Ph.D. in Political SciencePolicies and Procedures Manual

Department of Public and International AffairsGeorge Mason University

Effective August 2011

Table of Contents

I. Program Overview ………………………………………………………….…..3

II. Program Administration ………………………………………………………4

III. Program Requirements ……………………………………………………….4

IV. Research Proficiency …………………………………………………………… 6V. Expected Learning Outcomes …………………………………………….. 6VI. Assessment of Student Learning ……………………………………….. 7VII. Description of the Curriculum …………………………………………….. 7VIII. Courses for the Degree …………………………………………………….….

10IX. Secondary Program ……………………………………………………………..

11X. Minor Field …………………………………………………………………………… 12XI. Foreign Language as Methods Elective …………………………….… 12XII. Reduction of Credits ………………………………………………………….…

13XIII. Auditing a Course ………………………………………………………………..

15XIV. Arrangements for Experiential Learning …………………………….. 15XV. GOVT 796—Directed Readings and Research ……………………. 16XVI. Conference Support …………………………………………………………….

17XVII. Qualifying Exams ………………………………………………………………….

18XVIII. Dissertation Committee ……………………………………………………….

19XIX. Dissertation Proposal……………………………………………………………..20XX. Advancement to Candidacy…………………………………………………..21XXI. Govt. 999 – Dissertation Guidance …………………………………….. 23XXII. George Mason University Graduate Policies………………………… 25XXIII. Department Faculty ……………………………………………………………. 40

FORMSEducation Plan for PhD in Political Science ………………………..………… 45Graduate Committee Formation ………………………………………..………….

47GOVT 998—Dissertation Proposal Time Line ………………………..……… 48

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Reduction of Credits ……………………………………………………..……………….49

GOVT 796—Directed Readings and Research ……………..………………. 50Individualized Section Form …………………………………………..……………..

51Course Audit Form …………………………………………………………………………

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RESOURCES FOR STUDENTSOffice of Research Subject Protections ……………………………….……….. XXAPSA Style Manual for Political Science ………………………..…………….. XX

I. PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The objective of the Ph.D. program is to prepare political scientists for professional careers in research and/or teaching by combining academic education in the field with opportunities for experience within the kinds of complex domestic and international political organizations they are studying. Graduates will be scholars and teachers, but experience-based understanding will enhance their analytic skills. Our location in the metropolitan Washington D.C. area and abundant links to political institutions make us a prime location for this new kind of political science degree. Our large and distinguished faculty offers both depth and breadth in the scholarship of the four primary fields of the degree: a) the institutions and processes of American government b) international relations c) comparative politics and d) public administration. Students also have the opportunity in this program to take advantage of the courses in other GMU graduate programs, such as the School of Public Policy, the Center for Global Affairs, the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, and the Global Affairs program. The program allows and encourages students, if they so choose, to obtain experiential opportunities with governmental or political organizations or with the firms and non-profit organizations that are concerned with politics, administration and government. Students will have opportunities to experience government and politics first-hand in domestic and international political organizations such as parties, lobbying groups, think-tanks, international institutions and non-governmental organizations, academic journals and journals of political opinion, as well as congressional and Executive offices. Our faculty’s working links with many of these governmental and non-governmental organizations enable us to help students find and make good use of these learning opportunities. The object

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of the experiential learning element of the program is to provide students with the opportunity to understand and apply the analytic concepts of the academy in settings they are designed to explain. Students will emerge from their experiences in political organizations with a more critical, nuanced, and complex understanding of the concepts that have been used to account for political processes and institutions. Subjects from legislative redistricting to sustainable development can be studied in both the scholarly literature and in the field. This opportunity can help provide scholars and teachers with the insight and experience to expand academic understanding and make genuine contributions to the domestic and international institutions in which they have worked and studied. This educational model, patterned after the American Political Science Association’s Congressional Fellows Program, sets us apart from other Metro area universities and makes us additionally attractive to students.

II. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

The program is administered by the Political Science Graduate Director, and the Graduate Coordinator. The Graduate Director takes the lead in proposing policy changes, and in chairing and appointing curriculum and admissions committees, making assistantship appointments, organizing comprehensive examinations, and making recommendations on Thesis and Dissertation committee membership to the Chair. The Graduate Coordinator administers the program procedures, including responding to information requests, communicating information about requirements and changes in status to students, and tracking application and graduation forms.

The Admissions, chaired by the Political Science Graduate Director, will make determinations regarding admissions and the awarding of assistantships and fellowships. Decisions about whether each student has made adequate progress and may continue in the program will be made by a Faculty Review Committee for the Political Science program, composed of two members from each field with a rotating chair. A faculty member will be assigned to facilitate student efforts to find opportunities for experiential learning.

III. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The program allows students to specialize in one of four fields: American politics and Government, International Relations, Comparative Politics or

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Public Administration. Courses in Political Theory and Research Methods are required of students in all fields. The degree requires 72 hours of course-work divided among: core courses; advanced courses in the student’s major and minor fields; supporting courses that can be taken outside the Department; research methods courses; experiential learning; and dissertation guidance.

The course work is allocated as follows:

Core Courses: 9 credits chosen from five core courses: GOVT 510, GOVT 520, GOVT 530, GOVT 540, and GOVT 550.

Major Field Courses: at least 21 credits of advanced course work divided between two major fields (American government and politics, public administration, international relations, or comparative politics).

Minor Field Courses: at least 9 credits of advanced coursework in a third field to be designed by the student and advisor to complement the major fields and with written approval of student’s advisor on the education plan.

Methodology Courses: 9 credits to include Research Methods in Political Science (GOVT 500), Problem Solving and Data Analysis (GOVT 711), and one other course in quantitative or qualitative methods. The last of the three methodology courses should be tailored to the student’s dissertation research needs. Language coursework and proficiency may count as the third methodology course with approval.

Electives: at least 12 credits in electives. Six (6) credits may come from practical experience in the field.

Dissertation Proposal (GOVT 998): 3-6 credits.

Dissertation Guidance (GOVT 999): 1-12 credits.

Continuous Registration (Govt 998 and Govt 999)

Once enrolled in GOVT 998, Dissertation proposal, a student must maintain continuous registration in GOVT 998 or 999 each semester (not including summers) until the dissertation is submitted to and accepted by the University Library.

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IV. RESEARCH PROFICIENCY

In the course of fulfilling these requirements or independently, students must demonstrate proficiency in either statistical, mathematical and computational techniques or in one foreign language at an advanced level of reading and comprehension. Proficiency will be determined by satisfactory coursework or by exam at the time of the Comprehensive exam.

V. EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

Graduates from the program will demonstrate superior academic skills in the field of Political Science. They will complete introductory courses in four fields of the discipline and then develop a major and minor concentration from among the fields of American Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, or Public Administration. Students may also apply their classroom learning in positions appropriate to their scholarly interests throughout the Washington D.C. community if they avail themselves of the opportunity for institutional experience. In addition to completing their coursework and passing a Comprehensive examination in their areas of specialization, students must demonstrate proficiency in both statistics and quantitative methods or one foreign language. These requirements are distinct from the research methodology requirements of the degree. By the time students reach candidacy, they are expected to possess the quantitative and/or qualitative skills to design an original research project for their doctoral dissertation. All dissertations satisfying the requirements for graduation will make an independent scholarly contribution to the academic discipline of Political Science. Students are required to present their research findings in both written and oral formats.

VI. ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING

Doctoral students and candidates are assessed in a number of ways throughout the program. Scholarly ability is evaluated through course grading in seminar-style classes, with a focus on the research projects students produce. Oral and written skills will be considered in course grading. Students will also be evaluated by a faculty review committee after

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30 hours (18 hours for those entering with an MA degree) to assess their suitability for Ph.D. work. After students have completed their coursework and demonstrated proficiency in either statistics or a foreign language, they are required to take a Comprehensive Examination in their two primary fields of specialization. A committee of faculty will evaluate the dissertation proposal for originality, feasibility, comprehensiveness, and its likelihood to make a scholarly contribution to the field. Upon successful completion of the dissertation proposal, the student advances to candidacy and begins the dissertation. The dissertation itself will be assessed using rigorous criteria. Only research projects that make an original and positive contribution to the fundamental understanding of government and politics will be deemed to satisfy the dissertation requirement for the doctorate.

VII. DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRICULUM

American Government and Politics: The field of American government and politics examines the principles, processes, institutions, behaviors and development of the American political system. The curriculum in this field is designed to provide a strong knowledge base and the analytical skills that will enable students to understand, evaluate, and critique the complex interdependencies of American politics. The Department is particularly strong in American institutions which form the basis for understanding of political behavior and governmental processes. Federalism and state and local politics are well developed areas as well, thanks to our long-established offerings in public administration. We have a growing expertise in political behavior and political development. Moreover, public forums in American politics at the Woodrow Wilson Center Institution, numerous Washington area think-tanks, and at other metro-area universities further enrich the intellectual setting for the Ph.D. program.

International Relations. The field of International Relations focuses on the changing structure of international politics, including post cold war security issues, the rise of international terrorism, foreign policy development, international political economy—including the effects of economic globalization, the information technology revolution, and the enhanced role of global corporations and nongovernmental organizations--and the rise of other nonsecurity issues on the emerging international agenda, from environmental policy to human rights. Our approach, influenced by the reality of globalization, is grounded in the belief that the intersection between domestic politics and international affairs is of increasing importance in this globalized and interconnected world, and that a

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theoretical approach that aims to unite the theoretical and conceptual concerns of both comparative politics and international affairs best prepares students to analyze the complex political dynamics that today affect global peace and stability. Our International Relations faculty include specialists on the full range of issues that concern contemporary international affairs, including security policy, foreign policy, international political economy, war and peace, post-colonial and ethnic politics, ethics in international affairs, and human rights and humanitarian intervention. Many are also area studies specialists.

Comparative Politics. The field of Comparative Politics focuses on the governance processes and institutions of other nations and regions of the world, as well as the comparative and cross-national analysis of political institutions, processes, and behavior. Comparative politics faculty at George Mason University are grounded in specific areas of expertise common to the sub-field of comparative politics, such as democratization, political parties and other democratic institutions, state-society relations, revolutions, warfare, social movements, ethnic politics, and political economy. Many also bring expertise as area studies specialists in the key regions of the world, including the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, Central and East Asia, and Africa. In addition to the rich course offerings in International Relations and Comparative Politics, students have the opportunity to attend an extraordinary number of talks by academics, political leaders, and officials from around the world in the Greater Washington D.C. area. Our location affords students the opportunity to participate in forums organized by other area universities, think tanks, advocacy groups, governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations such as the Organization of American States, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Public Administration. The field of public administration examines how government and other sectors work to achieve policy goals and objectives through various forms of collective action. The curriculum in this field traditionally has focused on the organization and management of public bureaucracies and their contributions to public policy outcomes. However, reflecting recent trends allocating authority and responsibility for the delivery of public services to such nongovernmental actors as private profit and nonprofit organizations, the field has expanded to include a focus on whether and how networks of public and private actors collaborate to achieve public objectives.  The field also has become more global as public management practices and theories are diffused across national and regional administrative settings. George Mason’s public administration program has been among the nation’s leaders in incorporating this shift into the core of its curriculum. Our faculty’s research interests include work on accountability in third party governance, public management and organization theory, privatization, nonprofit governance, intergovernmental management, and

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homeland security.  In addition, many of the faculty maintain strong ties to the world of public management practice, including involvement as Fellows of the National Academy of Public Administration, consultant roles with federal and nonprofit agencies and active participation in public management associations.  George Mason’s public administration program also enjoys advantages from our location in suburban Washington, D.C., which provides easy access to a wide array of national and international organizations, firms, and think tanks, as well as to the institutions and agencies of the federal government. PhD students have many opportunities for exposure to the numerous conferences and forums held on public management issues in the Washington area by such organizations as the National Academy of Public Administration, the Brookings Institution, the World Bank, the Urban Institute and the Council on Excellence in Government.

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VIII. COURSES FOR THE DEGREE

Foundation Courses: 9 credits from the following:

GOVT 510 American Politics GOVT 520 Political Theory GOVT 530 Comparative PoliticsGOVT 540 International Relations and Comparative Politics** GOVT 550 Public Administration

Methodology Courses

GOVT 500 Research Methods**GOVT 711 Problem Solving and Data Analysis I (requires taking and passing a statistics screening exam prior to class registration.)

One additional course in quantitative or qualitative methods is required. The last of the three methodology courses should be tailored to the student’s dissertation research needs. Language coursework and proficiency may count as the third methodology course work with approval on the education plan form.

Courses for the Field in American Government

Required Seminars: (2 of the following 4 seminars are required)GOVT 603 Seminar in Courts and Constitutional LawGOVT 604 Seminar in Congress and Legislative BehaviorGOVT 605 Seminar on the Presidency GOVT 706 Seminar in Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations

Courses for the Field of Comparative Politics(the following 2 seminars are required)

Required Seminars:GOVT 631 Seminar in Comparative Politics and Institutions GOVT 731 Advanced Seminar in Comparative Politics

Courses for the Field of International Relations (2 of the following 4 seminars are required)

Required Seminars:GOVT 641 Seminar in Global SystemsGOVT 741 Advanced Seminar in International RelationsGOVT 743 International Political EconomyGOVT 745 International Security

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Courses for the Field of Public Administration  Required Seminars:GOVT 753 Seminar in Third Party Governance GOVT 755 Seminar in Politics and the Bureaucracy

**GOVT 500 and GOVT 540 Because of particularly heavy structural demand for these courses, they are offered three times per year – either once during one semester and twice (two sections) during the other, or once during each regular semester and once during a summer session.

IX. SECONDARY PROGRAM

Students who have been admitted after the bachelor’s degree and wish to obtain a MA in Political Science as an admitted PhD student may do so. The MA in Political Science will be a “Secondary Program”. A doctoral student must complete at least 18 hours of the MA in Political Science AFTER approved for the master’s degree as a secondary program.

To apply for the MA in Political Science as a secondary program, please complete the Secondary Program application (copy in back of handbook and on http://pia.gmu.edu) and return the form to the Graduate Coordinator. This form should be completed and submitted in your first semester of the program.

X. MINOR FIELD

Students choose one minor field in consultation with an advisor. The courses in the minor field should complement the two major fields and need the prior written approval of the advisor.

The minor field is a substantive area, often one that could or will likely be related to the dissertation. The student’s advisor and the graduate director must approve any choice of courses constituting a minor field. Further, the minor field may not be made up of more than one (1) directed reading or

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independent study course. Illustrative examples: Middle East studies, interest groups, French politics, peasant movements, state theory etc.

A minor field chosen in methods may not include any of the courses counted for the methods requirement. Moreover, a methods minor may not be a foreign language. Courses chosen for a minor in methods must cohere in some substantive way; they may not simply be a list of “methods” courses.

XI. FOREIGN LANGUAGE AS METHODS ELECTIVE

Advanced knowledge of a foreign language, as attested to by specific outside examination, may be counted as constituting the three (3) credits (only) of the required elective methods course. The student’s faculty advisor or probable dissertation advisor must certify that advanced knowledge of the language designated is essential and necessary to the successful doctoral dissertation work of the student. The graduate director must also approve.

Certification of the student’s proficiency in the designated language must be arranged for, paid by and provided to the graduate office by the student. It is solely the responsibility of the student to ensure that certification is received BEFORE comprehensive field examinations are taken. There are no exemptions from this requirement.

Certification must be obtained at the required level for speaking, reading and writing (see below) through Language Testing International (LTI) of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). (See http://languagetesting.com/assessments_academic.cfm# for details of all logistical elements of testing and payment.) No other certification from any other source will be accepted. (Note: The Department of Foreign Languages at George Mason University does NOT test for proficiency.)

“Proficiency” is defined as “advanced – sub-grade mid” for speaking and reading and “intermediate” for writing on the LTI scale of : Novice, Intermediate, Advanced (with three sub-grades: low, mid and high) and Superior.  (See http://languagetesting.com/assessments_academic.cfm# for details of these levels and all logistical elements of testing and payment.)

Certification of all required levels must also be provided for any language approved for doctoral dissertation work under this rubric, which may also be the student’s first (or “native”) language.

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XII. REDUCTION OF CREDITS

Ph D students arriving into the program already holding an MA in political science (or related fields, insofar as appropriate) from another institution may apply for a reduction of credits through substitution of some courses, if approved, from the degree at the other institution. (See below for provisions applying to those arriving with an MA in political science from George Mason.)

The option of the block system of 30 credits is no longer accepted.

Courses proposed to substitute through the reduction of credits policy may be applied to (a) the minor field (see the policy on minor field for specification of what may qualify), to (b) any requirements labeled “elective” in the Ph D program requirements as listed in the university catalog, and to (c) any foundation course not in one of the two major fields chosen for Ph D comprehensive field examinations. Official Ph D degree requirements for political science may be found at: http://pia.gmu.edu/programs/requirements/LA-PHD-POS

For two additional required courses only, GOVT 500 (the scientific method and research design), GOVT 711 (basic quantitative techniques) and the third methods requirement (see university catalog), a special petition to the graduate director may be submitted – with documentation and syllabus of the substitute course proposed and approval of the faculty advisor. The graduate director must approve this petition. (Note: Substituting advanced knowledge of a foreign language for the third methods requirement is governed by the provisions of a separate policy.)

The student’s faculty advisor must assess, approve and submit the specific reduction of credits request with specific previous courses identified in each section constituting the Ph D degree requirements. Under no circumstance may more than 30 credits be approved and then applied toward the Ph D degree. Often, it may be less.

To help students and advisors to navigate any questions of course equivalencies across institutions, specific official university catalog course descriptions for every graduate course in the Ph D program are found at http://pia.gmu.edu/governmentcourses.

The student must provide to the faculty advisor, and as attachment to the dossier, documentation of each course to be used in the “request for

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substitution” (normally a certified transcript from the institution where the substitute course was taken; each of these courses must show a grade of “B” or better to have been granted).

Under compelling and extraordinary circumstances (not including the proviso of 30 credits maximum), a special petition may be addressed to the graduate director, with documentation and rationale, approved by the faculty advisor, for a waiver of a specific course not included in this framework.

If the students Master's degree was earned at an institution outside of the United States, the Master's degree will need to be evaluated for equivalence to a similar degree earned in the United  States.  Students can go to www.wes.org to find information on how to get their Master's degree evaluated.  This process must be completed before the Reduction of Credit form is submitted.  The resulting documentation of the evaluation must accompany the Reduction of Credit form.

XIII. AUDITING A COURSE

Students do not receive grades or credit for audited courses. The tuition fee is the same amount for both audit and credit courses. The credit hours will not count into attempted or earned hours.Students who wish to audit a course must receive permission from the professor. The student needs to bring a signed Course Audit form (found at http://registrar.gmu.edu/forms/CAF.pdf) to the Office of the University Registrar for processing by the last day to drop the course.Each professor has full autonomy over whether or not to agree to a student’s request to audit a specific course. The terms for which a professor agrees for auditing a course are determined by each individual faculty member.

The suggested terms for auditing a course are as follows:1) Seminar attendance and active participation is required2) Reading of the materials prior to seminar is required3) Oral presentations are required – if required by other students in the

class4) Written submissions may or may not be required – determined by the

professor

The terms (if any) the professor sets for auditing are non-negotiable. These terms should be documented to serve as a contract between the student and the professor to avoid any confusion down the road. Documentation can be in the form of emails if so desired.

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The last day to change a course from credit to audit status or vice versa is the last day to drop the course. Please consult the academic calendar (found at http://registrar.gmu.edu/calendars/index.html) for drop deadlines. Drop deadlines for each course may vary.

XIV. ARRANGEMENTS FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Students may assume up to two paid or unpaid semester-long internship positions in political and governmental institutions relevant to their field with the assistance and approval of the Department. Students will also identify a faculty supervisor for the placement. They will integrate their experiences with seminar learning in a paper at the completion of each semester-long experience that reflects the contributions they have made in the organization and the contribution the organizational work has made to the development of their understanding of government and politics. This paper will be evaluated by the faculty sponsor and should normally be made available to the cooperating organization.

The graduate program approves of the principle of internships at the Ph D level under the following conditions:

1. The internship is research-oriented and allows students, if they obtain an appropriate one, to experience intellectual development outside the formal curriculum and possibly expose them to emerging issues worthy of study that have not yet been developed in the literature.  It may also lead to a dissertation that they were not even thinking of previously.

2. The student’s Ph D advisor must approve it.3. The internship may be held under either a credit or no-credit status.4. Under no circumstance does the department or the graduate program

provide any assistance in finding or arranging any aspect of internships.

XV. GOVT 796—DIRECTED READINGS AND RESEARCH

Prerequisites: 15 credits of Govt. courses at 500 level and above, and permission of instructor.

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There are 2 forms that are required to register for Govt. 796 – the contract and the Individualized Section form. Both forms can be found on our website http://pia.gmu.edu/forpoliticalscience and in the back of this handbook.1) Complete the Govt. 796 contract and get your advisor's signature on the contract.2) Complete the Individualized Section form, ask Dr. Regan to sign the form. Dr. Regan will ask to see the Govt. 796 contract before she signs the form. Take the signed individualized section form over to the registrar's office.  3) Put a copy of the Govt 796 contract and the individualized section form in Peg Koback’s mail box or in Ann Ludwick’s mail box. We will put the copies in your student file.Do not leave the individualized section form in the main office for Dr. Regan to sign. If you cannot meet with her to obtain her signature, leave the form and the contract in Peg Koback’s mail box or in Ann Ludwick’s mail box.

Please Note: If you are only registering for GOVT 796 for a semester, you must be registered by the first day of classes or you will incur a financial penalty. You must be registered for at least one class by the first day of classes.

XVI. CONFERENCE SUPPORT

Only Ph D students who have papers accepted to recognized conferences will be eligible for the conference travel support program. MA students, in spite of the quality of their work, are no longer eligible.  (Commitments already officially made to MA students for this purpose will of course be honored.)

Ph D students who have had paper proposals officially accepted must file a request for consideration to the department chair, including the total estimated expenses, presented through a completed travel authorization request form.  Linda Welter, in the main office, is the key person to advise you on these details, if it is your first time. Normally, upon the chair’s agreement, the department will then contribute $750.00 or 50 percent of total estimated expenses, whichever sum is lesser.

As a condition of this support, you must give a practice presentation to interested members of the department, structured with a local faculty member  or senior Ph D student as a discussant – in advance of the conference date.  (These sessions are usually called mock panels or mock conference presentations, depending upon how many are involved at once.)

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XVII. QUALIFYING EXAMS

At the conclusion of their course work, students will take a written Comprehensive Examination in their two primary fields of specialization. This exam will be based on the student’s course work and on the reading list prepared for each field. The exam must be completed before the student takes dissertation proposal or dissertation guidance courses.

The following explains the process for the Comprehensive exams.

The graduate office, with at least two if not three months advance notice, publishes the dates for the next cycle of Ph D comprehensive exams. Each Ph D student must take qualifying examinations in two fields.  Therefore, the office publishes two (2) days/dates, exactly (usually) one week apart. The graduate program offers two (2) cycles per year: May and August.

Students planning on taking comprehensive exams must submit a completed and advisor approved Education Plan form to the Academic Coordinator at least one month prior to the exam dates. The purpose is to verify that all academics have been completed.

Students planning to take their comps during a given cycle MUST be available for BOTH dates.  There are zero dispensations to the two (2) dates that have been fixed.  There is NO element of choice in it. Students who cannot make those dates MUST postpone to the following round.   

For so-called “early” comprehensive exams, ALL core course work must be finished by the time a student takes the qualifying examinations, along with all field courses and with no more than six (6) total course credits left to complete.  Under no circumstance may the so-called “early” comprehensive interfere in any way with that student’s enrollment in any courses of that semester.

No dispensation or special provision is needed for a “late” exam, as long as the maximum semesters of enrollment allowed by the university are respected.

Exams are prepared by duly appointed field committees. The fields are: international relations, American politics, comparative politics, and public administration. Each exam requires that three (3) questions be answered, one (1) of which is methodology. The required number of answers is structured through an element of choice: i.e., in each section the number of

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questions from which to choose is greater than the number of answers required. The exam may be otherwise structured as the exam committee sees fit: the three required answers, for example, may be distributed across two or three sections. (Methodology must always constitute its own section.)

Exams are graded by the duly appointed field committee, which reaches, through its deliberations a single result for each answer and, then, a single result for the exam overall. The possible grades for each question and for the exam overall are FAIL, PASS and HIGH PASS. (There is no grade of LOW PASS.)

ALL THREE (3) answers much achieve a PASS or higher for a grade of PASS for the overall exam. Any question that is failed must be re-taken at a subsequent exam cycle (in the same area with new questions). Any question area that is failed may be re-taken no more than one time. Failing a question area twice means that the overall exam is failed and that the student is failed from the program, leaving with an MA degree.

Each day of the exam is made up of an 8-hour session, in a university room designated by the graduate office and supervised by graduate office staff. A computer is provided. NO NOTES/NO BOOKS/NO READING LISTS.

As always at George Mason University, ADA provisions apply. Address all ADA matters to the university’s disability services.

XVIII. DISSERTATION COMMITTEE

As soon as the student passes the Comprehensive Exams, the student should meet with the Director(s) of the Political Science Program about forming the dissertation committee.

Once a committee chair has been identified and approved, the student should collaborate with the chair on the remaining members of the dissertation committee. The dissertation committee must be approved by the Program Director(s), and a Dissertation Committee Formation form must be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator.

All dissertation committees must consist of at least three members of the graduate faculty, at least two of whom must be from the student’s academic unit or program faculty. The committee consists of a dissertation chair, typically a graduate faculty member from the department or program of the student’s field of study and at least two other members of the graduate

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faculty. Only a graduate faculty member with a full-time appointment at George Mason University may serve as dissertation chair. Other Mason faculty, as well as individuals from outside the university, may be appointed as additional members to the committee. Such appointments are made where the additional member’s expertise and contribution add value to the dissertation, but appointment does not require graduate faculty status

Student-initiated changes in the composition of the dissertation committee may occur only with the approval of the dean or director of the school, college, or institute or its designee in consultation with the committee. Faculty may resign from a dissertation committee with appropriate notice by submitting a written resignation If the dissertation chair departs from the university the following will apply:With the approval of the doctoral program director, faculty departing the university at the end of the academic year (spring) will be allowed to continue in that role until the deadline for submitting dissertations for the summer. If the student does not or will not meet the deadline for submission in summer, a new chair must be appointed for the student’s committee. In all other cases, it is required that the dissertation chair be a member of the graduate faculty member with a full-time appointment at Mason.

XIX. DISSERTATION PROPOSAL

Degree Requirement: Doctoral candidates must complete a minimum of 3-6 credits of doctoral proposal (GOVT 998) and a minimum of 3-12 credits of doctoral research (GOVT 999) credits. A minimum of 12 credits of 998 and 999, combined, are required.A maximum of 24 credits of 998 and 999 may be applied to the degree.

Students working on dissertation research (999) must register for a minimum of 3 credits of 999 per semester (excluding summers) until they have completed the minimum number of credits of 998 and 999 required by the university and their degree program. Then, they must register for 1 credit of 999 until the dissertation is complete and has been officially submitted to the library. Students must be registered by the first day of classes for each semester or they will incur a financial penalty.

Students must register for GOVT 998 to complete work on the dissertation proposal. To qualify for registration, the student must first have passed the

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Comprehensive Exams and identified the Chair of the Dissertation Committee.

The process of registering for GOVT 998 requires that the student complete a Proposed Time Line form. The completed form is submitted to the Graduate Coordinator along with the name of the Chair of the Dissertation Committee. The Graduate Coordinator will provide the student with a section number and a CRN#. The student then goes on to PatriotWeb to register for GOVT 998.

The student may be registering for more than one semester of GOVT 998, depending upon how far along the student is on committee formation and topic development. One to six credits of proposal in total are required for Political Science students. Each semester the student will need to submit an updated Proposed Time Line form showing current status on the dissertation proposal. Students do not need to be registered for the summer term for GOVT 998 unless that is the term that the student will advance to candidacy.

Students should work closely with their committee chair as they formulate their proposal. It is recommended that the student meet frequently with their committee chair and with each committee member as required by the committee chair. GOVT 998 is graded “IP” for “In Progress” until the student advances to candidacy. At the completion of the dissertation proposal, the student schedules a proposal defense with the committee. All committee members are to attend the proposal defense. The defense is open to the public, and notification will be made to other departmental faculty and students interested in attending. Once the committee approves the proposal, they sign the Proposal Approval form. The signed Proposal Approval form should be given to the Graduate Coordinator.

The dissertation proposal must be approved in writing by all committee members in the semester prior to the semester you wish to register for Dissertation Research (GOVT 999). You will not be able to have your proposal approved and register for GOVT 999 in the same semester.

XX. ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY

Advancement to candidacy for the Ph D occurs only when all the following steps have been successfully accomplished – in order:

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1. All course work has been successfully completed as indicated by requirements published in the university catalogue for the Ph D program in political science.

2. Comprehensive examinations in two fields have been successfully passed, as specified in the section on comprehensive examinations.

3. A student has successfully obtained the agreement of a full-time George Mason University professor to chair that student’s Ph D committee. (Faculty are NOT required to agree to requests to serve on or chair Ph D committees.) And, the student has obtained the chair’s agreement on the remaining composition of the Ph D dissertation committee, as well as the agreement of those members, along with the approval signature of the graduate director, the department chair and the dean’s office. The composition of the Ph D committee is three full-time graduate faculty members of George Mason University, at least two of which much be from the student’s department. The third member may be from outside the student’s department, but an outside member is not required.

The wording of the current Mason catalogue: “All dissertation committees must consist of at least three members of the graduate faculty, at least two of whom must be from the student’s academic unit or program faculty. The committee consists of a dissertation chair, typically a graduate faculty member from the department or program of the student’s field of study and at least two other members of the graduate faculty. Only a graduate faculty member with a full-time appointment at George Mason University may serve as dissertation chair. Other Mason faculty, as well as individuals from outside the university, may be appointed as additional members to the committee. Such appointments are made where the additional member’s expertise and contribution add value to the dissertation, but appointment does not require graduate faculty status.”

4. The student has successfully defended, by vote of the Ph D committee, the dissertation proposal – in a public venue, to which faculty and other graduate student, in particular, are invited. Dissertation proposal defenses involve both the student’s presentation of it and discussions and questions about it from committee members and members of the audience.

5. The graduate director, and the department chair, each individually, approve the student’s dissertation proposal.

6. The student has submitted to the Graduate Coordinator the following forms: completed Education Plan Form signed by the advisor, Proposal

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Approval Form, Committee Form, and Advancement to Candidacy Form.

7. The advisor has changed grades for 998 from IP to S.

Upon this final moment in the process, the student becomes, officially, a Ph D candidate.

XXII. GOVT 999—DISSERTATION GUIDANCE

Enrollment in GOVT 999 is controlled by the Dean’s office. Each semester to enroll, students should send their GOVT 999 CRN code requests to chssdiss@gmu.edu. Requests must be sent via e-mail from the official George Mason e-mail account and contain the following information:

1. Student’s full name 2. Student’s G number 3. The name of the student’s dissertation advisor 4. The number of 999 credits the student intends to register for*

*Students should be familiar with the dissertation policies listed in the university catalog.

Once the student has begun the dissertation research (“999”) phase, the student must register for a minimum of 3 credits of 999 each semester, for every full semester (fall and spring) until the student graduates.  If the students will graduate in a summer term, the student must be registered for 999 credits in that term also. The catalog year that the student was admitted under dictates how many credits of 999 the student may register for in a semester, and how many total 999 credits will apply to the degree. The course will be graded as “IP” or In Progress until the dissertation is completed and a public defense is given to the satisfaction of the committee and the Dean.

The student must defend the dissertation within 11 years of beginning the program, and 6 years of advancing to candidacy. Most full-time students with a B.A. or B.S. degree are expected to graduate in four to six years from entry, depending in the availability of funding.

NOTE: Students working on dissertation research (999) must register for a minimum of 3 credits of 999 per semester (excluding summers) until they have completed the minimum number of credits of 998 and 999 required by the university and their degree program. Then, they must register for 1

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credit of 999 until the dissertation is complete and has been officially submitted to the library.

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XXIII. GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY GRADUATE POLICIES

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is the governing body for all graduate academic policies and procedures. The council approves all new graduate programs; authorizes all graduate course work, policies, and degrees conferred by the university; and sets minimum standards for admission to and graduation from any graduate program. These are minimum standards that all programs must meet; individual programs may set and enforce higher standards. The Office of the Provost administers university graduate policies for the Graduate Council.

Graduate Faculty

The graduate faculty consists of all tenured and tenure-track faculty members and other faculty members appointed to the graduate faculty by the provost.

Academic Programs

At the graduate level, Mason offers certificates and master’s and doctoral degrees. There are also a number of combined bachelor’s and accelerated master’s degree programs for academically strong undergraduates with a commitment to research. For more information, see the Registration and Attendance section of this chapter.

Student Status

Students may access graduate classes and programs according to their status as nondegree or enrolled degree students. For more information, see the Admission chapter of this catalog.

Full-Time Classification

Graduate students are considered full time if they are enrolled in at least 9 graduate credits per semester or hold a full-time assistantship (20 hours a week) and are enrolled in at least 6 graduate credits per semester. Graduate students who are enrolled in dissertation credits (either 998 or 999) are considered full time if they are enrolled in at least 6 credits per semester, regardless of whether they hold an assistantship. Graduate students who have completed the minimum number of credits required by their degree program, including the minimum number of credits of 998 and 999 required by the university and their degree program, are considered full time if they

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are registered for at least 1 credit of 999 and their advisors and department chairs certify each semester that they are working full time on the dissertation. Note that different criteria for full-time status may apply for tuition, verification, loan deferral, and financial aid. Contact Student Accounts, the Registrar’s Office, and Student Financial Aid, respectively, for more information.

Change from Nondegree Status

A student admitted for graduate study in nondegree status may request a change to degree status within the same program. All admission requirements (as usually defined by the student’s program for degree status) must be met, including official transcripts and letters of recommendation. If the student intends to use credits earned in nondegree status toward a degree, the credits must be approved on the Graduate Transfer of Credit Request form. The credit must have been earned within six years prior to first enrollment as an admitted student in the specific certificate or degree program, and a minimum grade of B (3.00) must have been earned. There is a limit on the number of credits that can be transferred when changing from nondegree to degree status; please see the applicable degree program for specific information.

Removing Provisional Qualifier

For policies concerning students admitted provisionally, see the Graduate Admission Policies section in the Admission chapter of this catalog.

Permission to Re-Enroll

Permission to re-enroll in a program must be obtained by all master’s and doctoral degree students who have failed to enroll in at least 1 credit of course work for two or more consecutive semesters at Mason. A program may allow a student to petition to graduate under any catalog in effect while the student was enrolled. The final decision rests with the unit dean or director. Forms are available from the Office of the Registrar at registrar.gmu.edu/forms.

Voluntary Resignation from Graduate Academic Program

Degree-seeking students may officially resign from their academic program with the approval of their department or program chair and their dean. The Voluntary Resignation form must be approved by the student’s program and Student Accounts, then submitted to the Registrar’s Office for notation on the transcript. Resignations after the drop period will result in grades of W on the student’s transcript for that semester, and removal from any future registered courses. Program resignation is final. Students who have been

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granted a resignation will not be able to register for any courses unless admitted to another degree program or nondegree status in a different program.

Academic Advising

At the time the student was admitted to graduate study, the student is assigned a faculty advisor by the academic program responsible for the student’s program of study. Registration for newly admitted graduate students, as well as continuing students, begins with a visit to the student’s academic advisor. There, the student can obtain information about specific courses and degree requirements and develop an individual program of study. Progress in an approved program of study is the shared responsibility of the student and the advisor. The graduate student is responsible for compliance with the policies and procedures of the college, school, or institute, and all applicable departmental requirements that govern the individual program of study. Students should consult with their advisors before registration each semester.

Transfer of Credit

Graduate credit earned prior to admission to a certificate, master’s, or doctoral program may be eligible to be transferred into the program and applied to the certificate or degree. Transfer of credit requires the approval of the program director and dean or director of the school, college, or institute. They will determine whether the credit is eligible for transfer and applicable to the specific certificate or degree program. Note that credits accepted for transfer do not compute into any Mason GPA. Limits on the number of credits that can be transferred derive from the degree requirements given below.Credit is usually considered for transfer at the student’s request at the time of initial registration as a degree-seeking student. Students must supply official transcripts plus an official transcript evaluation for transcripts from outside the United States, and an official translation for transcripts not in English if these documents were not supplied in the admission process. Credit transfer requests from students who are admitted provisionally are not considered until they have fulfilled the conditions of their admission and had the provisional qualifier removed from their records.To be eligible for transfer credit, the credit must be graduate credit earned at another accredited university, earned at another institution and recommended for graduate credit in the American Council on Education guidebook, or earned at Mason while in a nondegree status or enrolled through extended studies. The credit must have been earned within six years prior to first enrollment as an admitted student in the specific certificate or degree program, and a minimum grade of B (3.00) must have been earned. The course must be applicable toward a degree at the

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institution offering the course. Extension and in-service courses that are not intended by the institution offering the courses to be applied to a degree program are not eligible for transfer credit to Mason. The credits cannot have been previously applied toward a degree at another institution or Mason; however, up to 3 credits previously applied to a degree program at another institution may be transferred into a certificate program at Mason.

Reduction of Credit

The number of credits required by a doctoral, master of fine arts, or master’s program of more than 39 credits may be reduced on the basis of a previously earned master’s degree. Reduction of credit requires the approval of the program director and the dean or director of the school, college, or institute. They determine whether the credits are eligible for reduction of credit and applicable to the degree program and the number of credits to be reduced. Reduction of credit is limited to a maximum of 30 credits in a doctoral program, 20 in an MFA program, and 18 in the MA in psychology concentration in school psychology, and derive from the degree requirements given below.Students requesting a reduction of credit must supply official transcripts plus an official transcript evaluation for transcripts from outside the United States, and an official translation for transcripts not in English if these documents were not supplied in the admissions process. Reduction-of-credit requests from students who are admitted provisionally are not considered until the students have fulfilled the conditions of their admission and had the provisional qualifier removed from their records.Credits used in reduction of credit are not subject to time limits, and the credits must have been applied to a previous degree. All the other conditions given above for eligibility of transfer of credit apply also to reduction of credits.

Credit by External Exam

Degree credit for satisfactory completion of an external exam is limited to those exams and achievement levels specifically approved by the Graduate Council.

Credit from Other Institutions

Students enrolled in a degree program may take graduate courses at another accredited institution and apply these credits to a master’s or doctoral degree with prior approval. Approval must be secured in writing from the director of the graduate program and the dean or director of the school, college, or institute, and submitted to Mason’s Office of the Registrar before registering at the other institution. Upon completion of the course, students must arrange for an official transcript to be submitted to Mason so

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that the credits may be transferred into their Mason degree program. These credits are subject to all the other conditions given above for transfer credit, including limits on numbers of credits that can be taken elsewhere. Note that credits accepted for transfer do not compute into any Mason GPA. Permission to take a course elsewhere does not exempt a graduate student from satisfying the degree requirements given below.Enrolled, degree-seeking graduate students may be eligible to take courses through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. See the University Consortium section. Credits earned through the consortium are considered resident, not transfer, credits, and are therefore not subject to transfer of credit conditions or limitations.

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Graduate Academic Standards, Grades

University course work is measured in terms of quantity and quality. A credit normally represents one hour per week of lecture or recitation, or not fewer than two hours per week of laboratory work, throughout a semester. The number of credits is a measure of quantity. The grade is a measure of quality. The university-wide system for grading graduate courses is as follows:

Grade Quality Points Graduate CoursesA+ 4.00 Satisfactory/PassingA 4.00 Satisfactory/PassingA- 3.67 Satisfactory/PassingB+ 3.33 Satisfactory/PassingB 3.00 Satisfactory/PassingB- 2.67 Satisfactory*/PassingC 2.00 Unsatisfactory/PassingF 0.00 Unsatisfactory/Failing

* Although a B- is a satisfactory grade for a course, students must maintain a 3.00 average in their degree program and present a 3.00 GPA on the courses listed on the graduation application.

Academic Warning

A notation of academic warning is entered on the transcript of a graduate student who receives a grade of C or F in a graduate course or while a grade of IN is in effect.

Academic Termination

Graduate students who are admitted provisionally may be terminated from their academic programs if they fail to meet the conditions of their admission in the time limits set at admission. Students admitted provisionally and nondegree graduate students may be terminated upon accumulating grades of F in two courses or 9 credits of unsatisfactory grades in graduate courses. Provisionally admitted students who accumulate 12 credits of unsatisfactory grades in undergraduate courses will also be terminated. (For students admitted provisionally, graduate and undergraduate grades are not combined in the calculation of unsatisfactory credits leading toward

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termination.) Although the university will make every effort to notify students when their performance reaches the threshold for termination, each student is responsible for knowing the termination criteria for non-degree students at Mason, for knowing when their grades have met the standard, and for initiating any appeal to their dean. Students may be terminated if they fail to achieve satisfactory progress toward their degree. A letter of termination is sent by the dean or director of the school, college, or institute, and notification of academic termination is affixed to the graduate student’s official record. Students who are terminated are no longer eligible to take courses in the program but may apply to another degree program or take courses in other programs through nondegree studies.

Academic Dismissal

A degree-seeking graduate student is dismissed after accumulating grades of F in two courses or 9 credits of unsatisfactory grades in graduate courses. These are minimum standards of academic performance; some programs have higher standards. Although the university will make every effort to notify students when their performance reaches the threshold for dismissal, each student is responsible for knowing the dismissal criteria for degree-seeking graduate students at Mason, for knowing when their grades have met the standard, and for initiating any appeal to their dean. A student may also be dismissed for failure to meet other program requirements such as doctoral competence exams. The notation of academic dismissal is affixed to the graduate student’s official record. A student who is dismissed may not take additional course work at Mason.

Requirements for Master’s Degrees

Candidates must satisfy all university degree requirements and all requirements established by the master’s program faculty. Individual departmental degree requirements are listed under the respective master’s programs in this catalog.

Candidates must earn a minimum of 30 graduate credits. Only graduate courses may apply toward the degree. The majority of the credits applied to the degree must be earned at

Mason or, in the case of programs offered through joint, cooperative, or consortial arrangements, at the participating institutions.

A minimum of 18 credits must be taken in degree status, after admission to the degree program.

A maximum of 6 credits of master’s thesis research (799) or master’s project may be applied to the degree.

Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in course work presented on the degree application, which may include no more than 6 credits of C. Grades of C+, C-, or D do not apply to graduate courses.

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The GPA calculation excludes all transfer courses and Mason nondegree studies credits not formally approved for the degree.

Thesis Options

Requirements regarding a thesis vary with the degree program. A number of master’s programs offer both thesis and nonthesis options. The same quality of work is expected of students regardless of their chosen option. For more information, consult the section on degree requirements under each degree program.

Time Limit

Master’s degree students have six years from the time of first enrollment as a degree-seeking student to complete their degrees. Individual master’s programs may have stricter time limits, which are published in this catalog. Students who are given permission to re-enroll following an absence from Mason may not count the six-year time limit as beginning on the date of re-enrollment. Students who will not meet published time limits because of circumstances beyond their control may petition for an extension. Failure to meet the time limits or to secure approval of an extension request may result in termination from the program.

Master’s Thesis

When a thesis proposal has been approved by the appropriate department, the department chair sends the collegiate dean or director a copy of the thesis proposal, including the approval signatures of the master’s thesis committee members. Students may enroll in thesis research (799) at the beginning of the next semester. Students must register for 3 credits per semester until they reach the last 3 required credits. Once they have only 3 credits remaining, students may enroll for 1 credit per semester until graduation. To be considered a full-time student, the advisor and department chair must certify each semester that the student is working full time on the thesis. Please note: Graduate students must maintain continuous enrollment in 799 while writing and submitting a thesis. Graduation candidates who miss the library deadline for thesis submission, but do submit officially before the next semester begins, do not have to register for 799 in that next semester, but must stay active to graduate.The master’s thesis committee is named by the candidate’s department chair, who designates a member of the graduate faculty from that department as the thesis committee chair. The committee is appointed after consulting with the candidate and advisor and consists of at least three people. Two must be members of the graduate faculty from the candidate’s department, while one may come from outside the department.

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The thesis committee chair is primarily responsible for directing and guiding the candidate’s research and writing activities. The student is responsible for keeping all committee members informed of the scope, plan, and progress of the research as well as the thesis.Students selecting the thesis option should obtain a copy of Mason’s Thesis, Dissertation, or Project Guide, which is available at thesis.gmu.edu. Students may register in 799 Thesis only after their thesis proposal has been submitted and approved as prescribed in the guide. Any student not in attendance at Mason who is preparing a thesis under the active supervision of a member of the faculty or wishes to take an exam must maintain continuous registration in 799 for at least 1 credit per semester.

Thesis Submission

The university has a policy on the dissemination of scholarly works created by graduate students. The Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETDs) program encourages masters-level graduate students to submit an electronic copy of their thesis for broad scholarly dissemination through the Mason Archival Repository Service (MARS). Student participation in the ETDs program is strongly encouraged, but not mandatory. All students choosing to participate in this program will be required to sign the MARS Author/Contributor Permission Agreement.On or before the thesis deadline for any semester, the student will submit a complete (signed Signature Sheet through Curriculum Vitae) 100% cotton copy of his or her thesis to the University Libraries along with a transmittal sheet. The student may also opt to submit an electronic copy of his/her thesis. These submissions can be in Word, WordPerfect, or in portable document format (PDF). Media formats (tiff, jpeg, png, wav, avi, mpeg, mov, rm, wmv, wma, etc.) for supporting materials will also be accepted. Datasets may be accepted at the discretion of the libraries. The files may be submitted on CD, DVD, or USB memory device. Please note that those students opting out of the ETDs program are required to submit two 100% cotton copies of their thesis.For degree conferral in a particular semester, the above materials must be submitted to the library by 5 p.m. on the last Friday of classes in that semester. For specific deadlines and other information, go to registrar.gmu.edu.

Requirements for Doctoral Degrees

Candidates must satisfy all university degree requirements and all requirements established by the doctoral program faculty. Departmental degree requirements are listed under the respective doctoral programs in this catalog. Programs may impose more stringent requirements.

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Candidates must earn a minimum of 72 graduate credits, which may be reduced by a maximum of 30 credits from a completed master’s degree or other suitable, approved transfer work.

The remaining 42 credits for students with a master’s degree may apply only to the doctoral degree and not to a second master’s degree.

Only graduate courses may apply toward the degree. The majority of credits applied to the doctoral degree (minimum 72)

must be earned at Mason or in the case of programs offered through joint, cooperative, or consortial arrangements, at the participating institutions.

More than half of all credits (minimum 72) must be taken in doctoral degree status, after admission to the degree program.

Candidates must pass a written or oral doctoral candidacy (Comprehensive) exam, or both.

Candidates must complete a minimum of 12 credits of doctoral proposal (998) and doctoral dissertation research (999). A maximum of 24 credits of 998 and 999 may be applied to the degree.

Candidates must pass a final public defense of the doctoral dissertation.

Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in course work presented on the degree application, which may include no more than 6 credits of C. (Grades of C+, C-, or D do not apply to graduate courses. The GPA calculation excludes all transfer courses and Mason extended studies or nondegree credits not formally approved for the degree.)

Time Limit

Doctoral students have six years from the time of first enrollment as a degree-seeking student to become advanced to candidacy. Students have five years from the time of advancement to candidacy to graduation. Individual doctoral programs may have stricter time limits, which are published in this catalog. Students who are given permission to re-enroll following an absence from Mason may not count the time limits as beginning on the date of re-enrollment. Students who will not meet published time limits because of circumstances beyond their control may petition for an extension. Failure to meet the time limits or to secure approval of an extension request may result in termination from the program.

Doctoral Research Skill Requirements

Some doctoral degree programs require demonstration of proficiency in a research skill, including knowledge of the research literature in a foreign language, computer language, statistical methods, or a research tool specific to the discipline. Research skill requirements are included with the degree requirements for the specific doctoral degree. Where demonstration of

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research skills is required, certification that this requirement has been met must be completed for advancement to candidacy.

Program of Study

Usually before the end of the second year of graduate study but no later than consideration for advancement to candidacy, doctoral students must submit a program of study for approval by the dean or director of the college, school, or institute. The program of study must include major courses and supporting courses to be completed, research skills required, subject areas to be covered by the candidacy exam, and a proposed date for the candidacy exam. Program of Study Forms are available from each program’s doctoral coordinator. Any changes in the programs of study must be documented with an amended Program of Study Form.

Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy implies that a doctoral student has demonstrated both a breadth and a depth of knowledge in the field of study and is capable of exploring problems on the boundaries of knowledge. The candidacy exam includes a written part and may include an oral part, depending on the particular doctoral program. Doctoral students should consult the degree requirements for each doctoral program to determine whether an oral portion is required, whether it is judged separately or with the written portion, the number of times a failed candidacy exam may be repeated and any time limits for repeating, and any time limits for attempting the candidacy exam.Before doctoral students may be advanced to candidacy by the unit dean or director, they should have completed all course work required by the program faculty, been certified in all doctoral research skills required, passed the candidacy exam, and been recommended by the doctoral supervisory committee or program coordinator. Students advanced to candidacy after the add period for a given semester must wait until the following semester to register for 999 Dissertation Research.

Dissertation Committee

By the time a doctoral student is advanced to candidacy, the dean or director of the school, college, or institute appoints a dissertation committee upon recommendation of the program director. The committee consists of a graduate faculty member (see the Graduate Faculty section in this chapter) from the department of the student’s field of study and at least two other members of the graduate faculty, one of whom must be from outside the student’s local academic unit (school, college, institute, or department). Additional members may be appointed who are not members of the graduate faculty or are from outside the university.

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Student-initiated changes in the composition of the dissertation committee may occur only with the approval of the dean or director in consultation with the committee. Such changes may be made for extenuating circumstances only. Faculty may resign from a dissertation committee with appropriate notice by submitting a written resignation.

Dissertation Registration (998, 999)

Students working on dissertation research (999) must register for a minimum of 3 credits of 999 per semester (excluding summers) until they have completed the minimum number of credits of 998 and 999 required by the university and their degree program. Then, they must register for 1 credit of 999 until the dissertation is complete and has been officially submitted to the library. See the Full-Time Classification section for more information.All registration for doctoral dissertation research (999) must be planned with the dissertation director and approved by the dean or director of the school, college, or institute. Dissertation research (999) is open only to doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy. Once enrolled in 999, students must maintain continuous registration in 999 each semester until graduation, excluding summers. Students who defend in the summer must be registered for at least 1 credit of 999 in the summer. Individual doctoral programs may require continuous registration beginning with 998. Graduation candidates who miss the library deadline for dissertation submission, but do submit officially before the next semester begins, do not have to register for 999 in that next semester, but must stay active to graduate.It is the student’s responsibility to complete registration for dissertation proposal (998) or research (999) prior to the first day of classes for the semester. If this date is missed, students must still enroll in these courses via Add or Late Schedule Adjustment procedures and are subject to Late Registration fees. Failing to register on time in a particular semester does not alter the requirement for continuous registration in 999.

Doctoral Dissertation

A dissertation is required for the doctor of philosophy degree and most professional doctoral degrees. The dissertation is a written piece of original thinking that demonstrates doctoral candidates’ mastery of subject matter, methodologies, and conceptual foundations in their chosen field of study. This is generally achieved through consideration of a problem on the boundaries of knowledge in the discipline.The director of the dissertation committee is primarily responsible for directing the doctoral candidate’s research and guiding the preparation of the written dissertation. After the dissertation committee is appointed, the student should begin discussions with the director to define a suitable problem for the dissertation. Before the student may enroll in doctoral dissertation research (999), the dissertation proposal must be approved by

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the dissertation committee and evidence of approval sent to the unit dean or director for approval. Before that time, the student may enroll in proposal research (998).Guidelines for the content and general format of doctoral dissertations are in the Thesis, Dissertation, or Project Guide, which is available at thesis.gmu.edu. Consult a doctoral coordinator to determine which additional reference manuals are suitable.

Doctoral Defense

As soon as all degree requirements have been satisfied, including completion of the doctoral dissertation, the doctoral candidate may request a doctoral defense. Approval for the defense is given by the doctoral dissertation committee, department or program chair, and relevant dean or director of the school, college, or institute. Notice of a defense must be circulated to the university community two weeks before the defense date. The public defense should demonstrate the candidate’s maturity of judgment and intellectual command of the chosen branches of the field of study.At the close of the final defense, the dissertation committee makes final judgments for approving the dissertation. The doctoral candidate is responsible for making all required changes promptly, submitting the original and required copies, and obtaining signatures. Final approval for the dissertation is given by the doctoral dissertation committee, department or program chair, and the relevant dean or director of the school, college, or institute, all of whom must sign the final copy.For a dissertation to be approved, all members of the committee must sign. If a committee member refuses to do so, the student or any member of the committee may petition the unit dean or director for a review and ruling. The dean or director may seek the advice of outside reviewers to provide an assessment of the work. The final decision is that of the dean or director, and is not subject to appeal.

Dissertation Submission and Fee

The university has a policy on the dissemination of scholarly works created by graduate students. The Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETDs) program encourages doctoral-level graduate students to submit an electronic copy of their dissertation for broad scholarly dissemination through the Mason Archival Repository Service (MARS). Student participation in the ETDs program is strongly encouraged, but not mandatory. All students choosing to participate in this program will be required to sign the MARS Author/Contributor Permission Agreement.On or before the dissertation deadline for any semester, the student will submit a complete (signed Signature Sheet through Curriculum Vitae) 100% cotton copy of his or her dissertation to the University Libraries along with a transmittal sheet. The student will also submit an electronic copy of his or

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her dissertation. These submissions can be in Word, WordPerfect, or in portable document format (PDF). Media formats (tiff, jpeg, png, wav, avi, mpeg, mov, rm, wmv, wma, etc.) will be accepted. Datasets may be accepted at the discretion of the libraries. The files may be turned in on CD, DVD, or USB memory device. Please note that those students opting out of the ETDs program are required to submit two 100% cotton copies of their dissertation.

Submission of an additional PDF on CD of the dissertation to University Microfilms International (ProQuest) is required; a fee of either $55 or $150 (depending on publishing option chosen) is paid by the student for this process. Submission of a completed Survey of Earned Doctorates is also required. All copies of the dissertation must be submitted and all fees paid before the doctoral degree is awarded.For degree conferral in a particular semester, the above materials must be submitted to the library by 5 p.m. on the last Friday of classes in that semester. (For specific deadlines and more information, go to registrar.gmu.edu.) To be included in Mason’s published commencement program, doctoral students must submit materials to the library by the commencement program deadline.

University Dissertation and Thesis Services

University Dissertation and Thesis Services (UDTS) facilitates completion and submission of dissertations, theses, and graduate-level projects. The program assists Mason students in all stages of production. The UDTS web site, thesis.gmu.edu, provides students with useful tools, including down-loadable templates of necessary elements, forms required for the submission process, and links to related web sites. Students completing a thesis or dissertation are required to complete a format review. UDTS is located in Fenwick Library, Special Collections and Archives, Wing 2C. For more information, contact the university dissertation and thesis coordinator at 703-993-2222.

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XXIV. DEPARTMENT FACULTY

ALAN ABRAMSON, Professor, PhD Yale; non-profit organizations, foundations, federal budget, nonprofit-government relations, philanthropy, social entrepreneurship and social enterprise, and shared governance.

"Nonprofit Infrastructure Organizations: From Growth to Consolidation," (with Rachel McCarthy), in Lester M. Salamon, ed., The State of Nonprofit America (Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2nd edition, forthcoming 2010)."The Nonprofit Sector and the Federal Budget: Recent History and Future Directions," (with Lester M. Salamon and C. Eugene Steuerle), in Elizabeth T. Boris and C. Eugene Steuerle, eds., Nonprofits and Government: Collaboration and Conflict (Washington: Urban Institute Press, 2nd edition, 2006).

PETER BALINT, Associate Professor, PhD University of Maryland; Environmental policy, community-based conservation in developing countries.

(with R.E. Stewart, A. Desai, and L.C. Walters) Managing Wicked Environmental Problems. Washington, DC: Island Press (forthcoming 2011). (with J. Mashinya) 2008. CAMPFIRE during Zimbabwe’s National Crisis: Local Impacts and Broader Implications for Community-Based Wildlife Management. Society & Natural Resources 21(9):783-796.

LEHN BENJAMIN, Associate Professor, PhD Cornell; Non-profit organization, evaluation research

“Mediating Accountability: How Nonprofit Funding Intermediaries use Performance Measurement and Why it Matters for Governance.” Public Performance & Management Review. 33(4): 594-618.“Funders as Principals: Performance Measurement in Philanthropic Relationships.” Nonprofit Management & Leadership. 20(4): 383-403.

JO-MARIE BURT, Associate Professor, PhD Columbia University; Comparative politics, Latin America

Violencia y autoritarismo en el Perú: bajo la sombra de Sendero y la dictadura de Fujimori (Lima, Peru: Instituto de Estudios Peruanos y Asociación Servicios Educativos Rurales, 2009; 429 pages). [Spanish translation, with epilogue, of Silencing Civil Society volume]“Los usos y abusos de la memoria de María Elena Moyano,” A Contracorriente, 7:2 (2010), pp. 165-209. [To be published in English in the volume The Memory Market in Latin America by Duke University Press, 2011).

JAMES CONANT, Professor, PhD University of Wisconsin, Madison; Public management, public policy, state government

Wisconsin Politics and Government: America’s Laboratory of Democracy, (University of Nebraska Press, 2006). “The ‘Great Recession’, State Budgets, and State Budget Deficits,” Public Budgeting and Finance, Vol. 30, Number 1 (Spring 2010).

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TIMOTHY CONLAN, Professor, PhD Harvard University; Federalism, intergovernmental relations, politics of policy making, Congress. Served as Assistant Staff Director of the Senate Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations.

Intergovernmental Management for the 21 st Century (Washington, Brookings Institution, 2008) [co-editor with Paul Posner]. “American Federalism in the 21st Century,” in Developments in American Politics 6.

DANIEL DRUCKMAN, Professor, PhD Northwestern University; International negotiation, nationalism, political psychology, research methodology

Evaluating Peace Operations, with Paul F. Diehl (Lynne Reinner, 2010).“The Role of Justice in Negotiation,” with Cecilia Albin, In D. M. Kilgour and C. Eden (eds.) Handbook of Group Decision and Negotiation. Dordrecht: Springer (2010).

ROBERT DUDLEY, PhD Northern Illinois University; Judicial behavior, decision-making, legal processes and public policy

COLIN DUECK, Associate Professor, PhD Princeton University; US Foreign Policy, International Relations, American Defense Policy and International Security

Hard Line: The Republican Party and U.S. Foreign Policy since World War II. (Princeton University Press, 2010).Reluctant Crusaders: Power, Culture, and Change in American Grand Strategy (Princeton University Press, 2006).

DAVID ERICSON, Associate Professor, PhD University of Chicago; American political development, political theory

Slave Smugglers, Slave Catchers, and Slave Rebels: Slavery and American State Development, 1787-1842,” in Contesting Slavery: The Politics of Slavery in the New American Nation, ed. John Hammond Craig and Matthew Mason (Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia [forthcoming Spring 2011])The Politics of Inclusion and Exclusion: Identity Politics in Twenty First Century America (New York: Routledge [forthcoming December 2010]) [volume editor]

SONIA BEN OUGHRAM GORMLEY, Assistant Professor, PhD School of Advanced Social Sciences, Paris, France; Terrorism and WMD proliferation in the FSU, BW Threats, Biosecurity and Biosafety. transfer mechanisms for biological weapons knowledge, nexus of terrorism and trafficking of WMD materials in the former Soviet Union, biosecurity and biosafety in the former Soviet Union

“Social Context Shaping Bioweapons (Non)proliferation,” (with Kathleen M. Vogel), Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science, vol. 8, no. 1, March 2010: 9-24.“Breaking Out of the CTR Mold?” Sonia Ben Ouagrham-Gormley, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, vol. 66, no. 1 (January 2010): 12-17.

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BASSAM HADDAD, Assistant Professor, PhD Georgetown University, Comparative Politics, political theory, Middle East politics

The Political Economy of Regime Security: State-Business Networks in Syria (Stanford University Press, Forthcoming, 2011).“Enduring Legacies: The Politics of Private Sector Development in Syria,” in Demystifying Syria, ed Fred Lawson (London: SOAS London Middle East Institute, 2009).

FRANCES HARBOUR, Associate Professor, PhD Columbia University; International security issues, ethics and public policy, chemical and biological weaponry

“Honorable Soldiers, Questionable Wars?” in Rethinking the 21st Century: 'New' Problems, 'Old' Solutions. Eds. Amy E. Eckert and Laura Sjoberg London: Zed Books, 2009.“A Just Soldier's Dilemma: Facing a War that Does Not Meet Jus ad Bellum Criteria” Cambridge Review of International Affairs, Volume 21 Issue 3 (2008), pp. 421-435.

MARK KATZ, Professor, PhD Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Post-Cold war international relations, international relations and domestic politics of the former Soviet Union

“Russian-Iranian Relations in the Obama Era,” Middle East Policy, Summer 2010.“Russia’s Greater Middle East Policy,” Institut français des relations internationals (IFRI), Russie.Nei.Visions, no. 49, April 2010.

GREGORY KOBLENTZ, Assistant Professor, PhD Massachusetts Institute of Technology, International Security, biological warfare, terrorism

Living Weapons: Biological Warfare and International Security (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2009). Rodney W. Jones and Mark G. McDonough with Toby F. Dalton and Gregory D. Koblentz, Tracking Nuclear Proliferation 1998 (Washington: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1998).

MARIELY LOPEZ-SANTANA, Assistant Professor, PhD University of Michigan; Europeanization, comparative welfare states, comparative federalism compliance.

“Having a Say and Acting: Assessing the effectiveness of the European Employment Strategy as an intra- governmental coordinative instrument” European Integration Online Papers (2009), Vol 13.“Soft Europeanization?: The Differential Influence of the European Employment Strategy in Belgium, Spain, and Sweden” (2009) In Heidenreich, M. and Zeitlin, J. (eds.) Changing European Welfare and Employment Regimes: The Influence of the Open Method of Coordination on National Labour Market and Social Welfare Reforms (EUI/Routledge Studies on the Political Economy of Welfare).

JULIANNE MAHLER, Professor, PhD SUNY, Buffalo; organization theory, research methods, political ideology

(with Maureen Casamayou) 2009. Organizational Learning at NASA: The Challenger and the Columbia Accidents. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press. (Winner of American Society for Public Administration, Section of Public

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Administration Research's Best Book Award, 2009).(with Priscilla M. Regan) 2010. Agency-Related Blogs as Forums for Policy Communities in The Future of Governance, Eds. Taco Brandsen and Marc Holzer. Washington, D.C.: American Society for Public Administration (forthcoming).

PETER MANDAVILLE, Associate Professor, PhD University of Kent at Canterbury; International relations, Islamic world

Globalizing Religions, Newbury Park: Sage, 2009 (co-edited with Paul James) “Think Locally, Act Globally: Toward a Transnational Comparative Politics,” International Political Sociology, Vol. 4, No. 2, June 2010 (co-authored with Terrence Lyons).

MICHAEL MCDONALD, Associate Professor, PhD University of California, San Diego; Research methods, public opinion and political behavior, political science. He has a postdoctoral fellowship at the Harvard-MIT Data Center.

(with John Samples, eds.) 2006. The Marketplace of Democracy: Electoral Competition and American Politics.  Washington DC: Brookings Press. (with Micah Altman and Jeff Gill) 2003. Numerical Issues in Statistical Computing for the Social Scientist.  Hoboken, NJ: Wiley and Sons.

HAZEL MCFERSON, Associate Professor, PhD Brandeis University; African political and social developments, ethnic and racial pluralism, comparative government and political systems/nonwestern societies, gender, conflict and development, race and global governance

The Racial Dimension of American Overseas Colonial Policy (1997)Mixed Blessings: The Impact of American Colonial Policy on Society and Politics in the Philippines (2002)

ERIC MCGLINCHEY, Assistant Professor, PhD Princeton University; Central Asian politics, Soviet and Post-Soviet politics and government.

2011. Blood, Chaos, and Dynasty: Islam and Patronage Politics in Central Asia, (under contract with University of Pittsburgh Press, expected publication fall 2011). 2010. “Running in Circles in Kyrgyzstan,” The New York Times (Op-Ed, April 10, 2010).

CHAR MILLER, Associate Professor, PhD Johns Hopkins; Political theory, public law, political culture

Cities on the Plains: Divinity and Diversity. (New York: Palgrave, 2009).“Good Faith and Credit.” Theory & Event 13:2 (2010).

HUNG NGUYEN, PhD University of Virginia; Asian studies, Vietnamese-U.S. relations, Vietnamese refugees, Vietnamese government and politics, U.S.-Vietnamese relations, U.S. foreign policy toward Asia, Transformation of Communism with special emphasis on China and Vietnam

"Vietnam: Facing the Challenge of Reconstruction," in Daljit Singh and Chin Kin Wah, Eds., Southeast Asian Affairs 2004. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2004."Vietnam and the Major Powers: Economic Renovation, Political Stability, and

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Foreign Policy," in Vladimir Kolotov, Ed., Book of Papers from the EuroViet V Conference, May 28-30, 2002. St. Petersburg, Russia: St. Petersburg State University, 2004.

JOHN PADEN, PhD Harvard University; Robinson Professor; Comparative government and public policy, African area studies, theories of the state

PAUL POSNER, PhD Columbia University; Political Science, public policy process, intergovernmental management, tax policy

PRISCILLA REGAN, Professor, PhD Cornell University; Information technologies, impact on civil liberties, comparative telecommunications policy

2010. “The Liberal State and the Surveillance State: Politics of Information Privacy Policy,” in Political Science as Public Philosophy: Essays in Honor of Theodore J. Lowi, Benjamin Ginsberg and Gwendolyn Mink (eds) (NY: W.W. Norton & Co.).2010. “Global Privacy Issues,” in The International Studies Compendium Project: International Communication, ed. by Robert A. Denemark and Nannette Levinson (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley/Blackwell Publishing Co.)

SUZANNE ROBBINS, Assistant Professor, PhD State University of New York; American Politics, Interest Groups

Play Nice or Pick a Fight? Cooperation as an Interest Group Strategy. 2010. Policy Studies Journal 38(3): 515-535.Balance or Dominance? Party Competition in Congressional Politics. 2010. Political Research Quarterly 63(2): 316-327 (with H. Norpoth).

JOHN SACCO, Associate Professor, PhD Penn State University; Information management, budgeting, accounting, policy analysis

CLAIRE SNYDER, Associate Professor, PhD Rutgers University; MAIS Director; Political theory, feminist theory, women in politics

“Third-Wave Feminism and the Defense of ‘Choice,’” Perspectives on Politics 8, no. 1 (March 2010): 255-261.“The Ideology of Wifely Submission: A Challenge for Feminism?” Politics and Gender, 4, no. 4 (December 2008): 563-586.

HUGH SOCKETT, Professor, PhD University of London; Citizenship education, urban studies, teacher professionalism

2001: Transforming Teacher Education: Lessons for Professional Education, with Pamela LePage-Lees, Elizabeth Demulder, and Diane Wood. CT: New Haven. Bergin and Garvey. 1994: Teacher Research and Educational Reform. (co-editor with Sandra Hollingsworth). 93rd Handbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Volume I.

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TREVOR THRALL, Associate Professor, PhD MIT, International security, political communication, public attitudes toward foreign policy and war

(with Cramer, Jane K., Editors) Why Did the U.S. Invade Iraq? (London: Routledge 2010 forthcoming). (with Cramer, Jane K., Editors) American Foreign Policy and the Politics of Fear: Threat Inflation in the U.S. since 9/11 (London: Routledge 2009).

STEFAN TOEPLER, Associate Professor, PhD Free University of Berlin; Nonprofit management

(with Wyszomirski, M.) “Arts and Culture.” In Salamon, L. (ed.), The State of Nonprofit America. Washignton, DC: Brookings Institution Press, in preparation.“Philanthropy.” In Juergensmeyer, M. & Anheier, H. (eds.), Encyclopedia of Global Studies. Thousand Oaks: Sage, in preparation.

TONI-MICHELLE TRAVIS, PhD University of Chicago; Race and gender issues in political participation, public administration, urban politics

Democratic Destiny and the District of Columbia, co-authored with Ronald Walters, 2010The Meaning of Difference, co-authored with Karen Rosenblum, 1996-2010

MING WAN, Professor, PhD Harvard University; International political economy, Sino-Japanese relations, Asian Pacific region

The Political Economy of East Asia: Striving for Wealth and Power (Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2008). Sino-Japanese Relations: Interaction, Logic, and Transformation (Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson Center Press and Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2006).

DAVID WILSFORD, Professor, PhD University of California, San Diego; comparative health policy

Health Care: Choice, Equity, Efficiency and Cost (special issue of Journal of Health Economics, Policy and Law, 5 (3) July 2010), co-editor with Gwyn Bevan and Jan-Kees Helderman; and contributor.Legacies and Latitude in European Health Policy (special issue of Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law 2005), co-editor with Adam Oliver and Elias Mossialos, and contributor.

Faculty Bios are available for review on:http://pia.gmu.edu

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