We want all students to be successful in our program. If students have concerns about their graduate experience, they are encouraged to discuss their situation with their thesis advisor and/or committee and to reach out to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), Graduate Program Manager (GPM), Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education (ADGRE), and/or Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence (ADIE).
Satisfactory Progress
Success in the PhD program is determined by satisfactory progress in coursework and research. Students must also pass a preliminary exam.
Permanent thesis advisor:
To be in good academic standing, following the rotation period, students must have a thesis advisor. Most first year students successfully match with a permanent thesis advisor in late November to early December after completing three rotations. Students are encouraged to consult with the DGS at any point during the rotation process should they have any issues or concerns with the process and/or finding a permanent thesis advisor. A student must meet with the DGS as soon as they become aware that they will not match following three rotations and must schedule a fourth rotation for December. During that meeting, the DGS will specify a deadline for finding a permanent thesis advisor, which is usually the 50% tuition refund deadline in February as outlined by the registrar’s office. An extension may be available depending on the student’s situation and availability of program funds. If a student does not find a permanent thesis advisor by the deadline established, the student will be dismissed from the program.
If a student has concerns about their thesis advisor, they should consult the appropriate section of the handbook: https://students.pharmacy.wisc.edu/pharmsci-handbook/s-student-thesis-advisor-concerns/
Research Progress:
Satisfactory progress in research is determined by the student’s thesis advisor and thesis committee. This includes, but is not limited to, ethical and safe research practices, adequate working hours in the lab, participating in lab meetings and required training, keeping detailed laboratory notebooks in the format required by the thesis advisor, and moving their project(s) forward. If a student is not making satisfactory progress, the student will discuss the situation with their advisor and meet with their committee. The committee will fill out a progress form and provide detailed expectations of the student with an associated deadline/timeline. This timeline is typically 6 months or less, however if there are extenuating circumstances a longer timeline may be approved by the committee. The student will also meet with the DGS following this committee meeting. If the student does not make progress towards meeting expectations laid out by the committee, the student may be dismissed from the program.
In terms of safe research practices, students who violate safety policies will:
- Meet with their advisor(s), the School of Pharmacy Safety Committee Chair, and a representative from Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S).
- Depending on the severity and frequency of the violation, the PhD committee is notified, and the student may be required to meet with the Pharmaceutical Sciences Division Chair to discuss how the safety issues impact the entire division.
- Program guidelines require reasonable progress towards the degree. Semi-systematically violating good safety practices indicates that a student is not making progress towards a degree and can lead to dismissal from the program.
Coursework Progress:
Student coursework is determined by program requirements as well as by the student’s thesis committee, please see the appropriate handbook section for details, including information on satisfactory progress in coursework: https://students.pharmacy.wisc.edu/pharmsci-handbook/j-credit-course-requirements/
Preliminary exam:
The Preliminary Exam is expected to be completed by the end of August of a student’s second year unless an extension is granted. More details about the preliminary exam may be found in the appropriate handbook section: https://students.pharmacy.wisc.edu/pharmsci-handbook/o-preliminary-exam/