POLICY
HANDBOOK
Graduate School of
Biomedical Sciences
Published: 04/01/96 Latest Revision: 8/1/2020
Revised: 11/13/96; 01/13/97; 08/01/97; 08/29/97; 10/30/97; 04/15/98; 06/12/98; 06/23/99; 11/11/99; 02/04/00;
06/23/00; 08/30/01; 11/16/01; 01/25/02; 04/26/02, 06/26/02; 11/15/02; 04/22/03; 11/21/03; 01/14/04; 03/13/04;
08/24/04; 06/14/05; 08/15/06; 04/13/06; 06/15/06; 11/02/06; 04/05/07; 06/14/07; 11/08/07; 02/07/08; 06/16/08;
08/03/09; 08/02/10; 08/01/11; 02/29/12; 07/30/12; 09/04/12; 01/16/13; 07/14/14; 08/21/14; 01/29/15; 04/08/15;
06/18/15, 8/24/2015, 8/27/2015, 08/01/16, 07/30/18, 08/16/19, 11/25/2019, 8/1/2020
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE 1. ADMINISTRATION
1.1 The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
1.1.1 Mission
1.1.2 Accreditation
1.2 Dean
1.3 Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Academic Program Development
1.4 Assistant Dean for Curriculum
1.5 Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Research and Career Development
1.6 Faculty
1.6.1 Criteria for Appointment to the Graduate Faculty
1.6.2 Duties of the Graduate Faculty
1.6.3 Major Advisor
1.7 Programs and Departments
1.7.1 Program Director
1.8 Student Membership in Programs
1.8.1 Membership in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
1.8.2 Membership in a Departmental or Interdisciplinary PhD Program
1.8.3 Membership in a Major Advisor’s laboratory
1.8.4 Effort Required for Satisfactory Progress Towards Degree
1.9 Student Interest Groups
1.10 Evaluation
ARTICLE 2. STANDING COMMITTEES
2.1 Graduate Executive Council
2.2 Admissions Committee
2.2.1 Admissions Committee Conflict of Interest
2.3 Appeals Committee
2.4 Curriculum Committee
2.5 Promotions Committee
2.5.1 Promotions Committee Conflict of Interest
2.6 Policy Committee
2.7 Graduate Student Council
2.8 Graduate Faculty Membership Committee
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ARTICLE 3. ADMISSIONS
3.1 Academic Requirements
3.2 Non-Discrimination Policy
3.3 Student Disability Policy
3.4 Acceptance of Admissions Offers
3.5 Reinstatement of Admission
3.6 Retention of Admissions Records
ARTICLE 4. FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
4.1 Tuition
4.2 Financial Assistance
4.3 Outside Employment
4.4 Financial Responsibility
ARTICLE 5. REGISTRATION
5.1 Academic Year
5.2 Deadline for Registration
5.3 Program of Courses
5.3.1 Course Schedule
5.3.2 Research Rotation Requirement
5.4 Course Load
5.5 Course Changes
5.6 Dissertation Registration
5.7 Retroactive Credit
5.8 Inter-Program Transfer
5.9 Audit Students
5.10 Special Students
5.11 Inter-Institutional Student Registration
5.12 Floating Holidays and Term Breaks
ARTICLE 6. ACADEMIC REGULATIONS
6.1 The Grading System and Assigning Course Credit
6.1.1 The Grading System
6.1.2 Assigning Course Credit
6.2 Grade Changes
6.3 Student Evaluation
6.4 Transcripts
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6.5 Unsatisfactory Academic Performance
6.6 Academic Warning
6.7 Academic Probation
6.8 Dismissal
6.8.1 Dismissal due to poor academic performance
6.8.2 Dismissal for nonacademic reasons
6.8.3 Ineligibility to Reenroll
6.9 Withdrawals
6.9.1 Request to Withdraw
6.9.2 Administrative Withdrawal
6.10 Appeal of Promotions Committee Decisions
6.10.1 Appeal Process
6.10.1.1 Review by the Appeals Committee
6.10.1.2 Appeals Committee Process
6.10.1.3 Responsibility of Student’s Grad Program during Appeals Process
6.11 Professional Conduct
6.11.1 Academic Misconduct
6.11.2 Scientific Misconduct
6.11.3 Violation of College Policies
6.11.4 Criminal Acts
6.11.5 Suspension
6.12 Extracurricular Activities
6.13 Student Written Grievance Policy
6.14 BCM Statement of Student Rights
ARTICLE 7. STUDENT RECORDS
7.1 Maintenance of Student Records
7.2 Confidentiality of Student Records
7.3 Student Access to Records
7.4 Challenge of Content Accuracy
7.5 Faculty Access to Records
7.6 Transfer of Information from Records
7.7 Criminal Background Checks and Health-Related Information
ARTICLE 8. RESIDENCY
8.1 Residency Requirements
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8.2 Leave of Absence
8.3 Remote Student Status
8.4 Remote Advisor
8.5 Childbirth/Adoption Accommodation
8.6 Pursuit of Other Degrees While Enrolled in the GSBS
ARTICLE 9. PROGRESS TOWARD THE DEGREE
9.1 Oversight
9.2 The Major Advisor and Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC)
9.2.1 Appointment of Major Advisor and Advisor/Student Compact
9.2.2 Appointment of TAC
9.3 Appeal of TAC Decisions
9.4 Status Reports
9.4.1 Due Dates
9.4.2 Status Report Contents
9.4.2.1 Status Report Timeline
9.4.3 The Status Report Meeting
9.4.4 Status Report Signature Page
9.4.5 Permission to Write
9.4.6 Late Penalties
9.4.7 Special Circumstances
9.5 The Seven Year Rule
9.5.1 Monitoring student progress beginning of Year Seven
9.5.2 Extension of the Seven Year Rule
9.6 Credit Requirements
9.7 Transfer of Credit
9.8 The Qualifying Examination
9.8.1 Results of the Examination
9.9 Admission to Candidacy for the Degree
9.10 Other Examinations
9.11 Candidates for the Master of Science Degree
9.11.1 Qualifications for the Terminal Master of Science Degree
9.11.2 Qualifications for the Master of Science Degree in CSTP
9.11.3 Pursuit of MS Degree by Medical Students in MSRT
9.12 Publication Policy
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ARTICLE 10. GRADUATION
10.1 Dissertation Examining Committee
10.2 The Dissertation
10.2.1 Format and Organization of the Dissertation
10.2.2 Defense of the Dissertation
10.2.2.1 Scheduling the Defense of Dissertation
10.2.2.2 Defense of Dissertation (Results of Defense of Dissertation Form)
10.2.3 Submission of the Completed Dissertation with its Revisions
10.3 Financial Clearance
10.4 Commencement
ARTICLE 11. SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE
ARTICLE 12. STUDENT SERVICES
12.1 Wellness Intervention Team
While every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of information in this
publication, BCM reserves the freedom to change without notice admission and
degree regulations, tuition, fees, and any other information published herein.
This publication is not to be regarded as a contract.
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ARTICLE 1. ADMINISTRATION
1.1 The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Training leading to the PhD degree in the biomedical sciences is an integral component of
BCM. The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is a division within the College whose
activities complement and are closely coordinated with those of the School of Medicine.
1.1.1 Mission Statement
The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is
dedicated to providing a rigorous and stimulating research and training environment for
qualified PhD. and Masters level candidates in the biomedical sciences. Outstanding
PhD, Masters and MD./PhD. students provide the intellectual capital needed to advance
the research and educational mission of the college and to provide a new generation of
scientific leaders. The faculty is committed to excellence in interdisciplinary research
training for students whose intellectual contributions will continue to fill the reservoir
of fundamental knowledge needed to conquer disease and promote health and well-
being for all people.
1.1.2 Accreditation
Baylor College of Medicine is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award masters and doctorate degrees.
Questions about the accreditation of Baylor College of Medicine may be directed in
writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling 404-679-4500, or by using
information available on the SACSCOC website.
1.2 Dean (Revised 08/01/11)
The Dean of the Graduate School is the administrative head of the Graduate School. The Dean,
and only the Dean, may make exceptions to any of the policies of the Graduate School. Any
exception to policy will be brought to the attention of the Graduate Executive Council at its
next meeting. All actions of Graduate School Committees are recommendations. They may be
implemented after approval by the Dean. Usually this is done by the Dean's approval of
Committee minutes. The recommendations will become policy only after the Dean has
presented the recommendations to the Graduate Executive Council for approval. The Dean
will: 1) coordinate the activities of other deans and assist in the development of new initiatives;
2) chair the Policy Committee; 3) serve as the representative of the Graduate School to the
Academic Council; and 4) chair the Executive Council.
1.3 Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Academic Program
Development (New 8/24/15)
The Sr. Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Academic Program Development provides
collaborative leadership ensuring integrity, quality and student success around a range of
activities including Program development, curriculum, outcomes assessment, Programmatic
accreditation and faculty development. This role involves active engagement in policy
implementation and compliance, strategic planning and day-to-day problem solving. This
position requires ongoing communication with graduate school staff, Program directors,
graduate school teaching faculty, major advisors and the Dean. The Sr. Associate Dean will:
1) Support Program directors and faculty course directors in the implementation of activities
associated with new and revised Program curriculum 2) Act on behalf of the Dean in the Dean’s
absence on matters related to the graduate school and its Programs etc.
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1.4 Assistant Dean for Curriculum (New 08/01/11)
The Assistant Dean for Curriculum is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School to assist
in all matters pertaining to the curriculum. The Assistant Dean for Curriculum will: 1) serve as
ex officio member of the Curriculum Committee; 2) maintain, evaluate and develop the core
curriculum in consultation with the Curriculum Committee, Program Directors, faculty and
students; and 3) monitor promotions and serve as ex officio member of the Promotions
Committee.
1.5 Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Research and Career Development (New
08/01/11)
The Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Research and Career Development is appointed by the
Dean of the Graduate School to assist in all matters pertaining to the appointment and career
development of research postdoctoral trainees. The Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Research
and Career Development will: 1) oversee the Office of Postdoctoral Research and the
appointments and policies for research postdoctorals; 2) manage and evaluate the career
development course for research postdoctorals and graduate students, including the
development of new topics; and 3) serve as the Graduate School administrative contact for the
Postdoctoral Association.
1.6 Faculty (Revised 04/26/02, 08/16/19)
The Graduate Faculty shall consist of those faculty who play an active role in the education and
training of BCM graduate students through teaching, supervision of research, and other
supporting activities, including recruitment, evaluation and Committee participation. Graduate
Faculty serving solely in an Educator role (e.g. not serving as a major thesis advisor) must be
members of the BCM faculty. Graduate faculty eligible to serve as Major Advisors for research
students are faculty of BCM or other academic institutions that meet qualifications for
membership (defined in 1.6.1).
1.6.1 Criteria for Appointment to the Graduate Faculty (Revised 04/26/02, 03/31/04,
07/30/12, 04/06/18, 08/16/19)
All faculty of BCM or other Gulf Coast Consortium academic institutions that meet
qualifications for membership in its Graduate Programs are eligible for consideration
for appointment to the Graduate Faculty. An appointee must hold a terminal degree
(e.g. the PhD or M.D degree, or its foreign equivalent) and be nominated for
membership by one or more Graduate Programs. Faculty must be resident in their home
institutions at least 9 months each year.
Requests for appointment to the Graduate Faculty and to the faculty of an individual
Graduate Program are made by the Graduate Program Director. Following satisfactory
review by the Graduate Faculty Membership Committee, appointment to the Graduate
Faculty is made by the Dean.
Application for initial appointment to the Graduate Faculty must be accompanied by a
nomination from the Program Director, a recommendation letter from the faculty
member’s Chair and a current CV in BCM format. Application of a current member of
the Graduate Faculty for membership in an additional Graduate Program must be
accompanied by a nomination from the Program Director. The request for appointment
to the Graduate Faculty denotes the faculty’s consent to abide by the policies established
by the Graduate School and the Graduate Program. Appointment to the Graduate
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Faculty and membership in a Graduate Program comes with reasonable expectations of
service to the Graduate School and Graduate Program as outlined in Section 1.6.2.
1.6.2 Duties of the Graduate Faculty (Revised 04/26/02, 08/16/19)
In addition to the duties defined by BCM for its full-time faculty, Graduate Faculty
members are expected to perform specialized duties unique to graduate training.
Foremost among these, for faculty eligible to serve as Major Advisors, is participation
in ongoing research in biomedical science, principally providing research opportunities
to PhD. trainees. Other duties for Major Advisors and Educators include teaching and
extramural service activities. Teaching experience may include a number of activities
in addition to formal classroom participation, such as participating in research seminars,
serving as a member of student TACs within the Graduate School or as a preceptor for
student journal clubs and discussion groups, and participating in Program and School-
wide academic Committees. Faculty participation in community activities shall be
undertaken as directed by the Department or Program Chair. Summer research training
outreach activities for secondary school and undergraduate students are acknowledged
valuable responsibilities of full-time faculty of the College and constitute evidence of
continued community service. Assignments of these activities are reviewed annually by
each Graduate Program to ensure equitable distribution of responsibilities and
excellence of academic purpose and training.
1.6.3 Major Advisor (also see 9.2.1) (Revised 04/26/02, 08/16/19)
Membership in the Graduate Faculty is a requirement for service as a Major Advisor.
In addition, the faculty member must show evidence of being an established principal
investigator with sources of research space and financial support, undertaking an
independent Program in biomedical research. The Major Advisor is required to assume
financial responsibility for the student at stipend levels set by the Graduate School and
health insurance during his/her tenure in the faculty member's laboratory. The Major
Advisor is responsible for monitoring student time commitment as defined in Section
1.8.4. It is the duty of the Major Advisor to maintain and guide the student's satisfactory
steady progress toward the degree and to ensure that the student becomes a well-
educated, productive research scientist. The Major Advisor must demonstrate that
sufficient research and stipend and health insurance financial resources are available on
an annual basis. The Advisor must notify the Program Director in advance of funds
termination that may jeopardize the continued participation of a student in the
laboratory.
1.7 Programs and Departments (Revised 08/01/16)
Faculty within an academic unit such as a Department or Division may assemble a plan for the
purpose of recruiting and training graduate students in teaching and research leading to the PhD.
degree. In addition, specialized autonomous training units (called Programs) may be formed by
faculty from multiple academic units for the purpose of offering training in a scholarly
discipline of common interest not already represented by preexisting units. Training units must
propose a detailed plan for classroom research and seminar instruction which comply with the
academic policies and procedures of the Graduate School. A training unit receives approval
from the Executive Council upon the recommendation of the Curriculum Committee. Creation
of new programs must comply with the BCM Academic Program Approval Policy (Section
30.1.02).
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1.7.1 Program Director
The Program Director is a full-time faculty member appointed by the Department Chair
(if a departmental Program), or appointed by the Steering Committee (if an
interdisciplinary Program) with the approval of the Dean, and is a member of the
Graduate Executive Council. The Program Director has oversight of the PhD training
unit and coordinates the Graduate Program in his/her department or division with the
aid of a Program Committee. This responsibility implies that the Program Director
represents the department and the students by: 1) Assisting the Admissions Committee
in processing applications to the Graduate School; 2) Acting as advisor to graduate
students until the student's Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) is appointed; 3) Assisting
the Graduate School in recording the student's progress toward the degree and
recommending to the Promotions Committee transfer of credit and unusual course
loads; 4) Making recommendations to the Dean regarding establishment of TACs,
scheduling and administering of Qualifying Examinations, defense of dissertations,
leaves of absence, withdrawals, and awarding the degree; 5) Transmitting
administrative forms directly to the Graduate School office; and 6) Transmitting
information from the Graduate School office to the graduate students.
1.8 Student Membership in Programs
A full-time graduate student is a member of either two or three academic entities, depending
upon his or her level of progression to the PhD degree.
1.8.1 Membership in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Upon enrollment, a student becomes a member of the Graduate School of Biomedical
Sciences and is subject to the rules defined herein. Continued enrollment shall require
satisfactory performance. Dismissal shall be done only by the Dean, upon
recommendation of the Promotions Committee and appropriate appeal procedures as
described in this Policy Book.
1.8.2 Membership in a Departmental or Interdisciplinary PhD Program
Entry into a PhD Program, either Departmental or Interdisciplinary, shall make the
student a member of that entity as well. The Program may impose additional policies
and performance criteria which strengthen or modify the overall policies of the Graduate
School, but those policies may not diminish nor eliminate any academic requirements.
Membership in a PhD Program and continuation of any established financial support
shall continue provided that the student is in good academic standing and is making
satisfactory academic progress toward the degree. The latter criteria include punctual
performance of administrative tasks such as choosing a major advisor, appointing a
TAC, choosing a scientific research project acceptable to that Committee, and
completing required academic documents (such as status reports, Committee meetings
and the dissertation) within specified time limits as defined in the policy handbooks of
the Graduate School and the Program.
Dismissal from the Program shall be done by the Program Director, following review
of the student’s past and current performance by a Committee appointed by the Program
Director. The members of that Committee shall include at least one member of the
student’s TAC. A faculty member who has a conflict of interest in the matter shall not
serve. The Committee shall have at its disposal in making its decision (1) a report from
the student’s TAC recommending dismissal for causes described in their report, (2)
copies of all Graduate School transcripts of the student and of all progress reports turned
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in to the Graduate School by that student and (3) any additional research or academic
documents it deems necessary for the proper conduct of the inquiry.
If the student wishes to continue enrollment in the Graduate School, the Program is
obligated to provide a period of no more than 8 weeks with full stipend and insurance
support for the student to transfer to another Program, unless that period of support has
previously been granted to the student for the purpose of finding another laboratory.
1.8.3 Membership in a Major Advisor’s Laboratory (Revised 03/31/04, 08/01/11,
08/16/19, 8/1/20)
A student shall choose a Major Advisor by mutual agreement subject to Graduate
Program approval (also see 9.2.1). Membership in a laboratory is a privilege; during the
student’s traineeship time in that laboratory, the student and major advisor are expected
to conduct science and scholarship according to high ethical principles as defined for
faculty members in the BCM Faculty Handbook, and the Research Ethics standards
defined in the BCM Administrative Guide. Continued membership in the major
advisor’s laboratory shall be assumed, unless unforeseen circumstances occur. Those
circumstances include (1) loss of funding by the faculty member for the conduct of the
research; (2) academic or scientific misconduct by the student or advisor, causing
dissolution of the bond of trust between student and faculty member; or (3) other
disagreements which break that bond of trust.
Major advisors and their students should work to construct a mutually agreeable set of
expectations for the relationship, including time spent in research activities in the
laboratory or other locations. However, in the case that a major advisor or student
wishes to terminate the student’s membership in the major advisor’s lab, the initiating
party (student or major advisor) must contact the Program Director. In the case that the
Program Director is the student’s major advisor, the program’s Associate Director or a
member of the program’s Program Executive Committee (PEC) shall fulfill the role of
the Program Director. The Program Director will review the circumstances in separate
meetings with both the major advisor and student to determine whether differences
between the student and major advisor can be resolved. The Program Director, at his/her
discretion, may utilize the Thesis Advisory Committee as a resource or request a joint
meeting between the two parties.
The Request to Leave Laboratory Form will be completed and signed by the Program
Director, co-signed by the major advisor, student and the student’s Committee and sent
to the Graduate School for approval. The effective date for leaving the laboratory will
be the effective date indicated on the form. The request to leave a laboratory must also
contain a signed agreement between the major advisor and student concerning the
student’s authorship status on any publications resulting from the student’s work while
in the laboratory. Decisions regarding authorship should be made in accord with the
BCM Policy on Authorship (Section 02.9.40) and in the spirit of the Authorship Policy
of the Graduate School (Section 9.12). After termination of the student-mentor
relationship, the Program Director shall assume the temporary duties of advisor, and
shall intercede actively to assist the student in finding a new Major Advisor.
If the action is initiated by the major advisor, the major advisor must provide the student
at least 4 weeks of stipend and insurance support following the official termination date
of membership in the laboratory. Terminating the membership of a student in a
laboratory does not constitute discharge from the Program. If the student wishes to
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continue enrollment, the Program is obligated to provide an additional period of no more
than 8 weeks with full stipend and insurance support for the student to find another
laboratory or to transfer Programs.
1.8.4 Effort Required for Satisfactory Progress Towards Degree (New 08/16/19)
Students are expected to attend academic activities and/or conduct research daily,
Monday-Friday, unless prior arrangements are made with their Major Advisor and/or
Program Director. An absence that has not been approved in advance is considered
‘unexcused’. Approval for absences must be obtained in advance from the student’s
Major Advisor, or Program Director if the student does not have a Major Advisor. In
the event of an absence due to illness, the student should immediately notify the Major
Advisor or Program Director. In the event of an emergency or extreme illness, the
student should ask a representative to contact the Major Advisor or Program Director
on the student’s behalf. In the case of special or unforeseeable circumstances (such as
a natural disaster or flood), the Dean may provide an exception to these attendance or
absence approval requirements.
Major Advisors must notify the student’s Program Director if their student has an
unexcused absence of greater than three successive business days. Students with
unexcused absences of more than 5 successive business days may be placed on
Administrative Leave of Absence with attendant loss of stipend until such time that the
student returns to their academic and research activities.
1.9 Student Interest Groups (New 07/30/12, Revised 8/24/15, 08/01/16)
Official student interest groups may be designated by the Dean upon the request of the Graduate
Student Council or Postdoctoral Association. The designation as a recognized trainee interest
group entitles the group to develop a BCM web page and to use BCM and its logo in publicizing
their activities. Interest groups must abide by all college policies concerning use of the BCM
name, logo, and internet/social media.
BCM students or student groups may from time to time invite outside speakers to address
BCM functions. Outside speakers must be approved in advance by the Dean or designee. The
names and credentials of proposed speakers, purpose of the presentation, and proposals for
any costs such as travel, expenses, and honoraria, must be presented to the Dean or designee
for review and approval at least three weeks prior to the event. All outside speakers will be
required to meet the professional standards expected of BCM faculty, with evidence based
presentations when applicable and complete disclosure of funding and conflict of interest.
Students are required to comply with BCM Fundraising Policies (Section 17.1.03) and
Student/Trainee Fundraising Project Policy (Section 17.1.07).
1.10 Evaluation (Revised 08/30/12, 8/1/20)
To improve our academic Programs, an internal self-evaluation of individual Graduate
Programs and the graduate school as a whole will occur annually. The evaluation will consist
of an academic planning and evaluation document that sets Program learning objectives and
outcome measurements for the coming year along with an analysis of the previous year’s plan
and student learning outcomes. Each Program will be provided with a standard set of outcome
measurements including student performance in the first-year curriculum, qualifying exam
performance, student retention, and publications.
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Individual teaching evaluations by students enrolled in each didactic/6000- level course offered
by the graduate school will be conducted at the end of each term. The evaluations of the course
and individual instructors will be provided to the course director to help formulate changes in
the course for next year. Each instructor will be provided with a copy of the overall course
evaluation and their own teaching evaluations. Teaching evaluations will be considered by the
Curriculum Committee during its periodic evaluation of the curriculum (section 2.43), and
every five years, in preparation for an external review, the Curriculum Committee will evaluate
the curriculum of each Program along with the utilization of the core curriculum with respect
to content and quality.
Every five years, an external evaluation Committee composed of scientists involved in graduate
education will be appointed by the President of the College to conduct a comprehensive
evaluation of the graduate school as a whole along with individual Graduate Programs.
ARTICLE 2. STANDING COMMITTEES
(Revised 01/16/04, 08/23/04, 07/14/14, 08/16/19)
The standing Committees of the Graduate School are appointed by the Dean of the Graduate
School. The Committees include the Graduate Executive Council, Admissions, Appeals,
Curriculum, Graduate Faculty Membership, Promotions, Policy and Graduate Student Council.
Students serving on any Graduate School Committee must have the approval of their major advisor
and Program Director and must be in good academic standing. Ex officio members may be included
on any Committee with the approval of the Dean and/or be invited to attend meetings as guests of
the Executive Council. A simple majority of the members of a Committee constitutes a quorum.
Only duly appointed members may vote; proxy members may vote with authorization from the
Program. Students serve for a period of one two-year term. Recommendations by the standing
Committees will be forwarded to the Dean for final decision.
2.1 Graduate Executive Council (Revised 08/01/11, 07/14/14)
The Executive Council voting membership is composed of the Dean (who chairs the Council),
Assistant and Associate Deans, Graduate Program Directors, Director of the MD/PhD Program,
Chairs of the Graduate School standing Committees, President and Vice President of the
Student Council, President and Vice President of the Postdoctoral Association, and Chair of the
Graduate Program Administrators Group. Meetings are held once per term (approximately
every 10 weeks). This Committee is responsible for academic affairs and policies of the
Graduate School, and together with the Dean, this Committee advises the President of the
College on Graduate School matters. The Executive Council broadly and actively considers the
policies of the Graduate School. Standing Committees of the Graduate School report to the
Executive Council for ratification of decisions. The Executive Council may, on its own
initiative, consider matters of interest to the Graduate School.
2.2 Admissions Committee (Revised 07/14/14, 06/18/15)
The Admissions Committee is composed of at least six faculty members appointed by the Dean
and two Student Council representatives. The chair and vice-chair are appointed by the Dean
and the vice-chair is expected to become the chair. Faculty members may not be Graduate
Program Directors, departmental Chairs or division heads. Faculty members of this Committee
serve for three years, and may be recommended for re-appointed by the Dean. Student members
serve for one two-year term with staggering starting years. The Admissions Committee
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considers applications from all Graduate Programs and recommends acceptance of qualified
applicants to the Dean.
2.2.1 Admission Committee Conflict of Interest (New 01/29/15, 06/18/15, 08/16/19)
Decisions by any GSBS Admissions Committee regarding student applicants must be
free from intimidation and not influenced by any political, financial or other outside
factors. Members of the Committee must immediately report a real or perceived conflict
of interest to the GSBS Dean or designee and/or a faculty Chair(s) of the Admissions
Committee. A conflict of interest is determined to exist, without limitation, in instances
where the Committee member:
1. Has an Immediate Family or Extended Family relationship to the applicant; or
2. Is or has been in a significant teaching, social or personal relationship with the
applicant or a member of the applicant’s immediate or extended family; or
3. Has a business or financial relationship with the applicant or a member of the
applicant’s immediate or extended family.
If a Committee member meets any of these criteria, the Committee member must recuse
him/herself from participation in any evaluation, discussion or deliberation of such
applicant.
A Committee member must report a real/perceived conflict of interest immediately upon
learning of the identity of the applicant creating the real/perceived conflict of interest.
In the event of doubt as to the existence of a conflict of interest, the Committee member
should err on the side of reporting relevant facts to the GSBS Dean or designee and/or
faculty Chair(s) of the School or Program Admissions Committee. Any Committee
member may raise the issue of a real/perceived conflict of interest with respect to an
applicant and any other Committee member. Failure to report a real or perceived
conflict of interest may result in the Committee member’s removal from the admissions
Committee. The GSBS Dean or designee shall make the determination of the existence
of a real/perceived conflict of interest after reviewing relevant facts. This decision is
final with no option for appeal.
Annual Statement: Each Committee member shall complete and return to the Dean of
the GSBS or the Dean’s designee annually, and prior to participating in the applicant
review process, a conflict of interest acknowledgement. Failure to complete and return
the acknowledgement form in a timely manner is grounds for removal from the
Admissions Committee.
2.3 Appeals Committee (New 07/14/14)
The Appeals Committee, chaired by the Dean, consists of one member nominated from each
Graduate Program, and two Student Council representatives. Members may not be members
of the Promotions Committee. Faculty members serve for a three-year term, and may be
recommended for re-appointed by the Dean. Student members serve for one two-year term with
staggering starting years. Members of the Appeals Committee will be excused from considering
appeals from students to whom they serve as thesis or major advisor. The Dean will select one
student to serve as an ad hoc member of the Appeals Committee. One member of the
Promotions Committee will by appointed by the Dean to serve as an ex officio member of the
Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee reviews appeals of students that do not agree with
Promotion Committee decisions.
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2.4 Curriculum Committee (Revised 08/03/09, 09/04/12, 07/14/14)
The Curriculum Committee is composed of a representative from each Program, and two
Student Council representatives. The chair and vice-chair are appointed by the Dean and the
vice-chair is expected to become the chair. Faculty members serve for one 3-year term, but may
be recommended for reappointment by the Dean. Student members serve for one 2-year term
with staggering starting years. The Curriculum Committee considers proposals for new
Graduate Programs and new courses, reviews the curriculum every five years, and evaluates
content and quality of current courses. Course duplication and overlap are also considered by
this Committee. The Curriculum Committee ensures that any course not offered during two
consecutive periods is removed from the general catalog. Re-institution of a course requires
approval of this Committee.
2.5 Promotions Committee (Revised 07/14/14, 08/16/19)
The Promotions Committee is composed of a faculty representative of each Program. The chair
and vice-chair are appointed by the Dean and the vice-chair is expected to become the chair.
Faculty members serve for one 3-year term, and may be recommended for re-appointed by the
Dean. The Promotions Committee is responsible for recommending policies concerning
requirements of promotion, probation, dismissal, and graduation to the Policy Committee. This
Committee ensures that all Programs issue a course grade at the end of each term, regardless of
overall course length and enforces policies concerning deficient academic progress and grades
that result in academic warning, probation or dismissal. The Committee reviews the records of
all students and evaluates course credits presented for transfer. Decisions of the Promotions
Committee are reported to individual students, Program Directors, the Chair of the student's
TAC, the Dean, and the Executive Council.
2.5.1 Promotions Committee Conflict of Interest (New 08/16/19)
Decisions by any BCM Promotions Committee regarding student promotion,
progression, probation, dismissal or other academic action must be free from
intimidation and not influenced by any political, financial or other outside factors.
Members of the Committee must immediately report a real or perceived conflict of
interest to the GSBS Dean or designee and/or the faculty Chair of the Promotions
Committee. A conflict of interest, requiring recusal from voting and decision making
is determined to exist in instances where the Committee member has:
1. an immediate Family or Extended Family relationship with the student;
2. a personal or social relationship with the student, or a member of the student’s
Immediate or Extended Family;
3. a business or financial relationship with the student, or a member of the student’s
Immediate or Extended Family;
4. graded the student in a course for which the course grade is the subject of a
pending adverse action or proposed remediation plan;
5. served as the student’s faculty advisor or formal Major Advisor, or other
significant relationship with the student; or
6. provided healthcare services to the student.
A Committee member must report a real/perceived conflict of interest immediately upon
learning of the identity of the student creating the real/perceived conflict of interest. In
the event of doubt as to the existence of a conflict of interest, the Committee member
should err on the side of reporting relevant facts to the GSBS Dean or designee and/or
the faculty Chair of the Promotions Committee. Any Committee member may raise the
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issue of a real/perceived conflict of interest with respect to a student and any other
Committee member. Failure to report a real or perceived conflict of interest may result
in the Committee member’s removal from the Promotions Committee. The GSBS Dean
shall make the determination of the existence of a real/perceived conflict of interest after
reviewing relevant facts. This decision is final with no option for appeal.
Annual Statement: Each Committee member shall complete and return to the GSBS
Dean, prior to participating in the Promotion Committee activities, a conflict of interest
acknowledgement. Failure to complete and return the acknowledgement form in a
timely manner is grounds for removal from the Promotions Committee.
2.6 Policy Committee (Revised 07/30/12, 07/14/14, 8/27/15, 8/01/16)
Policy Committee members are recommended for appointment by the Dean of the GSBS, who
also serves as the chair of this Committee. The Policy Committee is composed of
representatives from the Admissions, Curriculum and Promotions Committees, other faculty
appointed by the Dean, a representative Program Administrator and the President and Vice-
President of the Student Council. The Committee considers new policies or revisions to existing
policies, and recommends new policies or policy changes to the GSBS Executive Council.
GSBS Policies are developed in accordance with the BCM Development and Approval Policy
(Section 01.1.01).
2.7 Graduate Student Council (Revised 07/14/14, 08/16/19)
The Graduate Student Council is composed of a president (or co-presidents) and a vice-
president, two students from each Graduate Program, a representative of the first year class,
and a representative of the MD/PhD Program. Council members serve for one 2-year term with
elections occurring in the fifth term of each year. The Council is autonomously elected by and
is exclusively responsible to the graduate student body. The Student Council president and vice-
president are voting members of the Executive Council and the Policy Committee. Two Student
council members also serve as voting members of the Curriculum and Admissions Committees.
The Council provides a forum for discussion of problems or ideas relating to life as a BCM
graduate student. They serve as a liaison between the student body, the GSBS administration
and other BCM student bodies to maintain open communication and to promote understanding.
The Council organizes and hosts the annual Graduate Student Research Symposium and assists
the Dean with the planning of orientation for incoming students. The Council meets once every
month to review each of its subcommittee’s recent findings or upcoming events, and discuss
any current issues. All GSC members are required to attend 8 out of the 12 GSC meeting each
year; exceptions can be granted by the GSC President or Vice-President. Minutes of all Council
meetings are recorded and distributed to the Dean.
2.8 Graduate Faculty Membership Committee (New 08/16/19)
The Graduate Faculty Membership Committee is composed of seven members of the Graduate
Faculty nominated by the Dean. Faculty members serve for one 3-year term, but may be
recommended for reappointment by the Dean. The Graduate Faculty Membership Committee
considers applications for membership in the Graduate Faculty following criteria outlined in
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17
Section 1.6.1 (Criteria for Appointment to the Graduate Faculty), and makes recommendations
for appointments to the Dean.
ARTICLE 3. ADMISSION
3.1 Academic Requirements (Revised 01/25/02, 06/21/02, 08/16/19)
An applicant must hold a bachelor’s or more advanced degree or be in the final stages of a
Program leading to a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. An official transcript verifying the degree
will be required at matriculation. The following undergraduate courses are recommended but
not required: Biology, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Mathematics (calculus preferred) and
Physics. Most applicants have an overall grade point average greater than 3.0 (where 4.0 = A),
with grades of B or better in courses relevant to his/her field of study. Questions about specific
aspects of the curriculum or recommended undergraduate courses should be addressed to the
specific Program to which the applicant is applying.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required. Foreign applicants for whom their
prior baccalaureate or higher education was not in English, must demonstrate proficiency in
spoken and written English through obtaining a score of 90 or greater for the Test of English as
a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or a score of 6.5 or greater on the International English Language
Testing Service (IELTS) examination.
3.2 Non-Discrimination Policy (Revised 04/22/03)
BCM and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences admits students of any race, sex, sexual
orientation. Color, national ethnic origin, disability or age to all the right, privileges, Programs,
and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not
discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, color, national or ethnic origin,
disability or age, in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship
and loan Programs, and other school school-administered Programs.
3.3 Student Disability Policy (New 8/27/15, 08/01/16)
BCM provides equal educational access for qualified students with disabilities in accordance
with state and federal laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended
in 2008, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the BCM Student Disability
Policy (Section 23.1.07).
3.4 Acceptance of Admissions Offers (Revised 04/22/03, 8/1/20)
The BCM Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is a member of the Council of Graduate
Schools (CGS). According to the bylaws of the CGS, applicants have no obligation to accept
an offer before April 15. While the BCM Graduate Programs can encourage accepted
applicants to commit to an offer prior to April 15 to aid the Program in establishing the optimal
entering class, the student does not have to declare before that date. The provisions of the CGS
state: “Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April
15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those
instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and subsequently desires to
withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment
at any time through April 15.” However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15
commits the student not to accept another offer without first informing in writing the institution
to which a commitment has been made that they are withdrawing their acceptance of an offer,
prior to accepting a second offer. Similarly, an offer by an institution after April 15 is
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conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted
offer. It is further agreed by the institutions and organization subscribing to this Resolution that
a copy of the Resolution should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and
assistantship offer.”
3.5 Reinstatement of Admission (New 04/13/06, 08/24/15)
Students who withdraw or are dismissed for academic reasons, or who receive a terminal M.S.
degree from BCM Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences must reapply for admissions before
they may be reinstated as a student. A student who is dismissed on the basis of misconduct is
ineligible to reapply.
3.6 Retention of Admissions Records (New 04/13/06)
In accordance with Federal Policy (IRS), the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences will
retain admissions records for a period of three years for all applicants. The admissions records
of matriculated applicants (excluding letters of recommendation) will become a part of the
student’s permanent file maintained by the Registrar.
ARTICLE 4. FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
4.1 Tuition
Tuition for a full-time course of study for one school year (5 terms, minimum of 12 credit hours
per term) is set by the Board of Trustees. All students will be charged full tuition during their
entire graduate school career. Students who are enrolled for less than the entire academic year
are charged on a proportional basis.
4.2 Financial Assistance (Revised 11/15/02, 08/01/16)
All students receive an annual stipend while enrolled as full time students in the Graduate
School. The amount of the stipend and any individual exceptions are established by the
Executive Council and Dean. The stipend is continued as long as the student is making progress
toward the degree. The BCM Financial Responsibilities, Financial Aid Eligibility, and
Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements for Students policy (Section 23.1.02) outlines
academic standards for financial aid eligibility. The Office of Student Financial Aid considers
all applications for loans with the exception of the Emergency Loan Fund. Emergency Loans
may be obtained through the Graduate School office.
4.3 Outside Employment
The first obligation of students is to their graduate studies. Students should arrange their
financial affairs so that employment during the academic session should not be necessary.
However, if the need arises, they should consult their Graduate Program Director.
4.4 Financial Responsibility (Revised 08/02/10)
Graduate students are expected to conduct their financial affairs in such a manner that their
personal accounts and outstanding loans through the Graduate School remain current. Student
fees (other than student health insurance, tuition and facilities fee) are the responsibility of the
graduate student and must be paid by September 1 and February 1. For non-payment of their
student fees (by the published deadlines) the student is charged a late fee by Student Account
Services and a hold is placed on the student record blocking on-line registration, the posting of
grades, production of transcripts and graduation. Charges for tuition and the facilities fee are
cleared from the student account when scholarships are applied automatically. The Bursar
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19
processes scholarships at the beginning of each semester (in July and January). The Dean can,
at his/her discretion, discontinue tuition scholarships and/or refuse registration in those
instances where there is no progress toward reducing the indebtedness.
ARTICLE 5. REGISTRATION
5.1 Academic Year
The academic year is approximately August 1 to July 31, and terms are designated First,
Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth (one term = 8 weeks’ instruction plus one exam week). All
students begin their studies in August unless circumstances justify special permission in writing
from the Graduate Program Director for beginning at another date. The request should be made
in writing, by the student, to the specific Program Director who, in turn, notifies the Graduate
School office. All requests for office-cycle admissions must be approved by the Dean.
5.2 Deadline for Registration (Revised 08/23/04, 08/16/19, 8/1/20)
The student will be billed a $25.00 late registration fee when registering after the stated
deadline. If a student fails to register by the end of the 6
th
business day of the term, they may
be administratively withdrawn from the Graduate School.
5.3 Program of Courses
5.3.1 Course Schedule (Revised 08/16/19, 8/1/20)
The Graduate Program pre-registers students for most courses, and students may self-
register in CAMs during designated Open Registration periods. Changes to course
registration after the close of Open Registration up to the end of the 6
th
business day of
the term require notification to the Program Administrator. Changes to course
registration after the 6
th
business day of the term require the approval of the Program
Director (see 5.5 for courses that start after the first week of the term). After
appointment of the Major Advisor, approval is indicated by the signature of the Program
Director and the Major Advisor.
5.3.2 Research Rotation Requirement (New 06/15/06, Revised 08/16/19)
Research rotations begin to teach students how researchers approach biological
problems. A rotation is expected to provide an introduction to the laboratory’s research
goals as well as instruction in basic laboratory skills. Rotations also familiarize the
students with different laboratories in their Graduate Program and facilitate the ultimate
selection of a Major Advisor. A typical research rotation lasts a whole term, but students
may split a rotation in consultation with the Program Director. The number of credits
earned in each rotation is adjusted so that the combination of research rotation and all
other courses sums to a total of at least 12 credit hours per term.
In order to maximize the benefits of the research rotations, students are required to
complete a minimum of three research rotations in different laboratories (or three full
terms in the case of split rotations). All rotation mentors must be members of the
Graduate Faculty. The first and second research rotations must be done with a rotation
mentor who is a member of the student’s graduate program. Subsequent rotations may
be done with a mentor-qualified member of the Graduate Faculty outside of the
student’s Graduate Program with approval of the PEC.
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Students and faculty are encouraged to discuss the potential for joining a laboratory
during or after the rotation. However, students need the opportunity to explore various
laboratories without pressure. Therefore, faculty will make no commitment and will
not request commitment from a student prior to completion of three rotation terms.
Official appointment of a major advisor can be approved only after the completion of
three rotation terms. The three-rotation requirement is managed and monitored by the
individual Graduate Programs.
Exceptions:
Students may choose to work at BCM during the summer before matriculation and
count the summer research as one rotation, pending approval by the Graduate
Program Director. Permanent employment at BCM prior to matriculation (e.g. as a
research technician), or research conducted outside of a BCM degree granting
program, cannot be counted as a rotation.
MD/PhD students who participate in research during their initial MD training period
may count their experience as one rotation pending approval by the Graduate
Program Director and in consultation with the MD/PhD Program Director.
Students who transfer to BCM with their advisor after joining his/her laboratory in
another institution are exempt from the three-rotation requirement but are
encouraged to familiarize themselves with the work done in other laboratories in
their Program.
5.4 Course Load (Revised 08/16/19)
All students must be enrolled for at least 12 hours of credit each term. Students who have been
admitted for candidacy and who have a TAC in place, will be automatically registered by their
Program administrator for 12 hours of dissertation each term. The number of contact hours
required for coursework and research credit are defined in the BCM Credit Hour Policy (Section
23.1.11). A student wishing to take more than 17 term hours per term must obtain written
permission from their Major Advisor, and have the approval of the Dean.
5.5 Course Changes (Revised 8/27/15, 08/01/16, 08/16/19, 8/1/20)
Throughout the first six business days of a term, registration may be changed with notification
to the Graduate Program Administrator and the Graduate School. For courses that do not start
in the first week of the term, registration may be changed within 6 business days of the first
class meeting with notification to the Graduate Program Administrator and the Graduate
School. These changes are not reflected on the transcript. After that time through to the
midpoint of the course duration, a student may withdraw from a course with the approval of the
Graduate Program Director and the Major Advisor (if applicable) and notification of the
Graduate School office. Withdrawal is designated on the transcript by the symbol WD.
Withdrawal after the midpoint of the course duration, but prior to the final exam date, must be
approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. The notation on the Transcript will be WD. If
the Dean does not give permission to withdraw, the notation will be I (incomplete) or F (Failing)
depending on the student's performance prior to the date of withdrawal. The BCM Course
Repeat Policy (Section 23.1.09) outlines how repeated coursework is listed on student
transcripts.
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5.6 Dissertation Registration
A graduate student may not register for dissertation until a TAC has been appointed, the
Qualifying Examination has been successfully Passed, and the Program has proposed the
student for candidacy.
5.7 Retroactive Credit
Credit cannot be given retroactively for a course in which a student was not officially enrolled.
5.8 Inter-Program Transfer (Revised 01/13/97, 07/29/13)
Once a student has committed to a specific Program, it is expected that the course of study will
be pursued to completion. In exceptional circumstances, students may transfer from one
Graduate Program to another upon approval by the director of each of the Programs concerned
and by the Dean; however, it is the student’s responsibility to present compelling reasons for
such a transfer. Before a transfer request can be initiated, all parties must be certain that the
resident Program has not been able to address the concerns of the student. Neither Program will
approve such a transfer without consultation between the directors of both Programs. Students
are encouraged to consult with the Graduate School administration if they feel that conditions
have arisen necessitating an inter-Program transfer, and may appeal disapproval by their current
Program to the Dean, who will have the final authority for approval. Any transfer will be noted
on the student’s permanent record upon submission of “Interdepartmental Transfer” form.
Even if the student has been admitted to candidacy prior to transfer, the new Program may
require that the student complete all requirements for admission to candidacy in the new
Program.
5.9 Audit Students (Revised 11/08/07, 8/1/20)
BCM graduate students are allowed to audit any courses offered by the graduate school for no
credit and without examination if the course director approves. If a student wishes to audit a
BCM graduate school course, the student must register for an audit and obtain permission of
their Program Director and the course director. Registration is completed by using the
Add/Drop Form. For the course to be listed on the student’s transcript (without any credit hours
awarded toward graduation), the student must submit to the Graduate School a course syllabus
(dates, lecture titles and lecturer name) in which the student’s attendance at 70% or more of the
classes is documented by the lecturer’s signature for each lecture attended. An audit student
may not take examinations. If the student fails to submit an attendance document by the last
day of the term, they will be withdrawn from the course and it will not appear on their transcript.
Other individuals may audit Graduate School courses under the following conditions: The
individual is a full-time student of an institution with which BCM has a reciprocal agreement,
or a member of the BCM faculty or staff. Should the auditor be a BCM employee, written
consent is required from the faculty employer, the course director and the Graduate School
Dean. Upon recommendation of the course director, transcripts will bear the course name and
will be marked audit. No more than 15 term hours of audit may be accumulated by anyone other
than a full-time student.
5.10 Special Students (Revised 01/16/04, 8/1/20)
Baylor College of Medicine associated personnel who hold a Bachelor’s or higher degree, but
who are not students, may with permission, register as Special Students for courses offered by
the Graduate School and its Programs. Individuals who hold an active offer of admission but
have not yet matriculated, are also considered to be Special Students and may take graduate
courses before they matriculate, by permission of the Dean. Special Students may not take
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22
courses through the reciprocal agreement with another institution. Written consent is required
from the faculty employer, the course instructor and the graduate school. A special student may
register for a maximum of 15 term hours of credit. Any credit hours for which grades of C or F
are received count toward the 15-hour limit. Petitions for exception should be directed to the
Dean of the Graduate School. The performance of special students is subject to review by the
Promotions Committee and a grade of C or lower may be grounds for the graduate school to
refuse permission for enrollment in subsequent courses. BCM graduate students will be given
priority for courses with limited enrollment.
5.11 Inter-Institutional Student Registration - Reciprocal Agreements (Revised 06/15/06,
07/30/12, 08/16/19)
In addition to full-time students accepted in the PhD and MD/PhD Programs, matriculated full-
time students in a school with which BCM has a reciprocal agreement (Rice University, Texas
A&M University, University of Houston, The University of Texas Graduate School of
Biomedical Sciences, and The University of Texas School of Medicine may take courses for
credit without going through formal admissions procedures or paying tuition. The established
BCM procedures for registration must be followed. BCM graduate students may take graduate
level courses at reciprocating institutions under the same conditions. BCM students can register
for inter-institutional courses only when the course is approved by the student’s Program,
offered at the host institution for graduate credit, and when a comparable course is not offered
at BCM. During the registration process (Inter-institutional registration form), the Graduate
School will evaluate the effectiveness of inter-institutional courses in supplementing the BCM
curriculum and in meeting the overall goals of the student’s Program. Registration must be
approved by the student’s Program, the BCM GSBS, the host institution and the host instructor.
BCM students must comply with all of the requirements of the institution offering the course
(e.g., background checks, immunizations, etc.)
5.12 Floating Holidays and Term Breaks (New 08/01/11)
Courses, exams, or other required activities will not be scheduled on the four BCM floating
holidays (Good Friday, Christmas Eve, Day after Thanksgiving, President’s Day) or during
graduate school term breaks. For research students, including research rotations, arrangements
for floating holidays or other time off should be made with the PI.
ARTICLE 6. ACADEMIC REGULATIONS
6.1 The Grading System and Assigning Credit
6.1.1 The Grading System (Revised 04/15/98, 04/26/02)
Grade
Description
A
Honors Work
B
Passing Work
P
Passing Work
C
Marginal Work
MP
Marginal Pass-Research Courses Only
I
Temporary Incomplete Work
F
Failing Work
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23
A grade of C or F does not confer credit toward Graduate School degree requirements.
MP only applies to research related courses (Special Projects, Research Rotation and
Dissertation). Incomplete (I) is to be used only to represent incomplete work; no other
use of the grade is to be accepted. The grade may be carried no longer than three terms.
After the third elapsed term, the I automatically becomes an F. For all courses that are
graded without objective examination (e.g., graded on attendance) only grades of P
(Pass), F (Fail) or I (incomplete) can be used. These include but are not limited to
Readings (courses numbered 548) and Seminar (courses numbered 466). Grades of P
(Pass), MP (marginal Pass) or F (Fail) are to be used for Special Projects (courses
numbered 435), Research Rotations (courses numbered 549) and Dissertation (courses
numbered 550). In all courses (School of Medicine and Graduate School), all students
must be graded on the identical criteria. If a Program wishes additional criteria for its
students in a required course, such criteria should not be reflected in the recorded grade.
Please refer to the institutional Course Repeat Policy (Section 23.1.09) for criteria for
calculating repeats in coursework.
6.1.2 Assigning Academic Credit (2/29/12, Revised 8/27/15, 8/01/16)
The academic calendar of the Graduate School is divided into five academic terms.
Each term is of 8 weeks duration followed by one week of exams. Terms 1 and 2 are
offered in the fall (August-December), terms 3 and 4 occur in the Spring (January-May)
and Term 5 occurs in the Summer (May-July). Credits for coursework (term hours) are
awarded on the basis of the Carnegie Unit. A term unit of credit is equal to one hour of
lecture, seminar or small group discussion time per week or three hours of laboratory
research activity per week. One term credit hour is equivalent to 0.5 semester credit
hours. If the calculation of credit hours using the convention specified above is a non-
integral number, the credit hours will be rounded to the closest integer. Please refer to
the institutional Credit Hour Policy (Section 23.1.11) for additional guidance on how
academic credit is awarded and for overall guidance on the number of credits required
for each BCM degree.
6.2 Grade Changes (Revised 08/23/04, 8/27/15, 08/01/16)
Grades submitted by the faculty become final on the official date that grades are due each term.
Grade changes for other than numerical error are discouraged. If an exam is re-evaluated, all
students' answers to the affected sections of the exam are subject to review. Grade alterations
affecting one student only, must be justified on the basis of a mathematical or related error.
Requests to change final grades must be submitted in writing by the course director, with the
approval of the Program Director, to the Promotions Committee. The request must specifically
state the reason for the change. If student concerns regarding final grade are not resolved
through discussion with the course director, students may choose to proceed with a formal grade
appeal. Guidance for the appeal process, inclusive of timeline, is outlined in the BCM Student
Grievances Policy (Section 23.1.08).
6.3 Student Evaluation (Revised 06/15/06)
Students are encouraged to complete evaluation-of-course/instructor forms at the end of each
term, including courses taken at other institutions through inter-institutional agreements (see
article 5.11). The Graduate School office shall distribute these forms for each service course
to each student engaged in classroom-based course work. Completed forms are to be returned
to the Graduate School, before the end of the subsequent term, where they will be collated and
sent to the respective course directors.
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6.4 Transcripts
All grades and academic actions will be permanently recorded on the transcript. Students may
be provided with unofficial copies of transcripts. Official copies will be released only by written
request of the student to the Registrar's office.
6.5 Unsatisfactory Academic Progress (Revised 04/26/02, 08/23/04, 08/03/09, 07/30/12;
07/29/13, 07/14/14, 08/01/16, 04/06/18)
Students are considered to be making good academic progress unless they have been placed on
Academic Warning, Academic Probation or recommended for dismissal. Graduate students are
expected to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree. One or more credit hours with the
grade of C, MP, F, or I makes a student subject to review by the Promotions Committee. The
Promotions Committee will take one of the following actions: 1) Place the student on Academic
Warning; 2) Place the student on Academic Probation; 3) Recommend the student for dismissal
to the Dean; 4) Other action deemed appropriate by the Promotions Committee.
In the case of a grade of MP or F in a research-related course, the student’s TAC and Program
Director will be notified as soon as possible by the Graduate School. If a TAC has not been
established, the Program Director will be notified. The Program Director or designee will meet
with the student and major advisor. A plan of remediation, signed by student, major advisor,
Program Director and TAC (if appropriate) must be submitted to the Graduate School within
two (2) weeks of the preceding term’s grade submission deadline. Before assigning a grade of
F in a research-related course, the major advisor must notify the Program Director of the
reason(s) for the grade, documenting that the student has been given written warning of their
unsatisfactory performance and potential remedies.
A student must be making good academic progress when granted permission to write and at
graduation for either the MS or PhD degrees.
6.6 Academic Warning (Revised 04/13/06, 11/08/07, 07/14/14)
Any student who receives one to three credit hours of C, or one instance of MP (in a research-
related course), will be placed on Academic Warning by the Promotions Committee. The
Promotions Committee will notify the student, in writing, of its decision. To be removed from
Academic Warning, the student must retake the required course within one year and obtain a
grade of B (P in a research-related course) or better, and must also complete two terms with no
grades lower than B (or P in a research-related course). A student who Fails to comply with
the specific conditions of the Academic Warning may be placed on Academic Probation by the
Promotions Committee. A student who satisfies the conditions of the Academic Warning will
be removed from Academic Warning upon review by the Promotions Committee.
6.7 Academic Probation (Revised 06/21/02, 04/13/06, 11/02/06, 11/08/07, 07/14/14)
Any student who accumulates four or more credit hours of C, or receives one or more credit
hours of F, or two (cumulative) grades of MP in research-related courses, will be placed on
Academic Probation by the Promotions Committee. A student who fails their first attempt at
their Qualifying Examination will be placed on Academic Probation. The Promotions
Committee will notify the student, in writing, of its decision. When a student is placed on
probation or when a student on probation accumulates additional grades of C or lower, a plan
of remediation must be submitted to the Promotions Committee by the student’s Program. To
be removed from Academic Probation the student must: (1) retake required course(s) within
one year and obtain a grade of B or better (P in a research-related course), or their second
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qualifying exam, and (2) complete two terms with no grades lower than B (P in a research-
related course).
A student who fails to comply with the specific conditions of his/her probation will be
recommended to the Dean for dismissal from the Graduate School. A student who satisfies the
conditions of probation will be removed from Academic Probation upon review by the
Promotions Committee.
6.8 Dismissal (Revised 06/23/00, 11/16/01, 04/13/06)
6.8.1 Dismissal Due to Poor Academic Performance (Revised 11/11/99, 11/16/01,
07/29/13, 07/14/14, 8/1/20)
A student who receives a grade of C or lower in nine or more term hours of courses,
three (cumulative) grades of MP in a research-related course, or 9 or more term hours
of a grade of F in a research-related course, will be recommended for dismissal from
the Graduate School after grade verification by the Promotions Committee and Dean.
A student who fails to pass their first qualifying examination may be recommended for
dismissal to the Dean by the Promotions Committee (see Section 9.8.1). A student who
fails to pass their second qualifying examination will be recommended for dismissal to
the Dean by the Promotions Committee (see Section 9.8.1).
First year students who fail to appoint a major advisor by the end of their first year, or
upper year students who are unable to appoint a major advisor after leaving a thesis
laboratory within the rotation period specified by Section 1.8.3, may be recommended
for dismissal by their Graduate Programs for inability to make progress towards their
degree.
The Dean will notify the student, in writing, of a decision for dismissal. The student will
have the right to appeal the dismissal as outlined in Section 6.10, and must notify the
Dean of the intent to appeal, in writing, within one week of receipt of notification of the
dismissal action.
If the dismissal is unchallenged or upheld on appeal, dismissal is entered on the
permanent transcript, along with the student's academic status at the time of dismissal.
Outstanding grades of Incomplete at the time of dismissal will remain Incomplete.
6.8.2 Dismissal for Nonacademic Reasons (Revised 08/29/97, 11/16/01, 06/14/05,
02/07/08, 07/14/14)
A student also may be dismissed for non-academic reasons that seriously violate the
expectations of professional behavior (Section 6.11). After investigation of any
allegations, any finding of non-professional conduct will be forwarded to the
Promotions Committee for review and action. After its review, the Promotions
Committee may recommend appropriate sanctions or penalties, including a
recommendation for dismissal for non-academic reasons to the Dean. The Dean will
notify the student, in writing, of the Promotions Committee’s recommendation. If the
Promotions Committee recommends dismissal, the student will have the right to appeal,
the dismissal as outlined in Section 6.10. The request to appeal a dismissal decision
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must be made in writing to the Dean within one week of receiving notification of the
dismissal action.
6.8.3 Ineligibility to Reenroll (New 8/1/20)
Ineligibility to reenroll for reasons other than financial and academic will result in a
transcript notation. If a student withdraws during a pending disciplinary charge that may
result in the student’s ineligibility to reenroll at BCM, BCM shall continue the
disciplinary process until there is a final determination of responsibility. The student’s
transcript may be updated accordingly once a final determination of responsibility has
been made.
6.9 Withdrawals
6.9.1 Request to Withdraw (New 01/16/04, Revised: 06/14/05, 04.13.06, 08/03/09, 07/29/13,
07/14/14, 8/1/20)
A student may withdraw from the Graduate School at any time, but to do so, the student
must submit to the Dean a completed “Request to Withdraw/Clearance Form” signed
by the Program Director for approval. The student’s academic status at the time of the
withdrawal will be reflected on the transcript. With respect to courses, if the request to
withdraw is approved by the Graduate School after the student has completed all the
course requirements, including the final examination if applicable, the transcript will
reflect the grade earned. Outstanding grades of I at the time of withdrawal will be
changed to WD (Withdrawn).
A student charged in a misconduct issue may withdraw. If a student withdraws during
a pending disciplinary charge that could result in the student’s ineligibility to reenroll at
BCM, BCM shall continue the disciplinary process until there is a final determination
of responsibility. If the allegations are substantiated by an investigation, and the
Promotions Committee subsequently recommends dismissal, the transcript shall be
amended to show that the student was dismissed for reasons other than academic or
financial.
6.9.2 Administrative Withdrawal (New 01/20/04, Revised 11/02/06)
Students who fail to register during a term without specifically requesting leave or
permission to withdraw, shall be withdrawn administratively. Transcripts will bear the
notation "Administratively Withdrawn". All payments and benefits, including the
tuition waiver, will cease upon administrative withdrawal.
6.10 Appeal of Promotions Committee Decisions (Revised 11/16/01, 07/14/14)
A student who disagrees with a Promotions Committee decision may appeal that judgment in
writing to the Dean within one week of being notified of the decision.
6.10.1 Appeal Process (Revised 11/16/01; ‘Review by the Promotions Committee’ removed on
07/14/14; ‘Composition of the Appeals Committee’ moved to Article 2 on 07/14/14)
6.10.1.1 Review by the Appeals Committee (Revised 11/16/01, 07/29/13,
07/14/14)
A student who disagrees with the Promotions Committee may appeal the
decision in writing to the Dean within one week of being notified of the
Promotions Committee’s decision. The appeal request must state the basis
of the appeal (Section 6.10.1.2). The Dean will notify the Appeals
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Committee of the Graduate School to review the Promotions Committee
decision within two weeks of receiving a written request.
6.10.1.2 Appeals Committee Process (Revised 11/16/01, 07/14/14)
The Appeals Committee will meet within two weeks of the Dean receiving
the written appeal. The student may ask to meet with the Committee and
may bring a faculty member of their choice as an advocate. The Appeals
Committee may request to speak with persons that may have information
pertinent to the appeal.
The Appeals Committee will review the appeal request with regards to: 1)
whether Graduate School policies as outlined in this manual were followed,
2) the appropriateness of the evaluation of any information provided by the
student, faculty or Program to the Promotions Committee, or 3) any other
relevant information that was not available to the Promotions Committee.
Recommendations the Appeals Committee should reflect the decision of the
majority of Committee members on the issues above. Based on
recommendations of the Appeals Committee, the Dean will make the final
decision regarding the appeal. If the recommendation of dismissal or other
decision by the Promotion Committee is overturned by the Appeals
Committee, the Dean, together with the Appeals Committee, must
recommend a remediation plan for the student.
6.10.1.3 Responsibility of the Student’s Graduate Program During the
Appeals Process
During the appeals process(es), the student will retain his/her financial and
research support from the student’s Graduate Program, and will maintain
academic enrollment.
6.11 Professional Conduct (New 02/07/08, 08/16/19)
Students are expected to perform their duties in a professional manner and abide by all the
policies of Baylor College of Medicine including the BCM Code of Conduct, the Graduate
School, and their Programs. Any conduct not in keeping with the ethical or professional
standards of BCM is defined as professional misconduct. This includes, but is not limited to,
actions of academic misconduct that occur in the context of meeting academic requirements
(courses and Qualifying Examinations), scientific misconduct as defined by the College,
violation of College policies, and acts of a criminal nature.
6.11.1 Academic Misconduct (New 02/07/08, 07/29/13)
Academic misconduct is defined as dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) that occurs
in conjunction with academic requirements such as courses or Qualifying
Examinations. Allegations of academic misconduct should be made in writing to the
Dean. In cases of alleged academic misconduct, the Dean will, within one week,
appoint an Investigative Committee consisting of three faculty members and two
students to investigate the allegations and report their findings and recommendations
to the Promotions Committee (Section 6.8.2). The student has a right to receive a
copy of the written allegations of academic misconduct provided to the Investigative
Committee and to respond to the Committee orally or in writing concerning any
allegations if he or she chooses. The student may bring a faculty member of their
choosing to serve as an advocate.
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6.11.2 Scientific Misconduct (New 02/07/08)
Scientific misconduct is defined as “fabrication, falsification, plagiarism or other acts
that deviate from commonly accepted practices within the scientific community for
proposing, conducting or reporting research” (US Public Health Service Regulations).
Allegations of scientific misconduct should be reported to the College officer in
charge of investigating these allegations using the policies defined by the College.
Once the College process has reached a conclusion and any appeals have concluded,
any finding of scientific misconduct will be sent to the Promotions Committee for
their review and action (section 6.8.2)
6.11.3 Violation of College Policies (New 02/07/08, Revised 8/27/2015, 08/01/16, 8/1/20)
Graduate Students are required to abide by all policies that apply to them, including
the policies set by the Graduate School, their Program and BCM. The BCM policies
include, but are not limited to, those pertaining to:
Human Resources (Section 02)
Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy (Section 12.02.01)
Social Media Policy (Section 11.2.15)
Use of Copyrighted Material (Section 20.8.03)
Diversity Policy (Section 02.2.40)
Student/Trainee Fundraising Projects (Section 17.1.07)
Gift Acceptance and Processing Policy (Section 17.02.01)
Removing PHI from BCM Premises (Section 31.4.21)
Environmental Safety
Office of Research (Human Subject and Animal Research)
Allegations of the violation of BCM policies by graduate students will be initially
dealt with by the normal processes for handing such allegations within BCM. When
other BCM entities deal with professional misconduct allegations involving graduate
students, the Graduate School Dean should be informed of these allegations if in
keeping with confidentiality requirements. Under extraordinary circumstances, where
there may be concerns about well-being of the student or others, the Dean may
suspend the student while awaiting a final resolution of the allegation by BCM.
If an allegation is substantiated, the Dean will inform the student, their Program
Director, and major advisor in writing of the responsibilities of students to follow
BCM and Program Policy and may recommend the matter to the Graduate School
Promotions Committee if it is judged to be sufficiently serious to serve as grounds for
dismissal (section 6.8.2).
6.11.4 Criminal Acts (New 02/07/08)
The Dean may recommend review of the status of a graduate student convicted of a
criminal offense. If the criminal act is judged to be of a serious nature, the Dean may
forward the case to the Promotions Committee for their review and recommendation
concerning dismissal (section 6.8.2).
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6.11.5 Suspension (New 8/1/20)
Suspension is a disciplinary action by which a student is temporarily relieved of their
academic and/or research responsibilities. The GSBS Dean has the authority to
suspend students from BCM during deliberation of reported professionalism,
misconduct and/or academic issues incompatible with continuing curricular or
research activities. Suspension may also be warranted in circumstances including but
not limited to risk of harm, disruption of the learning environment, arrest, reasonable
suspicion of drug or alcohol abuse, allegation of serious misconduct, any other
behavior sufficiently serious or alarming to require an investigation by the proper
school or legal authorities, or during appeal of dismissal decisions pertaining to the
above. Written notice of the suspension, including the reason for the action, terms of
the suspension and approximate duration will be provided to the student in writing.
The decision to remove a student from suspension is at the discretion of the Dean.
6.12 Participation in Extracurricular Activities (New 08/23/04, Revised 08/01/16)
Student who participate in extracurricular activities sponsored by the College requiring a
significant time commitment including mentoring, recruiting, teaching assistantships,
externships, etc. must be making good academic progress and have the permission of their
major advisor and Program Director.
6.13 Student Written Grievance Policy (New 08/15/05, Revised 07/30/12, 01/29/15, 8/27/15,
08/01/16)
A grievance is a complaint arising out of any alleged unauthorized or unjustified act or decision
by a member of the faculty, member of the administration, or member of the staff which in any
way adversely affects the status, rights, or privileges of a member of the student body. A
complaint is considered a written grievance whether it is filed on paper, online or on the phone.
The burden of proof shall rest with the complainant.
Student complaints or grievances should initially be addressed, if possible, by the student
discussing the problem with the individual (student, faculty, staff) most closely related to the
area of the grievance. Following that, the student should contact the individual’s Supervisor,
Program Director, Departmental Chair, Associate or Assistant Dean and the Dean in the
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. If the problem is not resolved, the student may file
a formal written grievance with the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences using
the Student Grievance form. If the problem is not resolved the student is encouraged to contact
the Integrity Hotline (855-764-7292) to file a written grievance with the Office of the Provost.
The Integrity Hotline may also be accessed through www.bcm.ethicspoint.com. Additional
information is located in the BCM Student Grievances Policy (Section 23.1.08).
6.14 BCM Statement of Student Rights (New 8/27/15)
BCM is committed to creating an environment for students that is conducive to academic
success and academic freedom commensurate with all applicable laws and regulations. As
students are not only members of the BCM academic community but are also members of
society as a whole, BCM works to ensure that all rights, protections, and guarantees that
students are assured as citizens of society are also provided to them within BCM.
Baylor College of Medicine’s Statement of Student Rights aligns with the College’s mission as
a health sciences university that creates knowledge and applies science and discoveries to
further education, healthcare and community service locally and globally. These rights embody
our values of respect, integrity, innovation, teamwork, and excellence, our vision to improve
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health through science, scholarship and innovation and our adherence to the Institutional Code
of Conduct.
Students have the right to freedom of expression within an atmosphere of culturally responsive
inclusiveness and sensitivity. The free dissemination of ideas is key to promoting the academic,
personal, and professional growth of BCM students.
Students have the right to a safe learning environment that is free of discrimination, violence,
and harassment. Baylor College of Medicine seeks to provide a community of respect, open
communication, collaboration, and inclusiveness.
Students have the right to due process in incidents of alleged student misconduct, and have the
right to appeal decisions in this regard. Baylor College of Medicine strives to guarantee
accuracy in academic results and decisions.
Students have the right to confidentiality of education records. Explicit written confidentiality
policies and procedures are in place to achieve the protection of all personal information and
academic records.
ARTICLE 7. STUDENT RECORDS
7.1 Maintenance of Student Records (Revised 08/01/16)
The Office of the Registrar is responsible for maintenance of all official academic records of
students. BCM maintains a file on each student. Included in a student's file are the original
application form of the student for admission to BCM, transcripts of any college records, and
test scores. Subsequent to the enrollment of the student at BCM, the student file contains
enrollment forms, grades, letters of correspondence to other institutions concerning the student,
narrative summaries rendered by the faculty concerning the student's academic work, letters
indicating actions of the Promotions Committee, communications concerning the scholarships
and loans, and other correspondence relating to the student's education at BCM. In addition to
written material kept in the student files, BCM maintains, on a computer, general information
about each student: courses taken, grades, summary statements of academic actions, and
enrollment information. BCM's policy regarding creation and maintenance of student records
is based upon practice recommended by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and
Admissions Offices.
7.2 Confidentiality of Student Records (Revised 8/27/15, 08/01/16)
It is the Institutional Student Records Policy (Section 23.1.06) that the material contained in the
student records is confidential; transfer of such information within the school is permitted only
for legitimate academic purposes. The school complies with the provision of both the Texas
Open Records Act of 1973 and the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974,
and regulations governing educational institutions written by the Department of Health and
Human Resources. The institution is responsible for ensuring that student academic records
are properly secured and trains all staff supporting the education mission in Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), American Association of College of Registrars and
Admissions Officers (AACRAO) and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accreditation requirements.
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7.3 Student Access to Records (Revised 08/01/16)
A student may examine student records at BCM concerning himself/herself by presenting the
request to the Office of the Registrar. These records shall be made available for review by the
student as promptly as possible. The records shall be examined in the office in which they are
kept, under observation of administrative personnel, and shall not be altered, destroyed, or
carried away from the office by the student. Material which relates to more than one individual
shall not be made available for direct review, but the student shall be told the information
contained in such records which relates to him/her. Former students have the same access to
their records as those currently enrolled. A student may obtain a copy of his/her records.
7.4 Challenge of Content Accuracy (Revised 08/01/16)
A student may challenge the accuracy of information contained in a record or may challenge
information in a record that appears to represent an undue invasion of privacy. In the case of a
challenge, the student should meet with the faculty member or administrative official
responsible for the information being questioned. The faculty member or administrative official
may, through discussions with the student, concur with the challenged points and correct or
delete the information accordingly. If no compromise can be reached, the student may file a
grievance (see GSBS policy 6.13).
7.5 Faculty Access to Records (Revised 08/01/16)
All review of information in the file of a student in the Office of the Registrar by faculty
members and administrative officers other than by those persons responsible for keeping the
records, requires the signature of the faculty member or administrative official on a written
form kept within the student's file and accompanied by the date of review and by a brief
statement indicating the reason for review of the records.
7.6 Transfer of Information from Records
The student shall be notified prior to the transfer of any information within the student file to
persons or institutions other than those associated with or affiliated with BCM. Such
information may be transferred only: 1) By reason of a valid subpoena or judicial order of a
court; 2) To federal or state educational agencies, providing the agency legally requests the
information in writing and specifies the purpose for acquiring the information. 3) To
organizations responsible for the accreditation of BCM; 4) Upon written request of the student,
to persons he/she designates.
7.7 Criminal Background Checks and Health-Related Information (New 02.07.09,
08/01/16)
Although applicants are required to disclose any criminal background on their applications,
formal criminal background checks, drug and/or alcohol testing, or vaccination or other health
records may be required of students who perform research laboratory, hospital or clinical
settings. Information obtained from these checks will only be used in accord with state and
federal laws. The Graduate School and its representatives will hold such information in strict
confidence and it will not become part of the student’s official file. The student will have the
right of access to all information collected and will be afforded the right to challenge its
accuracy. In cases where there are findings reported on these checks, the Dean will appoint a
Committee consisting of an Associate or Assistant Dean and the Program Director of the
student’s Program to recommend what if any actions should be taken.
Students are required to comply with the BCM Influenza Vaccination Policy (Section 18.1.04).
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ARTICLE 8. RESIDENCY
8.1 Residency Requirements (Revised 06/21/02, 11/02/06)
All candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy are required to spend 15 terms (3 years)
in residency at BCM with the exception of those students receiving transfer of credit. The
residency requirement will be reduced by one term for each 12 term hours transferred. The
student who has obtained approval of the full transfer of credit (60 term hours) will have a
residency requirement of 10 terms (2 years). Under rare circumstances (for example, the
departure of the Major Advisor, so that the student must leave BCM to complete his/her
research) the residency requirement may be waived upon request. This request must be
approved by the Dean and by the Promotions Committee. Completion, in good standing, of the
first year's Program in the BCM School of Medicine may be used by a student in the MD/PhD
Program to satisfy one year of the residency requirement in the Graduate School.
8.2 Leave of Absence (LOA) (Revised 01/16/04, 06/14/05, 11/02/06, 08/03/09, 08/16/19, 8/1/20)
A student who seeks a voluntary LOA must submit a completed Leave-of-Absence/Clearance
Form to the GSBS prior to the start of the leave. Requests are subject to approval by the Program
Director and subsequently by the Dean. An LOA may be granted for a period of up to one year
and shall be permanently noted on the student's transcript. Types of LOA (e.g. medical,
personal) and required documentation are defined in the BCM Student Leave of Absence Policy
(Section 23.1.12).
If the request for LOA is approved by the Graduate School after the student has completed all
the course requirements in a given term, including the final examination if applicable, the
transcript will reflect the grade earned. Grades for courses not yet completed at the time of
withdrawal will be assigned as WD (withdrawn). A student who leaves BCM prior to
submitting a completed Request for LOA form, inclusive of the clearance process, will be
placed on involuntary LOA.
Students on LOA who fail to register within one week of the termination of the LOA shall be
administratively withdrawn. A request from the student for an LOA extension must be
submitted in writing to the Dean no later than the day in which the original leave will expire.
The maximum LOA time, inclusive of original and any subsequent extension requests, is 2
years. When an LOA is granted to a student with incomplete grades, the Promotions Committee
determines whether or not to extend the time allowed for completing course requirements.
Students on LOA will not be charged tuition. Baylor College of Medicine student health
insurance may be continued during the LOA for up to 12 months. Release from the group policy
during an LOA may be obtained by signing the appropriate forms in the Graduate School Office
(Request for Leave-of-Absence and LOA Clearance Form). Payment for health insurance, if
continued during the LOA, must be arranged by the student prior to the start of the leave. An
authorized LOA, for a period of up to one year, may be granted to graduate students who have
completed their dissertation research, have accepted another position, and plan to complete the
writing of their dissertation during the leave.
Students on an approved LOA who go into year eight during the leave period will automatically
have an extension of the 7-year rule through the end of their approved leave. Students on an
approved LOA which begins after the defense will be granted an automatic extension of the 7-
year rule to accommodate the 2-month period provided for thesis revisions. A student returning
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to BCM for the purpose of their dissertation defense, may petition the Dean for return to active
status for the period required to defend the dissertation. Registration as a full-time student is
not required during this period.
Foreign students may be prohibited by selective regulations of the U.S. Immigration and
Naturalization Service from going on leaves of absence.
8.3 Remote Student Status (Revised 04/15/98, 01/16/04, 08/03/09, 08/02/10, 08/01/16, 08/16/19,
8/1/20)
Eligible students who wish to leave BCM with their Major Advisor and also continue their
studies as a full-time BCM graduate student may do so by becoming a remote student. Before
a student can be placed into remote status, they must be admitted to candidacy. A remote
student’s Major Advisor must possess a BCM faculty appointment (e.g. adjunct), remains the
chair of the student’s Committee and must attend each meeting of the Thesis Advisory
Committee and the thesis defense. The Major Advisor must also guarantee that the student will
continue to receive a stipend in an amount equal to or greater than the current BCM stipend,
and health insurance benefits. A local BCM advisor must also be appointed to serve as a local
contact. The local BCM advisor must also be a member of the student’s TAC and the BCM
Graduate Faculty. Approval to become a Remote Student must be obtained prior to departure
and prior to receiving a stipend from the remote institution. Students on remote status without
permission may be subject to dismissal.
Remote students are responsible for all requirements expected of other BCM graduate students
(i.e. status reports, registration, symposium abstracts, etc.). Remote students and their Remote
Advisors are required to meet with their Thesis Advisory Committee every six months. If
traveling to BCM twice a year presents financial or logistical problems and if approved by the
Program Director, remote faculty advisor, and local faculty advisor at the time of the remote
status, a student may be permitted to hold one of the biannual status report meetings by
communicating with TAC members over the telephone, or via video conferencing, and the
Status Report Signature page can be sent electronically to the Committee members for their
signatures. The Remote Advisor must be physically present at the student’s dissertation defense
which must take place at BCM or Texas Children’s Hospital. The required travel to BCM for
the student and the Remote Advisor for at least one Thesis Advisory Committee meeting per
year and for the final dissertation defense is the financial responsibility of the Remote Advisor.
8.4 Remote Advisor (New 06/14/07, Revised 08/02/10, 08/01/11, 08/01/16)
If a student’s advisor leaves the College permanently or is on a LOA or sabbatical that is likely
to be of duration of greater than a year, the advisor will become a Remote Advisor and a local
BCM advisor will be appointed. The Remote Advisor will be the student’s Major Advisor.
Remote Advisor status requires the submission of a Remote Advisor Status form which includes
a plan that satisfactorily addresses the continued progress of the student toward their degree.
Remote Advisor Status requires approval of the student, the advisor, the Thesis Advisory
Committee, the Graduate Program and the Dean. Students cannot have a Remote Advisor until
they have been admitted to candidacy and have been enrolled in the Graduate School for at least
three years.
The plan accompanying the request for Remote Advisor Status must include the following: (1)
the appointment of a local BCM advisor who will have the responsibility of monitoring the
student’s progress and facilitate communication with the Remote Advisor, the Thesis Advisory
Committee and the Graduate Program. The BCM advisor will have co-mentor status with the
Remote Advisor and serves as a member of the TAC; (2) an approximate time-line for the
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student’s completion of thesis research and their defense which is acceptable to the student’s
Graduate Program; (3) a mechanism for local supervision of the student’s research, including a
description of the role of the local advisor and other BCM personnel that will be available to
the student on a regular basis; (4) a description of assigned laboratory space and the student’s
access to equipment, materials and supplies that will be sufficient to complete the dissertation
research; (5) a guarantee that the student’s stipend, insurance and research expenses will be
paid for the duration of their enrollment. The source of the stipend, including any mechanisms
for transferring remote funds to BCM to pay for the stipend must be described. Ultimately, the
Graduate Program will be responsible for ensuring that financial support continues; (6) a
description of how status reports and Thesis Advisory Committee meetings will be held. The
Remote Advisor must be physically present at BCM for at least one of the status report meetings
each year.
8.5 Childbirth/Adoption Accommodation (New 06/15/06, Revised 08/01/11, 07/29/13, 01/29/15,
08/01/16)
A graduate student is entitled to a maximum of eight (8) weeks stipend and benefits
continuation from the current financial provider following the birth or adoption of his or her
child. Students will not be placed on LOA during childbirth/adoption accommodation.
A graduate student who seeks a childbirth/adoption accommodation must submit a completed
Childbirth/Adoption Accommodation form to the Graduate Program Director prior to the start
of the leave. Baylor College of Medicine strongly encourages graduate students to submit
requests approximately three (3) months prior to the anticipated childbirth or adoption.
Requests approved by the Program Director are submitted for approval to the Dean. In most
cases, the childbirth/adoption accommodation period will begin on the date specified in the
childbirth/adoption accommodation form which is filed with and approved by the Graduate
School Office but may be amended as necessary to correspond with the actual birth/adoption
date. If childbirth/adoption occurs prior to the filing of the childbirth/adoption accommodation
form, the accommodation period begins on the date of childbirth or adoption.
In order to be eligible for childbirth/adoption accommodation, the graduate student is required
to provide the appropriate documentation to the Graduate Program Director. If the graduate
student fails to provide the appropriate documentation within fourteen days of delivery or
adoption, the stipend and benefits may be discontinued until the documentation is submitted.
The general policies of the school will remain in effect during the period of childbirth/adoption
accommodation. During the childbirth/adoption accommodation period, the student may be
assigned some reasonable reading, writing, data analysis or other activities that may be
accomplished without being present at BCM. The student is expected to make prior
arrangements to submit work needed for the completion of any requirements missed during the
accommodation period (e. g. status reports or course requirements) when the graduate student
returns to the College. If the accommodation requires the student to miss classes or exams, the
student may make arrangements to complete these requirements after returning or the student
may withdraw from the course.
Accommodations for Breastfeeding Mothers as defined by BCM policy (Section 02.2.50) are
available to students.
8.6 Pursuit of Other Degrees While Enrolled in the GSBS (New 08/02/10)
Students in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences are expected to devote their academic
efforts entirely to the PhD/M.S. Programs. The GSBS does not enroll students on a part-time
The Graduate School Policy Handbook Revised August 1, 2020
35
basis. BCM students may pursue multiple degrees while enrolled as a BCM student only if
they are part of an official joint/dual degree Program of BCM (i.e. MD/PhD or School of
Medicine Research Track/M.S.). Enrollment at another institution (such as the UT School of
Public Health) that may be required as part of a BCM degree Program is permitted as are the
completion of courses at other institutions for BCM credit that are covered by a reciprocal
agreement for education (i.e. Rice, University of Houston, The University of Texas-Houston,
Texas A&M, and UTMB-Galveston).
ARTICLE 9. PROGRESS TOWARD THE DEGREE
9.1 Oversight (Revised 06/16/08)
Students must continue to make satisfactory progress toward their degree. The student should
set goals toward completing their studies with the assistance of the TAC and the Director of
Graduate Studies their Program. Before appointment of the student’s TAC, the Director of
Graduate Studies of the student’s Program is responsible for advising and mentoring the
student. After the appointment of the TAC, the student is under the direction of a faculty
preceptor supported by the student's TAC. Through the status report meetings, the TAC
regularly reports the student's progress to the Director of Graduate Studies who conveys the
status reports to the Promotions Committee of the Graduate School.
9.2 The Major Advisor & TAC
9.2.1 Appointment of Major Advisor and Advisor/Student Compact (also see
1.6.3) (New 04/22/03, Revised 06/16/08, 08/16/19)
The Major Advisor is the Chair of the student’s TAC. In the case of co-advisors, the
senior faculty member is the chair, unless one of the co-advisors is designated as the
major advisor. The Major Advisor is responsible for providing mentorship and
direction in helping the student develop research skills and the ability to do
independent research. The Major Advisor must be selected by the student and the
selection must be agreed to by the Major Advisor and the Graduate Program by the
beginning of the student’s second year. The Major Advisor must be present at all
meetings of the TAC.
Upon appointment of the Major Advisor the Student and Major Advisor should review
and sign the Compact between Students and their Major advisors and return a signed
copy to the Graduate School.
9.2.2 Appointment of Thesis Advisory Committee (Revised 04/22/03, 08/23/04,
11/08/07, 06/16/08, 08/16/19, 8/1/20)
Each student will be provided with advice from a faculty group charged with oversight
of the student’s academic, technical and professional development. Before
appointment of a TAC, the Program Executive Committee (PEC) shall perform this
role. The student’s TAC must be appointed by the end of the third term of their second
year in residence, but may be appointed earlier and students are strongly encouraged
to meet with their TAC as soon as practical after the Committee is appointed. TAC
members agree to provide the student with oral and written feedback on their progress
two times each year at TAC meetings and to fulfill their commitment to attend these
meetings. The TAC mediates academic disputes between student and major advisor
in issues that relate to the scope and content of the doctoral thesis, time in program
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36
and conditions for graduation. If the TAC cannot resolve a dispute, it should refer the
dispute to the graduate program leadership via the Reporting or other member of the
TAC.
This Committee shall consist of a minimum of five members: the Chair of the
Committee (the student’s Major Advisor, who must be a member of the Graduate
Faculty with an appointment in any Program offering a graduate degree), one
Reporting Member, two additional faculty members of the student's Program who
must be eligible to train students, and at least one external faculty member. The
requirement for a Reporting Member applies to students matriculating in 2019 and
thereafter.
The Reporting Member is an experienced faculty member of the graduate program
who is responsible for monitoring student progress and reporting back to the Graduate
Program. The external committee member must hold an academic appointment in a
medical or academic institution in the greater metropolitan Houston area that is in a
department different from the primary academic appointment(s) of the Major
Advisor(s) and should not be a member of the student’s graduate program. The
Graduate Program Director or their designee is an ex officio member of the TAC.
Additional members can be appointed to the TAC at any time. There is no upper limit
to the membership of the TAC, and additional members do not need to be members
of the Graduate Faculty, so long as a majority of the TAC members is eligible to train
graduate students in their respective programs and institutions. The student and/or
their Major Advisor(s) may invite guests to participate in TAC meetings in a non-
voting capacity, but the Reporting Member may ask them to leave a TAC meeting for
discussion pertaining to academic progress to degree or dispute between student and
Major advisor.
Members of the laboratory of the Major Advisor(s) are not eligible to serve on the
student’s TAC. Spouses or domestic partners of the Major Advisor are not eligible to
serve on the student’s TAC. This restriction applies to all TAC appointments,
beginning in 2019.
The Committee shall be appointed by the Dean upon written request from the
Graduate Program Director. The student and Major Advisor suggest the two program
faculty and the external faculty member, and select the Reporting Member from a pre-
approved group of Reporting Members designated by the PEC. The PEC can modify
the composition of the TAC when necessary. Requests to change the composition of
the TAC are made in writing by the Graduate Program Director to the Dean.
The TAC shall be responsible for monitoring progress made, and for petitioning, with
the approval of the Graduate Program Director, to the Dean for exception to any
academic regulations.
The TAC may also participate in mediating potential disputes that may arise between
the student and the Major Advisor. It shall review requests for dismissal of the student
submitted by the advisor and approve or oppose such requests. In these cases, a
temporary Chair will be appointed by the Program Director from the TAC members.
The TAC’s decisions shall be reported in writing by the temporary Chair to the
Program Director who shall inform the Dean regarding substantive changes in the
student’s progress or status.
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The TAC administers the final oral examination component of the thesis defense and
approves (by signing) the final copies of the student's dissertation. All members of
the TAC must be present at the thesis defense. In the case of unforeseen extenuating
circumstances, the student, Major Advisor, and Graduate Program Director may
petition the Dean for an exception.
9.3 Appeal of TAC Decisions (Revised 06/16/08)
A student or a Committee member, who disagrees with a TAC decision, may appeal in writing
to the Dean.
9.4 Status Reports (Revised 08/01/97, 06/21/02, 04/22/03, 03/31/04, 06/14/07, 06/16/08, 01/16/13)
Graduate students, second year and above, are responsible for meeting with their TAC and
submitting a status report at least twice a year. The purpose of these meetings is to ensure that
students receive feedback and direction on their thesis research and to promote a timely
assessment of progress toward their degree and to help plan future work.
9.4.1 Due Dates (Revised 06/16/08, 1/16/13)
Status reports for second year students are due in the Graduate School by 5:00 p.m. on
the last business day preceding December 24 (Year 2 Fall Status Report) and the last
business day in June (Year 2 Spring Status Report). For students third year and above,
status reports are due by 5:00 p.m. on the last business day in the month of their birth
and the 6-month anniversary of their birth month. For the purpose of these status
reports, the month of July will count towards the Fall reporting period (e.g. a 2
nd
year
student with a July/January birthday should use the form ‘Status Report – Year 3 Fall-
Year 4 Fall). There are no extensions of these deadlines, but the TAC meeting may be
held at any time between the deadlines. It is the responsibility of the student to schedule
and hold the TAC meeting so that they are completed before the deadlines. Since
scheduling difficulties may be encountered, the student should begin arranging the
meeting significantly in advance of the deadlines. Committee members are expected to
respond to the student’s request for a meeting in a timely fashion and to be as
accommodating as possible in helping the student arrange the Committee meeting.
Unanticipated emergencies and other significant extenuating circumstances may be
considered by the Dean on a case-by-case basis.
9.4.2 Status Report Contents (Revised 06/16/08, 08/16/19)
The Status Report Form, which must be submitted after the completion of the status
report meeting, includes a summary of the meeting prepared by the Major Advisor, an
evaluation of the student’s progress, and a completed signature page, as well as the
student’s written summary, and updated publication and award information.
At least five days prior to the Thesis Advisory Committee meeting, the student will
submit to all members of the Committee a succinct written summary of their
accomplishments since the last Committee meeting, including significant experimental
findings, results and/or difficulties with an experimental approach, and the status of any
publications. The status report should also include a brief description of plans for
experiments in the coming six months. For meetings held during the spring of the
student’s fourth year and thereafter, a timeline (Section 9.4.2.1) must be submitted with
the status report and reviewed by the TAC. The Graduate School strongly recommends
that the status report and the TAC meeting follow the guidelines published by the
Graduate School (available from the Graduate School web site).
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38
9.4.2.1 Status Report Timeline (New 06/16/08)
The TAC should help ensure that the student is continuing to make timely
progress toward the degree. By the spring meeting of the fourth year of
enrollment, the student, major advisor and TAC members must evaluate the
student’s progress and future plans for completion of the PhD. Before the
meeting, the student, in consultation with the major advisor, should prepare a
timeline that lists graduation requirements and estimated dates of completion,
if possible (i.e. June 20XX, summer 20XX, or too early to predict). The
timeline, which must be included with the Status Report Form, is intended to
represent the best estimates at the time it is written. The timeline should be
revised and updated at each subsequent status report meeting. The timeline
should follow the format guidelines established by the Graduate School
(available from the Graduate School web site).
9.4.3 The Status Report Meeting (Revised 06/16/08, 08/16/19, 11/25/19)
Status report meetings (except under the special circumstances described in Section
9.4.7) must include the Major Advisor, Reporting Member and at least two other
members of the Thesis Advisory Committee. A Committee member (including the
major advisor) may be present through teleconferencing or video conferencing
arrangements. Substitution of an alternate Reporting Member is possible with approval
of the PEC and/or Program Director. Students should not be pressured to bring food or
beverages to TAC meetings; therefore the practice is discouraged, but not prohibited.
9.4.4 Status Report Signature Page (Revised 06/16/08)
Before the meeting ends, the Chair and Committee members will read any notes that
might have been taken during the Committee meeting and together they will come to a
consensus on the content of the summary statement. Any Committee member who
disagrees with the summary and evaluation may append a statement to the status report
indicating the basis for their disagreement.
The signatures of the major advisor, all Committee members and the student on the
status report form denotes their presence or absence at the meeting and indicates their
agreement with the evaluation and summary statement. If one or more Committee
members write a dissenting statement, the signatures on the status report form signify
that the Committee members and the student have read the dissenting opinion.
If a student disagrees with comments in the summary statement or a Committee
member’s addendum, he/she may submit a written rebuttal to the status report
describing the disagreement. The rebuttal must be submitted within one month of the
date of the Thesis Advisory Committee meeting with a copy of the disputed status
report. The rebuttal statement must be signed by the Major Advisor, all members of the
Thesis Advisory Committee and Program Director in acknowledgment that they have
seen it and discussed it with the student. Signatures of the Thesis Advisory Committee,
including the Chair, do not indicate that they agree with the student’s objections. The
signed statement should be submitted to the Graduate School for inclusion in the
student’s file.
9.4.5 Permission to Write (Revised 06/10/08, 08/03/09, 08/02/10, 08/01/16, 08/16/19)
By granting Permission To Write, the student’s Thesis Advisory Committee
acknowledges that all key experiments have been completed, and a thesis outline
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39
describing a sufficient body of work to merit a PhD if the dissertation and defense are
satisfactorily completed, was presented and reviewed.
To be eligible to request ‘Permission to Write’ status, students who matriculate in 2019
or thereafter, must have at least one 1
st
or co-1
st
author manuscript accepted for
publication in a peer-reviewed research journal on the topic of their thesis research. A
co-1
st
author publication is one in which multiple first/lead authors with equal
contributions are designated. Exceptions to this requirement may be approved by the
PEC, taking into account the recommendation of the thesis advisory committee. In
addition, the student, in consultation with the major advisor, must present a detailed
outline of the thesis to the Committee at least two weeks before the meeting. The outline
should present sufficient detail to judge the completeness of the experimental work with
a clear indication of which portions of the experimental work are finished and which
remain to be completed.
The Committee expects that the student will complete all requirements and defend the
thesis before the next status report deadline, and a timeline for completion of the written
thesis and the oral defense should be set at the time permission to write is granted.
Permission to Write is not automatically renewed, and if a subsequent status report
meeting is held, permission to write must be requested again.
A quorum of the Thesis Advisory Committee (Major Advisor, Reporting Member and
two members) is required to hold a meeting to request Permission To Write. Committee
members unable to attend the meeting must review the proposed thesis outline and
requirements to complete proposed experiments, and if they concur with the Committee
to award Permission To Write, sign the status report form in the appropriate section. A
single dissent, even from a member not in attendance at the TAC meeting, is sufficient
to prevent awarding Permission To Write.
Once Permission To Write is granted, the primary responsibility of the student is to
write and defend their dissertation. The student may continue to perform experiments
in the lab if they and their major advisor agree, but the student in not obligated to do so.
A student must be making good academic progress, including the completion of the
required training in the responsible conduct of research (16 hours) when granted
permission to write. The ethics requirement can be met by attending the required topics
in the Science as a Profession course, the Postdoc Career Development Course, or for
Clinical Scientist Training Program students, completion of the Fundamental of Clinical
Investigation course. Ethics training requirements cannot be transferred from other
institutions. This requirement will go into effect for students entering in academic year
2010-2011. For students entering prior to academic year 2010-2011, the completion of
ethics training is required for admission to candidacy so that this requirement does not
apply to permission to write status. “Permission to write” status does not relieve the
student from any academic requirements including submission of status reports,
attendance at seminars, retreats, and other activities required by the Program or the
Graduate School.
9.4.6 Late Penalties (Revised 06/16/08, 01/16/13, 07/20/13, 07/29/13)
The status report meeting is an integral part of a student’s progress toward their degree.
If a report is not submitted by the deadlines specified for year 2, or year 3 and above
students (Section 9.4.1) and the student has had no prior late penalties assessed at
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40
previous deadlines, the student will be assessed a $25 fine. If the completed status report
is not submitted within 15 calendar days of the original deadline, an additional $50 fine
will be assessed and if still delinquent after 30 calendar days from the original deadline,
the student will receive a grade of F for Dissertation or Special Projects. The Thesis
Advisory Committee will be notified of delinquent status reports.
On the second instance of status report delinquency, the initial fine will be $50 and if
still delinquent, 15 calendar days after the original deadline, the student will receive a
grade of F for Dissertation or Special Projects. On the third instance of status report
delinquency, the student will receive a grade of F for Dissertation or Special Projects
immediately after the original deadline.
A grade of F in Dissertation or Special Projects may be sufficient to cause a
recommendation for dismissal from the Graduate School by the Promotions Committee
(Section 6.8). The student may appeal the grade of F, any fines, and/or their dismissal
through the appeals process of the Promotions Committee (Section 6.10).
9.4.7 Special Circumstances (Revised 08/02/10, 08/01/11, 01/16/2013, 08/16/19)
Students who are standing for their final dissertation examination (defense, or
examination of a terminal M.S. thesis) no later than three months after their given status
report deadlines (Section 9.4.1) may submit the “Defense of Dissertation Date” or
“Application for a Terminal M.S.” form to the Graduate School office in lieu of the
status report if it is received in the Graduate School before the status report deadline. If
the defense of the PhD dissertation or examination of the terminal M.S. thesis is not
conducted on the scheduled date, a status report becomes due within 2 weeks.
In cases of illness or other unexpected circumstances beyond the student’s control that
prevent the attendance of the student, major advisor, or a quorum of the committee (two
members, student and major advisor), the Dean or designee may grant an extension of
the status report deadline and waive any penalties.
Remote students (Section 8.3) or students with Remote Advisors (Section 8.4) will be
allowed to have one status report meeting conducted by teleconference without
returning to BCM if this is approved by the student’s Graduate Program. However, the
status report and the Status Report Signature page must be completed and submitted on
time. At least one Thesis Advisory Committee meeting a year must be held with the
student present at BCM along with a majority of the Thesis Advisory Committee present
(section 9.4.3), including the local advisor. The Remote Advisor must at least be present
by phone or teleconference.
9.5 The Seven Year Rule (previously part of 8.1)
9.5.1 Monitoring student progress at the beginning of Year 6 (Revised 08/03/09,
07/20/13, 08/01/16)
The purpose of PhD training is for the student to develop the ability to function as an
independent researcher. This includes maintaining steady progress toward completing
the degree and the development of critical research skills and knowledge. This
responsibility is shared among the student, his or her Major Advisor, the TAC and the
Graduate Program. Once a student has entered their sixth year of study (including time
on LOA), unless they have already received permission to write, the student’s Program
Executive Committee will appoint an ex-officio member to the student’s Thesis
Advisory Committee from the Program steering Committee or another designated
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41
member of their graduate faculty. The student or any member of the Thesis Advisory
Committee may, at any time, request that the Graduate Program appoint an ex-officio
member. The Promotions Committee, at their discretion, may place an ex officio
member representing the Promotions Committee on the student’s TAC to monitor the
student’s progress toward the degree.
The ex-officio member must be present at the Thesis Advisory Committee meetings
beginning at the Fall status report of year six and continuing until the student sets a
defense date. The role of the Program’s ex-officio member is to monitor the student’s
progress and to ensure that progress toward degree, including alternative strategies, has
been discussed at the Committee meeting and that an appropriate time-line for
graduation is presented. The Program’s ex-officio member may not vote in any
decisions of the Committee. After the meeting, a written evaluation (ex-officio check
list) will be completed by the ex-officio member and submitted to the Program Director
for review. The Program Director should discuss the report with the student and their
major advisor and submit a copy of the ex-officio report to the Graduate School. The
function of the ex officio member is to report to the Promotions Committee and the ex
officio member may not vote in any Committee decisions. For students with an
appointed ex-officio member, a status report that is not accompanied with a report from
the ex-officio member will not be accepted by the Graduate School.
9.5.2 Extension of the Seven Year Rule (Revised 08/03/09, 07/29/13, 08/01/16, 8/1/20)
No more the 7 years may elapse between matriculation into the Graduate School,
excluding leaves-of-absence and suspension, and completion of all degree requirements
for the PhD degree. Unless a student will defend their dissertation by the end of their
7
th
year, they must present a detailed graduation plan at the Spring TAC meeting
preceding the beginning of the student’s 8
th
year. The TAC will review the plan and
determine whether to recommend a 6-month extension of the Seven Year Rule. If the
TAC recommends an extension, a graduation plan agreed to by student, major advisor,
TAC and Program Director must be submitted to the Promotions Committee within 2
weeks of the TAC meeting. If the TAC does not recommend an extension, it must
provide a written summary of the rationale for their decision within 1 week to the
student and Promotions Committee. The student can appeal the recommendation of the
TAC to the Promotions Committee.
The graduation plan must be updated and presented at each subsequent TAC meeting,
and the TAC must make a determination of whether to recommend a further extension
of the Seven Year Rule. If the TAC recommends an extension, the updated graduation
plan agreed to by student, major advisor, TAC and Program Director must be submitted
to the Promotions Committee within 2 weeks of the TAC meeting. If the TAC does not
recommend an extension, it must provide a written summary of the rationale for their
decision within 1 week to the student and Promotions Committee. The student can
appeal the recommendation of the TAC to the Promotions Committee.
The Promotions Committee will consider the recommendations of the TAC, the
student’s Program Director and the Program’s ex-officio Committee member, in
addition to the student’s graduation plan, and make a recommendation to the Dean
concerning the request to waive the Seven Year Rule with or without imposition of
defense and/or graduation deadlines.
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If a student has defended prior to the beginning of their 8
th
year, a waiver of the 7-year
rule will be granted automatically to accommodate the two-month period for revision
between the defense and the submission of the final thesis.
9.6 Credit Requirements (Revised 08/03/09)
The PhD requires satisfactory completion of 180 term hours. A minimum of 60 term hours of
course work is required (includes Special Projects, Research Rotation, Seminar and Readings
and other courses). Thirty term hours of this requirement must be from courses which either:
1) have a letter grade assignment (“letter graded” courses) and be graded A-F by
objective criteria, or 2) are designated by the Curriculum Committee as “approved
Pass/Fail” graded courses (excluding seminars and journal clubs).
Any course counting toward the 30-hour requirement must be approved by the Curriculum
Committee. Special Topics courses (course number xxx-463) cannot be applied to the 30-hour
requirement.
At least 24 of the required 30 term hours must come from courses assigning a letter grade; 6
term hours may come from the approved Pass/Fail category. For courses grades on a
PASS/FAIL basis that are offered for graduate credit at another institution or by the School of
Medicine, more than 6 term hours of Pass/Fail courses can be used toward the 30 term hour
requirement if the courses are required by a BCM Graduate Program and after review and
approval by the Curriculum Committee on a case-by-case basis.
“Letter-graded courses” must be graded A, B, C or F and grades must be assigned by objective
criteria, i.e. by examination. Approved Pass/Fail courses must also use specific grading criteria.
While such criteria may not include written exams per se, each approved Pass-Fail course must
utilize appropriate assessment tools, consistent with the educational goals of the course: (i.e. a
paper, an oral presentation, homework, problem solving, etc.).
The remaining 120 term hours may consist of any courses approved by the Curriculum
Committee and listed by a Program in the catalogue, including dissertation research. Specific
required courses might differ among the various Programs as long as they conform to the above
requirements.
Specific required courses might differ among the various Programs as long as they conform to
the above requirements. At the beginning of the academic year, each Program will inform the
Graduate School as to their specific course requirements, including any tracks or groups of
flexible required electives and these requirements will be posted on the Program’s web site.
The Graduate School must be notified prior to any changes to course requirements. Students
must repeat any required course when they receive a grade of C or F; however, the Program
may determine if elective courses, including flexible requirements, must be repeated.
9.7 Transfer of Credit (Revised 04/22/03, 06/14/05, 08/03/09, 06/18/15, 8/27/15, 08/16/19)
A student may request transfer of graduate level course work completed (with grades of B or
above, satisfactory or Pass) at another university, provided that the courses were taken within
5 years of the date of matriculation at BCM, and a grade of A or B was earned. Only those
courses in which a grade is assigned as the result of an examination (not seminar, special
projects, or research) will be considered by the Promotions Committee for transfer. Courses
shown on the transcript for a previously conferred degree are not eligible for transfer as a routine
matter. Students may petition their graduate program to waive specific course requirements
based on prior completed graduate level coursework.
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A maximum of 60 term hours (30 semester hours) may be submitted for transfer. Of the 30
hours required for Admission to Candidacy, individual Programs may set different limits on the
number of hours that may be transferred, but no more than 24 hours of transfer credit will be
allowed.
Course work completed at a university outside the USA will be considered on a case by case
basis.
BCM School of Medicine courses that are preapproved for transfer credit by the Promotions
Committee will be automatically allowed as transfer credit upon completion of a transfer of
credit form. Other School of Medicine courses will be considered by the Promotions
Committee on a case-by-case basis.
The specific courses transferred will not be listed on the graduate school transcript, only total
credit hours transferred. Programs may accept previous course work to satisfy Program
requirements without requesting transfer of credit from the Promotions Committee.
BCM School of Medicine courses that are offered for Pass/Fail credit can be considered for
transfer of credit if they have been reviewed and approved by the Curriculum Committee.
Courses that are approved for transfer credit can be used toward the 30 hour of required course
work if the course is evaluated by specific grading criteria.
Additionally, the Graduate School complies with the BCM Acceptance of Transfer Credit
Policy (Section 23.1.05) that provides criteria for evaluating, awarding, and accepting transfer
credit by examination, advanced standing and professional certificates.
9.8 The Qualifying Examination (Revised 11/13/96, 06/16/08, 08/16/19, 8/1/20)
The purpose of the qualifying exam is to determine whether the student has sufficient general
and discipline-specific knowledge, oral and written communication skills, and intellectual
ability to successfully carry out independent, scholarly research that will satisfy the
requirements for awarding of the PhD degree. The qualifying exam is administered by the
individual Graduate Programs, following GSBS-wide guidelines. In general, the exam tests the
ability of the student to formulate a significant scientific hypothesis, to identify, develop and
articulate an original approach to experimentally test the hypothesis and interpret the possible
results, and to discuss the proposed project with respect to the relevant body of knowledge.
All PhD students must take the Qualifying Examination by the end of their 2
nd
year of
enrollment. The student must pass all pre-requisite activities defined by their Program before
taking the Qualifying Examination with no more than three unresolved non-passing
didactic/6000-level credits. Any exception must be approved by the Dean. Passing the
Qualifying Exam is a requirement for Admission to Candidacy.
Each Program’s PEC selects up to 4 individuals to serve as Qualifying Exam Chairs. The
Qualifying Exam Chairs jointly share the responsibility of chairing all qualifying exams in a
given year. The Qualifying Exam Chairs shall recommend the examination date, and select
members of the Examining Committee that shall consist of a Qualifying Exam Chair, two
members of the TAC and two members of the program’s faculty. If the TAC has not been
appointed prior to the examination, the QE Chairs shall select two program members with
expertise in the field of the proposal in place of TAC members. All members of the Examining
Committee are voting members. The student’s Major Advisor must attend the examination, but
serves solely as a silent observer. It is the responsibility of the student to submit the completed
Qualifying Examination Date form to the GSBS for approval prior to the date of the exam.
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Once the examination date has been set, if any member of the Examination Committee finds
he/she cannot be present at the examination, he/she must inform the Dean in writing prior to
the start of the exam. The GSBS Qualifying Exam Procedures and Rules document provides
additional guidance on the conduct of exams.
Transfer students must take the Qualifying Exam at BCM and all exceptions must be approved
by the Promotions Committee.
9.8.1 Results of the Examination (Revised 08/29/97, 02/05/00, 11/08/07, 07/29/13,
08/21/14)
In the event of Programs using both a written and oral Qualifying Examination, all
phases of the examination process must be complete before indicating a result on the
"Result of Qualifying Examination Form." Passage, incomplete, or Failure of the
Qualifying Examination is certified by the Examining Committee, the Program
Director, and endorsed by the Dean (Result of Qualifying Examination Form). There
are three possible outcomes of a Qualifying Examination – Pass, Incomplete, or Fail.
A Pass is awarded to students who successfully complete the examination.
An Incomplete is used when the Examining Committee determines that the student’s
performance is inadequate and that additional requirements must be completed to
remedy the deficiency. The additional requirements must be specified by the Examining
Committee on the Result of Qualifying Examination Form, including a date by which
the additional requirements must be completed (the Program Director and the Dean must
sign the Result of Qualifying Examination Form). After the requirements stipulated by
the Examining Committee have been satisfied, the Examining Committee and Program
Director will notify the Dean using the Result of Qualifying Examination Form and the
student’s academic record will be updated from incomplete to Pass. If the requirements
to remediate an incomplete are not completed satisfactorily, the Examining Committee
and Program Director will notify the Dean using the Result of Qualifying Examination
Form and the student’s academic record will be updated from Incomplete to Fail on the
date the Program submits written verification of the resolution of the incomplete.
A Fail is awarded if the student’s performance on the Qualifying Examination is
unsatisfactory, either at the initial examination or when an incomplete is resolved with
a grade of Fail. Failure of the Qualifying Examination is reported to the Promotions
Committee and the student will be placed on Academic Probation. A student who Fails
their initial Qualifying Examination may be recommended for dismissal to the Dean by
the Promotions Committee. A second Qualifying Examination may be taken only if
recommended by the student’s Program. Students remain on Academic Probation until
successfully completing a second qualifying exam.
The second examination must be taken within six months of the initial examination date.
In the event of a second Failure, the student will be recommended for dismissal by the
Promotions Committee. To appeal this recommendation of dismissal, see Article 6.10.
9.9 Admission to Candidacy for the Degree (Revised 06/23/99, 01/25/02, 06/14/05, 08/02/10,
08/16/19, 8/1/20)
A student is accepted into candidacy only after successful completion of the Qualification Exam
and passing the Program required curriculum, including the completion of 60 term hours of
which 30 term hours must be in courses that meet the credit requirements as described in section
9.6, and completion of the first two years of the ethics requirement. The ethics requirement
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45
must be met by completing Responsible Conduct of Research Year 1 and Year 2, or for CSTP
students can be met through the Responsible Conduct of Research for Clinical Investigators
course. To provide alternative instruction that will meet this requirement, programs offering
their own ethics training must provide at least 8 contact hours, cover all of the NIH-proscribed
topics, and provide at least 30% of the instruction in small group case discussions. Ethics
training requirements cannot be transferred from other institutions.
The TAC must be appointed prior to admission to candidacy. Admission to candidacy must be
approved nine months (36 weeks) prior to the date of dissertation defense. A student with
transfer credit must have spent at least four academic terms in residency before admission to
candidacy. He/she must present 48 term hours of course work completed in residence.
Admission to candidacy requires approval of the Graduate Program Director and the Dean via
the Admission to Candidacy Form. Students who are not admitted to candidacy by the end of
their second year will be reviewed for potential academic action by the Promotions Committee
and Dean. Any exception to the two-year rule must be approved by the Program Director and
the Dean.
9.10 Other Examinations
Programs reserve the right to examine students upon admission or during their studies to
determine their qualifications for graduate work. Such examinations shall not be the Qualifying
Examination for admission to PhD candidacy, but purely a Program procedure. Based on its
evaluation of these exams, the Program may recommend to the Promotions Committee that the
student be placed on probation or dismissed from the Program.
9.11 Candidates for the Master of Science Degree (Revised 08/30/01, 06/16/08, 01/29/2015,
06/18/15)
The Graduate School considers applications for master’s degree admission for the Clinical
Scientist Training Program (CSTP) and medical students participating in the School of
Medicine Research Track (MSRT). A PhD candidate student may request permission to
terminate graduate study by completing the requirements for a Master’s degree. Eligibility for
the terminal Master’s degree may be considered when a student is not able to complete the
requirements for a PhD degree.
The MS requires satisfactory completion of 84 term credit hours and all Program curriculum
requirements. Thirty (30) term hours of this requirement must be from courses which either: 1)
have a letter grade assignment (“letter graded” courses) and be graded A-F by objective criteria,
or 2) are designated by the Curriculum Committee as “approved Pass/Fail” graded courses
(excluding seminars and journal clubs). Any course that counts toward the 30-hour requirement
must be approved by the Curriculum Committee as didactic credit. Special Topics courses
(course number xxx-463) cannot be applied to the 30-hour requirement.
At least 24 of the required 30 term hours must come from courses assigning a letter grade; 6
term hours may come from the approved Pass/Fail category. More than 6 term hours of courses
graded on a P/F basis that are offered for graduate credit at another institution or by the School
of Medicine can be used toward the 30 term hour requirement if the courses are required by a
BCM Graduate Program and are reviewed and approval by the Curriculum Committee on a
case-by-case basis.
“Letter-graded courses” must be graded A, B, C or F and grades must be assigned by objective
criteria, i.e. by examination. Approved Pass/Fail courses must also use specific grading criteria.
While such criteria may not include written exams, each approved Pass-Fail course must utilize
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46
appropriate assessment tools, consistent with the educational goals of the course: (i.e. a paper,
an oral presentation, homework, problem solving, etc.).
The remaining 54 term hours may consist of any course approved by the Curriculum Committee
and listed by a Program in the catalogue, including dissertation research.
9.11.1 Qualifications for the Terminal Master of Science Degree (New 08/30/01,
Revised 08/03/09, 08/01/11, 01/29/2015, 06/18/15, 08/01/16, 07/30/18)
To be eligible to apply for a terminal master’s degree, a student must have completed
the 30 credit hour coursework requirement and all department curriculum
requirements and appointment of TAC. The applicant’s Program must submit to the
Dean a request to apply for the M.S. degree (Application for a Terminal M.S. Form).
The request should confirm that the applicant meets the requirements, outline any
additional requirements placed on the applicant by the Program (i.e. a formal defense
and/or public seminar may be required) and indicate a date by which the completed
thesis must be submitted to the Graduate School. A student granted permission for a
terminal M.S. degree and who is enrolled as a student must fulfill all requirements for
attendance at seminars or other Program activities (see section 9.4.7 regarding
requirements for Status Reports). The request must be signed by the applicant, the
applicant’s major advisor, all members of the TAC, and the Program Director.
If the request is approved, the applicant shall prepare a thesis based on original work
completed to date which must be submitted to the TAC no less than one week prior to
the thesis examination. The thesis will be evaluated by the student’s TAC in a closed
session oral examination. Successful defense of the thesis shall be indicated by the
signatures of the entire Committee on the Defense of MS Thesis Result form. The
preparation of the thesis should be guided by the policies found in sections 10.2 and
10.2.1. If the Committee notes deficiencies, all corrections must be made prior to
Committee acceptance and signature.
Once accepted and signed by the Committee, the Director of Graduate Studies shall
sign the thesis. An original, signed copy of the thesis and three additional copies must
be presented to the Graduate School for acceptance, binding, and archiving as part of
the degree requirements. At the time the Dean accepts and signs the thesis, the student
shall have completed all academic obligations for the degree and be making good
academic progress. After the Dean signs the thesis, the student will be eligible to have
the degree conferred. If awarded a terminal M.S. degree, a student cannot be admitted
to any Graduate Program at BCM without successfully re-applying to graduate school.
9.11.2 Qualifications for the Master of Science Degree in CSTP (New 08/30/01,
Revised 08/23/04, 01/29/2015, 06/18/15)
The Clinical Scientist Training Program accepts students who seek the Master of
Science degree. A student is accepted into candidacy after completing the Program
required curriculum including 60 term hours of which 30 must be in courses that meet
the credit requirements as described in section 9.5. Upon satisfactory completion of
the research project approved by the TAC, the thesis is prepared and defended before
the Final Examination Committee. The preparation of the thesis should be guided by
the policies found in sections 10.2 and 10.2.1. Upon approval of the thesis by the
Final Examination Committee, the thesis is signed by the Committee members and
the Director of the CSTP Program and presented to the Dean for signature. At the
time the Dean accepts and signs the thesis, the student shall have completed all
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47
academic obligations for the degree and will be eligible to have the degree conferred.
An original, signed copy of the thesis and three additional copies must be presented
to the Graduate School for acceptance, binding, and archiving as part of the degree
requirements.
9.11.3 Pursuit of an M.S. Degree by Medical Students Participating in the
School of Medicine Research Track (New 06/16/08, Revised 01/29/15, 08/16/19)
Medical students participating in the School of Medicine Research Track (MSRT)
may enroll in a degree Program leading to the M.S. degree. The student, at any time
during their first year of research as part of the MSRT Program may make application
to a Graduate Program for the M.S. Degree. Accepted students will matriculate into
the Graduate School during their leave from School of Medicine. MSRT students
may be on leave from School of Medicine for no more than two years. Requirements
for the M.S. degree include 30 term hours of graduate course work, with no more than
24 hours transferred from School of Medicine courses, the appointment of a major
advisor and Thesis Advisory Committee. Students matriculated in the MSRT-M.S.
Program must submit status reports during their time of enrollment as a graduate
student. Completion of the MSRT-M.S. requires a seminar and the submission of
an M.S. thesis. All requirements for the MSRT-M.S. degree must be completed prior
to the student’s graduation from School of Medicine. The preparation of the thesis
should be guided by the policies found in sections 10.2 and 10.2.1. After its defense
and any needed corrections are made, the thesis must be signed by the members of the
Thesis Advisory Committee and Program Director and submitted to the Dean for final
approval. At the time the Dean accepts and signs the thesis, the student shall have
completed all academic obligations for the degree and will be eligible to have the
degree conferred. If awarded an MS degree through this Program, a student cannot be
admitted to any Graduate Program at BCM without successfully re-applying to
graduate school.
9.12 Publication Policy for Students and Postdocs (New 08/01/11)
Communication of research results to the scientific community is an integral part of research
activity and is especially important for trainees (students and postdoctorals). Major advisors
are expected to give students and postdocs, even those that are no longer in the laboratory, the
opportunity to satisfy all the criteria for authorship as specified in the BCM Authorship Policy
when they have contributed work to a manuscript. The Policy on Authorship (Section 02.9.40)
states in part:
“An author is one who has met all of the three criteria a) made a substantial contribution
to the conception and design of the project, acquisition of data, the analysis and
interpretation of the data, or other substantial scholarly effort; b) participated in drafting
and/or revising the Publication critically for important intellectual content; and c)
approved the final version to be submitted”
ARTICLE 10. GRADUATION
10.1 Dissertation Examining Committee (Revised 11/11/99, 08/01/16)
The Examining Committee is appointed by the Major Advisor, in consultation with the Program
Director and is approved by the Dean. The Examining Committee shall be composed of the
student's TAC, and any additional ex-officio members deemed appropriate by the Major
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48
Advisor and Program Director. A student must be making good academic progress to schedule
the defense dissertation.
10.2 The Dissertation (Revised 08/30/01)
The PhD dissertation represents an authoritative contribution to scientific knowledge and
demonstrates that the student has the intellectual and technical ability to conduct an independent
and scholarly research project. The PhD dissertation is an academic document submitted by
the student to the Graduate School following the defense and approval of the entirety of the
document by the Dissertation Committee. The Committee members shall indicate their
approval of the dissertation by signing on the Approval Page. No signatures may be affixed
until all changes are completed as requested by the Committee members. Unanimous approval
of the dissertation is required. The dissertation shall consist of original scientific research
carried out by the student. Collaborations or participation by others and the conduct of the work
shall be clearly defined. The dissertation shall reach conclusions that are a logical result of the
experiments performed. Sufficient experimental details shall be included to allow the work to
be reproduced by an individual skilled in the methodology, from the information provided. The
dissertation can include information already published by the student, but this fact must be
acknowledged by appropriate references, and the text and data presentations must be
reformatted to conform to the dissertation style. Any experimental results obtained by others
and included in the original publication must either be expunged from the dissertation or
attributed by name in footnotes or text citations to the original experimenter. The form of the
dissertation shall follow a standard format as outlined below.
10.2.1 Format and Organization of the Dissertation (Revised 08/30/01)
Detailed instructions for completing the dissertation, its defense, submission to the
Graduate School, and text format are available from the Graduate School Office in a
document entitled, “Instructions for Submitting a Thesis or Dissertation.” In those
instances when published work is to be incorporated in the dissertation suitable
adjustments in style shall be made to bring all sections of the document into a uniform
presentation style, including bibliographic citations.
Section Name Order Section Name Order
Title Page* 1 Introduction & Background 8
Approval Signature Page 2 Methods & Materials 9
Acknowledgments 3 Results 10
Abstract 4 Discussion 11
Table of Contents 5 Summary & Significance 12
List of Figures 6 Bibliography 13
List of Tables 7 Appendices 14
* For the PhD dissertation, the Title Page shall bear the exact title of the dissertation, followed
by the statement: “A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate School of Biomedical
Sciences of BCM in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of
Philosophy by name of student. Houston, Texas, Month, Year.” For the M.S. thesis, the Title
Page shall bear the exact title of the thesis, followed by the statement: “A Thesis submitted to
the Faculty of The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences of BCM in Partial Fulfillment of the
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Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by name of student. Houston, Texas, Month,
Year.”
The Introduction and Background (Section 8) shall constitute a literature review which
sets the stage for the research and its rationale.
The order of sections 9, 10 and 11 may be repeated or combined to facilitate production
of the dissertation’s chapters from the student’s scientific publications. It is usual to
choose to combine all methods sections together, but at the student’s and Committee’s
discretion sections may be kept apart for clarity. Similarly, results and discussion can
appear together in discrete chapters separated by content or specific aims. These
sections must, however, be reformatted to conform to the dissertation style.
Individual chapters may contain their own discussion sections. However, at the end of
the dissertation the Summary and Significance section should re-capitulate the salient
findings and conclusions of the work and place these observations in the context of
current studies in that field. The student is encouraged to use this section to speculate
on the work’s significance, and/or to recommend future avenues of fruitful
experimentation.
The dissertation is an academic document submitted by the student to the Graduate
School
10.2.2 Defense of the Dissertation
10.2.2.1 Scheduling the Defense of Dissertation (Revised 11/11/99, 08/16/19)
Within 3 months of receiving Permission to Write, the student should
identify their dissertation defense date. All members of the Examining
Committee are expected to be in attendance at the dissertation seminar and
defense, and scheduling done sufficiently in advance so that all Committee
members can be present. Committee members should acknowledge their
acceptance of the examination date by signing and dating the form. When
necessary, a Committee member can attend the defense by video
conferencing with the permission of the Dean. Once the date of the
examination has been set, members can be excused from attendance only
under extraordinary circumstances. Permission to be absent from a
dissertation defense examination must be requested by the Committee
member and acknowledged by the Dean prior to the examination date.
10.2.2.2 Defense of Dissertation (Revised 11/11/99, 08/02/10, 08/16/19)
The students must submit the dissertation to the Examining Committee no
less than two weeks prior to the defense. The dissertation should be
complete and near to its final form. A public dissertation seminar must be
presented before the final defense. In addition, the Examining Committee
will meet with the student in either closed or open session (at the discretion
of the student’s Graduate Program) for the final dissertation examination.
Successful defense of the dissertation shall be indicated by the signatures of
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50
the entire Committee and the approval of the Dean (Result of Defense of
Dissertation form).
If unexpected circumstances prevent the occurrence of the defense, it should
be rescheduled as soon as possible. Any status reports that were waived
because of the schedule defense become due.
If there are any significant deficiencies of the thesis (other than
typographical errors) that must be corrected before final approval, these
should be indicated directly on the results form or on attached pages. A
single dissenting vote is sufficient grounds for Failing the dissertation
defense. Failure of the dissertation defense can be appealed to the
Promotions Committee by the student or the student’s Major Advisor. The
Promotions Committee may recommend to the Dean to uphold the Failure,
award the PhD, appoint a new Committee and examination, or recommend
another examination of the student by the same Committee. The defense of
dissertation should be satisfactorily completed at least one month before the
intended date of graduation.
10.2.3 Submission of Completed Dissertation with Revisions (Revised 1/02/06,
08/03/09, 08/01/16, 8/1/20)
The student should submit the final thesis and graduate as soon as corrections and
requirements are complete. A period of two months following the defense is allowed
for students to make thesis corrections and satisfy any graduation requirements
imposed by their Examining Committee. No later than the end of this two month
period, the amended dissertation must be prepared in final form, signed by all
members of the Examining Committee and Program Director, approved by the Dean,
and submitted for binding. Any extension of the two-month deadline for submission
of the final dissertation must be requested by the student prior to the deadline, and
approved by the Dean.
It is the student's responsibility to submit the original and three copies of the
dissertation, completely ready for binding, to the Graduate School office in order to
complete degree requirements. At the time the Dean accepts and signs the
dissertation, the student must not be on Academic Warning or Academic Probation,
will have completed all academic obligations for the degree and will be eligible to
have the degree conferred. The official date of graduation will be the day the
dissertation was signed by the Dean.
The final thesis must be submitted by the deadline specified by GSBS each year for
the student to participate in the annual graduation ceremony. The Graduate School
cannot verify completion of the degree until all requirements, including submission
and approval of the dissertation are complete.
10.3 Financial Clearance (Revised 8/1/20)
During the 4th year of enrollment, each PhD candidate must pay a graduation fee. The
graduation fee for MS students is payable in the 2
nd
year of enrollment. Other fees payable prior
to graduation are the dissertation or thesis binding fees. The student must be certified to be free
of debts and obligations to the BCM before the degree can be conferred. This is accomplished
by completing a Graduation Clearance Form requiring validating signatures from the various
offices of the BCM or TMC Library with whom the student could have done business. All
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51
signatures must be obtained. Failure to do so will prevent release of any official documents. A
student in financial obligation to the school should quickly move to dispose of the debt.
10.4 Commencement (Revised 07/01/16, 08/01/16, 8/1/20)
Instructions for the annually scheduled graduation ceremony originate from the Graduate
School. The graduating student is responsible for meeting these requirements.
ARTICLE 11. BCM SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE
(New
04/24/03, Revised 01/16/04, 04/08/2015, 08/27/2015, 08/01/16, 07/30/18, 8/1/20)
BCM Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §1681, prohibits discrimination based
on sex in all Programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. Title IX also prohibits
sexual harassment, including same-gender harassment and student-to-student harassment. BCM does
not discriminate based on sex and will not tolerate discrimination which includes sexual harassment,
sexual violence, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking. Incidents of sexual harassment,
sexual violence, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking are taken seriously. Reports will be
promptly investigated and appropriate actions will be taken to remedy the effects of the harassment or
violence and prevent the reoccurrence. Students should refer to the BCM Sexual Misconduct and Other
Prohibited Conduct policy (Section 02.2.26) for more detailed information.
A student who experiences sexual harassment, sexual violence, dating violence, domestic violence
and/or stalking may contact the BCM Title IX Director for assistance.
Title IX Director
Toni Gray
title[email protected]
713-798-8137
A student may also report to the BCM Security Office via the campus emergency line at 8811 or the
non-emergency campus extension of 8-8300. The BCM Security Office can assist students with filing
a report with local law enforcement and in the case of any emergency encourages you to call the police
at 911. BCM complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and to the extent
possible will protect the privacy of all persons involved in the report of sexual harassment, sexual
violence, dating violence, domestic violence and/or stalking.
In accordance with Texas state law, students should be aware that all BCM employees, in the course
and scope of their employment, must promptly report to the Title IX Director if they witness or receive
information, about sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking which involves a
current student or employee. Students are not required, but can elect to make reports to the Title IX
Director if they witness or receive information. Students wishing to make a confidential report should
consult BCM policy 02.2.26 for information on confidential reporting resources.
BCM does not tolerate acts of retaliation. Individuals responsible for retaliation against any person
who provides information, or participates in an investigation or the adjudication of a report will be met
with disciplinary action up to and including removal from the BCM community. See BCM
Whistleblower policy (Section 02.10.10) and Policy Regarding Harassment, Discrimination, and
Retaliation (Section 02.2.25).
BCM provides prevention programs and education to faculty, staff and students in an effort to dispel
the myths, address the effects, and reduce the occurrence of sexual harassment, sexual violence, dating
violence, domestic violence and stalking. More information on BCM’s efforts, options for reporting
and available support services can be found by visiting the Office of Student Services webpage.
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52
ARTICLE 12. STUDENT SERVICES (New 07/30/18, 8/1/20)
12.1 Wellness Intervention Team
The Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) Wellness Intervention Team (WIT) effectuates a
coordinated institutional response to a health or wellness crisis causing student distress, when
the student is referred by the Dean or Designee. WIT does not provide emergency services or
immediate, direct intervention with students purported to be in distress, but primarily
coordinates an acute care assessment of the health and safety of students and links them with
necessary resources to promote mental, emotional, psychological, or physical wellness and
well-being. The School Dean or Designee will activate the WIT to initiate one of these primary
functions, as appropriate: Acute Care & Crisis Management, Access to Academic & Non-
Academic Support Resources, or Processing of Long-Term Leave of Absence (LOA) Requests
& Returns from LOA. Further information regarding WIT functions is available in the Student
Leave of Absence Policy (23.1.12). Students referred to WIT may register dissent or concern
regarding the WIT process by filing a Grievance, as described in the Student Appeals and
Grievances Policy (Section 23.1.08). For further details about the WIT purpose and process,
contact the GSBS Dean or [email protected].
NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATORY POLICY
BCM and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences admits students of any race, gender, ethnic or
national origin, sexual orientation, disability, economic status or age to all the rights, privileges,
Programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not
discriminate on the basis of race, gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, disability,
economic status or age in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship
and loan Programs, and other school-administered Programs.
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53
Appendix A: New Student-Related Policies Published by Baylor College of Medicine,
August 1, 2020 to Present
New or
Revised?
# Policy Title/Link
Stakeholders
Affected
Purpose
Pub
Date
