Orientation & Registration

One week before classes begin in August, the department organizes three events for new students:

1. Department Orientation
2. An informal session where incoming students meet with current graduate students.
3. A one-on-one meeting between students and advisors.

The Graduate School also hosts a general orientation for all incoming graduate students.

Incoming students whose native language is not English and who have not received a BA from an English-language institution must take a language placement exam.

• Students who complete the English Language Program during the month of August take the exam at the end of the program.
  
  
• Students who have not participated in the summer program take the exam at the beginning of September.

The time and location of the exam will be posted on the Graduate School’s website closer to the date.

Before classes begin, incoming students plan a tentative two-year academic program in consultation with an advisor and the graduate coordinator. Each term during the first and second years, students submit a plan of study for departmental approval, which typically consists of four half-courses per term; however, students in United States history, who register for a research seminar and the required pro-seminar in the same term, may select three graded courses and one TIME category. Please see below for a description of TIME  categories

One week after classes begin, all full-time resident degree students complete a study card to enroll in four half-courses, or the equivalent in TIME, for each term. Courses may be added or dropped after the study card deadline. Students should consult the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Registrar Office for add/drop deadlines. Petitions may be submitted for late withdrawal until the week before the December examination period.

• enroll in four half-courses, or the equivalent in TIME, for each term.

• Courses may be added or dropped after the study card deadline.

• Students should consult the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Registrar Office for add/drop deadlines.

• Petitions may be submitted for late withdrawal until the week before the December examination period.

Study cards are submitted to Dudley House.

Below are the categories acceptable in lieu of half-courses:

• TIME-C (catalog number 8899 ) for course-related work
• TIME-R (catalog number 7700 ) for acting as a research assistant
• TIME-T (catalog number 8811 ) for acting as a Teaching Fellow
• HIST 3000 (catalog number 4630 ) for students in latter years primarily engaged in dissertation research