The Graduate School

Dean

William B. Russel

Associate Dean

Sandra L. Mawhinney, Administration

F. Joy Montero, Student Life

David N. Redman, Academic Affairs

Assistant Dean

Danielle N. Gray, Academic Affairs and Diversity

Lisa Schreyer, Residence Life and Student Affairs

Director, Graduate Alumni Relations

To be announced

Director, Office of Graduate Admissions

Janice Huang

 

History and Purpose

After James Madison graduated from Princeton (then called the College of New Jersey) in 1771, he chose to remain for a year of “graduate work” to study Hebrew with President John Witherspoon. In the following decades, other promising graduates also stayed on, but it was not until 1869 that graduate education at Princeton formally begin to take shape. In that year, three fellowships were established to encourage outstanding members of the senior class to continue their studies in classics, mathematics, and philosophy. In 1879, Princeton conferred its first earned doctorates on James F. Williamson and William Libby (both B.A. 1877).

This modest beginning established several enduring principles; foremost among them the careful selection of candidates, a wide latitude for the students in their programs of study, easy accessibility of the faculty, and a willingness to experiment. These principles have governed the evolution of the Graduate School at Princeton since its establishment in 1900.

The primary purpose of the Graduate School is to prepare scholars and researchers to master the content and methods of their special subjects, such that they are fully prepared to find and widely communicate new knowledge. After completing an intensive program of study, graduates should be able to claim professional standing in their chosen fields. Thus the larger design of graduate education at Princeton is to establish the individual’s permanent relationship to learning.

The modern Graduate School spans 38 departments and programs, from the humanities, across the social and natural sciences, to engineering, with a balance between Ph.D. and professional degree programs; the latter being primarily found in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs (Master of Public Administration and Master of Public Policy), the School of Architecture (Master of Architecture), the School of Engineering and Applied Science (Master of Science in Engineering and Master of Engineering), and the Bendheim Center for Finance (Master of Finance). Each of these programs couple graduate students with outstanding scholars on the faculty, who lead them to the forefront of their field through graduate courses that both teach the fundamentals and provide glimpses of the current frontiers in all disciplines, through highly interactive and topical seminars in the humanities and social sciences, and through early incorporation into research groups in the sciences and engineering.

Overlying the disciplines stretch a network of interdisciplinary programs, institutes, and centers that lure students beyond their departments to explore topics that transcend disciplines, e.g., bridging between classics and philosophy, politics and history, sociology and Near Eastern studies, physics and materials, or chemical engineering and molecular biology, in order to address current issues of widespread importance and fundamental interest. The objective is to educate students soundly in a discipline while keeping them cognizant of important issues that transcend disciplines, thereby equipping them to become leaders in academia, government, and the private and non-profit sectors.

Programs of Study

Courses of study leading to the doctoral degree are offered in the arts and sciences, architecture, engineering, and public affairs. In addition there are several master’s degree programs, in architecture, engineering, finance, Near Eastern studies, and public policy. Graduate work is not offered in business, education, law, medicine, theology, or other professions not specified below.

By design Princeton emphasizes comparatively short and intensive programs of doctoral study, and the number of graduate students who can be enrolled is limited by the educational and financial resources of the Graduate School.

Doctor of Philosophy. The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is granted at Princeton in the following departments and programs:

Ph.D. work also may be concentrated in one of the following areas, but the degree granted is in an appropriate field from among those listed above.

* By fulfilling the requirements of the home department and the Program in Materials Science and Technology, doctoral students can qualify for a joint Ph.D.

** Through admission to the M.D./Ph.D. program of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, students can pursue the Ph.D. at Princeton University.

In each case admission is through one of the participating departments, except in the history of science, where Ph.D. candidates are admitted directly to that program.

Each department determines the length of its own Ph.D. program, which is typically either four or five years. Financial support, if offered, extends for that specified period. Each student’s academic program is arranged at the beginning of the term in consultation with an adviser or the director of graduate studies. Although no specific courses are required by the Graduate School, departments may (and many do) require specific courses or exercises as part of the pregenerals program.

Master’s Degrees. Students are admitted to master’s degree programs (final professional degree) in the following subjects:

Architecture (M.Arch.): program leading to the Master of Architecture prepares students to enter the professional practice of architecture and is recognized as qualifying for examination and state licensing after an internship.

Chemistry (M.S.): part-time, course-work-only degree for employees of local or regional firms.

Engineering (M.Eng.): course-work-only degree available in chemical, civil and environmental, computer science, electrical, mechanical and aerospace, and operations research and financial engineering. (M.S.E.): course work and required thesis; degree available in chemical, civil and environmental, mechanical and aerospace, and operations research and financial engineering. Students should consult the individual program descriptions.

Finance (M.Fin.): two-year course-work-only degree offered through the Bendheim Center for Finance.

Public Affairs (M.P.A.)

Public Policy (M.P.P.): course-work-only degree; intended for students with at least seven years of professional experience.

Master of Arts (M.A.) is granted as a final degree in only one area: Near Eastern studies. Candidates are admitted directly to, and receive their degrees in, this special area of study. As well, a thesis is required.

Joint and Multiple Degrees

The Graduate School offers no joint degrees other than those listed above. An applicant to the Graduate School can apply to only one department, and an enrolled student can be a candidate for only one advanced degree at a time.

Nondegree Students

A small number of special students are not regularly enrolled degree candidates. These are limited to the categories and specific purposes stated below.

Program in Continuing Education. The continuing education program admits qualified area residents and members of the University community to regularly scheduled undergraduate and graduate courses. Admission into continuing education does not admit an applicant to a Princeton University degree program. Individuals seek entrance for a variety of reasons: to prepare for graduate or professional school, often in a field different from their undergraduate major; to change a career or to catch up with recent developments in their current occupation; or to satisfy a personal intellectual interest.

Admission to the program is selective, based on the applicant’s academic and nonacademic experience and the intended plan of study. Continuing education students participate fully in classes and receive transcripts of grades. Deadlines for applications are April 15 for the fall semester, and November 15 for the spring. Further information is available from the Office of Continuing Education in West College.

Princeton University/New Jersey Community Colleges Partnership Program. Designed to enhance staff development at 13 New Jersey community colleges, this program encourages professional growth by renewing and expanding the contact of community college teachers and administrators with developments in their own or new fields. Admission is selective, and an applicant should have at least five years’ experience as a full-time teacher or administrator in a community college. There are two application deadlines, one in early November and one in early March, and applicants are notified of admission for the following academic year shortly after each application deadline. Further information and applications may be obtained by writing to the Mid-Career Fellowship Program, Dr. Linda Hodges, the McGraw Center, 328 Frist Campus Center, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544.

Qualifying Student. A qualifying student is admitted for one year as a probationary graduate student. Grounds for admission, as a qualifying student, are either an undergraduate program of study that does not qualify the candidate for full admission in the field applied to, or formal education that has been interrupted for a significant period of time. Applicants in this category must in every other respect qualify for graduate admission to Princeton. A qualifying student may take undergraduate courses or a combination of undergraduate and graduate courses in preparation for application in the chosen field. Admission as a degree candidate following this preparatory period is not automatic.

Qualifying students are charged full tuition and required fees, and normally they are not eligible for University financial support, including assistantships in instruction. Qualifying student status is tenable for one year only.

Visiting Student. A visiting student is a person who comes to Princeton for up to one year as a nondegree candidate. A visiting student typically has some particular need that can be met at Princeton, for example, consultation with a faculty member, enrollment in a specific course or courses, or the use of library or laboratory facilities. Visiting student status is tenable for one year only. Visiting students are charged full tuition and the required Student Health Plan (SHP) fee, may take courses for credit and receive an official transcript, and normally are not eligible for University financial aid, including assistantships in instruction.

Visiting student status may be extended beyond the normal one-year limit in cases where a degree candidate from another institution is accompanying a new faculty member to Princeton and where the student expects to spend more than one year at Princeton completing dissertation research for the Ph.D. from the home institution. (The student’s length of stay will be determined by the academic dean in consultation with the department and the new faculty member.) In these cases, students will be charged full tuition and required fees less any documented tuition charge and/or other mandatory fees assessed by the home institution.

Visiting Student Research Collaborator. A visiting student research collaborator is an advanced-degree candidate at another institution who applies to Princeton as a short-term, nondegree student to work with a specific Princeton faculty member on a research project that grows out of a specific collaboration or mutual research interest. Such students may visit for as little as one month or for as long as (but no longer than) 12 months. The visitor, or the faculty member whose laboratory the student is visiting, is charged reduced, prorated tuition and fees. Visiting student research collaborators may not take courses for credit or receive a University transcript. The department chair and the Graduate School must approve these appointments.

Degree Requirements

General Requirements. Advanced degrees are conferred by the trustees of the University five times each academic year, in September, November, January, April, and May or June. To be awarded an advanced degree, the candidate must fulfill the requirements of the department or program concerned, pay all necessary fees, and submit an application for the degree to the Graduate School by the established deadlines. When these obligations are met and the trustees have acted, the degree is recorded on the transcript.

Residence Requirement. The Graduate School is a community of scholars engaged in ongoing research, discussion, and scholarly exchange. Accordingly, except as approved by their departments and the Graduate School, candidates for advanced degrees are expected to be present on campus, using University resources to fulfill degree requirements and objectives, a majority of days per week for the academic term or year. Ph.D. candidates must be in residence for at least one academic year before standing for the general examination.

English Language Proficiency. In order to take full advantage of the education that Princeton University affords them, graduate students must possess a level of oral proficiency in the English language sufficient enough to participate successfully in all the various activities that comprise a graduate education, including classwork, research, and teaching. The English Language Program determines students’ English language needs and provides instruction and support to non-native speakers of English.

The Graduate School requires that all non-native speakers of English who have not earned their undergraduate degree at a United States college or university be tested early in the fall term for an acceptable level of oral proficiency (currently a 50 on the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit [SPEAK test]). Those who fall below this level are required to take an English-language course during the academic year before being retested with the Princeton Oral Proficiency Test (POPT). Students must have passed SPEAK or POPT in order to hold an assistantship in instruction.

Foreign Language Requirement. The foreign language requirement is set by each department. Some departments do not require knowledge of a foreign language; in others, the requirement consists of having knowledge of one or more languages, depending upon the student’s field.

Students are expected to fulfill the language requirement as soon as possible after enrolling by sustaining examinations stipulated by the department. An examination from another institution does not fulfill the Princeton requirement. Students should stand for at least one language examination early in the first term of their enrollment. (Students should address inquiries about departmental requirements to the appropriate director of graduate studies.) Candidates whose program includes a language requirement will not be reenrolled for a third year (fifth term) of study, or to the general examination, unless the requirement has been satisfied.

Summer Study. Many graduate students and faculty members pursue ongoing research and scholarship on campus, and resources are available so that all Ph.D. students may continue degree-related work throughout the year. Intensive summer foreign language courses, normally in French, German, Latin, and Spanish, are offered to provide students with the reading proficiency necessary to meet degree requirements. In addition, various departments sponsor special programs or conferences in these months.

Ph.D. Requirements and Procedures. By design, Princeton emphasizes comparatively short and intensive programs of doctoral study, and the number of graduate students who can be enrolled is limited by the educational and financial resources of the Graduate School. To qualify for the Ph.D., a candidate is required to pass the general examination in his or her subject, present an acceptable dissertation, and pass the final public oral examination. More detailed information on each of these requirements is given below, and additional information can be found under the specific fields of study.

Individual departments may set specific requirements of their own in addition to those of the Graduate School, including completing specific courses or a specified number of courses, sitting for special examinations prior to the general examination, or submitting a certain number of dissertation chapters. Each department sets its own policy regarding incomplete grades in graduate courses, auditing, or taking courses on a pass/fail basis. Students are urged to read carefully the specific department’s program descriptions and to confer with the director of graduate studies if they have any questions.

Course Work. Ordinarily, Ph.D. students take courses during their first two or three years of enrollment to prepare for the general examination, but they are encouraged to take courses after passing it if they wish to pursue a topic or area of special interest.

Transfer Credit. The Graduate School does not operate on a system of semester-hour credits. Therefore no provision exists for satisfying any portion of the degree requirements by transferring credit received for work done at other institutions. Students who have completed work elsewhere, however, should be able to present themselves for the general examination in a correspondingly shorter time, after meeting the Graduate School residence requirement and any departmental requirements, including that in languages.

General Examination. The general examination is designed to ascertain the student’s general knowledge of the subject, acquaintance with scholarly methods of research, and ability to organize and present material. As such it may consist of several parts, some testing comprehension of the field and others assessing potential for original, creative research. Advancement to continued candidacy for the Ph.D. requires passage of all parts of the general examination in addition to all other departmental requirements, thereby demonstrating both general competency in the field and the potential for original, creative research. The examination is comprehensive and is not restricted to the content of graduate courses. In most programs, students normally are not reenrolled to a third year (fifth term) of graduate study unless they have sustained the general examination and unless they have first fulfilled the residence as well as any applicable language or other departmental requirements.

At the discretion of the department, the elements of the general examination may be written, oral, or both. Departments may elect to administer the examination to a student within 10 consecutive days during one of the three examination periods, or, with the approval of the Graduate School, in two or more major parts during different examination periods. (In such cases only the final, cumulative grade is reported.) In either case, the examination is held during a stated 21-day period in October or January, or during a five-week period in April and May. No department is required to give the examination in more than two of the three examination periods each year.

The examination committee consists of three or more members, all of whom shall be authorized to supervise doctoral dissertations, and at least two of whom normally shall be on the faculty of Princeton University. Any external examiners must have standing in the scholarly community comparable to appointees to the Princeton faculty.

Graduate students who withdraw from the University in good standing before passing the general examination (and therefore are not enrolled) may present themselves for the examination with the approval of the dean on the advice of the department, provided they have met the residence and language requirements.

If a student fails the general examination, he or she may stand for reexamination within one year. If unsuccessful the second time, the student may not take the examination again, and degree candidacy is automatically terminated.

The Master of Arts degree is earned by students in the humanities (Master of Fine Arts in the composition section of music), natural sciences, and social sciences, who demonstrate substantial mastery of the field, as defined specifically by the individual department or program (for example, by a particular level of achievement in a set of courses and sustaining the comprehensive or general part of the general examination, where appropriate).

Termination of degree candidacy at the master’s level shall stand without further appeal unless new evidence of scholarly promise or capacity is provided by the student’s subsequent professional achievement as shown by scholarly publication. In the latter event, a recommendation may be made to the dean that the student be reenrolled to candidacy for the Ph.D.

Dissertation. The dissertation must show that the candidate has technical mastery of the field and is capable of doing independent research. This study must enlarge or modify current knowledge in a field or present a significant new interpretation of known materials. The Graduate School requires that all doctoral dissertations be written and submitted in English.

A candidate may submit the dissertation for official action only after having sustained the general examination. When the dissertation has been formally presented, the department takes action on the positive recommendation of at least two principal readers to request that the dissertation advance to the final public oral examination. Qualified principal readers are those who are authorized to supervise doctoral dissertations in the University (such as, regular faculty at the rank of assistant professor or higher, and certain others in senior research ranks). External readers must be of comparable standing in another university or in the non-academic research community. Each principal reader submits a written and signed dissertation reader’s report to the department. Two copies of the dissertation must be available for interested readers in the department prior to the final public oral examination. The dean’s office then authorizes the department to hold the final public oral examination.

If the candidate and/or the adviser want the dissertation to be reviewed for possible patentable results and subsequent patent application, either by the University or a non-University agent, or have the dissertation reviewed by an outside sponsor for proprietary information or results, these processes must be completed before the department requests to hold the final public oral examination.

Final acceptance of the dissertation is conditional on passing the examination. The candidate must deposit two bound copies and a CD of the dissertation in Adobe PDF format in the University archives at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library after the defense but not more than two weeks after successfully passing the final public oral examination. At that time the University archivist signs the final public oral examination report, which is then submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs in the Graduate School. Only after receiving this report is the candidate’s name added to the advanced-degree list for approval by the Trustees of Princeton University, as indicated on the degree application form.

Each candidate for the Ph.D. must submit with the dissertation five copies of an abstract of the dissertation. Abstracts should not exceed 350 words. Two copies of the abstract are to be bound with the copies of the dissertation. The other three copies are submitted separately: one copy is retained by the academic department, one is submitted to the Graduate School with the Request to Hold the Final Public Oral, and one is presented to the University archives with the copies of the dissertation.

At the time the copies of the dissertation are submitted to the department, the candidate must complete and sign the Microfilm Publication Agreement Form, or present documentary evidence to the satisfaction of the Graduate School that the thesis will be published and made available in another suitable form.

The Princeton University archivist assumes responsibility for liaison with the microfilming agency. In order that certain minimum standards of uniformity are observed in the publishing process, the University archivist has established a format for the thesis and procedures for its deposition with the University archives. A brochure about this may be obtained from the archivist’s office, as well as online. The CD-ROM copy of the dissertation is forwarded to ProQuest for incorporation into their dissertations database. ProQuest has contracted with Amazon.com to sell copies of dissertations to interested readers at low cost. Should sales of the dissertation amount to seven copies or more in any one calendar year, the writer is paid a 10-percent royalty on the total sales for that year. The abstract is printed in Dissertation Abstracts, which is widely distributed.

When a dissertation that has already been approved by the two principal readers is presented in complete form later than May 1, the department concerned is not under obligation to take action on it in time to enable the student to receive the degree at Commencement. In such cases the degree is conferred in September of the following academic year.

If a student presents a doctoral dissertation more than five years after he or she has passed the general examination, the department is not automatically obliged to receive it for consideration. In such cases the department must vote formally as a faculty as to whether or not it should receive the dissertation for review and examination.

Final Public Oral Examination. The final public oral examination is a final examination in the student’s field of study as well as a defense of the dissertation.

The department holds the final public oral examination after the Graduate School reviews and accepts the readers’ reports and is satisfied that all other requirements have been met. The department is required to post prominently the date, time, and place of the examination for a minimum of three days (including Saturday) between the dean’s authorization and the date of the examination, in order to assure the open, public character of the oral examination. There are at least three principal examiners, all of them normally members of the Princeton faculty at the rank of assistant professor or higher, at least two of whom have not been principal readers of the dissertation. The department then determines whether or not the candidate has passed the examination.

In case the examination is not sustained, the candidate may stand for it a second time after at least one year has passed. If unsuccessful a second time, the candidate is not permitted another opportunity to retake the examination, and Ph.D. candidacy is terminated. In cases where an appearance for the final public oral examination would constitute a substantial financial hardship for the candidate, the director of graduate studies may recommend to the dean of the Graduate School that the examination be waived.

Awards and Financial Assistance

University Awards. Two principal sources of graduate student financial support at Princeton University are University-sponsored fellowships and service awards. Applicants and continuing students also are encouraged to apply for support by external agencies and programs.

University fellowships generally are granted to all entering doctoral candidates for their first year of study, thereby freeing them from the need to conduct research activities or the obligation to teach in the first year. In some cases, the first-year University fellowship is replaced by an external fellowship (such as a Mellon Fellowship or a National Science Foundation [NSF] award) or by company sponsorship; in others, students may be admitted on a self-paying basis.

After the first year of study, it is common for the first-year University fellowship to be continued in the humanities, the social sciences, the School of Architecture, and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. In engineering and the natural sciences, it is standard for students to have their financial support replaced by assistantships in teaching and/or assistantships in research, or some combination of these two service awards. In the humanities and social sciences (including the School of Architecture and the Woodrow Wilson School), there are also opportunities in later years of study for teaching assistantships plus the occasional assistantship in research.

Master’s candidates often are not provided full fellowship funding in either their first year or in continuing years of study. These applicants are required to complete the Financial Resources Form in the Guide to Graduate Admission. Students who apply to a master’s program will not have their application considered without providing full information on the Financial Resources Form.

Fellowships. These awards are meant to assist students in devoting themselves full time to graduate study. They include University-funded fellowships, fellowships sponsored by corporate foundations and private donors, and various government-supported fellowships and traineeships.

Fellowships from University funds normally range from $17,000 (in 2006–07), representing an award of one half tuition, and one half of the required SHP fee, to $61,000 (in 2006–07), representing full tuition and the SHP fee and the maximum maintenance allowance for the year. Maintenance allowances are taxable and are paid in 12 monthly installments, beginning with the last business day in September. Fellowship amounts in excess of tuition and the SHP fee are taxable.

The Graduate School can cancel or reduce a student’s fellowship award if the student fails to maintain satisfactory academic standing. The Graduate School also can raise or lower maintenance allowances in accordance with the recommendations of the departments, the financial needs of students, and the availability of funds.

Students receiving a fellowship from a non-Princeton source are expected to accept that award and to notify immediately in writing the Office of the Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs. A non-Princeton award may be held concurrently with a University award, although Princeton reserves the right in all such cases to adjust the monetary value of its fellowship award according to Graduate School policies. Full tuition grants from outside sources in all cases replace a Princeton tuition award. The University will not permit students to waive out of its mandatory SHP.

Service Awards. Assistantships in instruction (AIs) and assistantships in research (ARs) are service awards offered to continuing students. Assistantships in research are given principally in engineering and the natural sciences, and can be offered as full appointments or as fractions of full appointments. In either case, an assistantship appointment always replaces a previously awarded University fellowship.

Aid applicants and continuing students are automatically considered for any available assistantships by their department. Negotiations concerning the appointment of an assistant are carried on by the department directly with the student.

Assistantships in Instruction. Depending upon the teaching needs of their department, AIs may be involved in some combination of classroom teaching, laboratory supervision, and grading in undergraduate courses. (Graduate students are not regularly appointed to teach in graduate-level courses.) A full appointment of six semester hours per term usually requires at least 18 hours of work per week: six contact hours plus up to 12 hours of preparation. In 2006–07, AIs on full, six-hour appointments for each of the two terms of the academic year receive compensation of $20,700 if they have not passed the general examination, and $22,350 if they have. Students holding non-Princeton fellowships may be appointed as AIs, and are paid at standard assistantship rates. In such cases, a teaching assistantship cannot exceed a six-semester-hour appointment per year. Such supplementation is not encouraged, and departments should plan to use teaching services of students when they are not holding such fellowships. Compensation of AIs is taxable. Students enrolled in absentia may not hold teaching assistantships.

When a department requires less than full-time teaching assistance, partial assistantships in instruction may be offered, and the compensation is prorated according to the amount of time devoted to teaching. An assistantship in instruction always replaces, in full or in part, a previously awarded University fellowship maintenance allowance.

Assistantships in Research. Assistants in research (ARs) are normally expected to devote approximately 20 hours per week to the research activities of the principal investigator with whom they are working. In 2006–07, ARs on full appointment for the academic year receive stipends of $19,300 if they have not passed the general examination, and $20,300 if they have. This compensation is taxable. The hours worked are arranged by the department, but they are arranged in such a way as to constitute an integral part of the student’s training. The student is expected, in addition, to carry a full program of study.

Less-than-full-time assistantships in research may be offered, and the compensation is prorated according to the amount of time devoted to research. This compensation is taxable.

Summer Support. Provision for summer support during all years of study is offered to all Ph.D. students in humanities and social science departments. Students in engineering and the natural sciences are normally supported through their department.

Educational Loans. Since it is not possible to support all students with full tuition and fellowship or assistantship grants, every student who is a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident may apply to borrow up to need under the terms of the Federal Stafford Loan Program after admission and thereafter to a maximum of $18,500, and/or under the Perkins Loan Program to a maximum of $6,000. Participation is limited to students who meet the federal eligibility criteria at the time they submit their loan application.

Ford Foundation Engineering Loans. Students in engineering and science who intend to pursue teaching careers may be eligible to borrow up to $3,000 under the Ford Foundation Engineering Loan Program.

Short-Term Loans. Loans also are available to assist students with short-term financial need. Generally, a short-term loan is authorized to meet an immediate financial need and must be repaid within the same academic year. International students are eligible for short-term loans and the Ford Foundation Engineering Loan Program.

For additional information on these loan programs, students should contact the Graduate School, 104 Clio Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544; call (609) 258-3028; or visit the Graduate School’s Web site at gradschool.princeton.edu/financial/loans/.

Federal Work-Study Program. Graduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and who plan to work on campus during the academic year or in the summer may apply for funding through the Federal Work-Study Program. To be eligible for participation in this program, a student must (1) show financial need as measured by a need-analysis form and (2) maintain satisfactory academic progress while employed.

Among eligible students, preference is given to students who show the greatest need. Participation also depends upon the annual allocation of work-study funds received by the University from the U.S. Department of Education. Students may work to earn the difference between Princeton’s estimate of their educational cost and other financial aid and resources that are available. Payment is on an hourly basis, and work must be approved by the Graduate School.

Newly admitted graduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents may apply for the Federal Work-Study Program after they have accepted Princeton’s offer of admission. Interested students may contact the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Life, 111 Clio Hall, for further information and application materials.

Students not eligible for work-study funding may still work, under the general guidelines of the section on employment below.

Fees and Charges

Tuition Fees and Other Charges. The cost of tuition and the mandatory SHP fee for 2006–07 is $34,000. The tuition charge covers all instructional services, 12-month use of the libraries, laboratory facilities, the gymnasiums, and University Health Services including the Counseling Center. The required SHP fee of $1,000 covers the student for 12 months.

University tuition and SHP fee bills are mailed monthly beginning in October. When a student receives less than full-fellowship support, the amount owed for tuition and the SHP fee is ordinarily deducted through the Payroll Office from the monthly paid fellowship, research and teaching assistantship stipends. University room, dining services, and incidental charges are also deducted from monthly stipends over a nine-month payment period. If the stipend deductions do not satisfy the amount due, the student is billed the remaining balance. These payments must be received within 10 days of the billing date. Remittance should be made by check, payable to Princeton University, and sent to the post office box address found on the bill. All payments must be made in U.S. dollars.

Failure to make prompt and suitable arrangements to pay bills may result in the student’s loss of good standing. Students not in good standing are not permitted to take the general examination or the final public oral examination, nor are they permitted to be on leave. They are not eligible to continue their studies into the next term, be reenrolled the following year, be given a transcript of their academic work, or continue receiving any University financial support.

If a student withdraws or goes on on-leave status during a term, the tuition and SHP fee are charged for the term as follows: from the date of registration, three weeks or less, 20 percent; up to six weeks, 40 percent; up to eight weeks, 60 percent; up to 10 weeks, 80 percent; more than 10 weeks, 100 percent. A student taking in-absentia status is not charged tuition. The SHP continues for students on University support, but self-paid students are required to pay the SHP fee.

Documents and Ph.D. Degree Fees. A documents fee of $75 is billed to all newly registered graduate students. This charge covers the degree fee for final master’s degrees and the incidental Master of Arts degree for continuing Ph.D. students, as well as the production of official University transcripts requested by graduate students.

Doctoral students are charged a fee of $70, payable to Princeton University, at the time that they turn in the final bound copies of their dissertation to the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library. This fee is used to help defray the costs of microfilming and printing dissertations ($55) and for a University diploma ($15). The cost of copyright fee, if desired, is an additional $45.

Policies

Preparation for Teaching. The Graduate School requires that all graduate students who are serving as AIs for the first time at Princeton attend AI-training workshops before beginning their teaching assignments. The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning provides these mandatory workshops approximately one week before the start of each academic term.

Employment Policy. The Graduate School considers employment beyond a maximum full-time term assistantship of 18 to 20 hours per week incompatible with full-time graduate study. If students and their departments judge that part-time employment is both manageable and necessary, however, the students may be employed either on or off campus (and wherever possible under the graduate Work-Study Program). These arrangements must be approved by the departmental director of graduate studies and the student’s dissertation adviser. If a research or a teaching assistantship is offered by the student’s department, it must be accepted rather than any off-campus position. International students are limited by U.S. federal regulations to 20 hours of employment while school is in session (including assistantship in research and assistantship in instruction appointments and any on-campus work). International students may not accept off-campus employment without authorization from either the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service or their J-1 program sponsor. International students should contact the international graduate student adviser at the Office of Visa Services, 120 Alexander Road; or via their Web site at web.princeton.edu/sites/visa.

Copyright and Patent Policy. The policy of Princeton University, as approved by the faculty and the trustees of the University, requires that every faculty member, employee, and student report to the University all copyright and patent applications filed on inventions made while the person is a member of the University, regardless of the fact that the University may have an equity only in certain cases. The policy further states that (1) the University has an equity in any invention that results from research supported by funds or utilizing facilities administered by the University, and (2) any agreement to assign or license an invention of this category must be approved by the University.

Requests for copies of either policy, or questions concerning copyright, inventions, and patents, should be referred to the Office of Research and Project Administration, New South Building.

Job Placement

Academic Placement in Departments. The academic departments assist students in searching for academic employment, either through a designated faculty placement officer or individual faculty members. These departments also keep dossiers of their current students and recent graduate alumni on file.

Graduate Fellowship and Postdoctoral Opportunities. The Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, 111 Clio Hall, advises currently enrolled students about fellowship opportunities for graduate research abroad. The Office of the Associate Dean for Finance and Administration, 104 Clio Hall, maintains files of information about non-Princeton and postdoctoral fellowship opportunities.

Career Services. Career Services, 201 Nassau Street, assists graduate students with academic and nonacademic job searches. Counseling staff, including a dedicated graduate career counselor, are available for individual counseling, focusing on career decision making as well as developing effective strategies for the job search. Students have access to on-campus interviews with business, government, and other employers seeking advanced-degree candidates, as well as the annual career fairs, which include business, government, technology, and nonprofit employers. Mock interview sessions, résumé and curriculum vitae reviews, workshops and career panels, and presentations are all available. Students also have access to alumni through the Alumni Careers Network, a database of alumni who have volunteered to provide career-related advice and assistance to students and alumni.

Alumni Networking. Among other resources available to graduate students is the vast international network of Princeton graduates. Alumni of the Graduate School participate actively in career networking with students at symposiums on career paths for advanced-degree holders, as well as other events, and through electronic discussions and mentoring programs. Additionally, among its many activities, the Association of Princeton Graduate Alumni (APGA) strongly supports graduate students through sponsoring summer travel grants, teaching awards, and events to recognize distinguished students and alumni.

Housing

The Graduate School’s policy is to provide housing for all first-year graduate students whose applications for University housing meet the announced deadline in mid-April, and to allocate housing so that it is available to an equal percentage of enrolled single students and students with dependents.

After all eligible first-year students have been housed, the following priority system applies: second-year students have first priority, third-year students second, and fourth-year students third. Fifth-year students should not expect to receive housing. If there are vacancies after all first- through fourth-year graduate students have been placed, however, housing will be offered to fifth-year students.

Most students can expect to be housed for three years. Enrolled students who need to remain in University housing for special personal and/or financial reasons may receive priority over other returning students if they submit an application for Hardship Housing. If the request is approved, the student receives priority in housing over returning students.

Additional information is provided in the booklet Housing and the Cost of Living for Graduate Students, which is sent to all newly admitted students.

Admission to the Graduate School

Application procedures for admission to the Graduate School are set forth in the Guide to Graduate Admission, available from the Office of Graduate Admission, Princeton University, P.O. Box 270, 001 Clio Hall, Princeton, New Jersey 08544-0270, and on the Web at gradschool.princeton.edu/admission/. Consideration is given to all complete applications received on or before the application deadline. Requests for financial aid do not affect an applicant’s chances for admission, as the Graduate School, together with the departments and programs, are able to offer relatively generous financial aid. Admission decisions are sent to applicants no later than March 15.

Applications are considered without regard to age, race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, or disability. In the 2005–06 academic year, there were 2,029 students enrolled in the Graduate School, 2,010 of whom were degree candidates.

Students may find academic and employment data helpful in deciding whether or not to apply to the Graduate School. Recent experience of full-time degree candidates indicates that approximately 96 percent of an entering class return to the second year of study, 79 percent of that group return to the third, and 85 percent of those return to the fourth. The overall completion rate for the Ph.D. within seven years after a student’s initial enrollment is approximately 60 percent, although this time varies considerably by individual department. The average time to the Ph.D. over all departments, however, is considerably less than seven years; in 2005–06, the average time to the Ph.D. was 5.62 years. In 2005–06, over the whole Graduate School, 288 Ph.D.’s were awarded. Of these, 59 found employment in academic jobs, 142 held postdoctoral positions, and 75 were in nonacademic jobs. More detailed completion or placement information by department or program and by year about Ph.D. or master’s degree students is available from the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School, Princeton University, P.O. Box 255, Princeton, New Jersey 08544-0255.

Registration. All graduate students are required to register online in early September in order to receive their graduate awards and other University benefits to which they are entitled. Failure to register results in a loss of these benefits. The date, time, and place of orientation and new student sign-in are announced in students’ admission and reenrollment information. Students not able to register at this time should inform the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs staff as soon as possible in order to make special arrangements. Students should communicate with their departments well in advance of registration to learn of any departmental schedules that they must meet. International students must be lawfully present in the United States as a condition of registration. The Office of the Dean of the Graduate School has the authority to grant exceptions to this policy.

Reenrollment. Reenrollment is the annual process whereby every department and the Graduate School evaluate the academic progress of graduate-degree candidates. The reenrollment process, which is conducted during the latter half of the spring term, is often supplemented by other departmentally specific evaluations conducted at different times during the academic year (for example, doctoral students’ thesis committee meetings, which may occur once or at several times during an academic year). Students are encouraged to participate actively in the annual reenrollment process by preparing their own written statement describing academic progress during the current year, and goals and objectives for the coming year. All students eligible for reenrollment, including those writing dissertations, must make formal application each year through their individual department. Students who have satisfied all academic requirements within their department and demonstrated their readiness for continuing graduate work are offered reenrollment no later than June; others are notified about reenrollment when a basis for judgment is available.

Satisfactory academic progress is measured by the department. For students who have not yet taken the general examination, this includes completing high-quality work in courses and seminars, satisfying the residence and language requirements, and performing effectively in any assistantship or research position the student may hold. For students who have sustained the general examination, significant progress toward the completion of the dissertation is the central criterion. The Graduate School holds that academic programs should be completed quickly, compatible with good training, and therefore approves requests for reenrollment for the department’s normal program length plus up to but no more than two additional years of Dissertation Completion Enrollment status.

Dissertation Completion Enrollment. Enrolled Ph.D. students who have not completed their degree within their department’s normal program length (either four or five years, as specified by the department and the Graduate School) have the opportunity to be enrolled for up to two additional years in Dissertation Completion Enrollment (DCE) status. Eligible students apply for this status during the annual reenrollment process in the last year of their normal program length, and must be approved by their department and the Graduate School Office based on criteria for satisfactory academic progress (see above). Students in DCE status are fully and formally enrolled graduate students, working full-time to complete degree requirements. DCE students may be enrolled as regular (in residence) or In Absentia students (pursuing their work away from Princeton). In both cases, a marginal-cost tuition and the mandatory Student Health Plan fee will be charged. (In academic year 2006–07, these combined charges are $4,500.)

In-Absentia Status. Students may be recommended for reenrollment with in-absentia status if they are working full time on degree requirements not at the University and are present on campus less than a majority of days per week for an academic term or year. In-absentia status is granted for one year at a time, for up to two years, normally to students who have successfully completed the general examination. Students are encouraged to seek financial aid outside the University for the time spent in absentia. Students in absentia are considered fully enrolled graduate students and are required to register formally; all appropriate University benefits, with the exception of housing, are continued.

On-Leave Status. On the recommendation of the departmental director of graduate studies, the Graduate School may grant up to a year’s leave of absence at any one time to students in good standing. Leaves are granted for personal reasons, when the student will not be actively pursuing an academic course of study in fulfillment of Princeton’s degree requirements.

Students on leave have withdrawn formally from the graduate program and are not considered enrolled or registered students. Accordingly, no University student benefits continue. An extension of up to one additional year may be granted if the student so requests, but no longer. At that point, if the student does not return to the graduate program, his or her degree candidacy is terminated. In order to return to graduate work at a later time, the student must formally reapply. Leaves should be timed, whenever possible, to come at the end of a term, preferably at the end of a full academic year. Reenrollment after leave is subject to confirmation of continued professional suitability and a written request for reenrollment.

Withdrawal. A student who considers withdrawing from the Graduate School during the academic year should first discuss it with his or her director of graduate studies. If the student decides to withdraw, then he or she should communicate that decision in writing to both the director of graduate studies and the associate dean for academic affairs in the Graduate School. The student would then complete an end-of-enrollment form and return it to the department for a signature. All books must be returned to the library, and all financial obligations to the University must be cleared. A student withdrawing during the year who has been paid a stipend for any period of time beyond the date of withdrawal must refund the overpayment to the University.

Termination. The Graduate School may terminate a student’s degree candidacy when, upon the recommendation of the department, the student has not made satisfactory academic progress or when a student on leave has not requested reenrollment. In the case of Ph.D. students in particular, degree candidacy terminates automatically after a second failure of the general examination or after five years from the date of the student’s having passed the general examination if the student has not maintained regular contact with the department and the dissertation adviser.