Specific Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Each Program specifies a minimum number of credit hours to meet requirements for admission to candidacy in the Program. In all Programs, students must pass a qualifying examination, as specified by the Program, in order to demonstrate mastery of and the ability to perform scholarly work in a field.

When the student is deemed by the Program Steering Committee to have met all academic requirements and has passed the qualifying examination, he or she is formally admitted to candidacy. The degree is awarded after the candidate has conducted independent research under the guidance of a supervising professor, prepared a dissertation, and successfully defended it in an oral examination before an appointed Committee.

Doctoral degree candidates must submit to the Graduate School office an electronic copy of the dissertation and a report of the final oral examination signed by the Supervisory Committee members. Deadline dates for submission of approved dissertations for each semester are published in the annual academic calendar prepared by the Office of the Registrar.