
• External Committee Members
• Special Appointments
• Minor/External Member
• Cochair
• Retired Faculty
• Substitution of Members at Qualifying and Final Examinations
• Duties and Responsibilities of Supervisory Committee
• Supervisory Committee Forms
• Completing the Supervisory Committee Form

IX. Major and Minor

• Courses and Credits
• Interdisciplinary Minors
• Grade Point Average in Minor
• Change from Master's Thesis to Nonthesis Option
• Transfer of Credit
• Change of Major, College, or Degree Objective (Change of Degree Program)
• Change from EdD to PhD
• Unsatisfactory Scholarship
• Computation of Graduate Grade Point Averages
• Time Limits
• Petitions

X. Examinations

• Graduate School Foreign Language Test
• Test of Spoken English or SPEAK Test
• Scholarly Writing Program
• Qualifying Examination
• Admission to Candidacy
• Final Examination
• General Regulations for Administration of Graduate Student Examinations

XI. Theses and Dissertations

• Editorial Assistance and Information
• Deadline Dates
• Submissions
• Guidelines for Restriction of Release of Dissertations
• Also see Guide for Preparing Theses and Dissertations

I. Administration

The Graduate School-Organization

The organization and responsibilities of the Graduate School are defined in the Constitution of the University of Florida as follows:

1. The Graduate School shall exercise general supervision over graduate programs within the University including approving new and revised graduate degree programs and concentrations, the establishment of minimum standards of admission and performance, the recommendation of candidates for graduate degrees to the President, and the encouragement, financial, and other support of graduate study and research where these functions are not otherwise assigned. Detailed applications of general policies announced in the Graduate Catalog shall have the approval of the Graduate Council. The responsibility for the operation of graduate programs shall be vested in the individual colleges, divisions, departments, and institutes.
2. General policies and standards of the Graduate School shall be established by the graduate faculty.
3. The Graduate Council shall assist the Dean in being the agent of the graduate faculty for execution of policy related to graduate study and associated research. It shall be composed of twelve members of the graduate faculty, a graduate student elected by the Graduate Student Council, a representative of the Graduate Coordinator's Advisory Council, and the Dean of the Graduate School, who shall serve as chair. In the Dean's absence, the Associate Dean shall be designated by the Dean as his representative. Six of the twelve faculty members of the Graduate Council shall be elected by the graduate faculty for overlapping terms of three years. Each year, the Dean of the Graduate School will appoint a nominating committee of no fewer than three members of the Graduate Council. The nominating committee will provide a slate of six or more candidates which will be discussed by the members of the Graduate Council who will determine the final slate to be put forth to the graduate faculty for a vote. This process will take place before the end of the spring semester. The entire slate, indicating the individuals elected, will be presented to the Provost for consideration in making appointments for the other members of the Graduate Council.
4. The Graduate Council shall establish subcommittees as needed and shall prepare the agenda for graduate faculty meetings, which shall normally be held at least once a semester. Agenda items to be acted upon at graduate faculty meetings shall be reported on by the subcommittee responsible. Other motions from the floor shall be referred to the appropriate subcommittee.
5. Appointment to the graduate faculty shall be made by the Dean of the Graduate School upon approval by a two-thirds vote of all eligible graduate faculty in the appointing department and endorsement of the department chair and the dean of the college. Privileges regarding the level of involvement of graduate faculty in supervising students are granted by the dean of the college or other designated official in consultation with the faculty member and in accordance with criteria established by that unit. New faculty members may be appointed to the graduate faculty as a condition of their appointment to a tenure-track position in a graduate-degree-granting department upon approval of the appropriate chair, dean of the college, and the graduate dean.

Graduate Directory

All phone numbers are (352)392-#### unless otherwise stated.

Names that appear in orange are people who reside outside the Graduate School.

The Graduate School Directory lists staff names and telephone numbers by topic:

Graduate Council 2004-2005

Dr. Kenneth Gerhardt

Chair
Interim Dean of the Graduate School
392-6622
164 Grinter Hall

Graduate Council Finalized Proposal and Meeting Dates

Deadline Dates

To give the council members ample time to discuss completed proposal items with department chairs or faculty, deadline dates are set for submission of items for the agenda. For further information, click on this link — UF Graduate Council Agenda Deadlines — or contact Dr. Kenneth Gerhardt 392-6622.

Graduate Council Meeting Dates

All Graduate Council meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month during the fall and spring semesters, in 264 Grinter Hall (conference room) at 1:30 p.m., unless notified otherwise. Click on this link for the current schedule: UF Graduate Council Meeting Schedule.

Graduate Coordinator Functions and Responsibilities

The major functions of the graduate coordinators are as follows:

• To assume primary responsibility within their major departments of insuring that graduate programs conform to existing policy.
• To approve programs after students have been counseled by their supervisory committees, or other such advisers as the department shall designate.
• To assume the major responsibility for communicating Graduate School regulations and policies to both the students and the faculty within the department.
• To advise the Graduate School about matters of concern to the department and the students and to suggest modifications in Graduate School procedures.
• To inform the Graduate School when a new graduate coordinator is appointed by notifying Graduate Data Management at ghartge@ufl.edu

Table of Contents

II. Graduate Faculty Appointment Policy

Graduate Faculty

The privileges regarding the level of involvement of graduate faculty in supervising students are determined by the dean of the college and/or department chair in consultation with the faculty members and in accordance with criteria established by that unit.

Criteria for Appointment

Faculty who hold appointments at the rank of assistant professor or above, or an equivalent title as defined by the Florida Administrative Code, are eligible to become members of the graduate faculty of the University of Florida subject to the following minimum requirements:

• The graduate faculty appointment (budgeted, joint, affiliate, courtesy, or adjunct) must be in a graduate-degree-granting department, college, or center.
• Graduate faculty appointees must have the terminal degree appropriate to their academic field or discipline, or must show a comparable level of attainment through experience.
• Appointment to the graduate faculty must be supported by a vote, with a two-thirds majority, of all eligible graduate faculty in the appointing department. Eligibility of the voting members will be determined by each department/program. The appointment must have the endorsement of the department chair and the dean of the college.
• The faculty member must meet the criteria established by the appointing college and/or department.

Persons in the following positions are eligible for graduate faculty appointment without special petitions.

Procedures for Appointment

Upon the approval of the department and the college, the Recommendation for Appointment to the Graduate Faculty form listing credentials of the candidate and the voting results will be sent to the Dean of the Graduate School for approval and inclusion in the graduate faculty database.

New Faculty

For new faculty being hired in tenure-accruing lines in graduate-degree-granting departments, the Graduate School Dean will review the candidate's curriculum vitae and department's/college's recommendations for the graduate faculty appointment, so the appointment to the graduate faculty can be made as part of the recruitment package.

Chairing Graduate Committees in Multiple Departments

• Graduate faculty candidates must hold graduate faculty status in their primary department.
• A courtesy or affiliate appointment to a second department must be made via the 250 form through Academic Affairs.
• A letter from the second department chair should be sent to the Dean of the Graduate School. The letter should show a two-thirds positive vote from the eligible graduate faculty in the department. Requests from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and College of Engineering must have a dean's signature as well.
• The appointment will be automatic, provided the above criteria are met.

Courtesy Appointments

Appointments to the graduate faculty of persons given courtesy appointments within the department must meet all criteria listed above. 

Special Appointments to Supervisory Committees

When required, persons with expertise not available from the faculty may be given permission to serve on a specific supervisory committee. See entry under supervisory committees on procedures.

Retired Faculty

Graduate faculty members who retire may continue their service on supervisory committees for one year. Retired faculty who wish to continue serving on existing or new committees beyond this period may do so with departmental approval. The office of Graduate Data Management (101 Grinter Hall, 392-6623) notifies department chairs of graduate faculty terminations and retirements (including at the start of DROP).

Table of Contents

III. Curriculum

Course Numbering, Credits, and Grades

Course Numbering

Credits

A semester credit hour is equivalent to 1.5 quarter hours, or .67 semester hour is equivalent to 1 quarter hour.

Credits assignable to each course are indicated in the Graduate Catalog. Credits should represent the amount of work the student does; the correlation between credits and contact hours need not be one-to-one.

Graduate credit is awarded for courses numbered 5000 and above. The work in the major field must be in courses numbered 5000 or above. For work outside the major, courses numbered 3000 or above, not to exceed 6 credits, may be taken provided they are part of an approved plan of study.

Grades

University definitions of grades and procedures for receiving and awarding nonstandard grades, such as I and W, are given in the Undergraduate Catalog.

*All 1000 and 2000 level courses may be taken S/U but 3000 and 4000 may not. This policy is effective immediately. Grades of S and U are the only grades that can be awarded to students registered in courses numbered 6910 (Supervised Research), 6940 (Supervised Teaching), 6971 (Master's Research), 7979 (Advanced Research), and 7980 (Doctoral Research). Additional courses, such as departmental seminars or colloquia for which S and U grades apply, are noted in departmental course offerings in the Graduate Catalog.

**All language courses regardless of level may be taken S/U if the student's major is not a language and the courses are not used to satisfy a minor. Approval will be required from the student's supervisory committee chair, the instructor of the course, and the Graduate School. The S/U approval should be made within the first three weeks of each semester, counted from the first day of classes.

***The H grade is used in special situations when it is not possible to assign a regular grade at the end of the term. Courses for which the H grade is appropriate are so noted in the Graduate Catalog descriptions. In no instance is the H grade allowable as a substitute for an I grade.

Repeating Courses

Graduate students may repeat courses in which they earn failing grades. The grade points from the first and second attempts will be included in the computation of the grade point average, but the student will receive credit for only the second attempt.

New Course Procedures

New courses and course changes are to be submitted to the Graduate Curriculum Committee. New courses will be submitted via the New Course Transmittal form (UCC1) and changes will be submitted via the Request for Course Deletion or Change in Any Characteristic of a Current Course form (UCC2). These forms should be submitted to Helen Martin, 160 Grinter Hall, PO Box 115500, with appropriate documentation. The instructions are contained on the reverse side of the forms.

All new course requests must be accompanied by a brief syllabus, grading criteria, and a reading list. The syllabus should include the name of the graduate faculty member scheduled to teach the proposed course. Any request for an increase in semester credit hours should also include a revised syllabus. See the Example Course Outline.

Who May Teach Graduate Courses

Only University of Florida faculty may teach graduate courses.

Traveling Scholar Program

A traveling scholar is a graduate student who, by mutual agreement of the appropriate academic authorities in both the sponsoring and hosting institutions, receives a waiver of admission requirements and a guarantee of acceptance of earned resident credits by the sponsoring institutions.

The program will enable graduate students to take advantage of the special resources available on another campus but not available on their own campus.

Regulations

The Traveling Scholar Program is described as follows:

Purpose

• The program will enable graduate students to take advantage of special resources available on another campus but not available on their own campus. These include special course offerings, research opportunities, unique laboratories, and library collections.

Procedure

1. A traveling scholar is a graduate student who, by mutual agreement of the appropriate academic authorities in both the sponsoring and hosting institutions, receives a waiver of admission requirements and the application fee of the host institution and a guarantee of acceptance of earned resident credits by the sponsoring institution.
2. Traveling scholars must be recommended by their own graduate adviser, who will initiate a visiting arrangement with the appropriate faculty member of the host institution.
3. After agreement by the student's adviser and the faculty member at the host institution, graduate deans at both institutions will be fully informed by the adviser and have the authority to approve or disapprove the academic arrangement.
4. A student will register at the host institution and will pay tuition and/or registration fees according to fee schedules established at that institution.

Conditions

1. Each university retains its full right to accept or reject any student who wishes to study under its auspices.
2. Traveling scholars will normally be limited to one term (semester, trimester, quarter, etc.) on the campus of the host university.
3. Traveling scholars are not entitled to displacement allowance, mileage, or per diem payments. The sponsoring institution, however, may at its option, continue its financial support of the traveling scholar in the form of fellowships or graduate assistantships, with the work obligation to be discharged either at the sponsoring or host institution.

Information in the University Catalogs—Information about the traveling scholar program should be included in the catalogs of the participating universities.

Approval Procedures

The student must have been enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Florida before taking course work under the Traveling Scholar Program. The student submits a planned program of work to be taken at another university on the appropriate form:

• Graduate Level Approval for Traveling Scholar Program within the State University System
• Graduate Level Approval for Courses Taken outside the State University System

This program is approved or disapproved by the student's supervisory committee and the department chair. College approval is not mandatory, except in cases in which a college dean wishes to be involved.

Gann Enholm (103 Grinter Hall, 2-4643) of the Graduate School approves or disapproves the planned program.

If the program is approved, the student takes a copy of the planned program to the graduate dean of the host institution for signature. The graduate dean of the host institution either accepts or rejects the planned program. If approved, the original Traveling Scholar form is returned to 103 Grinter Hall. This step is required only for Traveling Scholar participants at Florida state-supported universities.

The student then enrolls at the host institution, paying fees to the host institution. If the student enrolls in two state institutions simultaneously, he or she needs to pay fees at each institution.

When students have completed their work at the host institution, they will be credited with this work via the Transfer of Credit form in the usual manner.

The Traveling Scholar Program is designed to provide graduate students with the opportunity to enroll in unique courses or engage in activities not provided or available on the University of Florida campus. Proposed programs that merely provide convenient locations for students or duplicate University of Florida courses will not be approved.

It is not intended that a substantial amount of course work be completed at the host institution under the Traveling Scholar Program. Normally the time limit is one term. Twelve (12) semester credit hours is the maximum limit allowed, unless the credit is taken through the FEEDS Program, which allows 15 semester credit hours. In either case, the department or the supervisory committee may limit the number of semester credit hours that can be transferred under the Traveling Scholar Program.

IV. Admissions

Requirements for Graduate Admissions

The Graduate School, University of Florida, requires both a minimum grade average of B for all upper-division undergraduate work and a minimum verbal-quantitative total score of 1000 on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for students with an earned bachelor's degree only. For some departments, and in more advanced levels of graduate study, grade point average or GRE scores above those stated for the Graduate School may be required. Applicants with a previous graduate or professional degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited U.S. institution may be exempt from the Graduate Record Examination, or GMAT if required, and undergraduate GPA requirements. Inquiries about specific requirements should be addressed to the department in question. Some colleges and departments require a reading knowledge of at least one foreign language. Exceptions to the above requirements are made only when these and other criteria, including letters of recommendation, are reviewed by the department, recommended by the department, and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Graduate Admissions Processing System

An electronic graduate admissions processing system has been fully implemented at the University of Florida. All units that are involved in graduate admissions must follow the processing system as outlined in this section.

The units that are responsible for the graduate admissions processing system include the Office of the University Registrar's Graduate and Professional Admissions (330 Criser Hall), the Office of International Studies and Programs (123 Grinter Hall), colleges, schools, and departments/programs. Conditional admissions that do not meet state admissions minimums are forwarded to the Office of Data Managment at the Graduate School (101 Grinter Hall), in order to record departmental admissions conditions, set up tracking of fulfillment of conditions, and finalize conditional admission. Admissions processing and admission decision policies vary by colleges and schools. While most colleges allow departments to make direct admission decisions and handle the correspondence of graduate admissions, the offices of a few college deans make final decisions and handle the correspondence. Some colleges and schools have only one graduate program; thus, the dean/director's office is the only admissions unit. They are the Colleges of Journalism and Communications, Nursing, Dentistry, and Veterinary Medicine and the Schools of Accounting, Building Construction, and Forest Resources and Conservation. The programs that handle their own graduate admission decisions independent of colleges or departments are the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Laws (taxation and comparative law concentrations).

The unit that makes admission decisions or recommendations and is responsible for handling application correspondence will be referred to as the graduate admissions unit in this document.

Graduate Applications

Upon receipt, the Admissions Office forwards all requests for graduate application materials (using the computer printout entitled the Graduate Inquiry List and copies of letters from prospective applicants) and/or program information to the department, to graduate secretaries or coordinators of graduate admissions units.

The graduate admissions units are responsible for sending complete packages to prospective applicants. The packages should contain:

For U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens

• Application form
• Residency affidavit
• Admission to Graduate School brochure
• Application for Graduate Fellowship or Assistantship
• Letter of Recommendation forms (3)
• Graduate admission unit information

For international applicants

• International Student Application
• Bulletin of Information for Prospective International Students
• Certification of Financial Responsibility (CFR) form
• Application for Graduate Fellowship or Assistantship
• Letter of Recommendation forms (3)
• Graduate admission unit information

Additional materials such as "Cost of Living at the University of Florida," "Services at the University of Florida," and "Gainesville" may be included.

How the Admissions Process Works

Applicants submit a set of documents to Admissions in the Office of the University Registrar and to the intended department. The University of Florida has no provision for waiving or deferring the $30 application fee for first-time applicants to degree programs, except for participants in designated sponsored programs.

It is the applicant's responsibility to provide complete documentation to the Office of Admissions and to the intended department. 

Processing Admission Materials

Applicants should send a packet of appropriate admissions materials to the UF Admissions Office and to the academic department. The online application is downloaded or the paper application is manually keyed into the Registrar's computer system. Admissions enters test scores and updates transcript material as it becomes available. Once the application fee is processed (in the case of first-time applicants), the record becomes a viable application available to departments on the electronic admissions referral system. Departments will notify the student of missing materials at least twice and cancel the application if no response is received in 8 weeks. Canceled applications are only reinstated after a request has been made by the admitting department.

Processing Admission Decisions

To facilitate the admissions process, students who attended a U.S. college or university should submit a self-reported GPA (SGPA) for undergraduate course work counted from the semester beginning after 60 credits until the bachelor's degree is awarded. It is required on the online application. A calculation worksheet is included with all applications for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Admissions will only calculate a GPA if the student has not submitted a SGPA or the department requests an official GPA be calculated if there is a major error in the GPA affecting the 3.0 requirement.

Calculating Grade Point Averages for Prospective Graduate Students

The grade point average shown on the referral form is based on all work completed at the upper-division level before the first baccalaureate degree. In rare cases where a student has completed two or more baccalaureate degrees, the grade point average will be computed on the degree most closely related to the proposed field of study if at least 60 semester hours of credits were earned in that degree program.

The grade point average is counted from the beginning of the junior year in college. At this point, students have a 3 classification and have completed 60 or more semester credit hours toward their bachelor's degree.

The following point values are assigned to each grade. 

^* When N is given instead of failing grade

^** Not counted for or against the grade point average

When the GPA is computed, the result is truncated after the first decimal place.

UF does not compute a grade point average for international students.

This way of calculating grade point averages is designed to match the way the grade point average is calculated for a student who is currently enrolled at the University of Florida.

Graduate admissions units review application materials on screen 07, W01, or AFN and view the records on the Departmental Referral Name Browse Screen (SDRN) and the Departmental Referral Action Screen (SDAA).

If necessary, graduate admissions units should forward admission recommendations to the college dean's office for approval. Graduate admissions units can cancel or deny any applicant by entering "C" or "D" in the decision field on the SDAA.

International Applicants

Graduate admissions units may admit an international student only when the test scores meet the minimum standard and the equivalence of the bachelor's degree is confirmed by the Office of Admissions, designated by a 98 in the GPA field. The UF International Center supplies a Certificate of Financial Responsibility form for international applicants. Departments should order U.S. and international applications and materials from the Office of the University Registrar, 2-1374 X7145.

Conditional Admissions

Students Below University of Florida Admission Minimums

Admissions applications for students who meet state, but not University of Florida, minimum admission standard will be forwarded to College Dean's Browse/Action screen (SCAS). Departments must forward their justifications for conditonal admission to the college dean. The following situations would meet state but not University of Florida minimums:

• UGPA > 3.0 AND GRE(V+Q) < 1000
• or
• UGPA < 3.0 AND GRE(V+Q) > 1000

The admissions decision on the Department Browse/Action screen (SDAA) will be forwarded to College Dean's Browse/Action screen (SCAS). The dean's admission's decisions on SCAS will be final and will be reflected on the Registrar's Admission screen (S007) immediately.

Students Below State of Florida Admission Minimums

Admissions applications for students who do not meet state minimum admission standard will be forwarded first to the College Dean's Browse/Action screen (SCAS) and, if approved, to the Graduate School Action screen (sGSA). Departments must forward their justifications for conditonal admission to both the college dean and to Gary Hartge, Graduate School Office of Data Management (101A Grinter Hall, phone: 392-6623, fax: 846-2756. Students with the following conditions fall below state admission minimums:

U.S. Students

• UGPA < 3.0 and GRE(V+Q) < 1000 and bachelor's degree only

International Students

• GRE < 1000 or TOEFL < 550 (paper) or TOEFL < 213 (computer) or no TOEFL Score on record

The following steps are required for conditional admissions that do not meet state admissions minimums:

1. Department acts on SDAA, forwards to college dean's office for approval. If the dean admits on SCAS, then the records are forwarded to the Graduate School Browse Action screen.
2. The department must submit a letter of justification to explain the reason to admit the applicant and send a copy of the transcript to the Graduate School.
3. The Graduate School's action on SGSA will be final and will be reflected on the Registrar's Admission Application screen (S007) immediately.
4. Those international students whose GRE-V is lower than 320 or whose TOEFL score is lower than 550 on the paper-based or 213 on the computer-based test, and international students who have not submitted GRE scores or TOEFL scores when the latter are required, must participate in the Scholarly Writing Program in the first semester. This will be automatically shown on E-R screens.
5. IMPORTANT: Always check Registrar's Admission Application screen (S007) and confirm that the admission status shows "Admitted" before sending the acceptance letter, especially to international applicants.
6. Should you have any questions concerning graduate admission policies and procedures, please call Gary Hartge at 392-6623, or e-mail him at ghartge@ufl.edu.

Notification of Admission Decision

The Office of Admissions will notify international applicants if their application has been denied. Academic departments will notify applicants of admissions decisions in all other cases. If the academic department chooses to send its own denial letters to international students, the Admissions Office should be notified in order to avoid duplication.

When notifying an international applicant of an admission decision, the academic department must send a copy of the admission letter to the UF International Center (123 Grinter Hall) for processing the immigration form (I-20). The letter should show the student's name, social security number (applicant ID number), term of admission, degree sought, and financial aid package, if available.

Upon receiving the admission letter from the graduate admissions unit, UFIC will review the referral screen and the applicant's financial certification status before issuing an I-20 form to the applicant. If the admission letter is not received by UFIC, no action will be taken with regard to the application.

Miller Analogies Test (MAT)

The MAT may be taken to temporarily satisfy the GRE requirement when the student's GRE scores will not arrive before the student's entry date and there is no earlier test date available. It is not a permanent substitute for the GRE.

The following information supersedes all previous instructions.

• Place: Room P301 Peabody Hall
• Phone: (352) 392-1575
• Time: Tests will be given by appointment only. Contact Carla Connell at 392-1575 to arrange time.
• Testing time: 50 minutes
• Test fee: $40.00 must be paid in advance, in cash or with a cashier's check payable to the University of Florida, at the University Cashier, University Financial Services, S113 Criser Hall. Office hours are Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Please call to reserve seating before the test (because of limited space). Bring a copy of the fee receipt, a picture ID (e.g., driver's license), and complete mailing addresses of the institutions to receive test results. Scores will usually be received approximately 10 to 15 working days after the testing day. The MAT may be taken twice (using different forms of the test) during a 12-month period. Each test costs $40.00. A retest admission ticket is required.

Prospective International Graduate Students

The following materials may be obtained from the Office of the University Registrar, Criser Hall (352-392-1374 X7145).

1. The Bulletin of Information for Prospective International Graduate Students. The Bulletin contains information that is most often requested by international students. It is sent overseas instead of the heavier Graduate Catalog.

2. International Admission Packet. Certification of Financial Responsibility (CFR) form is included in the International Admission Packet. It is very important that the international student return this form to the UF International Center (123 Grinter Hall, (352) 392-5323, x602) even if it is only partially complete. All prospective students are urged to complete the entire form. Students hoping to receive an assistantship must complete the form, as the assistantship may not cover the full amount of funds needed.

Tests/Examinations for International Students

All international students seeking admission to the Graduate School are required to submit scores of 1000 or higher on the verbal and quantitative sections of the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and scores of at least 550 on the paper-based or 213 on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with the following exceptions:

1. International students whose native tongue is English (see List of Countries with English as an Official Language) or who have studied at least one academic year at a college or university where English is the official language need not submit TOEFL scores but must submit satisfactory scores on the General Test of the GRE before their application for admission can be considered.

2. Students educated in foreign countries which do not offer the GRE who apply for admission while residing outside the United States may be granted, on the basis of hardship, a one-semester postponement of the GRE but not the TOEFL. Permission to register for subsequent semesters will depend on the submission of GRE scores.

3. All international students applying for admission to the Master of Business Administration program must submit satisfactory scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) before the application for admission can be considered.

Applicants are requested to write to TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, Princeton NJ 08540, for registration forms and other information.

International Student Services

International Student Services (ISS) is a part of the UF International Center in 123 Grinter Hall (phone 352-392-5323 x602).

The ISS has two major responsibilities in the admission process of international students and plays a supportive role in all other areas with regard to international students and scholars.

1. Admission inquiries from abroad and from within the U.S. are usually answered by ISS, which publishes the Bulletin of Information for Prospective Graduate Students noted above. Requests for more detailed information regarding specific degree programs should be forwarded to the specific departments.

2. Visa eligibility documents are handled by ISS, as outlined in the next section.

Visa Eligibility

International Student Services is authorized to issue visa eligibility documents for two visa types involving students.

1. F-1 Student Visa requires an I-20AB student visa eligibility document—approximately 90% of students use this type of visa.
   
2. J-1 Visa requires an IAP-66 visa eligibility document. ISS has been authorized by the United States Information Agency (USIA) to issue this type of visa eligibility document.
   

Certain conditions must be met in order to issue either of these two visas:

1. The I-20 visa document is issued to a student who is privately funded or sponsored by individuals or institutions here or abroad.
   
2. The IAP-66 visa document is issued to a student who is funded by the U.S. government or its agents or an international organization.
   

Two requirements must be met for a student to be issued either visa document:

1. A referral form indicating that the student has been admitted to a specific academic program at the University of Florida.
   
2. A completed Certification of Financial Responsibility (CFR) form (CFR).
   

Visa eligibility documents will not be issued until both requirements have been met.

Referral Forms

Because of changes in the admission process, the department must notify ISS of a student's acceptance to a program by sending a copy of the letter notifying the student of admission to the department. The ISS has no knowledge of the student's acceptance unless a referral form or copy of the student's admission letter has been sent to ISS from the department accepting the student. The ISS will not initiate any activity regarding the student until one of these two documents has been sent to them:

Certification of Financial Responsibility

University regulations and immigration laws require that UF determine whether prospective students can provide documentation that they can support their education for the first year. This documentation is kept in the student's file. The total amount required for graduate studies at the University of Florida is $28,734 per year. This amount includes the following.*

*These figures are subject to change at any time.

**Annual computer cost estimates range from $800 to $1,710, depending on level and degree program. These figures represent an annual cost for purchase or lease of computer equipment (including printer, modem/Ethernet, and CD-ROM).

***Additional insurance for an F-1's family is optional, but highly recommended. It is not possible for a spouse to obtain work permission with an F-2 visa.

The total estimated cost of one year's study of $28,734 for graduate students is based on the assumption that the students are careful in the use of their money, do not plan to purchase an automobile, and have no dependents. It is estimated that the living expenses for an accompanying spouse will add $3,000 to the above annual costs; $1,500 per year should be added for each accompanying child.

It will be necessary for the student to have approximately $13,000 available for immediate use on arrival, to pay initial deposits, buy books, pay tuition, purchase insurance, and so on. Deferment of fee payment is not available.

ISS staff determine whether the CFR and other supporting documents meet the requirements. The following documentation or combination thereof can be used to show financial support:

1. Letters of support from the student's family with notarized signature of the parent or guardian;
   
2. Letter with notarized signature of a near relative (brother, sister, aunt, uncle, etc.);
   
3. Formal Affidavit of Support Form I-134;
   
4. Bank statements from local banks or notarized statements from foreign banks showing records of deposit on hand—ISS may require a statement showing a record of deposits for several months to date and amount of first deposit as well;
   
5. Letter of Appointment for a teaching or research assistantship at the University of Florida showing the biweekly salary and tuition if applicable;
   
6. Official letters of support from sponsoring agencies, foreign or domestic.
   

Letters of support from other students are not acceptable.

ISS also will not accept foreign bank statements from countries with strict currency exchange controls which make it unlikely that funds will be available.

If the student is accepted to the University of Florida but has not supplied ISS with a CFR, ISS will

• Notify the student of admission;
  
• Send a new CFR;
  
• Send a form letter indicating what information is needed for the office to be able to send visa eligibility documents.
  

Assistantships

• If a student has indicated he or she has applied for an assistantship, the department must inform ISS.
  
• Not all assistantships meet the basic financial requirements ($28,734 per year). In such cases the student will have to provide proof of additional funding.
  

For further information regarding assistantships and visas, see Visa Requirements for Foreign Students in the Financial Aid section.

Timing of Admission

In general ISS does not send visa eligibility documents to students overseas less than one month before registration. We therefore ask departments to complete admission requirements as early as possible. It takes the students overseas a long time to receive our mail, arrange for passports, obtain visas, arrange for currency exchange, and make travel arrangements. In many cases, as is the case with students from China, it takes approximately 3 months for the students to make all of these necessary arrangements.

ISS does not handle departmental overseas mail. Overseas addresses for students can be located on the departmental copy of the application form or from the Deans' Network, UF Menu System, or the Student Records System.

UF International Students Admitted for the Next Degree Level

Students who complete one degree level and who wish to continue to the next one or study for a new degree must have a new referral form generated by the department and submit a new CFR to ISS. The new visa eligibility document has to be sent to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service(INS) to be processed. This procedure must take place within the first 15 days of classes or the student will be considered out of status with the INS.

Conditional International Admission

Students may be given conditional admission to the Graduate School to ascertain their ability to pursue graduate work successfully where previous grade records or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are on the borderline of acceptability.

Students granted conditional admission should be notified by the major department of the conditions under which they were admitted. When these conditions have been satisfied, the department must notify the student in writing, sending a copy of notification to the Graduate School. Course work taken while a student is in conditional status may be applied toward a graduate degree.

Students who are admitted conditionally without a test score or with a low test score must submit a GRE (V+Q) score of 1000 or better (except the MBA program and the LLM program) or a GMAT score of 465 or better (for the MBA program) at the beginning of the first term.

International students who are admitted under any one of the following conditions will be required to participate in the Scholarly Writing Program (except the MBA and LLM programs):

Present TOEFL score only, no GRE score.

Present GRE score only, no TOEFL score when TOEFL is required.

TOEFL score is below 550 on the paper-based or 213 on the computer-based test.

GRE verbal score is below 320.

Emergency Admission

If extenuating circumstances prevent a potential graduate student from completing admission/registration procedures, such as a delay in receiving foreign transcripts or test scores, a student may be admitted as a "0" (zero or walk-in) for one term only. If the admission process is concluded before the end of the term, the student can be retroactively admitted to the Graduate School as of the beginning of that term. When the referral is processed, the admission term should indicate the current term; if the Admissions Office lists the subsequent term, the graduate coordinator should mark through the incorrect term and write in the current term, then sign and date the form. The graduate coordinator should indicate on the form that the student should be retroactively admitted and is currently registered as a "0" or "6."

Under no circumstances will a potential graduate student be allowed to continue registration beyond the initial term in a "0" classification. At the end of the initial term, the student should be admitted to Graduate School or to postbaccalaureate status. Fifteen semester credit hours of course work earned with a grade of A, B+, or B taken as a "0" or postbaccalaureate student would be eligible for transfer of credit during the student's first term enrolled in Graduate School.

Faculty Members Pursuing Graduate Degrees

Faculty members who meet one of the following conditions are not required
to petition the Graduate School to pursue a graduate degree.

• Students in the Clinical Investigations program are exempt from this policy.
  
• Academic Personnel OCO Title Exemptions:
  
• Intern in Psychology through the Colloge of Health Porfessions
• Resident in the Dental Sciences graduate program
• P.K. Young Faculty
• Faculty member out-side the College of Business Administration who are enrolled in the Weekend or Executive MBA program.
• Resident in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Clinical faculty (e.g. Clinical Assistant In) in Audiology-Distance Learning program.
• Courtesy or Adjunct faculty who are not on UF payroll system.
• Librarian
• Extension Agent
• An OCC Title the begins with "CO" (i.e. CO CLN AST PROF)

Faculty members who do not meet one of the following conditions are required
to petition the Graduate School to pursue a graduate degree.

Faculty Who Maintain a Tenured or Tenure-Accruing Position

Faculty members who maintain a tenured or tenure-accruing position at UF (e.g., assistant professor or associate professor) normally may not pursue a graduate degree at this institution. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Graduate Council and will be contingent on the faculty member's compliance with the following regulations:

• The petitioning faculty member must prove that there is no overlap or conflict of commitment between the employment unit and the department in which he or she proposes to study.
  
• The faculty member must show that the pursuit of the graduate degree will be beneficial to the University.
  
• The faculty member must present a plan of study and employment covering the entire period of graduate study from the time of admission until the completion of the degree requirements.
  
• If the plan is approved, the faculty member must have permission from the Dean of the Graduate School for any changes in the approved study plan and/or FTE employment status. Changes in either must meet the above-stated conditions.
  
• If the plan is approved, the faculty member must observe all departmental and University criteria. Nonthesis master's degrees must be completed within 4 years.
  

Faculty Who Maintain Nontenure-Accruing Positions and Wish to Pursue a Graduate Degree Other than a Nonthesis Master's Degree

Faculty members who maintain a nontenure-accruing position (e.g., assistant in, associate in, instructor, or assistant scientist) normally may not pursue a graduate degree other than a nonthesis graduate degree at this university. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Graduate Council and will be contingent on faculty member compliance with the following regulations:

• The petitioning faculty member must prove that there is no overlap or conflict of commitment between the employment unit and the department in which he or she proposes to study.
  
• The faculty member must show that pursuit of the graduate degree will be beneficial to the University.
  
• The faculty member must present a plan of study and employment covering the entire period of graduate study from the time of admission until the completion of the degree requirements.
  
• If the plan is approved, the faculty member must have permission from the Dean of the Graduate School for any changes in the approved study plan and/or FTE employment status. Changes in either must meet the above-stated conditions.
  
• If the plan is approved, all departmental and university requirements must be met.
  

Faculty Who Maintain A Nontenure-Accruing Position and Wish to Pursue a Nonthesis Master's Degree

Faculty members who maintain nontenure-accruing positions must have the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School in order to pursue a nonthesis master's degree. Such approval will be contingent on faculty member compliance with the following regulations:

• The faculty member must prove that there is no overlap or conflict of interest between the employment unit and the graduate study department.
  
• The faculty member must show that pursuit of the graduate degree will be beneficial to the University.
  
• The faculty member must present a plan of study.
  
• If the plan is approved, the faculty member must complete the nonthesis master's degree within 4 years.
  
• If the plan is approved, the faculty member must have permission from the Dean of the Graduate School for any changes in the approved study plan. All changes must meet the conditions stated above.
  

All petitions to pursue graduate study must include the following documentation:

• A petition letter that provides (1) the reason the faculty member wishes to pursue a graduate degree in the chosen program, (2) a detailed description of present employment responsibilities, and (3) a statement that details how potential conflicts of interest between activities in the employing unit and the proposed department of study have been eliminated.
  
• A complete program of study that lists all courses to be taken. This program must be signed by the chair of the faculty member's supervisory committee. To transfer credits from a previous degree to a new program, a petition letter from the department requesting the transfer must accompany the program of study.
  
• A list of graduate faculty who will serve on the supervisory committee.
  
• A written commitment from the employment supervisor agreeing to the release time required by the student to take courses and meet the residency requirement.
  
• Address the petition letter to the Graduate Council.
  

Send all petition documentation to Gary Hartge, Graduate School, 101A Grinter Hall.

Questions regarding this policy may be directed to Gary Hartge at 392-6623.

Concurrent Degrees

A concurrent degree program allows a student to pursue course work toward degrees in two different majors simultaneously. Concurrent degrees should not be confused with joint degrees, which are preapproved programs for pursuing two degrees. Concurrent degree programs are not required for students pursuing a master's and doctoral degree in the same major. Students pursuing a concurrent degree may share 9 semester credit hours of graduate course work between the two degree programs upon approval of their plan of study.

The student must submit the Concurrent Degree form to the Graduate School, 107 Grinter Hall. The submission must include all the following, complete and in a single packet:

• The Concurrent Degree Authorization form with the signature of the graduate student, and departmental and college approval by both degree programs.
  

• Two Concurrent Degree Program of Study forms, one for each degree program. These must explicitly list the courses (Course Prefix, Course Number, Course Title, Semester Credit Hours, Semester) that the student will take for each degree.

  At the time of submission a preliminary review of the programs of study is conducted. The results are communicated to the student and each department. Any corrections or subsequent changes to the programs must be submitted with appropriate signatures before the student is certified with each degree.

  If the student's actual studies differ from the initial Program of Study form, a new, approved Program of Study form must be submitted to the Graduate School. The Graduate School can not certify the degree if the program of study and student transcript do not match.
  

• A completed Change of Degree Program form with departmental approval. This form authorizes the student's admission to the second degree program. If the degree program is in a different college than the student's current classification, the Change of Degree Program form must have college appproval as well as departmental authorization.

  Do not attempt to admit the graduate student to the second degree program by submitting an Application for Admission form to the Office of Admissions. The Office of Admissions only processes Application for Admission forms from first-time applicants to the Graduate School. Any application from a student who has previously registered as a graduate student at the University of Florida (a "native graduate student") will be cancelled by the Office of Admissions, with no further action. The Change of Degree Program form is the only valid instrument for the admission of native graduate students into new programs.
  

Any applications for a concurrent degree program that do not contain the preceding items will be returned to the student's current department unprocessed.

Students may not present the same thesis or project in lieu of thesis for two different degree programs.

Students maintain the classification of their first degree program until its completion.

Concurrent degree students must have a supervisory committee for each of their degree programs before the end of their second semester of study at the University of Florida.

In the semester a student is ready to complete one of the degree programs for a concurrent degree, the student must submit a Degree Application form, filled out for the appropriate degree and submitted by announced semester deadlines. Students who submit an inaccurate applicaton or miss the degree application deadline must reapply for graduation in the next semester.

Questions about concurrent degrees should be directed to Kathy Carroll, 107 Grinter Hall, kathyc@ufl.edu.

Joint Degree Programs

Joint degree programs are formal arrangements that permit students to pursue two degrees simultaneously, with a semester to a year's worth of work "double counted" toward both degrees.

Students with Disabilities

Any prospective graduate student with a self-disclosed disability, as listed under Florida Statutes 240.152-240.153 and the Florida Board of Education Rule 6C-6.018, may request a hearing before the Graduate School Petitions Committee if it is felt that the disability is related to failure to meet entrance requirements and the applicant was subsequently denied admission to a graduate program. Upon receipt of the petition, the committee will be convened to review the petition, to allow the applicant and the department to submit documentation relating to the disability and the department's decision, and to take statements from the applicant, faculty, departmental admissions committee, and others as requested. Consultation with persons having special expertise related to the specific case will be used when appropriate. For additional information contact the UF Dean of Students Office's Disability Resources Center.

Conditions Under Which Graduate School Approval Is Required

U.S. graduate students (Except the MBA and LLM in Taxation Degrees)

Graduate School approval is required when

• Upper-division undergraduate GPA (or self-reported UGPA) is less than 3.0 and GRE(V+Q) score is below 1000, and no master's degree from an accredited U.S. university, or
  
• MAT score is presented for GRE postponement request and the score is below 50, or
  
• No test score is presented^* (student is referred at the request of the department).
  

^*Except U.S. students in performance studies in the College of Fine Arts who have a GPA of 3.0 or higher

U.S. Graduate Students—MBA Degree

Graduate School approval is required when

• Upper-division undergraduate GPA is less than 3.0 and GMAT score is less than 465, and no master's degree from an accredited U.S. university, or
  
• MAT score is presented for GMAT postponement request and the score is below 50, or
  
• No test score is presented (student is referred at the request of the department).
  

Graduate Students—LLM in Taxation Degree

Graduate School approval is required when

• No LSAT score, or
  
• No proof of JD degree, or
  
• Upper-division GPA is below 3.0 (U.S. graduate students only).
  

International Graduate Students

International students who have studied in the U.S. or other English-speaking nations for one academic year or more or whose native tongue is English

Graduate School approval is required when

• GRE(V+Q) score is below 1000, and no master's degree from an accredited U.S. university, or
  
• GMAT score is below 465, or
  
• No test scores have been submitted.
  

NOTE: Students applying for the MBA program must submit GMAT scores.

Students applying for a non-MBA program in the College of Business Administration may substitute GMAT scores for the GRE.

Students applying for the LLM in Comparative Law degree are not required to submit GRE scores.

Other International Students

Graduate School approval is required when

• No GRE score, or
  
• No TOEFL score, or
  
• TOEFL score is below 500 on the paper-based or 213 on the computer-based test, or
  
• GRE(V+Q) is below 1000, and no master's degree from an accredited U.S. university, or
  
• GMAT score is below 465, and no master's degree from an accredited U.S. university, or
  
• The degree earned is not equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate, but the department requests a referral.
  

Students applying for a non-MBA program in the College of Business Administration may substitute GMAT scores for the GRE.

Students applying for the LLM in Comparative Law degree are not required to submit GRE scores.

Graduate Students in Comparative Law

Graduate School approval is required when

• No JD degree, or
  
• TOEFL below 500
  

Table of Contents

V. Financial Aid

Types of Financial Aid

See the Graduate Appointment Office at 29 Tigert Hall or call (352) 392-1251.

Qualified graduate students in every department are eligible for a number of fellowships, traineeships, assistantships, and other awards. Unless otherwise specified, all applications for financial support should be made to the chair of the appropriate department on or before February 15 of each year. The following text lists the major sources of financial aid to graduate students.

Fellowships and Scholarships

Alumni Graduate Fellowship

Alumni Graduate Fellowships, funded at nationally competitive levels, represent the highest graduate student award available at the University. These prestigious awards support students in all programs and departments awarding the PhD or MFA.

The University offers approximately 150 Alumni Graduate Fellowships for students beginning study in each fall term. To ensure that Alumni Fellows receive every opportunity to succeed, these fellowships provide a full four years of support through a nationally competitive stipend and full tuition waiver for qualified students.

Most fellows will receive a minimum of two years of fully funded fellowships, and they will receive another two years of research or teaching assistantships. The University expects Alumni Fellows to demonstrate high standards of academic achievement and to participate in university life.

Prospective candidates should apply through their major departments or colleges. Successful applicants must have outstanding undergraduate preparation, a strong commitment to their field of study, and demonstrated potential in research and creative activities.

Named Presidential Fellowship

The Graduate School awards fellowships named for former University of Florida presidents. They represent a four-year commitment to the student, assuming satisfactory progress toward the degree.

The first and fourth years are funded by the Graduate School. The second and third years are funded by the student's department or college as either an assistantship or a fellowship at the same stipend level as the Graduate School funding. Because nationally competitive stipend levels vary widely across disciplines, the academic units set the stipend level. The lower boundary of the stipend is $10,000 annually.

The fellowships are limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are pursuing a terminal degree (i.e., PhD, EdD, or MFA). The program is intended primarily to attract outstanding students from across the nation. Applications for students from traditionally underrepresented groups are encouraged.

Potential applicants should contact their major departments for complete application information.

Grinter Fellowship

Grinter Fellowships are named in honor of Dr. Linton E. Grinter, Dean of the Graduate School from 1952 to 1969.

The intent of this fellowship is to facilitate recruitment of truly exceptional graduate students. Currently enrolled graduate students are not eligible, except in the particular case in which they are entering a PhD (or other terminal degree) program.

Stipends are normally in the $2,000 to $4,000 range. Continuation of the Grinter beyond the first year is contingent upon satisfactory student progress.

Interested students should contact their major departments for complete information. Students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, and College of Law are not eligible for Grinter Fellowships.

Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship

Through the U.S. Department of Education's Center for International Education, graduate students who are American citizens can apply for one of approximately 143 awards. The Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program provides opportunities for graduate students to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. Preference is given to applications that meet the following priority: Research that focuses on Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, South Asia, the Near East, East Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere (Central and South America, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean). Applications that propose projects focused on Western Europe will not be funded.

For more details, visit this website: Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship.

Title VI—Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship

Title VI fellowships are available to graduate students whose academic programs are either Latin America or Africa oriented. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must be registered for a full-time course load including a language relevant to the area of their choice, specifically, Portuguese or Haitian Creole for recipients through the Center for Latin American Studies; Akan, Arabic, Swahili, or Yoruba for recipients through the Center for African Studies.

Applicants may choose to major in any discipline or department where a Latin American or African emphasis is possible. Remuneration will consist of a $11,000 stipend for the academic year and $2,400 for the summer plus payment of all tuition and fees.

For further information, please contact the Director of either the Center for Latin American Studies (319 Grinter Hall) or the Center for African Studies (427 Grinter Hall), University of Florida.

Minority Support

The UF Office of Minority Graduate Programs (OGMP) provides recruitment and retention program services to the University community. Recruitment services involve creating a pool of students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the student body by participating in 1) graduate fairs nationwide, 2) partnerships with foundations and organizations, and 3) the Campus Visitation Program. Retention services are provided in the form of the Florida Board of Education (FBOE) Summer Program, the Supplemental Fellowship program, and academic support services and programs for graduate students. The University provides limited support for the recruitment functions, and the University and the FBOE support retention programs and services.

Partnerships with the Florida Educational Fund, the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Feeder program, the Santa Fe Community College/University of Florida Black Faculty Development Project, the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Sciences, Inc. (GEM), and the National Science Foundation-Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, all aid with recruitment efforts by providing support in the form of tuition and/or fee waivers and stipends.

The Florida Educational Fund (FEF) awards McKnight Doctoral Fellowships to African-American students newly admitted into selected doctoral degree programs at universities in the state. The FEF provides a 12-month stipend of $12,000, along with tuition and fees for a three-year period. The University provides the stipend and payment for 12 semester credit hours of tuition and fees, fall and spring, and 8 semester credit hours during the summer, for up to two years, subject to satisfactory progress toward the degree. African Americans, who are U.S. citizens, are eligible to receive the McKnight Fellowships. For information and application forms, click here: Florida Educational Fund (FEF) McKnight Doctoral Fellowships..

The FAMU Feeder Program is designed to increase the number of FAMU students enrolled in graduate programs at over 30 participating universities. Through this program, FAMU nominates students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 to participating feeder institutions for admission into graduate programs. The OGMP is the University of Florida's liaison for the Feeder Program. As a commitment to the Feeder Program, the University of Florida has five fellowships available to award annually to FAMU students admitted to graduate programs. The application deadline for funding consideration is February 15, of each year.

The University of Florida/Santa Fe Community College Faculty Development Project is a partnership program designed to increase faculty diversity at SFCC, while increasing the number of diverse doctoral students at the University of Florida. Participants will teach no more than 3 courses per year at SFCC and assist SFCC in the advisement, recruitment and retention of students. The program provides an $8,500 stipend for 9 months plus $548 per semester hour for each course taught, and payment of tuition and fees, fall and spring, for a maximum of 4 years. U.S. citizens with a master's degree are eligible. The application deadline is early spring of each year.

For additional information, contact the Office of Graduate Minority Programs, P.O. Box 115500 (115 Grinter Hall), Gainesville, FL 32611-5500, (352) 392-6444, http://gradschool.ufl.edu/diversity/introduction.html..

The National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Sciences, Inc. (GEM) Fellowship program is designed to increase access and success in engineering and science graduate education and practice. The GEM program has an academic and practical component. GEM Fellowships support students to pursue the Master of Science degree in engineering and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in engineering and the science disciplines. The GEM Consortium provides the master's fellowship recipient portable academic year support that includes tuition, fees, and a stipend. For the Ph.D. in engineering and the sciences, the GEM Consortium pays the stipend and cost of an instruction grant to the institution for one year. After the first year, the GEM member institution covers cost. For more information, contact OGMP.

The Campus Visitation program is conducted twice a year, during the fall and spring semesters. The program is intended to provide an opportunity for prospective minority graduate students and school advisers to visit our campus. In addition, applicants are provided with an opportunity to examine University policies and procedures, and to meet with faculty in their fields of interest. The University provides housing, meals, and up to $100 reimbursement for travel expenses for each participant. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 and are encouraged to have taken either the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT (as applicable) during the spring of their junior years or the summer between the junior and senior years. Students should include test scores in the applications to expedite processing. For information phone (352) 392-6444 or visit the OGMP web page.

The Florida Board of Education (FBOE) Summer Program is an early admission orientation program for underrepresented minority graduate students. The program is designed as a retention program to prepare eligible students newly admitted into a graduate program for the fall semester, who have not previously attended the University of Florida for graduate education. Participants receive a stipend of $1500, with payment of 4 semester credit hours of tuition (excluding fees). Participants are required to enroll as full-time graduate students for the following academic year. This program is limited to students from the identified underrepresented minority groups who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. All eligible admitted students are invited to participate.

The Supplemental Retention program provides payment toward tuition for graduate students with an economic need because of limited or no funding. This program is limited to students who are U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens. Information can be obtained from graduate coordinators and the OGMP.

Other Fellowships and Traineeships

Some departments or colleges also have fellowships or traineeships available to students. A predoctoral fellowship is an award to support the student as a full-time student. A predoctoral fellow cannot be required to perform job duties for the monies received. Recipients of these fellowships or traineeships must be registered for an appropriate number of semester credit hours (see Required Full-time Registration) each term of the appointment.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are available through academic departments as well as some administrative offices at the University. Appointments may be half-time, third-time, or quarter-time (stipends vary depending on the department or administrative unit). Students holding a full fellowship may also hold up to a .25-FTE assistantship, provided that the assistantship is directly related to their academic program and does not deviate from the terms of the fellowship. The student must be in good academic standing and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. Graduate Assistants who have part-time teaching or research duties register for reduced study loads according to the schedule required for their appointments. Students on appointment are financially liable for excess credits over the required registration or dropped courses.

Loans

Long- or short-term loans are available to graduate students from a number of sources. Interested applicants should contact the Office for Student Financial Affairs, S103 Criser Hall (392-1275), for additional information.

Graduate Assistant Appointments

The intent of employment under any of the following five titles, appointed on Form GS705, is the assignment of either teaching or research duties in the student's academic department. All appointees must meet the requirements of the Graduate School by being fully admitted to a graduate degree program with a classification of 7, 8, or 9, have at least a 3.0 GPA, and be under the supervision of a graduate faculty member. Additional qualifications are listed with each title. Employees under any one of these five titles are represented by the Graduate Assistants United, United Faculty of Florida Union.

Graduate Assistant

A student must be classified as a degree-seeking graduate student. If they assist in a teaching and/or research functions, they may not have primary responsibility for that teaching and/or research.

Graduate Research Assistant

Available for those students who have a master's degree or who have completed 30 semester credit hours at UF toward a master's degree. These students may hold an appointment with an FTE up to full time. These students must be classified as degree-seeking graduate students who perform research duties.

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Available for those students who have a master's degree or who have completed 30 semester credit hours at UF toward a master's degree. These students may hold an appointment with an FTE up to full time. These students must be classified as degree-seeking graduate students who perform teaching duties.

Graduate Research Associate

Available for those students who have passed the PhD qualifying examination. Appointment does not carry tenure and is temporary in nature, either because of the character of the project or because upon completion of requirements for a doctorate, the appointee will leave the University. These students may hold an appointment with an FTE up to full time. These students must be classified as degree-seeking graduate students who perform research duties.

Graduate Teaching Associate

Available for those students who have passed the PhD qualifying examination. Appointment does not carry tenure and is temporary in nature, either because of the character of the project or because upon completion of requirements for a doctorate, the appointee will leave the University. These students may hold an appointment with an FTE up to full time. These students must be classified as degree-seeking graduate students who perform teaching duties.

Appointment of graduate students on a full-time basis is discouraged.

Required Full-Time Registration

NOTE: Registration requirements listed here do not apply to eligibility for financial aid programs administered by the Office for Student Financial Affairs. Check with Student Financial Affairs in S-107 Criser Hall for financial aid registration requirements.

Students who do not register properly for each semester (according to the above table) in which they hold graduate assistantships will not be permitted to remain on assistantships and will have any tuition payments voided for that semester and become financially liable fees.

For students on appointment for the full summer, minimum registration must total that specified for C term. Registration may be in any combination of A, B, or C terms. However, courses must be distributed so that the student is registered during each term that they are on appointment. Students on appointment registering for any summer term must register at the beginning of A term.

General Employment Regulations

It is the personal responsibility of graduate students to become informed and to observe all regulations and procedures required by the program and the Graduate School for their employment. Ignorance of a rule does not constitute a basis for waiving that rule. The rules and regulations are stated in the Graduate Catalog.

Students who withdraw from a term or fall below the minimum registration requirements as a result of dropping classes will be financially liable for all fees previously covered by the tuition waiver.

Professional Courses

Graduate students may receive credit toward their degrees for courses in professional programs (e.g., JD, DVM, or MD) when their advisers and graduate coordinators certify that the course work is appropriate to their programs and when the students receive permission from the departments and colleges offering the courses. A list of such courses for each student must be filed with the Graduate School Records Office.

Audited Courses

No audited course shall be accepted toward a degree nor toward the minimum number of semester credit hours required for an assistantship.

Oral Proficiency Testing—SPEAK and TSE

SPEAK Test

Florida law and the Graduate Council policy require international students to demonstrate oral proficiency before being appointed to teach. UF students may take either the Test of Spoken English (TSE) or its locally administered version, Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK).

Students can register for SPEAK through the Academic Spoken English (ASE) website at, http://ase.ufl.edu/testing.html. Additional information is available from the ASE website at http://ase.ufl.edu/, by calling 392-3286, or visiting the office in 3340 Turlington Hall.

SPEAK registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Students who cannot take the test for which they have registered must cancel at least 24 hours in advance to maintain eligibility for future tests.

Examinees must bring to the test site a check for $60 made out to the University of Florida, a picture I.D., and a pen.

SPEAK scores are available to faculty and staff on the Graduate Students and Applicants database within a few days of testing. Examinees can retrieve their scores from ASE SPEAK registration website and will receive a printed copy in the mail in about two weeks.

Test of Spoken English (TSE)

Registration procedures for the Test of Spoken English (TSE) are explained in the Bulletin of Information for TOEFL and TSE. The Bulletin is available on campus on the second floor of Grinter Hall, and in the Office of Academic Technology, 1012 Turlington Hall. The test is administered by the Educational Testing Services.

Fee Payment and Score Report information is available in the Bulletin. The fee for the TSE is $125.

The TSE is not administered as part of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL cannot be a substitute for the TSE or SPEAK Test.

For further information about the TSE program, write

TSE Services
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton NJ 08541-6151
or call (609) 957-1100.

Oral Proficiency Requirements and Remediation-Academic Spoken English (ASE)

If a graduate student's first language is not English, Florida State law requires oral proficiency testing and, if necessary, remediation before they may hold a teaching assignment. Unlike written English requirements, oral proficiency testing may not be waived on the basis of previous attendance at an English-speaking institution. All students who do not have proof of birth and residence in a English-speaking country or commonwealth must be evaluated by either a SPEAK or TSE examination before they may hold a teaching assignment.

A teaching assignment for a graduate assistant is defined as an appointment that involves teaching, lecturing, conducting class discussions, giving lab instruction, or any occasion of interacting with a group of three or more students. Duties that are not considered teaching include grading papers, tutoring, and proctoring. Nonteaching assignments should be given the title of Graduate Assistant OTHER on the GS705 Form.

SPEAK Test and TSE scores are valid from two years before a graduate student's first teaching assignment. Low scores require corequisite enrollment in remedial classes. Scores and restrictions are as follows:

55 or Higher:

Graduate students may hold a teaching assignment without restriction.

45 to 50:

Graduate students may hold a teaching assignment only if they are concurrently registered in Academic Spoken English II (EAP 5836).

45:

Graduate students may teach their native language in a language course.

Less than 45:

Graduate students may not hold a teaching assignment.

None of these oral proficiency requirements will be waived under any circumstances.

Students who scored 45-50 on the SPEAK Test or TSE are required to enroll in the Academic Spoken English II (EAP 5836), while maintaining their first teaching appointment. Departments should not assign teaching duties until the student has met all ASE requirements.

A student may not be appointed to an assistantship that involves any teaching assignment during the term in which he/she takes the SPEAK or TSE test.

Departments and programs may require ASE course work for any students whose verbal English competency is inadequate for their full participation in graduate study.

Courses

After thorough pilot testing of each component of the program, the Graduate Council established the following program as official policy in 1988.

Academic Spoken English I (ASE I) EAP 5835 4 credits

This course is advised for graduate students who score below 45 on the SPEAK test or TSE. The course meets 10 hours per week, providing intensive training in English, particularly English used in formal speaking, pedagogy, and cross-cultural communication. It includes pronunciation practice in a supervised language laboratory and videotaped presentations with critiques of language and teaching skills.

Academic Spoken English II (ASE II) (EAP 5836)

3 credits (& 2-credit supervised teaching option for TAs who do not meet the exit requirement)

This course is required for graduate students who have scored between 45-50 (inclusive) on the SPEAK Test or TSE and who are currently teaching. The course meets 3 hours per week. Its purpose is to provide the teaching assistant immediate support in the classroom while building on the skills stressed in ASE I. Teaching assistants are observed on a biweekly basis by a supervisor trained in linguistics and teaching methodology. The classroom observations form the basis of weekly class instruction and biweekly individual conferences that address specific language, cultural, and pedagogical problems encountered in the classroom (mandatory).

Exit Requirement

At the conclusion of EAP 5836, videotapes of the TA's teaching will be evaluated by a member of the ASE staff together with representatives of the student's department, usually the course supervisor and the graduate coordinator. Students can be rated as either exempt from further English training or recommended for additional work (the 2-credit supervised teaching component of EAP 5835 or the tutorial course, EAP 5837).

Academic Spoken English Tutorial (ASE-T) EAP 5837 3 credits

This course is optional for those students who have completed ASE II or who have advanced oral English skills. The tutorial focuses on the language and interpersonal communication skills needed to be successful in the one-on-one exchanges that form an important and often extremely sensitive part of teaching, such as conducting office hours and dealing with individual student needs, problems, and complaints. Tutorial students meet undergraduates for free tutoring sessions, that are videotaped for analysis and discussion in individual conferences with the instructor. (Optional. Recommended for graders and tutors.)

Visa Requirements for International Students

See also Visa Eligibility in the Admissions section.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) regulations restrict the employment of students holding nonimmigrant visas to on-campus employment of up to 20 hours per week. This rule includes teaching and research assistantships and postdoctoral fellowships.

J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa

The 20-hour-per-week maximum employment does not apply if a student holds a teaching or research assistantship or postdoctoral fellowship. However, this employment cannot exceed 40 hours per week. The J-1 visa does restrict all other OPS employment (Temporary OPS, Student Assistant, Technical OPS, Contract of Services by Requisition, etc.) to a maximum of 20 hours per week.

Emergency situations that require additional work hours can be considered. Students should apply to International Student Services (ISS, 123 Grinter Hall) for permission. This permission must be given in writing with a copy submitted to the Graduate School before the appointment can be processed.

F-1 Student Visa

Regardless of the type of employment, a student with an F-1 visa may not work more than 20 hours per week. This is the total of all appointments, not individual appointments. Employment up to 40 hours per week is allowed during breaks between terms and during spring break. The break between terms begins the day after the last day of final exams and ends the day before the first day of classes.

No student on an F-1 visa may work more than 20 hours per week regardless of whether classes are in session who has not received a master's degree or completed 30 hours at UF toward a master's degree.

Requirements for the GS705 Form

Contact Phil Maggio (352) 392-1251.

Eligibility for In-State and Out-of-State Tuition Payments

The following restrictions apply to departmental payment of student tuition.

Graduate Assistants, Graduate Teaching or Research Assistants, and Graduate Teaching or Research Associates

Students appointed on the GS705 form must be employed at least one-quarter time (.25 FTE), but not more than full-time (1.00 FTE). Students must be appointed the entire length of the term for which the tuition payment is being awarded.

Fellowships

Students appointed as predoctoral fellows on the Form GS705 who receive a minimum of $3,150 per semester are eligible when funds are available. These students must be appointed the entire length of the term for which the tuition payment is being awarded.

Traineeships

Students appointed as trainees are not eligible.

Student Assistantships

Students appointed as student assistants through Student Employment on the SP100 Form are not eligible.

Temporary OPS

Students appointed on Temporary OPS Form T110 through Personnel are not eligible.

Financial Standing

Students' financial needs must not be used as a criterion for determining eligibility for tuition payments.

Residency

Residency is not a factor in determining the eligibility of students.

GPA

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better at the University of Florida OR have a petition approved by their adviser and the Dean of the Graduate School.

Registration

Students must register for the number of semester credit hours required for their appointment.

Student Classification

Students must be listed by the Registrar's Office with a current graduate classification of 7, 8, or 9.

Reasons for Ineligibility or Cancellation of Tuition Payments

Audited Courses

Audited courses are not eligible for a payment. They will not be accepted toward a degree nor toward the minimum number of semester credit hours required for an assistantship.

Dropped Courses

Dropped courses are not eligible for a payment, regardless of the point in the term the course is dropped. Once a course has been dropped, a superseding payment to delete the dropped course must be processed. Students who drop below the registration requirement for their tuition payments will have their assistantships cancelled and will be liable for all fees and late charges.

Termination of Appointment

Students are not eligible for a payment if their appointments are terminated at any time before the end of the semester. Any existing payment and assistantship will be canceled and the students will be notified by University Financial Services concerning the full amount of the voided payment plus a late charge.

Withdrawals

Students are not eligible if they withdraw from school. Any existing payment as well as assistantship will be canceled and students will be billed by University Financial Services for the full amount of the voided payment along with a late charge.

Laboratory Course Fees

Lab fees are not eligible for a payment.

Postbaccalaureate

Postbaccalaureate credits are not eligible for a payment.

International Students

First-year international students are required to certify that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and their families before they are granted a visa. Additionally, the department chair or graduate coordinator should ascertain whether a student's government or other benefactor is providing tuition and fee payment while s/he attends the University of Florida.

Table of Contents

VI. Registration

General Registration Information

The specific steps for completing registration are outlined in the Schedule of Courses publication which is available to students before registration for each term. Students should note their registration appointment times and the deadlines (see Critical Dates) for registration and payment of fees to avoid late fee penalties.

Graduate students should check with their academic advisers before registration. Supervisory committee chairs, advisers, or department graduate coordinators will advise students concerning course registration. In some cases, particularly with courses designated as DEP rather than by section number, permission of the department or the course instructor must be obtained before registering for that course. The section number of such a course will be given to students at the time permission to register is granted.

It is the responsibility of the faculty adviser or graduate coordinator to check that the student is registered for the proper number of credits, especially for those students on a stipend or assistantship. Failure to register for an appropriate number of credits will affect continuation of the assistantship. If there are any questions, please contact Phil Maggio in 29 Tigert Hall, 392-1251 (tution waivers) or  , 164 Grinter Hall, 392-6622 (academic compliance).

Petitions

Petitions will be approved only for mitigating circumstances that are proven to have been beyond students' control. Such petitions must be initiated by the department and must be approved by the student's supervisory committee chair, graduate coordinator, or department chair. In cases involving assistantships/fellowships, the dean's signature is also required. The petition should cite the policy and justify the exception being requested. On departmental letterhead, address to  , Associate Director of the Graduate School, P.O. Box 115500. You may contact her at 392-6622 or by e-mail at if you would like further assistance.

^*EAP 5835, EAP 5836, EAP 5837, EAP 5845, EAP 5846 and EAP 5937 do not meet any degree requirements.

Graduate Student Classifications

Registration in 7979, 7980, 6971, 6910, and 6940

Registration Requirements

Any graduate student who is using University facilities and/or faculty time must register for a minimum of 3 credits in the fall and spring semesters and 2 credits in the summer. To be considered full time a graduate student must register for 9 to 12 credits.

Students must be registered (1) during the term of the qualifying examination, (2) during the term of the final examination, and (3) during the term in which the degree is awarded. If a student has completed all the requirements for the degree before the first day of class including (1) has submitted the Final Examination form, (2) has submitted the final thesis or dissertation, (3) has cleared all records problems, including I, E, U grades, etc., and (4) was registered in the preceding semester, then the student does not need to register in the term in which the degree is awarded. If ANY condition remains that has not been cleared before the first day of classes, the student must register for 3 semester credit hours in the fall and spring semesters and 2 semester credit hours in the summer.

A graduate student who receives any type of stipend must meet the Required Full-time Registration.

A graduate student receiving VA or Social Security benefits is considered full time if enrolled for 9 semester credit hours.

Students should register for 7979 (Advanced Research) in the semester in which they plan to pass the qualifying examination. The Admission to Candidacy form must be submitted to the Graduate Student Records Office, 106 Grinter Hall.

Students may need to complete thesis or dissertation field work research or an internship away from the University campus as part of their academic program. Students may petition to be considered full-time while conducting field research or completing an internship if they are registered for the Full-Time Equivalent. The Full-Time Equivalent is 3 credits for fall or spring semester and 2 credits for summer. The petition must be endorsed by the student's supervisory committee chair and by the department chair and/or college dean.

Interruption of Graduate Study

Doctoral students who will not be registered at the University of Florida for a period of more than one semester should request written permission from their faculty advisers for a leave of absence for a designated period of time.

Students who are absent from UF registration for just one term only have to contact the Registrar's Office to be assigned an appointment date for registration for the next semester.

Students who have not registered for 2 or more consecutive terms must fill out a Readmissions Application form (yellow, two-sided), available in S222 Criser. When the form is processed, their records will be reactivated in the computer system and they will be assigned a registration date.

If a student does not register for 7 or more years, then he or she must reapply using the Admissions form for consideration by the prospective department. The department will need to petition credits to be counted that are more than 7 years old.

Students should keep in mind that the master's and specialist's degrees must be awarded within 7 years from the date of their matriculation as graduate students. Credits for classes taken more than 7 years before students' semester of graduation will not be counted toward their degree requirements.

EdD and PhD students must graduate five years after the oral qualifying examination or they must requalify and submit a new Admission to Candidacy form to the Graduate Student Records Office, 106 Grinter Hall for processing.

Students wishing to return within the established time limitations should contact the graduate coordinator of the appropriate department to initiate reentry procedures. Nonthesis students should register for course work that will count toward the degree requirements.

Table of Contents

VII. Credit Requirements

Master's Degree

Unless otherwise specified, all master's students must earn a minimum of 30 credits at the graduate level at the University of Florida, of which no more than 9 semester credit hours of course work, earned with a grade of A or B, may be transferred from other accredited institutions. Consult the Graduate Catalog for specific total credit requirements for each degree.

Degree of Engineer

A total registration of at least 30 credits beyond the master's degree is required. The degree is nonthesis, but the student may elect a thesis option.

Doctor of Audiology

For students with a bachelor's degree only, a minimum of 125 semester credit hours is required.

Doctor of Plant Medicine

Students entering the DPM program with a bachelor's degree must earn 120 semester credit hours. This includes a minimum of 90 semester credit hours of course work and 30 semester credit hours of internship (applied practicum). A student entering the program with a master's degree in a related area may be allowed to transfer up to 30 semester credit hours in graduate courses corresponding to those required by the DPM program.

Specialist in Education

For students with a bachelor's degree only, a minimum of 72 credits beyond the bachelor's degree is required. A student with a master's degree in the same discipline from another accredited institution must earn 36 credits beyond the master's degree.

Doctor of Education or Doctor of Philosophy Degree

For students with a bachelor's degree only, a minimum of 90 credits beyond the bachelor's degree is required. A student with a master's degree in the same discipline from the University of Florida or another accredited institution may be credited with 30 semester credit hours toward the 90 semester credit hours required for the PhD or EdD if the degree is less than 7 years old.

Table of Contents

VIII. Supervisory Committee

General Supervisory Committee Information

Graduate students must set up their supervisory committees by the time they have completed 12 semester credit hours of course work or the end of their second semester, which ever comes first.

Supervisory Committee forms require sensitive information that falls under Buckley Ammendment and other privacy protections. Supervisory Committee forms must be prepared by authorized graduate program personnel at the department. Students may not fill out their own Supervisory Committee form. Supervisory Committee forms completed by students will not be processed.

All changes to the supervisory committee must be completed by the end of the semester before the student intends to graduate. The Graduate School does not accept committee changes past the mid-point of the student's final semester unless accompanied by a petition stipulating why the change must be made. Students should check with the department graduate secretary to make sure that their committees are filed correctly. The deadline to file a revised committee form is the last day of classes of the semester before the student plans to graduate.

Appointment

Supervisory committees for graduate degree programs are nominated by the respective department chair, approved by the college dean, and appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School is an ex-officio member of all supervisory committees. Only regular members of graduate faculty, or special appointments, may serve as members of a supervisory committee. Students must form a supervisory committee by the end of their second semester, or by end of the semester in which they will have accumulated 12 semester credit hours, which ever comes later. If a minor is designated for any degree, the committee must include one member, with a graduate faculty appointment, as the representative for that proposed minor. Students pursuing two minors must appoint representatives for each minor area to the committee. A special appointment may not serve as a minor representative.

Membership

The chair of a supervisory committee must have graduate faculty status in the student's major department.

Master's Degree

For most master's degrees with a thesis, a supervisory committee must be composed of at least two members, selected from the graduate faculty. For most nonthesis master's options, the supervisory committee must consist of one member (chair) selected from the graduate faculty in the student's major department.

Specialist Degree

For the Specialist in Education degree, a supervisory committee must consist of one member (chair) selected from the graduate faculty in the student's major department.

Engineer Degree

For the degree of Engineer, the supervisory committee must consist of at least three members, two selected from the major department and at least one member from a supporting department. (See Graduate Catalog for further information and recommendations.)

Doctor of Audiology Degree

The committee shall consist of no fewer than two members of the audiology graduate faculty.

Doctor of Education and Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Four members of the graduate faculty are required for all supervisory committees of doctoral candidates. The chair and at least one other member from the committee must be from the department recommending the degree, the third member can be from the department recommending the degree or from a different educational discipline, and the fourth member must be the official External Member of the committee who is outside the student's major.

The Graduate School Dean is an ex-officio member of every supervisory committee.

External Committee Members

The external member's primary responsibility is to represent the interests of the Graduate School and the University of Florida at doctoral committee activities. In the event that departmental committee activity conflicts with broader University policies or practices, the external member is responsible for bringing such conflicts to the attention of the appropriate governing body. The external member is therefore prohibited from holding any official interest in the doctoral candidate's major department. The external member must also be a regular member of the graduate faculty. Faculty holding joint, affiliate, courtesy, or adjunct graduate faculty appointments in the degree-granting department cannot be external members on a student's committee. Special appointments to supervisory committees (see next topic) may not serve as external committee members.

Special Appointments

People without graduate faculty status may be made official members of a student's supervisory committee through the special appointment process. The chair of the student's supervisory committee requests the special appointment with the Special Appointment form and fills out the form with all information for the student and the special appointment, as well as a brief explanation of what the member will contribute to the supervisory committee. A curriculum vitae must be attached to the form if this is the member's first special appointment.

A special appointment is made for a specific supervisory committee. If a student changes to a new degree or major and the committee chair wishes to include the special member on the new supervisory committee, a second Special Appointment form must be submitted to the Graduate School for the second committee.

Appropriate candidates for special appointments include individuals from outside of the University of Florida with specific expertise which will contribute to a graduate student's program of study; tenure-track faculty who have not yet qualified for graduate faculty status; and nontenure-track faculty or staff at the University of Florida who do not qualify for graduate faculty status.

Special appointments have several limitations because they are not full graduate faculty. A special appointment may only serve as a regular member of a committee. A special appointment may not serve as a supervisory committee chair, cochair, or external member. A special appointment may not be counted toward minimum committee graduate faculty requirements; for instance a master's thesis committee with a special appointment will still require the inclusion of two full members of the graduate faculty. A special appointment may not be the minor representative for a student with a minor.

Minor/External Member

The faculty member who represents a minor on a student's committee may be appointed as the external member if s/he does not have a courtesy graduate appointment in the student's major department. Any valid major can be used as a minor as long as it is outside the student's major department. If a minor is sought that is not a valid major, a program of study with a list of courses to be counted toward the minor must be submitted along with the Supervisory Committee form. The requirements for a minor for a doctoral student are 12 semester credit hours of course work that must to be at the 5000 level or above. A minor at the master's level must be a minimum of 6 semester credit hours of course work. 

Cochair

To substitute for the chair of the committee at any examinations, the cochair must be in the same department as the candidate. 

Retired Faculty

Graduate faculty members who retire may continue their service on supervisory committees for one year. Retired faculty who wish to continue serving on existing or new committees beyond this period may do so with departmental approval. The office of Graduate Data Management (101 Grinter Hall, 392-6623) notifies department chairs of graduate faculty terminations and retirements (including those who are starting the DROP program). Notification includes a form with which the department chair may choose the disposition of the departing graduate faculty member.

Substitution of Members at Qualifying and Final Examinations

If a supervisory committee member cannot be present at the student's final defense, a graduate faculty member in the same academic area may substitute for the absent committee member. The substitute should sign the Final Examination form on the left side, in the space provided for committee members, noting the name of the absent member.

In addition, the student's major department chair must indicate on the form (or by accompanying correspondence) the reason for the missing member's absence and that the missing original committee member has agreed to this substitution at the final examination.

The substitute committee member should not sign the signature page of the thesis or dissertation. The original committee member must sign. This would be an exception to the rule that the signature page and the Final Examination form are signed simultaneously at the conclusion of the defense.

With the approval of all members of the supervisory committee, one committee member—except for the chair or external member—may be off-site at a qualifying oral examination or at the final oral defense of the dissertation or thesis, using modern communication technology to be present rather than being physically present.

No substitutions may be made for the committee chair or the external member of the committee. Changes to the supervisory committee may be entered online prior to the qualifying examination.

Duties and Responsibilities of Supervisory Committee

General

It is the duty of the supervisory committee members to inform the student of all regulations governing the degree sought. This does not absolve the student from the responsibility of becoming informed of the regulations.

The committee should meet with the student to discuss and approve his/her program of study.

The committee should meet with the student to discuss a thesis or dissertation topic and to approve this topic and the plans for carrying out the research.

Master's Degree

All supervisory committee members must conduct the final examination. See Supervisory Committee Responsibilities for Graduate Student Examinations. Only the committee members sign the signature page for the thesis. Theses or equivalent projects must be approved unanimously by the supervisory committee.

Specialist Degree

The committee must conduct the final written and oral examinations for the Specialist in Education degree. Recommendation for the awarding of the degree must be unanimous.

Engineer Degree

For the degree of Engineer, the committee must conduct the final comprehensive written or oral examination, which also involves a defense of the thesis if one is included in the program. Unanimous approval by the committee is required.

Doctor of Audiology Degree

Duties of the supervisory committee include curriculum planning for the student, annual evaluation of the student's progress in the program including administration of the oral and written comprehensive examination in the third year of study, and determination of successful completion of the research project. Unanimous approval by the committee is required.

Doctor of Education or Doctor of Philosophy Degree

For EdD and PhD students, the committee should produce an annual written evaluation reviewing procedures, progress, and expected results, and making suggestions for the completion of the study.

The committee must conduct the qualifying examination (see Supervisory Committee Responsibilities for Graduate Student Examinations) or, in those cases where the examination is administered by the department, must take part in it. The entire committee must be present for the oral portion of the examination.

The committee must meet when the dissertation is completed and conduct the final oral comprehensive examination. The entire supervisory committee must be present for this examination. Only members of the supervisory committee are allowed to sign the dissertation. The dissertation must be approved unanimously by the supervisory committee.

Doctor of Plant Medicine Degree

The duties of the supervisory committee include curriculum and internship planning and evaluation of the student, annual evaluation of the student's progress in the program, and cooperation in the final and/or oral examination in the areas of plant pathology, entomology and nematology, and plant sciences.

Supervisory Committee Forms

Processing the Supervisory Committee Form

If any of the required information is missing or incorrect on the Supervisory Committee form, the form will be returned to the department unprocessed.

A supervisory committee must be appointed for every graduate student. The deadline date for appointing supervisory committee members is at the end of the term in which the student earns 12 or more semester credit hours or at the end of the second semester of study, whichever comes later.

Before submitting a student's Supervisory Committee form for approval by the Dean of the Graduate School, the following conditions must be met:

• The student must have a classification of 7, 8, or 9. Please check NERCICS, current student records screen, or call the Graduate Student Records Office at 392-4643 if you are not sure of a student's classification.

• Committee members must have graduate faculty status or a special appointment to the graduate faculty that has been approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

• Majors must be valid and designated with approved major codes. Please check NERCICS, current student records screen, to check a student's current major code. The online form has a drop-down menu of all valid graduate major codes. Only these codes are valid for the Supervisory Committee form.

• All UFID numbers for student and faculty members must be correct and typed in the designated areas on the form.

• Provide the name, campus address, and campus phone number of the department contact person in the upper right-hand corner of the form.

Completing the Supervisory Committee Form

Note: This form must be completed by department personnel.

The Supervisory Committee form is available online in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. The form may be filled out online before printing. Do not submit Supervisory Committee forms with hand-written information.

This form is to be used only for supervisory committees that cannot be input directly into the Graduate School Information Management Systems (GIMS). The only cases for using this form are for students who have applied to the degree list for the current semester and had their committee segment locked, students requesting a double minor or special minor, or committees with a cochair who does not have an appointment to the student's major department. Any Supervisory Committee forms submitted to the Graduate School that do not fall into these special categories will be returned to the department for direct input.

If your department does not have a member of graduate administrative staff who is able to input supervisory committee information into GIMS, contact Teresa Geer to arrange a training and setup session.

If you have questions about what should be entered in a particular field, you may click on the image map below to be taken to the instructions for that particular section. You may also click on the field names of the Supervisory Committee form itself to be taken to the appropriate information item.

If any of the fields labeled as required information are missing or incorrect on the Supervisory Committee form, the form will be returned to the department unprocessed.

Supervisory Committee Form

Click on the image map below to be taken to information on that area.

Click on the image map below to be taken to information on that area.

Supervisory Committee Form Fields

• Name of person preparing form
  Required

  Name of the person completing the form. This should be the departmental graduate administrative staffperson. Students cannot fill out their own form.

• Campus Mailing Address
  Required
  

  6-digit campus post office box of the person completing the form.

• Campus Telephone
  Required
  

  Telephone number of the person completing form.

• Campus E-Mail
  Required
  

  E-mail address of the person completing the form.

• Student's UFID
  Required
  

  Use the number shown on the current student records screen (S021) in the UF Office of the Registrar's NERCICS system.

• Student's Last Name
  Student's First Name
  Student's Middle Name
  Required
  

  Student name exactly as it appears in the Registrar's NERCICS system.

• Is this a new supervisory committee or a changing supervisory committee?
  Required
  

  Check the correct box for a new supervisory committee or a change in supervisory committee. Choose the name of the student's degree from the drop-down combo box. These are the only valid graduate degree names. Departments may have their own colloquial names or abbreviations for degrees—these are unacceptable for submission to the Graduate School.

• Degree
  Required
  

  Choose the degree name from the drop-down box. These are the only valid graduate degrees. Departments may have their own colloquial names or abbreviations for majors—these are unacceptable for submission to the Graduate School.
  
  See section IX. Major and Minor for further details on majors.

• Major
  Required
  

  Choose the major name from the drop-down box. These are the only valid graduate majors. Departments may have their own colloquial names or abbreviations for concentration—these are unacceptable for submission to the Graduate School.

• Concentration
  Required if student has a concentration
  Choose the concentration name from the drop-down box. These are the only valid graduate concentrations. Departments may have their own colloquial names or abbreviations for concentrations—these are unacceptable for submission to the Graduate School.

• Minor
  Required
  

  Choose the minor name from the drop-down box. These are the only valid graduate minors. Departments may have their own colloquial names or abbreviations for minors—these are unacceptable for submission to the Graduate School.
  
  If the student has a minor, the supervisory committee must have at least one member with graduate faculty standing from a department that offers the minor. This member will be the student's minor adviser, and will evaluate the student's minor program of study.
  
  Students who select an interdisciplinary minor program of study that is not represented by a current major at the University of Florida should be coded as a "special minor" (SM). Select "SM," for Special Minor, from the drop down list and include a program of study with the Supervisory Committee form that establishes the minor. See section Interdisciplinary Minors for further details.
  
  If the student has a minor, this field must be filled in. If a student currently has a minor, and the Graduate School receives a Supervisory Committee form with the minor field blank, the minor will be removed from the student's degree program and will not appear on the student transcript.
  
  See section IX. Major and Minor for further details on minors.

• Choose Thesis Option:
  Required for Master's and Engineer Degrees
  

  Choose from Thesis, Nonthesis, or Project in Lieu of Thesis. When students changes their thesis option, the supervisory committee must be updated.

• Chair
  Required
  

  The chair must have a regular graduate faculty appointment in the graduate student's major department. A special appointment may not be appointed as the chair of a supervisory committee.

• Cochair
  Not Required
  

  If the committee wishes to have the cochair head the committee during a planned absence of the chair, the cochair must be chosen from the student's major department.

• Member
  See specific degree for requirements
  

  Please see the specific degree under General Supervisory Committee Information for specific information on the required number of members for graduate degrees.

• External Member
  Required for PhD and EdD Degrees
  

  The external member must hold graduate faculty status in a department other than the graduate student's major department. The external member may not, under any circumstances, have a joint, affiliate, courtesy, or adjunct appointment in the graduate student's major department. Special appointments may not serve as an external member. See entry on External Members for detailed information.
  The external member is only valid for PhD and EdD supervisory committees.

• UFID
  Required for ALL members
  

  Supply UFID numbers for all members of the supervisory committee. If any UFID numbers are missing or incorrect, the supervisory committee form will be returned unprocessed.

• Name
  Required for ALL members
  

  Type the full name of each member.

• Classification
  Required for ALL members
  

  Select graduate faculty or special appointment to indicate member's standing on graduate faculty. See special appointment entry for further information.

• Department
  Required for ALL members on graduate faculty
  

  Indicate the graduate faculty member's budgeted department. For members budgeted to a non-graduate-degree-granting program (joint, affiliate, courtesy, or adjunct appointments) with more than one affiliate graduate appointment, select the member's oldest graduate faculty appointment. Choose the department name from the drop-down combo box. These are the only valid graduate department codes. Departments may have their own colloquial names or abbreviations—these are unacceptable for submission to the Graduate School.

• Signature: Department Chair or Authorized Representative
  Required
  

  Have the form signed by the department chair, or the person officially designated in your department for authorizing supervisory committee assignments.

• Dean of College or Authorized Representative
  May be required by your college
  

  Check with your college dean's office to see if they wish to review Supervisory Committee forms.

Once you have completed the Supervisory Committee form, please do the following:

• Forward the original, signed form to Teresa Geer, Graduate Student Records Office, 106 Grinter Hall.
• Staple all pertinent forms, petitions, CVs, and course listings to the Supervisory Committee form before you forward it to the Graduate School. The Graduate School does not have the facilities to store incomplete departmental paperwork.
• Students may not fill out their own Supervisory Committee form.
• Wait to submit the Supervisory Committee form until all committee members have been appointed to the gradaute faculty by the Dean of the Graduate School. The Graduate School does not have the facilities to store Supervisory Committee forms that are not ready for processing.
• Information on the Supervisory Committee form must be filled out online and printed, or typed with a typewriter.

When the Supervisory Committee form has been approved and processed by the Graduate School, the original will be filed in the student's official file. A copy will be returned to the department.

If you have any questions, please call Graduate Student Records at 392-4643.

Table of Contents

IX. Major and Minor

Courses and Credits

Undergraduate courses (1000-2999) may not be used as any part of the graduate degree requirement. Undergraduate courses (3000-4999) may be used for minor credit, not to exceed 6 credits, or for support course work outside the major when taken as part of an approved graduate program, and the grade is a C or better.

Courses numbered 5000, 6000, and 7000 are graduate level and are primarily for graduate students.

Master's Degrees

• The minimum course work required for a master's degree with thesis is 30 credits including no fewer than 24 credits of regular course work and up to 6 credits in thesis research. Minimum registration in the final term for a thesis student is 3 semester credit hours of 6971 in the fall and spring semesters or 2 in the summer.
  
• At least 12 graduate semester credit hours of regular course work must be in the major field.
  
• If a minor is chosen, at least 6 credits of work are required. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their minor for the minor to be valid.
  
• For the nonthesis option, the minimum course requirement is 30 credits, including no more than 6 S/U credits.
  
• For a master's degree without thesis, consult the current Graduate Catalog for a description of the degree program.
  
• All course work, including thesis course work, must be completed during the 7 years immediately preceding the date on which the degree is to be awarded. This includes transfer credits.
  

Engineer and Specialist Degrees

For the degree of Engineer, a minimum of 30 credits beyond the master's degree is required. This work should not be considered as a partial requirement toward the PhD degree.

The Specialist in Education degree requires a minimum of 72 credits beyond the bachelor's degree or 36 credits beyond the master's degree with at least 30 credits in courses open only for graduate credit and 12 credits in professional education courses open only for graduate credit.

Doctor of Education and Doctor of Philosophy Degree

A minimum of 90 semester credits is required for the EdD and PhD degrees. Minimum registration in the final term for EdD and PhD students is 3 semester credit hours of 7980 in the fall and spring or 2 semester credit hours in the summer.

If a minor is chosen at least 12 semester credit hours (15 for the Ed.D.) must be in courses numbered 5000 or higher. If two minors are chosen, each must include at least 8 graduate semester credit hours. Graduate students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their minor for the minor to be valid. The minor department must be represented on the supervisory committee.

Interdisciplinary Minors

Interdisciplinary minors (interdepartmental) may be permitted under the following guidelines set by the Graduate Council.

A graduate faculty member must be included on the supervisory committee who clearly represents the interdisciplinary minor. A petition must be submitted to the Graduate School delineating the specific course work to complete the interdisciplinary minor and naming the graduate faculty member who has the area of expertise. This rule holds for either the master's or the doctoral level programs. The petition may accompany the Supervisory Committee form at the time it is originally submitted, indicating the interdisciplinary minor on the form. Do not state "interdisciplinary." Be specific, such as "Quantitative Methods" or "Astrophysics."

Grade Point Average in Minor

A student declaring a minor must have a 3.0 GPA in the minor in order for the minor to be valid. If the GPA falls below 3.0, the minor will be deleted from the student's program.

Change from Master's Thesis to Nonthesis Option

The Graduate Council has established the following policy with regard to students who become candidates for the master's degree with thesis and subsequently wish to obtain the degree without thesis (in those programs approved for the nonthesis option):

In certain majors, the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees may also be earned without the preparation of a thesis. The minimum requirements for the nonthesis option are identical to those for the degree with thesis, except the course work may include no more than 6 credits for which grades of S and U are given and, within 6 months before the degree is awarded, the student must pass a comprehensive examination on the major field of study and on the minor, if one is designated. Individual departments may have additional requirements for the degree. The supervisory committee for a nonthesis student may consist of one member of the graduate faculty if there is no minor, but must include a representative of the minor field if one is designated. The duties of the committee are to advise the student, to check on the qualifications and progress of the student, and to conduct or participate in conducting the comprehensive examination.

Students who wish to change from the thesis to the nonthesis option for the master's degree must obtain the approval of the supervisory committee to make such a change. The "Thesis" field of student's supervisory committee in GIMS must be changed from "T" to "N" either online or with a new Supervisory Committee form. The candidate must meet all the requirements of the nonthesis option as specified above. A maximum of 3 credits earned in 6971 (Master's Research) can be counted toward the degree requirements only if the course is converted to credit as Individual Work (6905) with a letter grade assigned. The supervisory committee must indicate that the work was productive in and of itself and warrants credit as a special problem course.

Transfer of Credit

Only graduate-level courses, earned with a grade of A, B+, or B, may be transferred from an institution approved for this purpose by the Graduate School. Acceptance of transfer credit requires the Transfer of Credit form, a copy of the student's transcript, and approval of the student's supervisory committee (or graduate coordinator), the college dean, and the Graduate School. Transfer of credit may be considered from course work taken while holding a classification of 0, 6, 7, 8, or 9. Transfer course work must be taken within the 7 years immediately preceding the date the degree is to be awarded. Courses with "P" or "S" grading cannot be transferred.

Masters. — Only graduate level work to the extent of 9 semester hours, earned with a grade of A, B+, or B, may be transferred from institutions approved by the Graduate School or 15 semester hours from postbaccalaureate work at the University of Florida. No more than 9 credits of course work from one master's degree may be applied toward meeting the requirements for a second master's degree. Departments have the discretion to determine if credits are appropriate for transfer within the maximum credits allowed.
Concurrent. — If the student is approved to pursue two master's degrees, no more than 9 credits of course work from one master's degree program may be applied toward meeting the requirements for the second master's degree. These 9 shared credits must be approved by the Graduate School.
Professional Work. — Graduate students may receive credit toward their degrees for courses in professional programs (e.g. JD, MD, DDS, DVM, PharmD) when their advisers and graduate coordinators certify that the course work is appropriate for their programs and when the students receive permission from the departments and colleges offering the courses. Up to 9 credits earned with a letter grade of A, B+ or B may be counted toward a master's degree and 30 credits toward a doctoral program. A list of such courses for each student must be filed with the Graduate School Records Office. Departments have the discretion to determine if credits are appropriate for transfer within the maximum credits allowed.
PhD. — No more than 30 hours of a master's degree from another institution will be transferred to a doctoral program. All courses beyond the master's degree taken at another university, to be applied to the PhD degree must be taken at an institution offering the doctoral degree and must be approved for graduate credit by the Graduate School of the University of Florida. All courses to be transferred must be letter graded A, B+ or B and must be demonstrated to relate directly to the degree being sought. All such transfer requests must be made by petition of the supervisory committee. The total number of credits (including 30 for a prior master's degree) that may be transferred cannot exceed 45. If the student does not have a master's degree, the total number of credits eligible for transfer to a doctoral program from another institution cannot exceed 30 credits. In all cases the student must complete the qualifying examination at the University of Florida. In addition, any prior graduate-level credits earned at the University of Florida (e.g. a master's degree in the same or a different discipline) may be transferred into the doctoral program at the discretion of the supervisory committee and by request to the Graduate School. In such cases, it is essential that the request demonstrate the relevance of the prior course work to the degree presently being sought. Departments have the discretion to determine if credits are appropriate for transfer within the maximum credits allowed.

Courses Taken as an Undergraduate

University of Florida undergraduates who subsequently enroll in Graduate School may transfer a maximum of 15 credits of 5000 or 6000 level courses, earned with a grade of A, B+, or B, taken as an undergraduate, provided (1) the courses to be transferred are in excess of the undergraduate degree requirements and (2) the transfer is approved by the department and made as soon as the student is admitted to the graduate program.

Master's Degree Students

Courses open only for graduate credit, earned with a grade of A, B+, or B, may be transferred from an institution approved for this purpose by the Graduate School. Acceptance of transfer credit requires the Transfer of Credit form, a copy of the student's transcript, and approval of the student's supervisory committee, the college dean, and the Graduate School. At the master's level, the graduate coordinator may approve the request for transfer in lieu of the supervisory committee. Such requests for transfer of credit must be made during the student's first term enrolled in Graduate School. Transfer of credit from one master's degree to a second master's degree is limited to 9 semester credit hours. Nine semester credit hours of non-University of Florida course work may be approved. No course work that exceeds the 7-year time limit will be counted toward degree requirements.

Doctor of Education and Doctor of Philosophy Degree Students

The student's supervisory committee will recommend the number of credits earned at another institution that is appropriate for transfer. No more than 30 semester credit hours of a master's degree from another institution may be transferred to a doctoral program. If a student holds a master's degree in a discipline different from the doctoral program, the master's work will not be counted in the program unless the department petitions the Dean of the Graduate School. All courses beyond the master's degree taken at another university, to be applied to the PhD degree must be taken at an institution offering the doctoral degree and must be approved for graduate credit by the Graduate School of the University of Florida. All courses to be transferred must be letter graded with a grade of B or better and must be demonstrated to directly relate to the degree being sought. All such transfer requests must be made by petition of the supervisory committee.

The total number of credits (including 30 for a prior master's degree) that may be transferred cannot exceed 45, and in all cases the student must complete the qualifying examination at the University of Florida. In addition, any prior graduate-level credits earned at the University of Florida (e.g., a master's degree in the same or a different discipline) may be transferred into the doctoral program at the discretion of the supervisory committee and by petition to the Graduate School. In such cases, it is essential that the petition demonstrate the relevance of the prior course work to the degree presently being sought. Credit for foreign master's degrees will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with each student's academic record requiring a careful evaluation. An official transcript must accompany the supervisory committee's petition requesting acceptance of the degree.

Other Course Work

Nonresident or extension work taken at another institution, with the exception of work taken through the Florida Board of Education Division of Continuing Education, may not be transferred to the University of Florida for graduate credit. No course taken as an audit may count toward any degree requirements.

Traveling Scholar Courses and International Study

Students who plan to take course work at another institution subsequent to enrollment in a degree-seeking program at the University of Florida should receive permission for transfer before taking such course work. If the course work is to be taken at another State University System (SUS) institution, the student should complete a Traveling Scholar form.

Students who plan to pursue international study should contact the University of Florida International Center (123 Grinter Hall) to obtain the Graduate Academic Advising form.

Change of Major, College, or Degree Objective
(Change of Degree Program)

Departments who wish to change a graduate student's major or degree objective (including continuing to a PhD after receiving a master's degree), whether in the same or to a different college, must submit a completed Change of Degree Program form to the Office of Graduate Data Management 101 Grinter Hall. The form must be signed by an authorized representative of the new department and college and then be submitted to the Office of Graduate Data Management 101 Grinter Hall.

Do not attempt to admit a native graduate student to your department by submitting an Application for Admission form to the Office of Admissions. The Office of Admissions only processes Application for Admission forms from first-time applicants to the Graduate School. Any application from a native graduate student will be cancelled by the Office of Admissions, with no further action. The Change of Degree Program form is the only valid instrument for the admission of native graduate students in new programs.

When the new department is ready to admit the student, they must send a completed copy of the Change of Degree Program form to the Graduate School. If the change of degree program is for a new college, the form must have approval from the college dean. Change of degree programs within a college only require approval from the chair of the new department. Application deadline dates as specified in the current University Calendar must be met.

When a graduate student changes majors, all previous credits taken at the University of Florida while in a graduate classification (7, 8, or 9) will automatically carry forward with the student and remain a part of the student's graduate record prior to the awarding of a graduate degree. All grades earned will be computed in the GPA.

Change From EdD to PhD

Students wishing to change from an EdD program to a PhD program must have the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School. The department should submit a Change of Degree Program form attached to a memorandum from the committee chair, requesting approval and affirming that the student has been examined on research methodology with the same rigor applied to other students taking the PhD qualifying examination. The student must then meet all other PhD requirements. A change from the EdD to the PhD must be completed at least one full semester before the semester in which the student intends to graduate.

The same procedure should be followed when changing from a PhD to an EdD program.

In both cases, the department must ensure that supervisory committee for the new degree is up to date. The department must either input the information online in the GIMS database or submit a new Supervisory Committee form. (See Supervisory Committee entry for information on submission.) The supervisory committee must be set up for the new degree, even if there is no change in the membership of the committee.

Unsatisfactory Scholarship

Any graduate student may be denied further registration in the University or in a graduate major if progress toward the completion of the planned program becomes unsatisfactory to the department, college, or the Graduate School. Failure to maintain an overall B (3.0) average in all work attempted is by definition unsatisfactory progress. In addition to an overall GPA requirement of 3.0, graduate students must also have a 3.0 GPA in their major course work (as well as in minor course work if a minor is declared) at the time of graduation.

Computation of Graduate Grade Point Averages

Grade point averages for graduate students are computed on all courses at the 5000 level or above and the first 6 semester credit hours of eligible 3000/4000 level course work outside the major while classified as a 7, 8, or 9. Students may repeat courses in which they earn failing grades. The grade points from the first and second attempts will be included in the computation of the grade point average, but the student will receive major credit for only the successful second attempt.

Courses receiving grades of S/U are excluded as are 1000/2000 level courses and 3000/4000 level courses in a student's major. Courses at the 1000/2000 level may not count toward residency or toward the total semester credit hours required for a degree. Courses designated for a grade of H are excluded until such time as grade changes are processed. All H grades must be cleared before graduation.

Course work transferred from either the baccalaureate status (semester credit hours in excess of bachelor's degree requirements) or from a postbaccalaureate status taken at the University of Florida will be computed in the grade point average. Course work transferred from another institution is credited to total semester credit hours only. Such transfers are not included in the computation of the grade point average.

Courses in which students receive grades of "U" do not meet the Graduate Council's standard of satisfactory performance. Accordingly, such grades must either be changed or a petition from the supervisory committee chair must be sent to Graduate Student Records, 106 Grinter Hall, setting forth the reasons why the student should be allowed to graduate with the "U" grade on his/her transcript.

Time Limits

All work counted toward a master's degree must be completed during the 7 years immediately preceding the date on which the degree is to be awarded. This includes transfer credit.

All work for a doctoral degree must be completed within 5 calendar years after satisfactory performance on the qualifying examination, or this examination must be repeated.

Table of Contents

X. Examinations

Graduate School Foreign Language Test

Graduate School Foreign Language Tests in French, German, Russian, and Spanish are administered on the University of Florida campus three times each year, in October, February, and June.

Registration for these examinations and the $5 exam fee are handled by the Office of Academic Technology, 1012 Turlington Hall (392-0371).

Applications are not accepted by mail and only one test may be taken on a given test date. Test scores will be reported to the student, the department, and the Office of Academic Technology.

Test of Spoken English or SPEAK Test

All graduate students whose native language is not English (see List of Countries with English as an Official Language) who expect to be involved in a teaching assignment at the University of Florida must demonstrate proficiency in English. The State of Florida mandates that instructors score at least 45 points on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) or SPEAK test. A teaching assignment for a Graduate Assistant is defined as an appointment that involves teaching, lecturing, class discussion, lab instruction, or any other occasion of interaction with a group of 3 or more students. Grading papers, tutoring, and proctoring are not considered teaching assignments.

The TSE is administered by the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, New Jersey, and costs $125.00. The SPEAK test is administered on campus at a cost of $60.00. For more information on the SPEAK test, see the Academic Spoken English website.

Candidates for teaching assistantships who score below 45 on the TSE or SPEAK test are advised to take Academic Spoken English I (EAP 5835). Until students attains a score of 45 or higher on the TSE or SPEAK test, they cannot be assigned any teaching duties. This class can not be counted toward any degree requirements.

Candidates who score between 45 and 50 may be appointed to teaching duties provided that in the same semester they are enrolled in Academic Spoken English II (EAP 5836). For those who do not hold a teaching appointment, the Academic Spoken English Tutorial (EAP 5837), in which they can acquire teaching skills and improve their English proficiency, is available. These classes can not be counted toward any degree requirements.

For further information, see Courses and Credits, Oral Proficiency Requirements and Remediation&—Academic Spoken English, Financial Aid.

Scholarly Writing Program

Students whose TOEFL score is below 550 (or below 213 on the computer-based test) or whose verbal score on the GRE is below 320 must enroll in some remedial course work. The student should take a screening test given by the Scholarly Writing Program, 4131 Turlington Hall (392-0639). The result of this test will indicate the needs of the student and the appropriate remedial work to be taken, either EAP 5845 or EAP 5846. These classes can not be counted toward any degree requirements.

Graduate coordinators should (a) review the test scores of their departments' students, (b) inform any students included in the categories listed above of the screening test, and (c) see that students who are required to take EAP 5845 or EAP 5846 register for the course(s).

Contact the Scholarly Writing Program, 4131 Turlington Hall (392-0639) for test dates.

Qualifying Examination

A qualifying examination is required for all PhD and EdD students and is optional with the department for master's students. Students must be registered when the qualifying examination is administered.

The following apply to the qualifying examination for EdD and PhD students:

• Type of Examination: The qualifying examination is both written and oral and covers the major and minor subjects.
  
• Administration of Examination: The written portion of the qualifying examination is conducted by the student's supervisory committee or by the department. The faculty involved in these groups are responsible for submitting questions for this segment of a student's exam. The oral portion of the qualifying examination is conducted by the student's supervisory committee. All committee members must be present for the oral portion of the examination.
  
• Time Schedules: The examination may be taken during the third semester of graduate study beyond the bachelor's degree. Between the qualifying examination and the date of the degree, there must be a minimum of 2 semesters if the candidate is in full-time residence and one calendar year if the candidate is in a less than full-time status. All work for the doctoral degree must be completed within 5 calendar years after the qualifying examination, or this examination must be repeated.
  
• Notification of Results: The results of the qualifying examination, both successful and unsuccessful, must be filed with the Graduate School via the Admission to Candidacy form.
  
• Reexamination: If the student fails the qualifying examination, the Graduate School must be notified. A reexamination may be requested, but it must be recommended by the supervisory committee and approved by the Graduate School. At least one semester of additional preparation is considered essential before reexamination.
  

Admission to Candidacy

A graduate student does not become a candidate for the EdD or PhD degree until granted formal admission to candidacy. Such admission requires the approval of the student's supervisory committee, the department chair, the college dean, and the Dean of the Graduate School. The approval must be based on

• The academic record of the student
  
• The judgment of the supervisory committee concerning overall fitness for candidacy
  
• Approved dissertation topic
  
• A qualifying examination
  

Application for candidacy should be made as soon as the qualifying examination has been passed and a dissertation topic has been approved by the student's supervisory committee.

The application form should be completed by the department and be ready to be given to students before they take the oral portion of their qualifying examinations. The form should be signed immediately following the examination, while the committee is still assembled, and forwarded to the college, if applicable, and then to Graduate Student Records (106 Grinter Hall) for processing.

The candidate may not prepare the Admission to Candidacy form.

Final Examination

A final comprehensive examination is required for all graduate students. This examination may be written and/or oral and includes but is not limited to the defense of the thesis or dissertation if one is required.

Master's

Only the supervisory committee members must be present at the student's final examination. The vote must be unanimous.

Specialist

Students are tested by three faculty members in both a written and an oral examination. The vote must be unanimous.

Engineer

A final examination, oral or written, is conducted by the student's supervisory committee. This examination includes the defense of a thesis if one is included in the student's program. The vote must be unanimous.

Doctorate

Candidates are given a final examination (written, oral, or both) by their supervisory committee. Only the supervisory committee members must be present at the oral portion of the examination. All members of the supervisory committee and all attending faculty members should sign the Final Examination form. The vote must be unanimous.

Location

Qualifying and final examinations for graduate students are to be held on the University of Florida campus. Exceptions to this policy are made for those graduate students whose examinations are administered at the Graduate Engineering and Research Center or the Agricultural Research and Educational Centers, for nursing students in Jacksonville and Orlando, or for students on the campuses of other state universities that are approved for cooperative graduate degree programs.

With the approval of all the members of the supervisory committee, no more than one committee member (excluding the chair and outside member) may be off-site at a qualifying oral examination or at the final oral defense of the dissertation or thesis, using modern communication technology to be present rather than being physically present.

Schedules

Notice of the time and place of the final examination must be submitted to the departmental graduate coordinator 10 business days (2 calendar weeks) before the examination. The final examination may not be scheduled earlier than the term preceding the semester in which the degree is to be conferred.

Notification of Results

The results of the final examination should be noted on the Final Examination form. All members of the official supervisory committee are required to sign the Final Examination form&—for doctoral examinations, all attending faculty must sign.

Final Examination Form (PDF)

Final Examination forms (PDF) for thesis and dissertation candidates signed by committee members, department chair, and college dean (when required) should be delivered to the Editorial Office, 160 Grinter Hall, no later than 4:00 p.m. of the specified deadline date.

Signed final examination forms (PDF) for nonthesis candidates should be delivered to Graduate Student Records, 106 Grinter Hall, no later than 4:00 p.m.of the specified deadline date.

See Critical Dates.

Send only the original copy of the Final Examination form to the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School does not sign this form.

General Regulations for Administration of Graduate Student Examinations

Supervisory Committee Responsibilities for Graduate Student Examinations

• Supervisory committees for graduate degree programs are responsible for scheduling, conducting, and reporting results of graduate student examinations.
  
• The Dean of the Graduate School is an ex-officio member of all supervisory committees.
  
• The supervisory committee for a master's degree with a thesis requirement must consist of at least two members selected from the graduate faculty. The supervisory committee for a master's degree with no thesis requirement may consist of one member of the graduate faculty who advises the student and oversees the program. If a minor is designated the committee must include one graduate faculty member from the minor department.
  
• The supervisory committee for a candidate for the EdD and PhD degrees should be appointed as soon as possible after the student has begun doctoral work and in general no later than the end of the third semester or equivalent full-time study. The committee must consist of no fewer than four members selected from the graduate faculty; at least two members must be from the college or department recommending the degree, and at least one member must be drawn from a different educational discipline.

Examinations

• The student's supervisory committee is responsible for the administration of the comprehensive examination, for the written and oral qualifying examinations, and for the final oral examination for the defense of the thesis, project, or dissertation.
• All members of the supervisory committee must sign the appropriate forms, including the thesis and dissertation signature pages, for the student to satisfy the requirements of the examinations.
• Final examinations for master's candidates&—When the student's course work is completed, or practically so, and the thesis is in final form, the supervisory committee is required to examine the student orally or in writing on (1) the thesis, (2) the major subjects, (3) the minor or minors, and (4) matters of general nature pertaining to the field of study. The department graduate coordinator must be notified 10 business days in advance of the examination date. The thesis must be approved unanimously and signed by the supervisory committee members. Using the form provided for the purpose, the supervisory committee must report to the Dean of the Graduate School no later than the submission deadline, whether all work has been completed in a satisfactory manner, and whether&—on the basis of the final examination&—the student is recommended for a degree. This examination may not be scheduled earlier than 6 months before the degree is to be conferred except through special approval of the Dean of the Graduate School.
• Final examination for doctoral candidates&—After submission of the dissertation and the completion of all other prescribed work for the degree, but in no case earlier than 6 months before the conferring of the degree, the candidate will be given a final examination, oral or written or both, by the supervisory committee. An announcement of the scheduled examination must be sent to the graduate coordinator of the major department 10 business days in advance. At the time of the defense all committee members should sign the signature pages and all committee and attending faculty members should sign the Final Examination form. These may be retained by the supervisory chair until acceptable completion of corrections.
  
• The comprehensive examination for the nonthesis master's degree may be taken at a remote site. All other comprehensive, qualifying, and final examinations for graduate students are to be held on the University of Florida campus. Exceptions to this policy are made only for certain graduate students whose examinations are administered at the Graduate Engineering and Research Center, at the Agricultural Research and Education Centers, or on the campuses of state universities that are approved for cooperative graduate degree programs, as well as for nursing students on the Jacksonville and Orlando campuses.

Table of Contents

XI. Theses and Dissertations

Editorial Assistance and Information

The Graduate School Editorial Office provides a Guide for Preparing Theses and Dissertations to assist students in the preparation of their manuscripts and offers suggestions and advice on such matters as the preparation and reproduction of illustrative materials, the treatment of special problems, the use of copyrighted material, and how to register copyright for the dissertation, if desired. The following procedures apply to the Graduate School's editorial services to students.

• The Graduate School editorial staff acts only in an advisory capacity but will answer questions regarding correct grammar, sentence structure, and standard forms of presentation.
  
• After the first submission of the undefended dissertation in final form, the Editorial office checks the format, illustrations, and pagination and reads portions of the text for general usage, references, and bibliographic form (see First Submission of Dissertation Guide. Defended master's theses are checked for format, reference style, signature pages, and pagination (see Submission of Defended Master's Thesis in the Guide).
  
• Upon final submission, the signature pages and Final Examination form for all theses and dissertations are checked against the Supervisory Committee forms for the signatures of the committee members, department chair, and college dean (except for the College Business Administration and College of Health Professions). It is the responsibility of the student and the supervisory chair to notify the Graduate School, by submitting the Supervisory Committee form, of any changes to be made in the composition of the supervisory committee. Changes in the student's final semester may be made only by a petition from the supervisory chair to the Dean of The Graduate School. See section on Supervisory Committee Responsibilities for Graduate Student Examinations, General Supervisory Committee Information and Supervisory Committee forms.
  
• The Editorial Office maintains a file of experienced thesis typists and manuscript editors (notebook in 160 Grinter Hall). Students may consult this file for assistance in the mechanical preparation of the manuscript.
  
• The Editorial Office cooperates with the Office of Academic Technology, 1012 Turlington Hall (392-0371), in the AT seminar series on thesis and dissertation preparation and the workshops on electronic thesis and dissertation (ETD) preparation. The Editorial Office also offers individual workshops for departments.
  

Deadline Dates

Dates are available in the Graduate Catalog (paper and electronic), in the ETD website, and in the Graduate Student Handbook.

Submissions

See Guide for specific instructions regarding first and final submissions of theses and dissertations.

Guidelines for Restriction of Release of Dissertations

Research performed at the University of Florida can effectively contribute to the education of our students and to the body of knowledge that is our heritage only if the results of the research are published freely and openly. Conflicts can develop when it is in the interests of sponsors of university research to restrict such publication. When such conflicts arise, faculty must consult the following AAU guidelines.

• The recommendations of sponsors that result from prepublication reviews of research results and that affect subsequent publication of these results should be considered advisory rather than mandatory.
  
• The maximum delay in publication allowed for prereviews is 3 months.
  
• No additional delays in publication should occur beyond the prereview. Timely submission of any patent or copyright applications should be the result of effective communication between investigators and sponsors throughout the course of the project.
  
• There should be no restriction on participation in nonclassified sponsored research programs based on citizenship.
  
• Students should not be delayed in the final defense of the dissertation by agreements involving publication delays.
  

See Guide for Preparing Theses and Dissertations.

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