Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Requirements of the Ph.D. Program

Prior to advancement to candidacy, the Geography Department requires:

• A written-oral comprehensive examination
• An approved dissertation proposal
• An dissertation proposal qualifying examination

Written-Oral Comprehensive Examination

The student’s Ph.D. Committee will administer a two part, written-oral comprehensive examination. Prior to scheduling their comprehensive exam, students should consult their committee on expected preparations. The written component of the comprehensive examination conforms to the following standards:

1. The exam will span three days (not necessarily contiguous) over the course of a week, with questions from at least three committee members. There are typically 2-3 questions per day. Students will be given 24 hours to answer each day’s questions.
2. The questions are coordinated and reviewed by the Chair of the committee, prior to the exam.
3. The questions will be administered by the Graduate Advisor or the Committee Chair on the selected exam dates.
4. The exam is open book, enabling the student to access internet and library resources.
5. Questions will not be given to the student in advance.

 

The exam is structured to test the student’s knowledge related to the field of Geography and the specific areas of study, research skills, problem solving skills, and the student’s ability to do academic work. The questions vary, but include a focus on general geography, techniques, and the student’s systematic area of study.

Past examination questions are maintained in a department file so that students may see the types (and relative difficulty) of questions asked. To aid in preparation for the examination students are encouraged to develop a reading list with their advisor and committee. To remain within the time to degree standards, the written qualifying examination should normally be completed before the end of the sixth quarter of residence for students entering the program with the PhD objective, or before the end of the eighth quarter for students entering the program with the MA/PhD objective.

Dissertation Proposal

Following the quarter after a student’s written-oral comprehensive examination, the student will prepare a dissertation proposal that describes the dissertation topic, summarizes the relevant background literature, and presents a comprehensive research plan for the student’s doctoral dissertation, including a timetable and budget that identifies any financial support essential to preparation of the dissertation. All members of the student’s Doctoral Committee must approve this proposal. Students should be aware that the first draft of the proposal is unlikely to be accepted as is. Several drafts are usually necessary, often prepared in consolations with the main Chair or Co-Chair. Proper and correct use of the English language is required for the proposal.

Dissertation Proposal Qualifying Examination

Having successfully completed the diagnostic interview and written comprehensive examination, the student’s doctoral committee will conduct an oral qualifying examination, based on a draft proposal for doctoral research. It is expected that the oral exam will take place soon after the written exam, normally within four months following the successful completion of the written exam. Graduate Division regulations require that three consecutive quarters of residence must be completed prior to taking the oral qualifying exam. Thus, the oral exam will normally be taken in the fourth, fifth, or sixth quarters of residence. The general objective of this examination is to ensure that the student has a satisfactory proposal for dissertation research, and that the student possesses the full knowledge and competence required to carry out his or her dissertation research. Upon successful completion of the oral exam, a student who carries out the program of research agreed upon by the committee will be entitled to the Ph.D. degree, assuming the research is carried out with demonstrated quality, is written up satisfactorily for the dissertation, and is defended satisfactorily at the doctoral defense. Thus, the examination will emphasize (but not necessarily be limited to) the systematic and technical areas relevant to the student’s proposed dissertation research and the viability and relevance of the specific elements of that research. Following the examination, the committee members shall vote “Pass” or “Fail” on the student’s level of preparation. A unanimous passing vote is required for advancement to candidacy. This examination is usually open only to voting committee members.

Advancement to Candidacy

A student is advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. after completing all course requirements and residence requirements, passing the written comprehensive and oral qualifying exams, filing Ph.D. Form II, and paying the $50.00 advancement to candidacy fee. Students with Incompletes, NG, or NR grades on their record are ineligible to advance to candidacy until such grades have been removed. Following advancement, the student will normally devote a full-time effort during the academic year to carrying out the research for, and writing of, the doctoral dissertation. Graduate Division regulations require that the student be registered and enrolled continuously during this time.

Students are reminded that they have until the last working day before the next quarter officially begins (as indicated in the Graduate Division calendar) to officially advance to candidacy, including paying the $50.00 advancement fee. After advancing to doctoral candidacy, a student’s class level changes to P2 the next registered quarter, non-resident supplemental tuition is waived for three years (9 academic quarters), if applicable, and additional borrowing privileges are granted at the Davidson Library.

International Students: The non-resident supplemental tuition is reduced by 100% for graduate doctoral students who have advanced to doctoral candidacy, subject to the understanding that (a) a graduate student may receive the reduced nonresident fee rate for a maximum of three continuous years (9 academic quarters), and (b) any such student who continues to be enrolled or who re-enrolls after receiving the reduced fee for three continuous years will be charged the full nonresident tuition that is in effect at that time.

Graduate Council has set a four-year time limit for advancement to Ph.D. candidacy for all graduate students. Any exception to the policy must be requested by the home department on behalf of each graduate student.

Dissertation and Open Defense

Following the completion of doctoral research, each candidate for the Ph.D. degree must present a dissertation demonstrating the ability to contribute significantly and independently to the major field. The candidate’s Doctoral Committee guides the student in this work and judges the merit of the completed dissertation. Approval of this dissertation by each member of the Doctoral Committee is required for the degree (Academic Senate Reg. 355B). After receipt of the final draft of the dissertation, a formal oral defense will be scheduled and announced to the department as a whole. The purpose of the defense will be to clarify segments of the dissertation and/or acquaint the candidate with the nature of any further work that needs to be undertaken prior to approval of the dissertation. The Graduate Division cannot award a degree until a Doctoral Form III is received from the department indicating that the student has successfully defended the dissertation. All approved committee members must sign Form III. These signatures must be the same as the signatures appearing on the approval pages of the dissertation (it’s a good idea to circulate Form III at the same time that the approval pages are circulated for signatures). A public lecture (colloquium) is encouraged to present the results of the doctoral research to the entire University community. The defense may be waived only in unusual circumstances, with the unanimous consent of the candidate’s Doctoral Committee and the Department Chair, using Doctoral Form III-A (Senate Regulation 355C).

Filing your Ph.D. Dissertation

In the quarter when you plan to file your Ph.D. dissertation, you should meet with the Staff Graduate Program Advisor to get advice on the process of completing your degree and to obtain a copy of the current Ph.D. Dissertation Filing Checklist.

Optional Interdisciplinary Emphases

Students pursuing a doctoral degree in Geography may petition to add the following Optional Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Emphases: Climate Sciences and Climate Change, Cognitive Science, Demography, Environment and Society, Global Studies, Information Technology and Society, Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences.