Updated on November 26, 2024
Milestones
The following timetable states the deadlines for completing the four milestones every student needs to pass to continue with the program. We recognize that students entering our program can have different pathways to success; under special circumstances the Graduate Program Committee has the flexibility to waive or alter some of these expectations.
| Milestone | Deadlines |
|---|---|
| Satisfactory course performance for two quarters; complete five quarters of core courses | End of Spring quarter, first year |
| Complete a total of seven quarters of core courses; complete Writing Milestone | End of Spring quarter*, second year |
| Complete twelve courses at the 500-level or higher | End of Spring quarter, second year |
| Declare a thesis advisor | End of winter quarter, third year |
| Pass the general exam | End of winter quarter, fourth year |
We strongly encourage the incoming graduate students to consider starting on their Writing Milestone project in the Summer after their first year and have it submitted before the deadline listed above. The earlier you complete the preparatory steps and fulfill the requirements the faster you could get to the ultimate goal of entering PhD studies - doing your own research.
While we believe that every student we admit is capable of earning a PhD in our program, we recognize that students may decide that getting a Master's degree is more compatible with their goals and aspirations. Students completing a PhD typically pass all milestones, while students completing a Master's degree only complete portions of the first three, together with other requirements.
Remarks
- The seven quarters of core courses and the writing milestone requirements only apply to students who are entering our PhD Program in September 2023 or later.
- *Students who entered the program in 2023 may take till the August 31st, 2025, to complete their Writing milestone requirement.
- Satisfactory performance in a graded course means obtaining a grade of at least 3.0. Grades below 3.0 will not count towards the course requirements for any graduate degree, unless permission is granted by the Graduate Program Coordinator.
- If a student falls behind on the milestones, the Graduate Program Committee works with the student and any faculty advisors that student has to craft a suitable path forward. This path could include changes to the anticipated terminal degree or even the loss of funding.
- For part-time students, a "year" is considered to be any sequence of quarters during which the student registers for a total of 30 credits.