PhD Handbook: Program Timelines
Unlike undergraduate degree programs, and some master degree programs, there is no specific length of time associated with earning a Ph.D. Across disciplines and campuses, the average amount of time to earn the degree is between 4 and 5 years, although individual time varies widely.
The Education program was planned to span at least 3 years and was designed for students who already have undertaken graduate work and already demonstrated competence and interest in educational research. The length of the program, however, is based on the student's progress in mastering subject matter, preparing for examinations, preparing research proposals, and conducting original research. The nature of these activities differs and makes for considerable time variability among students in the same program.
A general guideline for planning your graduate program is described below.
First year: During the first year, students normally complete any prerequisites that are deemed necessary by the admissions committee, the graduate adviser, or faculty adviser. General program prerequisites are noted on the Advising Form in this handbook.
In addition to prerequisites, students complete the 2-quarter sequence of core courses that are required of all students working towards the education Ph.D.:
- EDU 291 Proseminar in Education (3) Fall
- EDU 291 Proseminar in Education (3) Winter
All students will take the following methodology core courses:
- EDU 201 Qualitative Methods Winter
- EDU 203 Educational Testing and Evaluation Spring
Second year: During the second year of the program, students complete any remaining background course work or required course work. The rest of the second year is devoted to completing courses in your area of specialization. At least 32 units (approximately 8 courses) are required for the area of specialization; these are selected with the assistance of the faculty adviser. You should also complete at least two advanced methodology courses.
Second/third year: During the second and third year, students prepare for and complete the qualifying examination. If a foreign language and/or internship are required by the student's faculty adviser, the student will complete them at this time. These requirements will be discussed in a later section of this handbook. The student and his or her qualifying examination committee will design a qualifying examination to assess readiness to complete the dissertation.
Fourth year plus: Ph.D. dissertations must satisfy the standards and format of the Graduate Studies Office and those of an appropriate publications manual, for example, that of the American Psychological Association (latest edition). In general, the style and format of the journals by the AERA should be used in written work in this program.
The Office of Graduate Studies will assign a three-person committee to guide the dissertation, with one member serving as chair. Normally a student's dissertation adviser will be the chair. All three members of the committee must approve the dissertation.
When the committee approves the dissertation, the student makes a public presentation of the dissertation results. The details of place and time for dissertation presentations will be publicly posted, and any member of the University community may attend and raise questions at this exit seminar. This presentation is not an examination, but an opportunity for students to inform members of the graduate group and others about their research. Participation in the process of research dissemination is viewed as a scholarly activity.
Expected Timeline for Completing Program Milestones
Students entering the Ph.D. program in Education are expected to make timely progress toward completing their doctoral studies. We have defined timely progress in terms of several program milestones. The table below specifies the time that students should take to complete each milestone. Students are encouraged to complete program milestones sooner than indicated, but not at the expense of producing quality work.
Students who do not complete program milestones within a normal time period are considered by the GGE faculty to be at risk of not completing the program successfully and will be counseled by their advisor to help them get back on track as quickly as possible.
Program Milestone Years to Completion
MILESTONE #1:Course requirements completed & Qualifying Exam committee formed Two to three years from beginning of program
MILESTONE #2: Completion of both of the following two separate steps:
- Qualifying exam completed
- Dissertation proposal approved (Advancement to Candidacy) One year past Milestone #1, not to exceed four years from beginning of program
MILESTONE #3: Dissertation completed Within four years past Milestone #2, not to exceed a total of seven years in the program.
We expect students to complete each milestone within the specified period of time. We recognize, however, that students come into the program with varied backgrounds and interest, and these will be reflected in somewhat different timelines through and between program milestones. We also recognize that exceptional circumstances can make it difficult for students to complete a program milestone within the normal period of time.
Progress in completing program milestones is an important criterion in shaping faculty evaluations of student work, including evaluations for fellowship and travel support, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. GGE faculty also look for indications of each student's course completion record, writing and reading ability, and writing and research productivity.
Faculty members also view the Ph.D. program as a point of entry for students into the educational research community. Evidence that students are taking some initiative in joining this community - through collegial engagement with faculty, other doctoral students, and educational researchers in other venues (conferences, associations, journals, etc.) - is regarded very favorably by faculty members, not only on its own merits but as a resource to students in developing professional skills and dispositions. Evidence that students are not engaged in collegial relations of this sort is viewed by faculty members as a liability for students who hope to complete the program successfully and in a timely manner.