In general, students who fail this examination will not be premitted to continue for the doctorate. Normally, the examination is given after the student has completed two or three semesters of full-time graduate study beyond the baccalaureate. To be full-time, students must enroll for a minimum of 15 semester hours during the semester. The Dean of Graduate Studies may grant exceptions upon the recommendation of the student's home department or Ph.D. thesis committee. A candidate for the doctorate must complete all the requirements for the degree within seven years from first enrolling in a doctoral program and within three years after passing the doctoral comprehensives.
Any time spent on leaves of absence is included in the seven-year time limit.
Doctoral students, regardless of employment, must register for at least three hours each fall and spring semester for a total of six semester hours each year without interruption unless a leave of absence is obtained from the Graduate Dean. The Doctoral Committee, appointed by the Graduate Dean upon the recommendation of the department, has at least five voting members, and at least three of the committee members must be from the home or allied departments. The Doctoral Committee must also have at least one representative from the minor field and a member at large who is assigned by the Graduate Dean and who need not necessarily be a member of the CSM faculty. Additional members beyond the minimum of fivemay be either ex-officio or voting members. If thesis co-advisors are assigned, an additional member must be added from the home or allied department.