Graduate Academic Policies & Information

Founded in 1887 as the first all-graduate school in America, Clark has continued to offer outstanding master’s and doctoral degree programs in the context of an intimate university. Over the years, Clark’s graduate school has been at the center of major research breakthroughs in disciplines as diverse as physics, geography and psychology.

Clark offers graduate programs leading to doctoral and master’s degrees. Admission to Clark’s graduate programs is open to holders of the bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, and is determined on a competitive basis. All programs are administered by the Graduate Board. Completion of a master’s degree program generally requires one or two years of study, and completion of the Ph.D. requires at least four years of study, although requirements vary across departments.

Doctor of philosophy degrees are offered in biology, biochemistry & molecular biology, chemistry, economics, geography, history, physics and psychology. Master of arts degrees are offered in community planning and development, education, English, international development and social change, and teaching. Master of Science degrees are offered in environmental science & policy and geographic information science for development and environment.  The master of business administration, master of science in finance and master of science in accounting are offered by the Graduate School of Management. The College of Professional and Continuing Education offers the master of public administration, master of science in professional communication and, master of science in information technology.

There is a wide variety of financial support available for incoming graduate students. Most departments offer teaching assistantships, fellowships and research assistantships. Often these come with a stipend as well as tuition grants. Some specific examples of fellowship awards are listed at the end of this section.

Inquiries and Admission to Graduate School Programs

Inquiries from both U.S. and international students concerning specific programs of graduate and postdoctoral work should be addressed to the chair of the department or program concerned.

Admission to the graduate school may be granted only by the dean of graduate studies, acting for the Graduate Board on the recommendation of a department or program of the University. Formal notification is by official letter from the graduate dean.

Applicants should visit the Graduate Admissions webpage to find the online graduate student application as well as information regarding additional departmental requirements. All application materials can be submitted through the online application portal or sent direct to the Graduate Admissions Office.

Department or program heads may request the submission of additional material, and most require a record of attainment in the Graduate Record Examination given by the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, N.J. All applicants are urged to submit their scores on the Graduate Record Examination verbal, quantitative and advanced tests. Applicants to the Graduate School of Management programs are required to take GMAT rather than GRE examinations.

In addition to an application and $75 fee, foreign students should provide a certified English translation of official transcripts, evidence of English proficiency (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS), at least three letters of recommendation, and a statement concerning their financial resources or agency support.

Application deadlines vary by department. Please contact visit the Graduate Admissions website for application deadlines, requirements, and procedures.

Admission to the Graduate School is valid for a specified time only and lapses after that period. If a student is admitted while still a candidate for a degree from another institution, an updated transcript noting the conferring of that degree must be sent directly to the department or program of interest.

Part-time graduate study is possible in some departments. Admission as a special graduate student (nondegree candidate) is a simple enrollment process handled through the Registrar’s Office.

Master of Arts and Master of Science

Master of arts degrees are offered in the fields of community planning and development, education, English, international development and social change and teaching.  Master of science degree are offered in the fields of environmental science & policy and geographic information science for development and environment.

Residency: An academic year (generally eight course units) of study in residence is a minimum requirement for a master’s degree. Individual departments or programs may require longer periods of residency.

Foreign Language: Language or other special requirements are included in the department listings in this catalog.

Course and Examination Requirements: Each student must complete at least eight course units in a program approved by the department. One course may be a research course devoted to the preparation of the thesis. Credit for a maximum of two course units at another institution may be approved by the dean of graduate studies and research upon recommendation of the department.

Thesis: The thesis is written on a topic in the field of the student’s special interest under the supervision of a member of the department and in a style, length and format that is appropriate to the problem being researched. A Formatting Guide for theses is available online at www.clarku.edu/graduate.cfm.

Nonresident Students: Students who have completed all their in-class course work and are finishing their degree requirements off campus must continue to register each semester until graduation as nonresident students. The nonresident student status fee is $200 each semester for a maximum of three years.

Master of Business Administration/Master of Science in Finance/Master of Science in Accounting

The AACSB accredited Clark University Graduate School of Management offers programs leading to the master of business administration (M.B.A.), the master of science in finance (M.S.F.) and the master of science in accounting (M.S.A.).

Dual Degree Program

Dual degree programs are offered jointly through the Graduate School of Management and the department of International Development, Change and Environment (I.D.C.E.) leading to a master of business administration (M.B.A.)/master of arts in community development & planning (C.D.P.) and a master of business administration (M.B.A.)/master of science in environmental science & policy (E.S.&P.).

Postgraduate Programs in COPACE

Through the College of Professional and Continuing Educatio (COPACE), Clark offers the master of public administration (M.P.A.), master of science in professional communication (M.S.P.C.) and master of science in information technology (M.S.I.T.).

Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS)

Through COPACE, Clark offers a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in Interdisciplinary Studies, designed for teachers, administrators and other professionals.

Doctor of Philosophy

Doctor of philosophy degrees are offered in biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, chemistry, economics, geography, history, physics and psychology. Only well-qualified candidates with proven ability in their special fields of study will be encouraged to proceed to the degree of doctor of philosophy.

Residence: The minimum requirement is one year of full-time study (eight course units) beyond the M.A. or its equivalent in part-time work, in residence. If the master of arts or master of science has been earned at Clark, this requirement is in addition to the residence requirement for that degree.

Foreign Language: Each graduate department sets its own language or related requirements as the student’s field of research may demand and must report such requirements in each case to the dean of graduate studies. If a language is required, either a testing service or on-campus tests are employed at the discretion of the department.

Preliminary Examination: Upon completion of preparation in the fields of study, a prospective candidate takes a preliminary examination set by the major department. This examination may be written or oral, or a combination of both. The chair of the department may invite other scholars from within or outside the University to participate in the examination.

Dissertation: A dissertation, which is expected to make an original contribution to a specialized field of knowledge, is required of each candidate. The dissertation, approved by the chief instructor or dissertation committee, is presented to the examining committee at the final oral examination. An abstract of the dissertation, not exceeding 350 words, is approved by the dissertation advisers. Four weeks before the degree is to be conferred, a presentation-quality copy of the dissertation, together with two official title pages, an academic history and an abstract must be delivered to the University format adviser. At the same time, one or more copies of the dissertation and of the abstract may be required by the major department. The title pages and academic history forms can be obtained online. The presentation-quality copy of the dissertation must be computer printed as prescribed in the format guide located on the Graduate School Web site.

The dissertation becomes part of the permanent collection in the University library. A microfilm copy of each dissertation is made by Proquest of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and is available for duplication on request to that company. The abstract is printed in Dissertation Abstracts International.

Articles published in referred journals may be accepted in lieu of a dissertation with the approval of the department and the graduate dean.

Nonresident Students: Students who have completed all their in-class course work and are finishing their degree requirements off campus must continue to register each semester until graduation as nonresident students. The nonresident student status fee is $200 each semester for a maximum of three years.

Graduate Grading Policies

The grades of A and B (with “+” and “-“) are acceptable for graduate credit; anything lower than a B- is not acceptable. Pass/Fail grades may be used in lieu of letter grades at the instructor’s discretion for all students in that particular course. Incomplete grades are awarded at the discretion of the instructor. Incompletes that remain unchanged after the end of the following semester are converted to F grades by the Registrar’s Office.  End-of-course grades may only be chagned with the permission of the Dean of the Graduate School when a professor has made a computational error or has reevaluated work submitted before the grading period ends.  Unless an incomplete has been previously authorized, grades may not be changed on the basis of work submitted after the grade period or rewritten papers turned in after the grades are due.

Graduate Housing

A limited number of on-campus housing spaces are available through the Residential Life and Housing office. Incoming students have priority for this housing. Further details may be obtained from the Residential Life and Housing office or from academic departments.

Off-campus rooms and apartments for both men and women are available in the immediate area of the University. A limited listing of current housing opportunities is compiled by the Resident Life and Housing office. Students without prior arrangement for University-owned housing are urged to arrive before registration to seek suitable housing in the area.

For information on meal plans, health insurance and health services, please refer to the section on Facilities and Student Resources.

Other Fees

Enrollment Fee - All graduate students pay a one-time enrollment fee of $100 in their first semester of graduate study.

Loan Deferment

Only students enrolled on at least a half-time basis are eligible for student deferment status on college loans. Nonresident graduate students on a half-time basis are limited to two years of student deferment status.

Graduate Scholarships, Fellowships and Assistantships

Graduate fellowships and scholarships are provided for well-qualified students by the University from endowed funds and from other sources. Financial aid to graduate students also is available in the form of grants from a number of special funds and, in some departments, from sponsored research grants. Students who receive awards must obtain permission from the department before accepting employment. Application for a scholarship or fellowship to begin in September should be made before Feb. 15 to the chair of the department or director of the program in which the applicant expects to do major work. Late applications, after endorsement by the department, go to the dean of graduate studies for final approval.

Research Fellowships

These fellowships may be awarded to graduate students who have fulfilled their residence requirements and who are pursuing a full-time doctoral program on campus.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching assistants, generally only offered to doctoral students, are assigned a variety of duties according to the needs of the department. Responsibilities include conducting discussion sessions, supervising laboratory sections, holding tutorial sessions and grading papers and projects. Assistantships typically involve a commitment of approximately half time (an average of 17-1/2 hours a week). A tuition-remission scholarship or fellowship accompanies this award. Additional support up to a 12-month stipend is available in some departments.

Assistantships

Assistantships are available in several departments. Assistantships involve a variety of services, including research with appropriate stipends, and usually provide the student with experience that will be useful in later professional work.

Graduate Fellowship, Scholarship, and Department Funds

Stipends for fellowships and scholarships are provided by endowed funds. For further information about these funds, contact the department to which you are applying.