Metadata
Title
Academic Policies
Category
graduate
UUID
77e219f69a4440b18bf813ddbd99183d
Source URL
https://e-catalogue.jhu.edu/ksas-wse/graduate-policies/academic-policies/
Parent URL
https://e-catalogue.jhu.edu/programs/
Crawl Time
2026-03-10T04:29:41+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown

Academic Policies

Source: https://e-catalogue.jhu.edu/ksas-wse/graduate-policies/academic-policies/ Parent: https://e-catalogue.jhu.edu/programs/

//= 0)) { workss = ss[i]; break; } } if(workss && workss.insertRule) { workss.insertRule(".tab\_content { display: none; }", workss.cssRules.length) workss.insertRule(".sectionheader { display: none; }", workss.cssRules.length) workss.insertRule("#" + defshow + "container { display: block; }", workss.cssRules.length) } else if(workss && workss.addRule) { workss.addRule(".tab\_content", "display: none"); workss.addRule(".sectionheader", "display: none"); workss.addRule("#" + defshow + "container", "display: block"); } else { if (window.console) window.console.log('screen.css needs attribute media="screen"'); } //]]>

Much of the material contained in this section gives details pertaining to Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) and/or Whiting School of Engineering (WSE), or University-wide policies. However, there are graduate student issues and policies that are department specific. In those instances, students are referred directly to their department administrator or department handbook for further information.

A Note about PhD Education:

Ph.D. education is fundamental to the University’s teaching and research mission. For an intellectual community of scholars to flourish, it is important to acknowledge the principles that underlie the compact between Ph.D. students, the faculty, and other members of the University community.

Ph.D. Specific Policies may be found .

Annual Review Policy

Feedback and Mentoring are crucial to the success of a graduate student. As such, there is a Homewood Annual Review policy. At least once per academic year, all full‐time Homewood graduate programs are required to provide a written review to: (a) all doctoral students, and (b) all master’s students conducting thesis research. Annual reviews should be completed before the start of the next academic year, barring unexpected circumstances.

Departments and advisors should hold space for discussion about the student’s professional development goals and ways to develop strategies to achieve those goals. This review must include the opportunity for the student to offer self‐evaluation. Students who fail to attain a program’s minimum level of academic or research performance may be placed on academic probation or dismissed using the procedures outlined in the Homewood Schools Policy for Graduate Student Probation, Dismissal, and Funding Withdrawal. In making these decisions, particularly that of dismissal, the program will take into consideration extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control.

The Whiting School of Engineering has established a Guide to Effective Annual Reviews to assist both advisors and students make these annual reviews a useful tool in the development of each student.

Student Enrollment Statuses

Graduate students in the full-time Arts and Sciences and Engineering degree programs based at Homewood are initially enrolled as full-time and are given a Resident status. Prior to a student changing their registration status, approval from the student’s degree program and appropriate office(s) must first be secured. Degree-seeking KSAS/WSE residential program graduate students are not permitted to be enrolled in another degree-seeking program outside of JHU at the same time they are enrolled in a degree-seeking degree at JHU.

Residency Requirements

Every full-time program KSAS Master’s student must register for a minimum of two consecutive semesters as a full-time, resident graduate student.

Every full-time program WSE Master’s student must register as a full-time resident graduate student for at least two semesters (does not have to be consecutive). Combined bachelor’s-master’s degree students are exempt, as are those who enter a WSE master’s degree program after two or fewer semesters following completion of a JHU undergraduate degree.

Every full-time PhD Student (WSE and KSAS) must register for a minimum of two consecutive semesters as a full-time, resident graduate student.

Degree-Seeking Graduate Students

Krieger School of Arts and Sciences

Current Policy for Fall 2022: All KSAS full-time students are required to be enrolled in two courses of any level for credit/letter grade, or one course at the 800-level for credit/letter grade. Graduate students who are full-time students are charged full tuition. The office of the deans must approve any exceptions.

New Credit Hour Policy for KSAS Graduate Students, effective Spring 2023:All KSAS Graduate Students must be enrolled in at least 9 credits to maintain full-time status in each fall and spring semester. Summer term is not a required enrollment term, but PhD students (and master's students conducting research, etc.) are expected to continue working on their degree through the summer. Any JHU funded graduate student working on research/writing for their degree full-time over the summer should enroll in at least 9 credits of their program's summer research/graduate course (students should consult with their academic program for more information). More information on KSAS Graduate Credit Hours is forthcoming and may be found here.

Whiting School of Engineering

All WSE Graduate Students enrolled in Homewood-based full-time programs must be enrolled in at least 9 credits to maintain full-time status in each fall and spring semester. Summer term is not a required enrollment term, but PhD students (and occasionally master's students conducting research, etc.)who are expected to continue working on their degree through the summer must register. Any JHU funded graduate student working on research/writing for their degree full-time over the summer should enroll in at least 6 credits of their program's summer research/graduate course (students should consult with their academic program for more information). Most graduate students enrolled in research-oriented engineering degree programs (M.A., M.S., M.S.E., Ph.D. etc.) are full-time students. However, part-time study consistent with residency requirements is common with advanced permission in many engineering departments. Students should consult with individual departments and OIS (if visa-sponsored) to determine the requirements for part-time study.

Part-Time Graduate Students

Krieger School of Arts and Sciences

The Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) does not offer part-time status in full-time degree programs.

Whiting School of Engineering

New Whiting School graduate students starting their full-time program in a part-time status are extremely rare, and are only allowed when the chair of a department or the director of a degree program makes a qualified written request to, and receives approval from, the Dean's office (Office of Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning).

Students already matriculated in their degree program who wish to change to a part-time status after completing at least one semester of full-time study may ask for permission of their program, and the Office of International Services (OIS), when applicable, to change status.

Students will generally not be eligible to switch to part-time status if they are working primarily on the Homewood campus or working full-time on research for their degree. Part-time graduate students must still meet their degree residency requirements before they receive an advanced degree. Part-time has two major components:

  1. a student cannot be part-time without prior approval from their department, and from OIS (when applicable)
  2. a part-time student cannot take more than 2 classes in a semester, or they will be automatically put back to full-time status (note that for WSE graduate students, part-time is any credit load below 9 credits (not including 9 credits) in the fall/spring semesters, and below 6 in the summer term).

Process:

Part-Time Non-Visa-Holding Student:

If student is approved by their program to be part-time and is not a visa holder, their program only needs to send an notice to the Homewood Registrar's office to authorize the status change.

Part-Time Visa-Holding Students

Visa-holders (F-1, J-1, etc.) wishing to change their enrollment status to part-time in their final term must work with OIS to determine eligibility for a Reduced Course Load authorization.\ Eligible students must complete both of the below steps:

  1. Ensure their academic department has submitted documentation to the Homewood Registrar's office to make the official switch to part-time status (departments can approve from an academic      perspective and do not need to wait for OIS approval for RCL).

2.  Secure a Reduced Course Load authorization from OIS.

Note that once #1 has been completed, students can adjust their schedules in SIS during the add/drop period even if OIS is still reviewing the RCL application. Academic enrollment approval is not the same as OIS approval.

Part-Time Tuition

For current tuition information, visit Homewood Student Accounts.

Part-Time Health Benefits

Students in WSE full-time programs who are in a part-time status are automatically enrolled in student health benefits, and may be responsible for assessed premium(s).

Part-Time Payroll

Not all students who are part-time can be on student payroll. Please consult with the Office of Experiential Learning (formerly Office of Student Employment) for more information.

Visiting Graduate Students (non-degree students)

In some cases, graduate students from other institutions of higher education may participate in a visitation or residency at the Homewood Campus. These students are designated as visiting, and are not candidates for a Johns Hopkins graduate degree.

Visiting Graduate Students primarily take courses.

Visiting Graduate Scholars primarily pursue research.

Visiting Non-Degree Learners have already attained a bachelor’s degree, are not enrolled at another institution, and wish to take courses at Homewood (KSAS and WSE only) for a maximum of two consecutive semesters.

Visiting Graduate Application (non-degree)

All visiting students (non-degree) must apply through their intended program of study and through the online application.

Interested Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) applicants should apply here.

Interested  Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) applicants should apply here.

Visiting Graduate Student/Non-Degree Learner Enrollment

Visiting students/non-degree learners may be enrolled on a full- or part-time basis with the approval of the chair of the department and the dean of their respective school. Visiting graduate students will be limited to two consecutive terms of either full- or part-time study.

All non-degree visiting graduate students/visiting graduate scholars must register in every semester that they are here for the visiting student course AS.990.890/EN.990.890, there is no tuition charge for this course. Failure to register may result in the student's removal from payroll, loss of health insurance, visa compliance issues, and/or lapses in university services/access.

Combined Bachelor's/Master's Students

Combined Bachelor's/Master's Student refers only to undergraduate students who have been accepted for concurrent study in a KSAS or WSE Homewood-based full-time graduate program while still completing their undergraduate requirements.

Most combined students will switch to graduate status to complete degree requirements. Combined students cannot both apply for and start their combined status in the final semester of their undergraduate status.

Degree Conferral Timing

A student cannot be conferred with their WSE master’s/graduate degree before they have been conferred with their JHU bachelor’s degree. With prior approval a student may confer with their bachelor’s and master’s/graduate degrees in the same semester with degree requirement signoff from undergraduate advising and the student’s degree programs. Note that there is not a combined diploma, each degree is separately conferred.

Change of Status Process and Timing

In order for a student’s status to change from undergraduate to graduate, a Change of Classification Form for Combined Students must be completed. Academic Staff in the student's chosen graduate program are responsible for signature and submission of this form to the Homewood Registrar's office for students who have:

For complete information, please visit Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs and WSE Combined Bachelor's/Master's Program.

Postdoctoral Fellow Appointments

Postdoctoral fellows are at the university to undertake a research program in cooperation with a member of the faculty. All appointments are arranged through the individual departments. Proof of successful PhD completion and eligibility for employment will be required before any appointment may begin.

Visit  https://homewoodgrad.jhu.edu/ for more information.

Graduate Study Abroad (KSAS only)

The category of Graduate Study Abroad (GSA) presumes a continuation of the graduate student's full-time resident status during the period of overseas or off-campus study.  GSA students should discuss all plans with their department/advisor in advance. International students should always consult with Office of International Services before making any travel plans or status changes. The GSA Application is available here.

Students who are enrolled in the Student Health Benefits Plan are encouraged to contact the Office of the Homewood Registrar prior to leaving campus for coverage details while abroad.

Any student traveling abroad should first register with the Johns Hopkins Travel Registry. For full information regarding the registry, visas, immunizations, and other helpful travel information please visit Johns Hopkins Travel Registry.

GSA students are typically those in the departments of Anthropology, Comparative Thought and Literature, and Modern Languages and Literatures.  While the History of Art Department does not have a general requirement of study abroad, many of its graduate students do go abroad to conduct dissertation research.

The use of this category for situations other than those noted above requires the approval of your department chair of the Homewood Graduate Board.

A student on GSA is required to pay 10% of the full-time tuition rate for each semester abroad. The KSAS Dean's Office will pay the remaining 90% tuition balance.

Students who are enrolled in the Student Health Benefits Plan are encouraged to contact the Office of the Homewood Registrar prior to leaving campus for coverage details while abroad.

Any student traveling abroad should first register with the Johns Hopkins Travel Registry. For full information regarding the registry, visas, immunizations, and other helpful travel information please visit the Johns Hopkins Travel Registry.

Academic Leave of Absence

Policy Statement

The Johns Hopkins University (“University” or “JHU”) is committed to maintaining a welcoming, inclusive, and caring environment for all students. The University grants or requires a leave of absence under appropriate circumstances to support students’ necessary time away for medical, service, hardship, or academic reasons. The Office of the Provost provides leadership and support to University officials acting under this Student Leave of Absence Policy’s (the “Policy”) procedures and related divisional procedures, including consulting with and providing guidance to deans and their designees, registrars, and others to support consistent and fair application of this Policy across the University.

The University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which afford protection from discrimination for otherwise qualified students with disabilities. The University will engage in an interactive, individualized process with each Covered Student to determine if there are any adjustments that can be made in accordance with the ADA and Section 504.

Full Policy

The full policy can be found in the JHU Policy and Document Library.

KSAS/WSE Graduate Student Process

Graduate Students in KSAS and WSE must schedule a consultation with either Renee Eastwood (KSAS) or the WSE Office of Engineering Student Support and Advocacy (WSE) prior to completing their LOA application. International students must contact OIS before filing for LOA. Additional information regarding the process for Graduate Students requesting a LOA can be found on the WSE and KSAS webpages.

Note that PhD students wishing to file for a leave from their work(non-academic/degree-related) appointments should consult the PhD Union Collective Bargaining Agreementfor more information on types of leaves available. They will still need to contact the offices of Renee Eastwood (KSAS) or Christine Kavanagh (WSE) with any questions and for process.

Nonresident (NR) Status

Nonresident (NR) status is a full-time status typically reserved for students who are completing non-coursework degree requirements/experiences off-campus. The Nonresident Application is available here. There are different forms for KSAS and WSE graduate students.

Students who are enrolled in University Student Health Benefits are encouraged to contact the Office of the Homewood Registrar prior to entering into a NR status.

Additionally, international students should always consult with OIS before making any travel plans or status changes.

Nonresident Status for Krieger School of Arts and Sciences Graduate Students (residential programs)

KSAS Graduate students are typically eligible for Nonresident (NR) Status under two scenarios.

Scenario One (Dissertation/Thesis/Final Essay Writing):

NR-eligible students

Scenario Two (Off- Campus Experiences):

NR-eligible students

Any exceptions or scenarios outside of these two options for Nonresident Status will be subject to KSAS Academic Affairs approval.

Work assignments while on Nonresident Status

While registered as NR, students may work up to 19.9 hours per week during the academic year if employed by Johns Hopkins University in any capacity (intersession or summer employment can be full-time, however). If working, NR students must be supported by salary (not stipend) and paid hourly. NOTE: Research or teaching assistants expected to work more than 19.9 hours per week do not qualify for Nonresident status.

Tuition and Health Benefits while on Nonresident Status

Nonresident students are charged 10% of full-time tuition per semester. Please note that students who are enrolled in JHU's student health benefits plans are responsible for paying the premiums and Nonresident tuition themselves if there is no available support from the student's department/advisor.

Students on NR status are automatically enrolled in the student health benefits plans. For this reason, students who are enrolled in University Student Health Benefits are encouraged to contact JHU Student Benefits prior to entering into a NR status.

Additionally, international students should always consult with OIS before making any travel plans or status changes.

KSAS graduate students must complete the NR application form, which should be signed by the department, acknowledged by OIS (if applicable), and will be reviewed by the KSAS Associate Dean (or other KSAS designee). Results will be sent by email.

PhD programs/PhD Students should talk to their dept academic advisor/DGS/academic staff about the correct status and for the application link; and should apply for Nonresident status well in advance of the first semester for which it is needed. When requesting a change of status for the current term, such petitions should be submitted no later than the end of the second week of the semester.\

Nonresident Status for Whiting School of Engineering Graduate Students (residential programs)

WSE MASTER’S STUDENTS- NR STATUS

Master's students enrolled in the fulltime, residential programs in WSE are generally only eligible to apply for one of the three Nonresident Statuses if they have no outstanding coursework (defined as having either no assignments/tests required for a class in which a student is currently enrolled- and/or having any coursework/projects in progress towards resolving an Incomplete grade) or any course exams to complete. Exceptions may be granted with documented program/advisor support.

Tuition and Health Benefits while on Nonresident Status

Nonresident students are charged 10% of full-time tuition per semester. Please note that students who are enrolled in JHU's student health benefits plans are responsible for paying the premiums and Nonresident tuition themselves.

Students on NR status are automatically enrolled in the student health benefits plans. For this reason, students who are enrolled in University Student Health Benefits are encouraged to contact JHU Student Benefits prior to entering into a NR status.

Additionally, international students should always consult with OIS before making any travel plans or status changes.

NR Restrictions and Requirements

Nonresident students are permitted access to campus, faculty advising and most JHU services, however, they are not permitted to enroll in courses, with these three exceptions:

1.     International students who file for Curricular Practical Training F1 (CPT1) through the OIS may register for a course entitled “Engineering Research Practicum” (WSE), and/or

2.     enrollment in  Graduate Orientation and Academic Ethics, and/or

3.     enrollment in  Responsible Conduct of Research.

4.     enrollment in a required departmental course by an internship/co-op student or a special WSE-dept required course for a student who followed an JHU-exiting advisor to another institution.

Requests for exceptions 2, 3, 4, and any other rare exceptions must be petitioned to and then authorized by the student's respective Office of Graduate Education via an emailed request.  Departmental/advisor written documentation reinforcing the need for an exception is required.

While in Nonresident Status, students are required to online enroll in EN.910.600 for each semester, even if registered in any of the above courses.

The maximum amount of time that a master’s student may retain Nonresident Status is 1-2 semesters. Upon reaching this limit, the student will be required to register for either part-time status (as appropriate) or full-time Resident status until degree completion.

Work Assignments while on Nonresident Status

While registered as NR, students may work up to 19.9 hours per week during the academic year if employed by Johns Hopkins University in any capacity (intersession or summer employment can be full-time, however). If working, NR students must be classified as salary (not stipend) and paid hourly.

WSE PHD STUDENTS- NR STATUS

The WSE PhD program is a full-time, residential program designed to foster a collaborative and fully immersive educational experience. To maintain their fulltime, resident status, PhD students must be confirmed by the Chair/Head of their PhD department/program or by an appropriate designated faculty (advisor/DGS) to be working on their degree requirements primarily on-campus.In order to be registered full-time, a PhD student must engage in a full-time program of courses, seminars, research, and/or teaching as approved by the department/program or appropriate designated faculty in alignment with degree requirements and be registered accordingly through SIS in every semester/term.

Remote fulltime, resident status approval is extremely rare, and is only granted after program petition to- and approval by -the WSE Office of Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning, and is typically only granted for non-coursework students, or by determination of a special accommodation under ADA through the Student Disabilities Office). ‘Residency’ refers to the exclusivity and singular focus of a student’s time and effort in pursuit of their degree while present in the rigorous and stimulating academic environment of active labs and depts and research groups on campus- interacting with faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows. and fellow graduate students in a consistent manner that provides optimal learning and research productivity. The Chair of the department/program or appropriate designated faculty determines, for each of its students, what constitutes a program of full-time or part-time study for each semester/term of a student’s enrollment.

If a program determines that a PhD student is unable to meet the full-time residency requirements in a given semester, the PhD student will be informed that they are no longer eligible to be classified as a fulltime and resident student, and after consultation with the student and their advisor to ensure everyone’s full understanding of the requirements and to explore other status options to see if they would be more appropriate (such as a potential LOA or part-time status), the department will make the decision whether or not to switch the student to nonresident status.

If the decision by the student’s department is to switch the PhD student to non-resident status, and/or the PhD student elects to switch to NR status on their own, there are three potential sub-categories from which to choose:

·  NR WSE PhD Dissertation Completion: The PhD student is very nearly finished—just has some writing to do/defend—but needs to leave campus to start work or for some other personal reason and cannot be present on campus to meet full-time residency academic/research engagement expectations.  The time to degree expectation is one semester, but two may be allowed. Typically, in this sub-category of NR status, the PhD student pays the NR tuition themselves, and does not receive any stipend or health benefits support, but there is no prohibition against a program or advisor funding the student's tuition or providing stipend funding.  A PhD student in NR status is not eligible for doctoral funding under the PhD Collective Bargaining Agreement. An expected date for defense should be listed on the department’s request to switch their PhD student to this sub-category of NR status.

·  NR WSE PhD Study Away: The PhD student has the opportunity to be actively engaged in their PhD work but at a non-JHU facility; typically either following their advisor to another university after their advisor exits JHU or working on research at a collaborator’s site or national lab.  In this subcategory of NR status, the PhD student typically is financially supported by PI/department/host facility (NR tuition, stipend, health benefits support provided for student) as long as the student remains eligible for payroll at JHU, but they are not eligible for doctoral funding under the PhD Collective Bargaining Agreement. PhD NR Study Away students should discuss and document all plans with their department/advisor in advance for mutual clarity.

·  NR WSE PhD Internship/Co-op: In this sub-category of NR status, a PhD student will be pursuing a full-time impermanent employment opportunity that may be only tangentially relevant to their degree, which will keep them from being able to engage in their academic program in a fulltime, resident manner. The expectation is that they will return to campus in a residential capacity to complete their degree upon completion of the internship/co-op. In this subcategory of NR status, the PhD student typically pays their own NR tuition and receives no stipend or health benefits support. If the internship/co-op experience will inform the student's degree, there is no prohibition against the dept/advisor providing funding as equitable to their advising group and situation, but the PhD student is not eligible for doctoral funding under the PhD collective bargaining agreement while in NR status.  Time in this status is typically approved for a maximum of one year, but can be renewed for a second year with an emailed extension appeal to the Office of Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning with documented program support for the extension (total of 4 semesters, not including but covering 2 summers as well).

Tuition and Health Benefits while on Nonresident Status

Nonresident students are charged 10% of full-time tuition per semester. Please note that students who are enrolled in JHU's student health benefits plans are responsible for paying the premiums and Nonresident tuition themselves unless noted above.

Students on NR status are automatically enrolled in the student health benefits plans. For this reason, students who are enrolled in University Student Health Benefits are encouraged to contact JHU Student Benefits prior to entering into a NR status.

Additionally, international students should always consult with OIS before making any travel plans or status changes.

WSE NR Restrictions and Requirements

Nonresident students are permitted access to campus, faculty advising and most JHU services, however, they are not permitted to enroll in courses, with these three exceptions:

  1. International students who file for Curricular Practical Training F1 (CPT1) through the OIS may register for a course entitled “Engineering Research Practicum” (WSE), and/or

2.     enrollment in  Graduate Orientation and Academic Ethics, and/or

3.     enrollment in  Responsible Conduct of Research.

4.     enrollment in a required departmental course by an internship/co-op student or a special WSE-dept required course for a student who followed an JHU-exiting advisor to another institution.

Requests for exceptions 2, 3, 4, and any other rare exceptions must be petitioned to and then authorized by the student's respective Office of Graduate Education via an emailed request.  Departmental/advisor written documentation reinforcing the need for an exception is required.

While in Nonresident Status, students are required to online enroll in EN.910.600 for each semester, even if registered in any of the above courses.

The maximum amount of time that a master’s student may retain Nonresident Status is 1-2 semesters. Upon reaching this limit, the student will be required to register for either part-time status (as appropriate) or full-time Resident status until degree completion.

WSE Work Assignments while on Nonresident Status

While registered as NR, students may work up to 19.9 hours per week during the academic year if employed by Johns Hopkins University in any capacity (intersession or summer employment can be full-time, however). If working, NR students must be classified as salary (not stipend) and paid hourly.\

WSE NR Application Procedures

Master’s Students are required to complete and sign a NR application form indicating that they meet the requirements as stated above. The form should be signed by the department, acknowledged by OIS (if applicable), and will be reviewed by the WSE Associate Vice Dean for Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning (or other WSE designee).  Results will be sent by email.

Master’s Students should talk to their dept academic advisor/DGS/academic staff and apply for Nonresident status well in advance of the first semester for which it is desired. When requesting a change of status for the current term, such petitions should be submitted no later than the end of the second week of the semester.

PhD students in WSE can request NR status on their own, or, their department may elect to submit the status change request based on the program’s determination of whether a student meets the fulltime, residency requirement for a given semester. The form should be signed by the department, acknowledged by OIS (if applicable), and will be reviewed by the WSE Associate Vice Dean for Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning (or other WSE designee). Results will be sent by email.

PhD programs/PhD Students should talk to their dept academic advisor/DGS/academic staff about the correct status and for the application link; and should apply for Nonresident status well in advance of the first semester for which it is needed. When requesting a change of status for the current term, such petitions should be submitted no later than the end of the second week of the semester. \

Course Information and Academics

The below policies apply to both continuing and new students, unless noted specifically otherwise.

Registration

All students must register before they can attend classes or use university facilities. Detailed instructions about registration will be provided to all students before the registration period each semester/term. If the student has not been notified at least two weeks before the start of classes for any fall or spring semester should immediately contact their respective academic department, and the Office of the Homewood Registrar.

Graduate students who are funded and who are planning to pursue their degree work fulltime over the summer months need to register for at least 6 credits of their program's summer research course. This includes nonresident students who are fully funded by their program over the summer. There is no tuition charge for an 800-level course in the summer. Please consult with your academic program for more information

Students who for any reason do not complete their registration until after the prescribed registration period are required to pay a late registration service fee. The late registration fee schedule is posted under Term Dates & Deadlines on the Office of the Homewood Registrar's website. Graduate students must obtain permission from the chair of their department to register after the second week of classes.

Students will not be allowed to register if there are unpaid bills from a previous term. The student is required to pay tuition or make financial arrangements with the Office of Student Accounts before registering for a given term.

Visit https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/registrar/students/graduate-registration/  and https://registrar.jhu.edu/idr/ for more information.

Withdrawal by Lack of Registration

Students who are not registered by the end of the fourth week of a given semester and either

  1. have not responded to correspondence from their department, advisor, Office of Academic Affairs, and/or Office of the Homewood Registrar about their intention to remain in the program, or
  2. have responded to correspondence but have not made effort to maintain a valid student status (defined as either enrolled or on an approved leave of absence), will have been deemed to have withdrawn themselves from the university and will be processed as a withdrawn student in the student information system (SIS). It is important to note that paying tuition is not the same as registering for classes.

Grades

Grading basis for graduate courses deliberately includes both letter grades and P/F grades. Instructors should have the widest discretion possible in grading graduate students’ work; therefore both grading bases are available to the instructor for courses at the graduate level. While policies in most departments vary, most graduate students receive letter grades or Pass/Fail grades for their research. Some programs have restrictions on how many P/F classes can count towards their graduate degree programs. Students should consult their department chairs and instructors to determine their grading requirements.

Grade Appeals

Grading is a matter of the professional judgement of each instructor, and the final grade in a course reflects the instructor’s assessment of a student’s mastery of the course material. Given this, though, there are exceptional circumstances in which students have the right to request the reevaluation of a disputed final course grade; such as (1) clerical/calculation error, and (2) violation of or inconsistency in adherence to the faculty's own established grading policies, or (3) arbitrary grading.

Students should first attempt to resolve the matter informally between them and their instructor(s). If this does not resolve the issue, then the student should bring the matter to either the DGS (Director of Graduate Study) in their program or the department chair/head. If, after raising these issues, there is still no resolution, the student may bring their concern to their respective dean's office (office of graduate education/academic affairs). It is important to note that following this path does not necessarily mean that the student's desired outcome is guaranteed.

If a grade appeal is initiated in good faith, no retaliatory or disciplinary action will be taken against the appellant and appropriate measures will be taken to protect the appellant from retaliation. No division, school, department, or center shall discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristic. Students are strongly encouraged to immediately report any concerns of discrimination/retaliation to OIE directly.

Letter Grades (A through F)

Changing letter grades of A through F to a Passing grade is not permissible at any time.

All other grade change requests (e.g., B to A) are acceptable only within one year of semester end date. Change requests beyond one year can only be changed as a result of clerical error and must be accompanied by a written explanation/justification from the course instructor.

Incomplete Grades (I)

Students who are confronted with compelling circumstances beyond their control that interfere with the ability to complete their semester's work during the normal course of a term may request an incomplete grade from the instructor. Approval of such a request is neither automatic nor guaranteed. Procrastination or distraction by other pursuits are not regarded as compelling circumstances, and extensions in these situations are unfair to students who have completed their course requirements within the allotted time.

If the instructor agrees to grant an incomplete grade, the instructor and student must establish a timetable for submitting the unfinished work, but no later than the end of the third week of the subsequent semester. See below for specific information about graduating students. When entering an incomplete grade in SIS, the instructor must also enter a reversion grade. This is the grade that the student will receive if the missing work is not completed. For example, if the student, based on the coursework completed by the end of the semester, would receive a C+ grade without the missing work, then the grade of I/C+ is entered on the transcript. If the incomplete grade is not resolved within the allowed period (the end of the third week of the subsequent semester), the incomplete grade is automatically converted to the reversion grade (a C+ in this example).

Note that the student and instructor must officially note the agreement through an incomplete contract in SIS.

Incomplete grades do not affect a student’s grade point average, which is based upon the grades that are available for the term. However, students with two or more incomplete grades on their record at the start of a semester may be prevented from making changes to their registration for the semester without the approval of the student’s respective program/graduate affairs office.

Students who are on academic probation are not typically allowed to take incomplete grades in courses and must secure prior approval of their respective program and graduate affairs office for any exceptions.

Students who are in good academic standing have until the end of the third week of the next semester to finish incomplete work. Exceptions to this deadline require a petition from the instructor, and appeal to the student's respective graduate affairs office before the end of the third week of the following semester. When appealing to change the deadline, faculty members must specify a new date for completion of the work which must be before the end of the current semester. Incomplete grades cannot typically be held over into a third semester in order to complete the missing work, nor can incomplete grades be resolved by retaking the course.

Dropping a course with an Incomplete grade is not permissible at any time.

Changing an Incomplete grade to a final grade (A through F, Pass) may be done by the instructor if during  the designated timeframe. After that deadline passes, grade change requests must be sent via a grade change form to the student's cognizant Dean's Office of Graduate Academic Affairs (Renee Eastwood, KSAS/Christine Kavanagh, WSE) for review and approval.

SPECIAL RULES FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS

Students with incomplete grades in required courses at the date of degree conferral will not graduate. Students with incomplete grades in courses that are not required for degree completion may still graduate. However, the deadline for completion is abbreviated; students must resolve incomplete grades within 30 days after the date of degree conferral which is when the university closes their graduate record.

In-Progress Grades (IP)

This is a rare grade type, and is typically reserved for courses in which it is expected that the assigned work will require more than one semester to be completed, but the course itself will meet for only one semester.

Dropping a course with an IP grade is permissible only with the approval of the instructor, and the Dean’s Office.

Changing an IP grade to a final grade (A through F, Pass) is acceptable at any time before the student’s departure from the university, and requires the instructor’s approval.

Missing Grades (MR, X)

A missing grade (denoted by an MR or an X on the transcript) appears if the instructor has not submitted a grade within the defined grading period for the semester.

Audit (AU)

When a graduate student enrolls in a course with Audit status, they must reach an understanding with the instructor in writing as to what is required to earn the AU grade notation. If the student does not meet those expectations (e.g., fails to attend class), the instructor will notify the Office of the Homewood Registrar in order for the student to be retroactively dropped from the course. Dropped coursework does not appear on the student’s transcript.

Changing a course registration from Audit (student receives no letter grade) to Credit (student receives letter grade), or from Credit to Audit is permissible during the official deadlines for each semester. Registration changes beyond this deadline are not permissible.

Changing a final grade (A through F, Pass, I, IP, MR, or X) to AU is not permissible at any time.

The following ASEN Graduate Courses cannot be taken for Audit:

These courses can only be taken as P/F or for a letter grade, at the instructor’s purview.

Add/Drop

The Homewood Registrar's website has detailed timelines, deadlines, and approval requirements for add/drops. Note that all withdrawals will be noted with a W on the student’s transcript.

The refund schedule can be found on the Student Account website.

Registration Holds

A registration hold will be placed for students who have not obtained clearance from the Office of International Services (OIS), Student Accounts, Student Health Insurance or Student Health and Wellness Offices. Students should meet with the office that placed the hold so that the hold can be removed. Students who have an advisor’s hold on their registration must have their advisor release the hold online.

Transferring Courses

WSE Master’s degrees (M.A., M.S., M.S.E) and PhDs

For students who earned an undergraduate degree outside of the Whiting School of Engineering or the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, two courses completed before the undergraduate degree was conferred can only be applied to a Whiting School of Engineering master’s degree if evidence is provided by the undergraduate degree-granting institution that the course  was not applied to the undergraduate degree, and with JHU advisor/department approval. Students are encouraged to secure permission to transfer a course as early as possible in their time at JHU to avoid issues.

WSE graduate students may transfer in up to two graduate-level courses from another institution which were completed after the undergraduate degree was conferred, if evidence is provided that the course was not applied to any previous degree, and with JHU advisor/department approval. Students are encouraged to secure permission from their WSE master’s/PhD program faculty advisor to transfer a course as early as possible in their time at JHU to avoid issues, and a transcript from any relevant academic institution must be included with conferral completion paperwork submitted to the Academic Affairs office. EXCEPTION: WSE master’s students in a department‐approved study abroad program can transfer in additional coursework (i.e., beyond two courses), but in total, at least half of the courses/credits applied to the WSE master’s degree must be taken/earned at Johns Hopkins.  Individual graduate programs reserve the right to enforce stricter policies.

Double Counting Courses

WSE Master’s degrees (M.A., M.S., M.S.E) and PhDs

The Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) has established the following policies on double-counting coursework for all students in the full-time (Homewood) programs and the part-time Engineering for Professionals (EP) programs.  If an individual program adopts double-counting policies more strict than these, the program’s policies override the school-wide policies.  Students are encouraged to refer to individual program policies.

With bachelor’s‐master’s and master’s‐master’s double‐counting, across any number of degree programs, a student can reduce the number of master’s courses required by up to two (with approval of the programs involved). Beyond that, the remaining courses must be unique to the degree program. With a ten‐course master’s degree program, for example, eight of those courses must be unique to the program and not applied to a different degree at any level. A student can double‐count any number of undergraduate courses to the various master’s degrees (but at most, two to each master’s program) and they can double‐count the same course across any number of degrees pursued (again, with the approval of the programs involved).

WSE Bachelor’s-Master’s Double Counting

Coursework applied to a bachelor’s degree:Students either in a WSE combined (bachelor’s/master’s) program or seeking a WSE master’s degree after having earned a WSE or Krieger School of Arts and Sciences bachelor’s degree may double-count two courses (400-level or higher) to both programs with the permission of the master’s faculty advisor.  WSE master’s degree candidates may not double-count courses applied to a bachelor’s degree earned at a different institution.  Individual graduate programs reserve the right to enforce stricter policies.

Coursework not applied to a bachelor’s degree:

For students who are either in a WSE combined bachelor’s/master’s degree program or have already earned a Whiting School of Engineering or Krieger School of Arts and Sciences bachelor’s degree and are seeking a WSE master’s degree, any graduate-level coursework (as defined by the WSE graduate program) not applied to the undergraduate degree may be applied to the graduate degree, regardless of when that course was taken (i.e., before or after the undergraduate degree has been conferred) with the permission of the master’s faculty advisor.

For students who earned an undergraduate degree outside of the Whiting School of Engineering or the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, two courses completed before the undergraduate degree was conferred can only be applied to a Whiting School of Engineering master’s degree if evidence is provided by the degree-granting institution that the course  was not applied to the undergraduate degree, and with advisor approval.

WSE Master’s-Master’s Double Counting

Coursework applied to a master’s degree:

Students pursuing (1) a WSE master’s and a master’s from any JHU school simultaneously or (2) a WSE master’s after having earned a master’s from any JHU school may double-count either two semester-length courses or three quarter-length courses across two master’s programs, as long as the courses are equivalent to the  400-level or higher in WSE full-time graduate programs.  The student must receive approval from both master’s degree program faculty advisors if both sets of degree requirements will be completed at the same time.  For a student to double-count coursework from two master’s degrees whose requirements are met at different times, the student must obtain only the approval of the faculty advisor in the program to be finished second.  Individual graduate programs reserve the right to enforce stricter policies.

Timing and Ramifications for Current Students:

This policy will be applied to all students entering a WSE master’s program in Fall 2007 and beyond.  Any student who has entered a WSE master’s program before then will be exempt from this policy and should follow the course arrangement made with their advisor, provided it is in compliance with departmental, school and university requirements.

Declaration of Double-Counted Course:

WSE master’s students wishing to double-count courses must submit these courses to the WSE master’s program for approval.  If it is learned that a student has double-counted a course for the WSE master’s degree without permission of the WSE master’s program, this program reserves the right to revoke the degree.

Research and Scientific Writing Courses

Through the Center for Leadership Education graduate students may enroll in writing courses designed to assist with dissertation and grant writing. Students may enroll for this course at no additional charge. The course is offered in the fall and spring semesters however, space is limited. For additional information go to https://engineering.jhu.edu/cle/.

Transcripts

Transcripts may be requested from the Office of the Homewood Registrar. A request for one copy is normally processed within one to three business days of receipt of the request. Requests for multiple transcripts require additional processing time. Standard delivery of transcripts is by U.S. Mail first-class. Visit https://registrar.jhu.edu/credentials/transcripts/ for information on ordering transcripts. Partial transcripts of a student’s record will not be issued.

Official and/or unofficial transcripts of work at other institutions that the student has presented for admission or evaluation of credit become the property of the university and cannot be copied or reissued. If a transcript of this work is needed, the student must obtain it directly from the issuing institution.

Summer and Intersession Courses

Summer Courses: while most summer courses offered at the Homewood Campus are undergraduate level courses, graduate students may enroll in these courses with permission from their department chair and the course instructor. No financial assistance is available for graduate students who wish to take summer courses. In special cases, graduate students may also take courses at other divisions of the institution.

Graduate students who are funded and pursuing their degree fulltime over the summer months need to register for at least 6 credits of their program's summer research course. This includes nonresident students who are fully funded by their programs over the summer. There is no tuition charge for an 800- level course in the summer. Please consult with your academic program for more information.

Intersession Courses: graduate students are eligible to enroll in Intersession coursework. Grades are generally given on an P/F scale. Some students use this period to participate in research, independent study, or internships. A list of Intersession offerings is published in late November or early December. A special form, available in the Homewood Registrar’s Office, is used for Intersession registration. Students should register before winter break. Students who register for research, independent study, or an internship during Intersession must have the approval signature of their faculty sponsor and academic advising office. There may be costs with no financial aid associated with courses taken in intersession. Students are encouraged to check with their academic dept. prior to registration.

Visit https://summerprograms.jhu.edu/program/intersession-program/ for more information.

Course Re-Take Policy

At the discretion of the Homewood graduate program, a graduate student may retake a course, but the grade from the initial effort will remain on the transcript. This applies whether the initial effort occurred while the student was an undergraduate student or a graduate student.

Academic Standing

The below policies apply to all new and continuing graduate students in the Homewood Schools, unless specifically noted otherwise.

Academic Review Policy

This policy applies to all full-time KSAS and WSE doctoral students and master’s students conducting thesis research. Each graduate program is required to publish its own policies and standards with respect to academic standing. At the end of each semester, all full-time Homewood graduate programs are expected to review the academic records of their graduate students to evaluate academic progress. For more information, please review the Homewood Schools Graduate Student Academic Review Policy.

WSE has established a Guide to Effective Annual Reviews to assist both advisors and students make these annual reviews a useful tool in the development of each student.

Students who fail to attain a program’s minimum level of performance may be placed on academic probation or dismissed using the procedures outlined in the Homewood Schools Policy for Graduate Student Probation, Dismissal, and Funding Withdrawal. In making these decisions, particularly that of dismissal, the program will take into consideration extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control.

Probation

Whenever it is determined that a graduate student has failed to meet minimum academic, research, and/or TA requirements (when the TA is a degree requirement*), that student may be placed on academic probation.

This change in status requires a formal letter/email and an offer of a meeting between the student and either their faculty advisor, chair, and/or departmental director of graduate studies. The letter should clearly outline the student’s academic shortcomings, indicate the corrective measures necessary to remain in the program and state the length of the student’s probationary period. Any funding ramifications for the student should be included as well.

Please see the full policy for more information on process, appeals, etc.

*note that if a TA is also- or only- required as part of a PhD work assignment, performance issues may be addressed as well/solely as per the PhD CBA (collective bargaining agreement).

Dismissal

Dismissal After Probation

This must be done with a formal letter/email citing the reason for dismissal and requires an offer of a meeting between the student and their faculty advisor or the departmental director of graduate studies. Academic dismissal will be noted on the student’s transcript only at the request of the program and with the approval of the cognizant Dean. A student may appeal this decision.

Dismissal Without Probation

A student may be dismissed without a formal probation period under three circumstances:

  1. If they met the conditions for dismissal based on coursework as stated by the academic program in its department handbook or on its website;
  2. If they failed an oral or written examination for which successful completion is necessary to continue in the program (as stated in the program’s degree requirements), or failed to meet any condition resulting from a qualifying or GBO exam; or
  3. has been found to have committed academic or research misconduct and expulsion is the outcome of the deliberations as outlined in the Homewood Graduate Academic Misconduct Policy or the University Research Integrity Policy. Under these circumstances, programs are expected to follow the same procedures for Dismissal After Probation.

In addition, students are also subject to immediate dismissal on non-academic grounds in accordance with the Johns Hopkins Student Conduct Code as well as all applicable policies at the university policies page.

Academic Dismissal Consequences

When a student is dismissed from the University, several consequences follow:

Please see the full policy for more information on process, appeals, etc.

Readmission Following Dismissal

The terms for readmitting a student who has been dismissed for academic reasons are established by individual departments. The readmission process should be described in the dismissal letter, if deemed appropriate. Students who have been dismissed should discuss the readmission process with their advisor. The terms for readmitting a student who has been dismissed for reasons other than academic/research/TA performance are decided by the student's cognizant Dean's Office of Academic Affairs.

Please see the full policy for more information on process, appeals, etc.

Withdrawal

Once a student withdraws from the University, their student transcript is closed, and changes to their academic record will not be permitted. International students must consult with Office of International Services to ascertain their visa obligations before withdrawing from the university. Students who withdraw from their program must be formally readmitted, at the discretion of the department, before they may return to the university. If readmitted, they do not pay a second application fee, but must satisfy the residency requirement for the degree following readmission (even if previously satisfied), and pay all outstanding fees.

Please see the full policy for more information on process, appeals, etc. Note that the same ramifications as listed under 'Academic Dismissal Consequences' apply.

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students wishing to withdraw from the University must send an official email to their department, citing their last day of engagement in the program. The department will then file a Termination/Withdrawal Form with their respective Graduate Affairs office. Graduate students are encouraged to consult the chair and/or DGS of their department and OIS (if applicable) prior to submitting their written notice.

Withdrawal by Lack of Registration

Students who are not registered by the end of the fourth week of a given semester and either:

It is important to note that paying tuition is not the same as registering for classes. For more information, please see the Student Enrollment Statuses information under Academic Policies.

Withdrawal Consequences

Any outstanding fees will be followed up with the student/their department by the Office of Student Accounts.  Students who withdraw from their program must be formally readmitted, at the discretion of the department, before they may return to the university.

Degree Requirements

The below policies apply to both continuing and new students, unless noted specifically otherwise.

Academic Requirements for Graduate Degrees

Information for degrees administered by the Homewood Graduate Board is located at https://homewoodgrad.jhu.edu/graduate-board/degree-requirements/

Information for degrees administered by the Doctor of Philosophy Board is located at https://provost.jhu.edu/education/graduate-and-professional-education/doctor-philosophy-board/.

Doctor of Philosophy (KSAS and WSE)

In  addition to any departmental/divisional PhD requirements, PhD students must meet the following to be considered eligible to apply for graduation:

PHD GOOD-STANDING POLICY

PhD Good Standing Policy

A PhD student conducting research and/or in the writing phase of their degree program will not be able to remain in good standing with their academic and research progress if they do not have a research/dissertation advisor1. As such, a student who is unable to secure a research/dissertation advisor within 4 months of either:

  1. a curriculum/program requirement to find an advisor and/or
  2. leaving/parting ways with a previous advisor

may be placed on probation or terminated from the PhD program due to a lack of faculty-advised progress.

If a student in this situation has found a new advisor before the deadline, but then is again- in the next 12 month period- without an advisor due to either #1 or # 2 above at any point in that 12 months, they will only be granted one additional 4 month period to find a new permanent advisor or they will be terminated from the PhD program due to an extended period of lack of academic/research progress.

Note that it is typically not the role of a department to find an advisor for a student, but program Directors of Graduate Study and Chairs/Heads are typically able and willing to offer guidance and suggestions for students who are looking for an advisor. Different programs may have specific policies pertaining to the timeline of advisor assignments and grace periods for students switching advisors, but typically should not have a grace period of less than 3 months for a student to find a new advisor. Students should consult with their departmental Academic Staff and/or Director of Graduate Study for guidance.

This policy applies to both continuing and new students.

1 A research/dissertation advisor is best defined as a departmentally-approved faculty member under whose guidance a student is conducting research/writing their dissertation and, in many cases, in whose lab/group the student is associated and expected to participate.

NOTE:  As of April 17, 2024, JHU PhD students have unionized under TRU-UE Local 197. Please refer to the collective bargaining agreement for information about switching supervisors of work appointments.

KSAS Master’s Degrees (M.A., M.F.A., M.S.)

WSE Master’s Degrees (M.A., M.S., M.S.E., M.S.E.M.)

Time to Degree (TTD)

The time-to-degree (TTD) limit for degree candidates is typically determined by a specific program. However, JHU’s general policy requires that TTD not exceed nine years for Ph.D. candidates, and five years for WSE and KSAS terminal master’s candidates.

The TTD count begins with the first semester of registration as a matriculated student. Time spent on an approved LOA will not be counted toward the graduate student’s TTD. Students unable to complete degree requirements within the required time limit are required to withdraw from the University.

Full TTD policies for WSE and KSAS can be found at https://homewoodgrad.jhu.edu/graduate-board/new-grad-board-residency-page/https://homewoodgrad.jhu.edu/graduate-board/new-grad-board-residency-page/ and https://provost.jhu.edu/education/graduate-and-professional-education/doctor-philosophy-board/.

Co-tutelle de Thèse

JHU will recognize dissertation research and subsequent dissertation submission for the purposes of a degree from JHU alone. It will sign no agreement that supports the concept of a student submitting the same work to different universities to receive two distinct degrees.

The University, however, wants to promote international exchange and in this spirit the Graduate Board has agreed to accommodate students with a desire to include faculty from a foreign university to participate in their research and defense process. Upon submission and review of a current curriculum vitae, the Graduate Board will allow one advisor to be a faculty member of a foreign university and in certain cases will allow the committee to be expanded to include other faculty from a foreign university as long as the majority represent JHU. The University will provide no funds to cover expenses. Funding for travel would be up to the department or the foreign university.

All proposed co-tutelle agreements are to be submitted to the Graduate Board for review.

Commencement and Degree Conferral

The below policies apply to both continuing and new students, unless noted specifically otherwise.

There are three official conferral dates each academic year for the University (December, May, August). The conferral date is printed on the diploma. A formal University Commencement Ceremony is held once per academic year, traditionally in May.

Students who have not satisfied all graduation requirements by the deadlines determined by the Homewood Graduate Board (KSAS PhDs and Master's and WSE PhDs) or the WSE Office of Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning (WSE Master's and D.Eng. students) are not eligible to participate in the university commencement ceremony. Each division may hold their own graduate recognition ceremonies which do not signify degree conferral.

Students who complete their degree requirements (1) in-between conferral periods or (2) in a conferral period before the diploma/transcript is updated may request an official statement of completion from the Office of the Homewood Registrar or the Homewood Graduate Board through their respective divisional graduate education office. Visit https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/registrar/students/graduation/ for deadlines and official conferral dates.

Upon degree conferral, the graduate’s record is closed. No changes thereafter can be made to the graduate’s transcript.

A student will not be graduated with unresolved outstanding charges of misconduct or academic ethics violations.

Application for Graduation

All graduate students must submit an online Application to Graduate, through their SIS account, in order to generate degree conferral and receive a diploma. Students should consult with their degree program (academic program staff and/or the director of graduate study in their program), the Homewood Graduate Board’s website, and the WSE engineering website respectively to determine current deadlines. The dates of these deadlines change each academic year.

In addition to submitting the general application to graduate, engineering students preparing to graduate from a master’s degree must complete paperwork (typically called a degree/master's checklist) and/or a Stellic audit indicating the courses they intend to apply to their degree. This paperwork is/instructions are distributed to students by each department's academic program staff, and once completed should be returned to them for program clearance before they in turn submit the paperwork to the WSE Office of Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning for final signoff.  All double-counting, transfer, and bachelor's/master's course exceptions/allowances must be approved by the student's program prior to the submission of their program's degree signoff and must be noted in each student's Stellic record, along with all documentation of approvals and exceptions.

Completing Graduation Requirements

Departmental graduation requirements vary; therefore, students are encouraged to speak with their departmental academic program staff to learn details of their requirements.

KSAS MASTER'S DEGREE COMPLETION

All KSAS master's students must complete all of the following steps for the degree to be conferred, and to generate a diploma:

KSAS Master’s Time to Degree Policy

WSE MASTER’S DEGREE COMPLETION

All WSE master's students must complete all of the following steps for the degree to be conferred, and to generate a diploma:

WSE Master's Time to Degree Policy

Visit: http://engineering.jhu.edu/graduate-studies/academic-policies-procedures-graduate/ for more information on deadlines and policies.

DOCTORAL DEGREE COMPLETION (KSAS AND WSE)

*All Whiting School of Engineering doctoral students must complete coursework on academic ethics and responsible conduct of research. Krieger School of Arts and Sciences students must complete training on the responsible conduct of research if applicable. These courses do not count towards program degree requirements.

**Referees (also known as readers) are responsible for signing the ‘readers letter/report’ that confirms that the dissertation is a significant contribution to knowledge and worthy of publication.  At least one referee should be internal to the student’s academic program, external referees (to the university) must be approved by the Graduate Board through the same process as external examiners participating in the Graduate Board oral examination.

DEGREE COMPLETION DEADLINES

Each spring semester, the  Homewood Graduate Board and the WSE Office of Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning (for WSE master’s and D.Eng. students) issues deadlines for submission of theses and essays, and degree requirements (courses, etc.) completion deadlines for the following academic year. These deadlines must be met for a student to be listed as a degree candidate. Students can access the calendar of deadlines on the Homewood Graduate Board’s website (for KSAS master's students,  KSAS and WSE PhD students, WSE Master's and D.Eng. students), as well as the website of the WSE Office of Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning (for WSE Masters), or by contacting their department academic program staff.

GRADES TOWARDS DEGREE COMPLETION

Grades must be submitted in SIS by the posted deadline for each semester, including grades for courses that are required for graduation. Graduating students who are taking courses at cooperative schools or other divisions of the University must make arrangements with their instructors on the first day of class to have final grades submitted to the host school’s Registrar and then to the Homewood Registrar by the Homewood grade submission deadline. If such an arrangement cannot be made, students should reconsider staying enrolled in the course, as it may risk their ability to confer in their chosen period.

Graduate Board

The Homewood Graduate Board is responsible for the administration of policies and procedures for the Doctor of Philosophy in the Schools of Arts and Sciences and Engineering.

The Graduate Board oversees:

Doctor of Philosophy Board

The Doctor of Philosophy Board advises the Provost about University-wide issues pertaining to the PhD. It approves new degree programs and sets guidelines and policies that affect all PhD. students. The Board respects the strong tradition of local autonomy of the Schools, and seeks to enhance the visibility and prominence of PhD. education across the University.

The Homewood Graduate Board submits its list of approved KSAS and WSE PhD conferrals to the Doctor of Philosophy Board for final university approval. No PhD degree is officially conferred until after the Doctor of Philosophy Board has approved and recommended conferral to the President of the University, and the President approves.

Dissertation and Thesis/Essay Submission

ETD (ELECTRONIC THESES AND DISSERTATIONS)

An ETD is a digital version of a dissertation that is available to the public via the Internet. Universities and colleges in the United States and abroad have been moving toward this type of publication for the past decade. In the Fall 2013, Johns Hopkins launched its own ETD portal and process.

All thesis and dissertation submissions must be through the ETD process and portal. See the ETD page for more information, deadlines, and instructions.

The student is responsible for obtaining and observing the detailed instructions concerning submission of their dissertation/thesis from their departmental office, the Homewood Graduate Board Officeand ETD guidelines of the Johns Hopkins Libraries and Museums. Students may also contact the ETD coordinator at etd-support@jhu.edu.

After submitting their dissertation to the ETD Submittal Tool, the library will check the dissertation for proper formatting and either approve it or contact the student to make required changes. After the ETD is approved the student will receive an approval confirmation from the system. Students are required to forward this approval email to their departmental academic staff and cc either the Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Lifelong Learning in WSE (Christine Kavanagh) or the Assistant Dean for Graduate and Postdoctoral Academic and Student Affairs in KSAS (Renee Eastwood) as appropriate, with the following items:

The degree requirements are not complete unless the final ETD is submitted to the library by the published deadline and the above information and attachments are provided by the student to the Graduate Board Office via the email to the department and the cognizant Associate or Assistant Dean of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Academic Affairs.

Graduate Alumni Enrollment

After degree conferral, KSAS and WSE Homewood graduate alumni who wish to enroll for coursework that does not lead to a degree are considered Visiting Graduate Students, and should follow the application and enrollment information located at http://homewoodgrad.jhu.edu/academics/visiting-grad-student-scholar-policies/.