Doctoral Degree Programs

The GSC enforces rules regarding doctoral degree programs.The GSC may:

• Establish rules for designating doctoral degree areas of specialization to be recorded on student transcript. 
• Establish a foreign language requirement. 
• Establish rules and procedures for the conduct of preliminary examination (Section 7.2) if applicable. 
• Establish rules and procedures for the conduct of the candidacy examination (Section 7.6). 
• Determine whether students may take a second candidacy examination. 
• Establish rules and procedures for selecting the dissertation committee. 
• Establish rules and procedures for the conduct of the final oral examination (Section 7.9). 
• Determine if other faculty members and graduate students may attend the final oral examination according to the rules of the Graduate School. 
• Decide whether the advisor or another member of the graduate faculty serves as chair of the candidacy examination committee and whether the advisor is a member of this committee and reports this decision to the Graduate School. 

In addition, the GSC of Combined Programs also:

• Monitors progress of combined program students.

In addition, the GSC of Certificate Programs also:

• May establish rules for graduate certificate programs of study.