Ph.D. Advisment and Grade Requirements

Initial Advisement

Upon entry in the Ph.D. program, each student is assigned an advisor by the Doctoral Program Coordinator. The advisor assists the student to focus on areas of specialization and to constitute their Doctoral Candidacy Examination Committee. The advisor often becomes Chair of this committee and eventually, of the Dissertation Committee. Students may change their advisor by agreement and by so requesting to the Doctoral Program Coordinator.

Grades

Doctoral students are required to maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA for all their courses. At the doctoral level, grades of “A” and “A-“ indicate “excellent” performance. A grade of “B+” indicates “very good” performance. A grade of “B” is considered a passing grade. Any other grade is a failing grade and that course must be taken again by the student.