The degree of Master of Arts (M.A.) is conferred for graduate work of which the major portion has been done in the liberal arts.
The degree of Master of Science (M.S.) is conferred for graduate work of which the major portion has been done in agriculture, engineering, kinesiology, health science, counseling, rehabilitation, human environmental science, biological and physical sciences, statistics, and communication disorders.
The degree of Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.) is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program of graduate studies in accounting.
The degree of Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) is conferred upon a student whose major work is in the field of business.
The degree of Master of Education (M.Ed.) is conferred upon a student who majors in the field of education.
The degree of Master of Information Systems (M.I.S.) is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program in computer information systems and quantitative analysis.
The degree of Master of Music (M.M.) is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program of graduate studies in music.
The Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program of graduate studies in the field of public administration.
The degree of Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in art, creative writing, drama, or translation is conferred upon a student who completes an approved two-year program of graduate studies in these areas.
MASTER OF ARTS, MASTER OF SCIENCE
General minimum requirements of the Graduate School for the degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Science, including the several engineering degrees, follow:
1) 24 semester hours and a thesis, or 30 semester hours without a thesis. (The thesis may be a departmental requirement or may be required by the major adviser.)
2) A comprehensive examination.
3) A cumulative grade average of 2.85. (Individual departments may have higher grade standards.)
4) A minimum residence of 30 weeks. (See Residence Requirements.)
Departments may require higher grade standards and other requirements.
Program of Study
At the time of admission to the Graduate School and acceptance in a program of study leading to a graduate degree, the student is assigned to a major adviser who becomes the adviser throughout the program of study and chairman of the student's graduate advisory committee. The choice of a major adviser is largely determined by the student's choice of a major subject.
The program of study may consist of courses chosen from one department or it may include such cognate courses from other departments as may in individual instances seem to offer greatest immediate and permanent values. As a general principle, two-thirds of the courses come from the degree program in which the student is seeking a graduate degree.
A student who writes a master's thesis must register for a minimum of six semester hours of master's thesis. No more than six semester hours of master's thesis enrollment may be given credit in the degree program.
Under ordinary circumstances graduate registration is limited to 18 hours for any one semester including undergraduate courses and courses audited.
All requirements for a master's degree must be satisfied within six consecutive calendar years.
Admission to Candidacy
To be admitted to candidacy for a degree, students must have been unconditionally admitted to graduate standing, and must have been approved by the major adviser and the Dean of the Graduate School for their particular degree program. The minimum prerequisite is 12 semester hours of graduate credit over and above any entrance deficiencies or conditions.
Transfer of Credit
The University of Arkansas will permit a student to transfer six hours of graduate credit from an accredited graduate school in the United States, provided that the grades are "B" or better and the subjects are acceptable to the department concerned, as a part of the master's program. (The transfer of graduate credit from institutions outside the United States is not permitted.) This does not, however, reduce the minimum requirement of 30 weeks of residence for the master's degree as set by State law. Students contemplating transfer of credit should consult with the Graduate School Office in advance.
Residence Requirements
The candidate must be in residence a minimum of 30 weeks. A total of 12 weeks of residence may be accredited from University of Arkansas off-campus graduate courses (restriction does not apply to graduate degree programs offered through the Graduate Residence Centers, see page 15) or for work done in off-campus classes held in Fayetteville. Acceptance of transferred credit does not reduce the minimum residence requirement of 30 weeks.
A student who completes less than 10 semester hours of course work in a semester receives credit for a week of residence for each hour of course credit completed.
Thesis
The title of the thesis must be recommended by the thesis director and the thesis committee and be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School at least three months before the date of the comprehensive examination. The thesis must be submitted for approval to the thesis committee consisting of a minimum of three faculty members who have been approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. This committee must receive the thesis at least three weeks prior to the comprehensive examination which is to be completed at least one week before the degree is to be conferred.
Upon acceptance of the thesis by the thesis committee and at least one week before graduation, two typewritten copies of the unbound thesis in prescribed form must be delivered to the Graduate Dean for approval before it is deposited in the Mullins Library. All copies of the thesis must include original signatures of the student's thesis committee of record as approved and filed in the Graduate Dean's Office. Signatures of persons other than those of the official thesis director and members of the thesis committee are unacceptable.
Comprehensive Examination
In addition to completing other requirements, the candidate for a master's degree must take a comprehensive examination which may be oral and/or written as recommended by the major department.
Grade-Point Average
In order to receive a master's degree, a candidate must present a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.85 on all graduate courses required for the degree. Failing to earn such an average on the minimum number of hours, the student is permitted to present up to six additional hours of graduate credit in order to accumulate a grade-point average of 2.85. In the computation of grade point, all courses pursued at this institution for graduate credit that are part of the degree program (including any repeated courses) and the thesis (if offered) shall be considered. Students who repeat a course in an endeavor to raise their grade must count the repetition toward the maximum of six additional hours. Individual departments may have higher grade standards.
MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY
The Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.) is offered as professional preparation for various accounting careers. Students must have the appropriate background and complete 30 semester hours of course work beyond the baccalaureate degree, 21 semester hours of which must be in courses reserved exclusively for graduate students. Students without an adequate academic background in mathematics, accounting, information systems and business will need to additionally complete designated deficiency courses. All requirements of the M.Acc. must be satisfied within six consecutive calendar years. The student must be in residence a minimum of 30 weeks (see residency requirements of the Master of Arts/Master of Science).
A cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 is required on graduate work taken for the degree and for all accounting courses, both undergraduate and graduate, taken for the degree. At least 75 percent of the graduate hours submitted for the degree must carry grades of "B" or better.
A student may transfer to the M.Acc. not more than six hours of graduate level credit from an AACSB-accredited graduate program, provided that each course has a grade of "B" or better and the courses are acceptable to the departmental M.Acc. Committee. Students must, however, take specifically required graduate-level accounting courses in residence. Students contemplating transfer of credit should consult in advance with both the M.Acc. Advisor and the Graduate School.
For further information, write to the M.Acc. Adviser, Department of Accounting, College of Business Administration, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701.
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
The Master of Business Administration program is accredited by the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business.
The program is designed as a two-year degree, although students who have completed a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and who have had sufficient instruction in accounting, economics, statistics, business law, finance, marketing, and management can normally complete the program within one year. The final 30 hours of the M.B.A. is a set core of 21 hours covering the areas of accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, and computer information systems and quantitative analysis (CISQ); and nine hours of approved electives.
A grade-point average of 3.00, with at least 75 percent "B" or better grades on all graduate work taken for credit on the M.B.A., is required for continuation in the program and for graduation. The degree is a non-thesis program. Satisfactory completion of the prescribed course work fulfills the degree requirements.
The student must be in residence a minimum of 30 weeks. (See residence requirements for Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees.)
For specific admission requirements in addition to general admission requirements for the Master of Business Administration program, write to the MBA Program Director, College of Business Administration, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
All requirements for a master's degree must be satisfied within six consecutive calendar years.
MASTER OF EDUCATION
The degree of Master of Education (M.Ed.) is offered with areas of concentration in adult education, education, educational administration, educational technology, elementary education, higher education, physical education, recreation, secondary education, special education, and vocational education. The degree of Master of Science (M.S.) is offered in counseling, health science, kinesiology, rehabilitation, and speech pathology-audiology.
General minimum requirements for the degree of Master of Education (M.Ed.) follow:
1) 27 semester hours and a thesis or 33 semester hours without a thesis.
2) A written comprehensive examination.
3) A cumulative grade-point average of 3.00.
4) A minimum residence of 30 weeks.
After a student has been admitted to the Graduate School, the student may seek acceptance into one of the several program areas of concentration offered in the Master of Education program. Procedures and forms facilitating this process may be obtained from the Office for Research and Graduate Studies, (GE 219), College of Education. Upon acceptance to a program area, the student is assigned an adviser. Acceptance in a program area should be accomplished before the completion of the first graduate course. Most programs require students admitted to the master's degree program to take the Graduate Record Examinations, the Miller Analogies Test, or the National Teachers Examination. This should be accomplished prior to completion of 15 hours of graduate credit.
All Master of Education degree programs include a minimum of 33 semester hours. Nine semester hours of basic core courses are required for all M.Ed. students in three areas: Research Tools, Learning/Development Domain, and History/Philosophy Domain as follows: 1) Research Tools (students must select one course from this category), EDFD 5013 Introduction to Education Research, HKRD 5353 Research in HKRD, and EDFD 5393 Applied Education Statistics; 2) Learning/Development Domain (students must select one course from this category), EDFD 5373 Psychological Foundations of Teaching and Learning, EDFD 5473 Adolescent Psychology in Education, and EDFD 5573 Life Span Human Development; 3) History/Philosophy Domain (students must select one course from this category)1, EDFD 5303 Historical Foundations of Modern Education, EDFD 5353 Philosophy of Education, and EDFD 5323 Global Education. Students who are not eligible for a standard teaching certificate will be expected to complete additional work to fulfill this requirement in addition to the 33-hour graduate program. An exception to this policy is made for students who declare they are not preparing for a school position and will not seek a certificate required of professional employees in public schools.
Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy will be met when the following have been completed:
1) unconditionally admitted to graduate standing.
2) accepted to a program area and assigned an adviser.
3) completion of 12 semester hours of graduate credit over and above any entrance deficiencies or conditions.
Transfer of Credit
Transfer of credit regulations which have been established by the Graduate School for the Master of Arts and Master of Science degree apply to the Master of Education degree. (See page 21.) All credit earned at the Fort Smith Graduate Resident Center is applicable on the Master of Education degree program provided it is a part of the student's approved program of study. (See also twelve-hour graduate centers on page 15.) All credit earned at the Little Rock Graduate Resident Center is applicable to the Master of Science degree in rehabilitation. All credit earned at Pine Bluff Resident Center is applicable to the Master of Education degree and the Educational Specialist degree in education with a specialization in adult education, educational administration, or vocational education.
Residence Requirements
The candidate must be in residence a minimum of 30 weeks. A total of 12 weeks of residence or 12 semester hours of approved study may be accepted for residence credit from the University of Arkansas off-campus graduate courses. Acceptance of transferred credit does not reduce the minimum residence requirement of 30 weeks.
Graduate courses completed, but not applicable to the requirements for the master's degree the student is pursuing, will not be accepted as part of the 30-week residence required for that degree. A student who completes less than 10 semester hours of course work in a regular session, or less than six semester hours in a six-week summer session, receives credit for a week of residence for each hour of course credit completed.
All requirements for a master's degree must be satisfied within six consecutive calendar years.
Other Requirements
Students who do not have a grade-point average of 3.00 upon completion of Master of Education program requirements may be allowed to submit up to six additional hours of graduate credit in residence on the Fayetteville campus or at approved Graduate Resident Centers in order to accumulate a 3.00 average.
The policies and procedures approved for the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees also apply to the Master of Education degree. In addition to completing other requirements, the candidate must pass a comprehensive examination administered by the respective program area.
MASTER OF FINE ARTS DEGREE (IN ART)
The objective of the program of study leading to the degree of Master of Fine Arts in art shall be professional achievement of high order, a knowledge of art history and criticism, the development of a fundamental grasp and understanding of the professional field of art and its relationship to supporting fields of knowledge, as well as the satisfactory completion of course work and other degree requirements. The program of study will vary depending upon the art medium areas selected for the creative work and the goals of the individual graduate student. The Master of Fine Arts degree in art is considered to be the terminal degree in studio art and is awarded in recognition of professional development in the visual arts as evidenced by a period of successful post-bachelor's degree study. The M.F.A. degree is recognized as preparatory to studio art teaching positions at institutions of higher education.
Application for Admission
In addition to the application for admission to Graduate School, the applicant must also submit to the Department of Art all transcripts of college work, letters of reference, a portfolio of creative works, and an application form obtained from the department.
The applicant for the Master of Fine Arts degree in art is expected to have earned the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree or its equivalent, with a major concentration in visual art. Applicants who do not have an art major may present evidence of proficiency in creative work in the visual arts.
After admission to the Graduate School and acceptance by the Department of Art, the graduate student will be appointed an adviser by the department chairperson to work with the student in planning a suitable program of advanced study. The student's work and progress in the program will be reviewed by the art faculty at least twice each year.
Residence Requirements
To meet the residency requirements the student is required to complete a minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate credit and study in residence for a minimum of four regular semesters (not to include summer terms) on the Fayetteville campus. All degree requirements must be completed within six consecutive calendar years from the date of first enrollment. With approval of the department chairperson and the Graduate School, up to six credit hours of graduate level work in studio art or art history may be transferred from another recognized graduate school and applied to degree requirements.
Candidacy Application and Review
After completion of two semesters in the M.F.A. degree program the student may make application to be a candidate for completion of the M.F.A. degree. The art faculty will conduct a formal review of the applicant's work and progress in the program. At least two regular semesters of residence must be completed after acceptance as a degree candidate.
Graduate Committee and Major Adviser
When the student has been accepted as a degree candidate, the student will select a major adviser from the graduate art faculty. The major adviser will serve as adviser to the student in planning the completion of the program of study. At least one semester before graduation, a four- or five-member committee of graduate art faculty will be selected. The student's major adviser will be chairperson of this committee and one member of the graduate committee will represent the art history or criticism area. One additional committee member from a discipline outside the Department of Art may be selected by the degree candidate.
Final Examination
Final approval for the completion of the M.F.A. degree will be the responsibility of the candidate's graduate committee, and will require an oral examination over the candidate's exhibition of creative works and related aspects of the student's program of study.
MASTER OF FINE ARTS (IN CREATIVE WRITING)
The program leading to the degree of Master of Fine Arts in creative writing provides graduate-level training in creative writing and in the study of literature. A description of the program follows:
Required Courses
A minimum of 42 hours for a candidate with an M.A. degree in English or of 60 hours for a candidate with no M.A. Candidates with a B.A. degree which does not include a major in English may be required to take additional courses.
1) Writing and Theory Courses
a. Writing Workshop (15 to 24 semester hours)
b. Form and Theory of Fiction or Poetry (9 hours) total: 6 hours in student's genre; 3 hours in second genre)
c. Contemporary Fiction and Poetry (6 hours in student's genre; 3 hours in second genre)
d. Readings in Modern or Contemporary Literature (6 hours)
2) Additional Courses
Twelve to 24 hours of English at the advanced level.
Comprehensive Examination
A six-hour written examination covering critical terms, theories, and readings in the candidate's genre.
Thesis
An M.F.A. thesis may be either a collection of poems or stories, a novel, or a drama. It should be of the quality of those works currently published by national magazines, by literary journals, and by legitimate book publishers. The degree will be withheld from any student failing to produce a suitable body of work.
Three hours of credit may be given for a thesis, or six hours of credit to a candidate who has 21 hours of workshop or less.
Final Examination
A two-hour oral examination on the thesis.
All students working toward the degree will plan their specific programs in consultation with their advisers.
All degree requirements must be completed within six consecutive calendar years from the date of first enrollment.
Through an agreement with the Academic Common Market, residents of certain Southern states may qualify for graduate enrollment in creative writing as in-state students for fee purposes. (See page 275 for details.)
MASTER OF FINE ARTS (IN DRAMA)
See Drama, page 94.
MASTER OF FINE ARTS DEGREE (IN TRANSLATION)
Candidate must demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of two foreign languages.
The candidate must take a minimum of 60 graduate hours. A candidate who already holds a graduate degree may be able to complete the program with 42 hours; a candidate who does not have at least a minor in English may be required to take additional courses.
The following courses are required:
Translation Workshop 15 hours
Introduction to Comparative Literature 3 hours
Fiction Writing Workshop 3 hours
Poetry Writing Workshop 3 hours
Form & Theory of Poetry 3 hours
Form & Theory of Fiction 3 hours
24 hours chosen from the literature of foreign languages, including at least 6 hours from each of the candidate's source languages. Teaching assistants may substitute ENGL 5003 (Composition Pedagogy) or FLAN 5063 (Teaching Foreign Languages) for literature courses in a foreign language; candidates without previous History of English or Latin courses must substitute ENGL 6193 or LATN 3063.
There will also be a thesis consisting of a translated collection of poems and/or stories or a translated novel, epic, or drama, as well as comprehensive written and oral examinations. A student must register for a minimum of six hours of M.F.A. thesis.
All degree requirements must be completed within six consecutive calendar years from the date of first enrollment.
Through an agreement with the Academic Common Market, residents of certain Southern states may qualify for graduate enrollment in translation as in-state students for fee purposes. (See page 275 for details.)
Other Requirements
The policies and procedures approved for the Master of Arts and the Master of Science degrees also apply to the Master of Fine Arts degrees. In addition to completing other requirements, the candidate must pass a comprehensive examination administered by the respective program area.
The Educational Specialist degree (Ed.S.) is undifferentiated but with seven areas of specialization -- adult education, counselor education, educational administration, elementary education, higher education, secondary education, and vocational education -- and may be issued by the Graduate School to those students whose major objective is to develop educational competency in one of these specialized areas. All graduate courses applicable to this degree must be taken on the Fayetteville campus unless otherwise specified.
All requirements for the Educational Specialist degree with specializations in adult education, educational administration, or vocational education may also be completed at Graduate Resident Center in Pine Bluff.
Admission to the Program
Admission to the Educational Specialist degree program is based on the total profile of applicants' educational background and their career objectives. After students have been admitted to the Graduate School, they may seek acceptance in one of the program areas of specialization. All students seeking admission must meet the following admission criteria:
1) Completed a master's degree or its equivalent in a related field.
2) Presented a Graduate Record Examinations general score on three parts (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) or a Miller Analogies Test score. These scores are considered as part of the applicant's profile. Required scores may vary within given programs.
3) Attained a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.25 on all graduate course work previous to being admitted into the Specialist program.
4) Students with a 3.00 to 3.25 cumulative grade-point average in all graduate courses must present a combined minimum Graduate Record Examinations general score of 1300 on three parts (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) or 55 on the Miller Analogies Test.
5) Two years of successful professional experience, or equivalent, in an area related to the student's academic goals prior to the completion of the degree.
6) A minimum of three letters of recommendation (form ORGS-33) from individuals capable of commenting on qualification for graduate study.
7) A personal interview with the program area graduate faculty. This evaluative process will subjectively measure such factors as poise, professional objectives, professional commitment, and ability to discuss professional problems.
A student is formally admitted to this program when recommended by the Committee on Graduate Study in Education to the Dean of the Graduate School.
General Requirements
All Ed.S. programs contain a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate work beyond the master's degree in a planned program. The program for each student must include the requirements specified in the particular program to which the student has been accepted; assessed deficiencies in the area of specialization; assessed courses to meet current professional requirements of the Master of Education degree; a minimum of nine semester hours of graduate work in a related field(s) outside the College of Education; a graduate course in research, statistics, or data processing applicable for educational specialists; and an original project, research paper, or report for which variable credit up to six semester hours is required.
After a student is accepted into an Ed.S. program, a committee with a minimum of three members will be appointed and a program of study will be established outlining the minimum requirements. Only the adviser and one other member of the student's committee may be from the program area sponsoring the program. The committee's responsibilities include the determination of deficiencies, the acceptability of previous graduate work, the approval of the candidate's program of study, the approval of the original project or research paper, and the conduct of a final examination. This examination will be a comprehensive oral evaluation scheduled near the end of the candidate's program and will include one or both of the following: (1) evaluation of the original project, research paper, or report, and (2) evaluation covering material related to the background and professional preparation of the candidate. A written examination may not be taken to substitute for the oral examination. A written account of the original project, research paper, or report will be filed with the program area sponsoring the candidate's program of study.
A declaration of intent to pursue the Ed.S. program must be filed with the Dean of the Graduate School by the student immediately following the approval of the program of study. The last 30 hours of the program must be completed within a period of six years from the date of declaration. A minimum of 30 weeks of resident study at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in an approved program is required. Credit earned in any University of Arkansas center, off-campus workshop or special course will not count as residence study in the Ed.S. program. The only exception is course work completed at the Pine Bluff Graduate Resident Center by students pursuing the Ed.S. degree in education with a specialization in adult education, educational administration, or vocational education.
Upon completion of all requirements, candidates are issued an Educational Specialist degree. Their names appear on the commencement program, but there is no distinctive academic regalia in connection with the Educational Specialist degree.
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree is designed to prepare the interested student for advanced professional proficiency in a selected field of education and, in addition, to develop the ability for scholarly study of professional problems. The degree is awarded to those persons who, through their planned program, show professional growth and competence.
The Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.) is undifferentiated but has five areas of specialization--adult education, educational administration, higher education, recreation, and vocational education.
Admission to the Program
Admission to the Doctor of Education program is based on the total profile of the applicants' educational attributes. In evaluating an application for doctoral study leading to the Ed.D. degree, particular attention is given (1) to the apparent congruence between the stated career objective and the proposed field of specialized study, and (2) to the estimated prospects of the success of the applicant both in completing the degree requirements and in fulfilling the professional expectations of the education position to which the applicant aspires if a doctoral degree is earned. Applicants must meet the following admission profile requirements for the Ed.D.:
1) All students seeking admission must have completed a master's degree or its equivalent in a related field.
2) All students must present a Graduate Record Examinations general score on three parts (verbal, quantitative and analytical) or a Miller Analogies Test score. These scores are considered part of the applicant's profile. Required scores may vary within given programs.
3) Students must have attained a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average on all graduate courses previous to being admitted into the Ed.D. program.
4) Students with a 3.00 to 3.50 cumulative grade-point average in all graduate courses must present a combined minimum Graduate Record Examinations general score of 1500 on three parts (verbal, quantitative and analytical) or 55 on the Miller Analogies Test.
5) All students must have three years of successful professional experience, or equivalent, in an area related to the degree program prior to the completion of the degree.
6) All students must have a minimum of three letters of recommendation (form ORGS-33) from individuals capable of commenting on qualification for graduate study.
Interested applicants must first gain admission to the Graduate School, then be accepted by a program area in education by gaining approval of a majority of the graduate faculty teaching regularly in that program area. This decision is made after the applicant has been interviewed by the program faculty. After program area approval, an applicant's admission form and profile is reviewed by the Committee on Graduate Study in Education. Formal acceptance is based on the recommendation of the Committee on Graduate Study in Education to the Dean of the Graduate School.
Declaration of Intent
Immediately after formal acceptance into the Ed.D. program, students must file with the Dean of the Graduate School a statement of their intention to become a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Education. Courses taken prior to filing the Declaration of Intent cannot be used to satisfy the residence requirement for the Ed.D. degree.
The appointment and responsibility of the Doctoral Advisory Committee for the Doctor of Education degree is the same as that for the Doctor of Philosophy degree (see below).
The degree must be completed within seven consecutive calendar years from the date of the Declaration of Intent.
Residence Requirement
The residence requirement for the Doctor of Education degree may be fulfilled by selecting any one of four plans. This selection must be made in consultation with the adviser, soon after the Declaration of Intent is filed. The plan will specify a number of hours of enrollment and a number of consecutive semesters or terms in which the enrollment must be completed.
In meeting the doctoral residence requirement, candidates who hold a master's degree from the University of Arkansas must earn a minimum of 30 semester hours on the Fayetteville campus; candidates who hold a master's degree from another institution must earn a minimum of 36 semester hours on this campus. The above is exclusive of credit earned in Independent Study; however, three hours of Doctoral Dissertation may be applied toward this requirement. Doctoral students with regular outside employment responsibilities may not enroll for more than nine semester hours in each semester. Graduate work in an off-campus location, beyond that allowed on the master's degree and the Educational Specialist degree, will not count on the minimum of 96 graduate hours required of all Ed.D. candidates.
Program of Study
A minimum of 96 semester hours of graduate study is required for the Ed.D. degree. The program of study shall consist of the major field in education and one or two additional fields of study. The dissertation and program emphasis may be in one of the following areas: adult education, educational administration, recreation, higher education, or vocational education. The nature of the program of study will vary, depending upon the field selected and the candidate's objective. Candidates for the Ed.D. degree will be required to complete: EDFD 6623, Techniques of Research in Education, and at least one of the following advanced statistics courses: EDFD 6413, Experimental Design in Education; EDFD 6423, Multiple Regression Techniques for Education; EDFD 6443, Qualitative Research; EDFD 699V(3), Seminar (Survey Research Methods). Each student is required to elect nine to 12 hours of work in a field other than education.
Other Requirements
The examination for candidacy, dissertation, and final examination requirements for the Doctor of Education degree are the same as those for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Programs of advanced study leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) are offered in the following fields: agronomy, animal sciences, anatomy, biochemistry, biology, business administration, chemistry, comparative literature, counselor education, curriculum & instruction, economics, engineering, English, entomology, food science, health sciences, history, interdisciplinary toxicology, kinesiology, mathematics, microbiology and immunology, pharmacology, philosophy, physics, physiology, plant science, poultry science, psychology, and rehabilitation.
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is awarded in recognition of high scholarly attainment as evidenced by a period of successful advanced study, the satisfactory completion of certain prescribed examinations, and the development of a dissertation covering some significant aspect of a major field of learning.
Declaration of Intent
Students who wish to become candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy are expected to complete work equivalent to the requirements for the master's degree as determined by program faculty, and must file a statement of their intention to become doctoral candidates with the Dean of the Graduate School upon registration for their first semester of graduate work beyond the master's degree or its equivalent. A student cannot satisfy any part of the residence requirement for the doctoral degree until after a Declaration of Intent has been filed with the Dean of the Graduate School.
Immediately after the student has filed a Declaration of Intent and indicated the major field of study, a Doctoral Program Advisory Committee will be appointed, with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School, from the graduate faculty to evaluate the student's preparation and fitness for further graduate work. If the student is allowed to continue as a prospective candidate for the doctoral degree, this committee will serve in an advisory capacity in working out and directing a suitable program of advanced study and investigation. The student's major adviser shall serve as chairman of the committee. Appointment of this committee does not constitute admission to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, a very important and significant step in the student's graduate career which must be taken after the student has completed approximately two years of graduate work beyond the baccalaureate degree.
The degree must be completed within seven consecutive calendar years from the date of the Declaration of Intent.
Purpose of the Residence Requirement
Residence requirements are intended to insure that every doctoral student has ample opportunity for the major intellectual development which can result from a sustained period of intensive study and close association with other scholars in the intellectual environment of the University. The requirement recognizes that growth as an independent scholar is not merely a matter of class attendance, but rather involves a broader development of the intellect which comes about through intensive study, independent research, sustained association with faculty members and other colleagues who share common scholarly and professional interests, attendance at seminars and colloquia, intensive reading and familiarization with library resources, consultation with specialists in other disciplines and resource centers, and the opportunity for broadened exposure to current intellectual issues as they are revealed in various campus offerings.
Residence Requirement
After filing a Declaration of Intent to pursue the doctoral degree, a student must fulfill a residence requirement by completing a minimum of two consecutive semesters of full-time graduate study (ten hours or more per semester), either fall-spring, spring-fall, spring and a complete 12-week summer session, or a complete 12-week summer session and fall. This period of residence is independent of and in addition to that required for any other graduate degree. During this period of residence, the student must be continually involved on a full-time basis with the on-site academic, scholarly, and research activities of the academic department (or corresponding academic unit) in which the degree program is administered.
A student who does not concurrently hold appointment as a Graduate Assistant must satisfactorily complete a minimum of ten semester hours, including dissertation credits but exclusive of courses offered through the Division of Continuing Education, during each semester or summer counted in the residence period. For students who hold appointments as Graduate Assistants this requirement is six semester hours per semester if the appointment is for 50 percent time and nine semester hours per semester if the appointment is for 25 percent time. A student not on an assistantship who intends to satisfy one semester of the residence period during the summer must satisfactorily complete a minimum of five semester hours of such work during each of the five- or six-week summer sessions. For a student holding a concurrent assistantship of 25 percent or 50 percent time in the summer, this requirement is three semester hours per any five- or six-week summer session.
Students who also hold University appointments, other than those of Graduate Assistant, for half time or more will be considered to contribute to the residence requirements only for semesters or 12 weeks in the summer during which all of the following criteria are met: (1) the appointment is in the academic department (or corresponding academic unit) in which the degree program is administered; (2) the duties of the appointment primarily involve degree-related academic or scholarly activities such as dissertation research; (3) the departmental chairperson (or corresponding administrator) and the student's Doctoral Program Advisory Committee certify that the duties of the appointment do not interfere with the appointee's regular participation as a student, on an essentially full-time daily basis, in the normal on-site academic, scholarly, and research activities of the department and degree program and the associated scholarly demands thereof; (4) the student is enrolled, for each semester or summer session counted in the residence period in at least six semester hours in each semester or three hours in each of two consecutive five-or six-week summer sessions or 6 hours in an entire ten- or twelve-week summer session; and (5) file a plan for approval by the Graduate Dean in advance of satisfying residence requirements.
Program of Study
The objectives of the program of study leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be scholarly achievement of high order and the development of a fundamental understanding of the major field and its relation to supporting fields of knowledge, rather than the satisfactory completion of a certain number of credit hours. The nature of the program of study will vary somewhat, depending upon the major field of study and the objective of the prospective candidate.
Language Requirement
Foreign language requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree vary from department to department. For specific details see departmental statements. These requirements should be completed early in the doctoral program.
Examination for Candidacy
After completing approximately two years of graduate study, and at least one year before completing all other requirements, the prospective candidate must take candidacy examinations in specified fields of study in accordance with the requirements of the department in which the candidate is working. These examinations may be either written or written and oral. Upon satisfactorily completing these examinations the student may be admitted to candidacy and may proceed to work toward completion of the remaining requirements for the degree.
Dissertation
Each candidate must complete a doctoral dissertation on some topic in the major field. The topic assignment shall be made and a title filed with the Dean of the Graduate School at least one year before the final examination, the specific problem and subject of the dissertation to be determined by the major adviser, the candidate, and the advisory committee. The completed dissertation must be a definite, scholarly contribution to the major field. This contribution may be in the form of new knowledge of fundamental importance, or of modification, amplification, and interpretation of existing significant knowledge.
Each doctoral candidate must register for a minimum of 18 hours of doctoral dissertation. After the student has passed the candidacy examinations the student must register for at least one hour of dissertation each semester and one hour during the summer session until the work is completed whether the student is in residence or away from the campus. For each semester in which a student fails to register without prior approval of the Dean of the Graduate School a registration of three hours will be required before the degree is granted.
Three typewritten copies of the completed dissertation in the prescribed form must be presented to the candidate's advisory committee for approval at least six weeks before the degree is to be conferred. After approval by the committee and the Dean of the Graduate School, two copies must be deposited in the Mullins Library at least two weeks before the degree is to be conferred, together with two copies of an abstract, of not more than 350 words, approved by the major adviser as suitable for publication. The third copy of the dissertation shall be presented to the candidate's major department.
Final Examination
The candidate's final examination for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy will be oral. The major adviser will forward to the Dean of the Graduate School, not less than ten (10) days before the date of the final oral examination, an abstract of the dissertation accompanied by a memorandum announcing the date, time, and place of the oral examination. The examination will be primarily concerned with the field of the dissertation, but may also include other aspects of the candidate's graduate work. This examination is open to the public. The examining committee shall consist of the student's advisory committee and others who may be included at the discretion of the major adviser and the Dean of the Graduate School
1M.Ed. students in higher education and adult education may substitute HIED 5083, History and Philosophy of Higher Education.
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