General Academic Regulations & Procedures

All sections below are drawn from the Graduate School Bulletin. For full policies and updates, please refer to the Graduate School Bulletin available online at: http://grad.georgetown.edu/academics/policies/

A. Academic course credits

All Graduate School students are required to register each Fall and Spring semester from matriculation to award of the degree. During fall and spring semesters, students registered for 9 or more credit hours will be certified as enrolled full-time. Please refer to the Graduate School Bulletin for full policy.

B. Tutorial Courses

Students who wish to register for a reading or research tutorial must complete a Tutorial Registration form, available at http://grad.georgetown.edu/academics/academic-forms/ The completed form must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the final day of the Add/Drop period. The form requires the instructor to specify:

· a title for the tutorial course

· the number of graduate credits to be awarded

· a course description

· a bibliography

· a schedule of meetings with the student

· assignments or the nature of the research to be undertaken

· the manner of assessment (e.g., a final examination, a research paper, etc.)

Signature approvals must be obtained from the instructor, who outlines the scope of work to be accomplished and the resources to be used; the student’s Director of Graduate Studies; and the Graduate School. If this form is not submitted and approved, no credit will be awarded for the tutorial.

C. Audit and Pass/Fail Options

Courses that have been designated by departments and programs to be taken only on a pass/fail basis may be applied toward a graduate degree program. Other courses for which a student chooses to register on a pass/fail basis cannot be applied toward a degree program. Students may register for language courses on a pass/fail basis, but may not audit them without the approval of their department or program and the Graduate School. Students who have received permission from an instructor to audit a course or to take a course on a pass/fail basis should first register for the course on a letter-grade basis, then change to audit or pass/fail basis during the Add/Drop period. Changes of grade status (letter-grade, audit, or pass/fail) are not allowed beyond the Add/Drop period. Students who register for courses on an audit or pass/fail basis will be assessed tuition on the same per-credit basis as for letter-grade registrations. Please note that a passing grade in the pass/fail option is equivalent to a C letter grade or better.

D. Enrollment through the Consortium

Georgetown partners with thirteen institutions in the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area: American University, The Catholic University of America, Corcoran College of Art + Design, Gallaudet University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Howard University, Marymount University, National Defense Intelligence College, National Defense University, Trinity Washington University, University of the District of Columbia, and University of Maryland, College Park. Students enrolled in a Graduate School degree program may enroll for courses through the Consortium, provided such courses are not available at Georgetown University.

E. Requests for Extension of Time Limits

If it becomes apparent that a student will not complete all degree requirements and graduate within the time allowed, the student may petition the Graduate School for an extension of time to complete the degree. Such a request must be submitted in writing to the student's mentor and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) of the student’s program. The DGS, in consultation with the student’s mentor, will forward a recommendation to the Graduate School on whether to grant or deny the student’s request. If the DGS recommends granting the request, he or she should specify any intermediate deadlines or other academic criteria that are to be met by the student, as well as a realistic date for completion of the degree; the recommended completion date may or may not be the date requested by the student. The Graduate School will readily grant a first extension of up to one year on the recommendation of both the student’s mentor and the program’s DGS. Please refer to the Graduate School Bulletin available online for further extensions and full policy. https://sites.google.com/a/georgetown.edu/gsas-graduate-bulletin/

F. Leaves of Absence

1. Personal Leaves of Absence

Students who find it necessary to interrupt their studies may apply in writing to the Graduate School for a personal leave of absence. A “personal leave of absence” is defined as any leave of absence other than one granted for medical reasons or for military service. Such requests should be submitted at least one week prior to Regular Registration for the semester in which the leave is to be taken, and must be submitted no later than the last day of the Add/Drop period. The student’s department or program must approve the request for a leave. When properly approved and officially entered on the transcript, a leave of absence satisfies the Graduate School’s registration requirement. It may not, however, confer the registration or residency status necessary to qualify for financial aid or to meet visa requirements. A total of no more than four semesters of personal leave of absence are allowed in a student’s graduate career at Georgetown University, whether taken at the master’s or the doctoral level. Up to two semesters of leave may be granted at any one time. Please refer to the Graduate School Bulletin available online for full policy and updates.https://sites.google.com/a/georgetown.edu/gsas-graduate-bulletin/

2. Medical Leaves of Absence

Medical leaves are administered according to the University Policy on Medical Leaves. A link to the policy statement can be found on the website of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs at:https://studenthealth.georgetown.edu/medical-care/medical-leave-2/. All requests for a MLOA will be reviewed by the medical staff of the appropriate Student Health service so that they can make a recommendation to the Graduate School concerning the request. All students planning to return from a MLOA must contact both the Graduate School and the appropriate Student Health center in advance of their return. Approved periods of medical leave will extend the time permitted to complete degree requirements and to graduate. Please refer to the Graduate School Bulletin available online for full policy and updates. https://sites.google.com/a/georgetown.edu/gsas-graduate-bulletin/

3. Military Leave of Absence

A student who is called to active military duty will be permitted a military leave of absence. The student should report his/her obligation for military service in writing to the Dean as soon as reasonably possible after the student receives his/her orders. If a new semester has begun, the Dean may authorize a 100% refund of tuition through the 50% refund period. The student’s courses will be marked with a “W” grade and a record will be made on the transcript to explain the withdrawal. Approved periods of military leave of absence will extend the time permitted to complete degree requirements and to graduate.

4. Parental Leave of Absence for Graduate Students

The Graduate School offers support for graduate students who need to take leave in connection with the birth of and/or full time care of a new child during their period of enrollment. The goal in offering this support is to allow graduate students to continue their studies with as little disruption as possible. Parental leave is intended to enable the graduate student to continue to make progress toward his or her degree. Consequently, it does not grant additional semesters of funding, although under certain circumstances funding may be deferred. Nor does it change the length of time permitted to complete degree requirements and to graduate. This policy requires communication and cooperation in good faith between the student seeking the leave, the faculty, and the student’s department. Please refer to the Graduate School Bulletin available online for the terms of the policy. https://sites.google.com/a/georgetown.edu/gsas-graduate-bulletin/

G. International Students

Before the start of each semester, all newly-enrolled international students at Georgetown University on non-immigrant visas are required to attend the Immigration Reporting Session given by the Office of Global Services (OGS). OGS will provide all new international students with detailed information concerning the time, date, and location of the session before the start of the semester; this information will also be posted on OGS’ website. Those who fail to attend the session will not be allowed to complete registration or to attend classes. For further questions and information, please contact the Office of Global Education by calling (202) 687-5867. Please refer to the Graduate School Bulletin available online for full policy. For additional information please consult the International Student and Scholar Services website at: https://internationalservices.georgetown.edu/

https://sites.google.com/a/georgetown.edu/gsas-graduate-bulletin/

H. Academic integrity

Students in the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity in pursuit of their educational goals. Academic misconduct in any form is a serious offense against the academic community in general and against Georgetown University in particular. Students who are found to have violated standards of academic integrity will be subject to academic penalties. These penalties may include, but are not limited to, transcript notations, suspension or dismissal from the University, or revocation of degrees already conferred. Please refer to the Graduate School Bulletin available online for full policy and a list of all cases of Academic misconducts subject to academic penalties. https://sites.google.com/a/georgetown.edu/gsas-graduate-bulletin/

I. Communication

The Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies assigns student mailboxes each semester. Georgetown students automatically receive a free account on the university computers which provides access to email, the Internet, university-supported software, the online library catalogue, and other useful services. For computer questions or problems contact the Student Help Desk at (202) 687-4949 or at help@georgetown.edu.

Students are expected to read, and, when appropriate or required, respond in a timely fashion to emails sent from University offices. Email is the standard mode of communication for University broadcast messages to the community as well as for messages to individual students about academic standing and other important administrative matters. Messages are sent to the Georgetown student’s official Georgetown e-mail address. Students who wish to use another address are responsible for setting and maintaining appropriate forwarding rules to ensure they receive University email.