PhD Requirements
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Specific Course Requirements for the PhD degree are a minimum of 24 credits at the graduate level of which at least 22 must be in courses (including seminars). Of these 22, at least 12 credits must be in Geological Sciences, no more than 4 credits may be in seminars, and at least 4 must be in cognate courses.  Research credits may be used in partial fulfillment of these requirements but are excluded from the 22 credits of coursework.  The Department may allow certain students to depart from the requirements of a normal PhD program in order that they may take advantage of special cognate science interests and background.  However, in order for a student to qualify for such an exception, he/she must prepare an acceptable plan, which is reviewed and approved by the student’s advisor, the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, and the Department Executive Committee.

Exploratory Evaluation
The Exploratory Evaluation, which is conducted orally, has been instituted to help incoming PhD students, who join the Department with a BS or who obtained an MS degree elsewhere, prepare for the Preliminary Examinations.  The student and his/her advisor in consultation with the Graduate Advisor shall select the five members of the committee that will administer the Exploratory Evaluation.  The Exploratory Evaluation is designed to discover general gaps in the student’s breadth of knowledge as described below for the Preliminary Examination, if any exist.  This Evaluation is not a test; the student cannot pass or fail.  If deficiencies are discovered, a recommendation (not a requirement) may be put on record; this recommendation can take the form of suggested courses, the material of which, in the opinion of the Committee, should be mastered if the student is to pass the Preliminary Examination.  The Exploratory Evaluation and the committee administering it are not concerned with thesis topics, graduate curriculum requirements, and/or the date of taking the Preliminary Examinations.

The Exploratory Evaluation shall be completed within the first month of residency for entering students with an MS degree from another institution, and before the end of the winter term of the first year for students with a BS degree. Students should set up appointments, as soon as they arrive on campus, with the Committee members who administer the Exploratory Evaluation separately.  Any delay will cause problems for the student if a recommendation is made to audit or enroll in courses that are offered only once a year.  Members of the Exploratory Committee will communicate their comments and recommendations to the student’s advisor, as well as to the Graduate Advisor in writing.  To reiterate, the Exploratory Evaluation is instituted for the sole purpose of helping the student in the preparation for his/her Preliminary Examination.

Preliminary Examination
The purpose of the Preliminary Examination is to determine the adequacy of the applicant’s abilities and background knowledge, and his/her potential to complete a PhD degree.  The PhD Preliminary Examination includes written and oral components.  The written component of the exam focuses on background knowledge across the geological sciences, and the oral component focuses on the student’s potential to carry out the research described in an extended abstract written and submitted by the candidate.

The Preliminary Examination Committee will consist of five faculty members.  The Graduate Advisor will choose two from the three-person standing Examination Committee appointed by the Departmental Chair.  Commonly, one of these will be the Chair of the Preliminary Examination Committee, who will preside over the oral examination.  The student and his/her advisor, in consultation with the Graduate Advisor, will select the other three members jointly.  Students are urged to seek guidance in preparation for this examination from the Committee members.  The composition of the Preliminary Examination Committee should, as far as possible, be composed of the same members as the Exploratory Evaluation Committee.

The written portion of the examination is compiled by the standing Examination Committee.  It will have several questions that are to be answered in a time period of not more than four hours.  The written exam will take place on or about the fifth Saturday following the start of the semester in which the student is required to take the preliminary examination.  The exact date, time, and place of the written examination will be announced at the beginning of each semester.  After successful completion of the written part, the student can take the oral part of the preliminary examination.  The student is responsible for scheduling the oral part of the examination with the committee members.  The oral examination period falls between the seventh week of the semester and two weeks prior of the end of the semester.  The student is encouraged to make arrangements for the oral examination as early as possible.  The oral examination will begin with a forward-looking research presentation by the candidate, not to exceed 15 minutes in length. The student will present the examining committee with an extended abstract up to two pages in length on this topic one week prior to the exam. The presentation will be followed by an open discussion between the examining committee and the candidate based on, but not necessarily limited to, the research presentation.

Students entering the PhD program with a BS will take the oral part of the exam no later than two weeks before the end of classes in the student’s fourth semester in residence in the PhD program.  Students who enter the PhD program with an MS from another institution or academic discipline will take the oral part of the exam no later than two weeks before the end of classes in the student’s second semester in residence in the PhD program. Students who have received a MS from this Department and who wish to continue toward the PhD degree, will take the oral part of the exam no later than two weeks before the end of classes in the student’s fourth semester in residence.  An extension of an additional semester may be granted to these students if their program of studies has been significantly interrupted after receiving their MS degree.

Upon completion of the preliminary examination, the chair of the Preliminary Examination Committee will submit a written report evaluating the examination and reporting whether the student passed, failed, or passed with stated conditions.  This report will be directed to the Department Assoc. Chair for Graduate Studies, who will inform the Graduate School if the examination was passed.  If the student failed the examination, the Committee must recommend if and when the student will be permitted to take a second examination. 

Candidate Status
Candidacy requirements are listed in detail on Rackham's Academic Policies web site. Students may be advanced to candidacy upon the successful completion of requisite course work and the written and oral portions of their Preliminary Examination. The student must contact the Department Graduate Program Office about completing the Recommendation for Candidacy Form. Students entering without an MS or who receive an MS degree en route to the PhD degree (an "embedded Masters"), are expected to achieve candidacy before the end of their fourth term in residence. Students entering with an MS from another institution are expected to achieve candidacy before the end of their second term in residence.

Dissertation Committee
Before the first day of classes of the term following the successful completion of the Preliminary Examination, a Dissertation Committee will be nominated in consultation with the student and the potential Dissertation Committee Chair. The chair of the committee must be a faculty member, but a research scientist may serve as co-chair. The Committee must have at least four members (however five is recommended), and at least two of these must be regular faculty from the Department of Geological Sciences. One member must be from outside the Department and be a regular member of the Graduate Faculty in a doctoral program accepted by the Rackham Graduate School. Preferably, this outside member will hold an appointment in a collateral or related field. In the same term, the Dissertation Committee will meet with the student to consider his/her future program, keeping in mind the recommendations of the Preliminary Examination Committee.

The student must present a dissertation prospectus to the Committee for consideration and approval no later than one week before this meeting. Subsequently, the Dissertation Committee shall meet with the student at least once each academic year to review his/her progress. At least one member of the Preliminary Examination Committee shall be appointed to the student’s Dissertation Committee. The Department Assoc. Chair for Graduate Studies will inform the Graduate School and the Committee members of the nominations. The student must contact the Department Graduate Program Office about completing the Dissertation Committee Form.

Residence Requirements for Candidacy
The Rackham Graduate School establishes Residence requirements. They include at least 18 hours of non-research graduate credit on the Ann Arbor campus, and 36 total fee credit hours unless the student already has a Masters which provides 18 hours of transfer credit towards the 36 total required.

Questions?
Consult Rackham's Doctoral Students web site for University PhD requirements, such as candidacy, cognates, and dissertation defense.

Still more questions? Contact the Geological Sciences Graduate Program Office.