Department Rules

This page contains information about English Department rules, including the OSU graduate catalog, student tenure limits, financial support for teaching assistants, and the appeals and petitions process. Rules and regulations affecting graduate enrollment, tenure, examinations, theses, and dissertations are made by the English Department and by the graduate faculty of the University. The most current rules are always those indicated in the Graduate Guidelines.

OSU Graduate Catalog. It is the student's responsibility to become informed about all English Department, Graduate College, and University regulations. All those who are thinking about, or participating in, graduate studies in English should read the OSU Graduate Catalog closely. Copies are available free to all incoming graduate students at 202 Whitehurst. Or you may access the OSU Catalog (including the portion relating to the Graduate College) at:

http://www.okstate.edu/registrar/Catalogs/Catalog.html

The Graduate College guidelines are the minimum requirements for all graduate students at OSU. But students must also meet or fulfill requirements within their respective programs' graduate departments. The English Department Graduate Student Guidelines for the MA and PhD programs are available online at the English Department website at:

http://english.okstate.edu/grad/guidelines/ma_guidelines.htm

http://english.okstate.edu/grad/guidelines/phd_guidelines.htm

Student Tenure. The time limit for completion of the requirements for the MA degree is seven years from first enrollment after admission to the MA degree program.

Length of Financial Support For Teaching Assistants. A teaching assistant who has grades sufficiently high for the student not to be placed on strict academic probation and who is making satisfactory progress toward the degree is eligible for financial support for a maximum of three years. A student who obtains an MA in English at OSU and then enters the PhD program is eligible for four years of additional support. If exceptional circumstances warrant, a student in the final year of financial support may petition the head of the English Department for an additional year's support. Such exceptional cases will be judged on an individual basis and in light of departmental policies and staffing needs.

Appeals and Petitions. All appeals involving grades or Academic Integrity must be directed to the OSU Academic Appeals Board. Contact Academic Affairs for information and forms. Petitions involving teaching assistantships must be directed to the Department Head. All other petitions or appeals must be directed in writing to the Graduate Director. The Graduate Director will then forward the petition to the appropriate body, usually one of the following: the Graduate Studies Committee (for special requests as described within these guidelines), the English graduate faculty (for exceptions to English Department policy), or the Graduate Faculty Council (for exceptions to OSU policy).

Students are urged to discuss matters with their advisors and with the Graduate Director before making a formal petition or appeal. If the Graduate Director does not act upon the student's written request within a reasonable amount of time, the student and/or advisor may appeal directly to the Department Head. If a student has exhausted all appeals procedures within the department and is still not able to resolve the problem, he or she may ask the Associate Dean of the Graduate College to mediate.