Annual Mentoring Plan for Graduate Students
Effective mentoring plays a central role in the scholarly and professional development of graduate students, and research suggests that completing a written mentoring plan and revisiting it each year helps advisors and advisees to communicate clearly about expectations, goals, and challenges. Accordingly, every year, Women’s and Gender Studies requires faculty members and their primary advisees to complete a written mentoring plan, which should be submitted to WGS Graduate Program Coordinator by October 15. In early September, the DGS circulates an Annual Mentoring Plan template that may be helpful for advisors and advisees to use, but those who complete a mentoring plan for another department may submit a duplicate of that plan to WGS rather than filling out two different forms.
Annual Progress Reports
All students are required to complete the Annual Progress Report (APR) for Women’s and Gender Studies near the end of the Winter term (exact due date is subject to variation, but will never be before March 10 or after April 10). All students should plan to meet with their primary advisors as part of this annual review. The purpose of the academic progress report is to: 1) document and reflect on each student’s progress as a teacher and scholar; 2) create an annual opportunity for students to meet with their advisors about their efforts; and 3) offer students written feedback about their progress from the WGS Doctoral Programs Committee.
Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship Training (RCRS)
Effective for new students beginning in the fall 2014 term, all PhD students are required to complete training in the responsible conduct of research and scholarship before advancing to candidacy. The training requires at least eight hours of face-to-face contact between students and faculty members, with more than one faculty member involved. In keeping with the joint Women’s and Gender Studies PhD programs practice not to duplicate requirements required by our disciplinary partners, Women’s Studies joint students should all participate in the RCRS activities through their other departments. This discipline-based plan is particularly important given the wide variation in research and writing norms in our three existing programs (English, Psychology and History). In addition, Women’s and Gender Studies will exceed the 8-hour requirement by providing supplemental training that specifically addresses interdisciplinary Women’s and Gender Studies training. This supplemental training will be provided in the required first-year course WGS 501. The training will center on interdisciplinary discussion around questions of ethics and knowledge production. Specific areas where training will be provided include: (1) Introductory readings taught in the course that address knowledge production and Women’s and Gender Studies; and (2) Discussions of publication strategies and professional activity. The above plan will allow students to meet the standards of their disciplines as well as discuss the interdisciplinary dimensions of ethical norms in their research, writing and professional activity.
Women’s and Gender Studies 891 and Preliminary Examinations
Preliminary exams are conducted according to the requirements of each department. WGS 891 is an advanced research project conducted under the guidance of an individual faculty member in the context of an interdisciplinary committee. The 891 project and its discussion at an oral exam serve as the preliminary examination in Women’s and Gender Studies.
Dissertation Prospectus/Proposal
The prospectus is a student’s proposal or plan for dissertation research and writing. Please see the individual program descriptions for specific information. Please remember to file a copy of your prospectus with the Women’s and Gender Studies Graduate Office.
The Dissertation
Students normally spend their fourth and fifth years researching and writing the dissertation. The dissertation topic is expected to draw fully from theories and methods in both Women's and Gender Studies and the student's other discipline. You should expect to meet with the Chair or Co-Chairs of your committee regularly for advice, guidance and discussion as you begin to write the dissertation. In general, your Chair or Co-Chairs will read and comment on any written work before you submit it to the rest of the committee. You should discuss with your chair when it is most appropriate to ask for feedback from other committee members. This kind of consultation is particularly important with an interdisciplinary dissertation. Students are expected to meet with their full dissertation committee at least once a year.
It is recommended that all students review Rackham's Doctoral Students website for procedures on obtaining the doctoral degree. Rackham offers a detailed step-by-step breakdown of all the Doctoral Steps along the way.
For a taste of prior joint PhD student dissertations, students can browse the dissertation titles page of our website with links to DeepBlue.
The Dissertation Committee
The dissertation committee is comprised of at least four members and must be interdisciplinary. At least one member is to be affiliated with Women's and Gender Studies and at least one is to be drawn from the student's other department. However, to insure depth of involvement from one unit, we recommend that two members be affiliated with either Women's and Gender Studies or the student's other department.
Enrollment in 990/995: Continuous Enrollment Policy
The Dean and the Executive Board of the Rackham Graduate School have adopted a continuous enrollment for PhD students at the University of Michigan, effective Fall Term 2010. Once admitted to a PhD program, students register every fall and winter term until their degree is awarded, unless they are on an official Extramural Study or Leave of Absence status. Students will only register for a spring/summer term if they elect courses, take preliminary examinations, or defend their dissertations. Students must be enrolled during the dissertation defense term and in the term during which all requirements for the degree are met (if different than that oral defense term).
PhD candidates must work actively toward their dissertations. As a candidate, enrollment in the 995 course is not only required due to the Rackham Continuous Enrollment policy, but it also provides library and computer privileges and permits students to take one additional course per term. Those who have not yet achieved candidacy but are working on their dissertations should register for the 990 course.
Rackham Pre-Defense and Post-Defense Meetings
As you approach your dissertation defense, you should consult the Rackham Dissertations Office and schedule a Pre-Defense Meeting. You will need to work closely with this office to insure timely and accurate completion of all requirements for the dissertation, including the formatting guidelines for your dissertation. Please notify the graduate office in both Women's and Gender Studies and your department of the date of your defense.
