Besides satisfying distribution requirements,
doctoral course work enhances the student's knowledge of the two
fields covered by the doctoral qualifying exam and helps the student
to develop a dissertation topic.
As soon as the student is ready to select the
primary and secondary fields of concentration for the qualifying
exam (see below), or, at the latest, during the semester in which
the distribution requirement is completed, the student must choose
a field advisor who represents the student's primary field of
concentration (i.e., the dissertation field). The field advisor
may also serve as the dissertation director. The field advisor
guides the student's course selection and independent reading
as the student completes the balance of the required 30 hours
of course work prior to the qualifying exam.
Normally, the student takes the qualifying exam
within a year after completing required course work. Defense
of
the dissertation should take place no later than two years after
passing the qualifying exam. This timetable leads to a Ph.D.
degree
five years after beginning Ph.D. course work, assuring completion
of all work toward the Ph.D. within the six years allowed by
the
Graduate School.
