All first and second year students in good standing in the Ph. D program will be fully supported. Students in good standing, in the third year and beyond, who have found a research advisor will normally be supported for up to five years after passing the written qualifying exam. Extensions may be possible in exceptional cases, but only with the unanimous recommendation of the student's three-member committee. A student, after passing the qualifying exam, is expected to find a research advisor.
Most students have a research advisor in their second year.
If a student has no research advisor by the third year, financial support cannot be guaranteed by the department. Support is possible, but first and second year students will receive higher priority for TA positions. A first year student not in good standing after the end of the first semester of classes will receive a letter from the Graduate Chair stating that he or she is not in good standing. If the student is still not in good standing at the end of the second semester, the professors that teach the graduate courses taken by the student and the graduate committee will meet to determine whether the student will be permitted to take the qualifying exam. If permission is not granted, the student may be asked to leave the program.