Degree Plan
The doctoral degree is a minimum 66-hour degree program. The precise number of hours depends on the program designed by the student and his or her Program Advisory Committee and by the length of time required to complete the dissertation. In general, the 66 hours include:
| Courses |
Hours |
| Foundation Courses |
9 |
| Area Core and Elective Seminars |
30 |
| Scholarship Seminar |
3 |
| Independent Study for Comp Exam |
3 |
| Dissertation-Residency |
12 |
| Dissertation-Extension |
9 |
| Total |
66 |
All students must take and pass a field exam (specialization area) prior to progression to the dissertation stage of the program. Students must take the comprehensive exam as soon as they have completed the core coursework prescribed for the degree. Field exams will be scheduled in the month of June, right after the 4th semester of the student in the program.
Course Scheduling and Residency Requirement Doctoral courses are generally scheduled in the afternoons on a one-day-a-week schedule. This schedule permits students on assistantships to teach courses in the mornings or in the evenings.
Each student must complete a residency as a full-time student consisting of a minimum of two consecutive long sessions with a minimum of 9 hours in each semester. Hours of dissertation credit may not be used to fulfill this requirement.
