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Four Year Doctoral Rule Petition Instructions
Instructions for Processing Petition
Completion of the Doctoral Degree within Four Years
After Passing the Comprehensive Preliminary Examination
The Principle of Petitions:
The University of Wyoming, as a fully-accredited public institution of higher education, must comply with general laws, regulations, and principles of fairness, uniformity and accountability. Exceptions to uniform application of general regulations are justified in extraordinary circumstances, when necessary to prevent or remedy an unfair or unjust consequence.
Steps:
1. Take the petition Form to your academic adviser. On the petition, you must clearly and concisely print or type the results and exceptions you seek. Present your version of the facts, circumstances and consequences. Give facts, not conclusions. Your adviser may help you with the wording of the petition or may require you to state your case on the petition before he or she confers with you. After the petition is completed, it is to be signed by you and your adviser. You may download the form from the Office of the Registrar website. Attach additional pages if the information does not fit in the space provided. Be sure to indicate when you project the degree being completed. this petition, if approved, will expire on that date.
2. There is a specific attachment ("Attachment A") which must be completed in addition to the petition form. All members of your dissertation committee must sign this Attachment A and the majority of the members of your committee must agree to the extension of time to complete the requirements. Obtain each member's signature and the date on the appropriate line. They must register their agreement or disagreement with the time extension.
3. Once the committee members have signed and indicated their recommended action, take the petition to the other officials listed on the front page of the petition to obtain their recommendations, completing the process by returning the Petition to the Office of the Registrar. Any signer may add clarifying or explanatory comments to the Petition.
4. After all the signatures have been obtained on both the Petition and Attachment A, and the petition has been returned, it will be reviewed by the University Registrar. Once a decision has been made, a copy of the petition indicating whether or not it was granted will be mailed to you. If the University Registrar denies the petition, it is your right to refer the matter to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for further consideration.
If you wish to request a review by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, you are responsible for referring the Petition to that office. When a petition is denied, after a reasonable period of time (usually one semester) the Petition will be considered abandoned.
