The Program in Pharmacological Sciences requires continuous registration. Students who wish to interrupt their graduate study must apply to the Director of Graduate Studies for an authorized Leave of Absence by completing the Student Leave of Absence Request form. The DGS will then petition the Dean of theGraduateSchool for a maximum leave of absence of one year. Those without authorized leave who do not register are dropped from the rolls of theGraduateSchool and are not considered students. If such a student wants to resume graduate study at Vanderbilt, he/she must apply for reinstatement by contacting the DGS.
Candidates who have passed the qualifying examination or completed 72 or more hours of credit toward the Doctor of Philosophy degree are not usually granted leaves of absence, except in special circumstances (e.g., maternity or medical leave).
Under some other circumstances, Graduate Students may spend extended periods of time performing experiments or undergoing specialized training at sites distant from their mentor's laboratory or the immediate confines ofVanderbiltUniversity. If this is required of a particular Graduate Student, it is essential that the DGS be notified as soon as such an undertaking is planned. It is the responsibility of both the mentor and the student to ensure that the DGS is informed of the proposed leave of absence. A form is provided in the Graduate Student Handbook that outlines the proposed period of absence, mechanism for support of the student during this time, and the goals to be obtained during this absence. This information must be provided to the DGS at least 1 month prior to the beginning of the student's absence. If for any reason the absence extends beyond the limit originally reported, it is the responsibility of both the mentor and the student to inform the DGS of this change. It is required that any such absence of 2 weeks or longer at anytime during the calendar year be reported.