OSU QuGIP Handbook 

The QUGIP handbook contains policies, rules, procedures and general information affecting the students and faculty of the Program. Parts of this handbook refer to and parallel sections of the Graduate School Handbook. Program regulations define or extend Graduate School policies as they relate specifically to QUGIP students and faculty. It should be noted that, although no regulation promulgated by the QUGIP Program may contradict Graduate School regulations, some QUGIP rules and standards are more stringent than the basic Graduate School policies. Where no specific policy has been stated by QUGIP, Graduate School regulations apply. 

(Please note that since this is a new program, policies outlined in the Handbook are subject to ongoing revision) 

Handbook purpose and scope - Graduate programs at OSU set their own specific policies that comply with the general policies of the Graduate School (see Graduate School Handbook).  This Handbook defines the policies of the QUGIP Program.  It is intended to supplement the Graduate School Handbook but does not replace it.  Students and faculty in the Program must familiarize themselves with both documents and are responsible for complying with both sets of policies.  In any case where language in the QUGIP Handbook is found to be in conflict with language in the Graduate School Handbook, the Graduate School Handbook shall take precedence.   

Any changes to the QuGIP Handbook must be approved by a majority of the Graduate Studies Committee.  Changes to the Handbook apply to all students immediately, with the following exceptions: 

Changes to course requirements will only apply to students that matriculate after the change  

Changes to policies regarding candidacy, dissertation and final oral exams will only apply to students that have not yet submitted their application to take those exams 

Student Petitions – Discussed further in Petitions and Grievance Procedures, Students may petition the Graduate Studies Committee to waive or alter any rule or requirement in this Handbook.  The petition should be presented to the Program Coordinator in writing, preferably accompanied by a statement from the student's advisor. The Graduate Studies Committee will consider the request and convey its decision to the student in writing. 

Rev: 8/25/2024 

The Program Director must be a QUGIP faculty member with Mentoring status. Faculty are appointed as Director in consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee, program faculty and CQISE leadership. The Director’s term of duty is 3 years in duration and is renewable. One or more Associate Directors may be appointed to help in administering the program.  

The duties of the Program Director include:  

The duties of an Associate Director may include:  

The duties of the Graduate Program Coordinator include:  

Rev: 8/25/2026 

The QUGIP Graduate Studies Committee will be chaired by the QuGIP Director, and will comprise one faculty member from each of the 6 participating departments, and 1-2 student representatives. Committee members are appointed by the Program Director.  Both mentoring and non-mentoring QUGIP faculty are eligible.  The term of service is three (3) years and is renewable at the discretion of the Director. The GSC oversees and administers the program and acts as a liaison between the Graduate School and the faculty.  The Committee's actions may be modified or reversed by a petition of a majority of the Program faculty.  The GSC is responsible for formulating Program rules, including those concerning faculty membership, student admission, transfer, registration and degree requirements, and for overseeing the appointment and supervision of the program's Graduate Associates.  Standing tasks include: 

The QuGIP GSC is also charged with admissions. The QUGIP Program embraces diversity and inclusivity and encourages applications from students of all backgrounds and walks of life that are passionate about science and research. 

Applications are accepted for Autumn Semester admission. The deadline for admission is December 15 for both domestic and international applicants.  Applications and supporting materials must be submitted on-line on the Graduate and Professional Admissions website. A non-refundable application fee is required by the University at the time of application, though this may be waived by petition to the GSC. The admissions process will include rubric-based, holistic review of written applications which must include:  

In addition to the written materials, admissions will be based on videoconference interviews conducted by the Graduate Admissions Committee. These interviews will help assess student non-cognitive factors, research interests and identify potential faculty advisors. 

All requirements listed above are in addition to general Graduate School requirements as stated in the Graduate School Handbook. 

In general, an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater (or equivalent) with fundamental training equivalent to an undergraduate major in Physics, Chemistry, Math, or Engineering is required for regular admission. Previous research experience is highly desirable. Applicants who have inadequacies with respect to these requirements, but who possess an otherwise promising record, may be granted conditional admission, with conditions determined by the Graduate Studies Committee. 

Students may apply for an intra-university transfer from another OSU academic unit by completing the Intra-University Transfer application on the Graduate and Professional Admissions website and by filling out the Transfer of Graduate Program form on GRADFORMS.  Applicants are required to submit the following materials with their application: 

Transfer applications are typically reviewed with new applications for Autumn Semester admission.  Transfer requests are not approved automatically by the Graduate Studies Committee and are considered for admission based on the competitiveness of the applicant pool. If the Graduate Studies Committee approves the transfer, it will specify which previously completed courses (if any) will count toward the doctoral degree in QUGIP. 

Rev: 8/25/2024 

There are two faculty membership categories in QUGIP, Mentoring and Non-Mentoring: 

Mentoring Faculty are active participants in the QUGIP Program and are eligible to accept rotating students in their groups with the possibility of becoming their permanent advisor.  To serve as a student’s advisor, Mentoring Faculty are expected to fund their student advisees through graduation (see Expectations of Mentoring Faculty below).  

Non-Mentoring Faculty are active participants in the QUGIP Program and have all the same rights and responsibilities as Mentoring Faculty except that they may not accept rotating students and may not serve as a student’s advisor. This category may include faculty who retire with Emeritus status (see Section 12.1 of the Graduate School Handbook).  Examples of ways in which Non-Mentoring Faculty may contribute to the Program include teaching in QUGIP core courses or approved electives, serving on a student’s Candidacy or Dissertation Committee, or serving on the QUGIP Graduate Studies Committee.  

QuGIP Mentoring faculty are appointed to the Graduate School with Category P status (see Section 12 of the Graduate School Handbook).  Faculty that hold a salaried appointment as a regular, tenure-track Professor, Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor are eligible to apply to be Mentoring Faculty with Category P status in QUGIP.  Faculty that hold a salaried appointment as a research-track or clinical-track Professor (at any rank) are eligible to be Mentoring Faculty (see below), or they may serve as Non-Mentoring Faculty with Category P status in QUGIP. Faculty with Category M status may serve as mentoring faculty for QuGIP Masters students only. QUGIP Faculty may hold additional memberships in other graduate programs.  

Under certain circumstances, faculty that hold a salaried appointment as a research-track Professor, Associate Professor or Assistant Professor may be eligible for Mentoring status.  In addition to the materials outlined below, research-track faculty seeking Mentoring status must also submit a letter from their department chair detailing the extent and duration of institutional support. To approve Mentoring status for a research-track faculty member the Graduate Studies Committee will need to see evidence of a long-term institutional commitment to the faculty member comparable to that of a tenured/tenure-track faculty member of equivalent rank, evidence of independence comparable to that of a tenured/tenure-track faculty member of equivalent rank, evidence of institutional commitment in terms of salary support and space, and start-up or extramural funds to enable the PI to take on and fund a graduate student throughout the course of that student’s study.  

To apply for QUGIP membership, faculty must submit the following application materials to the QUGIP Program Office via email at QuGIP@osu.edu: 

The Graduate Studies Committee will review the application materials and vote on membership.  The vote shall be based on the applicant’s qualifications, research expertise and experience.  Tenured faculty should meet or exceed the expectations for funding and scholarly productivity detailed below, and junior faculty should demonstrate strong potential to meet or exceed those expectations.   For Mentoring Faculty, their potential to serve as mentors and to enhance the training opportunities available to QUGIP students will be paramount.  Admission requires a simple majority vote.  If approved, the QUGIP Program will submit a nomination for Category P Status to the Graduate School.  The applicant will receive notification from the Graduate School once the nomination is approved. 

Both Mentoring and Non-Mentoring QUGIP faculty are expected to participate in the intellectual, administrative and curricular activities of the Program including research seminars, research days, recruitment events, student seminars and courses, and/or serving on Program or Advisory Committees.  Mentoring Faculty are also expected to be actively engaged in scholarly research.  Only Mentoring Faculty are eligible to take on students for laboratory rotations and to serve as a student’s advisor. 

Because of the unique administrative position of this interdisciplinary graduate program, Mentoring Faculty are expected to provide financial support (stipend, fees and tuition) for QUGIP graduate students once those students have joined their group (typically after the 1^st Fellowship year). Mentoring faculty are expected to maintain support of their advisees through graduation, provided the student remains in Good Standing and is making reasonable progress toward their degree. Student support may be through a combination of research grant funding or teaching support negotiated by the faculty mentor with their host department. Faculty should discuss with potential advisees their projected support prior to confirming the mentoring relationship. Newly employed Assistant Professors with sufficient startup funds to support a graduate student are encouraged to take on students. Mentoring faculty commit to the QuGIP Leave Policy discussed below, and may be required to make additional financial arrangements in the rare case of extended Leave. 

Mentoring faculty should be engaged in an active and productive program of scholarly research in the area of quantum information science or adjacent fields, and should be active participants in the intellectual life of the Program. As evidence of this, Mentoring Faculty must meet the following criteria when they initially apply and at the time of review to receive or maintain Mentoring status: 

a. Served as a dissertation advisor to one or more QUGIP graduate students 
b. Hosted one or more QUGIP students for a 1^st year research rotation 
c. Participated in a QUGIP recruiting event 
d. Served on one or more QUGIP candidacy or dissertation committees 
e. Hosted one or more CQISE seminar speakers 
f. Judged abstracts, posters, or presentations in the QuGIP Symposium 
g. Directed, or given one or more lectures in, an QUGIP core course or approved elective 
h. Served on an QUGIP committee, e.g. the Graduate Studies Committee or Seminar Committee 

These criteria may be waived, at the discretion of the Graduate Studies Committee, for Assistant Professors that are on the tenure track.  Faculty that are not Assistant Professors on the tenure track and that do not meet these criteria for Mentoring Faculty status may be eligible for Non-Mentoring Faculty status. 

Non-Mentoring Faculty have all the same rights and responsibilities as Mentoring Faculty except that they may not take on rotating students or serve as dissertation advisors.  To be eligible for Non-Mentoring status, faculty must have met two or more of the following criteria when they initially apply or at the time of review: 
    a. Participated in an QUGIP recruiting event 
    b. Served on one or more QUGIP candidacy or dissertation committees 
    c. Hosted one or more CQISE seminar speakers 
    d. . Judged abstracts, posters, or presentations in the QuGIP Symposium 
    e. Directed, or given one or more lectures in, an QUGIP core course or approved elective 
    f. Served on an QUGIP committee such as the Graduate Studies Committee or Seminar Committee 

Non-Mentoring Faculty who wish to take on rotating students or serve as the dissertation advisor to one or more QUGIP students may apply to be converted to Mentoring Faculty status upon fulfilling the eligibility criteria described above. 

Every five (5) years, the Graduate Studies Committee will review all Mentoring and Non-Mentoring Faculty to determine whether or not they meet the above criteria.  This review will apply to all Mentoring and Non-Mentoring Faculty who have been part of the Program for more than one year.  The purpose of this periodic review is to ensure that the faculty are engaged and contributing to the mission of the Program and that faculty who wish to accept students into their groups have active, funded and productive research programs.   Individual faculty members are responsible for providing the requested materials. 

If the Graduate Studies Committee determines that a faculty member has satisfied the relevant criteria listed above, their status will be renewed for another 5 years.  If it is determined that a Mentoring Faculty member does not meet the criteria for Mentoring status but does meet the criteria for Non-Mentoring status, they will be transferred to Non-Mentoring status. If a Non-Mentoring faculty does not meet the renewal requirements, they will enter a 1 year probationary period allowing them extra time to satisfy the requirements. If the requirements are not met after this period, they will be removed from the programs’ list of active faculty.  

Pursuant to Section 12.6 of the Graduate School Handbook, if the Graduate Studies Committee determines that a faculty member has not satisfied the relevant criteria listed above or has failed to provide the requested materials in a timely manner, after reasonable accommodations have been made, the Committee may recommend to the Graduate School that Category P status in the QUGIP Program be revoked or made probationary until certain specified conditions are met.  Faculty will be notified before any such action is taken and will be allowed to respond in writing within a reasonable timeline specified by the Graduate Studies Committee. The faculty member’s response, if any, will be included in the information sent to the Graduate School. The Graduate School will review the recommendation and forward its findings to the dean of the Graduate School for final action. 

Rev: 8/25/2024 

QuGIP’s standing as an interdisciplinary program which is not directly hosted in any department has important ramifications on graduate student support. This necessitates some differentiation of expected support for Masters and PhD degree students, and may vary depending on the quantity and type of research the student will pursue. Consequently, admission to QuGIP depends in part upon the availability of support for the incoming student.  

First and foremost, a graduate student’s principal objective should be to earn their graduate degree. QuGIP is committed to helping students secure financial support to help achieve this objective. Appointment as a Graduate Associate contributes to that objective by providing an apprenticeship experience along with financial support. This apprenticeship complements formal instruction and gives the student practical, personal experience that can be gained only by performing research and teaching activities. It is expected that Graduate Associate responsibilities will not interfere with a student’s reasonable progress toward completion of the graduate degree. QuGIP students may also be supported as a Fellow, which conveys a greater opportunity to focus on excellence in coursework and research. The type and availability of Fellowship positions will vary with time, and may depend on university policies and external funding. The QuGIP Director, in consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee, will make determinations on the availability of program Fellowship funding for PhD and MS students. 

Typical appointments for QuGIP MS and PhD students will be as follows: 

In addition to the policies outlined below, Graduate School policies are stated in Section 9 (Graduate Associates) and Section 10 (Graduate Fellowships) of the Graduate School Handbook, and in publications from the Office of International Affairs and English as a Second Language Programs.  

Graduate Associate appointments are for 50% time, with the balance of their time to be devoted to the coursework and training required for their degree. Renewal is dependent upon satisfactory performance. Students are not permitted to hold other jobs while on Graduate Associate appointments without written permission from the Program. Graduate Associate appointments are accompanied by fee authorizations, which means that students are not responsible for paying general and instructional fees for their tuition.  However, students are responsible for paying a Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) fee, student activity fee, facility fee, and student recreation fee.  All students must contribute to the subsidized student health plan unless they can document that insurance is available from another source.  Graduate Associates are eligible for staff parking, staff special and sporting event tickets, and faculty/staff library privileges. Parking fees, late penalties etc. are the student’s responsibility. 

QUGIP students must: 

Admissions: Students accepting GA appointment offers prior to the April 15 acceptance deadline may resign in writing through April 15. After that date, students are committed to our offer unless formal contract release is obtained from the program. Incoming first-year students are appointed for one year, conditional upon satisfactory performance and progress. Unsatisfactory performance may result in cancellation of appointment and/or voiding of any future support guarantee. 

Each semester, MS and PhD student appointments are made through a process considering the students career goals, program resources, and resources of the participating faculty and departments. Graduate appointments will be reviewed by the Program Coordinator, who will report back to the Program Director and Graduate Studies Committee as needed. Projections for support for the next two semesters will also be considered during this review period.  

Graduate Research Associates (GRAs) perform focused, original research under the guidance of a faculty research advisor. These appointments will be arranged by the advisor’s home department, and will be funded by the advisor’s intramural or extramural research funding. Students are responsible for obtaining information concerning policies that may apply to employees on grant-funded research activities.  

Graduate Teaching Associates (GTAs) help with the University’s instructional mission, and may for example, perform classroom teaching, help develop curricular materials, or provide grading services. These appointments are made by the department or instructional unit in which the teaching is to be performed. The faculty research advisor is responsible for arranging for such positions if needed. Typically these arrangements will take place as a result of discussions with the Department Chair of the faculty advisors’ home department and the QuGIP Director.  

Graduate Administrative Associates have administrative responsibilities within a department or other academic unit.  QUGIP does not allow students to be appointed as Graduate Administrative Associates unless approved by the QuGIP Director in consultation with the GSC. 

As noted above, Fellowship funding varies with time depending on university policies and external funding. First-year QuGIP PhD students will generally be supported as a QuGIP Fellow, with funding coming from the Program, or from successful competition in the University’s Fellowship program, administered by the Graduate School. QuGIP MS students may also be supported as a QuGIP Fellow or by a University Fellowship. In order to be eligible for University Fellowships, complete applications must be received by the application deadline. The Graduate Studies Committee is charged to review all applications and nominate students for the University Fellowships. PhD students who win a University Fellowship will receive an extra Fellowship year funded by QuGIP. In certain cases, alternative arrangements (e.g. GRA funding in the first year) may be arranged in consultation with the QuGIP Graduate Studies Committee, the student and their faculty advisor. Post-candidacy, QuGIP students may also be eligible for competitive fellowships such as the OSU Presidential Fellowship, administered by the Graduate School. Students must be nominated by the QuGIP Graduate Studies Committee for this Fellowship. QuGIP students are also encouraged to apply for extramural fellowships offered by federal agencies and private foundations. 

Students who voluntarily resign their appointment because of unwillingness to perform duties will, in general, void all guarantees of future support and not be considered for reappointment.  Students resigning due to exceptional circumstances such as health or personal problems may be considered for future reappointment in competition with other applicants. 

The program may terminate continuing appointments early for the following reasons: 

Rev: 8/25/2024 

For the purposes of this Grad Student Handbook, leave is defined as any time off, whether it be short or long-term, for non-leisure reasons. Separate from vacation time or professional development, leave would be used for personal or family illness, bereavement, childbirth or adoption, or military service. Each of these circumstances and leave duration is outlined below. 

Graduate Associate appointments cover the entire calendar year, with no break between appointment periods. Students on Graduate Associate appointments may take time off, e.g. for vacation, but they do not receive or accrue specific number of days for vacation or sick leave. Rules regarding time off during semesters, term breaks or other times are determined by the student’s dissertation advisor or appointing unit as follows: 

All students must check with their advisor or appointing unit to determine when they are expected to be on duty.  While vacation policies may vary from unit to unit or advisor to advisor, QUGIP expects that all students will be given reasonable opportunities for time off for vacation in keeping with what is allowed for University employees.   

The scheduling of any time off should be approved by the advisor or appointing unit, with the understanding that it should not unduly impact the student’s coursework, teaching responsibilities, or research progress. 

Time off without notification may be grounds for termination of a student’s appointment and denial of further registration in the QUGIP Program. 

All students that need to travel outside the USA, including international students that visit their home country, should inform the QUGIP office prior to their trip, consult with the OSU Office of International Affairs about international travel requirements, and if possible, provide QUGIP a contact number at which they can be reached in the event of an emergency. 

Short-term leave is typically 1-3 days, but not to exceed 2 weeks. All Graduate Associates and Fellows who are in good academic standing, making reasonable progress toward their degrees, and who are paid through the OSU payroll system, are eligible to request a short-term leave of absence in the event of a difficult life situation such as a personal illness or the illness or bereavement of an immediate family member.  Short-term leave is defined as 1 to 3 days, but in rare instances can be up to 2 weeks.  The duration of the leave should be proportionate to the circumstances for taking the leave.  Appropriate documentation regarding the reason for the short-term absence is required but may be waived in some circumstances. Students must inform their advisor when taking a day(s) off for illness or bereavement.  

An eligible student on a short-term leave of absence will receive 100% of his/her stipend and all other benefits associated with their appointment (fee authorization, health care subsidy, etc.). This is subject to grant restrictions and funding availability.  

For sick/bereavement leave, a period of one to three consecutive days at a time for up to a maximum of three times for personal and/or family illness each spring or autumn semester may be taken. Sick days do not accrue beyond a semester. In the summer, 1-3 days off up to twice per summer term is allowable. 

Medium-term leave is from two to six weeks in duration. Graduate Associates who are in good academic standing, making satisfactory progress towards their degree, and who are paid through the OSU payroll system, are eligible to apply for a medium-term leave of absence in the event of a serious personal health condition or to care for an immediate family member with a serious health condition. Students will need to provide an explanation and potentially documentation explaining the reason for their leave to the advisor and Grad Studies Office. Once the leave is approved, the Grad Studies Office will provide the student with an official letter which will be kept on file, outlining the leave and expected return dates.  

An eligible student on a medium-term leave of absence will receive 100% of his/her stipend and all other benefits associated with their appointment (fee authorization, health care subsidy, etc.). However, this funding may be subject to grant restrictions, depending on the student’s funding source.  

Graduate Associates who are on 50% appointments (which is the norm for Physics students) are not eligible for the protections extended to workers under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). 

Long-term or academic leave is for absences greater than six weeks. Students on academic leave of absence do not receive a stipend, fee authorization, or any associated benefits. The duration of the leave can be agreed upon in advance up to one year, and if the duration of the leave is uncertain, the case should be revisited on a semesterly basis. Leaves longer than one year must be discussed on a case-by-case basis with VCGS.   

For a post-candidacy student, if a leave of absence of more than 6 weeks is required (e.g. for a serious personal health condition, to care for an immediate family member with a serious health condition, or some other comparable difficult life situation) it may be appropriate for a student to request an academic leave of absence (e.g. a leave from both appointment duties and academic enrollment). This type of leave requires approval from the dissertation advisor, the Physics Program, and the Graduate School.  If approved, the student’s appointment and registration in the Physics Program will be suspended temporarily and then reinstated (subject to the approval of the student’s advisor, Physics Program and Graduate School) at the end of the semester when the student is able to rejoin the Program.  Students who decide to take an academic leave of absence will be informed of any potential impact that the time off will have on their expected funding opportunities when they return and they will need to consider this information when making their decision.  

An exception to this would be for the summer semester. Since summer enrollment isn’t subject to the continuous enrollment policy for post-candidacy students, a student can request to take a leave from the Graduate Studies Office just for the summer and would be able to not enroll in courses for that semester. (However, the Candidacy timer would not be paused, and any longer-term leave would require Grad School approval as outlined above.)  

For pre-candidacy students, since there isn’t a need to “pause” their Candidacy timer, a leave of absence can be requested internally within the Department of Physics. The leave of absence request will still require approval from the student’s advisor and the Physics Program, and a letter with the agreed upon leave terms will be sent to the student and kept on file by the Grad Studies Office.  

International students seeking a long-term leave should also contact the Office of International Affairs to request approval for this absence, ensure compliance with international student policies, and to avoid any complications with their work status. 

Graduate Associates who are in good academic standing, making satisfactory progress towards their degree and who are paid through the OSU payroll system, are eligible to apply for a leave of absence with full stipend and benefits due to childbirth or adoption.  

Childbirth - A birth mother will receive 100% of her stipend and all other benefits associated with her appointment (fee authorization, health care subsidy, etc.) for up to 6 weeks or until the last day of her appointment, whichever comes first. A father or domestic partner will receive 100% of stipend and benefits for up to 3 weeks or until the last day of their appointment, whichever comes first.   

Adoption – Up to two parents per child can request up to 3 weeks leave for adoption. 

GAs who are members of the Ohio National Guard or any other reserve component of the United States Armed Forces or who are ordered involuntarily to extended United States military service are granted leave without pay in accordance with the Ohio State Military Call for Active Duty policy. The GA is required to submit to the supervisor or Grad Studies Office a copy of military orders or other statement in writing from the appropriate military authority as evidence of the call for training or duty. Students on military leave are encouraged to withdraw from all Ohio State courses and have no expectation to make progress toward their graduate degree during the time of leave. However, the graduate program and the college/regional campus office may exercise professional judgement on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the time of the term, course workload, percentage of work completed or other relevant factors, a student on military leave may be allowed to remain in one or more courses.    

Within 90 days from the date of honorable discharge or completion of training or active duty, the GA will be returned to the former position or its equivalent, without loss of seniority, upon application for such a position and reenrollment as a graduate student. 

For students that have not selected a dissertation advisor (e.g. first year students doing laboratory rotations), requests for a vacation or leave of absence should be directed to the QUGIP Program office.  For students that have selected an advisor, requests for vacation or short-term leave should be directed to the advisor. If the student has an advisor, they do not need to notify the QUGIP Program of vacation or short-term leave requests, but they should always consult with the QUGIP Program before making requests for long-term leave of absence or for leave due to childbirth or adoption.  For students that are appointed as Graduate Teaching Associates, the academic department in which the student is appointed should also be consulted.  It is the student’s responsibility to consult with the QUGIP Program office, advisor or appointing unit to establish their eligibility for leave and to request leave. 

The above leave policies may not apply to students that are supported by fellowships.  Students should consult with the agency that granted their fellowship for information on the leave options available to them. 

See Appendix F of the Graduate School Handbook for further guidelines and policies on time off and leaves of absence for Graduate Associates and Fellows. 

Rev: 8/25/2024 

Students will be recruited into one of four program specializations that integrate advanced elective courses, research rotations and experiential learning opportunities. The Quantum Computing specialization is focused on the development, implementation and scaling of quantum algorithms for solving complex problems and error correction. The Quantum Networking and Communication specialization is focused on the transportation and multiplexing of quantum information using elements such as photonics and microwave cavities. The Quantum Simulation specialization is focused on quantum-enabled methods to better understand physical systems whose complexity exceeds even the best classical high performance computing algorithms. Lastly, the Quantum Materials and Sensing specialization is focused on the physical materials (solid state and molecular) used for quantum bits, sensors and storage. These specializations will be included on student transcripts to highlight the specific content and experiential knowledge students gain in the program.  

Masters in QISE degree recipients will have demonstrated strong academic performance in the core coursework in QISE, and will have gained professional skills in communication, ethics and interdisciplinary collaboration through seminar-style courses and program events. In addition, Masters recipients will have benefited from an experiential learning experience which could include one or more research rotations, or an industry-sponsored research project or internship. Depending on their preparation and career goals, the Masters degree program can be completed by students in 3-6 semester terms, typically 1-2 academic years. Masters students who would like to continue to the PhD degree must have identified a willing dissertation advisor who has arranged for continuing funding, and receive approval from the QuGIP Director.  

PhD in QISE degree recipients will have similarly demonstrated academic and professional skills, but will also have made a substantial and novel contribution to the field through original research. As knowledge generation can take a considerable time, PhD degrees will typically take 15-18 semester terms (5-6 academic years). Though there are some variations in the number of required elective courses by program Specialization, these will not impact the overall time to degree for the students.  

Students are required to register for the appropriate number of credits each semester in order to be eligible for appointment as a Graduate Associate or Fellow. Without an appointment, students cannot receive a stipend or tuition benefits. 

Rev: 8/25/2024 

Course requirements: A minimum of 30 credit hours will be required for Masters degree recipients. These requirements are consistent with the OSU Graduate School, and national expectations for graduate education in related STEM fields. The course requirements include foundational graduate coursework, seminar-style professional development (ethics, writing, journal club), and experiential learning (research, internships). All of the courses will be delivered in person. Two Masters options will be offered. Option A is a course-focused Masters, which will include foundational and elective coursework, and one 7-week research rotation (3 total credits) focused on learning and applying research methods to specific, well-defined problems. Option B is a thesis-based Masters, which will feature the same foundation of four courses (QISE 7100-7012 plus a computational methods course), but will replace some elective coursework with a greater emphasis on experiential learning through research rotations, followed by a sustained period for thesis research with a specific faculty advisor.  

As an introduction to elements of responsible conduct in research, Option A students will take the CITI RCR training offered through the university. As option B is a thesis-based Masters, with a greater focus on research, these students are required to take GRADSCH 8000 to develop a solid foundation for responsible conduct in research.  

Course-based Masters students are required to complete at least 3 elective courses, including 2 within the list for their specialization. The third elective course can be chosen from the list of electives for one of the other specializations, or any (PHY 6000+, MATSCEN 6000+, ECE 5000+, CHEM 6000+, CSE 5000+, MATH 6000+) course with permission of the QGSC. Students will also choose research rotations with faculty whose expertise aligns with their specialization.  

Thesis-based Masters students are required to complete at least 1 elective course from the list for their specialization. Students will also choose research rotations and thesis research with faculty whose expertise aligns with their specialization. 

MS in QISE Curriculum 

Specializations: While the core course requirements are the same for all students in the program, choice of specialization will guide the choices of the required computational methods course, elective courses and the faculty advisors for research rotations. Students will choose from one of four transcriptable specializations:  

Students may petition the GSC for approval of other elective courses not found on this list. The petition should include a brief rationale for taking the course as well as a copy of the course syllabus.  Approval of electives is determined by the GSC. To be approved as an elective, a course must be taught at a level appropriate for graduate students and must be assigned a letter grade.  Courses that are grade S/U are eligible to be approved as electives.  

Students who have taken any of the required or elective courses prior to enrolling in the QUGIP Program (for example as OSU undergraduates), or who have taken equivalent courses at other universities, may petition the Program to have specific course requirements waived.  The petition should include the course syllabus and a copy of the student’s course transcript showing the grade that the student obtained in that course.  

Time to degree: Depending on their preparation and career goals, the Masters degree program can be completed by students in 3-6 semester terms, typically 1-2 academic years. Though there are some variations in the elective courses by program Specialization, these will not impact the overall time to degree for the students. In addition to coursework, Masters students pursuing the thesis option  will have a 1-2 term period for experiential learning, including research with a faculty advisor and/or industry internship. Masters students wishing to transition into the PhD program may do so with permission of the QuGIP Graduate Studies Committee. 

Example progress in MS program: 

Rev: 8/23/2026 

Experiential learning 

As outlined in the table above, all QuGIP MS students are required to complete at least 3 credits of research rotations with QuGIP faculty. The rotations will be for 7 weeks, with a variable credit amount depending on the scope of the required work. Typically, one rotation will be for 1.5 credits, corresponding to approximately 9 hrs / week of work, although 3 or 4.5 credit rotations would also be appropriate for Option B students. While the specific activities will vary by group, in general during this time students will attend group and project meetings, learn research techniques, document their daily research activities and disseminate their research activities through regular reports and presentations. The experience will culminate in a rotation presentation to other QuGIP students, to be held at the end of each 7-week session during the semester.  

QuGIP Option B MS students are also required to complete a summer research or internship experience, based on their career goals. Summer research will likely be with one of the rotation advisors, although another eligible QuGIP faculty member can serve as advisor. Students wishing to complete a MS thesis are encouraged to find a single advisor for both rotation and summer research, to give them time for a more sustained research project. Students wishing to do a summer internship are encouraged to identify host institutions during their first semester. Students should discuss this with their QuGIP academic advisor to learn about internship logistics and program connections.  

Masters degree recipients will have demonstrated strong academic performance in the core coursework listed above, and will have gained professional skills in communication, ethics and interdisciplinary collaboration through seminar-style courses and program events. In addition, Masters recipients will have benefited from an experiential learning experience which could include one or more research rotations, or an industry-sponsored research project or internship. 

Option A (course-based): In the course-focused track, students will complete a short-format oral exam with a committee of two QuGIP faculty. The exam will consist of course-related questions, probing understanding of fundamental concepts in QISE. The degree will be considered complete upon successful completion of this exam and the required courses.   

Option B (MS Thesis):  The culminating requirement for Masters students will be a thesis document  with an introduction that builds on course concepts and places the results and methodologies of the research/internship experience in the context of the field as a whole. The format and length of the thesis (typically 40-60 pages) is decided by the Master’s Examination Committee, which consists of the student’s research advisor (chair) and at least two other members of the QUGIP faculty.  This committee is responsible for reviewing and approving the thesis and also conducting the oral exam.  A final draft of the thesis should be submitted to the committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination.  The thesis draft must be approved unanimously by the committee prior to the oral examination.  The committee’s approval may be conditional upon specific changes to the text of the thesis. 

The Masters candidate will defend their thesis document in a short-format oral exam to a committee of 2-3 program faculty. The oral examination should last at least one hour and not more than two hours. The exam should begin with a research presentation (not more than 30 minutes). This will be followed by questions from the Committee.  Although the examination is primarily a defense of the thesis document, questions of a more general nature may also be asked. Procedures for video conferencing, postponement of halting an oral exam in progress are described in Section 6.2 of  the Graduate School Handbook. 

A positive decision requires a unanimous vote of the examination committee.  If the outcome is judged to be unsatisfactory, a second final examination and defense with the same committee may be scheduled with the permission of the examination committee.  Failure of a second examination will result in ineligibility for a QUGIP graduate degree. 

The written and oral examination components will be assessed based on the rubrics that can be found at the following link: Rubrics.pdf. 

Course requirements: A minimum of 90 credit hours will be required for PhD degree recipients. These requirements are consistent with the OSU Graduate School, and national expectations for graduate education in related STEM fields. Of these credit hours, 910 credit hours will be for foundational graduate coursework, at least 6 credits will be for seminar-style professional development courses (ethics, writing, journal club), and at least 6 credits will be for elective courses within a menu for the designated specialization. At least 40 credit hours will be for experiential learning (research, internships). All of the courses will be delivered in person. All PhD students are required to take GRADSCH 8000 to develop a solid foundation for responsible conduct in research. 

Specializations: While the core course requirements are the same for all students in the program, choice of specialization will guide the choices of the required computational methods course, elective courses and the faculty advisors for research rotations. Students will choose from one of four transcriptable specializations:  

Students may petition the program for approval of other courses not found on this list.  The petition should include a brief rationale for taking the course as well as a copy of the course syllabus.  Approval of electives is determined by the Director.  To be approved as an elective, a course must be taught at a level appropriate for graduate students and must be assigned a letter grade.  Courses that are grade S/U are eligible to be approved as electives. Once students have selected a dissertation advisor, selection of electives should be made with the advisor’s knowledge and approval. 

Students who have taken any of the required or elective courses prior to enrolling in the QUGIP Program (for example as OSU undergraduates), or who have taken equivalent courses at other universities, may petition the Program to have specific course requirements waived.  The petition should include the course syllabus and a copy of the student’s course transcript showing the grade that the student obtained in that course.  

Candidacy exam: Time to degree: With its greater focus on original research, PhD degrees will typically take 15-18 semester terms (5-6 academic years). Though there are some variations in the number of required elective courses by program Specialization, these will not impact the overall time to degree for the students. PhD students will be required to pass a candidacy exam with written and oral components. To take this exam, students must have completed the three required core courses plus the computational course with at least a 3.0 GPA and have an ‘S’ grade in at least 6 credits of QISE 8998. Depending on their preparation, students will typically take the candidacy exam during their 2^nd year in the program. This will qualify them for a non-thesis based Masters degree.  

Experiential Learning: After candidacy, they students will focus on a sustained period of dissertation research can focus on dissertation-related research (~12-15 terms). In accordance with Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) policy, this will total 16-30 credit hours. Students are also required to have an internship experience which could be with a company, national lab or other university depending on their research interests and goals. 

Culminating experience: PhD in QISE: In addition to the course requirements discussed above, PhD recipients will have completed a sustained body of original research. By this stage, it’s common for PhD students to have presented their research at international scientific conferences, and authored one or more peer-reviewed journal publications featuring their main results. QuGIP PhD students will also be required to participate in an internship experience aligned with their future career goals. Examples include an industry-sponsored internship (either working remotely or on-site), or an extended stay at a national lab or other research center. The doctoral dissertation will integrate these experiences into a coherent document, thus placing the candidates’ work in the context of the field as a whole. Chapters of the dissertation will include an Introduction which provides context for non-experts, one or more chapters of main results, a chapter summarizing the internship experience, a concluding chapter summarizing key results and open questions, and one or more appendices with technical content or more preliminary results. Once the dissertation document is deemed suitable in an iterative process with the faculty advisor, candidates will defend the document to their dissertation committee, comprising 3-4 program faculty. In accordance with Graduate School policy, the dissertation defense will feature a public presentation, followed by a closed session with the committee. 

Time to degree: PhD degrees will typically take 15-18 semester terms (5-6 academic years). Though there are some variations in the number of required elective courses by program Specialization, these will not impact the overall time to degree for the students. These degree times and support models are typical for STEM programs at OSU and nationally.  

Example progress for PhD program:  

1^st year research rotations - All QuGIP PhD students are required to do three 7-week research rotations during their first year, for a total of at least 12 credit hours. The rotations will be for a variable credit amount depending on the scope of the required work. Typically, one rotation will be for at least 3 credits, corresponding to approximately 9 hrs / week of work. A more sustained rotation for 6 credits (18 hrs/ week) is also allowed. While the specific activities will vary by group, in general during this time students will attend group and project meetings, learn research techniques, document their daily research activities and disseminate their research activities through regular reports and presentations. The experience will culminate in a rotation presentation to other QuGIP students, to be held at the end of each 7-week session during the semester. The three rotations must be completed with three different faculty members who must be QUGIP Mentoring Faculty. Students may not rotate in the groups of faculty who are not Mentoring Faculty in QUGIP. At the beginning of each rotation, the student and faculty member must complete and sign Section 1 of the QUGIP Rotation Information form. The student is responsible for submitting this form to the QUGIP Program Office at the beginning of the rotation.  At the end of the rotation, the student and faculty member must complete and sign Sections 2 and 3 of this form.  The student is responsible for submitting this form to the QUGIP Program Office at the end of the rotation.  

1^st year summer research with advisor - PhD Students are expected to select a dissertation advisor by the end of their third rotation. Advisors must be Mentoring Faculty in the QUGIP Program. The advisor has responsibility for designing and overseeing the student’s graduate training and serves as the student’s primary mentor.  In most cases a student will have a single advisor who is the PI of the group in which the student is conducting his or her dissertation research.  In the case of collaborative projects, the student may have different mentors for different portions of their project.  In that case, the mentor that is supporting the student financially shall be considered the student’s advisor of record.  If the financial support of the student is shared between two Mentoring Faculty, then those faculty can be considered co-advisors in which case they both assume all the responsibilities that come with that designation.  However, one advisor must be designated the advisor of record, and that is the faculty member that signs the Advisor Agreement form. 

Changing Advisors - Students should be aware that communication with their dissertation advisor is vitally important.  Dissatisfaction with the advisor/student relationship should be voiced when it exists.  Students wishing to change advisors should contact the Program Director. Situations in which changes of advisor are necessary occur infrequently but should be handled in such a way that all parties are aware of possible changes.  This is especially relevant to situations in which students are supported by extramural grant funds while pursuing a change of advisor without the knowledge of the current advisor. 

Rev: 8/25/2026 

Advisory committee: The Advisory Committee consists of the student’s dissertation advisor plus at least three other faculty. Committee members are selected by the student in consultation with their Advisor. All committee members must normally have P-status in the Graduate School at OSU. At least two of the committee members (including the Advisor) should be members of the QUGIP faculty with either Mentoring or Non-Mentoring status. The third and fourth committee members may be faculty who hold P-status in QUGIP or another graduate program at OSU. Persons that do not have P-status in the Graduate School at OSU, including faculty at other academic institutions, may only be added with the approval of the QUGIP Director and a petition to the Graduate School outlining the special qualifications and expected contributions of the proposed committee member.  

Changes in the composition of the Advisory Committee membership may only occur when absolutely necessary, such as when members become unable to serve due to illness or death, or leave the university, and require Program approval. Requests to add or remove members of the Advisory Committee should be submitted to the Program in a written statement from the student and his or her advisor. This statement should be submitted as soon as possible, especially if occurring between the Candidacy Examination and Dissertation. 

The Advisory Committee has both a formative and evaluative function.  The committee members are selected for their expertise in one or more aspects of the student’s dissertation research.  The committee functions to mentor the student in their professional and scholarly development, to advise the student on their dissertation research plans, and to provide critical feedback on the student’s ideas and progress. The committee should meet with the student as a group at least once each calendar year to review and evaluate the student’s academic and research progress, but more frequent meetings are encouraged. Students in their fifth year and beyond should meet with their committee at least twice a year. The committee also functions to approve the student’s course of study and to conduct the candidacy and doctoral examinations. Students are also encouraged to meet individually with their committee members as necessary to build the mentoring relationship and seek specific advice. However, such one-on-one meetings cannot substitute for the annual group meeting. Decisions of the Advisory Committee are to be conveyed to the QUGIP office in writing. 

Timing, eligibility and scheduling: To be eligible to take the candidacy exam, students should have demonstrated a solid foundation of knowledge in QISE, including relevant mathematics, quantum circuits, and a sampling of quantum algorithms and physical platforms. For most students, this foundational knowledge will be acquired in the QuGIP core courses, with satisfactory performance defined as a cumulative 3.0 GPA. Students should also have demonstrated a readiness to begin independent research by having acquired specialized knowledge relevant for a chosen research direction. This knowledge may include experimental techniques and how they’re applied to relevant quantum problems, literature searching skills, and deeper exploration of foundational topics introduced in the core courses. The program allows for a flexible timing schedule for candidacy, depending on the students’ experience, academic and research performance, and the chosen research direction, which may require more formal coursework than the minimum requirements established here. For example, academically well-prepared students with sustained and relevant prior research experience may be ready to take the candidacy exam by the end of their first year, but in any case, students must pass candidacy by the end of their 3^rd year in the program (i.e. 9^th semester). Exceptions can only be granted by the Director and will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.  Failure of a student to pass candidacy by the end of their third year may result in a denial of registration (see Section X).  

At the start of the semester in which the student intends to complete candidacy, the student should submit an Application to Graduate (master's degree, candidacy option) on GRADFORMS as described in Section XIV.3 of this Handbook. This will ensure that they obtain a master's degree when they pass candidacy. This is a non-terminal degree and does not impact the progress to the PhD in any way.  The deadline for this application is usually the third Friday of the semester.  

Students must schedule the written and oral portions of the candidacy exam in consultation with their Advisory Committee.  Once the written portion of the exam has been completed, and at least two weeks before the oral exam date, the student must submit an Application for Candidacy Exam on GRADFORMS.  The form requires the following information: 

The advisor and QUGIP Program must approve the Application for Candidacy Exam before it is received by the Graduate School. All applications for candidacy exams must be received by the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the oral exam date.  Note that a graduate faculty representative is not assigned unless the candidacy exam is being taken for a second time. 

Written component: Guidelines for the written portion of the candidacy exam are as follows:  

If one or more rubric items are marked as ‘unacceptable’ by at least one committee member, the assessment results should be discussed in a formal meeting of the entire committee with the student. A plan for revisions will be settled on during this meeting, and the student will then have up to two additional weeks to make revisions to their document based on these discussions. The revised document will then be re-assessed by the committee. If the revised document is still deemed unacceptable, a final revision period of two additional weeks will be provided. If the document is still deemed unacceptable by the committee at this time, the student will be advised that the committee sees "no possibility for a satisfactory overall performance on the Candidacy Examination”.  In this event, the student may waive their right to take the oral examination (Section 7.4 of the Graduate School Handbook) by submitting a written statement requesting a waiver to the Advisory Committee, which will then record the results of the examination with the Graduate School as "unsatisfactory". The candidacy examination committee may not, however, deny a student the opportunity to take the oral portion. If the oral exam does take place, the student will be required to convincingly address the substantive issues raised in the written document.  

If the written document is deemed ‘acceptable’ by all committee members, the student may schedule the oral part of the exam.  

Oral component: The oral candidacy examination is conducted by the candidate's Advisory Committee and must be held within 4 weeks of their approval of the written proposal.  If the examination is being taken for the second time, a Graduate Faculty Representative will also be assigned.  The candidate is responsible for arranging a time and venue for the oral exam and for filing the Application for Candidacy Exam form with the Graduate School at least two weeks in advance. 

The oral exam will be preceded by a brief (no more than 30 minutes) presentation by the candidate to the committee of the core ideas and approach of the proposal.  This presentation should focus on the hypothesis, specific aims, and research design. Questions of clarification are allowed during this period, with critical questioning reserved for the following 1.5 hour exam period. The Committee will question the student on the content of the proposal and on any subjects directly or indirectly related to it, including techniques, literature, background etc.  This format will further serve to test the student's knowledge of the core curriculum of the QUGIP Program. 

If the examination is judged unsatisfactory, the candidacy examination committee must decide whether the student will be permitted to take a second candidacy examination and must record that decision on the Report on Candidacy Examination. 

Second Candidacy Examination. The nature of the second candidacy examination is determined by the candidacy examination committee. Normally the second exam will include both a written and an oral portion. In cases where the student’s performance on the first written exam was of such a high caliber that the exam committee does not request any rewrites, then only the oral portion needs to be repeated. The advisor should indicate on the Report on Candidacy Examination from the first attempt that a new written exam will not be required for the second attempt. If any portion of the first written exam was not satisfactory, the exam committee must administer a second written exam. A second oral exam will always be required. The candidacy examination committee for a second exam must be the same as the committee for the first attempt, unless a substitution is approved by the Graduate School. The second candidacy examination must be completed no later than one autumn or spring semester or summer term before graduation. All other rules pertaining to candidacy exams must be followed. 

Result of the candidacy exam- The oral and written portions are considered one exam.  It is possible that one of the portions could be judged unsatisfactory but counterbalanced by a sufficiently good performance on the other portion to obtain an overall satisfactory grade.  However, committee approval must be unanimous. A student passes the exam only when all of the rubric line items for oral and written components  are rated as ‘acceptable’ or above. A provisional pass may be given to students who may have 2-3 items that were deemed ‘unacceptable’ by one or more. Students in this case will work with their advisor to address the weaknesses identified, through supplemental writeups or discussions as determined by the committee. A Failing grade means that four or more line items in the rubrics were deemed ‘unacceptable’ by at least two committee members.  

Master’s Degree based on Candidacy - Students are encouraged to apply to graduate with a Master’s degree based upon satisfactory performance on the Ph.D. Candidacy Examination.  The Application to Graduate should be submitted the same semester that the student intends to take the candidacy exam.  No prior approval is required for this, providing that the student is in good standing and has met the following criteria: 

Rev: 8/25/2024 

QuGIP PhD students are also required to complete an internship experience with a sponsor chosen based on their career goals. Examples include an industry-sponsored internship (either working remotely or on-site), or an extended stay at a national lab or other research center. Students are advised to plan ahead in discussions with their faculty advisor as to where/when this internship should take place. For example, whenever possible the internship should be timed to not adversely impact the advisor’s overall research program or funding timeline. Students are encouraged to identify a number of potential internship sites starting from their first year, and reach out to discuss internship logistics such as stipend support, expectations, and intellectual property. Students will write about their internship as a chapter in their dissertations, putting their daily experiences during the internship into a larger context of research and/or market needs.  

In order to provide our students with regular assessments of their research progress, students must submit an annual progress report each year, starting in Year 2, using the post-candidacy advising sheet. This form contains portions that are to be completed and signed by the student and portions that are to be completed and signed by the Advisory Committee and becomes part of each student’s file. The completed form should be submitted to the Program office by June 30 of each year, along with an updated curriculum vitae.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that these materials are completed and submitted on time.  This requires that the student schedule a meeting with their committee sufficiently far in advance to accommodate the committee members’ schedules. 

The Advisory Committee serves as the Dissertation Committee and is responsible for reviewing and approving the dissertation.  It is expected that this committee should remain unchanged from the candidacy exam to the dissertation defense.  Changes should only be made if absolutely necessary, e.g. if a committee member leaves the Program or the University or becomes otherwise unable to serve.  If a change is to be made, the student and his/her advisor must notify the Program in writing as soon as possible, and absolutely no later than the point at which the student submits their application to graduate. 

Advisors and other committee members are encouraged to use the Annual Progress Report form to identify strengths and weaknesses and to make specific recommendations for future improvement.   This form is not a rubber stamp and should not be treated as such.  This evaluation process is a great benefit to faculty, students and the Program itself.  Regular progress assessments enhance productivity, improve communication, and align expectations, helping students to become better scientists.  This interaction between student, dissertation advisor and Program is crucial in averting problems arising from lack of communication or other misunderstandings. 

When they are ready to graduate, PhD candidates will have completed a sustained body of original research. By this stage, it’s expected for PhD students to have presented their research at international scientific conferences, and authored one or more peer-reviewed journal publications featuring their main results. The doctoral dissertation will integrate these experiences into a coherent document, thus placing the candidates’ work in the context of the field as a whole. Chapters of the dissertation will include an Introduction which provides context for non-experts, a Chapter on methods used, including foundational principles, one or more chapters of main results, a chapter summarizing the internship experience, a concluding chapter summarizing key results and open questions, and one or more appendices with technical content or more preliminary results. Once the dissertation document is deemed suitable in an iterative process with the faculty advisor, candidates will submit and defend the document to their advisory committee, as well as a Graduate Faculty Representative selected by the OSU Graduate School. In accordance with Graduate School policy, the dissertation defense will feature a public presentation, followed by a closed session with the committee.  

Application to graduate and degree requirements audit- A student must complete and submit the Application to Graduate form on GRADFORMS by the Graduate School’s deadline. At the same time, the student must complete and submit a Degree Requirements and Audit form to the QUGIP office.  The application to graduate will not be approved by the program until this form has been received.  The application to graduate is valid for that autumn or spring semester or summer term only. Submitting the application indicates that the student expects to complete all degree requirements by the end of that semester or term. It must be submitted by the student and approved by the dissertation advisor and Program Director. Students must have completed all the required coursework and electives (see Section VIII) before they submit their application to graduate. 

Timeline - When a student is ready to prepare their dissertation, they should consult with their Advisory Committee to establish their availability to read and approve the dissertation and then conduct the Final Oral Examination.  After submitting the dissertation draft, the student should allow their Advisory Committee at least two weeks to read it.  After reviewing the document, the committee may approve it or they may request revisions. Once approved by all members of the committee (unanimous approval is required), the student may submit the Application for Final Exam on GRADFORMS.  If the student wishes to graduate that same semester, then the dissertation must be submitted to the Advisory Committee at least two weeks before the Graduate School’s deadline for submission of the Application for Final Exam. A committee member’s approval of the dissertation draft means that they judge it to be of sufficient merit to warrant holding the Final Oral Examination. 

The final copy of the dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate School within five years following the successful completion of the Candidacy Examination.  If not, candidacy is cancelled and must be repeated. 

The dissertation is a scholarly contribution to knowledge in the doctoral candidate’s area of specialization. In researching and writing a dissertation, the doctoral candidate is expected to demonstrate a high level of knowledge and the capability to function as an independent scholar in their discipline. 

A copy of the dissertation draft must be submitted electronically to the Graduate School for format review at the time the Application for Final Exam form is submitted. The dissertation must conform to Graduate School format requirements as described in the document preparation guidelines available on the Graduate School website.  Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with these requirements and for ensuring that they are adhered to.  

The dissertation should be of a caliber similar to that expected of an article submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. Documents that are missing tables, graphs, citations, chapters or sections, etc., are considered incomplete and cannot be reviewed or defended. The student is responsible for ensuring that the information contained within the dissertation is original, complete, and does not include material that could be considered academic misconduct. 

The doctoral dissertation must reflect the independent scholarship and work of the student.  However, science is collaborative and our students are expected to publish so it is expected that the dissertation may include work that is published and/or to which others have contributed.  In such instances, the student must clearly identify their own contributions and identify and acknowledge the contributions of others. 

Published papers on which the student is the first or co-first author may be included as a dissertation chapter essentially as published or as submitted for publication or they may be modified.  In such instances, the published papers should be incorporated in such a way as to make a unified, complete document and should comply with the following: 

Students are encouraged to add additional data or writing that might not have been included in the published paper due to space limitations or other constraints, where applicable. 

Data from published papers on which the student is not a first or co-first author, or data that was obtained collaboratively, may be included in the dissertation.  In such instances, the Chapter should be written by the student and proper attribution to the published or collaborative data must be provided in the figure legend, including an explanation of the student’s contribution to the experimental design, data generation and figure preparation.  If the work is published, it should always be accompanied by a citation. 

Once the student has iterated their dissertation draft with their advisor and the document is viewed as complete, a copy of the dissertation can then be submitted to members of the Advisory Committee, who will formulate their evaluation within two weeks. Each committee member must submit a written evaluation to the advisor based on the relevant rubric here: Rubrics.pdf. , copying other members of the committee.  

If one or more rubric items are marked as ‘unacceptable’ by at least one committee member, the assessment results should be discussed in a formal meeting of the entire committee with the student. A plan for revisions will be settled on during this meeting, and the student will then be required to make revisions to their document based on these discussions. Once the revised document is deemed ‘acceptable’ or above by all committee members, the student may schedule the oral dissertation defense.  

Oral dissertation defense -The final oral examination tests the doctoral candidate’s originality, independence of thought, and ability to synthesize and interpret data, as well as the quality of the research presented. Responsibility for conducting and evaluating the final oral examination rests with the Final Oral Examination Committee which is composed of members of the Advisory Committee plus a Graduate Faculty Representative, who is appointed by the Graduate School.  The advisor serves as chair of the Final Oral Examination Committee. 

The Graduate Faculty Representative must be present for the entire duration of the oral examination and is a full voting member of the Final Oral Examination Committee.  The Graduate Faculty Representative should be invited to ask questions and has the right to ask at least one question. The purpose of the Graduate Faculty Representative on the Final Oral Examination Committee is: 

The Graduate Faculty Representative renders an opinion based on their observation of the exam and reports a judgment to the Graduate School once the final oral examination is completed through an evaluation form on GRADFORMS.  The Graduate Faculty Representative may attend the public seminar but is not required to do so. 

The dissertation defense should typically last no more than two hours, and will include a 1 hr public portion and a 1 hr session with the committee. The public portion is comprised of a 45-50min presentation, followed by public Q&A. The committee should ask only clarifying questions during this period. Immediately following the public seminar, the Final Oral Examination Committee meets with the candidate in closed session. Questioning is expected to focus on the dissertation but is not limited to this topic. For example, the examiners may address principles and historical perspectives or general knowledge in addition to the data presented. The candidate will be expected to demonstrate a command of the relevant published literature and an ability to critically evaluate their data in that context.  The candidate should be able defend the rationale and significance of their work and to justify their conclusions.  Lastly, the candidate should demonstrate an understanding of fundamental concepts related to their research or arising from their work. 

All members of the Final Oral Examination Committee including the Graduate Faculty Representative must be present throughout the exam.  If one member has to leave temporarily, the examination must temporarily halt.  Procedures for video conferencing, postponement of halting an oral exam in progress are described in Section 7.9 of  the Graduate School Handbook. 

Immediately after the examination has concluded the Final Oral Examination Committee meets in the absence of the candidate and decides the result examination result by means of a vote.  All committee members are expected to participate fully in questioning during the course of the examination and in the discussion of, and decision on, the result.  For a candidate to pass the exam, all committee members must be in agreement.  If one or more members of the committee judge the performance to be unsatisfactory, the committee may allow a second examination to be scheduled. Failure of a second examination will result in ineligibility for an QUGIP graduate degree. 

Rev: 8/25/2024 

Students are expected to conform to the highest ethical and moral standards, which includes meeting the following expectations: 

Students are expected to maintain good standing.  Students who fail to do this may be placed on remediation or probation by the Graduate School, may lose any associateship held, and may be denied further enrollment in the Program, which is known as a denial of registration.  To be in good standing, students must do the following: 

Violation of university policy including, but not limited to, the OSU Code of Student Conduct and Graduate School policy on Research Standards and Scholarly Misconduct, are also considered loss of good standing. 

To demonstrate Reasonable Progress towards QUGIP Program requirements, students must meet Program milestones and make satisfactory progress in their dissertation research.  Program milestones include satisfactory completion of the required and elective coursework, and satisfactory completion of candidacy by the end of their third year.  Satisfactory progress includes meeting or exceeding expectations in the annual progress report rubric completed by the Advisory Committee. 

Students must maintain a graduate cumulative grade average of 3.0 or better in all graduate level courses.  Students that have a cumulative GPA below 3.0 after nine or more graded graduate credit hours have been attempted will, in close consultation with their dissertation advisor, Program Director, and the Graduate School, enter into a remediation plan for one semester. Graduate courses that are not assigned a letter grade do not count towards the nine credit hour threshold.  The goal of the remediation plan is to help the student increase their cumulative GPA to 3.0 or higher.  The plan may stipulate requirements regarding actions and/or specific courses to be taken.  

Students who do not increase their cumulative GPA to 3.0 or better after remediation has been attempted for one semester but are judged to be making progress and are otherwise in good standing, will be placed on academic probation for one semester by the Graduate School. According to Graduate School rules, a student who is on probation in the Graduate School may not be appointed or reappointed as a Graduate Associate or Fellow. 

A student who raises their cumulative GPA to 3.0 or higher within the time specified in the remediation or probation plan is removed from remediation or probation by the Graduate School.  At that time, appointment or reappointment as a Graduate Associate or Fellow may be possible. 

Course work taken during remediation or probation must be graduate-level, within the discipline, and approved by the Director.   

A student who is not in good standing may be denied further registration by the Graduate School on the recommendation of the QUGIP Director. Denial of further registration means that the student is not permitted to re-enroll in the Graduate School unless accepted into another graduate program. 

The Program may deny further registration to students who, while maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher, fail to do either of the following: 

Academic dismissal is the dismissal of a student from the University on academic grounds. A student on a remediation plan or on academic probation whose record continues to deteriorate will be warned that academic dismissal is likely if the record does not improve. Warnings will include performance criteria tailored to the individual student. 

A student who is on probation and who does not raise their cumulative GPA to 3.0 or higher at the end of that semester or summer session of enrollment may be dismissed from the University at the discretion of the Graduate School following consultation with the student’s QUGIP Program Director.  At the end of two consecutive semesters or sessions on probation, the student is automatically dismissed from the University unless good standing is achieved.  If there are extenuating circumstances, the Program may petition the Graduate School for an exception to this policy. 

A student who has had two unsatisfactory attempts at the candidacy examination or the final oral examination is automatically dismissed from the University on academic grounds. 

Disciplinary Dismissal is the dismissal of a student from the University on grounds of misconduct. Students found to have violated university policy (e.g. prohibitions against academic and non-academic misconduct) may be subject to sanctions up to and including Disciplinary Dismissal.  Policies for the investigation of alleged misconduct are described in Appendix C of the Graduate School Handbook.   As with Academic Dismissal, Disciplinary Dismissal will be noted on a student’s permanent record. Unlike an Academic Dismissal, students dismissed for disciplinary reasons are not able to return to the university. 

Rev: 8/25/2024 

A student may petition for relaxation of, or modification to, any rules in the QUGIP Program handbook by submitting a written petition to the QUGIP Program office. Such a petition by a student should be accompanied by a letter of support from the student’s first-year advisor or dissertation advisor. 

Occasionally, conflicts may arise either between graduate students or between students and faculty and/or staff members. Sincere attempts should be made to resolve conflicts among the involved parties before any grievance policy is activated. If that fails, a student may reach out to one or both of the QUGIP Program directors, who will endeavor to facilitate a resolution. 
  
If a grievance remains after exhausting the informal process between the involved parties, the person having the unresolved complaint may file a written grievance with the QUGIP program office. The following protocol will be used: 

Rev: 8/25/2024