Doctoral Degrees: Degree Requirements (General)

The nature of the doctoral degree varies according to the subject and the discipline in which it is granted and may be a research degree or a degree meeting professional requirements. The requirements set forth in this section are in addition to those listed under general academic regulations. Please refer to the respective program for specific degree requirements.

Time Limit for Completion of Doctoral Programs

After admission, all requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within ten (10) years of the date on which the degree is conferred. Some doctoral programs may define a shorter time limit. Students whose degrees are taken primarily through part-time study have the option of requesting an extension from the Director of Graduate Studies. Extensions beyond established time limits for such legitimate reasons as illness, injury, or hardship may also be granted by the Director of Graduate Studies. In such situations, the student and academic unit must demonstrate how the student will bring up-to-date the content knowledge from courses taken more than ten years before the projected date of graduation.

Conferral of Degrees and Application for Graduation

All candidates for a doctoral degree must complete a formal application for the degree, which must be filed in the Registrar’s Office. To avoid late fees, students must complete an Application for Graduation by the dates stated in the official Academic Calendar published each year by the Registrar. Degrees are conferred in December, May, and August. Commencement ceremonies are held in December and May.

More Information

Select an individual program to view complete requirements for that degree.

To view the general requirements for admission to a doctoral program, select this link: Admissions.

To view the academic policies and procedures governing attendance in a doctoral program, select this link: Academic Policies and Procedures. 

To view details of policies regarding final projects that a doctoral program may require, select this link: Final Projects Policies and Procedures.