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General Timeline

The general process and the suggested time line for graduate study are briefly outlined below, and may be referred to as a quick reference throughout your graduate studies.

Years 1 and 2
Consult with Faculty Advisor frequently about courses/program. Notify the Graduate Program Assistant (room 350 Moore) of advisor.

Further explore research interests of faculty; select a Research Advisor. (This is usually, but not always, the same person as your Faculty Advisor.) Discuss research requirements and possibilities. Identify Masters research committee, develop research proposal for Masters degree (or equivalent) by end of first year (be sure to pick up the proposal form from the Graduate Staff Assistant). Conduct research during second year (must register for 6 credits of Psychology 600 or 610 before completion of Masters). Ideally, the Masters degree should be completed by the end of Year 2.

Begin coursework in major and breadth areas.

Satisfy departmental statistics requirement (an approved 2 semester course sequence).

Satisfy departmental English language requirement.

Year 3
Masters degree or equivalent research requirement must be completed and accepted by the Graduate School. (Student may not register for further credits other than 600 or 610 if the Masters is not completed by end of 3rd Year).

Advancement to Candidacy. To be recognized as an official "doctoral student" by the graduate school and pursue Ph.D. the student must be "advanced to candidacy." This should be accomplished during the third year of graduate study. Advancement requires completion of Masters or equivalent, and selection of Doctoral Committee. Application must be made to Graduate Training Committee in the Department of Psychology.

Residency requirement. For students prior to Fall, 1994, the Graduate School requires that students spend 2 full-time semesters in academic work over a 12 month period after Advancement. (The semester in which student is Advanced may count as one of these semesters if the student is full-time during that semester.) For students entering Fall, 1994, and beyond, residency may be satisfied from the time of entering into the graduate program.

Complete required major and breadth coursework.

Comprehensive Exam. During the 3rd year (or perhaps early in the 4th), the comprehensive exam should be taken. The exact form (written and oral) is determined by the student's Doctoral Committee. It is necessary that all required coursework be satisfactorily completed for the comprehensive exam to be scheduled.

Years 4-5
Continuous registration requirement. The Graduate School requires that, following successful completion of the comprehensive exam, students must continuously maintain their registration until completion of the Ph.D. Minimally, this requires registering for 601 or 611.

Following completion of the Comprehensive exam, a dissertation proposal meeting should be held with all doctoral committee members to approve the dissertation plan. The student picks the form up from the Graduate Staff Assistant in Room 350 prior to the meeting. The dissertation proposal form is completed by the committee at the end of the meeting.

Conduct dissertation research. Maintain contact with dissertation committee members and inform them of progress.

Dissertation Defense. Final draft form of dissertation should be provided to committee members and to the Department Head a minimum of TWO weeks prior to the scheduled defense. The Graduate Program Assistant (350 Moore) should also be notified two weeks in advance of scheduled defense meeting.


This brief overview of graduate program processes and requirements is meant to provide only a quick reference for students. Although most of the faculty members have a strong working knowledge of these graduate program requirements, it is expected that each student will be responsible for the Departmental requirements.