Academic Policies

Every full-time program KSAS Master’s student must register for a minimum of two consecutive semesters as a full-time, resident graduate student.

Every full-time KSAS PhD Student must register for a minimum of two consecutive semesters as a full-time, resident graduate student. 

Combined Bachelor's/Master's Student refers only to undergraduate students who have been accepted for concurrent study in a KSAS -based full-time graduate program while still completing their undergraduate requirements. 

Most combined students will switch to graduate status to complete degree requirements. Combined students cannot both apply for and start their combined status in the final semester of their undergraduate status.

Change of Status Process and Timing

In order for a student’s status to change from undergraduate to graduate, a Change of Classification Form for Combined Students must be completed. Academic Staff in the student's chosen graduate program are responsible for signature and submission of this form to the Homewood Registrar's office for students who have:

• Completed eight semesters of full-time undergraduate student at JHU (or the equivalent for transfer students), or
• Completed undergraduate degree requirements prior to the eighth semester of full-time undergraduate study at JHU (or the equivalent for transfer students).

For complete information, please visit the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training.

Postdoctoral fellows are at the university to undertake a research program in cooperation with a member of the faculty. All appointments are arranged through the individual departments. Proof of successful PhD completion and eligibility for employment will be required before any appointment may begin.

Please visit KSAS Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training | Johns Hopkins University for more information.

The category of Graduate Study Abroad (GSA) presumes a continuation of the graduate student's full-time resident status during the period of overseas or off-campus study.  GSA students should discuss all plans with their department/advisor in advance. International students should always consult with Office of International Services before making any travel plans or status changes. The GSA Application is available here.

Students who are enrolled in the Student Health Benefits Plan are encouraged to contact the Office of the Homewood Registrar prior to leaving campus for coverage details while abroad.

Any student traveling abroad should first register with the Johns Hopkins Travel Registry. For full information regarding the registry, visas, immunizations, and other helpful travel information please visit Johns Hopkins Travel Registry.

GSA students are typically those in the departments of Anthropology, Comparative Thought and Literature, and Modern Languages and Literatures.  While the History of Art Department does not have a general requirement of study abroad, many of its graduate students do go abroad to conduct dissertation research. 

A student on GSA is required to pay 10% of the full-time tuition rate for each semester abroad. The KSAS Dean's Office will pay the remaining 90% tuition balance.

Nonresident (NR) status is a full-time status typically reserved for students who are completing non-coursework degree requirements/experiences off-campus. The Nonresident Application is available via https://krieger.jhu.edu/graduate-postdoc/student-affairs/status-change

Students who are enrolled in University Student Health Benefits are encouraged to contact the Office of the Homewood Registrar prior to entering into a NR status. 

Additionally, international students should always consult with OIS before making any travel plans or status changes.

All students must register before they can attend classes or use university facilities. Detailed instructions about registration will be provided to all students before the registration period each semester/term. If the student has not been notified at least two weeks before the start of classes for any fall or spring semester should immediately contact their respective academic department, and the Office of the Homewood Registrar.

Graduate students who are funded and who are planning to pursue their degree work fulltime over the summer months need to register for at least 6 credits of their program's summer research course. This includes nonresident students who are fully funded by their program over the summer. There is no tuition charge for an 800-level course in the summer. Please consult with your academic program for more information

Students who for any reason do not complete their registration until after the prescribed registration period are required to pay a late registration service fee. The late registration fee schedule is posted under Term Dates & Deadlines on the Office of the Homewood Registrar's website. Graduate students must obtain permission from the chair of their department to register after the second week of classes.

Students will not be allowed to register if there are unpaid bills from a previous term. The student is required to pay tuition or make financial arrangements with the Office of Student Accounts before registering for a given term.

Visit https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/registrar/students/graduate-registration/  and https://registrar.jhu.edu/idr/ for more information.

Grading basis for graduate courses deliberately includes both letter grades and P/F grades. Instructors should have the widest discretion possible in grading graduate students’ work; therefore both grading bases are available to the instructor for courses at the graduate level. While policies in most departments vary, most graduate students receive letter grades or Pass/Fail grades for their research. Some programs have restrictions on how many P/F classes can count towards their graduate degree programs. Students should consult their department chairs and instructors to determine their grading requirements.

Grade Appeals

If a grade appeal is initiated in good faith, no retaliatory or disciplinary action will be taken against the appellant and appropriate measures will be taken to protect the appellant from retaliation. No division, school, department, or center shall discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristic. Students are strongly encouraged to immediately report any concerns of discrimination/retaliation to OIE directly.

The Homewood Registrar's website has detailed timelines, deadlines, and approval requirements for add/drops. Note that all withdrawals will be noted with a W on the student’s transcript.

The refund schedule can be found on the Student Account website.

A registration hold will be placed for students who have not obtained clearance from the Office of International Services (OIS), Student Accounts, Student Health Insurance or Student Health and Wellness Offices. Students should meet with the office that placed the hold so that the hold can be removed. Students who have an advisor’s hold on their registration must have their advisor release the hold online.

Summer Courses: while most summer courses offered at the Homewood Campus are undergraduate level courses, graduate students may enroll in these courses with permission from their department chair and the course instructor. No financial assistance is available for graduate students who wish to take summer courses. In special cases, graduate students may also take courses at other divisions of the institution. 

Graduate students who are funded and pursuing their degree fulltime over the summer months need to register for at least 6 credits of their program's summer research course. This includes nonresident students who are fully funded by their programs over the summer. There is no tuition charge for an 800- level course in the summer. Please consult with your academic program for more information.

Intersession Courses: KSAS graduate students are eligible to enroll in Intersession coursework. Grades are generally given on an P/F scale. Some students use this period to participate in research, independent study, or internships. A list of Intersession offerings is published in late November or early December. A special form, available in the Homewood Registrar’s Office, is used for Intersession registration. Students should register before winter break. Students who register for research, independent study, or an internship during Intersession must have the approval signature of their faculty sponsor and academic advising office. There may be costs with no financial aid associated with courses taken in intersession. Students are encouraged to check with their academic dept. prior to registration.

Visit https://summer.jhu.edu/intersession/ for more information.

At the discretion of the KSAS graduate program, a graduate student may retake a course, but the grade from the initial effort will remain on the transcript. This applies whether the initial effort occurred while the student was an undergraduate student or a graduate student.

This policy applies to all full-time KSAS doctoral and master’s students conducting thesis research. Each graduate program is required to publish its own policies and standards with respect to academic standing. At the end of each semester, all full-time KSAS graduate programs are expected to review the academic records of their graduate students to evaluate academic progress. For more information, please review the Homewood Schools Graduate Student Academic Review Policy.

Students who fail to attain a program’s minimum level of performance may be placed on academic probation or dismissed using the procedures outlined in the KSAS Policy for Graduate Student Probation, Dismissal, and Funding Withdrawal. In making these decisions, particularly that of dismissal, the program will take into consideration extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control.

Whenever it is determined that a graduate student has failed to meet minimum academic, research, and/or TA requirements (when the TA is a degree requirement*), that student may be placed on academic probation.

This change in status requires a formal letter/email and an offer of a meeting between the student and either their faculty advisor, chair, and/or departmental director of graduate studies. The letter should clearly outline the student’s academic shortcomings, indicate the corrective measures necessary to remain in the program and state the length of the student’s probationary period. Any funding ramifications for the student should be included as well.

Please see the full policy for more information on process, appeals, etc.

*note that if a TA is also- or only- required as part of a PhD work assignment, performance issues may be addressed as well/solely as per the PhD CBA (collective bargaining agreement).

Dismissal After Probation

This must be done with a formal letter/email citing the reason for dismissal and requires an offer of a meeting between the student and their faculty advisor or the departmental director of graduate studies. Academic dismissal will be noted on the student’s transcript only at the request of the program and with the approval of the cognizant Dean. A student may appeal this decision.

Dismissal Without Probation

A student may be dismissed without a formal probation period under three circumstances:

1. If they met the conditions for dismissal based on coursework as stated by the academic program in its department handbook or on its website;

2. If they failed an oral or written examination for which successful completion is necessary to continue in the program (as stated in the program’s degree requirements), or failed to meet any condition resulting from a qualifying or GBO exam; or

3. has been found to have committed academic or research misconduct and expulsion is the outcome of the deliberations as outlined in the Graduate Academic Misconduct Policy or the University Research Integrity Policy. Under these circumstances, programs are expected to follow the same procedures for Dismissal After Probation.

In addition, students are also subject to immediate dismissal on non-academic grounds in accordance with the Johns Hopkins Student Conduct Code as well as all applicable policies at the university policies page.

Academic Dismissal Consequences

When a student is dismissed from the University, several consequences follow:

• The Office of the Homewood Registrar cancels the student’s registration for the next semester, and authorizes a reversal of tuition assessed for that semester. This does not mean that the student directly receives a refund. For example, if the student has been funded by the department, the department would be eligible for the refunded funds. Additionally, any refund amount is subject to the refund schedule published by the Office of Student Accounts.

• Notation of dismissal may be placed on the student’s transcript at the request of the program and with the approval of the cognizant Dean.

• The Office of Student Financial Services suspends financial aid to the student, and work-study aid.

• The Office of International Services performs duties as required by U.S. federal regulations regarding persons not eligible to study at the University.

• Eligibility for student health benefits will end. Please contact the Office of the Homewood Registrar for specific information.

• The student loses access to university services, property, and nonpublic spaces.

Please see the full policy for more information on process, appeals, etc.

The terms for readmitting a student who has been dismissed for academic reasons are established by individual departments. The readmission process should be described in the dismissal letter, if deemed appropriate. Students who have been dismissed should discuss the readmission process with their advisor. The terms for readmitting a student who has been dismissed for reasons other than academic/research/TA performance are decided by the KSAS Dean's Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Trainng.

Please see the full policy for more information on process, appeals, etc.

Once a student withdraws from the University, their student transcript is closed, and changes to their academic record will not be permitted. International students must consult with Office of International Services to ascertain their visa obligations before withdrawing from the university. Students who withdraw from their program must be formally readmitted, at the discretion of the department, before they may return to the university. If readmitted, they do not pay a second application fee, but must satisfy the residency requirement for the degree following readmission (even if previously satisfied), and pay all outstanding fees.

Please see the full policy for more information on process, appeals, etc. Note that the same ramifications as listed under 'Academic Dismissal Consequences' apply.

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students wishing to withdraw from the University must send an official email to their department, citing their last day of engagement in the program. The department will then file a Termination/Withdrawal Form with the KSAS Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training office. Graduate students are encouraged to consult the chair and/or DGS of their department and OIS (if applicable) prior to submitting their written notice.

Withdrawal by Lack of Registration

Students who are not registered by the end of the fourth week of a given semester and either:

• have not responded to correspondence from their department, advisor, Office of Gradute Education and Postdoctoral Affairs/KSAS Dean's office, and/or Office of the Homewood Registrar about their intention to remain in the program, or

• have responded to correspondence but have not made effort to maintain a valid student status (defined as either enrolled or on an approved leave of absence), will have been deemed to have withdrawn themselves from the university and will be processed as a Withdrawn student in the student system (SIS).

It is important to note that paying tuition is not the same as registering for classes. For more information, please see the Student Enrollment Statuses information under Academic Policies.

Withdrawal Consequences

 Any outstanding fees will be followed up with the student/their department by the Office of Student Accounts.  Students who withdraw from their program must be formally readmitted, at the discretion of the department, before they may return to the university. 

Information for degrees administered by the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences is located at Academic Affairs | Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training | Johns Hopkins University.

Information for degrees administered by the Doctor of Philosophy Board is located at https://provost.jhu.edu/education/graduate-and-professional-education/doctor-philosophy-board/.

JHU will recognize dissertation research and subsequent dissertation submission for the purposes of a degree from JHU alone. It will sign no agreement that supports the concept of a student submitting the same work to different universities to receive two distinct degrees.

The University, however, wants to promote international exchange and in this spirit the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences has agreed to accommodate students with a desire to include faculty from a foreign university to participate in their research and defense process. Upon submission and review of a current curriculum vitae, KSAS will allow one advisor to be a faculty member of a foreign university and in certain cases will allow the committee to be expanded to include other faculty from a foreign university as long as the majority represent JHU. The University will provide no funds to cover expenses. Funding for travel would be up to the department or the foreign university.

All proposed co-tutelle agreements are to be submitted to the KSAS Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training for review. Please contact Renee Eastwood, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training for details. 

All KSAS graduate students must submit an online Application to Graduate, through their SIS account, in order to generate degree conferral and receive a diploma. Students should consult with their degree program (academic program staff and/or the director of graduate study in their program) and the KSAS Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training website, to determine current deadlines. The dates of these deadlines change each academic year.

Completing Graduation Requirements

Departmental graduation requirements vary; therefore, students are encouraged to speak with their departmental academic program staff to learn details of their requirements.

The Krieger School Academic Council via the KSAS Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training is responsible for the administration of policies and procedures for the Doctor of Philosophy in the Schools of Arts and Sciences. 

KSAC oversees: 

• KSAS Graduate Oral Examinations for Ph.D. students: with the approval of the department chair, a KSAS Graduate Oral Examination may be scheduled at any time during the academic year. Requests for KSAS Graduate Oral Examinations must be submitted to the KSAS Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training a minimum of four weeks before the examination is to take place.
• Dissertation/Thesis Instructions: The student is responsible for obtaining and observing the detailed instructions concerning submission of their dissertation/thesis from their departmental office, and the KSAS Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training.
• Initial Ph.D. Degree confirmation
• Recommendations for conferral to the Doctor of Philosophy Board
• Vetting and recommending new PhD degree programs  to the Doctor of Philosophy Board

The Doctor of Philosophy Board advises the Provost about University-wide issues pertaining to the PhD. It approves new degree programs and sets guidelines and policies that affect all PhD. students. The Board respects the strong tradition of local autonomy of JHU schools , and seeks to enhance the visibility and prominence of PhD. education across the University.

KSAC submits its list of approved KSAS conferrals to the Doctor of Philosophy Board for final university approval. No PhD degree is officially conferred until after the Doctor of Philosophy Board has approved and recommended conferral to the President of the University, and the President approves.