Admission to Candidacy

Admission to candidacy is an important step in the completion of a degree program. A graduate student may apply for admission to candidacy upon the successful completion of at least nine hours of graduate study and upon filing an approved program of study in consultation with the major advisor and departmental graduate committee or its delegate committee. Application for candidacy should be made before completing no more than 15 hours in order to avoid the possibility of extending the program. The student must be recommended for candidacy by the advisor, the departmental graduate committee, and the department chair. The student is admitted to candidacy by the Graduate Dean.

To be admitted to candidacy, the student must have: (1) satisfactorily passed the preliminary or other qualifying examination if either is required by the major department; (2) removed all deficiencies for admission to graduate study; (3) earned a B average (3.00) in all graduate courses that are a part of the degree program to that point; (4) filed in the Graduate School a program of study that has been approved by the Graduate Dean; and (5) completed a total of at least nine graduate program hours.

The student must be admitted to candidacy before being eligible to sign up for or take the comprehensive examination or to file an “Intent to Graduate.”