Advancing to Doctoral Candidacy

Effective fall 2014

Candidacy is defined as that period in a doctoral student’s studies when she or he is deemed ready to undertake independent and original research. Advancing to doctoral candidacy status is a significant milestone with rigorous standards that must be completed within program-specific time-limits (see Time Limitations for Completing Graduate Programs) . Students who fail the program’s candidacy exam process or do not achieve candidacy within required time-limits are dismissed from the doctoral program and the Graduate School. Subject to any program-specific requirements and compliance with applicable Graduate School and university rules, policies, and procedures, the basic requirements for doctoral candidacy are as follows:

1. Successful completion of sufficient course work to sit for candidacy exam.
2. Successful completion of candidacy exam (written, oral, or combination of this or other requirements appropriate to the discipline).
3. Successful selection of a dissertation research advisor and a dissertation committee.
4. Successful preparation of a dissertation research plan, approved by the dissertation advisor, graduate program director, and/or dissertation committee.
5. Completion and submission of the Advancement to Doctoral Candidacy form and subsequent approval from the Graduate School.

Students are expected to consult with their program director or graduate coordinator to receive copies of the relevant materials and learn the program-specific details of the requirements for advancement to candidacy, the nature and format of any comprehensive exams, the committee(s) involved in administering the comprehensive assessments and conferring candidacy status, and the allowable time line for the process of advancement. Final responsibility for successful advancement to candidacy lies with the student.