• Doctoral Degree Requirements
• Master's Degree Requirements

 Please review all college-wide degree requirements summarized in the "College of Arts and Sciences" section of this Graduate Bulletin.

Doctoral Degree Requirements
The direction and supervision of graduate work at the doctoral level resides primarily with the major professor and supervisory committee. The University requires that the degree be completed within five calendar years from the time the student gains admittance to candidacy by passing the preliminary exam. Overall requirements for the doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree areas follows:

1. After admission to doctoral candidacy, a minimum of twenty-four (24) semester hours of dissertation credit is required;
2. Teaching requirement: Teaching experience in at least two different courses recommended by the supervisory committee and approved by the associate chair;
3. Seminar requirement: three presentations, excluding the dissertation defense. Students are encouraged to give presentations at national and/or regional meetings. For further details, contact the department;
4. Submission and approval of a doctoral proposal by major professor, supervisory committee, and associate chair;
5. Successful completion of the preliminary doctoral examination;
6. Submission of an acceptable dissertation;
7. Successful defense of the dissertation. 

Master's Degree Requirements
The master's degree requirements should be met in two to three years. The master of science (MS) degree requirements include the following:

1. At least thirty (30) semester hours of graduate credit (5000 level and above courses and those 4000 level courses recommended by the students committee, including a minimum of six [6] semester hours of thesis credit), eighteen (18) semester hours of which must bear letter grades (not "S" or "U");

2. Teaching requirement: Teaching experience in at least one course recommended by the supervisory committee and approved by the associate chair; 

3. Seminar requirement: One departmental presentation, excluding the formal presentation of the thesis research. MS students are encouraged to give presentations at national and/or regional meetings. For further details, contact the department; 

4. Submission of a master's prospectus, and approval by the major professor, supervisory committee, and associate chair; 

5. Submission of an acceptable thesis; 

6. Successful defense of the thesis.