PhD Policies & Guidelines
This page lists important policies associated with the PhD process. Keep these policices in mind as you complete your PhD to assure a timely graduation.
Candidacy
Incompletes
It is the student's responsibility to complete Incomplete grade(s) in a timely fashion. The completion times required are as follows:
- An Incomplete in the Fall semester must be completed before the end of the Spring semester.
- An Incomplete in the Spring semester must be completed before the end of the Fall semester.
- An Incomplete in a Summer course must be completed before the end of the Fall semester.
For unusual circumstances, the student may request an extension of the Incomplete by filling out an Extension of the Incomplete form. This should be done before the normal timeframe has expired and is generally granted for one additional semester. This form can be requested from the Program Office. The completed materials must be turned in no later than two weeks before the end of a semester giving faculty the necessary time to evaluate and grade them.
The OILS faculty will track student's grades and if a student has two I/F's (Incompletes that have turned into F's), the student will be disenrolled from the OILS Program and will need to re-apply (with re-admission not guaranteed) in order to continue.
Foreign Language or Alternative Requirement
While there is no University-wide foreign language requirement, most departments require a demonstration of competence either in a foreign language or in some area of skill related to scholarship or research in the particular discipline. In the OILS Program, all doctoral students are required to complete a minimum of 15 semester hours of inquiry skills courses to meet this requirement.
A student will not be advanced to candidacy for the Doctoral Degree until the Department Chair certifies to the Office of Graduate Studies, that proficiency in inquiry skills as required by the Program has been attained.
Dissertation
Time Limit to Complete Requirements
The Doctoral Candidate will have five years from the date of formal Advancement to Candidacy by the Dean of Graduate Studies to turn in two completed dissertation manuscripts and all related paperwork. Upon successful completion of the Final Exam for Doctorate (Dissertation Defense), the Doctoral Candidate has 90 days to turn in the two corrected manuscripts to the Office of Graduate Studies with all necessary front materials in order to graduate that semester. The deadline for turning in the two manuscripts is April 15, July 15, or November 15.
