Annual Certification of Good Progress
The Graduate School requires that "each student's academic progress must be reported at least annually by the student's program in writing to the student and to The Graduate School." The Economics Department does this by students meeting with a faculty member and obtaining a signature certifying good progress against set milestones. The deadline is typically July 31, with the exception of completing the dissertation prospectus at the end of the third year when the deadline is August 31.
Not making good progress can, in certain circumstances, put a student at risk of being classified as not making "satisfactory academic progress" and subject to probation or dismissal. But in other situations, while progress is not "good," the student is not at risk of probation or dismissal. See a comparison of the good progress and satisfactory progress rules.
This annual certification applies to all students. Students with non-University funding in the coming year (such as an outside fellowship) are not exempt from the annual certification of good progress.
END OF YEAR 1
Milestone: Completing the qualifying examinations in all three core areas.
Deadline: Soon after grades are filed at the end of Spring Quarter, the Department will send a letter congratulating you if you have achieved candidacy, or specifying which core areas are incomplete and the course(s) that may be retaken to remediate the GPA.
Form: Students passing the qualifying exams in all three core areas should then submit the “PhD Qualifying Exam” form online via TGS Forms in GSTS.
END OF YEAR 2
Milestone: Good progress toward the field course requirements and a draft Economics 501 paper.
Deadline: July 31.
Form: Certification of Good Progress at End of Year 2
END OF YEAR 3
Milestone: Dissertation Prospectus.
Deadline: August 31.
Form: Certification of a Dissertation Prospectus
END OF YEAR 4
Milestone: Certification by the dissertation committee chair of a written paper submitted sufficiently far in advance of the deadline for the faculty member to have comprehensively reviewed it, and that it is of suitable quality to form at least one chapter of a dissertation. Coauthored papers are allowed but can only be used by one student for purposes of paper certification.
Deadline: July 31.
Form: Certification of Good Progress at End of Year 4
END OF YEAR 5 AND SUBSEQUENT YEARS
Milestone: Certification of good progress by dissertation committee chair.
Deadline: July 31.
Form: Certification of Good Progress at End of Year 5 and Above