General Requirements

Doctoral programs normally are arranged in two phases. In the preliminary phase, the student usually pursues courses of study. This phase is completed when the qualifying examination is passed. In the second part, the student usually pursues courses of research. It is concluded when the dissertation has been accepted and the defense of it approved.

Between admission to the Graduate School-Newark and the conferral of the Ph.D. degree, the student must (1) satisfy the course and other preliminary requirements of the particular graduate program in which he or she is enrolled, (2) pass the comprehensive qualifying examination (a student becomes a formal candidate for the doctorate only after he or she completes successfully the qualifying examination), (3) present the results of the special research in an acceptable dissertation, and (4) pass a final examination related to the subject of the dissertation.

Specific credit requirements include the following:

1. The minimum total credits required by the Graduate School-Newark for the doctorate is 60, unless more is required by individual programs.

2. A minimum of 18 credits in research must be taken toward the degree, unless more is required by individual programs.

3. The minimum total requirement in nonresearch courses is normally 36 credits. Each student should consult his or her program director.

4. No more than 6 credits or two courses with a grade of C or C+ may be used in meeting the requirement for a master's or doctoral degree.

5. No more than 6 credits of undergraduate courses numbered below 500 may be used to fulfill the requirement for an advanced degree. The only exception to this rule is the master of arts for teachers (M.A.T.) degree program.

6. No more than 50 percent of a student's formal coursework may be taken in professional courses.

7. Up to 40 percent of coursework, not research credits, may be transferred from other graduate degree-granting institutions.

For further information on the transfer of credit from other degree programs and other institutions, see Transfer of Credit in the Academic Policies and Procedures chapter.

While the standard of work required is left largely in the hands of the student's program faculty, satisfactory progress toward the degree, as determined by the faculty, is required at all times. Students who fail to make satisfactory progress are informed of their problem by their department or committee chair or by the school dean.

Residence requirements for advanced degrees are determined separately by the faculty of each program. Students should consult their graduate directors for information about minimum performance expectations in their particular programs.