{"id":242,"date":"2025-12-11T13:29:54","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T13:29:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/?page_id=242"},"modified":"2026-07-29T07:10:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T07:10:11","slug":"handbook","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/ar\/handbook\/","title":{"rendered":"\u062f\u0644\u064a\u0644 \u0637\u0627\u0644\u0628 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0631\u0643\u0632 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a \u0644\u062a\u0639\u0644\u064a\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0637\u0644\u0627\u0628"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     GCAS STUDENT HANDBOOK \u2014 WordPress page content\n     Paste into: Pages > Handbook > \u22ee > Code editor\n     No PHP or template file required.\n\n     TO ADD A SECTION LATER:\n       <h2 id=\"stable-anchor-name\">Title<\/h2>\n       The sidebar contents list builds itself from the headings.\n       NEVER change an id once published \u2014 links elsewhere depend on it.\n     ============================================================ -->\n\n<style>\n.gcas-hb {\n  --hb-ink:      #17201c;\n  --hb-ink-soft: #4a5551;\n  --hb-green:    #21603a;\n  --hb-green-lt: #3d8a5b;\n  --hb-rule:     #ddd8cd;\n  --hb-paper:    #fbfaf7;\n  --hb-flag:     #9c3a2c;\n\n  --hb-display: \"Iowan Old Style\", \"Palatino Linotype\", Palatino, \"Book Antiqua\", Georgia, serif;\n  --hb-body:    Georgia, \"Times New Roman\", serif;\n  --hb-util:    -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\n\n  \/* Height of your fixed site header \u2014 adjust if the menu overlaps headings *\/\n  --hb-header: 120px;\n\n  font-family: var(--hb-body);\n  color: var(--hb-ink);\n  line-height: 1.7;\n  background: var(--hb-paper);\n}\n\n.gcas-hb *, .gcas-hb *::before, .gcas-hb *::after { box-sizing: border-box; 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gap: 0; padding-top: 24px; }\n  .gcas-hb__nav {\n    position: static;\n    max-height: none;\n    margin-bottom: 36px;\n    padding: 0;\n    border: 1px solid var(--hb-rule);\n    background: #fff;\n  }\n  .gcas-hb__nav-title { display: none; }\n  .gcas-hb__nav-toggle {\n    display: block;\n    width: 100%;\n    text-align: left;\n    padding: 14px 18px;\n    border: 0;\n    background: none;\n    font-family: var(--hb-util);\n    font-size: 0.72rem;\n    letter-spacing: 0.16em;\n    text-transform: uppercase;\n    color: var(--hb-ink);\n    cursor: pointer;\n  }\n  .gcas-hb__nav ol { padding: 0 18px 16px; }\n  .gcas-hb__nav[data-open=\"false\"] ol { display: none; }\n  .gcas-hb__link { opacity: 1; color: var(--hb-green-lt); }\n}\n\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {\n  .gcas-hb *, .gcas-hb *::before { transition: none !important; scroll-behavior: auto !important; }\n}\n\n\/* ---------- Print ---------- *\/\n@media print {\n  .gcas-hb { background: #fff; }\n  .gcas-hb__nav, .gcas-hb__link { display: none; }\n  .gcas-hb__shell { display: block; max-width: none; padding: 0; }\n  .gcas-hb__body { max-width: none; }\n  .gcas-hb__body h2, .gcas-hb__body h3 { break-after: avoid; }\n  .gcas-hb__body a::after { content: \" (\" attr(href) \")\"; font-size: 0.75em; color: #555; }\n  .gcas-hb__part { break-before: page; }\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"gcas-hb\">\n\n  <header class=\"gcas-hb__masthead\">\n    <p class=\"gcas-hb__eyebrow\">GCAS College Dublin \u00b7 The Graduate College<\/p>\n    <h1>Student Handbook<\/h1>\n    <p class=\"gcas-hb__motto\">Out of ashes, a new light<\/p>\n    <p class=\"gcas-hb__meta\">Edition 2026 \u00b7 Last revised <span id=\"gcas-hb-revised\">29 July 2026<\/span><\/p>\n  <\/header>\n\n  <div class=\"gcas-hb__shell\">\n\n    <nav class=\"gcas-hb__nav\" id=\"gcas-hb-nav\" aria-label=\"Handbook contents\" data-open=\"false\">\n      <button class=\"gcas-hb__nav-toggle\" type=\"button\" aria-expanded=\"false\">Contents \u25be<\/button>\n      <p class=\"gcas-hb__nav-title\">Contents<\/p>\n      <ol id=\"gcas-hb-toc\"><\/ol>\n    <\/nav>\n\n    <main class=\"gcas-hb__body\">\n\n      <div class=\"gcas-hb__note\">\n        <p>This Handbook applies to all enrolled GCAS student-researchers. Every section\n        has a permanent link \u2014 hover a heading and use the <strong>#<\/strong> to copy it,\n        so you can cite a clause exactly in correspondence.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <!-- ==================== PART ONE ==================== -->\n      <p class=\"gcas-hb__part\">Part One<\/p>\n      <h2 id=\"about-gcas\">About GCAS<\/h2>\n\n      <h3 id=\"welcome-and-overview\">Welcome and Overview<\/h3>\n      <p>It is our pleasure to introduce you to GCAS College Dublin, Ltd. \u2014 <em>The Graduate College<\/em>.<\/p>\n      <p>GCAS College is co-owned and operated by our Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and\n      likeminded supporters. We offer BA, MA, and PhD degrees online and, at times, in person.\n      We are committed to debt-free, high-quality education pursued in an ecologically,\n      collaboratively, and economically sustainable way.<\/p>\n      <p>We are committed to providing you with the resources necessary to support and\n      encourage your research. GCAS has one of the strongest faculties available in\n      philosophy, art performance, psychoanalysis, theology, politics, and related fields \u2014\n      but it remains for you to decide whether GCAS is the right fit for your own research\n      aims. All enrolled student-researchers are expected to understand and comply with this\n      Handbook. If you have questions, you may contact the Chancellor.<\/p>\n      <p>We teach primarily online, and hold residential seminars through the year in varying\n      locations. Seminars have been held in Havana, Berlin, Prague, Athens, Maribor, Paris,\n      New York, Cincinnati, Grand Rapids, Mexico City, and Bogot\u00e1, among others. We are\n      working towards establishing permanent teaching venues; this is a process and takes time.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"using-this-handbook\">Using This Handbook<\/h3>\n      <p>This is the GCAS College Handbook for enrolled student-researchers in the\n      Undergraduate and Graduate Colleges. You are expected to read and understand the\n      policies and regulations it contains. By virtue of being an enrolled student-researcher,\n      you agree to them.<\/p>\n      <p>This Handbook is revised periodically. You are expected to keep apprised of changes,\n      which are announced through the channels described under\n      <a href=\"#your-gcas-account\">Your GCAS Account<\/a>. Amendments are logged in the\n      Document History annex.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"philosophy-mission-and-values\">Philosophy, Mission and Values<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS&#8217;s mission is high-quality, debt-free education that provides the resources for\n      creative and new research not possible in a traditional university setting.<\/p>\n      <p>We believe education is inherently an intersubjective experience \u2014 one that requires\n      sharing ideas openly and proposing bold new lines of thinking and action in rigorous,\n      scientific ways. What is essential to our academic community is respect for fellow\n      researchers&#8217; different, and sometimes challenging, lines of thinking, performance, and\n      action. The heart of what we do is to establish and maintain an open, inclusive, and\n      challenging environment in which to develop ideas and research. At no time should\n      differences be resolved by physical or violent means, but through open and respectful\n      dialogue.<\/p>\n      <p>GCAS provides an alternative to traditional academia. The traditional model is\n      premised on student debt, profit-making, and research that too often fails to address\n      the most vexing issues confronting our planet&#8217;s survivability and human flourishing. We\n      believe a researcher has a responsibility to the public good through rigorous and\n      honest work.<\/p>\n      <p>Fuller statements are maintained at\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/why-gcas\/our-philosophy\">our philosophy<\/a> and\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/mission-vision-values\">mission, vision and values<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"accreditation\">Accreditation<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS offers EU-accredited degree programmes through our partnership with\n      <strong>Woolf<\/strong>. GCAS College Dublin is not itself an accredited awarding body;\n      accreditation attaches to the programmes, and is conferred through Woolf. The following\n      programmes are offered on that basis:<\/p>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/bachelor-of-arts\">BA in Interdisciplinary Studies<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-arts-philosophy\">MA in Philosophy<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-arts-psychoanalysis\">MA in Psychoanalysis<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-arts-theology\">MA in Theology<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-arts-politics\">MA in Politics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-business-administration\">Master of Business Administration<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-laws\/\">Master of Laws (LL.M.)<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/phd-humanities-social-sciences\">PhD in the Humanities and Social Sciences<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/phd-natural-sciences\">PhD in the Natural Sciences<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <p>This is the only place in the Handbook where accreditation status is stated. Other\n      sections cross-reference it rather than restating it.<\/p>\n      <p>Since 2013, GCAS has taught student-researchers from around the world in\n      non-accredited seminars. We advise applicants to check with their country&#8217;s Ministry or\n      Department of Education as to how a qualification from GCAS College Dublin, or from\n      GCAS\/Woolf, would be recognised in their jurisdiction.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"governance-and-leadership\">Governance and Leadership<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS College is owned and operated by faculty, staff, likeminded investors, and\n      graduates of GCAS College. Governance is carried out through:<\/p>\n      <ul>\n        <li>The Board of Trustees<\/li>\n        <li>The Academic Council<\/li>\n        <li>The Quality Assurance Commission<\/li>\n        <li>The Ethics Committee<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <p>Current membership is listed at <a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/team\">gcas.ie\/team<\/a> and\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/gcas.ie\/board-of-trustees\">gcas.ie\/board-of-trustees<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"faculty\">Faculty<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS College Dublin was founded by ten faculty members together with the Board of\n      Trustees. GCAS College is owned by its faculty and graduates, who share ownership\n      together. This model is designed to ensure that the modes of educational production \u2014\n      teaching, research, curriculum design, governance, and publishing \u2014 are controlled by\n      the faculty and likeminded supporters.<\/p>\n      <p>When you are accepted into the College you will be trained and supported by faculty\n      and staff, with the intention of inviting you into the ownership community of GCAS\n      College Dublin once you graduate. Graduates are given the opportunity to procure stock\n      shares in GCAS College; a lodgement fee applies, described under Share Lodgement Fee in\n      Part Five.<\/p>\n      <p>The faculty and affiliates are listed at\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/faculty\">gcas.ie\/faculty<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"nomadic-learning\">Nomadic Learning and Residential Seminars<\/h3>\n      <p><em>The world is our classroom.<\/em><\/p>\n      <p>From the first inception of The Global Centre for Advanced Studies we have created\n      new spaces of learning and applied creative, critical thinking within them. We have\n      occupied dozens of spaces around the world \u2014 from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, to a\n      museum in Berlin, to <em>The Brooklyn Commons<\/em> in New York City, to <em>The Martin\n      Luther King, Jr Centre<\/em> in Havana. It is our fundamental belief that thinking and\n      action are grounded in geography, and in local efforts to seek truth in research.<\/p>\n      <p>GCAS College Dublin continues to expand this nomadic strategy between the global and\n      the local, the actual and the virtual: between Dublin and other places around the world.<\/p>\n      <p>When you enrol as a GCAS researcher in a degree programme you have full access to all\n      our global and local seminars, and we encourage you to participate in and to organise\n      such events. We provide these seminars to the public, live and interactively, so far as\n      our resources allow.<\/p>\n      <h4>Residential expectations<\/h4>\n      <p>GCAS College Dublin intends to establish a campus presence in future, beginning\n      modestly. At present all courses and meetings are held online unless otherwise stated.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"institutes-and-conferences\">Annual Institutes and Conferences<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS is committed to providing the public with intellectually rich and accurate\n      information through the presentation of research findings. To this end we organise and\n      host annual Summer Institutes and Conferences on significant topics.<\/p>\n      <p>A list of past Institutes and Conferences is maintained in the annexes. Attendance at\n      in-person events carries obligations set out under\n      <a href=\"#events-and-liabilities\">In-Person Events: Assumption of Risk<\/a> in Part Six.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"magazine-and-journal\">Magazine and Journal<\/h3>\n      <p>We publish an online magazine and peer-reviewed academic journal,\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/gcasreview.com\"><em>The GCAS Review<\/em><\/a>. So far as we are aware, it\n      is the first journal of its kind to be run on a crypto-ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n      <!-- ==================== PART TWO ==================== -->\n      <p class=\"gcas-hb__part\">Part Two<\/p>\n      <h2 id=\"admission\">Admission<\/h2>\n\n      <h3 id=\"applying-to-gcas\">Applying to GCAS<\/h3>\n      <p><strong>Read before you apply.<\/strong><\/p>\n      <p>GCAS offers EU-accredited degree programmes through our partnership with Woolf; the\n      full list is given under <a href=\"#accreditation\">Accreditation<\/a>. Applicants should check with their own\n      country&#8217;s education authority as to how a GCAS or GCAS\/Woolf qualification is recognised\n      there, as recognition of EU qualifications varies by jurisdiction.<\/p>\n      <p>To be considered for admission you must complete the application process, which\n      unfolds in two phases. Details of both phases are given on the webpage for each degree\n      programme, linked under <a href=\"#accreditation\">Accreditation<\/a> above.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>There is no application fee.<\/strong> This is deliberate, and part of our\n      commitment to genuinely accessible education.<\/p>\n      <p>Our programmes are rigorous, and applicants must possess the qualifications to be\n      considered. Our researchers come from institutions including Johns Hopkins, Columbia,\n      the London School of Economics, Swarthmore, Yale, New York University, Cambridge,\n      Oxford, and Case Western Reserve. But as a college challenging traditional academia, we\n      also attract applicants who bring diverse backgrounds, experience, and fresh\n      perspectives to the work. If you are passionate about learning new research skills and\n      want to help reshape the future of learning, we invite you to apply.<\/p>\n      <p>Tuition and the financial aid available against it are set out in the Fee Schedule\n      annex.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"application-review\">Application Review<\/h3>\n      <p>All applications are reviewed by our Admissions Committee, chaired by a member of the\n      GCAS faculty. Acceptance is highly selective across all degree programmes.<\/p>\n      <p>Part of our assessment is whether GCAS has the capacity and resources to fully\n      support the applicant&#8217;s proposed research. An application may be declined on that ground\n      alone.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"english-language-requirements\">English Language Requirements<\/h3>\n      <p>Applicants whose first language is not English, and who come from a country in which\n      English is not the predominant spoken or written language, must demonstrate proficiency\n      in English by <strong>one<\/strong> of the following.<\/p>\n      <h4>By education or work experience<\/h4>\n      <ul>\n        <li>Completion of at least one year of education in a country GCAS considers\n        predominantly English-speaking, within the eighteen months before applying; or<\/li>\n        <li>At least eighteen months&#8217; work experience in a country GCAS considers\n        predominantly English-speaking, within the eighteen months before applying; or<\/li>\n        <li>Award of a degree, taught in English, from an accredited institution of higher\n        education.<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <h4>By examination<\/h4>\n      <p>Results must be certified and dated no more than twenty-four months before application.<\/p>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Qualification<\/th><th>Minimum<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>IELTS<\/td><td>6.5 overall<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>TOEFL iBT<\/td><td>88<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>TOEFL paper-based<\/td><td>570<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>TOEFL computer-based<\/td><td>230<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Cambridge Proficiency Certificate<\/td><td>Grade C or better (CEFR C1\/C2)<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Cambridge Advanced Certificate<\/td><td>Grade C or better (CEFR C1\/C2)<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Pearson PTE Academic<\/td><td>63 overall, no section below 59<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n      <p>Applicants may still be required to demonstrate English language proficiency in some\n      circumstances, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.<\/p>\n      <p>For details of these examinations, contact the awarding organisation directly:\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ets.org\/toefl\">ETS\/TOEFL<\/a> \u00b7\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ielts.org\">IELTS<\/a> \u00b7\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cambridgeesol.org\/exams\">Cambridge<\/a> \u00b7\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcd.ie\/slscs\/english\/pmpp.php\">Trinity College Dublin<\/a><\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"visa-requirements\">Visa Requirements<\/h3>\n      <p>The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Irish government is the granting authority\n      for visas to citizens of countries whose nationals plan to travel to Ireland.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>GCAS College Dublin does not take part in the processing or granting of\n      visas, and you should not expect visa sponsorship from GCAS.<\/strong> Our courses are\n      delivered online and in low-residency formats, and our programmes are not designed to\n      support a study visa.<\/p>\n      <p>For information on student visas, consult the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration\n      Service directly at\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.inis.gov.ie\/en\/INIS\/Pages\/Students\">inis.gov.ie<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"transferring-credit\">Transferring Into and From GCAS<\/h3>\n      <p>Because of the way our curriculum is designed, student-researchers transferring into\n      the Graduate College from another institution may transfer previously awarded credit,\n      provided that the awarding institution is accredited and the transfer is authorised by\n      the Chancellor.<\/p>\n      <p>To apply for transfer credit, raise a request through the support portal in your GCAS\n      account, or contact the <a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/admissions\">Admissions Office<\/a> if you\n      have not yet been admitted.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"credit-recognition\">Credit Recognition for Prior Learning<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS recognises alternative learning experiences \u2014 including employment and other\n      relevant experience \u2014 and may grant credit for them where documentation is provided.<\/p>\n      <p>To apply for recognition of prior learning, raise a request through the support\n      portal, or contact the <a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/admissions\">Admissions Office<\/a> if you\n      have not yet been admitted.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"dual-enrolment\">Dual Enrolment<\/h3>\n      <p>It is not the normal practice of GCAS College Dublin to accept a student-researcher\n      who is concurrently enrolled at another university or institution of higher education.\n      In exceptional cases, an applicant may request that the Admissions Committee consider\n      acceptance as a <strong>dual-enrolled<\/strong> student-researcher.<\/p>\n      <p>To request dual enrolment, raise a request through the support portal in your GCAS\n      account.<\/p>\n      <p>Dual-enrolled student-researchers must comply with all of the following:<\/p>\n      <ol>\n        <li><strong>Disclosure of the other enrolment.<\/strong> You must disclose the full\n        details of your enrolment at the other institution, including its name, the programme,\n        whether you are enrolled full-time or part-time, and your expected graduation date.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Disclosure of the other thesis or dissertation.<\/strong> You must disclose\n        your thesis, dissertation, or equivalent at the other institution to your assigned GCAS\n        Supervisor and committee. This assures quality and prevents the same research and\n        writing being rewarded twice.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Ongoing disclosure.<\/strong> You must disclose research in progress at the\n        other institution to your Supervisor as it develops, on the same basis.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Distinctness.<\/strong> Your research at GCAS must be distinct from your\n        research at the other institution.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Limited reuse, with citation.<\/strong> You may creatively reuse\n        <strong>up to 20%<\/strong> of research content produced at the other institution,\n        <strong>provided that the reused work is properly cited or otherwise\n        acknowledged.<\/strong> Reuse beyond 20%, or reuse without acknowledgement, is treated\n        under the Plagiarism policy in Part Three.<\/li>\n      <\/ol>\n      <p>Failure to comply with any of the above may result in withdrawal of dual-enrolment\n      status and referral under Discipline and Suspected Violations in Part Three.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"re-applying\">Re-Applying and Re-Matriculation<\/h3>\n      <p>Which route applies depends on how you left.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>If you are returning from an approved Leave of Absence,<\/strong> you do not\n      reapply. Notify the Registrar through the support portal when you are ready to resume.\n      See <a href=\"#leave-of-absence\">Leave of Absence and Pause in Studies<\/a>.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>If you discontinued your studies without a Leave of Absence,<\/strong> you may\n      apply to re-matriculate. Raise a request through the support portal. Your request will be\n      reviewed and the decision communicated to you in good time.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>If you left the programme entirely,<\/strong> you may reapply. Reapplication\n      does not guarantee acceptance. Should you be readmitted, your previous work may or may\n      not be accepted: the Chancellor, in consultation with your previous and current\n      Supervisors, determines how much of your earlier work carries forward, if any.<\/p>\n\n      <!-- ==================== PART THREE ==================== -->\n      <p class=\"gcas-hb__part\">Part Three<\/p>\n      <h2 id=\"academic-policies\">Academic Policies<\/h2>\n\n      <h3 id=\"your-gcas-account\">Your GCAS Account<\/h3>\n      <p>All GCAS student-researchers must create a GCAS account on admission, at\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/student-register\/\">gcas.ie\/student-register<\/a>. Your GCAS\n      account and the email address you have registered with GCAS are the two official\n      channels of communication between you and the College.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>You are required to check both your registered email address and your GCAS\n      account at least once a week for the duration of your residence.<\/strong> Notices sent to\n      either are considered delivered whether or not you have opened them. Supervision\n      arrangements, submission deadlines, fee notices, committee decisions, and changes to this\n      Handbook are all communicated this way. Not having checked is not grounds for an\n      extension, an appeal, or the reversal of a decision.<\/p>\n      <p>It is your responsibility to keep your registered email address current. If it\n      changes, update it through the support portal.<\/p>\n      <h4 id=\"support-requests\">Support and help requests<\/h4>\n      <p>Questions about administration, enrolment, fees, technical access, leave of absence,\n      records, or any other non-academic matter should be raised through <strong>the support\n      portal in your GCAS account<\/strong>, not by direct email to individual members of staff.<\/p>\n      <p>The portal exists so that your request is logged, routed to the right person, and\n      answered even if the colleague you would otherwise have emailed is travelling or on\n      leave. It also gives you a record of what you asked and what you were told, which\n      protects you as much as it does the College.<\/p>\n      <p>Academic questions \u2014 about your research, your reading, your thesis or dissertation \u2014\n      should go to your Supervisor directly, not through the portal.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"academic-integrity\">Academic Integrity<\/h3>\n      <p>Academic integrity is the condition of everything else GCAS does. Our degrees carry\n      weight because the work behind them is genuinely the work of the person who submitted it.<\/p>\n      <p>This section covers two related obligations: <a href=\"#plagiarism\">Plagiarism<\/a> and\n      the <a href=\"#ai-policy\">Use of Generative AI in Research and Writing<\/a>. Both are\n      enforced under Discipline and Suspected Violations.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"plagiarism\">Plagiarism<\/h3>\n      <p>Plagiarism is the act of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of\n      another author without authorisation, or presenting that author&#8217;s work as your own \u2014 for\n      instance by failing to credit the original author.<\/p>\n      <p>GCAS is fundamentally a place where bold new research is encouraged, and where new\n      paradigms of thinking are developed and distributed. Plagiarism is an act of\n      <em>unthinking<\/em>: a form of intellectual dishonesty, and the opposite of committing\n      yourself boldly to new insights, methods, and ideas.<\/p>\n      <p>GCAS condemns any act of plagiarism, with one narrow exception: where the act is\n      demonstrably artistic or performative in intent. In that case a GCAS faculty member must be\n      informed of the intent, and the project must be approved <strong>before<\/strong>\n      submission.<\/p>\n      <p>Intellectual honesty and creativity are expected of everyone here.<\/p>\n      <p>Reuse of your own earlier work is governed by <a href=\"#dual-enrolment\">Dual\n      Enrolment<\/a> where it originates at another institution. Violations proceed under\n      <a href=\"#discipline\">Discipline and Suspected Violations<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"ai-policy\">Use of Generative AI in Research and Writing<\/h3>\n      <p>Generative AI tools are now part of the ordinary working environment of research. GCAS\n      neither prohibits them nor treats their use as a matter of suspicion. What GCAS requires\n      is <strong>transparency<\/strong>: that a student-researcher can account for how their\n      work came to be written, and that the intellectual work the degree certifies is\n      demonstrably their own.<\/p>\n      <p>This policy covers any generative or large-language-model tool used at any stage of a\n      GCAS programme: conception, literature searching, drafting, revision, translation,\n      editing, formatting, or the production of figures and tables. It applies to coursework,\n      to theses and dissertations, to any other work submitted for assessment, and to\n      publications arising from the degree.<\/p>\n      <p>GCAS confers degrees in partnership with Woolf. This policy operates\n      alongside Woolf&#8217;s academic integrity requirements. Where the two differ, the stricter\n      requirement applies; where they conflict, Woolf governs.<\/p>\n      <div class=\"gcas-hb__note\">\n        <p><strong>Authorship cannot be delegated.<\/strong> A generative AI system is not an\n        author, a co-author, a collaborator, or a source. It cannot be credited, and it cannot\n        bear responsibility. You are fully and personally responsible for every claim,\n        citation, translation, and word in your submitted work, however it was produced.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <h4>Uses that do not require declaration<\/h4>\n      <p>Some tools assist the mechanics of writing without contributing to its substance.\n      These belong to the same class as a dictionary, a spellchecker, or a reference manager,\n      and need not be declared:<\/p>\n      <ul>\n        <li>spelling, grammar, and punctuation checking;<\/li>\n        <li>reference formatting and conversion between citation styles;<\/li>\n        <li>searching for and discovering sources, which you then locate and read yourself;<\/li>\n        <li>transcription of your own recordings, interviews, or handwritten notes;<\/li>\n        <li>translation that you have personally verified against the source;<\/li>\n        <li>accessibility support, including dictation, screen readers, and text-to-speech.<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <p>If you are unsure whether a use falls here or below, declare it. Over-declaring\n      carries no penalty.<\/p>\n\n      <h4>Uses that must be declared<\/h4>\n      <p>Where a tool has contributed to the substance or the expression of your work, that use\n      must be declared. This includes:<\/p>\n      <ul>\n        <li>generating a first draft of any passage, however heavily you revised it afterwards;<\/li>\n        <li>rewriting, rephrasing, or restructuring your own prose;<\/li>\n        <li>summarising or paraphrasing sources;<\/li>\n        <li>generating an outline beyond a blank structural template;<\/li>\n        <li>generating a literature review or bibliography;<\/li>\n        <li>producing or refining figures, tables, or code used in your analysis;<\/li>\n        <li>generating arguments or counter-arguments that entered the work.<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <p><strong>Declared use is permitted use.<\/strong> Declaration is not an admission of\n      wrongdoing and carries no penalty in itself. The declaration exists so that your\n      examiners understand how the work was made \u2014 not so that anyone can be caught.<\/p>\n\n      <h4>Uses that are not permitted<\/h4>\n      <ul>\n        <li><strong>Undeclared substantive use.<\/strong> Submitting work that relied on any\n        declarable use without declaring it. The failure is the concealment, not the tool.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Unverified citation.<\/strong> Every reference in your work must correspond\n        to a source you have located and read. A fabricated or unchecked citation is a\n        research-integrity matter regardless of how it entered the document. This is the most\n        common and most serious failure mode associated with generative tools.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Delegating the capacity under assessment.<\/strong> Where an assessment\n        exists to test a specific capacity \u2014 language proficiency, translation, close reading \u2014\n        using a tool to perform that capacity defeats the assessment, whether declared or not.\n        Your Supervisor will tell you where this applies.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Entering confidential or personal data into a tool.<\/strong> Do not input\n        unpublished work belonging to others, personal data about research participants, or\n        confidential institutional material into a generative AI service. See Data Protection\n        and Retention in Part Six.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Presenting AI output as a source.<\/strong> An AI system is not evidence and\n        cannot be cited as an authority.<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n\n      <h4>How compliance is established<\/h4>\n      <p><strong>The examination is the primary instrument.<\/strong> A student-researcher who\n      has done the work can discuss it \u2014 can say why a source was chosen and another set aside,\n      can reconstruct an argument from its premises, can identify the weakest point in their\n      own work. Examiners and supervisors are expected to satisfy themselves on this basis, as\n      they always have.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>GCAS does not use AI-detection software as evidence.<\/strong> These tools\n      produce false positives at rates that make them unfit for consequential decisions, and\n      they misclassify most often the writing of multilingual student-researchers and those\n      writing formal academic English as an additional language. No adverse finding will be\n      made against a student-researcher on the basis of a detector output.<\/p>\n\n      <h4>Where a concern arises<\/h4>\n      <ol>\n        <li>The Supervisor raises the matter with the student-researcher directly and in\n        confidence, and invites explanation.<\/li>\n        <li>The student-researcher may amend or supplement their declaration at any point\n        before the award is conferred. Amendment in good faith is not itself a breach.<\/li>\n        <li>Where a concern is unresolved, it proceeds under the GCAS academic integrity\n        procedure, with the burden resting on GCAS.<\/li>\n        <li>Findings are made on the substance of the work and the student-researcher&#8217;s ability\n        to account for it \u2014 never on stylistic impression or software output alone.<\/li>\n      <\/ol>\n\n      <h4>Supervisors<\/h4>\n      <p>Supervisors should raise AI use early and treat it as an ordinary matter of research\n      practice rather than a compliance ritual. Where a supervisor uses AI tools in preparing\n      feedback, they should say so.<\/p>\n\n      <div class=\"gcas-hb__declaration\">\n        <h4 style=\"margin-top:0\">Declaration on the Use of Generative AI<\/h4>\n        <p><em>To be completed and submitted with the work. One form per submission.<\/em><\/p>\n        <p>Name: <span class=\"gcas-hb__fill\"><\/span><br>\n        Title of work: <span class=\"gcas-hb__fill\"><\/span><br>\n        Degree \/ programme: <span class=\"gcas-hb__fill\"><\/span> Date: <span class=\"gcas-hb__fill\"><\/span><\/p>\n        <p><strong>Section A \u2014 Statement.<\/strong> Please select one:<\/p>\n        <ul>\n          <li>\u2610 <strong>A1.<\/strong> I did not use generative AI tools at any stage in the\n          preparation of this work.<\/li>\n          <li>\u2610 <strong>A2.<\/strong> I used generative AI tools only for purposes that do not\n          require declaration (spelling and grammar, reference formatting, search,\n          transcription, translation I have verified, or accessibility support).<\/li>\n          <li>\u2610 <strong>A3.<\/strong> I used generative AI tools for one or more purposes that\n          must be declared. Details are given in Section B.<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n        <p><strong>Section B \u2014 Details<\/strong> <em>(complete if A3 selected)<\/em><\/p>\n        <table>\n          <thead><tr><th>Tool(s) used<\/th><th>Stage \/ section<\/th><th>What the tool did<\/th><th>What I did with the output<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n          <tbody><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td><\/td><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td><\/td><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody>\n        <\/table>\n        <p><em>Describe the actual use \u2014 &#8220;assisted with drafting&#8221; is not sufficient; &#8220;generated\n        a first draft of \u00a73.2, which I then rewrote and checked against the sources&#8221; is.<\/em><\/p>\n        <p><strong>Section C \u2014 Affirmation.<\/strong> I confirm that the intellectual work in\n        this submission is my own, that I can account for how it was produced, and that every\n        source cited is one I have located and read. I have read and comply with the GCAS\n        Policy on the Use of Generative AI in Research and Writing.<\/p>\n        <p>Signature: <span class=\"gcas-hb__fill\"><\/span> Date: <span class=\"gcas-hb__fill\"><\/span><\/p>\n        <p><em>For completion by the Supervisor where the work is a thesis or dissertation:<\/em><br>\n        Supervisor: <span class=\"gcas-hb__fill\"><\/span> Date: <span class=\"gcas-hb__fill\"><\/span><br>\n        \u2610 I have discussed AI use with this student-researcher and am satisfied with the\n        declaration made.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <h3 id=\"cannot-engage\">Notifying the Registrar When You Cannot Engage<\/h3>\n      <p>Research is not always continuous. Illness, caring responsibilities, bereavement, and\n      other circumstances may make it impossible to engage with your studies for a period.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>If you are unable to engage with your supervision, seminars, or research,\n      notify the Registrar through the support portal in your GCAS account.<\/strong> You do not\n      need to give a diagnosis, and you do not need to supply medical documentation. A brief\n      statement of the period affected is enough.<\/p>\n      <p>Telling us protects you. It allows your Supervisor to adjust expectations rather than\n      wonder, it prevents deadlines passing unexplained, and it creates a record you can point\n      to later if an extension or a mitigating circumstance needs to be considered. A period of\n      non-engagement that was notified is a very different matter from one that was not.<\/p>\n      <p>Where an interruption is likely to be extended, see\n      <a href=\"#leave-of-absence\">Leave of Absence and Pause in Studies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"leave-of-absence\">Leave of Absence and Pause in Studies<\/h3>\n      <p>A student-researcher who wishes to take a leave of absence must notify the Registrar\n      through the support portal in their GCAS account. An administrative fee of 250\u20ac applies.<\/p>\n      <p>You may take up to two leaves of absence during your studies, and the total must not\n      exceed two years. Where two leaves together exceed two years, you will be removed from\n      the programme.<\/p>\n      <p>To return, see <a href=\"#re-applying\">Re-Applying and Re-Matriculation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"academic-supervision\">Academic Supervision<\/h3>\n      <p>All student-researchers are assigned an Academic Supervisor on entry. Your\n      Supervisor ensures that you understand the academic expectations and policies of your\n      programme, beginning at first-year orientation or your first supervision meeting.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>You should meet your Supervisor at least once a month.<\/strong> Meetings are\n      held in person or over the GCAS Zoom platform.<\/p>\n      <p>Where you fail to attend required monthly supervision, credit may be withheld. Where\n      your Supervisor cannot reach you, a penalty may apply, including a fee \u2014 supervision\n      time is reserved for you, and we ask you to respect it as your Supervisor respects\n      yours.<\/p>\n      <h4 id=\"changing-supervisors\">Changing your Supervisor<\/h4>\n      <p>After your first term you may wish to change Supervisor. Raise a request through the\n      support portal. You will be informed of your new Academic Supervisor.<\/p>\n      <h4 id=\"external-supervisors\">Supervisors from outside GCAS<\/h4>\n      <p>You may work with a qualified expert from outside GCAS who agrees to our terms of\n      supervision. This must be arranged in advance through the Chancellor. Where an external\n      supervisor requires funding beyond the standard GCAS supervision budget, the arrangement\n      and any cost are agreed with you in advance.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"participation-and-expectations\">Participation and Expectations<\/h3>\n      <p>As a student-researcher in the BA, MA, or PhD programmes you are a member of a\n      demanding academic community.<\/p>\n      <p>Where a student-researcher does not live up to that standard \u2014 through dishonesty,\n      cheating, or conduct that harms others inside or outside our community \u2014 they will be\n      warned about the behaviour and its effect on others. Where warnings do not end the\n      behaviour, the matter proceeds under\n      <a href=\"#discipline\">Discipline and Suspected Violations<\/a>.<\/p>\n      <h4>Acceptance and matriculation<\/h4>\n      <p>Applicants selected by the Admissions Committee receive an official acceptance letter.\n      Accepting its terms secures your place in the next cohort. <strong>You are fully\n      matriculated only once all documentation, including official transcripts, has been\n      received.<\/strong><\/p>\n      <p>A student-researcher who accepts an offer is expected to complete both their academic\n      and their financial obligations. Failure to do so affects the whole cooperative model on\n      which GCAS runs.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"technical-requirements\">Internet and Technical Requirements<\/h3>\n      <p>To study at GCAS you must have adequate internet access and suitable hardware \u2014 a\n      computer, or a smartphone capable of sustained video participation.<\/p>\n      <p>You demonstrate this at application by uploading a screenshot of a completed speed\n      test. The minimum is <strong>2 Mbps download and 128 kbps upload<\/strong>.<\/p>\n      <p>You alone are responsible for maintaining that connection for the duration of your\n      studies. Where a connection is too weak for supervision meetings or seminars to proceed\n      normally, you will need to resolve it in order to progress through the programme in good\n      time.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"grading\">Grading<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS grades on a scale of <strong>1 to 10<\/strong>, with 10 the highest grade\n      achievable.<\/p>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Grade<\/th><th>Meaning<\/th><th>Retake<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>10<\/td><td>Highest grade achievable<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>9<\/td><td>Excellent<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>8<\/td><td>Very good<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>7<\/td><td>Good<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>6<\/td><td>Passable<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>5<\/td><td>Failure<\/td><td>May retake the course<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>4<\/td><td>Failure<\/td><td>May retake the course<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>3<\/td><td>Failure<\/td><td>May not retake<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>2<\/td><td>Failure<\/td><td>May not retake<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>1<\/td><td>Failure<\/td><td>May not retake<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n      <p>The MCE and the thesis and dissertation defenses are graded separately; see\n      <a href=\"#ma-programmes\">Master of Arts Programmes<\/a> and <a href=\"#phd\">Doctor of\n      Philosophy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"withdrawing\">Withdrawing from a Course<\/h3>\n      <p>You may withdraw from a course at any time, but the timing determines the\n      consequences. You are responsible for understanding both before you withdraw.<\/p>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>If you withdraw<\/th><th>Tuition<\/th><th>Grade and credit<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>Before the 2nd class meeting<\/td><td>No consequence<\/td><td>No grade, no credit<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Before the 4th class meeting<\/td><td>50% of tuition recoverable<\/td><td>No grade, no credit<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Before the 5th class meeting<\/td><td>No tuition recoverable<\/td><td>No grade, no credit<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>From the 6th class meeting<\/td><td>No tuition recoverable<\/td><td>A grade is recorded<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n\n      <h3 id=\"discipline\">Discipline and Suspected Violations<\/h3>\n      <p>All GCAS student-researchers are expected to conduct themselves respectfully and\n      professionally at all times \u2014 in seminars, outside them, and at events.<\/p>\n      <p>There are two kinds of infraction: <strong>violation of policy<\/strong>, covered here,\n      and <strong>bullying and harassment<\/strong>, covered in Part Six.<\/p>\n      <h4>Disciplinary actions available<\/h4>\n      <ul>\n        <li>Official reprimand<\/li>\n        <li>Academic probation<\/li>\n        <li>Temporary suspension<\/li>\n        <li>Forced leave of absence<\/li>\n        <li>Suspension for one year<\/li>\n        <li>Termination<\/li>\n        <li>Termination without the privilege of reapplying<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <h4>Procedure<\/h4>\n      <p>Where you are suspected of violating a GCAS policy, you will be formally notified by\n      the Dean of Student Affairs by email. Where the suspected violation is serious enough to\n      warrant a formal hearing, you will be told.<\/p>\n      <p>You may admit the violation in writing. The Dean of Student Affairs will then notify\n      you of any disciplinary action. Admitting a violation is weighed in deciding what action\n      follows.<\/p>\n      <p>Where you maintain that you did not commit the violation, you have a fair opportunity\n      to defend yourself at an Ethics Committee hearing.<\/p>\n      <h4>The hearing<\/h4>\n      <p>The Ethics Committee, which sits within the Academic Council, oversees the hearing.\n      Both the accuser and the accused have a fair opportunity to present evidence. Once the\n      evidence has been presented and you have had time to answer every claim, the Committee\n      assesses the matter and makes a judgement, recommending a disciplinary action where one\n      is required.<\/p>\n      <h4>Appeal<\/h4>\n      <p>You may appeal the Committee&#8217;s judgement, and may make representations about the\n      recommended action. On appeal, the Vice-Chancellor or Chancellor weighs the evidence and\n      the Committee&#8217;s judgement and rules on both the violation and the recommended action.\n      <strong>That judgement is final.<\/strong><\/p>\n      <p>The full complaints and grievance procedure is set out in the\n      <a href=\"#annex-complaints\">Complaints and Grievance Procedure<\/a> annex.\n\n      <!-- ==================== PARTS FOUR TO SIX ==================== -->\n      <p class=\"gcas-hb__part\">Part Four<\/p>\n      <h2 id=\"programmes\">Programmes<\/h2>\n      <h3 id=\"programmes-overview\">Overview of Degree Programmes<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS offers degrees at Bachelor, Master&#8217;s, and Doctoral level. Each programme has a\n      Director:<\/p>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/bachelor-of-arts\">BA in Interdisciplinary Studies<\/a> \u2014 Mario D&#8217;Amato<\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-arts-philosophy\">MA in Philosophy<\/a> \u2014 Creston Davis, PhD<\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-arts-psychoanalysis\">MA in Psychoanalysis<\/a> \u2014 Florian Kleinau, PhD<\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-arts-politics\">MA in Politics<\/a> \u2014 Francisco Gonzalez, PhD<\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-arts-theology\">MA in Theology<\/a> \u2014 Barry Taylor, PhD<\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-business-administration\">Master of Business Administration<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/master-of-laws\/\">Master of Laws (LL.M.)<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/phd-humanities-social-sciences\">PhD in the Humanities and Social Sciences<\/a> \u2014 Creston Davis, PhD<\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/phd-natural-sciences\">PhD in the Natural Sciences<\/a> \u2014 Fernando Tohm\u00e9, PhD<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <p>The GCAS academic year runs from October to September. Your own academic year begins\n      on the first day of the month in which you are offered admission; see\n      <a href=\"#academic-year\">The Academic Year<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"ba-is\">Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies<\/h3>\n      <p>Details of the BA-IS programme are maintained at\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/gcas.ie\/bachelor-of-arts\">gcas.ie\/bachelor-of-arts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"ma-programmes\">Master of Arts Programmes<\/h3>\n      <p>The MA programmes combine coursework and research and run from one to two years. You\n      are required to complete <strong>90 ECTS credits<\/strong>, comprising coursework, monthly\n      supervision, and MA thesis peer mentor hours.<\/p>\n      <p>The one-year MA is an intense year of coursework and research. Coursework requirements\n      differ slightly between programmes, and you are expected to become familiar with the\n      requirements of the programme you are applying to. You should begin work on your thesis\n      as early as possible; each programme provides designated research time through guided and\n      independent study, for which credit is earned.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"guided-research\">Supervised Guided Research and Independent Study<\/h3>\n      <p>The core of the programme is guided, supervised individual research with a GCAS\n      faculty member or an approved external expert.<\/p>\n      <p>You must meet your Academic Supervisor at least once a month. At the start of your\n      studies your Supervisor is the Programme Director unless the Chancellor specifies\n      otherwise. In supervision you share your work through the GCAS research platform, where\n      findings can be refined and articulated precisely.<\/p>\n      <p>You are encouraged but not required to take one independent study in place of one of\n      the ten required courses. Only one is permitted. It carries a fee (see the Fee Schedule)\n      and gives you time to transition towards the thesis. Requirements match those of a single\n      course \u2014 two short journal entries of about 400 words, a ten-minute recorded presentation\n      uploaded to Canvas, and a polished essay of about 1,500 words \u2014 unless your Supervisor\n      sets different requirements.<\/p>\n      <p>It is advisable to complete eight or nine of the required courses before agreeing your\n      thesis supervisor with the Programme Director. Once coursework is complete you have two\n      months working with your supervisor, drafting until the thesis is defendable. Once your\n      Supervisor or Programme Director judges it defendable, you compose your Thesis Defense\n      Committee, which must include at least one GCAS core faculty member alongside your\n      supervisor.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"mce\">The Masters Comprehensive Examination<\/h3>\n      <p>Every MA student-researcher must pass the MCE to graduate. It is a <strong>four-hour\n      written examination<\/strong>, open book \u2014 you may use books, articles, and any other\n      material you think will help.<\/p>\n      <p>The MCE must be proctored by a GCAS faculty member or a proctor approved by the\n      Chancellor. It consists of one or two questions on the research topic you are actively\n      working on, answered within the four-hour window.<\/p>\n      <p>To schedule your MCE, raise a request through the support portal.<\/p>\n      <p>Once the window closes the document is closed. Two GCAS faculty members grade the\n      examination, with an external professor where required. The result is\n      <strong>Pass<\/strong> or <strong>Fail<\/strong>. If you fail, you may retake after 30 days.\n      If you fail the retake, you will be removed from the programme.<\/p>\n      <p>You may appeal the result of the retake only. The appeal is considered by a\n      sub-committee of three GCAS faculty appointed by the Academic Council, whose judgement is\n      final.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"ma-thesis-format\">MA Thesis Requirements and Format<\/h3>\n      <p>The MA thesis runs between <strong>20,000 and 40,000 words<\/strong> excluding\n      bibliography and appendices, and must not exceed 50,000 words. Footnotes and citations\n      should not normally exceed 20% of the thesis.<\/p>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Element<\/th><th>Requirement<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>Margins<\/td><td>1 inch, all sides<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Font<\/td><td>Times New Roman, 12pt<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Spacing<\/td><td>Double<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Citation style<\/td><td>Chicago, MLA, or APA \u2014 consistent throughout<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n      <p>Your submission must include the AI declaration described under\n      <a href=\"#ai-policy\">Use of Generative AI in Research and Writing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"ma-thesis-defense\">MA Thesis Defense<\/h3>\n      <p>You must submit a draft at least two weeks before the scheduled defense. Where the\n      draft is not sufficient, your Supervisor will recommend postponing.<\/p>\n      <p>The defense lasts about one hour: five minutes for your introduction to the Committee,\n      ten minutes for you to summarise the thesis, twenty minutes of examination, five minutes\n      for you to sum up, fifteen minutes for the Committee to deliberate in private, and five\n      minutes for the grade to be announced.<\/p>\n      <p>The Committee may return: Pass with Distinction \u00b7 Pass without Revision \u00b7 Pass with\n      Minor Revisions \u00b7 Pass with Major Revisions \u00b7 Fail (may redefend) \u00b7 Fail (no further\n      options).<\/p>\n      <p><strong>The Committee&#8217;s judgement cannot be appealed.<\/strong> Where you fail, you may\n      schedule another defense no sooner than 365 days after the original.<\/p>\n      <p>Where revisions are required, you have up to 180 days to address them and resubmit. If\n      the revisions are found wanting, you have a further 180 days to remedy them. If the second\n      resubmission still does not meet the standard, you fail the defense and may schedule\n      another no sooner than 365 days later.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"phd\">Doctor of Philosophy<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS offers two EU-accredited doctoral programmes through our partnership with Woolf:\n      the Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Natural Sciences.<\/p>\n      <p>Both are <strong>research-based<\/strong>. There is one required course per year,\n      <em>Methodologies and Research Techniques<\/em>, which meets four times annually \u2014\n      typically in October, November, February, and March \u2014 and attendance is required.<\/p>\n      <p>The PhD is <strong>three years<\/strong> in length. Year one is devoted to research\n      design and methodology, a thorough literature review, identification of the research gap\n      and its problematics, and the evidence supporting a tentative hypothesis. In year two you\n      are promoted to <strong>PhD Candidate<\/strong> and assigned a supervisor who is an expert\n      in your field.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"dissertation-format\">PhD Dissertation Format<\/h3>\n      <p>The dissertation is approximately <strong>80,000 words<\/strong> excluding footnotes,\n      appendices, and bibliography, subject to an overall limit of 100,000 words excluding\n      bibliography. Length may vary by subject with the Committee&#8217;s permission.<\/p>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Element<\/th><th>Requirement<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>Margins<\/td><td>1.5 inches, all sides<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Font<\/td><td>Times New Roman, 12pt<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Spacing<\/td><td>Double<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n      <p>Your submission must include the AI declaration described under\n      <a href=\"#ai-policy\">Use of Generative AI in Research and Writing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"dissertation-defense\">PhD Dissertation Defense<\/h3>\n      <p>The defense must be scheduled <strong>at least 90 days in advance<\/strong>, arranged\n      with your Supervisor and the Chancellor. All committee members must be present, in person\n      or by live online meeting.<\/p>\n      <p>The defense proceeds: introduction; a three-to-five minute summary from you, with any\n      qualification you wish to make; examination and comment from each evaluator; your replies;\n      your withdrawal while the examiners deliberate; and the delivery of the grade.<\/p>\n      <p>Grades are: Pass with Distinction \u00b7 Pass without Revision \u00b7 Pass with Minor Revision \u00b7\n      Pass with Major Revision \u00b7 Fail (resubmission possible) \u00b7 Fail (no resubmission).<\/p>\n      <p>You may appeal only a grade of <strong>Fail (without resubmission)<\/strong>. File the\n      appeal in writing as a PDF to the Chancellor no more than 30 days after the defense. The\n      Chancellor and Assistant Chancellor decide whether the procedure was properly followed and\n      make a recommendation, which is final and issued within 30 days. You may accept or reject\n      it.<\/p>\n      <p>For <strong>Pass with Minor Revision<\/strong> you have 90 days to submit the revised\n      dissertation to your Supervisor, who has 30 days to accept or reject. On rejection you have\n      a further 90 days; a second rejection means you fail the defense and are removed from the\n      programme.<\/p>\n      <p>For <strong>Pass with Major Revision<\/strong> the same process applies with 180 days at\n      each stage.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"submitting-dissertation\">Submitting the PhD Dissertation<\/h3>\n      <p>Once you pass the defense \u2014 and your Supervisor has approved any revisions \u2014 you must\n      submit the final copy to GCAS within <strong>180 days<\/strong>. Failure to submit within\n      180 days will result in the degree being revoked.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"prior-doctorate\">Candidates Holding a Prior Doctorate<\/h3>\n      <p>The GCAS doctorate is governed by formal academic standards, residency expectations,\n      and EU accreditation requirements. We welcome accomplished scholars who already hold\n      doctoral degrees, but prior attainment does not replace the structural requirements of the\n      GCAS PhD. The doctorate is not a mechanism for expedited credentialing.<\/p>\n      <p>This policy applies to anyone enrolling in a GCAS PhD programme while already holding an\n      earned doctorate or equivalent. Possession of a prior doctorate does not waive or reduce\n      any requirement of the programme.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>Year 1 must be completed in full, without exception.<\/strong> That includes\n      formal supervision meetings and documented engagement, required seminars or coursework,\n      submission and approval of the research proposal, completion of methodological training,\n      and institutional compliance requirements including ethics or IRB approval where\n      applicable. No candidate may proceed to a defense timeline discussion until Year 1 has been\n      formally completed and approved. There are no exemptions based on prior degrees, academic\n      rank, or professional standing.<\/p>\n      <div class=\"gcas-hb__note\">\n        <p><strong>Minimum residency: 24 months.<\/strong> On completing Year 1, a candidate\n        already holding a doctorate may request a defense timeline discussion with their\n        Supervisor and the Doctoral Committee. The minimum is 24 months in residence from the\n        official start date \u2014 meaning active enrolment, sustained supervision, and documented\n        academic engagement. No defense may occur before 24 months, regardless of prior\n        qualifications.<\/p>\n        <p><strong>Diploma issuance: 36 months.<\/strong> In all cases the EU-accredited\n        doctoral diploma may not be issued before 36 months from the official start date. This\n        reflects EU accreditation standards and cannot be waived. A candidate may defend at the\n        24-month minimum if approved and in compliance, but issuance remains bound by the\n        36-month requirement.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <p>All interpretive questions under this policy are reviewed by the Chancellor and the\n      Doctoral Committee. Minimum residency and diploma issuance timelines are not subject to\n      waiver.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"research-beyond-three-years\">PhD Research Beyond Three Years<\/h3>\n      <p>Where dissertation research takes longer than three years, tuition remains at the rate\n      paid in your last year of study, and applies to the fourth and fifth years alike.<\/p>\n      <p>After the fourth year you must meet the Chancellor to assess the feasibility of\n      completion. Where the Chancellor judges completion within the following year unlikely, you\n      may be encouraged to apply for a leave of absence.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"depositing-your-thesis\">Depositing Your Thesis or Dissertation<\/h3>\n      <p>After you successfully defend and graduate, you must deposit the final version in PDF\n      form \u2014 final, so that any revisions are incorporated.<\/p>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Award<\/th><th>Deposit within<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>MA thesis<\/td><td>90 days of graduation<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>PhD dissertation<\/td><td>180 days of graduation<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n      <p>Once deposited, your work is added to the GCAS Library. <strong>You decide whether it\n      is open access or restricted to GCAS members.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"library-and-research-resources\">Library and Research Resources<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS student-researchers have access to <strong>JSTOR<\/strong> for the duration of\n      their enrolment. JSTOR provides full-text access to a large archive of academic journals,\n      books, and primary sources across the humanities and social sciences.<\/p>\n      <p>Access is reached through a password-protected page on gcas.ie, using your GCAS\n      account. If you cannot reach JSTOR, or your access appears to have lapsed, raise a request\n      through the support portal rather than contacting JSTOR directly \u2014 the subscription is\n      institutional, and JSTOR cannot assist you individually. Your access ends when your\n      enrolment ends.<\/p>\n      <h4 id=\"researchers-platform\">The Researcher&#8217;s Platform<\/h4>\n      <p>Every GCAS student-researcher has their own Researcher&#8217;s Platform: a secure space\n      holding your programme requirements, where you communicate with your Academic\n      Supervisor.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"enrolment-status\">Full-Time and Part-Time Enrolment<\/h3>\n      <p>MA student-researchers may enrol full-time or part-time.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>Full-time<\/strong> means completing at least 60 ECTS credits per academic year.\n      <strong>Part-time<\/strong> means completing 30 ECTS credits per academic year.<\/p>\n      <p>Part-time study is possible because of the shape of our programmes. How credit is\n      earned is agreed between you and your Academic Supervisor, and may combine monthly\n      advising, peer group work, seminar courses, language requirements, and independent\n      research.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>Part-time enrolment costs the same as full-time<\/strong>, unless otherwise\n      agreed between you and your Supervisor with authorisation from the Chancellor&#8217;s office.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"academic-year\">The Academic Year<\/h3>\n      <p>Your academic year begins on the first day of the month in which you are offered\n      admission. Tuition is paid for that year \u2014 from that date to the same date the following\n      year.<\/p>\n      <p>For example: admitted on 5 September 2025, your start date is 1 October 2025, and your\n      second year begins on 1 October 2026, assuming you have met the requirements to\n      advance.<\/p>\n      <p>Where you complete and submit your final dissertation within 180 days of your academic\n      year start date in year three, you may apply for reimbursement of 50% of that year&#8217;s\n      tuition, less a 150\u20ac administration fee.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"research-journals\">Research Journals<\/h3>\n      <p>You are encouraged, but not required, to keep a weekly research log recording what you\n      accomplished that week. Entries should run to at least 250 words and are stored in your\n      GCAS account. Logs are not graded, and should be maintained across your whole programme\n      rather than course by course.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"advanced-independent-research\">Advanced Independent Research<\/h3>\n      <p>You may conduct independent research under faculty supervision, provided your research\n      aims are not satisfied by the courses GCAS is offering in the current term.<\/p>\n      <p>A faculty member must agree to work with you, and both of you must agree the terms and\n      conditions of the study. For MA researchers the study is designed jointly and approved by\n      the Registrar. Credit must be agreed by both parties and approved by the Supervisor before\n      the study commences.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"graduation\">Graduation<\/h3>\n      <p>The graduation ceremony takes place once a year, normally at the annual GCAS\n      Institute.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"teaching-opportunities\">Teaching in the Undergraduate College<\/h3>\n      <p>Part of good research is distributing it, through publishing and through teaching. GCAS\n      recognises that teaching is an art form, and that not every researcher is gifted at it.<\/p>\n      <p>From time to time the BA in Interdisciplinary Studies requires qualified teachers, and\n      we look first to our PhD researchers. We do not guarantee that any PhD researcher will be\n      offered teaching, but where the need arises we follow our procedures to find the best fit\n      for the programme.<\/p>\n\n      <p class=\"gcas-hb__part\">Part Five<\/p>\n      <h2 id=\"fees\">Fees and Financial Matters<\/h2>\n      <h3 id=\"college-economy\">The GCAS College Economy<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS is built on an economic model designed to keep student-researchers out of debt.\n      It rests on two commitments: <strong>financial aid for every qualified\n      student-researcher<\/strong>, and <strong>the graduation and ownership programme<\/strong>\n      that invites graduates into co-ownership of the College.<\/p>\n      <div class=\"gcas-hb__note\">\n        <p><strong>Stay on track, stay debt-free.<\/strong> Our programmes are designed so that\n        by following the standard timeline you can graduate without paying a single euro beyond\n        tuition. The additional fees below apply only in exceptional circumstances \u2014 extending\n        well beyond the built-in grace period, or requesting supervision outside the standard\n        budget.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <p>To hold that model open we must recover certain extraordinary costs from the\n      researchers who incur them. All current figures are in the\n      <a href=\"#annex-fees\">Fee Schedule<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"financial-aid\">Financial Aid<\/h3>\n      <p><strong>Every GCAS student-researcher receives some financial aid.<\/strong><\/p>\n      <p>GCAS is committed to the highest quality education at the lowest possible cost, and to\n      recruiting the most courageous minds to help lead the next generation through difficult\n      times. Aid takes three forms:<\/p>\n      <ul>\n        <li>Very low tuition relative to the quality of the education;<\/li>\n        <li>Tuition remission where you have skills that can assist GCAS operations;<\/li>\n        <li>Flexible payment schedules.<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <p>GCAS cannot guarantee that your tuition will be free. But if you work hard and stay\n      persistent, we will work with you to bring it down as far as we can, so that you can be\n      part of this community.<\/p>\n      <h4>The Warren T. Davis, Jr Scholarship<\/h4>\n      <p>GCAS offers a scholarship providing up to 100% tuition remission, open to BA, MA, and\n      PhD researchers accepted into the College.<\/p>\n      <p>Warren T. Davis, Jr \u2014 &#8220;Sandy&#8221; \u2014 served his working life as a first responder in the\n      Fire Department of Baltimore County, saving lives in service of the common good.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"tuition-and-fees\">Tuition and Additional Fees<\/h3>\n      <p>Current tuition, continuation fees, and supervision fees are listed in the\n      <a href=\"#annex-fees\">Fee Schedule<\/a>, which is updated annually. This section explains\n      when each applies.<\/p>\n      <h4 id=\"continuation-fees\">Continuation fees<\/h4>\n      <p>GCAS sets a defined completion time for each programme: <strong>12 months for the MA<\/strong>,\n      and <strong>36 months for the BA and PhD<\/strong>. A <strong>two-month grace period<\/strong>\n      follows at no cost.<\/p>\n      <p>After the grace period a monthly continuation fee applies until you complete your degree\n      requirements. This allows GCAS to continue providing academic support, resources, and\n      supervision beyond the standard programme length.<\/p>\n      <h4 id=\"supervision-fees\">Extraordinary supervision fees<\/h4>\n      <p>Where you wish to work with a supervisor requiring funding beyond the standard GCAS\n      supervision budget, the additional cost is passed on to you directly.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>MA researchers:<\/strong> GCAS budgets three months of thesis supervision once\n      your coursework is complete or nearly complete. We expect theses to be written within two\n      to three months. Supervision beyond those three months carries a monthly fee.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>PhD researchers:<\/strong> supervision is budgeted at nine months per academic\n      year. Continuing supervision through the remaining three months carries a monthly fee. A\n      second supervisor in Year 2 or Year 3 also carries a monthly fee.<\/p>\n      <h4>Leave of absence<\/h4>\n      <p>An administrative fee of <strong>250\u20ac<\/strong> applies to a leave of absence. See\n      <a href=\"#leave-of-absence\">Leave of Absence and Pause in Studies<\/a>.<\/p>\n      <h4>Share lodgement<\/h4>\n      <p>Graduates and faculty who qualify for and seek stock shares in GCAS College Dublin\n      Limited pay a lodgement fee of <strong>25\u20ac<\/strong>, covering the transactional cost of\n      lodging the shares.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"loan-deferment\">Student Loan Deferment<\/h3>\n      <p>You remain responsible for any student loans acquired before joining GCAS, including\n      arranging deferment. You are strongly encouraged to check with your previous loan provider\n      about deferment while studying here. <strong>GCAS is not responsible for student loan\n      deferments<\/strong> and cannot arrange them on your behalf.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"refund-policy\">Refund Policy<\/h3>\n      <p>Once you receive an official acceptance letter you have <strong>10 days<\/strong> to\n      decide whether you agree to the terms and conditions.<\/p>\n      <p>Once you accept, you have <strong>30 days<\/strong> to request a refund, less\n      administration costs and fees. After 30 days no refund is available.<\/p>\n\n      <p class=\"gcas-hb__part\">Part Six<\/p>\n      <h2 id=\"institutional-policies\">Institutional Policies<\/h2>\n\n      <h3 id=\"events-and-liabilities\">In-Person Events: Assumption of Risk<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS holds seminars, institutes, conferences, and other events in person, in varying\n      locations around the world. Attendance is voluntary and is never a requirement of any\n      GCAS programme.<\/p>\n      <div class=\"gcas-hb__note gcas-hb__note--flag\">\n        <p><strong>If you attend a GCAS event in person, you do so at your own risk.<\/strong>\n        GCAS College Dublin, Ltd. assumes no responsibility for any injury, illness, loss, or\n        damage sustained during participation or travel to and from an event. By attending,\n        you accept that risk and agree not to hold GCAS College Dublin, Ltd. liable for any\n        injury you may sustain.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <p>This applies to all attendees \u2014 student-researchers, faculty, staff, and guests \u2014 and\n      to all in-person activity, whether at a venue GCAS has arranged, a partner institution,\n      or a public space.<\/p>\n      <p>You are responsible for your own travel, accommodation, insurance, and health cover.\n      GCAS does not arrange or provide insurance for participants, and we strongly recommend\n      that you hold travel and medical insurance appropriate to the destination.<\/p>\n      <p>You may be asked to sign a Liability Release Form before attending a particular event.\n      Where that is the case, the form is provided in advance and signing it is a condition of\n      attendance.<\/p>\n      <h4 id=\"conduct-at-events\">Conduct at events<\/h4>\n      <p>All attendees commit to non-violent and respectful means of exchange, and undertake\n      never to resort to physical means to resolve differences of opinion. Where physical\n      violence is used, the person responsible may be removed from the event and dismissed\n      from GCAS College.<\/p>\n      <p>Attending an event does not alter any other provision of this Handbook, including the\n      policies on bullying and harassment and on recording and privacy.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"code-of-trust\">The Code of Trust and Pledge<\/h3>\n      <p>Being a student-researcher at GCAS means belonging to an academic community, and that\n      community requires all its members to act in the most ethical way available to them.<\/p>\n      <p>This matters practically as well as morally. When you graduate, the faculty and alumni\n      may invite you to become a co-owner of GCAS College Dublin \u2014 and being able to trust one\n      another is one of the founding conditions of that arrangement. We are building a different\n      kind of institution: one concerned less with material gain than with making a difference\n      in the lives of the coming generation and in the flourishing of all living beings.<\/p>\n      <p>All members of the College must sign and abide by the <em>Code of Trust and Pledge<\/em>.\n      Request a copy and return your signed pledge through the support portal.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"data-protection\">Data Protection and Retention<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS College Dublin Limited, registered in Ireland, company number\n      <strong>625300<\/strong>, acts as data controller for administrative and operational data\n      collected through admissions, tuition, communications, and participation in our\n      programmes. Academic records relating to accreditation, transcripts, and grades are managed\n      separately by Woolf, which is an independent data controller.<\/p>\n      <h4>Legal basis for processing<\/h4>\n      <ul>\n        <li>Performance of a contract \u2014 your enrolment agreement;<\/li>\n        <li>Compliance with legal obligations \u2014 tax, audit, accreditation;<\/li>\n        <li>Legitimate interests \u2014 academic administration, communication, institutional improvement;<\/li>\n        <li>Consent \u2014 newsletters, marketing, and optional communications.<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <h4>Categories of data collected<\/h4>\n      <ul>\n        <li>Personal identification: name, contact details, nationality;<\/li>\n        <li>Academic and enrolment data;<\/li>\n        <li>Financial records relating to tuition and payments;<\/li>\n        <li>Institutional correspondence;<\/li>\n        <li>Limited website analytics and technical data, for security purposes.<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <h4 id=\"data-retention\">Retention and deletion<\/h4>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Category<\/th><th>Retention<\/th><th>Method<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>Contact and enrolment data<\/td><td>Up to 7 years after completion or withdrawal, for audit and accreditation<\/td><td>Secure deletion or anonymisation<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Financial and invoicing records<\/td><td>7 years, as required by Irish tax law<\/td><td>Secure deletion after the statutory period<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Institutional account data<\/td><td>Deleted on official withdrawal or account closure<\/td><td>Permanent, irreversible deletion<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Learning platform and forum posts<\/td><td>Deleted or anonymised within 12 months of withdrawal<\/td><td>Manual review and deletion<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Marketing communications<\/td><td>Until consent is withdrawn<\/td><td>Secure deletion on request<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n      <p>GCAS applies the principle of data minimisation, retaining only what is necessary for\n      legitimate educational, financial, and legal purposes.<\/p>\n      <h4 id=\"gdpr-rights\">Your rights under GDPR<\/h4>\n      <p>You have the right of access (Article 15), rectification (Article 16), erasure\n      (Article 17), restriction of or objection to processing (Articles 18\u201321), and data\n      portability (Article 20).<\/p>\n      <p>Submit requests through the support portal or to\n      <a href=\"mailto:contact@gcas.ie\">contact@gcas.ie<\/a>. GCAS responds within one calendar\n      month of a verified request. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Irish\n      Data Protection Commission at\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dataprotection.ie\">dataprotection.ie<\/a>.<\/p>\n      <h4>Sharing, transfers, and security<\/h4>\n      <p>GCAS does not sell or share personal data with third parties. Where data is shared with\n      service providers, transfers occur under data-processing agreements consistent with EU\n      adequacy decisions and standard contractual clauses.<\/p>\n      <p>GCAS employs encryption, multi-factor authentication, secure cloud infrastructure, and\n      strict access controls against unauthorised access, alteration, or loss.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"equal-opportunity\">Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination<\/h3>\n      <p>It is and will remain the policy of GCAS College Dublin, and all GCAS organisations and\n      centres, to ensure equal employment and learning opportunities without discrimination or\n      harassment on the basis of any protected characteristic.<\/p>\n      <p>It is a fundamental principle of this institution that all faculty, staff, and\n      student-researchers are evaluated on their skills and abilities alone. This governs every\n      decision, including compensation, application assessment, benefits, hiring, promotion,\n      training and development, and all other terms of employment, learning, and admission.<\/p>\n      <p>No member of this College should ever face a learning or working environment made\n      hostile by a protected characteristic. GCAS strictly prohibits and will not tolerate\n      discrimination or harassment by any employee, faculty committee, student-researcher, staff\n      member, or contractor. Anyone who believes they have experienced such treatment is strongly\n      encouraged to use the procedures set out here and in the\n      <a href=\"#annex-complaints\">Complaints and Grievance Procedure<\/a>.<\/p>\n      <p>Student-researchers must also observe the\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/19pSaK84z3wPpyjfMyyHIWV_897kdHxYCQV0SmREUaH8\/edit?usp=sharing\">GCAS Classroom Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"bullying-and-harassment\">Prevention of Bullying and Harassment<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS is committed to a community in which every member is treated with dignity and\n      respect. Bullying and harassment are treated as serious misconduct.<\/p>\n      <p>All matters relating to the investigation of a complaint are treated in strict\n      confidence. Any breach of that confidence may itself give rise to further action. It will\n      nonetheless be necessary for anyone accused to be made aware of the allegations against\n      them, the name of the person making them, and the names of any witnesses.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>No member of this community will be victimised or suffer any detriment for\n      making a complaint<\/strong>, and no member may threaten another, explicitly or implicitly,\n      for having done so. Such conduct is treated as a very serious offence.<\/p>\n      <p>Staff and faculty are required to act on any complaint of harassment or bullying.\n      Failure to do so is regarded as misconduct and, if proven, will result in further action.\n      All complaints, whether raised formally or informally, must be notified by the recipient to\n      the Ethics Committee.<\/p>\n      <p>This policy is reviewed periodically, with due regard to legislative change.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"intellectual-property\">Intellectual Property<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS is committed to a collective process of learning, and works with student-researchers\n      who develop new projects, enterprises, and ideas that may require protection as intellectual\n      property.<\/p>\n      <p>Disputes regarding intellectual property ownership, rights, or revenue sharing are\n      resolved through mediation or arbitration, overseen by a standing committee appointed by the\n      College to ensure fairness and consistency.<\/p>\n      <p>This policy is reviewed periodically and is subject to applicable local, national, and\n      international intellectual property law. Questions should be raised through the support\n      portal.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"recording-and-privacy\">Recording and Privacy in Live Seminars<\/h3>\n      <p>By participating in GCAS courses, live seminars, and related academic events, you\n      acknowledge and consent to GCAS recording those sessions for educational and research\n      purposes.<\/p>\n      <div class=\"gcas-hb__note\">\n        <p><strong>Participation is required; being recorded is not.<\/strong> If you prefer not\n        to appear in a recording, you may turn off your camera and microphone and take part\n        through the chat or other written discussion tools. Active participation is expected and\n        welcome by those means.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <p>Recordings are stored securely and made available only to members of the relevant class\n      or cohort, and to approved GCAS researchers and faculty. They are used solely for learning,\n      academic review, and research dissemination consistent with our educational mission.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>GCAS will not publicly distribute seminar recordings, or use them for commercial\n      purposes, without obtaining additional explicit consent from participants.<\/strong><\/p>\n      <p>Recordings are stored in compliance with GDPR and with\n      <a href=\"#data-protection\">Data Protection and Retention<\/a> above. If you have particular\n      privacy, accessibility, or data-protection concerns about recording, raise them through the\n      support portal before the session so that alternative arrangements can be discussed.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"clubs-and-organisations\">Establishing Clubs and Organisations<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS encourages student- and researcher-led clubs and organisations that contribute to\n      the intellectual, cultural, and social life of the community. Clubs are part of our\n      cooperative mission to foster dialogue, collaboration, and creative research across\n      disciplines and perspectives.<\/p>\n      <p>A GCAS Club is a voluntary association of current GCAS researchers, alumni, or faculty\n      exploring a shared academic, creative, or social interest. Recognised clubs operate under\n      the auspices of GCAS and must adhere to our community standards, governance policies, and\n      data protection obligations. <strong>Any group using the GCAS name, logo, or resources is\n      considered a GCAS-affiliated club and falls under this policy.<\/strong><\/p>\n      <p>To apply for recognition, a club must have at least three current GCAS researchers or\n      faculty members in good standing, and membership must be open to all GCAS community members\n      regardless of political, philosophical, or religious orientation, provided all members abide\n      by the Code of Conduct.<\/p>\n      <p>Apply for recognition through the support portal.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"disability-accommodation\">Disability and Academic Accommodation<\/h3>\n      <p>GCAS is committed to addressing disability within our community. The Dean of Student\n      Affairs builds opportunities for discussion of disability into admissions and registration,\n      and acts as liaison between student-researchers and faculty throughout your time here.<\/p>\n      <p>To request academic accommodation, raise a request through the support portal. To be\n      granted accommodation you must provide sufficient supporting evidence from a healthcare\n      professional. The Dean of Academic Affairs then determines the degree of accommodation that\n      fairly meets the request on the evidence given.<\/p>\n      <p><strong>Your disclosure is seen only by the Dean of Student Affairs and the Academic\n      Disabilities Accommodation Commission.<\/strong> Where accommodation is granted, the Dean\n      informs you and the faculty member who will implement it.<\/p>\n      <p>The Dean of Student Affairs reports annually to the Board on developments in disability\n      studies, including legal changes and significant research.<\/p>\n      <p>GCAS also recognises a responsibility to contribute research on the concept of disability\n      itself. The binary of &#8216;abled&#8217; and &#8216;disabled&#8217; fails to capture the real subtleties involved.\n      Ways of being disabled, and degrees of disability, are highly variable \u2014 encompassing not\n      only physical and intellectual capacities but social factors such as economic background,\n      previous access to education, and systemic structures that chronically affect access to\n      learning. We hope to contribute to this field.<\/p>\n\n      <p class=\"gcas-hb__part\">Annexes<\/p>\n      <h2 id=\"annexes\">Annexes<\/h2>\n      <h3 id=\"annex-complaints\">Annex A \u2014 Complaints and Grievance Procedure<\/h3>\n      <h4>Informal resolution<\/h4>\n      <p>Wherever possible, a complaint should first be raised informally. Many matters are\n      resolved most quickly and least painfully by a direct conversation, with support from the\n      Dean of Student Affairs where that would help.<\/p>\n      <p>Raise an informal complaint through the support portal, marking it for the Dean of\n      Student Affairs.<\/p>\n      <h4>Formal resolution<\/h4>\n      <p>Where informal resolution is inappropriate or has not succeeded, submit a formal\n      complaint in writing through the support portal. It is referred to the Ethics Committee,\n      which will hear both parties, examine the evidence, and reach a judgement.<\/p>\n      <p>All parties are entitled to a fair hearing and to know the substance of the allegations,\n      the identity of the complainant, and the names of any witnesses.<\/p>\n      <h4>Appeals<\/h4>\n      <p>A judgement of the Ethics Committee may be appealed to the Vice-Chancellor or the\n      Chancellor, who weighs the evidence and the Committee&#8217;s judgement. That decision is\n      final.<\/p>\n      <h4>Records<\/h4>\n      <p>Records of complaints are retained in accordance with\n      <a href=\"#data-protection\">Data Protection and Retention<\/a> and are accessible only to\n      those with a legitimate need.<\/p>\n\n      <h3 id=\"annex-fees\">Annex B \u2014 Fee Schedule<\/h3>\n      <p>All figures in euro, reviewed annually. This annex is the only place in the Handbook\n      where amounts are stated; other sections describe when a fee applies and cross-reference\n      here.<\/p>\n      <h4>Tuition<\/h4>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Programme<\/th><th>Per year<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>BA in Interdisciplinary Studies<\/td><td>3,500\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>MA programmes<\/td><td>6,000\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>PhD programmes<\/td><td>6,000\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n      <div class=\"gcas-hb__note\">\n        <p><strong>Every accepted student-researcher receives a tuition reduction\n        scholarship.<\/strong> The figures above are the headline rates before that reduction is\n        applied. Your actual tuition is set out in your acceptance letter. See\n        <a href=\"#financial-aid\">Financial Aid<\/a>.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <h4>Continuation fees<\/h4>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Applies<\/th><th>Amount<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>Per month, after the two-month grace period<\/td><td>250\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n      <p>Programme completion times are 12 months for the MA and 36 months for the BA and PhD,\n      each followed by a two-month grace period at no cost. See\n      <a href=\"#tuition-and-fees\">Tuition and Additional Fees<\/a>.<\/p>\n      <h4>Supervision fees<\/h4>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Applies<\/th><th>Amount<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>MA thesis supervision beyond the budgeted three months, per month<\/td><td>150\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>PhD supervision in the three non-budgeted months, per month<\/td><td>150\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Second PhD supervisor in Year 2 or 3, per month<\/td><td>150\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n      <h4>Other fees<\/h4>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Fee<\/th><th>Amount<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>Leave of absence, administrative<\/td><td>250\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Independent study (one permitted per MA)<\/td><td>300\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Tuition reimbursement administration<\/td><td>150\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Share lodgement<\/td><td>25\u20ac<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Application<\/td><td>None<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n\n      <h3 id=\"annex-glossary\">Annex C \u2014 Glossary<\/h3>\n      <p>At GCAS we most often refer to students as <strong>researchers<\/strong> or\n      <strong>student-researchers<\/strong>, reflecting a commitment shared by faculty and\n      students alike to exploring and discovering truths about our world.<\/p>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Term<\/th><th>Meaning<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>Course<\/td><td>A named unit of study, e.g. <em>Course 101<\/em><\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Module<\/td><td>A weekly section of a course, normally corresponding to one week<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Class session<\/td><td>A live, interactive online lecture and discussion between faculty and student-researchers<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>ECTS<\/td><td>European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System \u2014 the credit unit used across the EU<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>MCE<\/td><td>Masters Comprehensive Examination<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>PhD Candidate<\/td><td>A doctoral researcher who has completed Year 1 and been promoted<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>In residence<\/td><td>Active enrolment with sustained supervision and documented academic engagement<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Academic year<\/td><td>The twelve months from the first day of the month in which you were admitted<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>Support portal<\/td><td>The help and request system inside your GCAS account<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n\n      <h3 id=\"annex-past-institutes\">Annex D \u2014 Previous Institutes and Conferences<\/h3>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Institute<\/th><th>Location<\/th><th>Date<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>1st \u2014 Badiou on Badiou<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><td>July 2014<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>2nd \u2014 Democracy Rising<\/td><td>Athens, Greece<\/td><td>July 2015<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>3rd \u2014 Democracy Rising<\/td><td>Philadelphia<\/td><td>June 2016<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>4th \u2014 Practicing Intellectual Resistance<\/td><td>Maribor, Slovenia<\/td><td>July 2017<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>5th \u2014 Aesthetic Resistance &amp; Performance<\/td><td>Saint-Erme-Outre-et-Ramecourt, France<\/td><td>June 2018<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>6th \u2014 Philosophy as a Mode of Production<\/td><td>France<\/td><td>June 2019<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>7th \u2014 Aesthetics and the Political<\/td><td>Mexico City<\/td><td>October 2021<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>GCAS Belfast Event<\/td><td>Belfast<\/td><td>2022<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>8th \u2014 Transgressive Thought and the Counterfeits of Creativity<\/td><td>Prague<\/td><td>June 2023<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>9th \u2014 GCAS Paris Week<\/td><td>Paris<\/td><td>May 2024<\/td><\/tr>\n          <tr><td>10th \u2014 GCAS Paris Week<\/td><td>Paris<\/td><td>May 2025<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n\n      <h3 id=\"annex-history\">Annex E \u2014 Document History<\/h3>\n      <table>\n        <thead><tr><th>Date<\/th><th>Change<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr><td>July 2026<\/td><td>Accreditation restated: GCAS offers EU-accredited degree programmes through its partnership with Woolf, rather than being an accredited institution itself. Handbook restructured into six titled Parts with permanent section anchors; numbered section scheme retired. Duplicate policies on dual enrolment, leave of absence, thesis deposit, and session recording merged and their conflicts resolved. Attendance policy and E-School references removed. AI policy replaced with the transparency-based policy covering all programmes. Fee figures consolidated into Annex B and their conflicts resolved; external supervision fee withdrawn pending review.<\/td><\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n\n      <div class=\"gcas-hb__note\" style=\"margin-top:56px\">\n        <p>GCAS reserves the right to modify programmes, policies, course offerings, and\n        requirements outlined in this Handbook. Contact\n        <a href=\"mailto:contact@gcas.ie\">contact@gcas.ie<\/a> to confirm that any provision is\n        current. GCAS College Dublin, Ltd., 38\/39 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2, Ireland.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n\n    <\/main>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GCAS College Dublin \u00b7 The Graduate College Student Handbook Out of ashes, a new light Edition 2026 \u00b7 Last revised 29 July 2026 Contents \u25be Contents This Handbook applies to all enrolled GCAS student-researchers. 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