AHMA students are subject to the University’sNormative Time policy defined as “the elapsed time (calculated to the nearest semester) that students would need to complete all requirements for the doctorate.” Students are required to: (a) be registered each semester; and (b) satisfy all requirements for the PhD, from entrance with either a BA or an MA to completion of the dissertation, within a period of seven years. An additional two semesters in absentia (i.e., semesters in which a student is not registered) may be added only to engage in research on primary sources that are not available on campus; AHMA students therefore normally dedicate these two semesters to fieldwork (see section II.5).
Students admitted to AHMA without having previously earned an MA degree (“Pre-MA students”) are considered to be making satisfactory progress in the AHMA program if they complete Stage I (receiving the MA degree, if desired) by the end of the fifth semester and complete Stage II (all PhD requirements except the dissertation) by the end of the eighth semester. Students admitted to AHMA with an MA degree (“Post-MA students”) are considered to be making satisfactory progress in the AHMA program if they successfully petition to proceed by the end of their third semester and complete all other requirements for the PhD Except the dissertation by the end of the eighth semester. This allows for two years (plus, if absolutely necessary, two semesters when a student is in absentia from the university), for the writing of the dissertation. The dissertation must be completed in no more than four years after completion of the Qualifying Examination.
Students not making adequate progress at any stage of the program may be subject to academic probation and, eventually, dismissal, in accordance with the Guide to Graduate Policy
Students who withdraw from the University must apply for readmission in order to register. They must also recertify their status as a California resident when applying for readmission. Students who register in absentia are considered continuously registered and are not required to apply for readmission. In order to be eligible for the Dissertation Completion Fellowship (DCF), doctoral students are allowed a maximum of two semesters of withdrawal (documented by petition) for medical and parental leave only prior to advancement to candidacy. In absentia registration and withdrawals for research or other academic purposes will count towards accrued time to degree. Students must be within normative time to advancement in order to be eligible for the DCF.
Candidacy for the PhD lapses if a dissertation has not been filed within two years after the student’s normative time in candidacy has been exceeded. For AHMA students, this will occur at the end of the ninth year in the program. The Head Graduate Advisor may request an extension of a student’s candidacy if the student is otherwise making adequate progress and if the delay can be attributed to factors largely beyond the student’s control. AHMA only allows an extension of a single semester. If there is evidence that the student has renewed progress toward completing degree requirements, and previously completed requirements (coursework and QE) are still valid, the program can request reinstatement of candidacy for that student.