teachers college, columbia university office of doctoral studies

TEACHERS COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

OFFICE OF DOCTORAL STUDIES

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

JANUARY 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Responsibilities of Students …………………………………………………………....... 4

Summary of Steps Required in Earning a Ph.D. Degree at Teachers College,

Columbia University …………………………………………………………………..… 5

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………. 6

The Ph.D. Degree and the University ………………………………………….... 6

Office of Doctoral Studies ……………………………………………………….. 6

Administration of the Ph.D. Degree in Teachers College ………………………... 6

Degree Audit …………………..………………………………………………… 6

Multiple Degree Requirements ………………………………………………….. 7

En Passant Degrees …………………………………………………………….. 7

Advisor ………………..…………………………………………………………. 7

Graduate Credit in Advanced Columbia University Undergraduate Courses ….. 7

Transfer Credits (Evaluation of Graduate Credit from Outside Institutions) ……. 7

Period of Eligibility for the Ph.D. ……………………………………………….. 8

Program of Study ………………………………………………………………… 8

Explanatory Comments on M.Phil. Degree Requirements ……………………… 9

The Program Plan via Degree Audit …………………………………………….. 9

Attendance Grades (R) ………………………………………………………….. 9

Continuous Registration Requirement…………………………………………… 9

Exemptions ………………………………………………………………………. 10

Leave of Absence ……………………………………………………..… 10

Waiver …………………………………………………………………. 11

Personal Exemption ……………………………………………………. 12

Foreign Language Requirement ………………………………………………… 12

Completion of Course Requirements for the M.Phil. Degree …………………. 15

Certification Examination ……………………………………………………… 15

Dissertation Proposal Hearing …………………………………………………. 15

Dissertation Proposal Approval ……………………………………………….. 16

Continuous Registration for Dissertation Advisement ……................................ 17

Award of the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) Degree ………………………….. 17

Post-M.Phil. Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree …………………………………….. 18

The Advanced Seminar ………………………………………………………... 18

Completion of the Dissertation and Preparation of the Manuscript …………… 18

Final Defense, Registration, and Defense Committee ………………………… 19

Final Oral Defense Committee ………………………………………………… 19

Procedures Following the Final Oral Defense ………………………………….. 21

Participation in TC Convocation and CU Commencement Ceremonies ………. 21

Granting of the Ph.D. Degree ………………………………………………….. 22

Extensions of the Period of Ph.D. Eligibility ………………………………….. 22

Readmission ……………………………………………………………………. 23

Reinstatement ....................................................................................................... 24

APPENDICES:

Appendix A – Multiple Degree Requirements ………………………………………… 25

Appendix B – Statistics Courses in Partial Fulfillment of a Foreign Language

Requirement ……………………………………………………………………. 26

Appendix C – PhD Final Defense Committee Format ………………….……….……… 27

Appendix D – Foreign Language Proficiency Requirements ……………….…………. 29

NOTE REGARDING DEGREE AUDIT

Degree Audit is now available for doctoral students to track both academic

and administrative requirements for graduation. Please see the ODS website

for the doctoral degree audit guidebook.

Responsibilities of Students

Students are expected to show initiative and responsibility in completing the

requirements for the degree. When notified by the Office of Doctoral Studies,

students should obtain the latest revision of the "Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy.” It is revised on occasion and revised editions often state

changed requirements and contain important announcements. The Academic

Calendar on the TC web site gives dates when examinations are held, when

applications/forms are due, and other pertinent

deadlines. General College

requirements are included in the Teachers College Catalog

and in the

“Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.” In addition, the

department and program will have departmental program guides outlining the

specific program requirements for the degree. For changes in mailing and

permanent addresses, the student is responsible to make the change on MyTC.

Please also be sure to check your TC e-mail account on a regular basis for

important updates on deadlines, policies, and procedures. For your assistance, the

major advisor and the staff of the Office of Doctoral Studies are available to

answer questions concerning the Ph.D. degree.

However, the primary

responsibility for the fulfillment of degree requirements rests with the

individual student.

SUMMARY OF STEPS REQUIRED IN EARNING A

PH.D. DEGREE AT TEACHERS COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

1. ADMISSION.

Obtain admission through the Teachers College Admission Office to a program of study

leading toward certification for the Ph.D. degree.

2. MAJOR ADVISOR.

Secure approval from an approved Ph.D. Dissertation Advisor at Teachers College to

work with you in your program.

3. TRANSFER CREDITS

In consultation with your academic advisor, apply for transfer credits (if applicable)

through the Office of the Registrar’s website.

4. CONTINUOUS REGISTRATION.

5. CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION.

Apply and take (with major advisor’s approval) the Certification Examination. See

Academic Calendar for dates and deadlines.

6. FOREIGN LANGUAGES.

Pass examination in foreign languages (if required) by your field of study.

7. COMPLETION OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS.

8. PROGRAM PLAN (DEGREE AUDIT).

Prepare a Program Plan showing distribution of courses (completed and proposed) for

meeting requirements set by the department. Secure major advisor’s approval who will

submit via Degree Audit.

9. DISSERTATION PROPOSAL APPROVAL.

10. AWARD OF THE MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE.

The degree is awarded when all program requirements for the M.Phil. degree have been

completed.

11. THE ADVANCED SEMINAR.

12. FINAL DEFENSE OF THE DISSERTATION.

13. DEPOSIT OF THE DISSERTATION.

INTRODUCTION

The Ph.D. Degree and the University

The Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) emphasizes research and intensive specialization in a

field of scholarship. By agreement with Columbia University, the Ph.D. degree may be earned

through Teachers College in designated fields of study in which the Graduate School of Arts and

Sciences does not offer programs. These designated fields are Education, including education in

substantive disciplines, and certain applied and educationally related areas of Psychology.

The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy through Teachers College is administered jointly by the

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Columbia University and the Faculty of Teachers

College. All degrees through Teachers College are awarded by the University upon

recommendation from the Faculty of Teachers College, but the Faculty of Teachers College

prescribes the courses of study for the M.A., M.S., Ed.M., and Ed.D. degrees beyond University

minimum requirements. In contrast, the special relationship of the Ph.D. degree to the Graduate

School of Arts and Sciences governs some of the procedures for admission, faculty advisement,

programs of study, certification examination, foreign language requirements, Master of

Philosophy degree, Dissertation, and its final defense and publication.

General requirements for the Ph.D. degree are determined by the Executive Committee of the

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, through the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School of

Arts and Sciences.

Broad policies which govern candidates in Teachers College are recommended by a standing

Subcommittee known as the Faculty Committee on the Doctoral Degree.

Office of Doctoral Studies

To assist faculty and students, an Office of Doctoral Studies exists for the purpose of providing

information on the general University and College degree requirements. Such information must

be taken into consideration by the doctoral student in conjunction with specific departmental

requirements, as stated in their respective publications. The Office serves as one of the central

administrative support services for the faculty and students along with the Office of the

Registrar. All forms required for doctoral candidacy monitoring are to be filed in the Office of

Doctoral Studies following an advisor's and/or Department Moderator's recommendation after

which time the staff reviews them per academic policies and refers them to the Faculty

Committee on the Doctoral Degree for final approval.

Administration of the Ph.D. Degree in Teachers College

Within Teachers College, the Faculty Committee on the Doctoral Degree (which consists of the

Teachers College members of the standing Subcommittee on the doctoral degree) administers the

Ph.D. programs through the Office of Doctoral Studies.

Degree Audit

The Degree Audit system is utilized to track the status of Office of Doctoral Studies graduation

requirements for doctoral students, such as Master of Philosophy requirements (including the

program plan), period of eligibility, obligation for continuous enrollment, and being eligible for

defense and graduation.

Multiple Degree Requirements

Students earning more than one degree through Teachers College must be certain to include in

their studies the minimum point requirement for each degree. Appendix A gives the minimum

point requirement for multiple degree awards.

Please Note: The Master of Philosophy degree does not count toward the total number of

degrees when using this Appendix.

En Passant Degrees

Many Ph.D. degree programs have a Master of Arts or Science degree that (if eligible) may be

acquired en passant (French for along the way). In addition, the Master of Science degree in

Applied Statistics is an approved en passant program for all Ph.D. degree programs at Teachers

College. Please consult with your academic advisor and your doctoral student guide to determine

if your program has such an option. Please also review Appendix A regarding multiple degrees

and take into consideration that no credits from a prior MA or MS at Teachers College may be

used to fulfill any credits towards an en passant degree.

Academic Advisor

Each Ph.D. student's academic advisor is a GSAS approved faculty member of the prospective

department of study and one whose name appears following the link in Appendix C of this

bulletin. The academic advisor guides the student during the period of study and is the most

significant individual in the student's academic life. A student who is already pursuing a master’s

degree at the College should receive encouragement from a Ph.D. advisor before making a

formal application for advanced study. Prospective applicants, not presently enrolled, may seek

this information by corresponding with an approved Ph.D. advisor in the field of interest.

Graduate Credit in Advanced Columbia University Undergraduate Courses

Students in degree programs may petition the Registrar to have an advanced undergraduate

course offered at Columbia University counted as graduate credit toward the degree. To be

considered for graduate credit, the course(s) must be beyond the general introductory level,

relevant to the student's specialty, and must not be available at the graduate level within the

University. In addition, a student must obtain a written statement from the instructor of the

course clarifying the additional work required to differentiate between undergraduate and

graduate participation in the course. For basic language courses, courses must be beyond the first

two years. No more than six points in advanced undergraduate courses may be approved for

graduate credit. The academic advisor's written recommendation is also required, and final

approval is granted by the Registrar. Petition forms may be obtained from the Office of the

Registrar. Tuition charges for undergraduate courses that the Registrar approves for graduate

credit or undergraduate language courses taken to fulfill the language requirement for the Ph.D.

may be used to calculate students' federal financial aid awards. Undergraduate courses that fall

outside of these parameters will not be factored into federal aid awards.

Transfer Credits (Evaluation of Graduate Credit from Outside Institutions)

A maximum of 30 points of graduate coursework from an accredited graduate school (or 45

points completed entirely through Columbia University) may be applied toward the total point

requirement for the degree. The Teachers College Office of the Registrar evaluates and prepares

an evaluation of graduate credit for transfer purposes. The actual use of such credit in the

program is determined by the student's academic advisor.

Students can initiate this process by applying for transfer credits on the Office of the Registrar’s

website. Without this application, the academic advisor will be unable to determine what transfer

credits can be used towards the Ph.D. degree. It is highly recommended that students begin this

process during their first term of admission.

Please Note: Coursework taken at Teachers College prior to entering a Ph.D. program are not

considered transfer credits and do not count towards the 30 or 45 credit limit stated above.

Period of Eligibility for the Ph.D.

Students admitted to a Ph.D. degree program must complete all degree requirements in no more

than seven years. Students with a prior Teachers College master's degree or 30 points of Transfer

Credits (as noted above) are to complete requirements within six years. The period of eligibility

is set by the Office of Doctoral Studies according to the rules of the Graduate School of Arts and

Sciences, Columbia University.

Program of Study

Each Department and program have available departmental statements which are to be read and

followed in conjunction with the general policies stated in the Teachers College catalog and in

this Requirements Bulletin. It is the student's responsibility to obtain and keep apprised of the

revised editions of each announcement.

The following requirements are to be completed en route to the Ph.D. degree:

1. A Master’s degree (M.A., M.S. or Ed.M.) or one year's advanced standing: completion of at

least thirty points of graduate work at TC; or have transferred 30 points from an accredited

institution. General requirements for the master’s degree are given in the Teachers College

catalog and in the program Departmental Study Guides. Applications for the award of the

master’s degree can be filed through MyTC per the deadline dates stated in the Academic

Calendar.

2. A Master of Philosophy Degree (M.Phil. Degree). Following admission to a program of

study leading to certification for the Ph.D. degree, the student must satisfactorily complete

the following requirements:

● Register for courses through Teachers College and maintain continuous registration.

• An approved Program Plan of Study (through Degree Audit) to include approved transfer

credit.

● The Program Plan should be completed and submitted by the academic advisor in

the final term of coursework being used to meet program requirements.

● Complete no less than six courses with evaluative grades, under Teachers College

registration.

● Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 75 points of graduate credit, as indicated on

the Program Plan (some programs exceed this minimum).

• Fulfill the foreign language requirement, if applicable.

• Pass your Program’s Certification Examination and complete all program requirements

for the Master of Philosophy degree.

● Be recommended by the academic advisor and department chair for the award of the

M.Phil. degree, which signifies certification as a Ph.D. degree candidate who may

continue the dissertation requirement under the auspices of the Teachers College faculty.

Notification of the award for the M.Phil. degree is sent to the candidate by the Dean's Office of

the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University.

Explanatory Comments on M.Phil. Degree Requirements

A minimum of 75 graduate points of work is required. Some Departments and areas of

specialization exceed this amount. In no instance will the candidate be permitted to proceed to

final defense of the Dissertation when M.Phil. requirements have not been completed.

The Program Plan (via Degree Audit)

The Program Plan details the projected course of study to satisfy the Department 's requirements

and those of the program. It consists of courses taken at Teachers College and Columbia

University as well as those approved as transfer credits. Each applicant should consult their

degree audit and Program’s Doctoral Student Guide for specific degree requirements about

required coursework. Each student's program must include at least twelve (12) points in research

courses and seminars (some Areas of Specialization require more), including the Dissertation

seminar (75xx).

For more information on how to use the Degree audit system to file the Program Plan, please

consult the ODS website under the tab Degree Audit.

For students in the Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and School Psychology

programs, the one-year Internship courses are not placed on the Program Plan.

Attendance Grades (R)

No more than 9 points in R credit can be applied toward the minimum point requirement for the

Ph.D. degree.

Please Note: Statistics courses used in satisfying a foreign language requirement may not be

taken for Attendance Credit.

Continuous Registration Requirement

Ph.D. students must register continuously until all requirements for the M.Phil. and Ph.D.

degrees have been satisfactorily fulfilled. Exceptions to actual registration are made only if a

Leave of Absence has been requested and approved prior to or during the period requested.

Applications are available from the Office of the Registrar.

A Leave of Absence is approved based on sustained illness, maternity leave, or national military

service, for a period usually not exceeding one year. The period of a Leave of Absence (except

Personal Leave) is not counted as part of the time allowed for completion of degree

requirements.

Exemptions

A student shall be exempt from continuous registration only when a Leave of Absence, Waiver,

or Personal Exemption is requested and approved.

1. Leave of Absence

A Leave of Absence (LOA) can be requested for the following reasons:

a. A Medical LOA will only be granted on the written recommendation of a licensed health

care professional for a student who must interrupt study temporarily because of serious

physical illness or condition (such as pregnancy), or psychological illness. A Medical

LOA may be granted for no longer than one academic term, but may, upon

documentation from a licensed health care professional confirming that the student is still

unable to engage in graduate study, be renewed for a subsequent academic term. The

maximum cumulative time during the period of study that will be granted for a Medical

LOA cannot exceed two (2) years.

b. A Military LOA will only be granted for students who are called to active duty. To apply

for a Military LOA, official active duty orders must be submitted. The term of a Military

LOA will depend on the anticipated period of active duty service and per federal

regulations but may not exceed a cumulative time period of five (5) years.

c. Eligible students may be able to take a Family LOA: (1) For pregnancy or a pregnancy-

related condition (2) To bond with a child during the first 12 months following the birth,

adoption or foster care placement of a child; or (3) To participate in providing care,

including physical or psychological care, for a family member (child, spouse, domestic

partner, sibling, parent, grandchild, grandparent, or parent of a spouse or domestic

partner) with a serious health condition. A serious health condition is an illness, injury,

impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care in a hospital,

hospice, or residential medical care facility, or continuing treatment by a health care

provider.

For more information concerning Pregnancy and Parenting at the College please see:

https://www.tc.columbia.edu/policylibrary/policies/pregnancy-and-parenting-at-teachers-

college-11309642/

To apply for family leave, the student must complete and submit a family leave request

form. Please contact the Registrar’s Office (212-678-4050 or loa-

registrar@tc.columbia.edu) to obtain the form. To return from family leave a student

need only inform the Office of the Registrar of the intent to return and register for

classes.

Family leave will be granted for no longer than one academic term but may be renewed

for a subsequent academic term upon submission of an extension request indicating that a

continued family leave is warranted for one of the above eligible purposes.

d. A Personal LOA will only be granted for major professional, personal, and familial

events that effectively preclude continued participation in a degree program. With

appropriate documentation a Personal LOA may be granted for one academic term and

may, with further documentation, be renewed for a subsequent academic term. The

maximum cumulative time that will be granted for a Personal LOA is two terms. All

requests for a Personal LOA must be submitted by the last day of the change of

program (add/drop) period for the term requested.

For Ph.D. students, a Medical, Family, or Military LOA extends the period of Eligibility (and

Certification if a certified doctoral candidate) for the period while on leave. A candidate cannot

apply for a Personal leave after the initial period of Certification has expired.

All leaves of absence must be approved prior to or during the term for which it is requested; it

cannot be granted retroactively. (The only exception will be for a Military LOA when it is

precluded by military necessity per federal regulations.)

A leave of absence is not a form of registration. Therefore, no tuition or fees will be charged for

semesters for which a leave of absence has been approved provided that the request is received

and approved prior to the start of the semester. In addition, a student is not considered a

registered student and therefore does not have the rights and privileges of a registered student

when on leave.

A student on leave may not fulfill any degree requirement (including the integrative project or

other exam) other than the completion of work in courses for which the instructor had issued an

approved grade of “Incomplete.” The one-year grace period for an Incomplete is not changed by

a leave of absence. In addition, the student may not receive advisement nor hold the Dissertation

Proposal Hearing or Dissertation Oral Defense during a leave of absence and, a student may not

apply to graduate during the period while on leave.

2. Waiver

A Waiver from Dissertation Advisement can be requested if the student’s Academic advisor or

candidate’s Dissertation Advisor is unavailable to provide advisement due to sabbatical or

medical leave. A Waiver can only be requested by students or candidates who are Obligated for

Continuous Registration.

For Ph.D. students, an approved Waiver from Dissertation Advisement will extend the period of

Eligibility (and Certification if a certified doctoral candidate) for the academic term(s) that are

Waived.

Please Note: An approved Waiver will put your student status as less-than-half time which may

impact scholarship or Financial Aid eligibility. If you are required to maintain half-time or

greater status, you should not file for a Waiver.

3. Personal Exemption

A Personal Exemption from Dissertation Advisement can be requested if the dissertation is at a

stage where advisement is not necessary. In addition, a Personal Exemption can be requested if a

student, who would normally be eligible for a Leave of Absence, wishes to maintain active

student status. A Personal Exemption can only be requested by students or candidates who are

Obligated for Continuous Registration. A maximum of two terms of Personal Exemption may be

granted.

Please Note: Use of the Personal Leave of Absence will count towards the total number of

Personal Exemptions a student will have. For example, if a student takes one Personal Leave of

Absence prior to becoming Obligated for Continuous Enrollment, they will only have one

Personal Exemption remaining upon becoming Obligated.

For Ph.D. students, an approved Personal Exemption does not extend the period of Eligibility (or

Certification if a certified doctoral candidate). If the candidate wishes to extend the period of

eligibility and/or certification, he or she must also file the “Petition for Extension of

Eligibility/Certification.”

Please Note: An approved Personal Exemption will put your student status as less-than-half time

which may impact scholarship or Financial Aid eligibility. If you are required to maintain half-

time or greater status, you should not file for a Personal Exemption.

A student is not eligible for advisement during the term of a Personal Exemption or Waiver.

Requests for a retroactive Personal Exemption or Waiver require written verification from the

Dissertation Advisor (or major advisor) that advisement was not provided during the term (a

signed statement to this effect must be attached to the request) and in addition must be approved

by the Department Chair. If the student is granted a Personal Exemption or Waiver, he or she

must maintain status as a registered student for the term. Ph.D. students are required to maintain

student status by registering for IND6000 “Doctoral Candidate.

Please Note: The Dissertation Proposal Hearing or Dissertation Oral Defense may not be

held during the term when a Personal Exemption or Waiver has been granted.

Foreign Language Requirement

If the program has a foreign language requirement, Ph.D. students must demonstrate acceptable

proficiency in foreign languages as detailed below. Please refer to Appendix D for information

on how to fulfill foreign language requirements.

Program Requirements: Departments in Teachers College and their programs having foreign

language requirements are as follows:

1. Arts and Humanities:

● Philosophy and Education: Reading competency in one language, usually French,

German, Greek, or Latin. Another language may be substituted when relevant and

approved by the program.

● English Education: One foreign language, as determined by the Area of Specialization

and approved by the major advisor. Statistics may be substituted for the language

(Appendix B).

● Teaching of Social Studies: Follows the requirements of the Columbia Graduate

School of Arts and Sciences, Department of History. The following website contains

the specific information on language requirements based on the area of history

specialized in: http://history.columbia.edu/graduate/doctoral-program/handbook/.

2. Biobehavioral Sciences:

● Kinesiology and Communication, Sciences & Disorders – No foreign language

requirements.

3. Counseling and Clinical Psychology:

● Counseling Psychology and Clinical Psychology: No foreign language requirements.

4. Education, Policy, and Social Analysis:

● Economics and Education: One foreign language, as determined by the Area of

Specialization and approved by the major advisor. Statistics may be substituted for the

language. (See Appendix B).

● Educational Policy: Ph.D. students are required to take coursework in two research

tools. Each research tool requires two courses. Research tools include: Basic

Quantitative Analysis, Qualitative Research Methods, Causal Analysis, Statistics (as

per Appendix B of the Ph.D. Requirements Bulletin), or competency in a foreign

language (as per Appendix D of the Ph.D. Requirements Bulletin). Please consult with

your academic advisor about appropriate courses.

● History and Education: Follows the requirements of the Columbia Graduate School of

Arts and Sciences, Department of History. The following website contains specific

information on language requirements based on the area of history specialized in:

http://history.columbia.edu/graduate/doctoral-program/handbook/. Statistics may be

substituted for one language under the General Requirement. (See Appendix B.)

● Politics and Education: Each student will also complete methodological requirements

including but not limited to statistics, qualitative and quantitative methods. In addition

to other requirements, Ph.D. students must demonstrate command of two research tools,

selected from the following list: 1). an approved two-course sequence in quantitative

analysis, 2). an approved two-course sequence in formal modeling or advanced

multivariate statistics, 3) a reading knowledge of a foreign language that is pertinent to

the students projected research agenda, 4) a comparable level of proficiency in a

comparable research tool approved by the advisor. Unless they have well defined

research needs for foreign language, EPSA students are expected to meet this GSAS

requirement with a combination of options 1, 2, and 4. Data Analysis I & II serve as an

approved two-course sequence in quantitative analysis. The more-advanced quantitative

courses students typically enroll in additional advanced courses such hierarchical linear

modeling and structural equation modeling. Students focusing on qualitative methods

or other research approaches (e.g., Geographic Information Systems; network analysis)

can alternately fulfill the “comparable research tool” option in consultation with their

advisor.

● Sociology and Education: No foreign language requirements.

5. Health and Behavior Studies

● Applied Behavior Analysis, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and Intellectual

Disabilities/Autism: No foreign language requirements.

● Behavioral Nutrition: No foreign language requirements

● School Psychology: No foreign language requirements.

6. Human Development:

● Cognitive Studies in Education, Developmental Psychology, and Measurement,

Evaluation & Statistics: No foreign language requirements.

7. International and Transcultural Studies:

● Anthropology and Education and Applied Anthropology: One foreign language, as

determined by the Area of Specialization. Statistics may be substituted for the

language. (See Appendix B).

● Comparative and International Education: One foreign language, as determined by the

Area of Specialization. Statistics may be substituted for one language. (See Appendix

B).

8. Mathematics, Science, and Technology:

● Mathematics Education: Two from among French, German, and Russian. Students

who require other languages for the preparation of their thesis may petition the major

advisor to request substitution. Statistics may not be used to substitute for a language

requirement.

● Science Education: No foreign language requirements.

9. Organization and Leadership

● Educational Leadership: Two research tools which consist of a foreign language, an

additional foreign language, an approved two course sequence in formal modeling, or

an approved two-course sequence in quantitative analysis. See program guidelines for

approved formal modeling and quantitative analysis course work.

● Social-Organizational Psychology: No foreign language requirements.

Completion of Course Requirements for the M.Phil. Degree

As you are progressing through the program, please consult regularly with your academic

advisor to ensure that all course requirements are being completed or will be completed prior to

the award of the M.Phil. degree. As a reminder, the Degree Audit Program Plan should be

submitted by your academic advisor in the final term of coursework listed on the plan.

Certification Examination

The Certification Examination is at least a three-hour examination in the major field and must be

taken on the dates announced in the Academic Calendar. The examination is given in the

Autumn and Spring terms by all departments and by some in the Summer term. Students are

responsible for obtaining an application form and filing it in the Office of Doctoral Studies.

Each student is encouraged to consult with their academic advisor as to readiness to sit for the

examination; however, doctoral students with less than six courses taken for letter grades may

not sit for the examination.

Some Departments and/or Areas of Specialization require additional methods of assessment. The

student should be certain to ask the academic advisor about specific requirements.

Results of the Certification Examination are communicated to each student by program faculty

or the academic advisor. Please note that satisfactory passing of the Certification Examination

does not constitute completion of all requirements for the award of the M.Phil. degree; minimum

grades, program completion, plus other requirements as determined by the program, are to be

met prior to the Department's recommendation to continue pursuit of the Ph.D. degree under the

auspices of Teachers College.

Dissertation Proposal Hearing

The Research Dissertation is a distinctive feature of the Ph.D. program. In planning and

completing a Dissertation, a candidate receives intensive training in the research methods

appropriate to the field and demonstrates competence in their use. As a part of preparation in

research, every candidate is required to participate in a Dissertation seminar, designed at the

75XX course number by the Department, which has as its purpose the development and approval

of plans for doctoral Dissertations. This seminar cannot be counted more than once toward the

degree unless the program allows it to be taken a second time. Under no circumstances should a

dissertation seminar course be taken more than twice, even if the candidate has yet to complete

the Dissertation Proposal Hearing. Once a student has an approved dissertation proposal, a

student should not register for the departmental dissertation seminar course. Dissertation seminar

is a required course on the Program Plan of study.

To ensure minimum research competency, students are required to register for coursework that

reflects the type of research they will be conducting for the dissertation. Faculty advisors should

ensure that program required research coursework is placed on the Program Plan so that doctoral

students have the proper research foundation to prepare for the Dissertation Proposal Hearing.

The candidate selects a dissertation topic (i) which will make an original contribution to the area

of research, (ii) which can be completed successfully with the resources available, and (iii) for

which appropriate faculty advisors are available in the College, who are willing to guide the

candidate's study.

Without exception, approval from IRB must be obtained by all doctoral students even if they

believe their dissertation data collection methodology would be exempt. Please consult with the

IRB office at [email protected]mbia.edu if there are any questions.

The Dissertation is supervised by a Dissertation Proposal Committee of two or three faculty

members, one of whom is the Dissertation Advisor. The Dissertation Advisor must be a faculty

member of Teachers College who is named on the list of GSAS Approved Ph.D. Dissertation

Advisors which can be found on the ODS website under Ph.D. Forms. Changing of the

Dissertation Advisor must be approved using the ODS Change of Dissertation Advisor form

found on the ODS website also under Ph.D. Forms. Requests for Proposal Committee members

from outside of Teachers College or Columbia University should be requested in advance to the

Office of Doctoral Studies by the Dissertation Advisor with a copy of the faculty member’s

Curriculum Vitae.

Minimum standards for an outside member can be found here:

https://gsas.columbia.edu/student-guide/dissertation/nomination-and-appointment-defense-

committee

Successful completion of the Dissertation Proposal hearing is required to receive a grade for the

Dissertation seminar course and to receive the Master of Philosophy degree.

Dissertation Proposal Approval

After the candidate’s dissertation proposal is approved, the names of the faculty members who

serve as the Dissertation Committee are entered on the report. The candidate then submits the

dissertation proposal to IRB for approval. Once approved, the signed Dissertation Proposal

Hearing form, a copy of the IRB approval letter, and a PDF copy of the dissertation proposal is

submitted to the Office of Doctoral Studies as part of the candidate's doctoral record.

NOTE: Ph.D. students in the International and Transcultural Studies Department and the

Education Leadership program must also receive IRB approval for their proposal manuscript and

submit all items for their dissertation proposal to the Office of Doctoral Studies to receive the

Master of Philosophy degree.

Continuous Registration for Dissertation Advisement

Each candidate must register continuously for at least three (3) credits coursework through

Teachers College (i.e., Teachers College courses, Cross-registered CU graduate courses, and/or

Inter-University Doctoral Consortium courses) or dissertation advisement (DEPT_89XX)

offered by the department in the term following enrollment in the dissertation seminar course(s)

or after receiving Departmental approval on the dissertation proposal, whichever comes first.

PLEASE NOTE: Courses that grant full-time status, but are less than three credits, DO NOT

fulfill Continuous Registration for Dissertation Advisement with the following exceptions:

● (ITS Dept Students only) ITSF 6200 - Field Research Outside of the United States

● (Clinical Psych Students only) CCPX 6430 - Internship in Clinical Psychology

● (Counseling Psych Students only) CCPJ 6460 - Internship in Counseling Psychology

● (School Psych Students only) HBSK 6480 - School Psychologist Internship

Continuous registration is required in each Autumn Term and Spring Term whether or not the

candidate is in attendance, and in the Summer Term when special permission to schedule a Final

Defense has been granted.

Continuous registration is required up through and including the term in which the oral

dissertation defense is held when registration in TI 8900 (Ph.D. Defense) is required. A

candidate has until the final deposit date the term following the dissertation defense to deposit

the dissertation manuscript to waive the advisement fee and to stop continuous registration.

The tuition fee for the Teachers College dissertation advisement course is equivalent to three

tuition points for each term payable during the regular registration period. Dissertation

advisement does not carry points of course credit.

Award of the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) Degree

Upon satisfactory completion of the requirements listed previously, the Department may

recommend to the Chair of the Faculty Committee on the Doctoral Degree:

1. that the student be recommended to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for award of the

M.Phil. degree (i.e., all requirements for the Ph.D. less the final oral dissertation defense have

been fulfilled, and the department wishes the candidate to complete remaining Ph.D.

requirements under Teachers College faculty supervision); or

2. that the student not be recommended for the M.Phil. degree, and that candidacy be terminated.

An application for the award of the M. Phil degree will be filed by the Office of Doctoral

Studies. However, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure all requirements for the M. Phil.

have been completed. Requirements for the M.Phil. can be tracked through the Degree Audit

system. Upon receipt of the M.Phil. degree, the student is now considered to be a doctoral

candidate for the Ph.D. degree.

POST-M.PHIL. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PH.D. DEGREE

The Advanced Seminar

The purpose of the Advanced Seminar is to assist the candidate in the successful completion of

the dissertation. Members of the Seminar judge the quality and scope of the work completed and

make recommendations, if needed, for changes.

The candidate, toward the end of the Dissertation research, presents the research at an Advanced

Seminar. Although not a Teachers College requirement, some programs mandate holding the

Advanced Seminar. The stage at which an Advanced Seminar is appropriate varies with the

nature of the research problem. If the research method is experimental or statistical, the candidate

should have obtained and analyzed the data which are presented in tabular form so that

conclusions relevant to the hypotheses may be drawn. If the method is historical or

philosophical, an Advanced Seminar might be appropriate when the Dissertation Committee

Moderator has approved a draft of the dissertation. The candidate prepares an outline or draft of

the dissertation for use by the Advanced Seminar and submits a copy to each faculty member

who will attend, one week before the seminar is held.

Should an Advanced Seminar be scheduled, the candidate can secure the Advanced Seminar

Report form from the Office of Doctoral Studies website. The candidate is to indicate on the

form the exact date and two-hour period of the hearing. The minimum members to attend are the

candidate’s Dissertation Proposal Committee, or three members whichever is greater, and the

maximum are those members plus one additional member. A Moderator will be designated from

the faculty members who are to be present. The Dissertation Advisor may not be designated as

Moderator. The completed form signed by all committee members present should be submitted

to the Office of Doctoral Studies shortly thereafter with a copy of the candidate’s presentation.

Completion of the Dissertation and Preparation of the Manuscript

Following approval by the members of the Advanced Seminar to proceed with completion of the

Dissertation, the candidate completes the research under the guidance of the Dissertation

Committee, taking into consideration all suggestions offered at the Advanced Seminar.

In most instances, the Dissertation is formatted in final form after receiving the approval of the

Moderator or Dissertation Advisor. In other instances, with approval of the Moderator or

Dissertation Advisor, the candidate may submit clear drafts of the Dissertation for use at the

Final Oral Defense to facilitate revisions. After the Final Oral Defense, the corrected final copy

of the manuscript is then prepared.

When preparing the draft and/or the final corrected copies of the Dissertation, the candidate is to

follow the formatting guidelines of the TC Manual of Style which can be found on the ODS

website under Forms. A minimum of five copies of the Dissertation (one for each member of the

Final Oral Defense Committee), plus an additional copy for the candidate are to be prepared. All

copies must be clean and free of pencil or ink corrections. The candidate may ask each

committee member if an electronic copy is suitable in place of a paper copy.

In addition, a copy of the Abstract of the Dissertation is to be prepared. Further instruction on

this requirement can be found at http://gsas.columbia.edu/content/formatting-guidelines.

Additional instructions for the preparation of the manuscript may be obtained from the

Dissertation Advisor.

Final Defense, Registration, and Defense Committee

The final defense may be scheduled for any time during the regular academic year, and in rare

instances during the summer, based upon extraordinary circumstances and the approval of the

Faculty Committee on the Doctoral Degree.

Notification of Intention to Defend: Each candidate obtains from and returns to the

Office of Doctoral Studies the "Notification of Intention to Defend the Dissertation"

during the registration dates for the appropriate academic term. See the Academic

Calendar for dates, and the Office of Doctoral Studies Instructions for Ph.D. deadlines.

Registration: All candidates are required to enroll in TI 8900- Ph.D. Dissertation

Defense, for the term in which the oral defense is being held. Registration is processed in

the TC Registrar's Office. The required special fee is listed in the catalog and Schedule of

Classes.

Final Oral Defense Committee

The Final Oral Defense Committee consists of five faculty members. At a minimum, the three

Inside Members must be Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) approved Ph.D.

Dissertation Advisors. The Final Oral Defense Committee is constructed as follows:

Inside Members (ALL must be GSAS Approved Ph.D. Dissertation Advisors)

the Dissertation Advisor;

the Defense Moderator of the Defense Committee;

and the Third Member, who is normally a member of the student's Department;

and two Outside Members,

- one, who is from outside the student's Department; and,

- one, who is from outside Teachers College.

Please review Appendix C for detailed information on forming the Ph.D. Final Oral Defense

Committee. A faculty member on appointment at a college or university outside of Columbia

University may also be considered by GSAS as an outside member of the Final Oral Defense

Committee, upon written petition by the Dissertation Advisor, accompanied by a copy of the

nominee's curriculum vitae to the Office of Doctoral Studies.

The candidate is responsible for arranging the date, hour, and location at which all members of

the Final Oral Defense Committee can attend the final defense.

The Office of Doctoral Studies, upon the candidate's notification of the day and hour of the Final

Defense and receipt of the names of members, will notify the Dean of the Graduate School of

Arts and Sciences of the scheduled defense. The Defense Application with the Dissertation

Advisor’s signature must be received by the Office of Doctoral Studies no later than three (3)

weeks prior to the scheduled defense date. A late application may result in the cancellation of the

defense by the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

All members must have at least four weeks to read the dissertation manuscript prior to the

scheduled defense date.

The candidate, Dissertation Advisor and Moderator of the defense must be physically

present for the Final Oral Defense. Only the Third Member, or outside members may request

to attend via electronic means (Zoom, Skype, conference call) by the Dissertation Advisor

marking the request on the Application for the Oral Defense Form (up to a maximum of two

members). Per GSAS policy, the dissertation oral defense is a closed event and only the

candidate and committee members may be present.

The Final Oral Defense on the dissertation is scheduled for a period of two hours. At the outset,

the candidate may be asked to make a brief presentation of the study of not more than ten

minutes. The members then ask questions to explore the candidate's background in the field of

research, to clarify methodological procedures, results, and implications for theory and

application, or to recommend changes in the dissertation study. The members may vote the

results as follows:

1. Approved as submitted (Line 0):

The committee may ask that minor revisions or corrections be made before the dissertation is

deposited. A written description of those minor revisions should be provided to the candidate at

the defense. The expectation of completion is within one month after the oral defense.

2. Approved pending revisions (Line 1):

The committee may ask that revisions be made before the dissertation is deposited. A written

description of those revisions should be provided to the candidate at the defense or shortly

afterward. The expectation of completion is within six months after the oral defense.

3. Referred (Line 2):

The committee believes that substantial work must be undertaken on the dissertation by the

candidate before it can reach a recommendation to award the degree. A detailed written

description of the reservations about the examined dissertation should be provided to the

candidate at the defense or shortly afterward. At the time of the defense, a subcommittee

composed of at least three unanimously agreed upon members of the original committee (and

including the Dissertation Advisor) will be formed. A statement from the candidate indicating

the specific changes made in response to the committee’s request for revision must accompany

the revised version, and both be sent to the Dissertation Advisor. The Dissertation Advisor will

share the statement and the revised version with the members of the defense subcommittee, each

of whom must communicate explicitly to the Dissertation Advisor his or her appraisal of the

revisions undertaken. A majority of the subcommittee must approve the revised version for the

candidate to be recommended for the degree. The dissertation will then be recommended for

award of the degree. The expectation of completion is within one year after the oral defense.

4. Fail (Line 3):

The committee believes that the dissertation is not acceptable, and the candidate will not be

recommended for the degree. No candidate may have a second defense unless the Dean of GSAS

concludes, upon evidence provided either by the candidate or by a member of the committee,

that procedural irregularities occurred during the defense.

Procedures Following the Final Oral Defense

Depositing the Dissertation is the final requirement for the Ph.D. degree.

After the candidate has received approval of all revisions of the dissertation as specified by the

Final Oral Defense Committee, signature of the Dissertation Advisor is required on the GSAS

dissertation approval card. The Office of Doctoral Studies will obtain the Provost’s signature.

For instructions for the final deposit of the dissertation, please see the Ph.D. Deposit Gateway

link: http://gsas.columbia.edu/content/deposit-gateway.

Columbia University requests that within the ProQuest system, that Teachers College Ph.D.

candidates use their Program when asked for their Department.

Participation in the TC Convocation and CU Commencement Ceremonies

Upon approval of the Intention to Defend form, Ph.D. candidates' names are provided to the TC

Convocation Office to be eligible for receiving tickets. Please visit the TC Convocation website

for more information.

Approval to participate in the May TC Doctoral Convocation ceremony requires the Ph.D.

candidate to defend and be cleared by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) for the

May degree. The Office of Doctoral Studies calendar notes the GSAS deadline dates. Candidates

who already received the October or February degrees are automatically eligible to participate.

PLEASE NOTE: The date to deposit listed in your Defense Pass letter from GSAS IS NOT

the same as the date to meet graduation and participation requirements. The date on the

letter is the final date GSAS expects the manuscript to be submitted to them for final

review.

Exceptions to march in the TC Doctoral Convocation ceremony are granted to candidates all

programs who have defended their manuscript by no later than two weeks after the GSAS May

degree deadline date, OR students in the Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, or School

Psychology programs who are finishing their internships in the summer and who have defended

and deposited their dissertation with ODS by the May degree deadline.

All candidates being granted an exception to march will become eligible for the following

October Ph.D. degree and their names will not be noted in the Convocation ceremony booklet.

Columbia University and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences allow students to participate

in their commencement ceremonies even if they miss the May graduation requirements and will

be eligible for the following October degree period, so any Ph.D. candidate who is eligible for

tickets, may participate in CU and/or GSAS ceremonies. Please visit the TC Convocation

website for more information on how to register for them.

Granting of the Ph.D. Degree

The title of “Doctor or Dr.” is reserved only for those candidates who have been formally

awarded the Ph.D. degree. Candidates may only address themselves as “Doctor or Dr.” on their

degree’s official conferral date.

Extensions of the Period of Ph.D. Eligibility

Requests for extensions of Ph.D. eligibility for students may be granted by the Faculty

Committee on the Doctoral Degree. Detailed instructions regarding extending the period of

Ph.D. eligibility are available on the Office of Doctoral Studies website under Ph.D. Forms.

The procedures for requesting an extension are:

1. After conferring with their Academic or Dissertation advisor, the student shall write a

letter, addressed to the Office of Doctoral Studies, and give the advisor a copy. The

letter should be clear and concise, but precise information should be given on the

following three points:

a. The reason degree requirements have not been finished within the original time

period allotted.

b. The progress made to date in meeting requirements.

c. The amount of time needed to complete all requirements, with a schedule of dates

and steps within the period requested, such as when the dissertation will be

completed and ready for distribution to the committee, when the Final Defense will

be held, etc.

2. The academic advisor, or if post-proposal, the Dissertation Advisor will also write a

memorandum or letter to the Office of Doctoral Studies, enclosing a copy of the

student's letter. The advisor's letter will give a recommendation, an evaluation of the

quality of the student's achievement, and an appraisal of the student's proposed

schedule for completing the remaining degree requirements.

The Office of Doctoral Studies will transmit the request to the Faculty Committee on the

Doctoral Degree and will notify the Academic or Dissertation Advisor and student of the action

taken by the Chair when it is received.

Readmission

Readmission may provide a way for former candidates, whose period of eligibility expired and

who are not eligible for extension, to resume their studies.

A former candidate whose period of eligibility expired or will expire before completion of all

requirements, and who is not eligible for or has been denied an extension of certification as

defined above, may apply for readmission. The student who applies for readmission should

consult the department of study and the Office of the Registrar. If approved and admitted back

into the program, the process of recertification is similar to that of initial certification.

The student must fulfill each of the following requirements for recertification:

1. Be readmitted to Teachers College through the Office of the Registrar.

2. Be accepted by the department and by an academic advisor as a satisfactory applicant who

agrees to meet current departmental standards which may be different from or higher than those

existing at the time of earlier admission and certification.

3. Prepare and submit a new Program Plan which meets current requirements.

4. Proceed with the normal process leading toward certification including passing a new

Certification Examination in all instances and being recommended for the Master of Philosophy

by the department.

5. Fulfill any additional requirements specified by the department.

6. Present a dissertation proposal. If a previously approved dissertation proposal is presented,

the committee will judge its relevance and excellence by current standards. If the proposal is on

file and is approved, there is no need to re-take the dissertation seminar course (Program

Code_75xx series).

7. Be considered for the Master of Philosophy degree by the Faculty Committee on the

Doctoral Degree and be required to meet the standards which govern decisions on current

applicants for certification.

If the Master of Philosophy degree was already granted prior to readmission, a petition for

readmission must also be submitted to the Office of Doctoral Studies accompanied by a letter of

support from the academic advisor since GSAS cannot grant an additional Master of Philosophy

degree for the same program. If this petition is approved by GSAS, then the readmitted student

will be allowed to waive #3 through #7 above.

Please note that Personal Exemptions or Personal Leave of Absences may not be utilized after

readmission, even if the student still has some remaining for use. Waivers or Medical/Military

Leave of Absences may still be utilized (if applicable).

Reinstatement

Reinstatement is similar to readmission, and if the petition is approved by the program, ODS,

and Registrar, the student will be brought back into the same program with the same original

term of admission. The results of reinstatement are noted below:

1. All ODS progress that was made prior to the term of withdrawal is kept on the student’s

record.

2. Any missing terms of registration must be made up retroactively for the cost of

maintaining minimum registration that term meaning:

a. If not Obligated: IND 6000

b. If Obligated: Dissertation Advisement under the Dissertation Advisor

APPENDIX A

MULTIPLE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

This list only represents minimum point requirements to establish residence for multiple

degrees. In addition, each degree program has a planned program of study, and the degree

requirements as outlined by your department and in the Teachers College catalog must

also be satisfied. It is possible that students will need to take more than the minimum point

requirements.

Min Pt Min TC Max

Reqt Credit Trans

Two Degrees at Teachers College Credit

M.A. (M.S.) and M.A. (M.S.) 60* 60* 0

M.A. (M.S.) and Ed.M. 60 45 15

Ed.M. and Ed.M. 90 60 30

M.A. (M.S.) and Ph.D. 75 45 30

M.A. (M.S.) and Ed.D. 90 45 45

Ed.M. and Ph.D. 75 45 30

Ed.M. and Ed.D. 90 45 45

Three Degrees at Teachers College

M.A. (M.S.), M.A. (M.S.), and Ed.M. 90 75 15

M.A. (M.S.), Ed.M., and Ed.M. 90 90 0

M.A. (M.S.), M.A. (M.S.), and Ed.D. 90 75 15

M.A. (M.S.), M.A. (M.S.), and Ph.D. 75 75 0

M.A. (M.S.), Ed.M. and Ph.D. 75 60 15

M.A. (M.S.), Ed.M. and Ed.D. 90 60 30

Ed.M., Ed.M., and Ed.D. 90 90 0

Four Degrees at Teachers College

M.A. (M.S.), M.A. (M.S.), Ed.M., and Ed.D. (or Ph.D.) 120 120 0

M.A. (M.S.), Ed.M., Ed.M., and Ed.D. (or Ph.D.) 120 120 0

* Plus an essay or 64 points without an essay. Please note that no coursework from a previous

MA or MS degree may be used towards a subsequent MA or MS degree. (See Teachers College

Catalogue for details.)

APPENDIX B

STATISTICS COURSES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT

OF A FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

Academic programs which permit the use of a two-semester statistics course sequence in lieu of

one foreign language do so in accordance with the Faculty Committee on the Doctoral Degree

policy.

Acceptable courses in the Department of Human Development are:

● HUDM 4122 Probability and Statistical Inference

● HUDM 5122 Applied Regression Analysis

● HUDM 5123 Linear Models & Experimental Design

A passing or letter grade must be received for both courses. R credit is not acceptable.

Credit hours (points) earned in the two-semester statistics course sequence may be used to satisfy

the minimum point requirement for the Ph.D.

Students who request to have courses other than the ones above evaluated to meet the Foreign

Language Requirement must provide the following to the Office of Doctoral Studies:

1. A written request from the advisor

2. A copy of the official course description of each course requested. Each course

requested MUST contain an advanced statistical component.

The Office of Doctoral Studies will then bring the petition to the Measurement and Statistics

program director for review. If approved, the Office of Doctoral Studies will inform the student

and update his/her doctoral records.

APPENDIX C

PHD FINAL DEFENSE COMMITTEE FORMAT

Link to GSAS Approved Faculty:

https://www.gsas.columbia.edu/content/doctoral-dissertation-advisors

INSIDE POSITIONS*:

Defense Moderator: GSAS approved and must be a part of the candidate’s academic department**.

Dissertation Advisor: a Teachers College faculty member whose primary appointment

is in the candidate’s academic department**. They are also a part of your dissertation proposal and

must be GSAS approved. Once selected, this person will not change. If there is a special

circumstance, they can be changed by submitting the Dissertation Advisor Change form

Third Examiner: Must be GSAS approved, was a part of the candidate’s dissertation proposal

committee and must be a part of the candidate’s academic department**

OUTSIDE POSITIONS:

Fourth and Fifth Examiners: A minimum of one (1) of these committee members must be a faculty

member from outside TC (e.g., Columbia, Barnard, NYU, etc.). Neither of these members are

required to be a GSAS Approved faculty member. One of them can be from the student’s academic

department, but typically they are at least from outside of the academic program. Any member on the

Dissertation Proposal Committee that is not GSAS Approved must be moved to this area for the final

oral defense.

NOTE: Requests for non-TC/CU faculty must be sent via e-mail to ODS as noted below.

____________________________________________________________________________

* Candidates with two member dissertation proposal committees can have the second member serve

in any position except Advisor. If they are not GSAS approved, they must serve in one of the two

outside examiner positions.

Candidates with three member dissertation proposal committees can have the second and third

member serve in any position except Advisor. If one or both are not GSAS approved, they must serve

in one or both of the two outside examiner positions.

** Faculty from GSAS cognate program are not considered from within the department (e.g., GSAS

Anthropology faculty are not considered ITS department faculty)

Requesting Exception Petitions:

Under unusual circumstances, a candidate may petition an exception to:

1) Have a member from outside the academic department serve in one of the three Inside positions.

This petition must come from the Dissertation Advisor to ODS.

Request for exception template:

I am submitting a request for an exception to GSAS defense committee policies for the defense of

[name of student]. Professor [Name] (or Professors if multiple) is(are) ideally suited to serve on this

student’s defense committee because [examples of possible reasons: their subject matter/discipline is

relevant to the defense topic; they have worked with the student previously; they are considered an

expert in the subject matter of the student’s defense; the student is investigating a topic on which this

professor has conducted extensive research; etc]. As the student’s advisor, I support this

recommendation.

Note: The petition needs the review and approval of the Dissertation Advisor approval and then the

Dean of GSAS submitted through ODS. If the Dissertation Advisor is the position that is the

exception, then the Department Chair must submit the petition.

2) Have a member from outside of TC or CU sit in one of the two outside positions.

The petition is submitted by the Dissertation Advisor with a copy of the member’s CV to the Manager

of ODS. GSAS requires that they must be a faculty member, clinician, or practitioner who holds a

position at another university or research institution. Emeritus faculty may not serve on a candidate’s

committee with the exception that they were still working when initially added to the committee and

after retirement they chose to continue to work with the candidate.

Note: Candidates are encouraged to submit exception requests as early as possible to

facilitate and confirm dissertation committee creation.

Example of Acceptable Final Defense Committee

Student Name: A. Smith

Department: Arts & Humanities (A&H)

Program: Teaching of Social Studies (A&HW)

Defense Moderator, Dissertation Advisor, and Third Member: GSAS Approved Faculty

Department: A&H Faculty member

Fourth and Fifth Members: Do not have to be GSAS Approved, but can be

Department: One must be from outside TC. Other can be from A&H, but not A&HW

APPENDIX D

FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS

In that the Graduate School Foreign Language Tests (GSFLT) are no longer licensed for administration, proficiency

in foreign languages will be assessed by the cognate Columbia University foreign language department. Examples

below are as follows:

French: Administered five times a year in February, April, July, October and

December. Please visit http://french.columbia.edu/content/french-proficiency-exam

for

more information.

German: Administered in the beginning of September and the weeks of the

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences’ final examinations in

December and May. Contact Professor Schmiers-Heller or Peg Quisenberry,

Assistant, Department of Germanic Languages, (212) 854-3202,

414 Hamilton Hall, to make arrangements. You can also E-mail Ms.

Quisenberry (pq2@columbia.edu

) for a sample examination.

Russian: Administered, upon request to the Department Chair’s office.

(Slavic Languages) Contact Mr. John Lacqua, (212) 854-3941,

Room 708 Hamilton Hall, Columbia University.

Spanish: Contact the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, 401 Casa Hispanica,

(212) 854-4187 or E-mail Kosmas Pissakos at kp124@columbia.edu

make arrangements.

Chinese Contact Dr. Lingjun Hu at lingjun.hu@columbia.edu

in the Department of East Asian

Languages to make arrangements.

For those languages that do not have a cognizant foreign language department at Columbia University, Ph.D.

students should visit the Columbia Language Resource Center. Their website is: www.lrc.columbia.edu

If the foreign language is not offered by any department or the Language Resource Center, Ph.D. students can

formally petition the Office of Doctoral Studies to take their foreign language exam elsewhere. A signed letter from

the student stating what school and faculty member will be performing the exam is required.

Foreign language proficiency can also be met with a B+ or higher grade in a Columbia University undergraduate

course called Rapid Reading and Translation which is offered by a few language departments. Please check with the

cognate language department to see if that course is offered. Credits received from this course MAY NOT be used

on the Program Plan towards graduation for the Ph.D. degree.

Teachers College authorizes students to use the CUNY Language Reading Program to meet foreign language

proficiency. (https://www.gc.cuny.edu/Page-Elements/Academics-Research-Centers-Initiatives/Special-

Programs/Language-Reading-Program). Passing a Level II Class with an A- or better will meet a foreign language

requirement. These courses are not graduate level and may not be used on the Program Plan of study.

NOTE: Ph.D. students in the Mathematics Education program can pass their foreign language requirement at the

CUNY Language Reading Program with an A- or better in a Level I Class.