Guidelines for the Award of Degrees for Master s and PhD s Programs

Transcription

1 Guidelines for the Award of Degrees for Master s and PhD s Programs Approved by the second session of the Academic Affairs Committee in the Academic Year 2008/2009 on January 8, 2009 Approved by the Ministry of Education on March 23, 2009 in Official Document No Approved by the first session of the Academic Affairs Committee in the Academic Year 2009/2010 on September 29, 2009 Approved by the Ministry of Education on December 17, 2009 in Official Document No Approved by the first session of the Academic Affairs Committee in the Academic Year 2011/2012 on October 5, 2011 Approved by the Ministry of Education on November 16, 2011 in Official Document No Approved by the second session of the Academic Affairs Committee in the Academic Year 2011/2012 on January 5, 2012 Approved by the Ministry of Education on February 10, 2012 in Official Document No Approved by the first session of the Academic Affairs Committee in the Academic Year 2012/2013 on March 13, 2013 Approved by the Ministry of Education on May 21, 2013 in Official Document No Article 1 These regulations have been formulated based on the University Act and its implementation regulations, the Degree Conferral Law and its implementation regulations, as well as the university regulations. Article 2 The degree examination is an oral exam. Colleges, departments, or degree programs can schedule an additional written exam if deemed necessary. Article 3 All colleges, departments, and degree programs that offer Master s or PhD programs shall formulate degree requirements for graduate students and PhD candidates according to the University Act and its implementation regulations, the Degree Conferral Law and its implementation regulations, as well as the university regulations and these guidelines. The degree requirements shall cover the following aspects:

2 1. Admission requirements: Admission requirements for students enrolling directly in the PhD program and regulations for the transfer to other departments should be included 2. Program duration: Minimum and maximum program duration for full-time and part-time students 3. Course requirements: Required courses, minimum number of required credits, credit transfer regulations (it should also be specified in the credit requirements for MA candidates enrolling directly in PhD programs whether credits which have been earned before enrollment in the program are included or not) 4. Guidelines for thesis supervision: Selection and replacement of supervising professors 5. Regulations regarding the qualification assessment for PhD candidates 6. Degree examination regulations 7. Other regulations specified by individual departments 8. Procedure: These requirements and all amendments are subject to approval by the Department Committee before they are made public and implemented and shall be reported to the Academic Affairs Committee for reference purposes. Article 4 PhD candidates should be required to undergo a strict assessment by colleges, departments, and degree programs. Students have to pass the qualification exam and meet all requirements related to the degree examinations for PhD candidates before they can be accepted as PhD candidates by colleges, departments, or degree programs. The qualification exam is administered as follows: 1. The qualification exam is administered once per semester. Exam dates are scheduled and applications are processed by the colleges, departments, and degree programs. The maximum number of exam attempts per student for each subject is also determined by the colleges, departments, and degree programs. Students who do not complete the program within the required time frame or the maximum number of attempts will be expelled after the Office of Academic Affairs has been notified. 2. The qualification exam is administered primarily in written form. The colleges, departments, and degree programs shall form a committee which will handle all matters pertaining to the exam. The qualification exam shall be incorporated into the degree requirements by the colleges, departments, and degree programs.

3 3. Graduate students who enroll directly in PhD programs and fail the qualification exam for PhD candidates are allowed to reenroll in their original master s program upon approval by the colleges, departments, and degree programs and the President. 4. After graduate students pass the qualification exam, the Office of Academic Affairs will enter the scores in the score chart after being notified by the colleges, departments, or degree programs. Article 5 Students are eligible for the MA or PhD graduation exam if they meet the following requirements: 1. Minimum program length as specified in the regulations 2. Completion of required courses and credits as stipulated by the colleges, departments, or degree programs 3. Completion of the first draft of the thesis 4. Students who pass the qualification exam of the PhD program are granted PhD candidate status. The same applies to graduate students who pass the assessment test. Each college, department, and degree program determines its own assessment criteria and is authorized to adjust these criteria as seen fit. Article 6 Each department and degree program decides which language academic theses and abstracts should be written based on its own specific development strategy. Theses for which a degree has already been awarded in Taiwan or abroad may not be resubmitted. Article 7 The following regulations apply to applications for the degree examination: 1. Application deadline: Once a semester as indicated in the university calendar. Exam applications for continuing education summer programs for instructors have to be submitted after completion of the enrollment procedure and by October 15 at the latest. In special cases, applications will also be accepted within specified deadlines during the first or second semester of the official academic curriculum.

4 However, applicants have to pay the basic tuition and miscellaneous fees for the respective semester. Students have to submit their application forms in addition to the following documents: a. Academic transcript b. A copy of the thesis draft and the abstract Graduate students who are enrolled in art or applied technology colleges, departments, or degree programs can submit written reports of their creative work, performances or graduation projects in place of a thesis. Each college, department, and degree program determines its own assessment criteria. The executive council determines whether a specific graduate program should be categorized as an art or applied technology colleges, departments, or degree programs, and each colleges, departments, or degree programs should formulate relative regulations and credits requirements in guidelines. 2. Upon approval by the supervising professor and the head of the home college, department, or degree program, the application has to be endorsed by the university. Article 8 The passing grade for the degree examination is 70 (B-) and the maximum score is 100 (A+). Scores are only assessed once and are determined by the average of all scores awarded by the examination committee members. If students who are enrolled in MA programs receive non-passing grades from more than 50% of the committee members, the examination is considered failed. The same applies to PhD candidates who receive non-passing grades from more than 30% of all committee members (scores are only assessed once). If plagiarism or fraud in the student s academic work is confirmed by the degree examination commission, the examination will be considered failed. Article 9 Colleges, departments, and degree programs should wait until the student submits his thesis which has been signed and approved by the examination committee before the degree examination scores are forwarded to the Office of Academic Affairs. Scores should be submitted no later than January 31 for the first semester and July 31 for the second semester, respectively. Scores for continuing education summer programs for instructors should be submitted by November 15.

5 The deadline for thesis submission (including a paper copy and the digital file) is February 15 for the first semester, August 15 for the second semester, and November 30 for the continuing summer refresher course, respectively (individual colleges, departments, and degree programs are authorized to set their own deadlines). Students who miss these deadlines and have not reached the maximum program length should still enroll for the next semester (summer term) and submit their thesis within the deadline for that semester (summer term). The student will then graduate in that semester (summer term). Students who fail to submit their thesis within the maximum program duration will fail their degree examinations and will be expelled from the university. Students who have successfully passed their degree examinations have to submit a paper copy of their thesis in addition to the digital file and the degree examination scores. Diplomas will be awarded when the student passes his degree examination and completes the checkout procedures. Article 10 If a student applies for the degree examination and is unable to attend the exam for certain reasons, he/she has to petition the university to cancel his/her application for the respective semester (summer term). If applications are not cancelled within the specified deadline, the examination will be considered failed. Article 11 Students who fail their degree exams and have not reached the maximum program length can retake the exam in the next semester (summer term) or academic year. The exam may only be retaken once. If student fail the exam a second time, they will be expelled. Article 12 The degree examination committees for Master s and PhD programs consist of three to five members and five to nine members respectively. At least 30 percent of all examiners have to be drawn from outside the university. Examiners are appointed by the University President upon recommendation by colleges, departments, and degree programs. The committee will appoint a convenor. The supervising professor is not eligible to serve as convenor. Spouses and relatives of students who are enrolled in MA or PhD programs must not

6 serve as members of the degree examination committee. Article 13 Members of the Examination Committee should be personally presented and shall not be represented by proxies. At least three examiners have to be presented for Master s degree examinations, while at least five examiners have to attend PhD degree examinations. At least 30 percent of all committee members have to be drawn from outside the university. Article 14 Master s exam committee members should possess one of the following qualifications besides a high level of expertise regarding the academic field of the MA thesis and the creative work, performance, or technical report of the examinee: 1. Previous appointment as professor or associate professor 2. Current members or former research fellows or associate researchers of the Academia Sinica 3. PhD degree holders with excellent academic achievements 4. Achievements in highly specialized academic or professional fields The assessment criteria for item three and four are determined by colleges, departments, and degree programs. Article 15 PhD exam committee members should possess one of the following qualifications besides a high level of expertise regarding the academic field of the PhD thesis and the creative work, performance, or technical report of the examinee: 1. Previous appointment as professor 2. Current members or former research fellows of the Academia Sinica 3. Former associate professors or current associate researchers of the Academia Sinica with excellent academic achievements 4. PhD degree holders with excellent academic achievements 5. Achievements in highly specialized academic or professional fields The assessment criteria for item three, four, and five are determined by colleges, departments, and degree programs. Article 16

7 Graduate students who enroll directly in PhD programs without successful completion of the PhD degree examination shall be awarded a Master s degree after it is determined by the PhD exam committee that the student meets the relevant criteria Article 17 If plagiarism or fraud is detected in the thesis, the written reports of creative work or performances, or graduation projects after the degree has been awarded, the degree shall be revoked and the diploma must be returned by the student and he will be expelled from the university. Not only will the student be notified that his degree has been revoked, the university will also inform other universities, academic institutions, and related organizations. Article 18 These guidelines and all amendments are subject to approval by the Academic Affairs Committee before they are made public and implemented and have to be reported to the Ministry of Education for future reference. ---blank---