Procedures for Division III
Filing Division III
Students begin to formulate their plans for Div III during the spring of their third year, or sixth semester, when they participate in the Div III committee request process. As part of that process, they talk with faculty to 1) find a faculty committee to oversee their Div IIIs; and 2) draw up, in collaboration with their committee, a Div III contract that describes their Div III plan.
Early in the fall, or seventh, semester, students work with their Div III committee to finalize the contract which outlines the proposed project, and the two Advanced Educational Activities.
Division III contracts may be negotiated or submitted while a student is on field study. They may not be negotiated or submitted while a student is on leave of absence.
The Project Proposal
Judgment of the quality and scope of the project proposal is the responsibility of a student's committee. Because the student is expected to design and complete an advanced independent project, considerable background must be acquired before Division III work is initiated. The independent project will usually grow out of the Division II concentration or some equivalent background.
Because the project proposal is both a planning document and an important part of the student's record, it should include the following:
- The purpose and substantive nature of the project
- The approach, techniques, and methods to be applied
- The kinds of resources (e.g., human, bibliographical) and facilities to be used and their availability
- The form the final project will take
- Description of two advanced educational activities
The Advanced Educational Activities should be described as fully as possible in the contract. In cases where work cannot yet be specified, the student may list alternative possibilities for fulfilling the requirement (for instance, when the course guide has not yet specified courses in upcoming semesters). The student and the committee must revise the contract when these plans are finalized. Methods of evaluation must be specified.
A student may file a petition for a waiver of Division III filing deadlines based on the demonstration of extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control as well as the academic soundness and viability of the student's plan of study. The appeal is heard by the college exceptions committee. Materials to request a Division III exception are available in the Center for Academic Support and Advising. The petition process exists only for exceptional circumstances. The Division III counselor in CASA can provide further information about the Division III exceptions procedure.
Contract Revisions
When any aspect of the Division III project or advanced educational activities changes, students must complete a contract revision online approved by all members of the committee. Revisions must be submitted by the published deadlines early in the student's final semester of Division III.
Progress Reports
Each student must submit a progress report to their Division III committee and Central Records by the published deadlines. At this time, the student's Division III committee assesses in writing whether the student is progressing satisfactorily toward the completion of the contract. The chairperson is responsible for submitting the committee's assessment of progress to the central records office by the published deadlines.
Completion Dates
Spring Terms
Committee members will decide and committee chairs will communicate to students the date by which completed Division III work must be submitted to the committee. All final presentations, including film screenings, gallery shows, and theater productions, must take place by this date. If a final meeting does not take place by this deadline, the student will request a September or October extension for graduation and be charged the corresponding fee. If the Division III is passed by the September or October deadline, the degree will be voted the following February.
All Division III evaluations will be due in Central Records ten days after the Division III pass deadline.
The faculty meeting at which degrees are voted upon is held the Tuesday before commencement.
Fall Terms
In the fall term, the completion date is in early December.
Committee members will decide and the committee chair will communicate to students the date by which completed Division III work must be submitted to the committee.
All final meetings must be held in December by the posted deadline. All final presentations, including film screenings, gallery shows, and theater productions, must take place by this date. If a final meeting does not take place by this deadline, the student will request a February or March extension for graduation and be charged the corresponding fee. If the Division III is passed by the February or March deadline, the degree will be voted the following May. See Extensions for Division III Work.
All Division III evaluations for students completing in a fall term will be due in Central Records by the Friday of the second full week of January term classes.
Degrees will be voted at the first faculty meeting of the spring term in February.
Final Evaluation
The student’s full committee must sign the Division III pass form online by the appropriate deadline. The final evaluation by the Division III committee must address each part of the contract. The committee's recommendation for graduation is presented by the dean of faculty to the faculty as a whole, who vote to recommend awarding of degrees.