Residency

In order to access and experience the full range of facilities and resources, cultural events, and opportunities for intellectual interaction with peers and scholars, doctoral students must complete a period of residency. Requirements for the residency are fulfilled upon completion of two consecutive semesters of full-time doctoral study as designated on the Declaration of Residency Intent Form submitted to the Graduate School. The Declaration of Residency Intent form should be completed during your first semester in the program.

Coursework

The doctoral program will be no less than 45 semester hours of coursework and nine semester hours of dissertation credit. Additional hours may be added by the doctoral advisor, depending upon the student’s academic record, work experience, career goals, etc.

Courses taken more than seven years prior to the semester of comprehensive examination completion cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements.

Program Electives

Electives must be at the graduate level and approved by the advisor.

Transfer Credit

  • Adult and Career Education Guidelines: No more than 6 semester hours of post-master’s academic work may be transferred from another institution into a Dewar College of Education doctoral program. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission, by the academic department. To be eligible, credit must be no more than seven years old prior to completion of the degree.
  • Curriculum and Instruction Guidelines: No more than 6 semester hours of post-master’s academic work may be transferred into a Dewar College of Education doctoral program. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission by the academic advisor in the department.
  • Leadership Guidelines: No more than 6 semester hours of post-master’s academic work may be transferred into a Dewar College of Education doctoral program. Transfer credit will be evaluated after admission by the academic advisor in the department.

Academic Standards

Throughout their program, students’ performance must be acceptable on a continuing basis. Students must at all times maintain an overall grade-point average of not less than 3.25. No grade below C will be credited toward a graduate degree. Any student acquiring any combination of two grades, D, F, WF, or U will be dismissed from the Graduate School.

Admission to Candidacy

Doctoral students are admitted to candidacy and approved to begin dissertation research upon successful completion of all course work and comprehensive exams

Comprehensive Examinations or Equivalent

Contact your program advisor for requirements.

The Dissertation

General dissertation requirements are published in the Thesis and Dissertation Guide, available online at the Graduate School website. All students must register for dissertation credit each semester in which they are actively working on the project. A minimum of nine semester hours of dissertation credit is required for the degree. Students must be enrolled in the dissertation course in the semester in which they graduate. In progress (IP) grades are given for dissertation credit prior to completion of the dissertation. Upon completion of the dissertation IP grades are changed to S. When students are ready to begin their dissertation, a committee to supervise the dissertation must be formed and approved using the Dissertation Committee form. Upon approval of the committee, students may convene the committee to begin developing the proposal.

In consultation with the dissertation chair, students prepare a proposal that details the proposed research project. The student will convene the dissertation committee to approve the project. At least three positive votes are required for approval. The Dissertation Proposal Approval form must be completed.

Three types of dissertations are accepted: Traditional, Journal-Ready, and Monograph. The type is determined in the proposal defense and all dissertation committee members must approve the student’s selected type of dissertation.

The dissertation committee chair will inform the student when the dissertation committee considers the document ready for defense. The student must notify the Graduate School in writing of the date, location, and time of the defense at least two weeks in advance. The Dissertation Defense Notification form must be submitted.

The final defense of the dissertation must be completed not fewer than four weeks before the scheduled date of graduation. The oral defense is open to the academic community and others by invitation. The deliberations regarding the defense will be conducted by the committee members only. The successful dissertation defense requires at least three positive votes by the dissertation committee. The dissertation committee chair shall certify to the dean of the Graduate School that the student’s dissertation has been accepted and approved. A copy of the dissertation will be submitted to the Dean of Dewar College of Education for review. Following the dean’s approval a copy will be submitted to the Graduate School. See the Final Approval of Dissertation form.

The final approved dissertation must be submitted to the dean of the Graduate School no fewer than two weeks before the scheduled date of graduation. Five copies of the dissertation (2 for the library, 1 each to the student, the major professor, and the department), signed by the major professor, members of the dissertation committee, the dean of the Dewar College of Education, and the dean of the Graduate School, shall be submitted to the Odum library no fewer than five days after the scheduled date of graduation. Additional copies may be bound at the student’s discretion.

The signature of the dean of the Graduate School on the dissertation and the subsequent submission of the Final Approval of Dissertation form to the Registrar will indicate final acceptance of the student’s dissertation and mark the completion of the requirements for the doctoral degree.

Graduation Students must apply for graduation during the semester prior to the semester in which they plan to graduate. Applications are completed by the student and the doctoral advisor. The registrar should be consulted early in the program for procedures, deadlines, and fees.

Extension Guidelines

Doctoral students may take up to five years from the term in which comprehensive exams are taken and passed to complete their dissertation work. A one year emergency stop-out may be requested by the student through the Emergency Stop-Out Form. During the stop-out the student must register for a minimum of 1 hour of dissertation credit per term. If the dissertation proposal has been approved before the stop-out year then an updated and reapproved proposal is required by the end of the first semester following the stop-out. An additional extension of two years beyond the 5+1 year limit would require successful completion of a second comprehensive exam that is scheduled, taken, and graded within one term of the expiration of the 5+1 year limit. The two years will begin in the term after the second comprehensive exam is passed. The dissertation proposal must be updated to reflect current literature. The updated proposal must be approved by the dissertation committee during the first term of the two year extension. Failure to pass the second comprehensive exam will terminate the dissertation process.

Degree Inscription

The degree conferred upon program graduates is Doctor of Education.