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Graduate Student Responsibilities

The Graduate Catalog and the Department’s Graduate Programs and Policies constitute your contract with the University. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with these documents. If you have questions about Department or Graduate School policy, contact the Graduate Program Assistant or the Graduate Coordinator.

Communicate Effectively with UF and the Department

  1. Keep your contact information updated. In addition to updating your contact information through myUFL, please inform the Graduate Program Assistant by email when your information changes.
  2. All graduate students are required to be on the departmental graduate student listserv, which is used only for departmental messages and announcements, including announcements of funding. Messages for this listserv originate with the office staff, the department chair or the departmental graduate coordinator. We can only use your ufl.edu address for this listserv.

Develop a Course of Study

  1. Supervisory committee composition and meeting. We expect you to have a supervisory committee chair by the end of your first semester at each degree level and a complete supervisory committee by the end of your second semester. We expect you to arrange meetings with your committee at least once each year.
  2. Development of course track. You may choose a specialized, multifield or interdisciplinary track. Courses on this track must be selected through discussions with your committee. Your course track should reflect your research interests and enable you to develop professionally (refer to #2 and #3 in the next section.) More information on choosing a track.
  3. Specifications of research interests. Work with your faculty advisors to develop your thesis or dissertation research proposal. You may also be invited to participate in faculty research, for which assistantships may be available.

Maintain Satisfactory Progress as a PhD Student

The Department defines satisfactory progress for graduate students as success in four areas:

  1. Coursework. We expect you to maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 overall and 3.5 for Anthropology coursework. You must have no more than one Incomplete Grade or No Grade. We expect you to complete Proseminar I and II in the fall and spring of your first year or to have written approval of the Graduate Coordinator for exemption from or postponement of the courses. Explore the full list of requirements.
  2. Progress towards the degree. We expect you to make progress in defining your research interests, fulfilling degree requirements, completing comprehensive and qualifying exams, undertaking field research and specialized training and seeking funding opportunities. If you enter the program with a BA, we expect you to earn the MA in 2 years. You should be preparing to take your comprehensive exam within 2 years after you earn the MA or 2 years after you enter the program with an MA.
  3. Professional development: You should be developing papers or posters for presentation at national and international meetings and for publication in professional journals.
  4. Refer to: Ph.D. Milestones.

Monitor and Record Your Progress and Files

  1. Transcripts. At the end of each semester, check your transcript in ONE.UF, including your grades and GPA. You must have no more than one Incomplete Grade or No Grade at a time. Your transfer of credit and advancement into candidacy will also show up in ONE.UF.
  2. GIMS (Graduate Information Management System). Periodically verify your information in GIMS to check that your degree program and supervisory committee are listed correctly. Contact the Graduate Program Assistant to make any changes.
  3. Your Department file. Your file in the Graduate Program office (Turlington 1112) is the Department’s record of your progress and our correspondence with you. You may submit any documents to your department file. Keep copies of important documents.
  4. Annual Self-evaluation. In April of each year, all graduate students will be evaluated. Submit a completed Graduate Student Annual Report to your committee chair and to the Graduate Program Assistant by April 1. Your committee chair will prepare a Graduate Student Annual Evaluation and give a copy to you and to the Graduate Program Assistant. Faculty meet by subfields to discuss student progress. If a lack of progress in any area is indicated on the evaluation, the supervisory committee chair should indicate what actions must be taken by the student and the deadline for completing those actions. Continued failure to make satisfactory progress may result in suspension of fellowship and assistantship support or dismissal from the graduate program. For more information, please review our Annual Performance Evaluations and Merit Pay policy
  5. Refer to: Readmission.

Establish Florida Residency

We strongly recommend you apply for Florida residency if at all possible. Submit documentation to establish residency to The Office of the University Registrar.