Graduate Field Handbook

Established in 1991, Cornell’s Department and Graduate Field of Science & Technology Studies were formed from two previously independent Programs: “Science, Technology and Society” (STS) and “History and Philosophy of Science and Technology” (HPST). The department and graduate field brought together a group of scholars with convergent interests committed to the rigorous academic advancement of this new and exciting field.

Our aim is to bring together faculty and students with diverse backgrounds and interests in a shared effort to study science, technology, medicine, and engineering with special tools for exploring distinctive questions. At the same time, these tools and questions are designed to facilitate conversations with colleagues in traditional disciplines. Our approach throughout is both descriptive (aimed at understanding how science and technology are done) and normative (for example, showing where actual practices and professed norms are in conflict).

Possible topics of investigation range from transformations in early-modern natural philosophy to the dynamics of contemporary environmental, biological, and technological change. The field transcends the boundaries of pre-existing disciplinary specialties. Such categories as “historian” or “sociologist,” may still be relevant for guiding research design, but they fail increasingly to capture the transdisciplinary character of S&TS investigations.

Faculty members in the S&TS Graduate Field provide ties to other departments and programs through their own wider affiliations. Cemented through joint appointments and graduate field memberships, these include History, Communication, Government, Sociology, Anthropology, Information Science, Peace Studies, Feminist, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and other areas of the social and natural sciences. Members of the field thus provide students with a considerable range of disciplinary expertise and perspectives.

The core faculty members of the Graduate Field are particularly noted for their work in the following areas: history and historiography of science and technology; human-animal relations; cultural anthropology; technology and society; social study of contemporary science and technology; engineering, environmental, and biomedical ethics; gender and technology; politics of science and technology; and communication and popularization of science. Much of this work necessarily is historical, sociological, and political in the broadest sense, and it draws on the well-established traditions of expertise in such studies possessed by individual faculty members.

Although faculty members advise students and assess their progress, the program is designed to enable students independently to develop ideas and plans for an original dissertation, rather than to take up problems assigned by a faculty supervisor. Specific proficiencies that are necessary for a career in S&TS (whether in a university department, government agency, or private research center) include the following:

• Knowing the history of the S&TS field and its relation to other traditions such as thehistory and philosophy of science;
• Becoming conversant with key problems, lines of debate, and avenues of inquiry in the current S&TS literature;
• Developing an appreciation for different theoretical, philosophical, and ethical vantage points appropriate for participation in an interdisciplinary and international field;
• Learning to discover gaps in the literature and to produce original research projects that address those gaps;
• Conducting interviews, participant observation, ethnography, archival research, andother relevant research activities in an effective and ethically responsible manner;
• Writing professional quality (publishable) articles, reports, and grant proposals that propose or present original contributions to the social science and historical literature on science, technology, medicine, and engineering;
• Presenting research papers and work-in-progress at professional workshops and academic conferences such as the annual meetings of the Society for Social Studies of Science, the History of Science Society, and Society for History of Technology;
• Acquiring professional skills for organizing, presenting and participating in formal colloquia and workshops, as well as informal communication skills for exchanging ideas with colleagues in the field;
• Developing teaching skills and gaining teaching experience;
• Learning to contribute to S&TS Graduate Field meetings, workshops, colloquia, andthe Graduate Student Association at Cornell.
   

In addition to these proficiencies, a student’s dissertation project may require competency in a foreign language, and a degree of familiarity with the technical language and practices of the scientific field the student has chosen to investigate.

Much of our research in Science & Technology Studies shows how concepts become institutionalized and come to be taken for granted. The language of “diversity and inclusion” has laid foundations for progressive movement in academia over the last few decades. But we also hear the voices of marginalized groups who tell us that an invitation to the table is only the first step in a longer trajectory toward building equity. The Cornell University Department of Science & Technology Studies has therefore adopted a foundation of equity and justice that involves (1) reorienting access to resources; (2) building networks of support around members of disenfranchised and structurally vulnerable groups; and (3) practicing humility by stepping back and listening to those we invite into our offices, lecture halls, conference rooms, and intellectual communities. Building on that foundation, the S&TS Department seeks to increase substantive diversity and accessibility by promoting race-, gender-, and class-consciousness in our course offerings, curricula, and pedagogy; research agenda; recruitment and hiring practices; and department culture. We seek to proactively affirm marginalized groups and serve as allies with them against various forms of bigotry and oppression.

Our department is a warm and inviting community. We work to lift each other up and celebrate each other’s successes. We welcome constructive critique, encouraging all to feel they can safely speak across power differentials and have their ideas and expertise respected.

Graduate student wellness is very important, and Cornell is a caring community. Graduate school can be stressful, and the university has a variety of mental health resources (and other resources) to help students who are experiencing difficulties. Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) at Cornell Health provides professional and confidential mental health care to help you “live well to learn well” here at Cornell. If you’re concerned about another student, please don’t delay in offering support, or consulting with someone who can help (for more information, click here). A select list of Cornell and community resources is included at the end of this handbook.

To maintain full-time status, a total of 12 credits must be taken each semester. The Graduate School will automatically enroll students in one of their variable credit research courses, if less than 12 credits are taken in a semester. 

There are several requirements imposed by the Graduate School, referred to as “milestones” that all students must complete at certain points during the course of their doctoral studies at Cornell. These include: 

• Formation of a Special Committee;
• Completion of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training;
• Completion of the Student Progress Review (SPR);
• Creation of an Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID);
• Timely completion of A and B Exams;
• Submission of the dissertation.

The field of S&TS sets additional requirements for students in the program, which includes:

• Assign Temporary Chair in Student Center;
• Completion of Q Exam;
• Completion of STS 7006/7007 and Second-Year Paper;
• Pre-A Exam Committee Meeting ("Pre-A Exam candidacy check-in");
• Competence in One Foreign Language;
• Dissertation Prospectus;
• Pre-B Exam;
• Field-Appointed Reader for B Exam;
• Satisfactory Academic Progress and Academic Standing;
• Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 2 TAships and/or FWS;
• Regular attendance and engaged participation at department and field events, such as SSRG, colloquia, conferences, workshops, the Nordlander lecture, job talks, speaker dinners, and graduate student meetings with job candidates. 

Please note:

• The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) assigns Temporary Chairs for all first-year students. The DGS will appear as a student's Program Advisor by default. Students will elect their Temporary Chair to this role in Student Center no later than three weeks after the start of their first semester in the program.
• Field expectations may not align exactly with Graduate School policy outlined above.

The maximum elapsed time from first registration to completion of all requirements is seven years (14 semesters). Extensions may be granted by submitting a General Petition form through the Graduate School, but a grant of an extension is not guaranteed and may require demonstrating that special circumstances apply. A detailed plan for completing all remaining degree requirements is required with the submission of this form. Please note that the Graduate School is reviewing repeat extension petitions with growing scrutiny.

In our field, students are typically admitted to a specific faculty advisor/assigned a temporary advisor upon matriculation. This advisor must be recorded in Student Cetner no later than three weeks after the start of their first semester. Students should consult the DGS for assistance in confirming or changing advisors. 

The Cornell Graduate School requires students to assemble individually-tailored “Special Committees” (i.e., PhD Committees) to direct their programs of study. Graduate students must select at least two members of their three- (exceptionally four-) member committee from the S&TS Graduate Field. The Chair must, however, be a faculty member in the Department of S&TS. The remaining member(s) may be chosen from Cornell’s graduate faculty as a whole. This system allows students to include faculty members from outside the field of S&TS on their committees, if they so desire, and thus introduces a degree of flexibility in the design of each student’s specific training and research program.

Before the end of their third semester, the student must form their Special Committee, and inform the Graduate School of their Special Committee members through Student Center.

Students experiencing difficulty identifying members to serve on their special committee should contact the DGS as early as possible. Failure to secure a permanent special committee chair no later than the end of the third semester will impact academic standing and funding.

In consultation with their faculty advisers, graduate students in S&TS take active responsibility for the development of their own academic programs within the overall disciplinary context of S&TS. Students are assigned a Temporary Chair, who is chosen by the DGS when they enter the S&TS graduate program. A student's Temporary Chair may or may not become their permanent Chair, or even a member of their Special Committee.

Prior to the A Exam, Special Committee members may be changed at any time through Student Center. After the A Exam, the Post A Committee Change Petition must be filed with the Graduate School prior to any committee changes.

If a member of a student’s Special Committee leaves Cornell, that member must be replaced by a Cornell faculty member prior to the end of the semester.

Emeritus Faculty may continue to serve as Chairs and minor members of Special
Committees on which she or he was serving at the time of retirement. Emeritus Faculty may accept new appointments as either a Co-Chair or minor member following their retirement, if the faculty in the field have voted to approve them as a “Graduate School Professor of S&TS” to a five-year, renewable term. The Emeritus faculty member must continue to reside in the Ithaca area.

Although it occurs only infrequently, any member, including a Chair, may resign from a Special Committee. It is the student’s responsibility to reconstitute their Special Committee if this occurs, often with guidance from the field. Students who do not have a complete, valid Special Committee may not register or continue in their program.

No doctoral student may schedule a B Exam within three months of a change of committee, except with the Dean’s approval.

Ethical researchers and scholars think critically about the impact of their behavior on others—their research subjects, students and trainees, advisors and other field faculty, and certainly the scientific community and society at large.

Every graduate student is required to complete training on Responsible Conduct of Research, addressing issues of authorship, peer review, plagiarism, and research misconduct. Each student must complete online training through Cornell’s Office of Research Integrity and Assurance prior to the end of the second registered semester. All graduate students must complete the “Short, Foundational course” on RCR.

Graduate students who receive salaries or stipends to conduct research on an NIH and/or NSF or USDA-NIFA award have additional training required. These students must take RCR training within 60 days of being named on that grant. The training required covers a number of RCR-related topics and is called “Full Course” in RCR. A passing grade is 80% or higher. If an individual does not complete the training by the deadline, they may not be paid on that grant. If you are required to complete training on RCR because you are supported on a NSF, NIH, or USDA-NIFA grant, the Short Course does not meet the requirements of your sponsor, and you will need to take the Full Course on RCR.

A central goal of the S&TS graduate curriculum is to prepare students for independent research. To achieve this goal, each student selects a topic related to some field of specialization within S&TS and explores it under the guidance of faculty. This “Second-Year Paper” (SYP), to be completed by April 15 of a student’s second year, creates a context for students to increase their familiarity with research techniques and strategies such as ethnographic fieldwork, or primary source and archival work. Students are expected to present the results of their research in a departmental seminar. Students take the Second-Year Paper Course, described above, and work on their Second-Year Paper in that course. The professor teaching the course determines S/U grades each semester.

The SYP provides an opportunity to do a piece of original, empirical research—from conception and research to write-up and presentation—early in the doctoral program. It helps students understand the research process and assess the type of research they would like to pursue in future work. The resulting paper is typically 25-30, double-spaced pages. It should articulate a research question, engage with relevant literatures, and analyze primary empirical materials (the kind and number of sources depend on the type of research, method, and analysis).

There is no single approach to the Second-Year Paper. Some students explore a prospective dissertation topic. For some it becomes the seed of the dissertation and might even become a dissertation chapter. For others, developing the SYP is helpful because they decide they do not want to pursue this topic for their dissertation after all. Still others examine a “side project” that interests (obsesses?) them. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages. The Second-Year Paper will therefore serve different aims depending on the particularities of a given student.

The deadline for the Second-Year Paper is April 15 of the second year and built into the related course. Students will present their SYP at one of the SSRGs during the remainder of the semester (more on the SSRG below). The student’s Chair reads and signs off on the SYP, notifying the student, DGS, and Graduate Field Administrator (GFA) that the SYP is complete and accepted. If the Chair determines, however, that more work is needed for satisfactory completion, the student and Chair meet to discuss the SYP and identify an appropriate path forward. This may include required revisions and a new deadline. Resubmission of the SYP would be part of the materials for the A Exam. However, it is in addition to written components; it does not replace one (or more) of them.

It is recommended that students apply for a relevant conference or workshop (or two) and present their Second-Year Paper during their second through fourth years in the program. This is an excellent way to get feedback on research and to meet and engage with scholars before completing dissertation research. Some students have revised and eventually published their SYP.

All students are expected to achieve a level of competence in one foreign language sufficient for reading literature in the student's research area. It will be up to the Special Committee to decide how this competence should be demonstrated. This may include a reading exam with a member of the S&TS Graduate Field or in the relevant language department at Cornell. Students may need to enroll in language courses and/or intensive summer language programs to achieve such competency. Additional languages may be required at the discretion of the Special Committee. 

All Ph.D. students must serve as a teaching assistant (TA) and/or First-Year Writing Seminar (FWS) instructor for at least 2 semesters within their first five years of enrollment. The faculty teaching advisor will support students in meeting this expectation by providing appropriate teaching opportunities, training, and mentorship.

Teaching performance will be formally evaluated by supervising faculty, with constructive feedback shared to promote professional growth in pedagogical skills. Evaluations will be shared in writing with the student, Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), and Graduate Field Administrator (GFA). If teaching performance is found to be unsatisfactory or incomplete, the student will not be considered in good academic standing. 

To complete their doctoral degree in the S&TS students need to complete three exams: the Q Exam, taken at the end of a student's first year; the A Exam, completed by the end of the fifth semester; and the B Exam, sometime during or after the fifth year of study, which completes a student's doctoral studies in S&TS.

Exam Schedule

• First Year Evaluation (Q Exam): End of first year;
• Pre-A Exam Committe Meeting: End of third semester;
• A Exam: By end of fifth semester;
• Pre-B: After a draft dissertation is complete and your Chair says that the B exam is ready to be scheduled. The Pre-B must be taken at least one month prior to the B Exam;
• B Exam: When dissertation is completed. The Pre-B and B are generally taken in or after the fifth year. (Please remember that funding for students is guaranteed for six years).

First-Year Evaluation (Q Exam)

The First-Year Evaluation is not really a formal exam. It is a check-up to make sure that everything is going well and assist students in planning for their Second-Year Paper and A Exams.

The Q Exam Committee consists of your Temporary Chair, along with two professors, selected by the student, from courses they took in the Fall semester and/or taking Spring semester. At least two of the three professors should be from the S&TS Graduate Field. 

Students will distribute copies of all their papers to date (generally final papers from Fall courses), a one-page proposal describing the Second-Year Paper, and another page on their plans for summer research to their Q Exam committee at least two weeks before the meeting. 

Expectations for the First-Year Evaluation:

1. Discussion of papers;
2. Description of goals and plans for achieving those goals;
3. Progress towards identifying an advisor/committee members;
4. Progress towards developing ideas about Second-Year Paper and preliminary research plans for that summer;
5. Identify and discuss areas for attention. 

The Q Exam must be taken by the end of a student's second semester in the program, but before May 1/December 1. Failure to pass will result in program withdrawal. No retake is allowed.

Pre-A Exam Committee Meeting

As part of the planning of the A Exam, there is a required "candidacy check-in" at the end of the third semester where students will meet with their formed Committee. The Committee and student will then decide on the schedule for the written components of the A Exam. 

The following are options, but the final decision is up to the Committee:

• The Committee may decide that the student should complete one A Exam in their fourth semester and two in their fifth, leaving their summer free to do research for their dissertation prospectus;
• It may decide on the above plan, but also suggest that the student does some A Exam preparation over the summer;
• It may decide that all three A Exams are to be completed in the fifth semester;
• In rare circumstances, the Committee will advise the student to pursue a Terminal Master's degree option, instead of continuing to doctoral candidacy.

Whatever the Committee decides, both students and faculty must be very clear on the time constraints (and hence limitations on process and amount of work) for any given examination. 

A Exam

The A Exam is also known as the Examination for Admission to Candidacy. This oral exam generally includes a written component, as determined by your Special Committee. Passing the A Exam means the graduate faculty believes that you are ready to proceed into the dissertation phase of your degree program. 

A Exams prepare you for the three fields you are examined in (if you want a fourth member on your Committee, it is easier to add them after the A exam; however, some students decide to do four fields). It enables faculty to write letters of recommendation that you have in-depth knowledge of these fields and could teach them, if need be. 

A Exam Timing: Graduate students should schedule the oral portion of their A Exams by November 1 of their third year. They should take the oral portion of their A Exam by December 15 of that year. All written materials need to be circulated to the entire Special Committee at least two weeks before the A Exams. 

Students must schedule exams with the Graduate School at least seven calendar days in advance by filing out the proper examination scheduling form. Examination results must be filed with the Graduate School within three business days of the exam. Both forms are available on the Graduate School website. The scheduled exam date will be announced to the field at least seven days in advance. 

Students who have not completed their A Exam and submitted their dissertation prospectus to their Committee by May 1 of their sixth semester will not be eligible for summer support in their third summer or Dissertation Sage Fellowship support in upcoming semesters. 

Conditional outcomes (known as a "conditional pass") will include a written remediation plan and timeline. Failure to pass after submission of materials required by a conditional outcome will result in withdrawal from the program. A Terminal Master's Degree may be granted, if appropriate. 

Terminal Masters

If students are not on track to proceed towards doctoral candidacy - as determined by: 1) coursework, 2) feedback on written work (especially final papers) from course instructors, 3) Second-Year Paper (if relevant), and 4) conversations with course instructors, (temporary) Chair, and/or Committee members (depending on stage in program) to date - students may be presented with the option of pursuing a Terminal Master's degree. 

The student's Chair and Committee would determine the specific requirements, expectations, and deadlines for a Terminal Masters, but it would generally entail taking A Exams (revised in light of the Master's degree outcome) at the end of the fifth semester of enrollment in order to, upon passing the written and oral portions, earn a Terminal Masters in STS. 

To prepare for a Terminal Masters in STS, students must:

1. Meet regularly with their Chair and Committee members;
2. Develop, revise, and finalize reading lists and written outcomes for each of the 3 A Exam fields oriented towards a Terminal Masters; and
3. Determine a date for the oral portion of the A exam to be held during the fifth semester of enrollment (no later than December 15 for the fall semester and May 15 for the spring semester), with written materials circulated at least 2 weeks before that date. 

If the student successfully passes the written and oral portion of the A exam, the will be awarded a Terminal Masters in STS.

The student would then leave the program upon completion of the A Exam.

Dissertation Prospectus

Students should spend the sixth semester working on a dissertation prospectus, suitable to be adapted for submission to major funding agencies, like the NSF. The prospectus is due May 1 of the third year. A meeting with the Committee should take place to discuss the prospectus after it is completed. This meeting is one of those occasions when your Committee is gathered together and you have an opportunity to discuss your project in depth with them. It is a chance for students to demonstrate their knowledge and passion, and get helpful feedback on how to improve their dissertation proposal before submitting a relevant grant application (and how to improve the dissertation more generally). 

Dissertation

Doctoral candidates in our field are required to complete a dissertation that demonstrates original research contributing new knowledge to the discipline. The dissertation should address significant theoretical questions and may take the form of a traditional monograph or a set of three publishable articles. Projects may develop new theoretical frameworks, introduce innovative methods, and/or make significant contributions to relevant scholarly literature(s). 

The dissertation must include an abstract and adhere to a recognized academic style guide, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, as specified by the Special Committee Chair. It must also meet the Graduate School's formatting requirements for doctoral dissertations. 

A complete draft of the dissertation must be given to each committee member at least six weeks before the B Exam is scheduled and submitted to the Graduate School within 60 days of passing the final exam. Enrollment in future semesters is not permitted after passing the final exam, even if the 60-day submission window extends into a subsequent semester. 

B Exam

The B exam is an oral defense of your dissertation. This exam is taken after completing all degree requirements. Successful completion of the B exam means that a student has demonstrated a comprehensive knowledge of their area of study and is ready to be awarded their doctoral degree. 

After a draft dissertation is complete and your Chair says that the B exam is ready to be scheduled, a Pre-B Exam will be scheduled at least one month prior to the date of the B Exam. The goal of the Pre-B is to ensure that students will pass their B Exam. It is an opportunity for the entire Committee to meet, discuss the dissertation draft, identify required revisions to be completed before the B Exam, and schedule the timing of the B Exam so that the student has adequate time to complete those revisions. 

Understanding the steps and associated deadlines in the dissertation and degree conferral process is crucial to establish a successful plan and realistic timeframe. The major steps below often take 3-5 months. Verify the Graduate School's dissertation submission deadline for your intended conferral date. Work backwards from this date to ensure adequate time for completing all the steps. 

The major steps are:

1. Complete draft dissertation;
2. Schedule Pre-B Exam, notify Graduate Field Administrator of Pre-B date, and circulate draft dissertation to entire Committee;
3. Take Pre-B Exam
4. Revise dissertation based on Pre-B feedback;
5. Field-Appointed Reader assigned by the DGS in consultation with student and Committee Chair;
6. Schedule B Exam and circulate revised dissertation to entire Committee and Field-Appointed Reader;
7. Take B Exam and submit results;
8. Make final revisions to dissertation;
9. Submit final electronic dissertation (ETD) to the Graduate School.

The Field-Appointed Reader (a Field, not Graduate School, requirement) is a member of the S&TS Graduate Field not currently serving on the student's Committee. They read the B-Exam version of the dissertation, participate in the oral exam, and provide written feedback. Because the Field-Appointed Reader has not been involved in the dissertation conceptualization, research, and writing process, they offer informed, yet semi-outsider feedback on the dissertation as a whole, which can be quite valuable. 

As with the A Exam, students must schedule their B Exam with the Graduate School at least seven calendar days in advance by filing the proper examination scheduling form. Examinations results must be filed with the Graduate School within three business days of the exam. Both forms are available on the Graduate School website. 

The final dissertation must be submitted by the dissertation submission deadline for the term or within 60 days of the B Exam, whichever comes first. Students who miss the submission deadline are ineligible to register in future terms. Please note: Graduate School deadlines are rigid and non-negotiable. 

Conditional outcomes will include a written remediation plan and timeline. If the Committee agrees, one retake is allowed within 6 months. Failure to pass the exam after 2 attempts will result in withdrawal from the program. 

The Code of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty outlines the core policies governing graduate education at Cornell. This S&TS handbook complements the Code of Legislation and Graduate School policies by offering additional academic guidance specific to students in the field of Science & Technology Studies. 

To remain in good standing and demonstrate satisfactory academic progress, students must meet the academic requirements as outlined in the Code of Legislation, field handbook, and by the chair/special committee. These layers of governance work together to provide oversight and support for academic progress, while the policies help clarify and establish mutual expectations for achieving degree progress.

To make satisfactory academic progress and remain in good academic standing in the Science & Technology Studies graduate program, a student must at minimum:

• Maintain a GPA of 3.3 (out of 4.0 scale) during semester 1 and 3.7 for all subsequent semesters of coursework;
• Receive a rating of 'Satisfactory' or 'Excellent' on their Student Progress Review (SPR);
• Make timely progress towards degree requirements (for details, see above), including:
  • Satisfactory completion of incompletes, if any, by the start of classes the following academic year;
  • Forming a special committee by the end of the third semester (for Ph.D. students);
  • Satisfactory completion of Second-Year Paper by the end of the fourth semester, with assessment determined by STS 7006/7007 instructor and committee chair primarily in terms of intellectual quality and promise;
  • Fully passing the:
    • Q Exam by the end of the second semester;
    • A Exam by the end of the fifth semesters;
    • B Exam, which entails progress on dissertation research and completion of dissertation chapters (the timing of the B Exam is ultimately determined by the student's special committee based on readiness and progress toward completion);
  • Satisfactory completion of required teaching responsibilities; and
  • Meeting all field-specific requirements as outlined in this handbook.

Students are encouraged to work closely with their Special Committee and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to stay on track and to communicate early about any delays or challenges. Failure to meet these expectations means that a student is not making satisfactory academic progress and is deemed not in good academic standing, which may impact continued enrollment in their degree program. 

The Student Progress Review (SPR) requirement was implemented in 2017 at the request of students and faculty to support the regular exchange of constructive, written feedback between advisees and advisors. It codifies a process for research degree students and their Special Committees to have at least one formal conversation per year about academic progress and future plans. Using the SPR form, students are asked to reflect on their recent accomplishments, identify challenges, and set goals. Committee Chairs then review their students’ SPR forms and meet with their students. After that meeting, Chairs enter constructive feedback on the SPR form. Chairs also indicate whether progress has been excellent, satisfactory, needs improvement, or is unsatisfactory. Feedback that is documented on the SPR will be made available to the student, all members of the student’s special committee, and the DGS/GFA of the student’s field. Please note that unsatisfactory progress can affect funding in subsequent summers and/or semesters.

Overview of the SPR Process

Step 1: In S&TS the deadline for graduate students completing the SPR is March 31 each year. Prior to the deadline the Graduate Field Administrator will send students instructions and a link to the SPR form at the appropriate time.

Step 2: Student schedules the SPR meeting with their Chair.

Step 3: Student completes their portion of the SPR form.

Step 4: SPR face-to-face dialog.

Step 5: If the student saved their SPR form as a draft, they may edit the form after meeting with their Chair and/or Special Committee. Upon submission by the student, the form is routed to the Special Committee Chair (after this point the student cannot edit the SPR form unless it is returned to them by their Chair).

Step 6: The Special Committee Chair enters written comments and evaluates student progress.

During the course of your graduate studies in the S&TS program, it is likely that you maintain several different student statuses.

Active Status

Active status is the status you are automatically registered in when you begin your studies at Cornell. This status is intended for full-time in person graduate research on campus. To maintain active status, you must be enrolled in at least 12 credits per semester, have no outstanding bursar charges, and have completed all appropriate milestones.

In Absentia Status

Upon the completion of their A Exams, student commonly switch their status to In Absentia. This status is for students who plan to leave the Ithaca area to conduct approved research or study 100 miles or more away from the Cornell campus while still under the guidance of their Special Committee.

To register for in absentia status, submit an In Absentia Tuition Rate Request with a study plan approved by your Special Committee outlining how you will accomplish your degree requirements. Approval by the Graduate School is required. In absentia students are charged $200 tuition/semester.

When you are approved in absentia status you are eligible for fellowships, assistantships, the student health plan, and educational loans as in on-campus registration status. The same limitations on employment apply for in absentia students as for on-campus students; time away from campus is expected to focus on making academic progress.

You may request in absentia status for a maximum of two academic semesters at a time. In absentia status is not automatically extended; you must submit a new petition justifying the need for the extension. If you request an extension, your study plan must include what research you have completed and what research still needs to be done. You may register in absentia for no more than a total of eight academic semesters.

Personal Leave of Absence

Under certain circumstances, students may wish to take a personal leave of absence for a non-medical and non-children-related reason. Common reasons students take a personal leave include family situation, financial situation, or a need to re-evaluate your interests and/or goals. A personal leave of absence is for a period of up to 12 months with annual renewal possible for a total of four years. A student is not permitted to return from a personal leave after an academic term has begun. The Graduate School may permanently withdraw you if you do not return from their personal leave of absence. Time away on a leave of absence does not count toward time to degree.

The original offer of financial support at time of admissions is not guaranteed when you return. A student on a personal leave of absence is not registered with the university and therefore is not eligible for privileges afforded to registered students, including, but not limited to, residing in university housing, accessing university resources (including office space in the department), and receiving direct supervision by faculty members. Your Cornell email account will remain active while you are on leave.

Health Leave of Absence

A health leave of absence is a voluntary separation from the university for health reasons and allows the student to “stop the clock” on academic responsibilities while prioritizing health needs. Only the student can initiate the voluntary process. Any student who may be interested in initiating a health leave of absence should seek guidance from their health care provider, the Health Leaves Coordinator (healthleaves@cornell.edu), or the Graduate School to help determine when this course of action is appropriate. Some common signs that a health leave might be beneficial include:

• Your medical condition has made it difficult for you to focus or concentrate;
• Your medical condition has left you lacking the motivation needed to successfully pursue graduate studies;
• Your medical condition has made it difficult to complete your academic or research requirements. 

Often graduate and professional students will take a health leave of absence when:

• The individual students believe this is the best course of action for them;
• There has been a medical assessment from a provider who has recommended that the student take a break from their academic pursuits;
• Before the quality of their academic responsibilities suffer and becomes noticeable by the faculty. Typically, faculty members are very helpful and supportive when health is a concern; however, there can be limits to how long they are able to be supportive if your lack of academic progress due to health issues continues for an extended period of time. Aim to time a health leave to occur when you, your Special Committee Chair, and your DGS are in productive communications about your future academic plans.  

The duration of the leave will depend upon the time you need for treatment and/or recovery, along with the resolution of any academic conditions determined by your graduate program.

The Graduate School allows health leave of absence status at increments of 12 months with a possible annual renewal for up to four years total. Depending on your academic program will determine the flexibility of when you will be able to return. You may not return from a leave within the semester that the leave was taken and you must return at the start of the Fall, Spring or Summer semesters.

Time away does not count towards time to degree. Financial support is not available to a student on a health leave. While you are on a health leave of absence, you will not be a registered student. This will have an impact on your access to university services, but there are some resources, particularly on the Ithaca campus, that students on HLOA can continue to use.

In brief, if you are on a health leave, you will no longer have access to campus facilities and services that you would normally access with your NetID. However, your Cornell email will remain for the duration of your health leave of absence. You may request library privileges with support from your academic advisor and DGS, and pay any applicable fees.

Leave upon Completion of Degree

Registered students who complete all degree requirements prior to the end of the fall or spring semester may request a Leave upon Completion. Tuition will be prorated according to a daily pro-rated schedule. The effective date of this leave will be the ProQuest submission confirmation date.

Withdrawal

Students may withdraw voluntarily at any time. Withdrawal is appropriate for students who do not intend to resume studies or to complete an advanced degree at Cornell University. Students may also be withdrawn if they fail to complete milestones at the appropriate time, have outstanding bursar charges, or due to academic integrity issues.

Doctoral students enrolled in our program normally complete their degrees within 6 years and receive full financial support for the duration of their graduate studies if they remain in good academic standing, make satisfactory academic progress towards the degree, and perform satisfactorily in their assistantship responsibilities. 

This financial support is provided through a variety of sources, including Sage Fellowship, Cornell Fellowship, external fellowships, teaching and/or research assistantship(s). Students in our program regularly apply for and receive external fellowships and grants. Cornell will supplement qualified external awards. 

Typical Funding Package

• First Year: Sage Fellowship;
• 2nd Year: TA;
• 3rd Year: TA;
• 4th Year: Sage, dissertation-year fellowship (must complete A Exam prior to fellowship);
• 5th to 7th Years: External fellowship, TA, and/or RA.

Failure to make timely, satisfactory academic progress may result in the loss of good academic standing, funding, and/or eligibility for future opportunities. 

Students will be eligible for the first and second summers of funding only if they file with the Graduate School by May 1 of that year an academic plan describing the anticipated summer academic activities and outcomes.

To be eligible for second-summer funding, a student must have assembled the Special Committee before the end of the third semester of registration, as required in the Code of Legislation (and must file an academic plan by May 1, as above).

Students will be eligible for third-summer funding only if they have passed the A Exam or have filed an exam scheduling form by May 1 of that year that indicates they are scheduled to attempt the A Exam prior to the start of their seventh semester of enrollment, as required in the Code of Legislation, and if they have filed with the Graduate School by May 1 an academic plan describing anticipated summer academic activities and outcomes.

Students will be eligible for fourth-summer funding only after passing the A Exam, and only by application. A student must submit an application to the Graduate School for fourth summer of support by May 1 of that year, describing the scholarly work completed with the third summer of support and stating the academic objectives to be undertaken during the fourth summer. Graduate School staff will review the applications.

The dissertation-year fellowship (second-year Sage) will be available only to students who have passed the A Exam. In addition, students seeking the dissertation-year fellowship must have written and submitted an external fellowship or grant proposal before the dissertation-year fellowship is awarded, to encourage all students to pursue external funding.

Additional information can be found on the Fellowships page. 

Late in the Spring semester, an email will be sent to all graduate students requesting their TA course preferences. Students are not guaranteed that they will TA for their preferred course. TA spots are only available for students within their guaranteed funding period of seven years. Graduate School rules prohibit TA assignments for students who have been granted permission to continue beyond the seventh year.

Students appointed to assistantships are subject to the terms of the CGSU-UE Collective Bargaining Agreement. Students appointed to fellowships are not included in the bargaining unit and therefore not represented in the union. 

Students are encouraged to explore and apply for funding—in the department, at Cornell, and through funding sources outside the institution. As well as national fellowships (such as NSF fellowships, which offer full support for three years, and NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants), Cornell has many internal sources of money for additional summer support, travel, and conference attendance. Please note: If you are awarded an external fellowship for one year, it will not mean you are supported for an additional year; rather the fellowship will substitute for other means of support. Nonetheless, prestigious fellowships enhance your CV and may enable you to substitute grant support for a TA or RA position.

UCLA runs an excellent scholarship database https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/#/. Emails will also be sent to the student email list with external funding opportunities. If you do win an external fellowship, please send the award letter to the Graduate Field Administrator, so they can update the relevant records and inform the Graduate School.

Applying for a Grant to Support Your Doctoral Research

When it comes time for you to be considering applying for a grant to support your doctoral research, which you will decide in collaboration with your committee, there are a lot of resources available to assist you in that effort. You are encouraged to seek funding from external sources appropriate to your field of research; however, the most common application is to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (DDRIG). These grants are specifically for graduate students working on PhD research and are a common source for our students to support research expenses. The grants typically provide $10,000 in funding plus the required indirect cost (IDC), the rate for which will vary based on fiscal year of the grant inception as well as whether your research is to be done on or off campus. The DDRIG grants are intended for students who have completed their A Exam.

6th Semester ABD and Prospectus: Students should spend the sixth semester working on a prospectus, suitable for submission to major funding agencies, like the NSF. The prospectus is due May 1 of the third year.

Your doctoral Committee Chair will be the official Primary Investigator (PI) listed on the grant; the student is listed as a co-PI. You should discuss your ideas for your proposal with your Chair and begin the writing process well before the grant application deadline.

The first step in the process of submitting your grant proposal to NSF is to have your Chair initiate the grant application through the College of Arts & Sciences PRO (Pre-Award Research Operations) Team. A&S faculty and researcher PIs can request support directly through submitting a Proposal Notification form to the Pre-Award Research Operations (PRO) Team. We strongly recommend that interested PIs contact the PRO team at least 4 weeks in advance of submission deadline. 

The PRO team's skilled staff, trained and professionally mentored on proposal development operations, eases the administrative burden on PIs and improves the quality of proposals. Researchers can focus on developing the research-related components of the proposal while the PRO team drafts the budget and organizes all the required supporting documents prior to review by the OSP Grant and Contract Officer. They will also guide the PI and so-PI in the submission of data through the RASS system, Cornell's official repository of all grant proposal and award documentation. 

In general, the deadline for NSF grant submission is early August, so you should plan on a mid-July deadline for finalization of the proposal so that it will have the benefit of full review by OSP. Revisions are often needed throughout the review process, so you need to leave time for doing so. Please also keep in mind that your faculty chair may need to travel over the summer and have long periods of time when they may be without internet. Grants that are successful have most likely benefitted from the PI and co-PI planning ahead and leaving time for revisions to make it a stronger proposal. 

If you are successful in obtaining a grant that will be administered by the university (all NSF grants are administered by the university) versus a fellowship paid directly to you by the granting agency, the department manager will provide you with an information sheet regarding how to access the funds and the rules that cover the use of funds and reimbursement of expenses. Questions about grant application or usage may always be addressed to the department manager.

Teaching assistantships are an important part of your funding package and training. They provide an excellent way to get teaching experience. Our students frequently typically lead discussion sections, comment on and grade papers and exams, and hold office hours where students can discuss course material and ask questions. TAs are expected to work no more than 15 hours per week on average, although there will be some variation in weekly workload during the semester.

After you have some experience as a TA, you may want to consider applying to teach a First-Year Writing Seminar (FWS). FWS courses teach writing to undergraduates in their first year at Cornell by engaging them a subject area of interest—in our case, a specific topic in STS. Teaching an FWS provides you with the opportunity to design and teach your own course. The Knight Writing Center offers a special course on teaching writing that FWS instructors are required to take. You may also want to take advantage of the resources provided by the Center for Teaching Innovation when you design your FWS. For more information on proposing an FWS, contact Claire Pfeiffer.

All field policies will be enforced consistently across students and timeframes. A doctoral student is expected to design, execute, and manage an independent research agenda and meet their academic milestones in a timely manner. If a student is not meeting expectations, their Special Committee Chair or advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) will provide timely written notice (as soon as concerns become evident) outlining the issues, outcomes, or potential consequences, including:

• Written notice of a lack of academic progress or loss of academic standing (separate, and in addition, to the SPR);
• A clear explanation of the concerns and specific expectations before any adverse action (e.g., changes in funding status or withdrawal recommendations);
• Further, all students should be provided with an opportunity to meet with the DGS to discuss the concern and plan for improvement. In cases where the DGS is also the student's Committee Chair, students are encouraged to meet with the Chair of the Department to discuss concerns and plans for improvement.  

If a student fails to meet the conditions of that plan, the Special Committee in collaboration with the field DGS will consult with the Graduate School to review the case and determine next steps. This can include academic withdrawal from their degree program and the Graduate School accompanied by documentation showing that the process above was followed, and in accordance with the Graduate School policy and the terms of the CGSU-UE Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

Graduate students will be given an opportunity to respond or appeal as outlines by the Graduate School and CGSU-UE policies. Final decisions will be documented and archived by the DGS, GFA, and the Graduate School. 

Sarah Albrecht
Department Manager
saa9@cornell.edu
607-255-6043
Morrill Hall, Room 303D

Sarah can assist in addressing immigration issues; building space; and funding concerns, including submission of grant proposals.

Claire Pfeiffer
Communications and Events Coordinator
Course Coordinator
607-255-6234
Morrill Hall, Room 303C

Claire assists with planning SSRGs and other departmental events and manages our newsletter, website, and social media accounts, as well as all aspects of course coordination. You can also speak to Claire to arrange independent study or if you are interested in applying to teach a First-Year Writing Seminar.

David Ryan
Graduate Field Administrator, Undergraduate Program Coordinator
607-255-6047
Morrill Hall, Room 303B

David will be your main point of contact in the department. They maintain records for all graduate students, track your progress in the program, and can inform you of policies governing graduating students and assist you in navigating the Graduate School bureaucracy.

Rivka Green
Undergraduate Support Specialist (Biology & Society)
607-255-6047
Morrill Hall, Room 303A

Rivka is an Undergraduate Support Specialist who helps advise undergraduate Biology & Society majors from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The S&TS GSA is our department's Graduate Student Association, linked with the broader GPSA (Graduate and Professional Students' Association). It is generally made up of a president, vice president (SSRG coordinator), and treasurer, though this is subject to change depending on who is available and who is willing. The GSA's primary responsibility is to serve as a space for official interaction between graduate students and faculty in the department, alongside maintaining a sense of departmental community. The major tasks that are part of the GSA's purview include organizing weekly SSRGs, coordinating a semesterly meeting with the DGS and the graduate students, ensuring there is a graduate student representative at faculty meetings, and providing budgets to the GPSA such that we can secure funding for things like SSRG meals and visiting scholars. The GSA also maintains the S&TS grad listserv, purchases end of semester gifts for staff in the fall semester, and organizes social and professional events for the graduate students like career-development seminars, picnics, and movie nights. The GSA has historically been composed of second-year students, though this is subject to change depending on the year.

The official GSA for 2025-2026 is composed of Josie Callahan (President), Jai Vipra (VP/SSRG coordinator), and Brume Dezembro Lazzetti (Treasurer).

The Science Studies Reading Group (SSRG) meets weekly during the Fall and Spring semesters to provide a forum for faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and departmental visitors to discuss their work. All students should attend each week. They should also plan to present their work in progress from time to time, such as their Second-Year Paper, dissertation proposal, draft dissertation chapters, practice conference presentations, and so on. This is a great way to get constructive feedback on your work and build in accountability to meet deadlines. The current SSRG schedule is available here.

Students in residence on campus are assigned shared office space within Morrill Hall. The Department Manager is primary contact for all space in the department and, as such, assigns graduate student offices prior to the beginning of each academic year. She also distributes keys and the combination to the shared department spaces (lounge/mail room, copy room, library). These shared department spaces are for the enjoyment of our department community, so do not give the combination to anyone; the department manager will give the combination to all those who need it. The copy room and library should be kept locked. The lounge/mail room is left open during normal business hours when staff are present. If staff are not in the office, do not prop the door open; this space doubles as the building mailroom, so it must be kept secure.

All graduate student offices are located on the fourth floor of Morrill Hall and are equipped with heat and air conditioning. The heat can be controlled with the in-room thermostat (next to the door) by slowly dialing the temperature setting up and down as desired. Do not move the dial quickly or it will put the thermostat out of calibration, and it will be stuck in either "heat" or "no heat" mode continuously until repaired. Similarly, air conditioners are provided for each office, usually the floor model style. Floor model air conditioners must be vented out the window via the wide hose at the back of the machine. Be sure that this hose assembly is properly inserted into the window with the window closed to the top of the spacer before using the machine. Most of these models also require that the vents at the top be opened prior to use as well, or the cold air will not flow into the space. During the winter, the hose assembly/window spacer can be removed from the window so that the window closes fully; failure to do so will allow wind to blow into the unit through the hose - it will be both loud and cold. You also run the risk of squirrels getting into - and possibly chewing - the hose if left in the window outside the warm season. Any issues with heat, air conditioning, or other issues that may need repair should be reported in a timely manner to the department manager. Report urgent issues (such as leaks, wildlife in the building, etc.) immediately to 607-255-5322 if staff are not in the office. 

Because graduate students are expected to supply their own computer equipment, IT support is available to graduate students on a very limited basis. When you arrive to campus (or if you purchase a new laptop later), our building IT support will be happy to assist you in getting connected to the department printers in Room 308. The department manager will connect you with them via email soon after your arrival. They generally are otherwise unable to provide support to personally owned machines, but the Campus Store has a Tech Department that might be able to assist (for a fee). 

• Cornell University Registrar’s calendar and key academic dates during 2025–2026
• Cornell Graduate School
   o Resources, including Academic, Career, Graduate School Offices, Health and Wellness, International Student, Safety, and Student Life
   o Diversity and Inclusion
   o Student Experience, including Office of Graduate Student Life and Help and Support
   o Students with Families
   o Student-Parent Dependent Care Grant
• Cornell Emergency Funds
• Graduate Writing Service
• Learning Strategies Center (LSC)
• LSC Finish the Semester Strong
• International Services, including for international graduate students
• COVID-19 and Information for Students
• Student Support and Advocacy Services
• Cornell Health
• Mental Health at Cornell, including Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)
• Empathy, Assistance & Referral Service (EARS)
• Student Disability Services
• Ithaca Free Clinic
• Cornell University Ombudsperson
• Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX
• Advocacy Center of Tompkins County (domestic and sexual violence)
• Cornell Career Services Affinities and Identities
• Office for Undocumented & DACA Support
• Tompkins County Department of Social Services
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Food Security at Cornell
• Cornell Food Pantry
• Anabel’s Grocery
• Human Services Coalition Food Services, including Food Pantries and Free Community Meals
• Mutual Aid Tompkins Food Cabinets
• Loaves and Fishes of Tompkins County (free meals Monday through Friday)

Updated 10/08/2025