A student may also partially attain the required degree of competence by other means including independent study under faculty supervision. Regardless of how the required competence is obtained, it must be certified by passing the appropriate series of examinations. Students who have been formally admitted to PhD candidacy may register for dissertation research. Preliminary dissertation research can be done as part of an appropriate departmental course. The number of dissertation credits for which a student registers should be commensurate with the independent research effort to be undertaken during the term.
Minimum registration is three credits per term.
Students so enrolled are assessed a special tuition fee. Upon successful completion of the final oral examination, all I grades will be changed to S grades. This screening examination is designed to assess the breadth of the student s knowledge of the discipline, the student s achievement during the first year of graduate study, and the potential to conduct independent research. It is used to identify those students who may be expected to successfully complete a doctoral program as well as to identify possible areas of weakness in the individual student s preparation. This examination is usually taken within the first two to four terms of graduate study and is a first step towards the student s formal admission to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.