The Graduate School requires all master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral students to submit an annual report of academic progress. At a minimum, the Graduate School requires students to report on:
Academic program faculty or administrators may require additional indicators of performance or achievement to accommodate the needs of their programs. Faculty mentors (advisors) are required to review their advisees’ annual reports to assess satisfactory progress toward degree completion. The director of graduate studies and/or department chair/director may also review student progress.
The definition of satisfactory progress and procedures for its verification may vary among departments/programs. If a department/program has instituted guidelines that differ from those applying generally to graduate students, these guidelines should be made available to students from their entrance into the graduate degree program. If a student is authorized to diverge from progress guidelines established by either the department/program or the Graduate School, this must be documented in written form and endorsed by the student’s advisor and DGS.
If at any point in your graduate program you feel you are not making progress or have questions about how your program or the Graduate School understands your progress, please contact your program’s director of graduate studies or an academic advisor in the Graduate School. Please also take advantage of various services and resources that the Graduate School and academic colleges make available to serve students.
Academic process and academic progress are closely related aspects of a graduate education at the University of Missouri. It is important to know what these concepts mean and how they interact as you make your way through your graduate program.
Academic process might be seen as a series of milestones that mark your graduate career.
Reasonable rate of progress is governed by both the campus-wide policies of the Graduate Faculty Senate and academic program regulations, which may be more restrictive. Dismissal on account of failure to satisfy the rate of progress policies is handled by a Request for Extension.
In addition, the program for the doctoral degree must be completed within five years of passing the comprehensive examination. Individual departments or area programs may stipulate a shorter time period.
Time spent in the armed services will not count toward the five-year time limit.
For an extension of this time, the student must petition the Graduate School by submitting a request to their advisor, who in turn submits a written recommendation to the Graduate School that has been endorsed by the department, division, or area program director of graduate studies.
Learn MoreTime spent in the armed services will not count toward the eight-year limit.
For an extension of this time, the student must petition the Graduate School by submitting a request to their advisor, who, in turn, submits a written recommendation to the Graduate School that has been endorsed by the department, division, or area program director of graduate studies.
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