Preliminary examinations
Early in the doctoral program the student may be required to take preliminary examinations. The scope and content of the examination, and the standard of performance, is determined by the doctoral program. Preliminary exams should be held during regular academic terms. If necessary, preliminary exams can be scheduled between terms; see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms.
Advisory committee
When a student enters the doctoral program, a faculty adviser will be designated by the program to advise the student and to meet in regular consultation concerning the program of study and research. It is recommended that students also have an advisory committee appointed that should consist of at least three faculty members representative of the student’s field of study. The members of the advisory committee should be appointed after successful completion of 9 credits and not later than six months prior to the completion of the comprehensive examinations.
Language requirement
For the Ph.D. degree, the student may be required to demonstrate competency in at least one second language. Any second language requirement must be completed before the comprehensive examinations. Professional doctoral programs do not have a second language requirement.
Residency requirement
Residency for a doctoral degree program can be satisfied in one of the following ways:
- Three terms of full-time enrollment (minimum 9 graduate credits applicable to the degree program each term) during the first two years after admission to the program. This may include one or more summer terms.
- Six terms of part-time enrollment (minimum 1 graduate credit applicable to the degree program each term) during the first two years after admission to the program. This may include one or more summer terms.
- A doctoral student who was enrolled in the same major at PSU, and whose matriculation to the doctoral program immediately follows (within one calendar year) the master's degree program, may fulfill the residency requirement during the period in which the student was enrolled in the master's program.
Coursework and doctoral program of study
The doctoral program of study includes coursework, research, internships, and/or seminar credits according to the requirements of the individual doctoral program. A minimum of three academic years of graduate study beyond the bachelor’s degree (equivalent to 81 quarter credits minimum) is required for all doctoral degrees. A minimum 27 credits of 603 Dissertation is required for all Ph.D. students; a minimum of 18 credits of 606 Project is required for all professional doctoral students.
All doctoral degrees are approved with a minimum number of required credits. These minimum credit totals cannot be waived even if the approved program of study exceeds the University minimum of 81 credits for a doctoral degree.
For doctoral degrees, pre-admission and transfer limits are at the discretion of the individual doctoral programs; however, 603 Dissertation/606 Project credits, or their equivalent, cannot be transferred from another university. Transfer credits are approved via a Proposed Transfer Credit form (GO-21D) submitted to the Graduate School. See Pre-admission and transfer credit for detailed information. While potentially all coursework for the degree can be transferred from another institution, the following items must be completed at PSU: comprehensive exams, residency, proposal, advancement to candidacy, and dissertation/project research.
A student must have a minimum 3.00 GPA on the courses applied to the program of study, as well as a minimum 3.00 GPA in all graduate-level courses taken at PSU, in order to graduate. Doctoral programs may establish a more rigorous standard. Although grades of C+, C, and C- are below the graduate standard, they may be counted as credit toward a doctoral degree with the specific written approval of the doctoral program. Grades of D or F indicate clearly unacceptable work and cannot be applied to graduate degree requirements. Audited courses cannot be used to meet any requirement for doctoral degrees.
A grade of IP (In Progress) may be used for 601 Research and for 606 Project when a student is progressing in an acceptable manner toward completion of the work; final grades for 601 and 606 credits are assigned by the instructor via an online grade change. An IP grade must be used for 603 Dissertation when a student is progressing in an acceptable manner; final grades for 603 Dissertation credits are assigned by the instructor on the Recommendation for the Degree form (GO-17D) and posted to the student’s transcript after approval of the dissertation and certification for graduation by the Graduate School.
All coursework on the program of study, with the possible exception of seminar and internships, must be completed before a Ph.D. student can be advanced to doctoral candidacy. All coursework on the program of study must be satisfactorily completed before graduation.
For students entering a Ph.D. program with a master’s degree, a maximum of five years will be allowed from admission to completion of all required comprehensive examinations. For students entering a Ph.D. program with a bachelor’s degree, a maximum of two additional years will be added to this limit, for a maximum of seven years from admission to completion of all comprehensive examinations. For students entering a professional doctoral program, a maximum of four years will be allowed from admission to completion of all required comprehensive examinations. Failure to meet these time limits will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.
Comprehensive examination
Before advancement to candidacy and not less than one academic year before all requirements for the doctoral degree are expected to be completed, the student must pass a series of comprehensive examinations in the field of specialization. The examinations may be written, oral, or both. The comprehensive examinations may not be taken until the language requirement, if any, and substantially all the coursework for the degree have been completed. Students must be registered for a minimum of 1 graduate credit during the term comprehensive exams are taken. Comprehensive exams are scheduled and administered in accordance with the established rules of the program, which must be made publicly available to students via the program’s website or doctoral student handbook. Comprehensive exams should be held during regular academic terms. If necessary, comprehensive exams can be scheduled between terms; see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms. The doctoral program must notify the Graduate School the student has passed comprehensive exams by submitting the Report on Passing Comprehensive Examinations form (GO-22).
If the student fails the entire comprehensive exam or any section thereof, the doctoral program may dismiss the student from the degree program or permit the student to repeat the entire examination, or the section that was failed, after a minimum of three months. The results of the second examination are final.
For Ph.D. students, a maximum of three years will be allowed from the completion of comprehensive examinations to advancement to candidacy. For professional doctoral students, a maximum of five years will be allowed from the completion of comprehensive examinations to graduation. Failure to meet these time limits will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.
Culminating Project
Professional doctoral students will complete a culminating project in partial fulfillment of degree requirements.
After passing the comprehensive examination and identifying a culminating project topic, a project committee is appointed. The project committee will take the place of the advisory committee and the faculty adviser is superseded by the project adviser.
The culminating project committee must consist of three to five members. The chair must be a PSU tenure track or non-tenure track faculty member. Potentially all of the regular committee members can be off-campus members. At least two committee members (the chair and a regular member) must have doctoral degrees. At the discretion of the program, the designation of co-chair can be used for one regular member of the committee. The designation of co-chair recognizes the significant academic advising role of the committee member, but oversight of the process and procedures and all administrative responsibilities remains with the chair.
A proposal is not required for a culminating project, but some programs may develop their own internal proposal process. Professional doctoral students are not advanced to candidacy, but they are required to obtain Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) approval if appropriate (see below).
With guidance from the culminating project committee, the student prepares a project designed to address a problem of practice. Until the degree is granted, the student enrolls for the number of graduate credits appropriate to the amount of University services utilized, as determined by the project chair, with a minimum of 1 graduate credit each term. Professional doctoral students must register for 18 credits of 606 Project before graduation.
For professional doctoral students, a maximum of five years will be allowed from the completion of comprehensive examinations to graduation. Individual programs may have stricter limits. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.
Dissertation proposal
Ph.D. students will complete a dissertation in partial fulfillment of degree requirements.
After passing the comprehensive examination and identifying a dissertation topic, a dissertation committee is appointed and the student must pass a proposal defense (some programs refer to the proposal defense as a prospectus or colloquium). The dissertation committee will take the place of the advisory committee and the faculty adviser is superseded by the dissertation chair. The dissertation committee must be approved by the Graduate School using the Appointment of Master's Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation Committee form (GO-16).
Ph.D. dissertation committees must consist of at least four and not more than six faculty members. The chair of the dissertation committee must be regular, full-time PSU instructional faculty, tenured or tenure track, assistant professor or higher in rank; the other three to five committee members may include non-tenure track or adjunct faculty and/or members of the OHSU faculty. If it is necessary to go off campus for a committee member with specific expertise not available among PSU faculty, a CV for that proposed member must be submitted with the GO-16 form; this off-campus member may substitute for one of the three to five regular committee members. All committee members must have doctoral degrees. At the discretion of the program, the designation of co-chair can be requested on the GO-16 form for one regular member of the committee. The designation of co-chair recognizes the significant academic advising role of the committee member, but oversight of the process and procedures and all administrative responsibilities remains with the chair.
No proposal defense shall be valid without a dissertation committee approved by the Graduate School. The GO-16 form should be submitted to the Graduate School a minimum of six weeks in advance of the estimated date of the dissertation proposal meeting. The student must deliver a draft of the dissertation proposal to all members of the approved committee no fewer than 14 days before the proposal defense.
A dissertation proposal should be scheduled during a regular academic term. If necessary, a dissertation proposal can be scheduled between terms; see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms.
A dissertation proposal must take place in a meeting with the student and the entire, appointed committee. While it is expected that all members should be physically present, remote participation is permitted under specific conditions. The student will make an oral presentation of the written proposal for discussion, evaluation, and suggested modification. The final proposal submitted to the committee for approval should be sufficiently detailed and clear to provide a blueprint for the study to follow. The proposal is expected to include the following:
- General nature and present status of knowledge of the problem.
- The theoretical and empirical framework within which the proposed problem exists.
- The significance of the proposed research and its likely contributions.
- The research methodology to be used.
The Ph.D. program recommends the student for advancement to candidacy once the dissertation proposal has been approved.
Human Research Protection Program
All research involving human subjects conducted by faculty, staff or students in any program at PSU must have Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) approval. This policy applies to all research under the auspices of the University, including surveys and questionnaires, whether supported by grant, contract, gift, University, or personal funds. After proposal approval, the student must submit a HRPP application to the Office of Research Integrity if human subjects are involved in the research in any way. A student cannot be advanced to candidacy until HRPP approval is granted. The student should allow a minimum of six weeks for the approval process.
Advancement to Candidacy
A student is advanced to candidacy after successful defense of the dissertation proposal and with the recommendation of the Ph.D. program, after verification of the student’s program of study, and after HRPP approval has been granted (if applicable). The Ph.D. program must request advancement by submitting the Request for Advancement to Candidacy form (GO-23) to the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School retains final approval authority for advancement to candidacy.
A doctoral candidate has a minimum of four months and a maximum of five years from the effective date of advancement to candidacy to complete all requirements for graduation, including defense of the dissertation and its final approval by the Graduate School (doctoral programs may have stricter requirements). Candidates must be continuously enrolled during that period. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.
Dissertation preparation
With guidance of the dissertation committee, the candidate presents a dissertation setting forth the results of original and independent investigation. The dissertation must constitute a contribution to knowledge, significantly enlarging, modifying, or reinterpreting what was previously known. Until the degree is granted, the student enrolls for the number of graduate credits appropriate to the amount of University services utilized, as determined by the dissertation adviser, with a minimum of 1 graduate credit each term. Ph.D. students must register for a minimum of 27 credits of 603 Dissertation before graduation. Continuous enrollment of a minimum 1 graduate credit is required through the term a student graduates, even if this results in more than 27 credits of 603 Dissertation at the time of graduation. Ph.D. students should only register for 603 Dissertation credits after advancement to candidacy.
Degree application
All doctoral students must apply for graduation by the first Friday of the anticipated term of graduation; see the Graduation Dates and Deadlines for specific due dates. There is a required $30 fee per application as well as a $2 service charge.
As a one-time courtesy, students who do not complete degree requirements can have their application for graduation carried forward to a future term (typically the next term, but it could be at maximum up to one year in advance). To request that an application for graduation be carried, students must contact the Graduate School in writing and provide an explanation for the graduation delay. If students do not graduate a second time, the application for graduation will be dropped; they will then need to reapply for graduation by the appropriate deadline (and will be assessed a new fee).
Dissertation defense
After preparation of the written dissertation, the candidate’s dissertation committee will conduct a dissertation defense. A dissertation defense should be scheduled during a regular academic term, no later than five weeks prior to the close of the term of application for graduation in which the degree will be granted (i.e., must be completed four weeks before the beginning of finals week). For summer term graduation, deadlines apply to the regular eight-week summer session dates. Later completion will result in graduation in a subsequent term. If necessary, a dissertation defense can be scheduled between terms; see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms. The student must deliver a final draft of the dissertation to all members of the approved committee no fewer than 14 days before the dissertation defense. See Oral Defenses of Theses and Dissertations for additional information on defense policies and procedures.
The dissertation defense, which is open to the public, is the culminating experience in the student's Ph.D. studies. The candidate is expected to prepare an oral presentation on the research methodology and results. The oral presentation should not exceed 60 minutes. Following the oral presentation, the candidate must defend the dissertation as a worthy contribution to knowledge in its field and must demonstrate a mastery of the field of specialization as it is related to the dissertation. The questioning and discussion are for the purpose of further enlightenment of the candidate and the committee on the significance and limitations of the research and demonstration that the candidate has met the high expectations of the University for the awarding of the doctoral degree.
A dissertation defense must take place in a meeting with the student and the entire, appointed committee. If there is a need to update dissertation committee membership from what was originally approved on the GO-16 form, the update must be approved by the Graduate School before the final defense. While it is expected that all members should be physically present, remote participation is permitted under specific conditions. For dissertation approval, there may be no more than one dissenting vote on the dissertation defense. If the student fails the dissertation defense, the doctoral program may dismiss the student from the program or permit the student to hold a second defense after a minimum of three months. The results of the second defense are final.
After passing the dissertation defense, the student will be required to make any necessary edits and revisions. The final, post-defense version of the dissertation must be approved by committee members by signing the Dissertation Signature Page. For final approval, there may be no more than one committee member who does not approve the final, post-defense version of the dissertation by not signing the Dissertation Signature Page.
The final dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate School not later than three weeks prior to the close of the term of application for graduation. See the Graduation Dates and Deadlines for specific dates. For details about thesis formatting and submission, see the Thesis and Dissertation Information available from the Graduate School.
Time limitations
Time limitations for Ph.D. students:
For students entering a Ph.D. program with a master’s degree, a maximum of five years will be allowed from admission to completion of all required comprehensive examinations. For students entering with a bachelor’s degree, a maximum of two additional years will be added to this limit, for a maximum of seven years from admission to completion of all comprehensive examinations. Individual programs may have stricter requirements. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the program.
A maximum of three years will be allowed from the completion of comprehensive examinations to advancement to candidacy. Individual programs may have stricter requirements. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the program.
A Ph.D. candidate has a minimum of four months and a maximum of five years from the effective date of advancement to candidacy to complete all requirements for graduation, including defense of the dissertation and its final approval by the Graduate School. Individual programs may have stricter requirements. Candidates must be continuously enrolled during that period. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the program.
Time limitations for professional doctoral students:
For professional doctoral students, a maximum of four years will be allowed from admission to completion of all required comprehensive examinations. Individual programs may have stricter limits. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.
For professional doctoral students, a maximum of five years will be allowed from the completion of comprehensive examination to graduation. Individual programs may have stricter limits. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.