Ph.D. Degree

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Natural Resources Science and Management is granted in recognition of high attainment and ability as demonstrated through required written and oral examinations in the subject area of the chosen track and related fields. In addition, a thesis is required. The thesis must show originality and ability to conduct independent research, mastery of the relevant literature, and familiarity with the sources and methods of research, and it must contribute new knowledge to the field.

The doctoral degree program is designed to ensure students gain necessary competence in their chosen track for independent research. Although the Graduate School does not specify a minimum number of required credits for the major field, programs normally vary from 40 to 60 course credits. In addition, as a Ph.D. student you must take at least 12 credits in a minor or supporting program and register for 24 doctoral thesis credits.

Students in the Ph.D. program are urged to become thoroughly familiar with the details presented in the Graduate School Catalog and the regular Graduate School announcements for many aspects of the program relating to registration, special forms, deadlines, and graduate procedures. You should also refer to the degree completion information on the Graduate School web page.

Minimum Credit Requirements

The Graduate School does not specify a minimum number of credits in the major for the doctoral degree; normally, a student who enters the doctoral program with a master’s degree will complete 20-30 additional credits in the major program. At least 12 semester credit hours are required in a related or minor field. Twenty-four thesis credits are required for the Ph.D. Students cannot register for thesis credits until the semester after the completion of preliminary exams.

Preliminary Exams

Both written and oral preliminary exams in the major field are required for students in the Ph.D. program. Students are encouraged to take the written exam after completion of one year of coursework but before all coursework is completed.
Administration of the written examination is the responsibility of the student's advisor, using questions solicited from members of the Graduate Faculty. Grading of the questions will be conducted by the submitting members of the Graduate Faculty. Generally, exams are five questions long; each question requires approximately 1-2 hours to complete. Students may complete the exam over a four-day period.
Results of the examination are reported to the Graduate School on the Preliminary Written Exam Form, signed by the advisor and DGS, at least one week before scheduling the preliminary oral exam. Be sure to submit a copy to the Graduate Studies Office to be placed in the student's personal file.

The preliminary oral exam may be scheduled after successful completion of the preliminary written exam. The Prelim Written Exam Report form must be sent to 316 Johnston Hall at least one week before scheduling the prelim oral exam. Students must submit the Prelim Oral Scheduling Form to 316 Johnston Hall at least one week in advance of the exam date. The Prelim Oral Exam Report form will be issued once the Graduate School has determined the student has met all requirements. After the prelim oral exam, submit the Preliminary Oral Exam Report form to the Graduate School within one working day of the exam. A copy of the results must also be sent to the program office in 190 Coffey Hall.

Final Oral Examination

The final oral exam is scheduled with the Graduate School after successful completion of the preliminary oral examination and the thesis review committee has accepted the thesis for defense. All coursework included on the degree program must be completed before the final exam can be scheduled. Students should check with the Graduate School for procedures for scheduling the examination and deadline requirements for graduation during a given semester.

The final oral exam involves a seminar (not for credit) of the Ph.D. thesis. The seminar is immediately followed by the formal final oral examination. Submit a copy of the final exam form to the program office in 190 Coffey Hall before submitting the original to 316 Johnston Hall.

Requesting the Graduation Packet

Students should request a graduation packet from the Graduate School when they schedule the final oral exam. This packet includes instructions about graduation, scheduling the final exam, formatting the dissertation, and other important information.