University of Delaware
Graduate Catalog 1996-1997
Degrees and Degree Requirements
University Policies and Procedures for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

   The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is conferred in recognition of
breadth of scholarly attainment and of demonstrated power to investigate
problems independently and effectively, rather than for the completion of
definite courses of study through a stated period of time. In addition to
the general requirements for advanced degrees, doctoral candidates must
observe the following university requirements.

   UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO DOCTORAL CANDIDACY, DEADLINE
FOR ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY, AND REGISTRATION PROCEDURES PRIOR TO AND AFTER
CANDIDACY STATUS. Upon the recommendation of the doctoral student's
advisory committee and the chair of the student's major department,
students may be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. The
stipulations for admission to doctoral candidacy are that the student has
(1) had a program of study approved, (2) completed one academic year of
full-time graduate study in residence at the University, (3) fulfilled the
foreign language requirement, if any, (4) passed the program's qualifying
examination(s), (5) shown the ability to do research, and (6) had a
research project accepted by the advisory committee.
   The deadline for admission to candidacy for the fall semester is August
31. The deadline for admission to candidacy for the spring semester is
January 31. The deadline for admission to candidacy for the summer is April
30. Responsibility for seeing that admission to candidacy is secured at the
proper time rests with the student.

   REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO DOCTORAL CANDIDACY (G1 status):
Course registration requirements are determined by the student's approved
program of study. Once the student has registered for all course
requirements in a program of study but has not yet met all of the
stipulations for passing into candidacy, the student must maintain
registration during the fall and spring semesters in course(s) or in three
to twelve credits of Pre-Candidacy Study (964). Pre-Candidacy Study (964)
is graded pass/fail. If the student registered in Pre-Candidacy Study is
admitted to candidacy before the end of the free drop/add period of the
next semester, the registration in Pre-Candidacy Study (964) for the
preceding semester may be changed to the course, Doctoral Dissertation
(969). (Students who are classified G1 and are holding a graduate
assistantship or tuition scholarship must be registered for a minimum of
six graduate credits, and those holding a fellowship must be registered for
a minimum of nine graduate credits.)

   REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS AFTER ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY (G2 status): Once
a student has met all of the stipulations for candidacy and becomes
classified with G2 status (candidacy), the student is required to register
in nine credits of Doctoral Dissertation (969). Students may not register
for Doctoral Dissertation (969) until admitted to candidacy (G2 status).
Registration in Doctoral Dissertation (969) and Doctoral Sustaining (999)
is restricted to students with G2 status. Once the student has registered
in nine credits of Doctoral Dissertation (twelve credits required in the
Ed.D. program), the student is required to maintain matriculation in the
doctoral program by registering in Doctoral Sustaining (999) in subsequent
semesters until the degree is awarded. All students must be registered in
the term in which the degree is officially awarded. Sustaining registration
is required in summer session if the degree is awarded at the conclusion of
the summer session. (Sustaining registration is never required for winter
session because graduate degrees are not awarded at the conculsion of
winter session.)

   COURSE AND RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS. At least three academic years of
graduate academic work are normally required for the Ph.D. degree. At least
one continuous academic year must be devoted exclusively to full-time study
(9 credit hours per semester) in the major field in residence at the
University of Delaware. This residency requirement may be fulfilled using a
fall and spring semester combination or a spring and fall semester
combination, but summer or winter sessions do not meet the qualification.
Course credit earned in a master's program at the University of Delaware
may be applied toward the doctoral degree if the candidate is receiving
both degrees from the University in the same major field.

   THE DOCTORAL DISSERTATION. The dissertation is expected to reflect the
results of original and significant research written in a scholarly and
literate manner worthy of publication. Three copies of the dissertation
must be approved by the chair of the student's advisory committee, the
chair of the student's major department, and the Associate Provost for
Graduate Studies. The dissertation is to be signed by the professor in
charge of the dissertation and all members of the dissertation committee. A
separate abstract and abstract approval page must be submitted with the
dissertation. The dissertation must be submitted to the Office of Graduate
Studies for approval not later than seven weeks prior to the degree
conferral date. The dissertation defense must be completed prior to the
submission date and the certification of a successful defense must be
submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies.
   Copies of the University of Delaware's Thesis and Dissertation Manual
may be purchased in the University Bookstore. The manual is also available
electronically in U-Discover! The major department may have supplementary
requirements for the format of the dissertation.
   Doctoral dissertations and the extra abstract are sent to University
Microfilms Inc., to be microfilmed and thereby made available to libraries
and scholars. To accomplish this, each candidate must submit a signed
University Microfilms Inc. Doctoral Dissertation Agreement Form to the
Graduate Office at the time the dissertation copies are submitted.
   DISSERTATION AWARDS. The University recognizes excellence of
dissertations by awarding four prizes each year to candidates for the
degree. Committees of senior faculty make the selection for these prizes
which are named the Wilbur Owen Sypherd Prize in the Humanities, the George
Herbert Ryden Prize in the Social Sciences, the Allan P. Colburn Prize in
the Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, and the Theodore Wolf Prize in
the Physical and Life Sciences.

   DOCTORAL COMMITTEES. A program of study is planned by an advisory
committee for each candidate. The chair of the department or the chair of
the departmental graduate committee in the field of concentration advises
candidates until the advisory committee is appointed.
   Each dissertation/executive position paper committee shall consist of
not less than four and not more than six members approved through
appropriate departmental procedures. At least two members shall represent
the major field, one of whom shall be the committee's chairperson. One
member shall represent the area of minor study (where appropriate) and at
least one member shall be an external examiner chosen from a different
academic unit or from outside the University of Delaware. The chairperson
should have established a record of publication and/or scholarship in the
field of the dissertation/executive position paper and shall be a full-time
member of the faculty of the University; the definition of faculty shall
include professional staff who hold secondary faculty appointments. Faculty
who have retired or resigned from the University may chair committees of
students whose work began under their direction prior to their retirement
or departure from the University. An adviser who is not employed full time
by the University of Delaware may serve as co-chair of the committee
providing that the other co-chair meets the conditions stated above. In the
case of dissenting votes, the majority opinion rules.

   EXAMINATION-PRE-CANDIDACY. Doctoral students must prove to their
advisory committee that they have acquired a comprehensive grasp of their
major and minor fields of study through a qualifying examination (written,
oral, or both) before they are admitted to formal candidacy.

   EXAMINATION-POST-CANDIDACY DEFENSE. Upon completion of the dissertation,
a final oral examination must be passed, consisting of a defense of the
dissertation and a test of the candidate's mastery of the fields covered in
the program. The final oral examination is conducted by the student's
advisory committee, together with other examiners approved by the
departmental faculty. To permit adequate time for the examiners to review
the dissertation, all copies of the tentatively completed dissertation
(subject to revisions required by the examining committee) must be
deposited in the departmental office at least TWO WEEKS before the date of
the final oral examination. A department may increase this period if a
particular dissertation requires longer study or if the number of
dissertations presented makes it impractical to review them thoroughly in a
two-week interval. The department shall submit certification of a
successful defense to the Office of Graduate Studies.

   MINOR SUBJECTS. In addition to the major subject, studies that add to
the student's fundamental knowledge and develop a research point of view
must be pursued in at least one related subject (this may be a separate
branch of the field in which the major work is done).

   MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT. There is no University-wide
language requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The need for
proficiency in another language will be determined in accordance with the
standards set by the student's major department. Candidates should complete
the language requirement as soon as possible after admission to doctoral
standing. The language requirement must be met prior to admission to
candidacy.

   SURVEY OF EARNED DOCTORATES. The Survey of Earned Doctorates form must
be completed by all candidates for the doctoral degree. This form is
provided by the Graduate Office.