PhD Program Path
Welcome to the PhD Program! Here are the major milestones for you to pass on your way through the program. All forms should be submitted to Department/Grad Staff Assistant Malina Salman, unless otherwise noted. For full details, including requirements for your dissertation examining committee, refer to the Graduate Catalog.
Program Plan
Second semester of program*
Draft Plan: Discuss and draft the Program Plan with your academic advisor when you begin your PhD program.
Submit Plan: Finalize and submit the plan by the end of the second semester in the program*.
Revise Plan: You must submit a revised plan and obtain approval if you need to change courses.
*If you do not hold an MS degree before coming to the PhD program, you will need to file an MS Program Plan and a PhD Program Plan respectively at the end of the third semester.
Preliminary Exam
End of second semester*
Schedule Exam: The preliminary exam is offered twice per year
- last 2 weeks of January
- last week of May and the first week of June.
Organize the preliminary exam committee based on proposed topics for examination. Schedule the exam with the committee. Two weeks prior to exam, request and fill the Preliminary Exam form.
Take Exam: Take the exam by following the detailed guidance provided by the committee chair. The committee chair will notify you about the result and submit the exam record to the department/grad staff assistant.
*If you do not hold an MS degree, schedule the exam at the end of the third semester of coursework.
Qualifying Exam
After completion of coursework or later
Schedule Exam: Organize the dissertation examining committee by following the requirements specified in the Graduate Catalog. Schedule the exam with the committee. Two weeks prior to exam, request and fill the Qualifying Exam form.
Take Exam: Take the exam by following the detailed guidance provided by the committee chair. The committee chair will notify you about the result and submit the exam record to the department/grad staff assistant.
Advance to Candidacy
Following qualifying exam
Timing: Advancement to candidacy occurs twice per year.
- Beginning of spring semester
- Beginning of fall semester
You will be advanced to PhD candidacy at the beginning of the semester following the completion of the qualifying exam.
Confirm PhD Program Plan: Program Plan must match course enrollment history. Any discrepancies must be resolved before being moved up.
Register for CIV 699: Enroll in CIV 699 Dissertation Research in every spring and fall semester.
Dissertation Defense
Post-advancement
Timing: The defense can take place as early as the end of the second semester (only spring and fall semesters count) of being a PhD candidate. However, you should consult with your dissertation examining committee about your readiness for the defense.
- Notify the department/grad staff assistant once the committee has recommended the semester for defense. Enroll in one credit of GRD 800 if you are an international student graduating in the summer semester. Review all the deadlines posted on the Graduate School's website.
- Eight weeks prior to defense, confirm the proposed examining committee with the department/grad staff assistant, who will request Graduate School appointment of your committee and permission to schedule defense.
- Six weeks prior to defense, contact the department/grad staff assistant to book a room.
- Four weeks prior to defense, review Doctoral Defense Announcement (Instructions) and prepare announcement. Submit to the department/grad staff assistant for review and submission to the Graduate School.
- Three weeks prior to defense, review dissertation submission guidelines and submit the dissertation to the dissertation examining committee.
- Defend your dissertation.
- Your dissertation examining committee will vote and verbally communicate with you about the defense result. You are also expected to revise the dissertation until meeting the committee's expectation if requested.
Apply for Graduation
Four to six weeks prior to end of semester
Apply for graduation by following the instructions below.
Post-Defense
Post-defense
Dissertation Signature Page: Please review the Signature Page Instructions and send the request for signatures through Adobe Signature Page - PHD. By signing the document, the dissertation examining committee approves your dissertation.
Submit Dissertation: Submit the final digital copy of your dissertation to ProQuest.
Clear for Graduation: To be cleared for graduation, you must submit your ProQuest thesis submission receipt to the department/grad staff assistant. Your graduation will be cleared after
- this receipt is submitted
- all your grades are posted
- your course history matches your Program Plan.
Awarding Degree
Upon Graduate School clearance
For information on degree posting, receiving your diploma, or requesting a letter of completion, please follow the link below.