Advancement to Doctoral Candidacy

The Qualifying Examination
This examination can be taken after attaining 18 credits but no later than  at the completion of 33 credits of coursework. 

Predissertation Research Project 

Completion of this research project will involve participation in at least one  research project under the supervision of at least (but not limited to) an identified faculty mentor. The student is required to write  at least one paper from the predissertation research project deemed  publishable by all supervisory faculty for the project. This paper needs to submitted to a peer-reviewed journal agreed upon by the student’s faculty research mentors for predissertation research.

Completion of  Dissertation Project

- Dissertation proposal defense before the fifth year in the program for students who have consistently been full time since the start of the program
- An original and independent dissertation research project after a successful dissertation proposal defense
- Dissertation defense before the eighth year in the program for students who have consistently been full time since the start of the program

If a student wishes to complete a Clinical Fellowship Year to attain clinical certification during the duration of the Ph.D. program, accommodations for that time can be made in consultation with the advisor and Director of the program and upon their approval.