Supplemental Information

Appeals of Grades and Other Academic Activities

If a student contests a grade received as part of coursework, the student should follow this sequential process within specified timeframes:

1. Instructor Discussion (30 days) Students must first discuss the disputed grade with the course instructor within 30 days of either:

• The start of the semester following grade assignment, or

• The date the grade was posted to the transcript (for delayed grades such as Incompletes)

2. Program Director Review (60 days) If unresolved, students may appeal to the Director of Graduate Studies or program director within 60 days of the applicable date above.

3. Faculty Committee Review (90 days) If still unresolved, the matter proceeds to a faculty committee (standing or ad hoc) established by the department or program within 90 days of the applicable date. The committee's decision to raise, lower, or sustain the grade is final.

When a student pursuing a departmentally-based graduate program is enrolled in another department's course, the student will be subject to the offering department's appeal procedures.

When a student in an interdisciplinary graduate program disputes a grade for a course offered by a department (rather than by the graduate program itself), the Directors of Graduate Studies for both the graduate program and the department offering the course will jointly establish an ad hoc faculty committee to review the grade. Grade change requests will be denied if based on additional work completed after the original grade assignment.

Appeals Contesting the Outcome of Other Faculty-Assessed Academic Activities

Satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree, especially those at the doctoral level, is measured by more than successful completion of coursework. Other academic activities that are subject to faculty assessment include but are not limited to such milestones as qualifying or comprehensive examinations and the acceptance of a thesis or dissertation proposal.

If a student contests the outcome of any such assessment, the process for appealing that outcome is similar to that for appealing grades. 

1. Program Director Review (30 days) The student must discuss the matter with the program’s Director of Graduate Studies within 30 days of receiving assessment results.

2. Faculty Committee Review (90 days) If still unresolved, the student may submit a written appeal to their Director of Graduate Studies within 90 days of receiving the assessment results.  A faculty committee established by the student’s program will review the appeal. The committee's decision to raise, lower, or sustain the grade is final.

Appeals Regarding Termination of Degree Candidacy 

A student’s candidacy for a graduate degree may be terminated by the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences for reasons that include, but are not limited to: failure to make satisfactory progress toward completion of degree requirements,  academic misconduct, misconduct resulting in disciplinary dismissal pursuant to the Code of Student Conduct, research integrity violations, professional misconduct, and failure to maintain continuous registration within required timeframes or obtain approved extensions.

A student whose degree candidacy has been terminated for any reason will be notified in writing by the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.  The student shall have the right of appeal.  The student must present the grounds for appeal to the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences in writing within thirty days of the date of the Dean’s letter terminating degree candidacy.  While the student may submit any evidentiary materials deemed relevant to the appeal, the narrative presenting the basis of the appeal must be limited to ten typewritten pages, double-spaced. 

Termination for Failure to Make Satisfactory Progress Toward a Degree

The appeal procedure is not to be used for the circumvention of standard degree requirements (e.g., grade point average or comprehensive examination standards), but it is designed to deal with cases of such a complex nature that an exception is warranted.

If the Dean determines that such circumstances do exist, the student's appeal will be referred to a committee appointed by the Dean and composed of at least three faculty members from within the student's academic division.  The student will be notified in writing of the membership of the appeal committee.  If the student objects to the appointment of one or more members of the committee, the objection should be made known in writing to the Dean before the committee begins its review of the appeal.  The appeals committee reserves the right to make its judgment based on the written materials alone.  If the materials so warrant, a formal hearing may also be held.  The decision of the committee will be forwarded to the Dean, who will then notify the student in writing.  The committee's decision will be final.

If the Dean finds that the student's dismissal was based on failure to satisfy standard requirements for the degree, without complicating circumstances that warrant an exception, the student's request for appeal will be denied.

Quick Registration Guide

Before You Register

1. Check holds in GUExperience 48 hours prior to registration

2. Meet with advisor to plan course selection

3. Submit transcripts (if first semester) to: gradstudentservices@georgetown.edu

Key Resources

• Registration Schedule

• Registration Barriers Solutions

• Academic Calendar

Academic Planning Checklist

Note that these are the minimum requirements to graduate or remain in good standing. Many programs have a higher threshold to remain in the program and on fellowship support. 

All Students

• [ ] Review degree requirements in Graduate Bulletin Section IV

• [ ] Meet with advisor each semester

• [ ] Monitor GPA (3.0 minimum required)

• [ ] Track time-to-degree limits

Thesis Students

• [ ] File thesis proposal before defense

• [ ] IRB approval (if human subjects research)

• [ ] Committee formation

• [ ] Defense scheduling

Non-Thesis Students

• [ ] Confirm comprehensive exam or other degree requirements

• [ ] Track capstone/project deadlines, if applicable

For detailed requirements, see Graduate Bulletin Section IV.

Important Deadlines

Every Semester

• Registration: See registration schedule

• Add/Drop: First 10 days of classes

• Withdrawal: See academic calendar

• Grade Appeals: 30 days after start of following term

Annual

• Graduation Application:

  • May graduation: by February 1

  • August/December: by 1st working day of month

• Thesis/Dissertation Submission:

  • May: by 1st working day of May

  • Aug/Dec: by last working day of month