Academic Senate

Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Residence Requirement. The minimum residence requirement for the Ph.D. degree is two years, one of which must be spent in continuous residence at the University of California, Riverside. Graduates of the University or other approved candidates may complete a part of their residence requirement elsewhere, subject to the approval of the Graduate Council. However, no graduate student may be recommended for the Ph.D. degree except upon completing at least one year of residence at the University of California, Riverside, devoted to such a course of study as the Graduate Council regards as a proper year's work. (AM Feb 22)

Foreign Language Requirement. Each department or graduate program shall determine whether or not a reading knowledge of one or more foreign languages shall form an integral part of the student's preparation for the doctoral degree. Satisfaction of a foreign language requirement shall be demonstrated, subject to approval of the department or graduate program, under one of the following options: (a) written or oral examination administered by the department or graduate program; (b) foreign Language placement exam or assessment conducted by an accredited organization; (c) satisfactory completion of a language course(s) at a specified level. (d) alternative language certifcation identified by the graduate program and approved by the Graduate Council. Evidence of satisfaction of the requirement will be provided to the Dean of the Graduate Division for each student where appropriate. (Am 11 Dec 69)(Am 11 Feb 22)

Program of Study. The student's program of study must be approved by the Graduate Council, embrace a field of investigation previously approved by the graduate program, and extend over the full period of study. However, recommendation for the degree is based on the attainments of the candidate rather than the duration of study. The field of study chosen by the student may lie in one department, except for essential related subjects, or in a combination of departments.

WRITTEN AND ORAL QUALIFYING EXAMINATIONS, ORAL QUALIFYING EXAM COMMITTEE, AND ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY.

Upon the student's satisfactory completion of all preliminary requirements set by the graduate program and the Graduate Council, an Oral Qualifying Exam Committee shall be nominated to the Graduate Council for appointment. This committee consists of not fewer than five members. The Chair and the majority of committee members must be Academic Senate members and part of the student's graduate program. Being a part of a graduate program includes, but is not limited to, cooperating faculty and participants in interdepartmental graduate programs. At least one committee member must not be a part of the same graduate program as the student. The purpose of this "oversight member" is primarily to monitor the fairness of the exam itself. Additionally, the "oversight member" may enhance the scholarship of the student and contribute to the academic benefits of the exam. The "oversight member" must be an Academic Senate member. In the absence of a unanimous decision, 1 no pass vote shall result in a pass of the Oral Qualifying Exam. More than 1 no pass vote will result in a fail.

Before the student is admitted to candidacy, the student must pass a series of qualifying examinations, both written and oral. The written examination is administered by the graduate program. The Oral Qualifying Exam is conducted by the student's approved committee. The Oral Qualifying Exam is not open to the general public, but members of the Academic Senate may attend. Written and oral exam results must be reported to the Graduate Division.

Upon successful completion of the qualifying examinations, the candidate is advanced to candidacy by the Graduate Council after certification by the Dean of the Graduate Division that the formal requirements have been met.

Dissertation Committee and Dissertation Requirements

A dissertation on a subject chosen by the candidate, bearing on the student's principal study and demonstrating the ability to make independent investigation, is required of every candidate for the degree. In its preparation, the candidate is guided by a dissertation committee, nominated to the Graduate Council for appointment. This committee is composed of not fewer than three members, the majority of whom must be Academic Senate members from the student's graduate program. The principal director of the candidate's research shall be Chair of the committee. The committee guides the candidate in the candidate's research and may conduct a final defense that is open to the general public. (Am 24 May 05)(Am 11 Feb 22)

The dissertation must be prepared and presented in the form and manner prescribed by the Graduate Council. Dissertations are deposited into an open access repository and are freely and openly available to the public (UC-AA-20-0488) (Am 11 Feb 22)