PhD Program Overview

A major portion of a graduate student's degree program must be completed under the supervision of the Graduate Faculty at The University of Texas at Austin. Each degree candidate must spend a minimum of three long semesters in residence at The University of Texas at Austin.

If a student plans not to be enrolled in a long semester, he or she must apply for a leave of absence. To re-enter, she/he must apply to the University for permission. The re-entry form is available from the Graduate Advisor. The application should be submitted as soon as possible after the student has made a decision to re-enter, especially if he/she has taken courses at another school in the interim.

If a student registers and withdraws before the 12th class day, he/she must reapply for admission to Graduate School or have his/her original admission extended by petition from the Graduate Advisor to the Dean of the Graduate School. If a student withdraws after the 12th class day of the first semester of graduate work and does not enroll for the following semester, he/she must see the Dean of Graduate Studies before registering again.

Credit is given for the grades of A, B, and C. Within the overall grade point average, a B average in all upper division and graduate courses in the major and minor fields of study is required. No major course with a grade of C or lower may be included on a work program.

No official time limit has been imposed for finishing the doctoral degree. However, all completed course work that is included on a student's degree program at the time of admission to candidacy must have been taken within the previous six years (exclusive of a maximum three years of military service). The dissertation defense must take place within three years of the student's admission to candidacy. If the student has not completed the dissertation within that time frame, the GSC and the Graduate School will conduct a review of the student's status at the three-year point and yearly thereafter to ensure that progress toward completion of the degree is being made.

General and specific requirements for degrees in the Graduate School are sometimes altered in successive catalogs. The student is bound by the requirements of the catalog in force at the time of admission. However, the student may choose to fulfill the requirements of a subsequent catalog in effect in any year in which he/she is enrolled in the Graduate School, within the six-year limit for courses included on the work program.

(NOTE: For Graduate School degree regulations, please see The Graduate Guide published by the Council of Graduate Students, or The Graduate School Catalog.)

Students are responsible for insuring that all relevant documentation is present in his or her advisor's file. Each student will provide his or her faculty advisor with copies of all papers written for courses (including those completed for courses outside the Department) in order to help the advisory committee monitor the student's development of academic writing skills.