Department of Adult & Higher Education
Key Steps in the Doctoral Program
(*An asterisk denotes that a form is required as part of the step being discussed. All forms can be obtained through the Graduate Administrative Secretary or the Director of Graduate Programs.)
*Declaration of Committee
After the completion of 12 hours of graduate coursework, the student should secure a permanent advisor (Chair) and members for the Graduate Advisory Committee. When faculty members have notified the student that they will serve on the committee, the Chair will initiate the appropriate paperwork appointing the Committee.
The Chair must be an AHE faculty member with full graduate faculty status. Student may elect to have co-chairs.
The Committee will consist of the Chair, two other AHE faculty members, and one other representative from either AHE or another department. (A total of four members are required.)
*REQUIRED: Graduate Advisory Committee Appointment Request Form
*Plan of Work
To be completed after 12 hours of coursework. Accomplished by submitting a form that lists the courses taken/planned to achieve degree. Committee approves the Plan or the student and committee chair agree and distribute the Plan for signatures of the committee members. The Plan can include up to 9 hours taken in PBS (Post Baccalaureate Studies) and up to 18 hours of prior Master's coursework with advisor approval.
*Preliminary Written Exam
Preliminary exams consist of both written and oral performance preferably taken during the last semester of coursework. The Advisory Committee and other Department members develop the exams based on whether the students plan includes Option A, B, or C. The Committee prepares the exam and determines its date according to the guidelines for Option A, B, or C. Option A involves a proctored exam with a specified timeline; Option B involves a take-home written with one month to complete; or Option C involves a negotiated written project with a six (6) weeks completion timeline.
The Advisor and student will determine the option with approval of the Committee. In all cases exams should be typed. The full committee grades the exam, and the grades are as follows: "unconditional pass,"conditional pass," or "fail." At the discretion of the Committee, rewrites may occur once.
*REQUIRED: A memo of successful examination completion msut be placed in the student's file
*Preliminary Oral Examination
After passing the written option, the student and advisor may schedule the oral preliminary examination. The form "Request to Schedule Exam" is completed, sent to the Director of Graduate Programs and, in turn, forwarded to the Graduate School.
The form must be submitted a minimum of TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED EXAM.
The Graduate School appoints a graduate representative (from another department) for the oral defense. The grad rep will "oversee" the exam and will also be present at the dissertation defense. The oral examination completes the Comprehensive Prelims and examines the Research Proposal for the dissertation. The completion of these exams moves the student to the ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY phase.
*Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy means the student has entered the final stage of the doctoral program. A minimum of twelve credit hours are required in dissertation research.
Students must be continuously enrolled in the fall and spring semesters at NC State until the final oral defense of the dissertation.
*REQUIRED: Students must register each semester for a minimum of three (3) credit hours of Dissertation Research.
*Final Oral Examination
A request to schedule the final oral examination must be submitted two weeks before the date of the examination
Dissertation materials must be submitted to each committee member and graduate rep at least TWO WEEKS prior to the date of the defense. This is the final defense of the completed dissertation. Passing this final stage requires the signatures of the full dissertation committee (a requirement for the completion of the written document).
Each student must make an appointment with the Graduate School Thesis Editor before submitting the final dissertation to the Graduate School. The dissertation should be submitted to the Graduate School six weeks before the end of the semester in which the student plans to graduate. Students must be registered in order to take their Final Oral Examination.
*Graduation
Each student should meet with his or her advisors at the beginning of the semester he or she plans to graduate. The student should complete the REQUEST FOR DIPLOMA CARD for graduation, submit the Diploma Card to the Graduate Administrative Secretary, and apply with the Graduate School. We urge graduates to rent or purchase academic regalia and to attend the ceremonies. PLEASE NOTE that if a student does not meet graduation requirements, a new diploma card must be completed for the next semester.
*REQUIRED: Request for Diploma Card form.
