Degree Program Requirements
General
Students are bound by the requirements stated in the catalog in effect when they enter the graduate program. The department in which the student specializes and the student’s advisory committee may, at their discretion, recommend additional requirements for the students.
Satisfactory Progress
To continue in a degree program a student must make satisfactory progress towards the degree. If the Graduate Committee determines that satisfactory progress is not being made, a student may be required to withdraw because of academic deficiency. Students may appeal this decision with the appropriate Morgan State University Academic and Status Degrees Committee.
Program of Study
The student’s program of study is subject to Graduate Council policies and individual program requirements. Doctoral programs include a major field or area of concentration.
A candidate for the Ph.D. must complete a minimum of 33 hours of graduate coursework beyond the master’s degree and a minimum of 60 hours of graduate course work beyond the baccalaureate degree. A minimum of 18 semester hours of the student’s coursework must be Morgan courses at the 600 levels, exclusive of dissertation hours. In addition, a minimum of 9 hours of the course 800, 801, 802 (Doctoral Research) is required during the first two years of the student’s tenure within the program and prior to the completion of the Comprehensive Examinations (Comp). Following the successful completion of the Comp, the student may enroll in BIOL or CHEM 995 (fall) , 996 (spring), Dissertation Research. These credits may be taken repeatedly as needed for the duration of the student’s work on her/his dissertation. As the student progresses in her/his work, BIOL 997 - Dissertation Guidance may be taken in combination with either BIOL 995 or 996. The student may enroll in BIOL 997 repeatedly. Within the final stages of dissertation completion, but at least 12 month prior to graduation, the student must enroll and successfully complete BIOL 998 (6 credits). This class is only taken once.
Time Limit
Comprehensive examinations must be taken and completed within three (3) years following initial enrollment in the Ph.D. program.
Continuous Registration
The student must register continuously for courses, 600 level or above, (minimum of 3 hours) from the time the doctoral research proposal is approved, admission to candidacy is accepted, registration for 600 level courses is begun, whichever comes first, including the semester in which the dissertation is approved and accepted by the School of Graduate Studies.
The Comprehensive Examinations
The Comprehensive Examination will consist of written and oral portions. The written examination is fashioned by the faculty instructing in the CORE COURSES (possibly in collaboration with other faculty whose expertise is needed) and is administered over a two-day period.. The written examination is based in part on the student’s coursework and in part on the general background that the student’s Committee thinks is necessary to address specifically the proposed area of the dissertation research. The aim of the examination is to require students to review all prior coursework in the requirement and concentration areas. The examination will also test their ability to synthesize and interpret information in the critical intellectual fashion expected of Ph.D. candidates and to judge the aptitude of the candidate for carrying out original scientific research. Examination results may be used by the student’s Committee to guide the student’s selection of additional courses to complete the program. The results of the written examination will be pass, conditional pass, or fail. A conditional pass is accepted to mean pass, providing the student subsequently eliminates inadequacies by means stipulated by the committee. In the event of a failure, the Committee may elect to allow a single repetition of the examination. Copies of the examination questions along with the candidate’s answers will be placed in the student’s department file.
The Dissertation proposal constitutes the oral examination and must be scheduled within the academic year following the successful completion of the written examination. Oral examinations are open to all faculty but closed to other students; only the candidate’s advisory committee members will be responsible for scoring the candidate on the oral portion of the comprehensive examination. The examination will be held at a convenient time during the year for the Committee and the student and preferably should not be held during regular examination periods. An announcement must be distributed at least two weeks prior to the oral examination. The results of oral examination will be announced immediately following the oral exam. The results will be pass, conditional pass, or fail. A conditional pass is accepted to mean pass, providing the student subsequently eliminates inadequacies by means stipulated by the committee. In the event of a failure, the Committee may elect to allow a single repetition of the examination.
Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy reflects agreement among the student, Graduate Committee, and the School of Graduate Studies that the student has demonstrated the ability to do acceptable work and that satisfactory progress has been made toward the degree
A student may be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree after: (1) formation of the Graduate Advisory Committee, (2) passing the Comprehensive Examination, (3) fulfilling any language requirements for the Ph.D., (4) maintaining at least a B average in all graduate coursework, and (5) obtaining the Supervisory Committee’s approval of the dissertation proposal and course program. A public oral defense of the proposal, constituting the general examination (described below) is included in step (2). Each student is responsible for filing the admission to candidacy form, which lists all courses required for the degree, including courses taken at Morgan State University or at any other institution. Prior to admission to the doctoral program, the admission to candidacy form must be signed by the Doctoral Committee. Admission to candidacy must be applied for and approved by the Graduate Advisory Committee and the School of Graduate Studies at least one full semester prior to the date the degree is to be conferred.
Teaching Requirement
As a requirement for graduation, all Ph.D. candidates must satisfactorily complete at least two academic years of teaching assistant (TA) duties in a department appropriate to the student’s area of concentration. Discharge of this requirement will be scheduled by mutual agreement between the student, major advisor, Program Coordinator and the Department Chair. The Chair will act upon the request based on the Department’s anticipated teaching need and the availability of tuition credits. The Department Chair will also certify that the TA assignment fulfills the requirements. The instructor of the course in which the student is involved will certify that the student has satisfactorily discharged the TA duties and has met the teaching requirements as listed below. The completed original certification form is kept in the student’s file.
The TA requirement may be discharged by activities related to either undergraduate labs or recitations in which the principal activity of the TA is instruction rather than grading or logistical support. The ideal TA experience would integrate a number of aspects of teaching including lectures and/or demonstrations, student evaluations (testing), and grading.
Dissertation Requirement
A dissertation is expected to treat a topic related to the candidate’s specialty in the major subject, show the results of original research, provide evidence of high scholarship, and make a significant contribution to knowledge in the field. A general rule of thumb is that a typical dissertation is the equivalent of three publications in peer-reviewed journals. A dissertation defense must be scheduled with unanimous approval by the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee and the Dean of the School. After revisions are made subsequent to the defense and approved by the student’s Committee, the final draft of the dissertation must be submitted to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.
Summary of Procedures for Doctoral Degree
| Procedures |
Under the Direction of |
Date |
| Admission as a potential degree candidate |
School of Graduate Studies and Major Department |
Prior to completing 15 hours of graduate courses |
| Appointment of Doctoral Committee* |
The School of Graduate Studies on recommendation of Department Chair |
Preferable during first year of graduate study, but at the latest, prior to application for admission to candidacy |
| Comprehensive Examinations* |
Major Department |
Prior to admission to candidacy |
| Language Requirement(s)** |
Major Department |
Prior to admission to candidacy |
| Submission and approval of application for admission to candidacy |
Doctoral Degree Committee and the School of Graduate Studies |
At least one semester prior to graduation |
| Submission of application for graduation |
School of Graduate Studies |
According to the School of Graduate Studies Academic Calendar |
| Payment of graduate fees |
Bursar’s Office |
According to the School of Graduate Studies Academic Calendar |
| Submission of dissertation to the Doctoral Committee |
Student |
At least two weeks prior to the Defense of Dissertation Examination |
| Scheduling of Defense of Dissertation Examination |
Student, Committee and Office of Graduate Admissions and Records |
No later than three (3) weeks prior to Defense of Dissertation Examination |
| Defense of Dissertation Examination |
Doctoral Committee |
Scheduled in conjunction with the School of Graduate Studies Academic Calendar |
| Approval and Acceptance of final copy of Dissertation and Doctoral Forms |
Doctoral Committee and the School of Graduate Studies |
According to the School of Graduate Studies Academic Calendar |
| Removal of incomplete(s) |
Instructor of the course |
Not later than three (3) weeks prior to Commencement |
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