The graduate program is designed to expose students to the breadth of the discipline, while providing tools for in-depth independent research. Students receive training in research methodologies that permit them to pursue original research in their chosen fields of interest. All students must complete comprehensive exams in two fields of study. In addition, Ph.D. students write a field research paper of publishable quality based on original research before formal advancement to Ph.D. candidacy.
Students typically use the field paper as a launching point for their dissertations.
All work towards the Ph.D. degree, including completion and defense of a doctoral thesis must be completed within five years of the date of formal advancement to Ph.D. candidacy. The M.A. is offered under two plans, with thesis and without. Those who opt to write a Master's thesis must take at least 24 credit hours of coursework in addition to 6 hours of thesis credit. The non-thesis plan entails a minimum of 32 credit hours of coursework.