The Doctor of Philosophy degree is granted upon evidence of excellence in research and the demonstration of independent, creative scholarship culminating in a dissertation.
Admission. See the general requirements for admission to the Graduate College. Graduate students may apply for admission to the Ph.D. program by filing a written application with the Graduate Admissions Office.
Program Committee. Upon the recommendation of the head of the academic unit, the dean of the Graduate College appoints the program committee, consisting of a chair and at least two other members. The program committee advises the student in planning the program of study. The recommendation for the program committee is reviewed simultaneously with the program of study.
Comprehensive Examination Committee. Ph.D. comprehensive examinations are administered by a committee consisting of three to five members, depending on the requirements of the academic unit.
Dissertation Committee. Upon the recommendation of the head of the academic unit, the dean of the Graduate College appoints the student’s dissertation committee, consisting of a chair and at least two other members. This committee must approve the subject and title of the dissertation. The members of the dissertation committee have the necessary knowledge and skills to advise the student during the formulation of the research topic and during the completion of the research and the dissertation. The chair of the program committee may serve as the chair of the dissertation committee. In some cases, the same members serve on both committees. However, the two different committees may have memberships with overlapping functions.
If the head of the academic unit recommends changes in membership for either committee after the committee has been appointed, the student must submit a change of committee form to the Graduate College and receive the approval of the dean of the Graduate College.
Program of Study. The program of study should be submitted as early as possible and must have the approval of the student’s supervisory committee, head of the academic unit, and the dean of the Graduate College. The program of study is reviewed simultaneously with the recommendation for the program committee. In general, Ph.D. degree students should expect to devote to the program of study the equivalent of at least three academic years (84 semester hours) beyond the bachelor’s degree. A minimum of 84 semester hours is required; 24 of these hours must be a combination of 792 Research and 799 Dissertation. Of the 84 semester hours, at least 30 hours (which may include research credit) of the approved Ph.D. program and 24 research and dissertation hours must be completed after admission to a Ph.D. program at ASU. No more than 24 hours of 799 Dissertation may be included on the 84-hour program of study. On the Ph.D. program of study, a student may use up to six hours (maximum) of thesis credit from the master’s degree. The master’s thesis must have been defended and the hours must have been used as part of a completed master’s program.
Continuous Enrollment. Once admitted to a Ph.D. degree program, the student is expected to be enrolled continuously, excluding summer sessions, until all requirements for the degree have been fulfilled. Continuous enrollment promotes steady progress toward the completion of the degree and an ongoing relationship between the student and faculty offering the program. If additional credit is not required toward the Ph.D. degree, the student may enroll for 595, 695, or 795 Continuing Registration. Continuing Registration does not carry credit; no grade is given. If a program of study must be interrupted for one or more semesters, the student may apply for leave status, not to exceed one calendar year. A student on leave is not required to pay fees, but is not permitted to place any demands on university faculty or use any university facilities. A student who interrupts a program without obtaining leave status may be removed automatically from the Graduate College, under the assumption that the student has decided to discontinue the program. A student removed from the Graduate College for this reason may reapply for admission; the application is considered along with all other new applications to the degree program.
An application for leave status, endorsed by the members of the student’s supervisory committee and the head of the academic unit, must be approved by the dean of the Graduate College. This request must be filed and approved no later than the last day of registration in the semester of anticipated absence.
Residency. In general, Ph.D. degree students should expect to devote to their program of study the equivalent of at least three academic years (84 semester hours) beyond the bachelor’s degree. At least two consecutive semesters subsequent to admission to the Ph.D. program must be spent in full-time residence at ASU. At least 30 hours of the approved Ph.D. program in which they are enrolled, in addition to the 24 hours of research and dissertation credit, must be completed after admission to the Ph.D. at ASU. These courses must appear on an approved program of study.
It is expected that, during the period spent in residence, full time (nine semester hours minimum or six semester hours for graduate assistants) is devoted to graduate studies. This period is designed to provide an opportunity for students to avail themselves of university resources and to interact fully with faculty and fellow graduate students. This time represents total involvement in the academic major of the program in which they are enrolled.
Foreign Language Requirements. Language requirements are determined by the academic unit concerned. For information concerning certification of proficiency, see “Foreign Language Requirements.”
Comprehensive Examinations. When students have essentially completed the course work in an approved program of study, they should request permission from the Graduate College to take the comprehensive examinations. Some academic units may require that the foreign language requirements be fulfilled before taking the comprehensive examinations. These written and oral examinations are designed to test the student’s mastery of the field of specialization. Ph.D. comprehensive examinations are administered by a committee consisting of three to five members, depending on the requirements of the academic unit. Failure in the comprehensive examinations is considered final unless the supervisory committee and the head of the academic unit recommend, and the dean of the Graduate College approves, a re-examination. A re-examination may be administered no sooner than three months and no later than one year from the date of the original examination. Only one re-examination is permitted.
Candidacy. Ph.D. students will achieve candidacy status in a letter from the Graduate College dean upon:
Students must enroll for a minimum of 12 hours of 792 Research and 799 Dissertation credit (combined) in subsequent semesters, following the semester in which they are advanced to candidacy.
Research and Dissertation Requirements. Each candidate must register for a combined total of 24 semester hours of credit for 792 Research and 799 Dissertation. No more than 24 hours of 799 Dissertation may be included on the 84-hour program of study. Courses or semester hours taken beyond the listed requirements should not be included on the program of study. The final copy of the dissertation must be reviewed by the supervisory committee and the Graduate College at least three weeks before the degree conferral date. Copies of the Format Manual are available in the Graduate College.
Final Examinations. The final oral examination in defense of the dissertation is mandatory and must be held on the campus of ASU. The oral defense is scheduled by the supervisory committee with the approval of the dean of the Graduate College.
Graduation. The student is eligible for graduation when the Graduate College scholarship requirements have been met, the final oral examination has been passed, and the dissertation has been approved by the supervisory committee and accepted by the head of the academic unit and the dean of the Graduate College.
Maximum Time Limit. The candidate must take the final oral examination in defense of the dissertation within five years after passing the comprehensive examinations. Any exception must be approved by the supervisory committee and the dean of the Graduate College and ordinarily involves repetition of the comprehensive examinations.
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