• Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
• Master of Education (M.Ed.) or equivalent from a recognized college or university
• a cumulative weighted average of at least a 75% (U of S grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (e.g. 60 credit units)

For more information on language proficiency requirements, see the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Academic Policies for more information.

• GPS 960.0
• GPS 961.0, if research involves human subjects
• GPS 962.0, if research involves animal subjects

15 credit units including the following:

• 9 required credit units in Educational Research generally selected from existing advanced ERES courses in the College of Education such as:
  
  • ERES 841
  • ERES 845
  • ERES 810
  • ERES 820
  • Other research classes, approved by the student’s supervisor and advisory committee are also permissible.
    
    
• 6 credit units of electives approved by the student’s supervisor and advisory committee.
• ERES 990.0
• ERES 996.0

Additional classes may be taken if recommended or approved by the student’s supervisor and advisory committee.

Other requirements for the degree include:

• Comprehensive Examination consisting of written candidacy papers and an oral defense (see Appendix C). Students will prepare for the comprehensive examination by doing extensive reading and writing. The comprehensive exam will consist of two parts: (1) writing of three candidacy papers; and (2) an oral defense of the three papers. Note that the three written papers must be judged by the entire student’s advisory committee to be satisfactory prior to moving to the oral defense.
• Following the successful completion of the Dissertation Proposal, the student would typically move to the dissertation writing stage. Students will be provided with the option of using either a standard book style dissertation (traditionally 5 chapters) or the three-paper model. Dissertation defenses will follow CGSR regulations.
• Qualifying Exam: Students entering the Ph.D. program will be required to successfully pass a qualifying exam as per standard CGSR practices. The thesis examination for the award of Master's degree at this or other recognized universities, may, at the discretion of the student’s advisory committee be accepted in lieu of the Ph.D. qualifying examination. (The Ph.D. qualifying examination must already have been passed at a suitable level before consideration will be given to recommendations for transfer from a Master's to a Ph.D. program. This particular qualifying examination can only be taken once).
• Upon completion of the Comprehensive Exam, the student will submit a written Dissertation Proposal to their advisory committee and pass an oral defense of the Dissertation proposal (see Appendix D). The purpose of the Dissertation Proposal is to assure the student’s advisory committee and the College of Education Cross-Departmental Ph.D. Committee that the student’s research interest is suitable for study at the doctoral level.

*Please note that the processes described above should be consider the typical process for students to follow and does not preclude a student from engaging in their dissertation research (following a successful dissertation proposal defence) prior to the completion of their candidacy exam with the approval of their supervisor and advisory committee. In addition, doctoral students will be strongly encouraged to develop their research plan within their first year (often accompanied by applications for doctoral tri-agency funding) and work to develop their dissertation proposals by completing literature reviews and identifying research gaps, developing research questions, selecting appropriate theoretical frameworks, and proposing methodology.