College of Natural Science and Mathematics

Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Degree Requirements:

Award of the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree signifies that the recipient has acquired a broad knowledge of the discipline and has demonstrated, by successful completion of an acceptable dissertation, research competence meeting the discipline's national standards. The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of one academic year of full-time residence; enrollment in at least six semester hours of dissertation courses; and successful completion of language and disciplinary examinations, at the discretion of the department.

Doctoral students' dissertation committees must be comprised of a minimum of four members to include three faculty members from the major department and one approved member external to the major department from industry and/or academia who is acceptable to the department and the college. Candidates must specify a dissertation committee and have the names on file in the Office of the Dean at least one semester prior to their graduation. After these minimum requirements for committee members are satisfied, additional committee members may be approved from industry and/or academia.