Students must receive a grade of "B" or better in all core courses. A student who receives a grade of "C" or less in a required course must repeat that course. Students failing to obtain a “B” or higher in a required course that is repeated must petition the graduate program faculty to remain in the program. The decision to allow the student to continue in the program requires a majority approval of the program faculty, with two negative votes sufficient for termination.

In the first year, the Track Director evaluates each student on the basis of accomplishments in formal courses and performance in other areas of the Program including attendance and participation in seminars as well as performance in laboratory rotations if applicable.  Satisfactory performance in courses and research are also required.  Failure to meet performance criteria in any of these areas will result in additional Committee meetings and meetings with the Track Director.   A written warning with an opportunity to remediate will be presented in consultation with the student’s Committee and Track Director. Continued failure to meet performance criteria is grounds for recommendation to the Graduate College by the student’s Committee and Track Director to the Executive Committee of this Track that the student be dismissed from the Program.

All students will submit an annual report to the Graduate Program Coordinator, on or before June 1 and reviewed electronically by the graduate Track Director and Major Research advisor using Annual Report link for every year matriculating in the program are mandatory.

By June 15 the program faculty makes a determination if each first-year student will be sponsored for the following year (based on performance criteria). This determination will be assessed yearly thereafter. Poor performance in assigned duties may result in the loss of sponsorship. Sponsorship decisions after the first year are made by the student’s major advisor and or the Director of Graduate Studies based on satisfactory progress toward completion. 

At the end of their third year in residence, students are evaluated for Advancement to Candidacy at the time of their comprehensive examination.  If performance is substandard, the program faculty may recommend a probationary period, 1) exam re-take within 60 days of the original exam, 2) withdraw program sponsorship, 3) seek dismissal, or 4) may request the student to fulfill the requirements for a Master's degree (program faculty will evaluate overall student performance in the Program to date. If performance has been deemed satisfactory by the faculty, approval will be granted). If performance during the comprehensive examination has been satisfactory, the student advances to candidacy.

All students are required, after the formation of a dissertation/thesis committee, to have at least one committee meeting per year while in the program.

Each College of Pharmacy graduate student will receive a copy (listed as a table of completion of degree requirements in their student handbook) and complete accordingly.

When it is determined by the graduate track faculty that a student is not meeting academic progress, the student will receive written notification with a clear statement of what he/she must do and a date by which such actions must be completed. The Graduate College will receive a copy of the letters of unsatisfactory progress. Students who fail to remediate by the deadlines specified may be dismissed from the program. Students will be given an opportunity to appeal or rebut.

If a student wishes to appeal any of the requirements mentioned above, the appeal should be made in writing to the director of the student’s research track (Health and Pharm Outcomes, Pharmaceutics; Drug Discovery and Development; Pharmacology & Toxicology). The appeal will be reviewed by the entire program faculty and may include a collective meeting with the student. A decision to accept the appeal of the program faculty will be based on a majority vote. The program faculty may place additional requirements/deadlines on the student as a prerequisite for continuing in the program.

Students who wish to appeal the decision of the program faculty must submit an appeal in writing to the director of graduate studies in the College of Pharmacy.