We want all scholars to succeed. If you are concerned about falling into probationary status, be sure to communicate with the Graduate Program Coordinator and your primary research mentor to determine your best path forward.
Causes of probationary status
Scholars whose work causes them to fall into probationary status will receive notification from Laney Graduate School. Scholars who receive a semester or Cumulative G.P.A. of < 2.7 will fall into probationary status. In addition, scholars will receive a “U” grade for the following courses (thus falling in to probationary status) when they fail to meet a program requirement:
CHEM 504 for failure to complete rotations or join a group
CHEM 798B for failure to successfully complete the Second Year Qualifying Exam or failure to successfully complete a re-test within one semester
CHEM 798C for failure to successfully complete the Third Year Milestone or failure to successfully complete a re-test within one semester
CHEM 798D for failure to successfully complete the Fourth Year Milestone or failure to successfully complete a re-test within one semester
TATT 605 for unsatisfactory TA performance
CHEM 599 (pre-candidacy) or CHEM 799 (post-candidacy) for insufficient research progress and/or failure to submit an annual report
Receiving an “I” or “U” grade in six or more credits
Scholars in probationary status are not eligible for merit awards or LGS Professional Development Support (PDS) funds. Scholars will receive formal notice of probationary status from the Laney Graduate School.
Review process
All scholars will be reviewed at the end of each semester by the faculty. Scholars who fall into probationary status due to a negative review will be informed of their status in writing by the Laney Graduate School. Consequences of a negative review may include:
Withdrawal of financial support
Repetition of research, coursework, and/or examinations
Termination from the program
Scholars in probationary status
Scholars will be recommended for termination from the program by no later than the end of their second semester on probation. Scholars who fail to successfully re-test any milestone within one semester of their first attempt will be recommended for termination from the program at the conclusion of that semester even if they have not been on probation more than once.
Appeal of probationary status
Scholars facing termination due to probationary status may petition for one additional semester to improve their record by following the departmental petition process. The petition must address:
Any extenuating circumstances that contributed to the probationary status.
A formal request for an extension with a specific deadline for submitting any outstanding work included.
A supporting letter from the primary research mentor, including a plan for ongoing financial support.
The Graduate Committee will review petitions and advise the scholar of the outcome. Scholars may petition for a maximum of two semester-long extensions.
Alternatively, scholars may petition for a change of program following a recommended termination in order to complete the M.S. degree.
Termination
Scholars whose appeal (or change of program to the M.S.) is not approved will be recommended for termination from the program by no later than the end of their second semester on probation.
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The dissertation is the culmination of a scholar’s Emory training. And after it’s over, most new PhDs throw a party! Many of the degree requirements must be completed well ahead of the actual defense, so make sure to familiarize yourself with the procedures starting early in any semester in which you may graduate.
The Laney Graduate Schoolsets the requirements for the completion of the graduate degree. Scholars should familiarize themselves with these requirements. The Graduate Program Coordinator is available to assist scholars in navigating the degree completion procedures but it is the responsibility of the scholar to complete and submit all required documents.
Chemistry-Specific Degree Completion Requirements
Scholars must schedule and advertise a public defense.
The final and complete dissertation must be submitted for examination to the scholar’s entire committee at least seven days in advance of the scheduled defense.
All committee members must be present at the defense.
If any of these chemistry-specific degree requirements are not met, the defense must be rescheduled.
Completion Extensions
If a scholar has not completed the degree at the end of the seventh year, the program may grant a one-year extension. The scholar must submit a petition requesting that the program initiative the extension. The program must submit notice of this extension to the Dean, no later than August 1 of the seventh year (before the eighth year). The notice must contain a completion timeline signed by both the scholar and the dissertation committee chair or co-chairs. Scholars who enroll for this extension year will be responsible for some tuition.
If a scholar has not completed the degree at the end of the eighth year, the scholar may continue work for at most one additional academic year and only with approval from the Dean. To obtain approval, the program must submit a request to the Dean no later than August 1 of the eighth year (before the ninth year). The scholar must submit a petition to initiate this request. The request must:
outline the reasons the scholar has not completed
consider whether the scholar needs to repeat any part of the qualifications for candidacy or obtain approval of a new dissertation prospectus
present a detailed completion timeline signed by both the scholar and the dissertation committee chair or co-chairs. Scholars who enroll for this extension year will be responsible for some tuition.
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As research expertise and engagement grows, you may find it difficult to place an emphasis on degree completion. Making a plan facilitates this focus.
A scholar in their fifth year who is not graduating must submit a Timeline for Degree Completion. The plan should be presented as a written timeline to graduation and must be signed by the primary research mentor. The scholar should submit this plan to the Graduate Program Coordinator along with their annual report form by April 30of the fifth year. A revised plan must be submitted on the last day of classes in any subsequent semester during which the scholar does not graduate.
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Taken together, the pre-proposals, the original research proposal, and the proposal writing course provide scholars with a solid foundation in creating and communicating original research. The next step is the dissertation!
All fourth year scholars must present and defend an original research proposal in the first semester of the fourth year. It is essential that the proposal not overlap significantly with any ongoing research at Emory.
Topic
Scholars should base their proposal on one of the three pre-proposals completed during the Third Year Milestone. If a scholar choses to develop a new proposal not previously presented as a pre-proposal, they must discuss the new topic with the committee and request feedback before developing the proposal. Feedback should address whether the new topic is sufficiently far removed from ongoing work in the scholar’s research group.
Format and Content
A written paper is due to your committee one week before the oral presentation. The format of the written proposal should be similar to the project description of an NIH postdoctoral fellowship application.
The oral presentation (25-30 minutes) should:
Clearly define the proposed problem and how the proposed research would be accomplished;
Include approximately one dozen PowerPoint slides or other visual aids.
The scholar is responsible for scheduling a date, time, and location for the oral defense with their committee and for ensuring the location meets any technology needs.
The written proposal and publicly advertised oral presentation must be completed by November 30 of the fourth year. The written component is due to the committee at least one week before the oral presentation.
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Proposal development is a critical skill for scholars. Success in research and teaching arises from the ability to recognize problems and creatively address them. In the process of creating research proposals, scholars practice critical thinking, evaluate the work of others, and become more familiar with the scientific literature.
In the Third Year Milestone, scholars will prepare three one-page research pre-proposals. Pre-proposals are not full proposals or completely-researched proposals. The pre-proposals provide an opportunity for faculty to coach scholars to successfully prepare an original research proposal for the Fourth Year Milestone.
Topic
One pre-proposal may describe the scholar’s short-term proposed research activities specific to the research agenda of their primary research mentor’s laboratory.
Two pre-proposals must describe a scholar’s research idea that is independent of the specific research aims of their primary research mentor’s laboratory.
Format and Content
Scholars should prepare each pre-proposal using the “quad sheet” format taught in the proposal course (CHEM 597R). A quad sheet format template is available.
Objective and Motivation Identify the gap in knowledge, and its importance.
Hypothesis What must be tested to achieve the objective?
Scientific / Technical Approach Concisely describe a proof-of-principle experiment.
Impact Describe expected outcomes and new knowledge arising from the proposed research.
Ideally, each quadrant will include a descriptive graphic and one or a few sentences of relevant text.
Assessment Criteria
Faculty will provide feedback on the following criteria:
Importance of the problem, and necessity for a new approach;
Novelty of the hypothesis;
Creativity and practicality of the scholar’s approach to the problem;
Quality of the quadrant chart presentation.
Scholars are required to enroll in CHEM 798C to receive course credit for proposal preparation and presentation. Scholars should enroll in the semester in which they plan to complete the requirement.
Assessment Timeline
January 1: Scholar submits pre-proposal drafts to the committee.
By February 1 of the third year: Scholar submits final versions of all three pre-proposals to the committee.
During the third year annual report(between February-April 30): In an open presentation, the scholar will share highlights of their research progress (25 minutes), followed by short presentations of the pre-proposals (5 minutes each). In a subsequent closed session, the committee will discuss each pre-proposal and assign an S/U grade to each pre-proposal. Committee members may signal their preference for one of the independent pre-proposals to undergo further development for the Fourth Year Milestone. If three “S” grades are achieved, the milestone is passed.
Prior to April 30: The scholar may revise or replace any individual pre-proposals that did not initially pass assessment to earn three “S” grades. This will require a second committee meeting, which may be waived if each committee member individually approves three pre-proposals with an “S” grade.
April 30: Pre-proposals must be completed and three “S” grades achieved by this date to remain in good standing. Scholars are required to record their grades by submitting the Third Year Milestone Proposal Form to the graduate program coordinator on or before this date.
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Qualifying Exams are an important checkpoint meant to show that you are on a promising research track toward the Ph.D. degree.
The Second Year Qualifying Exam is comprised of a written report and an oral defense (closed door; committee only) intended to assess:
basic research skills
knowledge of the literature
work ethic and motivation.
Scholar Responsibilities
Enroll in CHEM 798B to receive course credit for exam preparation
Coordinate scheduling with the committee
Reserve a room for the report
Ensure that the committee completes an assessment and submit the assessment to the Graduate Program Coordinator
Scholars should review the Second Year Qualifying Exam form for additional details, including the evaluation criteria for the exam.
Due: The written report must be submitted at least one week prior to the scheduled oral defense and no later than February 1 in the second semester of the second year. The oral defense must be completed by March 1 of the same semester.
Grading and Re-Test Policy
Scholars must receive an “S” grade on both the written and oral portion of the exam to pass CHEM 798.
Failure to submit both portions of the exam or a receipt of a “U” on the oral and/or written portion of the exam will result in a “U” in CHEM 798. When a scholar receives a “U” grade, they may re-test before the end of the semester. At that time, if the “U” grade is not cleared, their committee may recommend termination from the program.
If given the option to retest by their committee during the summer semester, scholars will be placed on probation and must re-test any portion of the exam for which they received the “U”. The re-test date should be set no later than seven weeks before the end of the term in which it will take place (mid-semester).
Failure to earn an “S” on all exam requirements by the end of the summer term will result in termination from the program. Probation will be lifted in the semester following a successful re-test (assuming a scholar is in good standing in regard to all other program requirements.)
Feedback to Scholars in the Event of a Re-Test
If a retest is required, the scholar’s primary mentor will compose a written summary of faculty feedback from the milestone meeting. The summary will include a specific timeline for the retest, an explanation of what elements of the milestone were not met, and clear expectations (in line with the retest timeframe provided) for what the scholar will need to accomplish to successfully complete the milestone. The written summary will be shared with the scholar and the DGS within a week of the milestone exam. The scholar and the mentor are encouraged to develop a detailed study and research plan that elaborates on the summary to facilitate the scholar’s development and successful completion of the milestone in the timeframe provided.
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Your research group will comprise a large part of your network at Emory. Other important professional relationships – whether with student organizations, rotation advisors, committee members, and beyond – will also have an impact. Thinking of the entire “network” you are seeking to build can help with your group decision.
Advising before you join a group
Prior to research advisor selection, the Director of Graduate Studies is your primary academic advisor for questions and concerns, including about the rotation experience.
Finalizing group selection
You should indicate the group that they wish to join by emailing the Graduate Program Coordinator (Fall 2023: Sarah Stein is the acting coordinator in Laura Hilado’s absence) and copying the requested primary research mentor no earlier than the first day of the discernment period and no later than noon on December 1.
Group assignments are not finalized until the Director of Graduate Studies has reviewed all placements with the faculty. The DGS will work with scholars who do not “match” to facilitate additional discussions with faculty so that the scholar may seek an alternate group placement or an additional rotation assignment.
Options for scholars who do not match with a group
Faculty may accept a scholar seeking a fourth rotation either as a rotator or as a lab member, even if the scholar has not yet rotated with their group. Scholars who do not secure an additional rotation or lab placement OR who are not offered a lab placement following the completion of an additional rotation will be asked to leave the program by the end of the Spring semester.
Chemistry mentoring agreement
Following DGS approval of group selection, the scholar and the primary research mentor must complete chemistry’s mentor/mentee agreement. The completed agreement should be filed as soon as possible after confirmation, but no later than the end of the Fall semester. Scholars must ensure that the completed agreement is submitted to secure an “S” in CHEM 597.
Role of the primary research mentor
When a scholar joins a group, the PI of that group is agreeing to serve as the primary research mentor and the chair (or co-chair) of the chemistry committee and the dissertation committee.
Post-rotation request to change groups
If a scholar is considering a change of group at any point in their career, they are encouraged to begin by discussing options with any member of the graduate admin team. To formally initiate a request to change groups, scholars must submit a petition. The petition should include written support from the new proposed primary research mentor. The petition, once approved, is finalized with the submission of a new mentor/mentee agreement.
The graduate scholar is not required to inform the current mentor of their plans until the mentor/mentee agreement is finalized. However, they must continue to complete research effort in the current group until a change is approved and are not prohibited from discussing an intended change with the current advisor.
Group placement requirement
A primary group placement is an ongoing requirement for all scholars in the chemistry graduate program. Any scholar who does not have a primary research group assignment at the conclusion of a given semester will be considered out of compliance with program requirements, resulting in probation and possible termination from the program. The chemistry PhD program cannot accommodate students working independently or working with an advisor who is not a member of the chemistry graduate faculty or associated faculty.
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Rotations are short experiences in Emory research groups for the benefit of first year scholars. The rotation program is intended to acquaint scholars with the research and resources of the Department before they choose a research home for pursuing their PhD. All scholars are required to complete three rotations before joining a research group.
Updated August 2023
This page has been updated for Fall 2023 rotations.
Rotation structure
Group Exploration Period
Early August
The graduate program will provide instructions to faculty who intend to host rotators. Faculty accepting rotators must:
Provide a 1 page information sheet about the research group that includes the number of students they intend to accept into their group from the rotations cohort
Advertise at least one event to all eligible scholars via the graduate program Exploration Period schedule
Accept students in all three rotation periods*
*The graduate program has limited ability to accommodate specific requests from faculty for how and when rotators will be scheduled. Exceptions should be rare and requests should be made as soon as a conflict is known.
August 23 – September 13
All recruiting faculty will offer open events—group meetings, open houses, etc.—to help scholars get to know their lab. Scholars are required to attend events in at least seven labs and obtain signatures on the Group Exploration Period form.
Submission of Rotation Preferences
September 14 at 8 am
Scholars submit three unranked rotation choices to the Graduate Program Coordinator on the Group Exploration Period form. Faculty will have an opportunity to review the names of all scholars who have requested a rotation in their lab and indicate their response to the request to the Director of Graduate Studies.
Rotation Assignments and Notification
September 15
Scholars will be advised of the faculty response to rotation requests and receive a rotation schedule. Scholars who fall short of the required three rotations will be required to meet with the DGS to discuss their options and work to secure three rotation placements.
Rotations
Rotation 1: September 18 – October 6 Rotation 2: October 9 – October 27 Rotation 3: October 30 – November 17
Discernment and Discussions
November 21 – November 30
Scholars meet with their rotation advisors during this time with the goal of finalizing their group selection. Faculty and scholars are encouraged to be candid about their goals during this period. However, group assignment is only finalized after the DGS has reviewed all the faculty commitments and the mentor/mentee agreement is filed.
Rotation logistics & etiquette
Rotations – inclusive of the Exploration Period and group selection – are an opportunity to fully explore scientific opportunities at Emory and to join a group with confidence. However, the inherent uncertainty in this process can be stressful for scholars and faculty. Based on feedback from scholars, clear and consistent “rules of engagement” for both students and faculty help to ensure a positive rotation experience.
The following rules for rotation logistics and etiquette should guide faculty, current scholars, and rotating students:
All Activities
Scholars cannot be required or encouraged to miss TA commitments or classroom time; rotators should plan to engage in rotations in a manner that allows them to meet their TA commitments and attend classes. Faculty should ensure that rotation requirements account for these responsibilities.
Faculty and students are asked to confine their discussions of other groups to issues related to scientific work rather than group placement. This means that students and faculty should not discuss rotation outcomes, real or projected, of individuals who are not active participants in a given conversation.
In all communication about rotations, faculty, current students, and rotators are encouraged to remember that we are a part of a learning community. Feedback should be specific, growth-oriented, and constructive.
Exploration Activities
Events must be open to all eligible scholars
Events must take place on campus between the hours of 7am-7pm
Refreshments at events should be limited to light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages
Scholars should make a request, either in person or via email, to any faculty member with whom they intend to request a rotation. In turn, faculty should make themselves available for these discussions and respond promptly to email correspondence. Faculty are asked not to accept rotators that they are not willing to consider for placement in their group.
Rotation Activities
Faculty have considerable flexibility in assigning rotation activities. At a minimum, satisfactory completion of the rotation will require attendance at all group meetings, seminars, scholar seminars, and/or journal club activities scheduled during the rotation period. Faculty may set a minimum hour-per-week requirement for graduate scholar engagement.
During the time a scholar is engaged in a rotation, the scholar’s total research effort should be focused on that rotation. Faculty cannot require that scholars participate in research activities in a group outside their current rotation assignment. With these requirements in mind, scholars should feel free to participate broadly in the intellectual life of the department.
Existing lab members working with rotators may be asked to provide feedback to the primary research mentor regarding rotation performance. These discussions should, within reason, be considered confidential.
Faculty are encouraged to provide clear feedback related to performance during the rotation but to remind rotators that group selections cannot be made until the rotation period has concluded. At the risk of being prescriptive, we suggest that the following language would be appropriate: “I would be happy to discuss group placement with you at the end of the full rotation period.” Rotators, in turn, should not press faculty for a commitment prior to the conclusion of the rotation experience.
Discernment
To accommodate the need for in-depth discussion about group placement, faculty should plan time to meet with rotators after rotations conclude and before the group selection deadline. Students should be proactive in scheduling these discussions.
Changes to rotation placements
A scholar may change their choice of the second and/or third rotation group during an earlier rotation. The steps to follow are:
Discuss the intended change with the new rotation advisor and obtain their approval for the change in writing;
Submit a petition to the graduate program stating the reasons for the requested change and including the correspondence with the new rotation advisor.
The DGS will discuss the petition with the new intended rotation advisor and advise the scholar of the outcome. Requests to switch to any advisor participating in rotations and supported by the intended advisor will generally be approved.
Upon approval, the scholar is expected to confirm with the new rotation advisor. The scholar is also expected to inform the previous rotation advisor of their decision to change their rotation schedule and to thank them for their engagement. This may be completed via email or in person.
Summer rotations
Scholars who have completed a summer rotation have two options for the fall semester:
Request to repeat a rotation in the same group pending available space;
Select three new rotation advisors, completing a total of four rotations.
Scholars enrolled during summer may not skip a fall rotation.
Note: Summer rotations are not an official activity of the graduate program. Scholars must be supported by an individual lab and enroll as non-degree seeking students.
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