GSH Section 7 - Doctoral Degrees

Section 7 Includes:

Doctoral Degrees Introduction -  7.0

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA) degree programs give students the opportunity to achieve a high level of scholarly competence and to develop the capacity to contribute to the knowledge, innovation and creativity of their field. The PhD and DMA degree programs consist of a coherent pattern of courses and other educational experiences to generate new knowledge, a candidacy examination, a dissertation (PhD) or document (DMA), and a final oral examination.

General Information - 7.1

Program of Study. Each student selects a program of study in consultation with an advisor. It must include a reasonable concentration and breadth of study designed to foster research, scholarship, and knowledge of a specialty in relation to allied academic areas, must be approved by the advisor, and is subject to the rules of the Graduate Studies Committee.

Second Doctoral Degree. Admission to a second nonprofessional (the PhD or DMA) doctoral program by a student who has completed one such degree requires the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee and the Graduate School.

Foreign Language Requirement. The Graduate School has no foreign language requirement for doctoral degrees; however, knowledge of one or more foreign languages may be required by the Graduate Studies Committee of certain programs of study. Students who wish to acquire a reading knowledge of French, German, Latin, Russian, or Spanish may take special courses offered by language departments. Completion of these courses fulfills the language requirement in many graduate degree programs. Students are advised to take language courses as soon as possible in the program of study. Placement examinations are given by the language departments to assist students in choosing an effective procedure for meeting language requirements. See Section 2.7 for language requirements to serve in a teaching role.

Credit Hours and Residency Requirements. A minimum of 80 graduate credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree is required to earn a PhD or DMA degree.

If a master’s degree has been earned by the student, then a minimum of 50 graduate credit hours beyond the master’s degree is required. If the master’s degree was earned at another university, then up to 30 of its graduate credit hours may be transferred to this institution, provided that the hours in question are in alignment with the graduate program’s curriculum. If the master’s degree was earned at this institution but in a graduate program other than the student’s doctoral program, the student must request, via GRADFORMS, that up to 30 master’s hours be counted toward the doctoral degree.  If a doctoral student has taken a master’s degree at this university and has earned graduate credit in excess of the minimum required for that degree, the student’s advisor, with the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee, notifies the Graduate School of the courses to be counted toward the 50 graduate credit hours required for the doctoral degree. It is recommended that this notification occur by the end of the first semester beyond completion of a master’s degree, but no later than the student’s final semester in the PhD or DMA degree program. Of the 50 post-master’s hours, at least 24 graduate hours must be taken at this university.

A student must be registered for at least three graduate credit hours during the autumn or spring semester(s) or summer term(s) of the candidacy examination, the autumn or spring semester or summer term of the final oral examination, and the autumn or spring semester or summer term of expected graduation.

Preliminary Examinations - 7.2

The Graduate Studies Committee of certain programs may require students to take preliminary or qualifying examinations prior to taking the candidacy examination. These examinations are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate Studies Committee, and results are not reported to the Graduate School. Although successful completion of such examinations may be a prerequisite for taking the candidacy examination, these examinations are not part of the candidacy examination.

Candidacy Examination - 7.3

The candidacy examination is a single examination consisting of two portions, written and oral, administered under the auspices of the Graduate Studies Committee in conjunction with the student’s candidacy examination committee and the Graduate School.

The purpose of the candidacy examination is to test a student’s comprehension of the field, allied areas of study, capacity to undertake independent research, and ability to think and express ideas clearly. For DMA students, the candidacy examination is a test of the student’s fundamental knowledge of the music field as well as of preparation in a specific area of concentration.

Each Graduate Studies Committee must ensure that a rigorous examination is given and that the student’s performance is evaluated at the time of the exam.

Timing. The candidacy examination may be taken or begun at any time thought appropriate by the student’s candidacy examination committee and Graduate Studies Committee but must be completed at least one semester before a student can defend and graduate. The student must be in good standing in the Graduate School and registered for at least three graduate credit hours each semester or term in which any part of the candidacy examination is taken. Students who plan to take the candidacy examination during the summer term are responsible for making certain that committee members are on duty in the summer.

Candidacy Examination Committee. The candidacy examination committee is composed of at least four authorized graduate faculty members and may include the student’s advisor consistent with Graduate Studies Committee policy. A Graduate Faculty Representative may be assigned to an initial candidacy exam at the request of the student and advisor.

Each Graduate Studies Committee decides whether the advisor or another member of the Graduate Faculty serves as the chair of the candidacy examination committee and whether the advisor is a member of the committee. The chair of the committee must hold membership at the Category P level in the graduate program of the student. Once a policy on this point is established, it must be applied uniformly to all candidacy examinations administered by the graduate program until a change is reported to the Graduate School. The chair of the candidacy examination committee is responsible for coordinating the preparation and conduct of both the written and oral portions of the candidacy examination.

The responsibility for the administration and evaluation of the entire candidacy examination, including the written and oral portions, rests with the candidacy examination committee. Within the rules of the Graduate Studies Committee, other graduate faculty members may participate in generating, administering, or scoring parts of the written portion of the candidacy examination. Non-graduate faculty members may be appointed as additional external members to the candidacy examination committee by approval of the Graduate Studies Committee in the student’s home program and by petition to the Graduate School.

Written Portion of the Candidacy Examination - 7.4

Procedures. The written portion of the candidacy examination may be administered within a limited time period or given sequentially over an extended time period. Rules for the form, timing, scheduling, sequence, and conduct of the written portion are determined by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Waiver. If, based on evaluating the written portion, the advisor or another member of the candidacy examination committee see no possibility for a satisfactory overall performance on the candidacy examination, the student may be advised to waive the right to take the oral portion. The candidacy examination committee may not, however, deny a student the opportunity to take the oral portion.

If the student decides to waive the right to take the oral portion, a written statement requesting the waiver must be presented to the candidacy examination committee. In such a case, the candidacy examination committee records an “unsatisfactory” on the Report on Candidacy Examination and submits a copy of the student’s waiver request to the Graduate School.

Oral Portion of the Candidacy Examination - 7.5

Scheduling. The oral portion of the candidacy examination is held after completion of the written portion and must be completed within one month of the written portion. To schedule the oral exam, the student must submit an Application for Candidacy on GRADFORMS and have this approved by their program and advisor at least two weeks before the oral’s proposed date. The oral examination must take place during announced university business hours, Monday through Friday. Candidacy examinations must be held on Ohio State’s Columbus or Wooster campus, or via video conference, dependent upon unanimous agreement by the student and committee.

Attendance and Format. Attendance is limited to the student and members of the candidacy examination committee. Except when video conferencing is involved, all members of the candidacy examination committee must be present during the entire oral examination. The oral portion of the candidacy examination lasts no more than two hours. Questioning of the student should occupy the entire period of the examination. All committee members are expected to participate fully in the questioning during the course of the examination and in the discussion of and decision on the result of the candidacy examination. Oral presentation of any proposal or other prepared materials must be made prior to or after the oral examination.

Video Conferencing. All PhD candidacy oral examinations involving video conferencing must adhere to the Graduate School’s guidelines for video conferencing, available from the Graduate School (Appendix B).

Halting an Oral Examination in Progress. If for reasons of illness, fire, or other emergency, the candidacy examination committee members agree that it is necessary to halt the oral portion of the candidacy examination, then the examination shall be rescheduled without prejudice to the student. If, however, the committee members unanimously decide that the examination has been sufficient to reach a decision to pass the student, then they shall consider the examination concluded and complete the Report on Candidacy Examination.

Postponement. The oral portion of the candidacy examination is expected to be held as scheduled; however, circumstances (other than failure to pass the written portion) may prompt the advisor to postpone it. Before taking this action, the candidacy examination committee chair must consult the student and other members of the candidacy examination committee, which does not include the Graduate Faculty Representative (if applicable). Prior to the oral examination, the candidacy examination committee chair must notify the Graduate School of the postponement. See section 7.4 regarding the student’s waiver of the oral portion when the candidacy examination committee judges the written portion to be unsatisfactory.

Result of the Candidacy Examination - 7.6

Decision. The decision about the outcome of the candidacy examination is reached in the absence of the student. After discussion, the satisfactory/unsatisfactory decision is reached by means of a vote. Each examiner indicates judgment by posting their decision on the Report on Candidacy Examination that should be submitted to the Graduate School, within 24 hours of the examination’s completion.

Satisfactory. The student is considered to have completed the candidacy examination successfully only when the decision of the candidacy examination committee is unanimously affirmative.

Unsatisfactory. If the examination is judged unsatisfactory, the candidacy examination committee must decide whether the student will be permitted to take a second candidacy examination and must record that decision on the Report on Candidacy Examination.

Second Candidacy Examination. The nature of the second candidacy examination is determined by the candidacy examination committee. Normally the second exam will include both a written and an oral portion. In cases where the student’s performance on the first written exam was of such a high caliber that the exam committee does not request any rewrites, then only the oral portion needs to be repeated. The advisor should indicate on the Report on Candidacy Examination from the first attempt that a new written exam will not be required for the second attempt. If any portion of the first written exam was not satisfactory, the exam committee must administer a second written exam. A second oral exam will always be required. The candidacy examination committee for a second exam must be the same as the committee for the first attempt, unless a substitution is approved by the Graduate School. The second candidacy examination must be completed no later than one autumn or spring semester or summer term before graduation. All other rules pertaining to candidacy exams must be followed.

Graduate Faculty Representative. A Graduate Faculty Representative (GFR) will be assigned to serve on the second oral examination. For second examinations, a typed copy of the written examination, including questions, the student’s responses, together with a statement of the program’s examination format, policies, and procedures, must be presented to the GFR no less than one week before the oral portion of the exam.

Failure. A student who fails the candidacy examination twice is not allowed an additional examination. After two unsatisfactory attempts at the candidacy examination (including the second candidacy examination), a student is not permitted to be a doctoral candidate in the same or in any other graduate program at this university. A notation of dismissal will be posted to the student’s academic record and further registration will not be allowed. Such students can seek admission to the master’s degree program by utilizing the transfer of graduate program procedure and securing a support letter from the Graduate Studies Committee Chair of the proposed master’s program.

Review. On written appeal by the student or a member of the candidacy examination committee, the Graduate School reviews the candidacy examination to ensure its conformity to Graduate School and/or local graduate program rules. The Graduate Council has established review procedures (Appendix D).

Candidacy - 7.7

Definition of Candidacy. Candidacy is defined as that period in a doctoral student’s studies when she or he is deemed ready to undertake independent and original research resulting in a dissertation (PhD) or to meet performance and document requirements (DMA). Doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy by passing the written and oral portions of the candidacy examination will subsequently be termed “doctoral candidates.”

  • Candidacy should be reached after doctoral students have taken enough course work to become proficient in the field of study, which is generally two to three years after starting the doctoral program or one year after qualifying or preliminary exams.
  • Doctoral students who have achieved candidacy status are deemed to have:
  • Acquired the necessary advanced knowledge of the subject (normally by meeting all of the course requirements for the particular PhD program)
  • Developed the needed technical skills (e.g., language, laboratory, computational, etc.) for work in the subject
  • Demonstrated the ability to do the research or scholarship necessary to begin work on a dissertation

Admission to Candidacy. Provided that the student is in good standing at the end of the autumn or spring semester or summer term in which the candidacy examination is completed, satisfactorily completing that examination admits the student to candidacy for the doctoral degree in that program at the end of that semester or term. A student is normally expected to enroll primarily in 8999 or in program-approved courses after satisfactorily completing the candidacy examination. Doctoral candidates who have successfully completed all conditions for candidacy will be considered at full-time status when enrolling for three credit hours. Candidacy status established in one doctoral program is not transferable to another doctoral program. Additionally, candidacy status obtained at another institution cannot transfer to this University.

Continuous Enrollment. All students who successfully complete the doctoral candidacy examination will be required to be enrolled in every autumn and spring semester of their candidacy (summer term excluded) until graduation. Doctoral candidates must be enrolled for at least three credits per semester. While the Graduate School and the individual graduate programs will monitor the enrollment of all doctoral candidates, it ultimately will be the responsibility of each doctoral candidate to ensure that they are meeting the enrollment provisions of this policy.

Leave of Absence. Doctoral candidates who cannot continue in their doctoral program due to extenuating circumstances (e.g., medical, military, or University State of Emergency) may request leave of absence from their doctoral studies on a semester-by-semester basis for up to a maximum overall leave period of one year (Section 11.2) While there are many situations upon which a leave can be requested, leave will not be granted for the sole reason of financial hardship. A leave request requires the doctoral candidate to submit a Leave of Absence from Program form in GRADFORMS. Once submitted, the form will be available on GRADFORMS for approval by the doctoral candidate’s home program and advisor before being forwarded to the Graduate School for final review. A request for a leave needs to be submitted before the actual leave period begins. Supporting documentation should be included as an attachment on the petition form. If a leave is granted, the doctoral candidate’s candidacy period will be paused until the doctoral candidate returns to continuous enrollment status.

While there are many situations upon which a leave can be requested, leave will not be granted for the sole reason of financial hardship. A leave request requires the doctoral candidate to submit a Leave of Absence from Program form in GRADFORMS. Once submitted, the form will be available on GRADFORMS for approval by the doctoral candidate’s home program and advisor before being forwarded to the Graduate School for final review. A request for a leave needs to be submitted before the actual leave period begins. Supporting documentation should be included as an attachment on the petition form. If a leave is granted, the doctoral candidate’s candidacy period will be paused until the doctoral candidate returns to continuous enrollment status.

Dismissal from Candidacy. Doctoral candidates who do not enroll in a required semester (unless on an approved leave of absence) will be dismissed from active candidacy status. A doctoral candidate whose candidacy status has been under dismissal will not be allowed to continue on in the doctoral program until reinstated. A hold will be placed on the doctoral candidate’s university record preventing any further registration or access to university resources. A doctoral candidate wishing to be reinstated to the doctoral program and active candidacy status will need to petition the Graduate Studies Committee in their program. If approved, the Graduate Studies chair of the program will send to the Graduate School a formal request to allow the student to resume studies and register.

Upon approval of a doctoral candidacy reinstatement, the doctoral candidate will be retroactively enrolled in every semester of missed enrollment for three credits of 8999 research hours under their advisor. The doctoral candidate will be responsible for paying the past tuition charges as well as the current university per semester late registration penalty. All past due charges will need to be paid before the Graduate School will approve the doctoral candidate for any future enrollment. The doctoral candidate’s five-year candidacy period will not be interrupted in this situation.

Condition of Reinstatement. As a condition of reinstatement, a doctoral candidate will be required to follow the continuous enrollment guidelines as a doctoral candidate regardless of when they were admitted to the Graduate School.

Time Limit. If a doctoral candidate fails to submit the final copy of the dissertation or DMA document to the Graduate School within five years of being admitted to candidacy, the candidacy is cancelled. In such a case, with the approval of the advisor and the Graduate School, the doctoral candidate may petition for one extra semester after the conclusion of candidacy to complete all outstanding degree requirements. The doctoral candidate may also petition their advisor and their Graduate Studies Committee to take a supplemental candidacy examination. If the student passes this supplemental candidacy examination, the student is readmitted to candidacy and must then complete a dissertation or DMA document within two years.

Supplemental Candidacy Examination. The nature of the supplemental candidacy examination and the membership of the candidacy examination committee are determined by the doctoral candidate’s advisor within the rules of the Graduate Studies Committee. The examination committee is comprised of the advisor and at least three other authorized Graduate Faculty members. The supplemental candidacy examination must include a written and an oral portion that lasts no more than two hours. A Graduate Faculty Representative is appointed if a prior unsatisfactory examination result is on record. All other rules pertaining to candidacy examinations must be followed. 

Withdrawal from Doctoral Program. Doctoral candidates who decide to permanently withdraw from their doctoral program must submit a Withdrawal from Program form on GRADFORMS. This form is to be completed prior to the semester in which the withdrawal status will take effect. The candidacy status will be deactivated and university records will reflect that the doctoral candidate will not be permitted to enroll without the approval of the graduate program and submission of a Reactivate Enrollment Eligibility form to the Graduate School.

Should the doctoral candidate later be reactivated in the doctoral program, a new candidacy examination will be required, and the doctoral candidate will have five years from the successful completion of this exam to complete the dissertation. A doctoral candidate may also need to complete additional course work at the discretion of the graduate program.

Dissertation - 7.8

The dissertation is a scholarly contribution to knowledge in the doctoral candidate’s area of specialization. By researching and writing a dissertation, the doctoral candidate is expected to demonstrate a high level of knowledge and the capability to function as an independent scholar.

Dissertation Committee. The dissertation committee is composed of the advisor who must be a Category P graduate faculty member in the doctoral candidate’s graduate program and at least two other authorized graduate faculty members. Additional graduate faculty members also may serve on the dissertation committee. The advisor serves as chair of the dissertation committee. Selection of the committee members is the responsibility of the advisor and is subject to the rules of the Graduate Studies Committee. Non-graduate faculty members may be appointed to the dissertation committee as additional external members (Section 12) by approval of the Graduate Studies Committee in the doctoral candidate’s home program and by petition to the Graduate School.

The dissertation committee is established at a time thought appropriate by the doctoral candidate and the advisor. Doctoral candidates are responsible for making certain that committee members are on duty in the autumn or spring semester or summer term of the defense.

External Members. With the approval of the Graduate School, faculty from other universities or persons with special academic or technical expertise may be appointed to the dissertation committee. Adjunct appointments are not needed for those members.

Format Review. The doctoral candidate must submit a complete and defensible dissertation or DMA document draft to the Graduate School for format review at the time the Application for Final Examination form is submitted. The dissertation must conform to Graduate School format requirements as described in the document preparation guidelines available on the Graduate School website. Students are responsible for ensuring that their final document conforms to all applicable University digital accessibility policies before submitting to OhioLINK. Format reviews for PhD dissertations can be done remotely or in person. All reviews will require the student to upload a complete and defensible draft copy of the document as a PDF to grad-schoolformatreview@osu.edu. In person reviews are conducted at the Graduate School office on a walk-in basis during normal university business hours.

All dissertations submitted for format review and defense must be of a caliber similar to that expected of an article submitted to a journal for review. Documents that are missing tables, graphs, citations, chapters or sections, etc., are considered incomplete and cannot be reviewed or defended. The student is responsible for ensuring that the information contained within the dissertation is original, complete and does not include material that could be deemed as academic misconduct.

Final Oral Examination - 7.9

The final oral examination tests originality, independence of thought, the ability to synthesize and interpret, and the quality of research presented. The final oral examination concerns principles and historic perspective as well as data. The final oral examination includes, but is not limited to, discussion of the dissertation. The examiners often pursue lines of thought and argument from the data and concepts that have contributed to the research and to its critical evaluation by the doctoral candidate.

Final Oral Examination Committee. The final oral examination committee is composed of members of the doctoral candidate’s dissertation committee, plus the Graduate Faculty Representative. Other graduate faculty members may be added to the committee, subject to the rules of the Graduate Studies Committee. The advisor serves as chair of the final oral examination committee. Responsibility for conducting and evaluating the final oral examination rests with the doctoral candidate’s final oral examination committee.

Dissertation Approval. Before a defense can be held, the doctoral candidate must submit a complete dissertation or DMA document to the dissertation committee for review and approval or disapproval. Doctoral candidates must ensure that they meet the completion timeline set forth by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Scheduling. A dissertation committee member’s approval of the complete and defensible dissertation draft means that the committee member judges it to be of sufficient merit to warrant holding the final oral examination. To schedule the final exam the doctoral candidate must submit an Application for Final Examination on GRADFORMS and have this approved by each dissertation committee member at least two weeks before the proposed defense date. After the final oral examination committee has been approved by the Graduate School and the Graduate Faculty Representative has been assigned, the Report on Final Examination and Report on Final Document are made available to the examination committee. The final oral examination must take place during announced university business hours, Monday through Friday. Final examinations must be held on Ohio State’s Columbus or Wooster campus, or via video conference, dependent upon unanimous agreement by the student and committee.

Graduate Faculty Representative. Once the final oral examination is scheduled, the Graduate School appoints the Graduate Faculty Representative (GFR). The GFR is a Category P graduate faculty member who is neither a graduate faculty member in the doctoral candidate’s graduate program nor a member of the dissertation committee. No less than one week before the final oral examination, a complete and defensible dissertation or DMA document draft must be presented to the GFR for reference.

The presence of the GFR is required at the oral examination for its entire duration. The GFR is a full voting member of the final oral examination committee and is invited by the advisor to ask questions. The GFR has the right to ask at least one question and renders an opinion by observation of the student’s answers to all questions. The purpose of the GFR on the final oral examination committee is:

  • To assess the rigor of the examination process.
  • To assess the integrity and professionalism of the examination process.
  • To assess conformity to rules of the Graduate School (e.g., duration of the exam, adequate time for questions by the committee members).

The GFR reports a judgment of the above to the Graduate School once the final oral examination is completed through an evaluation form on GRADFORMS, preferably within 48 hours after the examination.

Attendance and Format. All members of the final oral examination committee are expected to be present during the entire examination. All committee members are expected to participate fully in questioning during the course of the examination and in the discussion of and decision on the result. The final oral examination lasts no longer than two hours. 

The Graduate School recommends that a public presentation of the dissertation research by the doctoral candidate be held at some point before the end of their graduate program. The public presentation may be attended by other faculty members (who are not members of the final oral examination committee) and graduate students, subject to the rules of the Graduate Studies Committee. A public presentation of the dissertation research, including questions from the public, is allowed within the two-hour period of the final oral examination, but is recommended to last about one-half hour. 

At least one hour of the two-hour examination period, however, must be allotted to discussion of the research and to questions by the final oral examination committee members and answers by the doctoral candidate. The Graduate School recommends a closed questioning session (limited to the committee members) in which the committee members pose substantial questions for the oral examination. Local programs may develop additional local protocols and procedures.

Video Conferencing. The use of video conferencing during the final oral examination is permitted for committee members not present during the oral examination to enable them to remain connected for the duration of the examination. If a connection is lost for more than five minutes, the oral examination will be halted and resumed upon reestablishment of the connection. All doctoral final oral examinations involving video conferencing must adhere to the Graduate School’s guidelines for video conferencing   (see Appendix B).

Postponement. The final oral examination is expected to be held as scheduled; however, circumstances may prompt the advisor to postpone it. Before taking such action, the advisor must consult the doctoral candidate and the other members of the dissertation or DMA document committee, which does not include the GFR. Prior to the examination, the advisor must notify the Graduate School of the postponement.

Halting an Oral Examination in Progress. If for reasons of illness, fire, or other emergency, the committee members, including the Graduate Faculty Representative, agree that it is necessary to halt the final oral examination, then the examination shall be rescheduled without prejudice to the doctoral candidate. If, however, the committee members unanimously decide that the examination has been sufficient to reach a decision to pass the doctoral candidate, then they shall consider the examination concluded and shall report the result to the Graduate School.

Result of the Final Oral Examination - 7.10

Decision. Only the final oral examination committee members, including the Graduate Faculty Representative, are to be present for discussion of the doctoral candidate’s performance and the decision about the outcome. After discussion, the satisfactory/unsatisfactory decision is reached by means of a vote. Each examiner indicates judgment by posting their decision on the Report on Final Examination in GRADFORMS that should be submitted to the Graduate School within 24 hours of the examination’s completion, but no later than the posted deadline for the autumn or spring semester or summer term of graduation.

The examination is expected to follow all established university policies.

Satisfactory. The doctoral candidate is considered to have completed the final oral examination successfully only when the decision of the final oral examination committee (including the GFR) is unanimously affirmative.

Unsatisfactory. If the examination is judged unsatisfactory, the final oral examination committee must decide whether the doctoral candidate will be permitted to take a second final oral examination and must record that decision on the Report on Final Examination. Should the GFR cast the only negative vote at the conclusion of the examination, the matter will be referred to the Graduate School for review. Typically, second attempts are only reserved for situations in which the doctoral candidate has met almost every requirement of the final oral exam examination (namely, originality, independence of thought, the ability to synthesize and interpret and the quality of research presented) but needs to make minor adjustments or improvements.

During the examination, if the GFR finds that the examination is not fair, professional or rigorous, the GFR is encouraged to express their concerns prior to a decision being posted and then to submit their evaluation and vote after discussion. If the GFR judges that additional time or information would be needed to render a vote, the GFR should contact the Graduate School immediately after the examination has concluded and before they report their vote. The Graduate School will review the issues raised by the GFR. The GFR will then record their vote, preferably within 48 hours after the examination. The Graduate School will take appropriate action based on the GFR vote.

Second Final Oral Examination. If a second examination is held, the final oral examination committee must be the same as the original one unless a substitution is approved by the Graduate School. All other rules pertaining to final oral examinations must be followed.

Failure. A doctoral candidate who fails the final oral examination twice is not allowed an additional examination. After two unsatisfactory attempts at the final oral examination, a doctoral candidate is not permitted to be a doctoral candidate in the same or in any other graduate program at this university. A notation of dismissal will be posted to the doctoral candidate’s academic record and further registration will not be allowed. Such doctoral candidates can seek admission to a master’s degree program at this university by utilizing the transfer of graduate program procedure and securing a support letter from the Graduate Studies Committee Chair of the proposed master’s program.

Review. On written appeal by the student or a member of the final oral examination committee, the Graduate School reviews the final oral examination to ensure its conformity to Graduate School and/or local graduate program rules. The Graduate Council has established review procedures (Appendix D).

Dissertation Approval - 7.11

Final Approval. Final approval of the dissertation cannot occur until the final oral examination has been completed satisfactorily. Each dissertation committee member indicates approval by posting their decision on the Report on Final Document in GRADFORMS that must be submitted to the Graduate School by the published deadline for the semester or summer term of graduation.

Restricted Material. Dissertations must not contain material that may never be allowed to be published. Students whose dissertations contain material that can be published but requires a delay in public disclosure can request to delay public disclosure on OhioLINK (Ohio Library and Information Network). Although the disclosure of a completed dissertation may be delayed, the document’s title and abstract will still be available to the public via OhioLINK. Please contact the Graduate School for additional information.

Electronic Submission. The final dissertation must be submitted to and approved by the Graduate School by the published deadline for the autumn semester, spring semester, or summer term of graduation. All approved doctoral dissertations must be submitted electronically through OhioLINK. All Ohio State dissertations are also archived with ProQuest/UMI. Approved documents submitted via OhioLINK will need to be accepted by the Graduate School by the close of business before the Report on Final Document will be processed. The students must allow adequate time, at least a day or two, between submitting their document to OhioLINK and final review/approval by the Graduate School.

Abstract. The student must write an abstract of 500 words or less for entry onto the OhioLINK submission screen. The abstract must contain the principal findings of the student’s research.

Fees. Appropriate fees must be paid by the published deadline for the autumn or spring semester or summer term of graduation.

Application to Graduate, PhD - 7.12

It is the dual responsibility of the Graduate Studies Committee and the Graduate School to review the student’s record and ensure that all degree requirements are completed at the end of the expected autumn or spring semester or summer term of graduation. 

Application to Graduate. A student must complete and submit the Application to Graduate on GRADFORMS no later than the third Friday of the semester (or third Friday of summer term) in which graduation is expected. The application is valid for that autumn or spring semester or summer term only. Submitting this application indicates that the student expects to complete all degree requirements by the end of that semester or term. It must be submitted by the student and approved by the advisor and the Graduate Studies Committee Chair. The dissertation advisor must be listed on the form.

End of Semester or Summer Term. A student who does not meet published graduation deadlines, but who does complete all degree requirements by the last business day prior to the first day of classes for the following autumn or spring semester or summer term, may graduate the following autumn or spring semester or summer term without registering or paying fees.

Summary of PhD Degree Graduation Requirements - 7.13

  1. Satisfactory completion of the candidacy examination and submission of the approved Report on Candidacy Examination.
  2. Registration for at least three graduate credit hours during the autumn or spring semester or summer term when the candidacy and final oral examinations are taken and during the autumn or spring semester or summer term in which graduation is expected.
  3. Submission of the Application to Graduate form to GRADFORMS no later than the third Friday of the autumn or spring semester (or third Friday of summer term) in which graduation is expected.
  4. Completion of a minimum of 80 graduate credit hours, at least 50 of which must be completed beyond the master’s degree. For a master’s degree earned at another institution to count toward the 80 hours, it must be officially transferred. Of the 50 post-master’s hours, at least 24 graduate hours must be taken at this university.
  5. Cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0.
  6. Approval of complete and defensible dissertation draft by the dissertation committee members and submission of the Application for Final Examination and the complete and defensible dissertation draft to the Graduate School at least two weeks before the date of the final oral examination.
  7. Satisfactory completion of the final oral examination and verification that the Report on Final Examination form has been approved (via GRADFORMS) by the published deadline.
  8. Electronic submission of the approved dissertation and a separate 500-word or less abstract by the published deadline for the semester or summer session of graduation.
  9. Committee approval of the Report on Final Document and completion of Survey of Earned Doctorates after electronic submission and acceptance of dissertation by the published deadline for the autumn or spring semester or summer term of graduation.
  10. Completion of PhD degree requirements within five years after being admitted to candidacy.
  11. Receipt of final grades in the Office of the University Registrar by the published deadline.
  12. Completion of PhD degree requirements established by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Students are responsible for meeting all degree and graduation requirements by the requisite deadlines, as well as follow all existing policies and procedures. Failure to do so may prevent the student from graduating on time. See Appendix H.3 for more information.

Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs - 7.14

Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs (IGP) are graduate programs spanning across multiple departments and colleges. There are five IGPs recognized by the Office of Academic Affairs and reporting fiscally to the Graduate School. Each is overseen by its own graduate studies program coordinator (Section 13). These are: 

Admission. Students need to submit independent application(s) for each of the IGPs. The PhD degree requirements for IGPs are as described in Section 7.13.

Doctor of Musical Arts Degree (DMA) - 7.15

The PhD degree rules presented in this document (and Section 7, in particular) apply to students pursuing the DMA degree.

DMA Document. After admission to candidacy and in place of a dissertation, the DMA student must demonstrate competence by presenting recitals (in performance) or original works (in composition) and by writing a scholarly document. The student is responsible for ensuring that the information contained within the scholarly document is original, complete and does not include material that could be deemed as academic misconduct.

The DMA document gives evidence of the candidate’s ability to make a scholarly investigation and to present its results in a clear, concise style. It is a detailed analytical, historical and/or technical study of a coherent segment of the performance literature; or, for composers, it is a study related to composition. The DMA document must conform to Graduate School format requirements as described in the “Guidelines for Preparing Theses, Dissertations, and DMA Documents.”

DMA Committee. The DMA committee is established before the first recital or composition presentation and is subject to the rules of the Graduate Studies Committee. The DMA candidacy committee is composed of the advisor and three authorized graduate faculty members. The DMA final examination committee is composed of the advisor and two authorized graduate faculty members, as is for the PhD degree. The advisor must have an authorized P status with a DMA degree or equivalent in the student’s home program and whose major instrument is the same as that of the student. The other members of the candidacy and final examination committee must have a graduate faculty M status or an authorized P status. A graduate faculty representative will serve on the final examination committee.

Final Oral Examination. For DMA students in performance, the final oral examination is concerned primarily, but not exclusively, with the document, the major performance area, and its repertoire. For DMA students in composition, the final oral examination is concerned primarily, but not exclusively, with the DMA document, the area of composition, and music theory.

Review. On written appeal by the student or a member of the final oral examination committee, the Graduate School reviews the student’s final oral examination to ensure its conformity to Graduate School and/or local graduate program rules. The Graduate Council has established review procedures (Appendix D).

Electronic Submission of DMA Document. The DMA document must be submitted electronically through OhioLINK (Ohio Library and Information Network) by the published deadline for the semester or summer session of graduation. All DMA documents are also archived with ProQuest/UMI. Approved documents submitted via OhioLINK will need to be accepted by the Graduate School by the close of business before the Report on Final Document will be processed. The students must allow adequate time, at least a day or two, between submitting their document to OhioLINK and final review/approval by the Graduate School.

Summary of DMA Degree Graduation Requirements - 7.16

  1. Satisfactory completion of the candidacy examination and submission of the approved Report on Candidacy Examination presentation of recitals or compositions.
  2. Registration for at least three graduate credit hours during the autumn or spring semester or summer term when the candidacy and final oral examinations are taken and during the autumn or spring semester or summer term in which graduation is expected.
  3. Submission of the Application to Graduate form on GRADFORMS no later than the third Friday of the semester (or third Friday of summer term) in which graduation is expected.
  4. Completion of a minimum of 80 graduate credit hours, at least 50 of which must be completed beyond the master’s degree. For a master’s degree earned at another institution to count toward the 80 hours, it must be officially transferred. Of the 50 post-master’s hours, at least 24 graduate hours must be taken at this university.
  5. Cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0.
  6. Approval of complete and defensible DMA document draft by the DMA document committee members and submission of the Report on Final Examination form and the complete and defensible document draft to the Graduate School at least two weeks before the date of the final oral examination.
  7. Satisfactory completion of the final oral examination and submission of the Final Oral Examination Report form to the Graduate School by the published deadline for the autumn or spring semester or summer term of graduation deadline for the autumn or spring semester or summer term of graduation.
  8. Committee approval of the Report on Final Document and completion of Survey of Earned Doctorates after electronic submission and acceptance of document by the published deadline for the autumn or spring semester or summer term of graduation.
  9. Completion of DMA degree requirements within five years after being admitted to candidacy.
  10. Receipt of final grades in the Office of the University Registrar by the published deadline.
  11. Completion of DMA degree requirements established by the Graduate Studies Committee in Music.

Students are responsible for meeting all degree and graduation requirements by the requisite deadlines, as well as follow all existing policies and procedures. Failure to do so may prevent the student from graduating on time. See Appendix H.3 for more information. 

 

Professional Doctoral Degrees - 7.17

Professional doctoral degrees prepare students for advanced professional knowledge with a practice perspective to the learning, and variable levels of scholarly work. Frequently, professional doctoral degrees will contain training and advanced knowledge that is required by a relevant licensing board and professional organization. The professional doctoral examination, final document, and exit requirements are components that provide examination and capstone experiences consistent with the profession’s standards and the Graduate School’s expectations for professional doctoral programs.

Please note that these degrees differ from professional programs that have been established, report to the Office of Academic Affairs, and are not overseen by the Graduate School (Section 8.1).

The following professional doctoral degrees are offered at the university and are overseen by the Graduate School:

Doctor of Audiology (AuD)

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Doctor of Education in Kinesiology (KINESIO-ED)

Doctor of Nursing Education (DNE)

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD)

Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Admissions Criteria. An applicant must submit documentation that demonstrates fulfillment of the admission criteria or equivalent qualifications as listed in  Section 2.2.

Program of Study. Students follow a course of study established by the professional doctoral degree program. Professional doctoral degree programs include a professional doctoral examination, final document, and exit requirement. Professional doctoral degree programs include practicum, internship, or similar clinical or professional experiences designed to provide mastery of the skills needed by doctoral-level practitioners in the field. Professional doctoral degree programs may also have additional discipline-specific requirements that reflect licensing or accreditation standards.

Credit Hours. A minimum of 80 graduate credit hours, or the minimum credit hours approved by the Graduate School for a program, beyond the baccalaureate degree is required to earn a professional doctoral degree.

If a master’s degree has been earned by the student, then a minimum of 50 graduate credit hours, or the minimum credit hours approved by the Graduate School for a program, beyond the master’s degree is required. Of the 50 post-master’s hours, at least 24 graduate hours must be taken at this university. If the master’s degree was earned at another university, it must be transferred to this university. When a professional doctoral student has taken a master’s degree at this university and has earned graduate credit in excess of the minimum required for that degree, the student’s advisor, with the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee, notifies the Graduate School of the courses to be counted toward the 50 graduate credit hours required for the professional doctoral degree.

A student must be registered for at least three graduate credit hours during the autumn or spring semesters or summer term of the professional doctoral examination, the autumn or spring semester or summer term of the exit requirement, and the autumn or spring semester or summer term of expected graduation.

Professional Doctoral Examination. Students are required to take a professional doctoral examination testing the student’s understanding of the theoretical and applied fundamentals of the field as well as the student’s readiness to engage in a sustained clinical or professional experience. The timing of the professional doctoral examination is set in accordance with the requirements of professional preparation but generally precedes a sustained clinical or professional experience.

The Professional Doctoral Examination cannot be taken the same autumn or spring semester or summer term as the exit requirement or expected graduation. The student must submit an Application for Professional Exam on GRADFORMS at least two weeks prior to the scheduled date of the exam.

Failure. A student who fails the professional doctoral examination twice is not allowed an additional examination. After two unsatisfactory attempts at the professional doctoral examination, a student is not permitted to be a doctoral candidate in the same or any other graduate program at this university.

Review. On written appeal by the graduate student or a member of the professional doctoral examination committee, the Graduate School reviews the student’s professional doctoral examination to ensure its conformity to Graduate School and/or local graduate program rules. The Graduate Council has established review procedures (Appendix D).

Final Document. Students in professional doctoral programs submit an original final document demonstrating original thinking and the ability to evaluate research in the field analytically. Students in professional doctoral programs are expected to follow the document formatting standards of their disciplines. Each committee member indicates approval of the student’s final document by posting their decision on the Report on Final Document in GRADFORMS. The final version of the student’s final document is retained permanently by the student’s program. Final documents must not contain material restricted from public disclosure.

Professional Doctoral Examination Committee. The final examination committee is composed of the advisor, who must be a Category P, or Category M with a degree of the Professional Doctorate, or equivalent, of the student’s home program, as well as at least one other current graduate faculty member, and one faculty member approved by the program. Graduate Faculty Representatives do not serve on the final examination committee. If a second final examination is held, the final oral examination committee must be the same as the original one unless a substitution is approved by the Graduate School. All other rules pertaining to final oral examinations must be followed.

Exit Requirement. Students are required to complete an exit requirement designed by the professional doctoral program to demonstrate candidates’ preparation for advanced application and/or practice in the profession. The exit requirement is structured around the final document.

External Reviewers. External reviewers may assist in the evaluation of professional doctorate candidates by reviewing the final document or by participating in the exit requirement.

Time to Degree. Professional doctoral degree requirements must be completed within five years after a student passes the professional doctoral examination.

Summary of Professional Degree Graduation Requirements.

  • Submission of an approved Application for Professional Exam to the Graduate School at least two weeks before the exam date. 
  • Satisfactory completion of the professional doctoral examination and submission of the approved Report on Professional Exam. 
  • Registration for at least three graduate credit hours during the autumn or spring semester or summer term when the professional doctoral examination and exit requirement are completed and during the autumn or spring semester or summer term in which graduation is expected. 
  • Submission of the Application to Graduate form on GRADFORMS no later than the third Friday of the semester (or third Friday of summer term) in which graduation is expected. 
  • Completion of a minimum number of graduate credit hours required for the professional doctoral degree. If the student has earned a master’s degree, a minimum of 50 graduate credit hours, or the minimum credit hours approved by the Graduate School for a program, beyond the master’s degree is required. Of the 50 post-master’s hours, at least 24 graduate credit hours must be taken at this university. If the master’s degree was earned at another university, it must be transferred to this university. See Section 7.17.5 for additional information. 
  • Cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0.
  • Approval of the final professional document by the professional doctoral exam committee members and submission of an approved Report on Final Document by the published deadline.
  • Satisfactory completion of the exit requirement designed by the professional doctoral program and submission of an approved Report on Final Exam by the published deadline.
  • Completion of professional doctoral degree requirements within five years after successful completion of the professional doctoral examination.
  • Receipt of final grades in the Office of the University Registrar by the published deadline.
  • Completion of professional doctoral degree requirements established by the corresponding Graduate Studies Committee. 

Students are responsible for meeting all degree and graduation requirements by the requisite deadlines, as well as follow all existing policies and procedures. Failure to do so may prevent the student from graduating on time. See Appendix H.3 for more information. 

Academic Internship Programs - 7.18

The graduate school supports internship experiences for graduate students that advance their program of study and develop skills that prepare them to be successful for a broad range of academic and non-academic career paths. These internship opportunities should complement the academic and professional training of the student and be integrated with their program of study.

Students and their advisor(s) in consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee should carefully consider the benefits of the proposed internship and ensure that the internship experience does not adversely affect the credit-hour and other program requirements and timeline for graduation. Typically, these internships are recommended for students who have achieved doctoral candidacy status to avoid conflicts with course-load and credit-hour requirements(s) during the academic semester(s). Participation in these internships, which are expected to be synergistic with the student’s program of study, typically counts toward the doctoral candidate’s five years of candidacy.

Students pursuing an internship opportunity are subject to the continuous enrollment policy and must register and pay fees at Ohio State. Internship opportunities for graduate students should ideally provide funds that allow for payment of stipend, tuition and fees, and/or travel and relocation fees for the graduate student as applicable.

Big Ten Academic Alliance Traveling Scholar Program - 7.19

The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA), the consortium of the Big Ten universities and the University of Chicago, established the Traveling Scholar Program to increase the cooperative use of its member institutions’ resources. The program enables doctoral students at any BTAA university to take advantage of educational opportunities at any other BTAA university.

Eligibility. A student who wishes to become a BTAA Traveling Scholar first consults with the advisor to determine if such an option would enhance the program of study and would not duplicate educational opportunities offered at this university. The student’s advisor discusses the proposed visit with a colleague at the host university. Both faculty members must agree that the student is qualified to take advantage of the visit.

The student must fill out the BTAA Traveling Scholar Application (submit no later than the normal registration deadline for the relevant semester or term). If approved by the Graduate School, it is forwarded to the graduate school at the host campus for approval. The student and advisor are notified regarding the decision of the host campus.

Enrollment. Traveling Scholars register and pay fees at their home university. They normally register for independent study courses or research credit (8999) and earn a grade of Satisfactory (“S”) or Unsatisfactory (“U”), which appears on the student’s official permanent record. The actual courses taken and grades earned appear on the host university’s transcript returned by the host BTAA institution at the end of the quarter or semester.

Time limit. Visits of Traveling Scholars may not exceed two academic semesters and/or a total of 12 months.

Office of Postdoctoral Affairs - 7.20

Postdoctoral trainees are not Graduate Students and therefore are not directly overseen by the Graduate School. However, as part of Graduate Studies (advanced learning beyond the baccalaureate degree), postdoctoral trainees are overseen by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs that reports to both the Office of Research and the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School. The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs prepares the next generation of research leaders by enhancing the postdoctoral experience at The Ohio State University through the promotion of career development opportunities, advancing the quality of the training environment for postdoctoral scholars, and providing resources and support to faculty members.

Support is provided through (but is not limited to):

  • Funding the university’s membership to the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA).
  • Fellowship Awards Program.
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