Advancement to Candidacy

Admission to candidacy for the PhD degree requires:

A “B” or better (including B-) in each of the six first-year courses,
A “B” (3.0) average or better in graduate coursework,
Development of a research paper worthy of submission to a well regarded journal, and
An approved Ph.D. dissertation prospectus.

The prospectus presents the student’s dissertation proposal, including a topic, background, literature review, and proposed methodology. It is prepared under the guidance of a three-person core committee headed by the thesis advisor.

The prospectus must be approved by a three-person committee appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies, with one member designated chair. Typically the committee will include the student's thesis advisor. Approval depends on an oral defense of the prospectus. The Director of Graduate Studies shall announce the time and place of the seminar based on the prospectus no less than 10 working days prior to the seminar date by sending a written announcement to all faculty and graduate students. Copies of the prospectus must be available to all graduate faculty members at least 10 working days prior to the seminar date. Immediately following the seminar the committee will have the opportunity to raise questions about the prospectus in a separate session involving only the student and the committee. The prospectus committee may (1) approve the prospectus, (2) require revisions subject to approval or further examination at the discretion of the committee, or (3) find the prospectus and dissertation topic unacceptable. The student and the Director of Graduate Studies will be notified in writing by the chairperson of the student's prospectus committee of the committee's decisions. If the prospectus and dissertation topic are not approved, a second examination may be necessary. Failure to gain approval for the prospectus and dissertation topic in the second examination will result in termination of the student’s doctoral program.

Full-time students normally attain admission to candidacy during the third year after admission to the doctoral program but must be advanced to candidacy within 5 years. The student must complete all requirements for the degree, including the dissertation and final examination, during a period of not more than 4 years after admission to candidacy. It is the responsibility of the student to submit an application for admission to candidacy when all the requirements for candidacy have been fulfilled. Application forms can be obtained at the Graduate School or from the department's Director of Graduate Studies. Ph.D. students receive a Master's degree from the Graduate School upon successful defense of a prospectus and completion of related paperwork.

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Last updated: 03/10/2009