Graduate Student Handbook

This handbook has been prepared for the use of doctoral students and faculty in Near Eastern Studies and should be read in conjunction with the Code of Legislation, which sets the policies governing advanced degree programs throughout the University.

The graduate program in Near Eastern studies prepares students for careers in academia and beyond. Academic specializations include the following areas: ancient Near Eastern studies (including archaeology); Arabic literature; biblical studies; early Christianity; Hebrew literature; Islamic studies (including anthropology); Judaic studies and the modern Middle East. All students admitted to the program are expected to earn a doctoral degree. Completion of the Ph.D. program normally requires three years of full-time course work at Cornell and three additional years of exam preparation and dissertation research and writing.

We expect our students to demonstrate: broad knowledge of theory and scholarship across relevant sub-fields; advanced research skills; the ability to produce and communicate original, publishable research; and effective teaching. In addition, we expect our students to demonstrate mastery in the language or languages of the main texts that are directly related to the topic of their dissertations. Students are advised to determine their field of concentration in their first year, and to consult their advisors about tailored language requirements.

Although each student’s particular in-depth course of study will vary according to their historical and disciplinary interests, we expect students to take advantage of the opportunity to appreciate the sweep and breadth of the Near East, both past and present. For example, students interested in modern history are strongly encouraged to acquire a background in pre-modern history and culture, and students interested in a particular Near Eastern literary or religious tradition are advised to investigate another Near Eastern tradition. 

The general requirements for the receipt of the PhD in Near Eastern Studies are:

• Three years of residence in Ithaca (any extended absence from campus during a semester must be approved in advance by the DGS)
• Satisfactory completion of coursework
• Satisfactory performance on the “Q” Exam by the end of the fourth semester
• Satisfactory performance on the “A” Exam before the start of the seventh semester
• Satisfactory performance on modern language exams
• Successful completion of the oral defense, or the “B” exam
• Submission of the thesis to the Graduate School

Completion of the Ph.D. program normally requires three years of full-time coursework. Students are not required to take a specific number of credits or courses, though a minimum of three courses per semester is standard. Students are expected to take a wide range of courses in Near Eastern Studies and consult with their advisor and Special Committee to devise a course of study that meets their needs. Students may audit courses with permission of instructor and in consultation with their advisor.

Unless a student is on fellowship, in Absentia, or on a leave of absence, NES graduate students are required to enroll every semester in NES 6722: Graduate Colloquium, and to participate in the colloquium series. The NES Graduate Colloquium is held three times a semester to discuss new research by outside visitors or members of the Cornell community. Graduate students (typically in their 3rd year) work together with the DGS to organize the Colloquium. First-, second-, and third-year students should try to schedule classes outside of Mondays, 12:00-1:00pm. Any required colloquium readings will be uploaded to a Cornell Box shared file and distributed at least one week before the seminar.

NES graduate students are expected to present their research in the NES Colloquium. The colloquium presentation can take place in the fourth year, when dissertation research is typically underway, or in the fifth or sixth year, as the dissertation is nearing completion.

All admitted students are expected to already have proficiency in one Near Eastern language. For some subfields, required first year courses include coursework in a second Near Eastern language. The precise requirements for primary Near Eastern languages vary by subfield and will be determined by the Special Committee.

All students are required to take NES 6800: Professionalization in Near Eastern Studies (Practicum in Near Eastern Studies) at some point during their six years in the program, ideally during the first three years.  

Students not enrolling in courses other than NES 6722 must enroll for thesis or dissertation research. At present, the course number for fall/spring is GRAD 9011: Doctoral Dissertation Research but is subject to change.

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

To remain in good standing and demonstrate satisfactory academic progress, students must meet the academic requirements as outlined in the Code of Legislation, the NES graduate 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 Near Eastern Studies graduate program, a student must [at minimum]:

• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.25  
• Receive a rating of ‘Satisfactory’ or ‘Excellent’ on their Student Progress Review (SPR).
• Make timely progress toward degree requirements, including completing required coursework by established deadlines.
• Form a special committee by the end of the third semester  
• Fully pass the following milestones (described in greater detail below): 
  • Exams in two modern research languages. This milestone must be reached before the completion of the Admission to Candidacy exam (A exam).    
  • The Qualifying (or Q) exam, by the end of the spring semester of second year.
  • The Admission to Candidacy (or A) exam by the end of the spring semester of third year.
  • Submit and defend a dissertation prospectus no later than early fall of the 4th year.  
• The Doctoral (or B) exam (B exam) by the end of the sixth year.  The timing of the B exam is ultimately determined by the student’s special committee, based on readiness to defend the dissertation. 

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.

No graduate student shall be permitted more than one grade of incomplete per semester. During the following term the students must complete the coursework for which the incomplete was assigned. The incomplete will become permanent after one year, according to Graduate School policy. If a student receives a permanent incomplete, the NES graduate faculty must convene to determine whether the student’s standing warrants continuing in the program or withdrawal from it.

Student Progress Review

Students are required to complete the Student Progress Review (SPR) process in March of each year. The SPR process supports regular communication including written feedback between students and their advisors, requiring research degree students and their Special Committee to have at least one formal conversation each year about academic progress, accomplishments and plans. Students complete a form describing milestones completed, accomplishments, challenges and plans. The Special Committee chair responds in writing and indicates whether the students’ progress is excellent, satisfactory, needs improvement, or is unsatisfactory.  Once complete, this report is submitted to the graduate school for review. 

In the Near Eastern Studies graduate field, students are typically assigned to the Director of Graduate Studies as temporary chair upon matriculation.  This advisor must be recorded in Student Center no later than three weeks after the start of the first semester. Students should check Student Center for confirmation.  Students should consult the DGS for assistance in confirming or changing advisors.

Doctoral students must form a complete special committee of at least three faculty members by the end of the third semester. Committee members must meet Graduate School requirements and reflect relevant areas of expertise.

As a student in our graduate program, you will work closely with NES department faculty who specialize in a wide range of languages, literatures, cultures, religions and historical periods, from ancient Sumer to the modern Middle East. You may also work with members of the wider graduate field of Near Eastern studies, which includes scholars whose main appointment is in other departments and programs at Cornell, but who are able to supervise dissertations of Ph.D. students in Near Eastern studies.

The Special Committee should consist of three members of the graduate faculty, a Chair and two Minor Members. The Minor Members should be selected in consultation with the committee chair, and at least one should be faculty in the NES graduate field. Minor Members support students in gaining mastery of two areas of study in addition to their primary subfield. Together, the special committee members and the student fashion a program of courses and advanced research that is tailored to student's individual needs. The Special committee is intended to ensure a close working relationship between faculty and students and to encourage freedom and flexibility in the design of each student’s degree program.  

Upon the completion of the dissertation prospectus, a non-Cornell advisor may be asked to serve on the Special Committee, at the discretion of the Special Committee Chair, but there must already be three (3) Cornell serving members, two of whom must be from the NES graduate field.
Students experiencing difficulty identifying an advisor should contact the DGS early as possible. Failure to secure an advisor within the first three weeks of their program, and a permanent special committee chair no later than the end of the third semester will impact academic standing and funding.

If a chair or committee member steps down, students must find a replacement within expected timeframes outlined in the Code of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty to remain in good standing. Students may not remain registered in the Graduate School if they fail to reconstitute a committee. If a student is unable to find a new chair within the required timeframes, they will be withdrawn from the Graduate School.

Doctoral students may make changes to their special committee at any time prior to the A exam. Committee changes after an A exam require the dean’s approval. Updates must be submitted through Student Center.

Language Exams  

Students must acquire a reading knowledge of two modern research languages. Students must attempt the first of two required reading exams in a modern research language by the end of their first year. Students must attempt the second required reading exam in a second modern research language by the end of the fourth semester, and before the completion of the A Exam. Students must pass both language exams before the completion of the admission to candidacy examination (“A-exam”), normally before the end of the third year. Successful completion of specific language courses above the 6000 level may also satisfy the requirement. Students should determine in consultation with their committee chair who will administer and grade these exams.  

By the end of the fourth semester, students are required to reach a very high level of expertise in their chosen primary Near Eastern language(s) - a level sufficient for primary research in the language(s).  

Qualifying (Q) Exam 

After completing three semesters in residence, students must convene a meeting with their committee called a "Qualifying Exam" ("Q Exam"). The Q-Exam in Near Eastern Studies is not an “exam” in the classic sense, but it does investigate the student’s progress to date, and it determines what the student must do as far as additional course work, language study, preliminary research, or other training. All students are expected to submit two research papers from previous courses, and to informally present the results of those papers, with a focus on how they point towards future research. In addition, the committee chair may ask the student to circulate any of the following: a brief statement on their current research plans (approximately 2 pages); plans for coursework; plans and schedule for applying for funding; and planned A-Exam themes with each committee member. In the Q exam, the student, together with the committee will agree upon the academic subfields in which the student will be examined for admission to doctoral candidacy at the conclusion of the third year (the A exam) and will have a preliminary discussion of the format for that exam.  Students should reach out to their committee chair early in the third semester to discuss expectations.  

 Students who pass the examination are determined to be in good academic standing and may continue their doctoral studies.  Students who pass the examination conditionally may be re-examined only once; reexamination must take place within three months of the first attempt.  Students who fail a “Q” Examination are determined to no longer be in good academic standing and future funding will be withdrawn; they cannot continue their doctoral studies.  See Code of Legislation VI.J (Termination of a Student’s Participation in a Degree Program).  

Admission to Candidacy (A) Exam

The “A Exam” is typically taken in the spring semester of the third year. Unless special permission is obtained from the Dean, all doctoral students must attempt the Examination for Admission to Candidacy before beginning their seventh semester of registration in the Ph.D. program (Code F.1.c). Students currently enrolled in their sixth semester must attempt their exam before classes begin on or around January 22.  To avoid a hold on their spring enrollment, they must initiate the Schedule form or the General Petition by December 1.  The petition is required if they are not prepared to attempt the exam before classes begin on or around January 22. This information will be communicated to the students in the graduate school’s reminder messages.  

Students must schedule a meeting with their Special Committee in the fall semester of the third year to establish a format and timeline for the A Exam. The examination consists of written and oral components. Each committee member will devise a portion of the written exam based on the academic subfield in which they work. For the oral portion of the exam, the ‘Schedule for Admission to Candidacy (A Exam)’ form must be submitted to the Graduate School at least seven days prior to the exam. In the oral exam, the results of the written exam will be reviewed, and follow-up questions will be posed in the course of the discussion. The exam is administered and evaluated by the Special Committee, and the results are communicated by the Special Committee at the conclusion of the exam. Successful completion formally admits a student to candidacy for the doctoral degree. Passing the A exam means the graduate faculty believes that that student is ready to proceed into the dissertation phase of your degree program. A student who does not pass the A exam may be given a conditional pass, in which case the examining committee provides the student and the Graduate School with the conditions for passing. Once these conditions are met, the student passes the exam. Enrollment in the term following the exam is permitted if enrollment is required to meet these conditions and the student has not reached their time-to-degree semester limits. If the student fails the A exam, reexamination is allowed only with the approval of the special committee. At least three months must pass from the time of the failed exam to the reexamination. For more information see the Graduate School Code of Legislation.

Doctoral (B) Exam 

The “B Exam”, an oral defense of the dissertation, is the final exam of the doctoral program, taken upon completion of all requirements of the degree. Candidates must give copies of the dissertation to each member of the committee and must make two copies available to the Director of Graduate Studies six weeks before the expected defense date. One copy is for faculty in the field to consult; one is for the Director of Graduate Studies. The Schedule for Final Defense of PhD Degree (B Exam) form must be received by Graduate Student Services at least seven calendar days prior to the defense. The defense will be open only to members of the field and individuals invited by the committee. It is administered and evaluated by the Special Committee, and the results are communicated by the Special Committee at the conclusion of the exam. The “B Exam” can be taken no earlier than one month before completion of the minimum registration requirement  

Students are allowed 60 days after the final examination to submit approved copies of the dissertation or thesis to the Graduate School. A late-filing fee ($100) will be charged if this requirement is not met. 

After successful completion of the A exam, students are expected to develop a dissertation prospectus, normally within three months of the exam. The prospectus typically goes through several drafts over several weeks. When the prospectus is ready, the student presents it at a meeting of the full committee, where it is formally accepted.

The prospectus must conform to the standards of scholarly writing within the field in terms of style, transliteration of foreign characters, transcription and translation of primary and modern languages, and in scholarly apparatus, i.e. footnotes, references, and bibliography.  It should be approximately 3000 words in length (excluding bibliography), and should include:

• The nature of the question or problem to be examined in the dissertation
• The importance of the question or problem to the discipline
• A literature review, including but not limited to:
  • The views of earlier major scholars
  • What has been missed
• A discussion of methodologies to be used
• An outline of chapters
• A timetable for submission of drafts of each chapter
• A bibliography

Doctoral candidates in our field are required to complete a dissertation that demonstrates original research, contributing new knowledge to the discipline through a well-structured narrative argument.    

The dissertation must include an abstract and adhere to a recognized academic style guide, such as the MLA, Chicago Manual of Style, or a discipline specific style guide.  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.

Time-To-Degree

Candidates must submit the dissertation within seven years (fourteen semesters) of entering the program. Continuing beyond seven years requires a petition to be submitted to the Graduate School for approval. Use of a Sage Fellowship beyond the sixth year is prohibited. After seven years of support, no funding will be provided by the Graduate School nor should it be expected from the department. 

Per the Code of Legislation, the Graduate Faculty requires all research degree students, both master’s and doctoral, to complete responsible conduct of research (RCR) training. This includes training on authorship, peer review, and avoidance and consequences of research misconduct. This training is through the Cornell Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA) and must be completed before the end of the second semester (Code E.2.a.).

Every graduate student pursuing a research degree (master’s or doctoral) is required to register for an Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID), as a tool for linking scholars with their publications, grants, and professional affiliations. Students must provide the Graduate School with their unique ORCID prior to the end of their second registered semester.  

The English language skills of international graduate students who do not speak English as a first language must be assessed prior to the start of a TA appointment. For NES students, this normally starts the fall semester of the second year. ITAP (International Teaching Assistant Program) offers assessments at various times throughout the academic year.  Assessment dates may be found on the Center for Teaching Innovation website. Chris Capalongo, Graduate Field Administrator, will contact students to schedule an appointment. Neither students who have received previous education in English institutions nor students exempt from the summer ITAP (International Teaching Assistants Program) are exempt from the assessment.

Normally, during your first and final years of study you will receive a fellowship from the Graduate School (for example, Sage Fellowships and Deans Excellence Fellowships), with no teaching responsibilities. The fellowship may not be combined with another fellowship in the same academic year. The dissertation year fellowship is only available upon successful completion of the A exam and submission of grant applications for external funding. No portion of the dissertation-year fellowship may be used by the student later than the twelfth semester of enrollment, unless the student secured external funding in an earlier term, in which case one or two semesters of the dissertation-year fellowship may be used after the twelfth semester, corresponding with the length of the external funding, contingent upon approval from the Graduate School.

External Funding

A student using Sage fellowship in his/her dissertation-year must have written and submitted an external fellowship or grant proposal within the first four years of enrollment. Students should discuss their plans to apply for external grants and fellowships with their Special Committee, who can suggest appropriate programs, and work closely with their chair in crafting their grant applications. An external fellowship will not replace any fellowship offered by Cornell but may be used to replace assistantship funding or to extend the number of years of support towards the degree program.

Under extenuating circumstances and only with approval from the Graduate School by petition, students needing more than 7 years to complete the Ph.D. program must be supported on a Graduate Research Assistantship or fellowship. Teaching Assistantships are not permitted per Graduate School policy.  The expectation is students will complete the doctoral degree by the end of the sixth year.

Teaching Assistantship

In other years, your financial aid package will require you to serve as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for a lecture course or to teach your own first-year writing seminar. Teaching assignments are based on course enrollment and departmental needs.

Many students are able to extend the period of time during which they are funded with internal or external grants (see above, External Funding).  A standard TA appointment is for 15 hours/week on average, with no week exceeding 20 hours of work.  Duties for this teaching assistantship typically begin at the start of the appointment period and end on the day after the deadline for completion of the final exam grades. Duties and responsibilities of this assistantship may involve attending all classes, running sections, holding office hours, making weekly assignments, grading assignments, grading papers, grading midterms, grading finals, maintaining the class electronic mailing list, maintaining the class website, and providing limited administrative support to the instructor of record.  Students appointed as a Teaching Assistant may only work for an additional 5 hours a week in another position.

Graduate Research Assistantship  

Although not a requirement for your financial aid package, faculty may hire a student to assist with duties related to their research or courses.  In addition to full-time academic progress, service-related duties will be 15 hours/week on average, with no week exceeding 20 hours of work. This is an hourly appointment and based on need determined by the department.

Students with Fellowship support – A student who holds a university-funded fellowship or external fellowship, may accept additional assistantships, hourly student appointments, and/or outside employment of no more than eight hours per week, provided that the terms established by the funding entity allow for such arrangements.

Summer Support  

The funding package includes summer support, with the stipulation that the student actively pursues scholarship over the summer and maintains satisfactory academic progress. For students to be eligible for summer funding for the first two years, an Academic Plan form must be submitted to the Graduate School by May 1. To be eligible for the second year of summer funding, a Special Committee must be assembled by the end of the third semester of registration. Students will be eligible for the third year of summer funding only after passing the A-exam or committing to attempt the A-exam prior to the start of the seventh semester, in addition to submitting an Academic Plan form. Students will be eligible for subsequent years of summer funding after submitting an Academic Plan form and only if the student remains in good academic standing. Summer funding in the seventh year is only possible by appealing to the committee chair and DGS. It is largely dependent on available resources and annual contingencies and is not guaranteed. 

Conference Grants

Conference presentations are encouraged, but students should discuss their intentions to present their research with their chair to strategize on timing and ensure the work is ready for presentation at a scholarly venue.  

The Graduate School provides conference grants to all graduate students who are invited to present papers or posters at professional conferences. Award amounts are based on geographic location, not actual expenses. The Graduate School tries to fund most requests from students who meet the criteria for eligibility. Only one award will be considered during a single academic year, which is from July 1 through June 30. For information and deadlines, please refer to the Conference Grant Application found on the Graduate School website.

The Department of Near Eastern Studies offers up to $1200.00 per year for graduate student travel to conferences, for research, etc.  Students must first speak with the Chair of the Special Committee about how the funds will be used (delivering a paper, travel for research or fieldwork, etc). Students must first apply for Graduate School funding prior to requesting department funds and provide proof of the Graduate School response. This must be submitted with the NES Travel Request form.  The NES Travel Request form may be found in the Graduate Student Box folder. Requests must include the following:

• Name of conference (indicate if student will be presenting a paper).  If funds will be used for research, provide details.
• Budget (including travel costs, lodging, food).
• Indicate other sources of funding (pending or confirmed) and the dollar amount.

Funds from the department must be requested prior to travel.  Only, after all outside funding is confirmed and the student has notified the department, will the request be reviewed.  Once the student has returned to campus and receipts have been submitted, funds will be applied to the student’s bursar account.  Please copy Chris Capalongo, Graduate Field Administrator, on all requests.Research and Travel Grants

The Graduate School awards a small number of research travel grants for academic year, research-related travel in the United States and abroad. These grants are for travel that is directly related to dissertation research, not conference travel. Recipients must be enrolled (full-time or In Absentia) in a graduate research (MA/MS, MFA, DMS, JSD or PhD) degree program through the Graduate School and must be registered at the time of the award. For detailed information and deadlines, please refer to the Research Travel Grant Application found on the Graduate School website.

Research and Travel Grants are also available through the Einaudi Center for International Research. 

Upon completion of the doctoral program, we expect our students to:

• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of their chosen area(s) of expertise
• Demonstrate broad knowledge of theory and scholarship across relevant sub-fields
• Demonstrate advanced research skills
• Demonstrate the ability to produce and communicate original, publishable research
• Demonstrate the ability to teach effectively 

Department Chair, Kim Haines-Eitzen

Director of Graduate Studies, Professor Jason Mokhtarian

Graduate Field Assistant, Christianne Capalongo

Graduate Field Faculty

TA Offices: Space will be provided to Teaching Assistants (TAs) only.  Students who are not holding a TA-ship may need to remove their items from the office.

Keys: The department lounge and mailroom will remain open during staff working hours (Monday-Friday from 8:00am-4:30pm). This is subject to change pending inclement weather, holidays and breaks, or unforeseen circumstances.

Computer lab: There is a designated computer lab in the basement of White Hall for graduate students in NES and Government. See NES staff for code.

White Hall: Currently, the building is unlocked seven days of the week but there is also access through the basement door on the quad side.

Download a PDF version of the graduate student checklist.

Requirements to be completed by the end of the First Year (first and second semesters): 

• Define Special Committee and submit to Graduate School via the Student Center. 
• Attempt reading exam in first modern research language.  
• Complete required coursework. 
• Complete Cornell Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA) Training.    
• Complete Cornell Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training. 
• International students who do not speak English as a first language must complete language assessment in preparation to TA in the second year. 
• Submit the Student Progress Review (SPR).

Requirements to be completed by the end of the Second Year (third and fourth semesters): 

• Meet with the Special Committee for a Q exam. 
• Meet with Special Committee to draft a preliminary program of study for the upcoming semesters; and to determine the subfields of study in which the student will be examined for admission to candidacy.
• Attempt reading exam in second modern research language. 
• Submit the Student Progress Review (SPR). 
• Complete required coursework. 

Requirements to be completed by the end of the Third Year (fifth and sixth semesters): 

• Pass reading exams in both modern research languages. 
• Fall semester: meet with full committee to establish a format and timeline for the A exam.  
• Complete A exam by the end of sixth semester.  
• Submit the Student Progress Review (SPR). 

Requirements to be completed by the end of the Fourth and Fifth Years (seventh-tenth semesters): 

• Submit the dissertation prospectus. 
• Present dissertation research in the NES Colloquium 
• Submit the Student Progress Review (SPR). 

You are close to the finish line…… 

By the end of the sixth-year students are expected to defend and submit PhD thesis for conferral. 

Congratulations and celebrate by attending Cornell commencement!!