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Contents
Introduction
Admissions
Coursework
Financial Aid
The MA Program
Pre-Candidacy
Preliminary Examinations
The PhD Program
Appendix 1 Calendar
Appendix 2 List of Courses
Appendix 3 Forms
Near Eastern Studies
III. Coursework and Student Progress
A. Course Selection and Course Load
New graduate students meet with the Director of Graduate Studies and with their graduate advisor to design a program of studies in their specialty.
B. A Hypothetical Example of a Student’s Path Through the Near Eastern Studies Program
The course and duration of each student’s graduate program varies greatly based on preparation, area of specialization and level of financial aid.
Hypothetical Outline of a Student’s Route through Near Eastern Studies Program:
| Year 1 | Fall | Coursework- 12 hours (4 courses) Choose MA advisor |
| Winter | Coursework- 12 hours 1st cognate course |
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| Year 2 | Fall | Coursework- 6-9 hours Begin 2nd NES language GSI appointment Language of Scholarship Exam (typically French or German) |
| Winter | Coursework- 6-9 hours GSI appointment Complete the MA Degree and apply for Change of Status to PhD program |
|
| Year 3 | Fall | Coursework- 6-9 hours GSI appointment 2nd cognate course Intermediate 2nd NES language Establish prelim exam committee |
| Winter | Coursework- 6-9 hours GSI appointment or Departmental Fellowship Preliminary Examinations (or early in year 4) 2nd Language of Scholarship Exam |
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| Year 4 | Establish dissertation committee Advance to candidacy Present PhD prospectus Begin dissertation research Apply for grants, fellowships GSI appointment or Departmental Fellowship |
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| Year 5 | Dissertation research and writing GSI appointment or Departmental Fellowship |
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| Year 6 | Complete dissertation writing Dissertation defense |
C. Annual Review of Student Performance
The Near Eastern Studies faculty conducts an annual review of each student’s performance in the Winter semester.
D. Grading Policies
For a complete description of Rackham grading policy, consult Chapter 3 of the Graduate Student Handbook of Policies and Procedures or visit the handbook's website: http://www.rackham.umich.edu/policies/gsh/section1#14
1. Rackham Credit
All courses taken in fulfillment of Rackham degree requirements must be approved for Rackham graduate credit. Be certain that any courses you plan to take (especially those numbered in the 400s) are approved for Rackham credit before you enroll in them. The Graduate School policy on courses includes the following:
Courses at the 400 level and above are acceptable for graduate credit if they have been approved by the Graduate School. Approved courses are listed in Rackham’s Bulletin: Program Information and Course Offerings, available online (most up-to-date version) or in hard copy as a reference in most department offices. http://www.rackham.umich.edu/Programs/
If you are uncertain whether or not a course is approved for Rackham credit, check with the department offering the course or with the Rackham Course Approval Officer (674-7548).
If you elect a course that has not been approved for Rackham graduate credit, the course will appear on your university transcript with the notation "Not for Graduate Credit.” The course grade will appear on the transcript, but it will not be averaged into your cumulative grade point average or your credit toward program (CTP) total.
Courses at the 300 level and below are never acceptable for graduate credit. Undergraduate level foreign language courses may occasionally be used in fulfillment of some departmental foreign language requirements.
2. Incompletes (I)
You may receive a grade of Incomplete (I) for a course only if:• The unfinished part of your work for the course is small,
• The reason(s) for the unfinished work is acceptable to your instructor, and
• Your standing in the course is that of a grade of B or higher.
If you find you cannot complete the work for a course on time, arrange to meet with your instructor and discuss a schedule for finishing up the remaining work before the instructor assigns you a grade of "I.” Your grade point average will continue to be based on hours of coursework you have completed.
If you have made up the coursework according to the procedures noted above, your grade for the course would appear on your academic record as, for example, I B+.
Note: A grade of I stays on your academic record permanently.You cannot have an unresolved Incomplete on your record:
• When you apply for an MA
• When you apply to change status from MA to PhD
• When you take Preliminary Examinations
• When you defend your PhD
3. Drops (W) and Unofficial Drops (ED)
If you receive permission to drop a course officially after the first three weeks of a full term (or the first two weeks of a half term), the course will be recorded on your academic record with the notation of W. Grades of W do not earn credit hours toward your degree program.
A grade of ED (Unofficial Drop) is recorded for students who register for a course and either never attend or stop attending but do not officially drop the course. An ED has the same effect on your grade point average as an E (failure), unless you petition successfully to have another notation recorded for the course. This is accomplished by completing an election worksheet, available from departments or the Service Centers in the LSA Building and Pierpont Commons, and getting the necessary signatures. Note: Once a grade or notation (other than ED) has been assigned, you may not officially drop the course.