Summary of Procedures for Doctoral Degrees

The following outline summarizes the Portland State University procedural requirements for the doctoral degree. Additional requirements may be imposed by specific programs. Additional information can be found in the Graduate Studies section of the Portland State University Bulletin 2006-07 pages 61-74. See the Graduate Candidates' Deadlines available in the Office of Graduate Studies.

Pre-Candidacy for the Degree

  1. After admission to a specific program, each student is assigned to a faculty adviser by the program director. A preliminary course of study is developed in consultation with the adviser.
  2. Upon satisfactory completion of 9 credits of coursework and not later than six months prior to the completion of the comprehensive examinations, an advisory committee consisting of at least three members is appointed by the program director.
  3. A program of study is prepared by the advisory committee in consultation with the student. The student's program is recommended to the program director; after approval, copies are distributed to the student, adviser, program director, and dean of Graduate Studies.
  4. In some programs the student may be required to pass a preliminary examination.
  5. Foreign language examinations, if required, must be passed before the comprehensive examination. Notice of passing of the examination is sent to the dean of Graduate Studies.
  6. The comprehensive examinations are scheduled and administered in accordance with established rules of the program. The results of the examination are sent to the dean of Graduate Studies.
  7. After the student has passed the comprehensive and foreign language examinations, and after identification of a dissertation research problem, a dissertation committee, consisting of the dissertation adviser and a minimum of three and a maximum of five additional faculty from the doctoral program, is recommended by the program director. This committee is selected with regard to both faculty skills and knowledge required by the research problem and the regulations of the specific academic program and the University. The chair of the dissertation committee and the Graduate Office representative must be regular, full-time PSU faculty, tenured or tenure-track, assistant professor or higher in rank; the other three committee members may include adjunct faculty. If it is necessary to go off-campus for one additional committee member with specific expertise not available among PSU faculty, a CV for that proposed member must be presented. All committee members must have doctoral degrees. The adviser submits one copy of the Appointment of Final Oral Examination Committee form (GO-16D) to the Office of Graduate Studies for appointment of the representative of the Office of Graduate Studies and approval of the committee by the dean of Graduate Studies. The dissertation topic must accompany this request, along with a copy of the preliminary draft for approval from the Human Subjects Research Review Committee. No proposal defense shall be valid without a dissertation committee approved by the Office of Graduate Studies.
  8. The Student prepares a written dissertation proposal and submits it to the approved dissertation committee for evaluation, modification, and final approval. When the dissertation committee has approved the proposal, the student revises the Human Subjects draft and submits it to the HSRRC office (Unitus Building, 6th floor) for approval. The doctoral program recommends the student for advancement to candidacy once Human Subjects approval has been granted. If the student has not satisfied the residency requirements, a plan for doctoral residency compliance must also accompany the request for candidacy.
  9. The student is informed by the dean of Graduate Studies of advancement to candidacy for the doctoral degree. The candidate has a minimum of four months and a maximum of five years from the effective date of advancement to candidacy to complete all requirements for graduation, including defense of the dissertation and its final acceptance by the Office of Graduate Studies. Candidates must be continuously enrolled during that period.
  10. Doctoral residency requirement: Each doctoral student must register for and successfully complete 9 or more graded graduate credits per term for a minimum of three consecutive terms after admission to the doctoral program. Summer term may be included (i.e., spring, summer, fall 2006) or excluded (i.e., spring 2006, fall 2006, winter 2007) in calculating consecutive terms.

Candidacy for the Degree

  1. Ph.D. students must register for a minimum of 27 hours of dissertation (603) credits before graduation; Ed.D. students must register for a minimum of 18 hours of dissertation (603) credits before graduation. A minimum continuing enrollment of one graduate credit is required through the term a student graduates. Doctoral programs may set higher minimums.
  2. Under direction of the chair of the dissertation committee, and in consultation with the members of the dissertation committee, the candidate prepares a preliminary draft of the dissertation. The draft is revised and corrected as directed by the dissertation committee until it meets the approval of the committee.
  3. The candidate files the Application for Awarding of Master's or Doctoral Degree form with the Office of Graduate Studies no later than the first week of the anticipated term of graduation.
  4. At least two weeks prior to the final oral examination (dissertation defense), the chair of the dissertation committee submits copies of the final draft to each member of the committee.
  5. The final oral examination must be passed and all degree requirements completed no later than five calendar years after advancement to candidacy for the doctoral degree. Candidates must be continuously enrolled.
  6. Three copies of the dissertation and four copies of the abstract in final approved form (some departments require four copies of the dissertation and five copies of the abstract) must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies no later than three weeks before graduation. Required corrections must be made before graduation.
  7. Microfilming of the dissertation is mandatory for doctoral candidates. An abstract, which may not exceed 350 words, must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies with the University Microfilms International agreement form. The charge for this service is $55, payable at the Cashier's Office, after picking up the necessary forms in the Office of Graduate Studies. Copyrighting of the dissertation is optional, at an additional charge of $65, payable at the Cashier's Office.
  8. The National Research Council Survey of Earned Doctorates must be completed by the student and returned to the Office of Graduate Studies. There is no charge involved.
  9. Incomplete or In Progress grades in any course (excluding dissertation, see 11 below) which is in the approved program must be removed no later than two weeks before graduation.
  10. All M (Missing) grades in PSU graduate courses that could potentially be letter graded must be removed no later than two weeks before graduation, even if the courses are not listed on the student's approved doctoral program of study.
  11. The doctoral program completes the Recommendation for the Degree form (GO-17D) which is forwarded to the Office of Graduate Studies no later than the last week of the term of graduation. In-progress grades for 603 dissertation credits are changed on this form, eliminating the need for the Supplemental Grade Report for these courses.
  12. The dean of Graduate Studies certifies that all requirements for the degree have been met and recommends the awarding of the degree.
  13. Graduation.

For specific deadlines for each term, see the Graduate Candidates' Deadlines available on the web and in departmental offices and in the Office of Graduate Studies, Unitus Building, 6th floor.