(See also: History Gray Book)
Screening is an assessment of a student’s progress in the joint program, and favorable screening signifies the faculty’s confidence in the student’s potential and faculty commitment to assisting the student toward completion of the PhD. It is a positive achievement that students must earn, not a mere formality. Normally, students are screened after three semesters of full-time enrollment; however, students who enter the joint PhD program with an MA in History may ask to be screened after the completion of two semesters of full-time enrollment.
The following academic requirements must be met before screening:
- one foreign language requirement fulfilled
- successful completion of History 615 (designated studies course)
- successful completion of History 715; the final version of the research paper should be submitted to the graduate committee
- successful completion of one additional 600-level studies course (History 611 for US-ists)
- GPA of 3.55 or higher (between B+ and A- on a 4-point scale). If your GPA is below this standard, the graduate committee may still recommend positive screening on the basis of significant improvement over time
- Three faculty members (at least two of whom are in the History Department and one of whom is affiliated with Women’s and Gender Studies) willing to serve on your prelim committee
- One History faculty member willing to chair the prelims committee
- One History faculty member willing to chair the dissertation committee
- Prelim fields defined
Role of Faculty Advisor
One key to successful screening is effective and ongoing consultation between the student and the faculty advisor with whom they will be working on the preliminary exams and the dissertation. Together, they should begin planning for prelims, determining the student’s prelim fields and the appropriate faculty members to serve on your prelim committee as well as an anticipated schedule for taking prelims. Students should initiate this discussion by the beginning of the fall term of the second year by meeting with their advisor and subsequently with the other members of the anticipated prelim committee.
The History faculty makes the final screening decision collectively. At least one faculty member with a joint appointment in History and Women’s and Gender Studies must be present at the History graduate committee meeting when joint students are discussed. An unfavorable decision will result in the student being asked to leave the program. Such a decision may be appealed if evidence has been overlooked or incorrectly represented. Under special circumstances, a decision can be deferred until the beginning of the fifth term.
