Professional Doctoral Program Criteria

This page outlines the criteria used to determine whether a program is classified as a graduate or a professional program.

A doctoral program needs to satisfy all criteria to be considered a professional, rather than a graduate, program. Students in a professional program, as designated by these criteria, are ineligible for scholarship or fellowship funds provided by The Graduate School.

Professional program criteria include the following characteristics.

• The program is a first-professional degree program that conforms to the State of Michigan HEIDI system of classifying educational programs.*
• The program leads to degrees in the following fields: Chiropractic, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Podiatry, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Optometry, Law, Osteopathic Medicine, or Theology.
• The program is practice-centered and does not lead to a research degree.
• Graduates of the program are certified by means of an examination conducted by an outside accrediting body. Successful completion of the examination leads to licensure by State licensure boards.
• An accrediting body reviews and certifies the program.

* The HEIDI definition is used by the University in reporting data to the State and includes the following requirements:

• Completion of the academic requirements to begin practice in the profession;
• At least two years of college work prior to entering the program; and
• A total of at least six academic years of college work to complete the degree program, including prior required college work plus the length of the professional program itself.