Each department exercises a large measure of autonomy for its graduate program under policies established for the Institute as a whole. Under the general responsibility of the department head, each department has a departmental graduate committee, including one or more graduate registration officers, to administer departmental graduate procedures.
A departmental graduate committee acts with power on:
- The program of subjects, research, and examinations (other than language examinations) leading to any advanced degree for each graduate student registered in its department;
- Acceptance of credits toward graduate degrees;
- Applications for graduate study in the department;
- Determination of residence credits;
- Approval of departmental degree lists.
It recommends action upon:
- Applications for fellowships and scholarships;
- New subjects of graduate instruction within its department;
- Requests for exceptions to usual procedures;
- Cases of failure to meet scholastic requirements.
The committee reports to the Registrar:
- Results of general examinations;
- Grades on theses and thesis examinations;
- Subjects accepted toward a graduate degree.