Ph.D. Degree Requirements

Course credit hour and residency requirements are described, and the Ph.D. process is outlined in this section.

Graduate School Requirements

Total credit hours
Major
Minor
Dissertation credits
Remaining credits
7000+ level credits
Residency

Ph.D. Procedural Calendar

Graduate School Requirements

Although departments vary in the particular requirements of their programs, certain Graduate School requirements for the Ph.D. degree are consistent across programs.

Total credit hours

A minimum of 90 graduate semester hours beyond the baccalaureate degree is required. The College of Education requires 100 credit hours.

Major

A minimum of twelve credits in coursework in the major is required.

Minor

Each department determines its own requirements for a minor.

Dissertation credits

Thirty credits of dissertation direction are required (9991, 9992, 9993, 9994).

Students must achieve degree Candidacy before they will be permitted to enroll for dissertation credits.

Remaining credits

The remainder of a student’s program may consist of coursework, directed study, or pre-dissertation research distributed over the major and minor areas.

7000+ level credits

At least 30 credits of graduate coursework in the total program, exclusive of dissertation credits, must be at the "graduate only" level, i.e., courses numbered 7000 and above.

Residency

• At least 30 credits of graduate coursework, exclusive of dissertation credits, must be elected at WSU.
   
• The Ph.D. requirement of one year of residence is met by the completion of at least six graduate credits in coursework, exclusive of dissertation or other research, in each of two successive semesters.  The Spring-Summer semester may be excluded from the definition of successive semesters.
   
• Additional residence requirements may be imposed by the Ph.D.-granting departments.  
   
• In the experimental sciences for which it can be demonstrated that a student's research must be completed on campus, the residence requirement for the Ph.D. degree may be met by the dissertation director's written certification to the Graduate School that the student has been in full-time residence for at least two successive semesters and one summer session.  A count of course credits is not required for the fulfillment of the residence requirement, but specific dates of residence must be furnished.

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Ph.D. Procedural Calendar

The stages for completing the Ph.D. degree are:

1. Initial Advising:  An advisor is assigned to each student at the start of his/her program to help the student plan his/her studies and to provide academic guidance until the student identifies a dissertation advisor.
    
2. Plan of Work:  The Plan is initiated by the student and completed with his/her advisor to plan the sequence of study. It must be submitted to the Graduate School for approval. An approved Plan is a requirement for Ph.D. Candidacy.
    
3. Ph.D. Coursework: Ninety graduate credits beyond the baccalaureate degree are required, 60 in coursework and 30 in dissertation research and preparation. Completion of about 50 credits of coursework is a requirement for Ph.D. Candidacy.
    
4. Annual Review: The student’s department prepares a review of the student’s progress at the end of each academic year; goals for the following year are developed with the student.
    
5. Qualifying Examination: The Qualifying Examination contains a written portion and may include an oral component. Successful completion of the Qualifying Examination is a requirement for Ph.D. Candidacy.
    
6. Dissertation Advisory Committee: The student selects a dissertation advisor and committee to guide him/her through the dissertation research and preparation. The naming of a dissertation advisory committee is a requirement for Ph.D. Candidacy.
    
7. Candidacy: Ph.D. Candidacy begins the dissertation preparation phase of the degree. The Recommendation for Candidacy Status form must be submitted to the Graduate School to advance the student to Candidacy.
    
8. Dissertation Registration: Four consecutive academic-year semesters of registration as a degree candidate are required during the preparation of the dissertation.
    
9. Dissertation Prospectus: The student prepares a description of the proposed research and dissertation for approval by his/her advisory committee. The committee’s approval must be conveyed to the Graduate School via the Prospectus and Record of Approval form.
    
10. Oral Examination: An oral Examination is required of all Ph.D. students. It may be addressed as part of the Qualifying Examination, or as the prospectus meeting, or another format approved by the student’s department. The results of the Oral Examination must be conveyed to the Graduate School via the Report on Oral Examination or the Prospectus and Record of Approval form.
     
11. Dissertation Preparation: The dissertation presents the original scholarship or research completed by the student. A dissertation format check by the Ph.D. office is required before the defense.
     
12. Dissertation Public Lecture-Presentation Defense:  The student presents and defends the dissertation in a public lecture. The results of the defense are conveyed to the Graduate School via the Defense Final Report form.
     
13. Submission of Approved Dissertation: The student submits the approved dissertation electronically and must complete the paperwork required at this final stage.

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