Earning a Ph.D. requires completing a certain number of coursework credit hours.
Credits required for a Ph.D. vary from school to school, although many commonalities exist among Ph.D. credit requirements at most accredited universities. Among these commonalities are the requirements that students hold prerequisite degrees, complete coursework in a major and minor field of study and earn thesis credits. These credits must also meet certain conditions in order for them to qualify candidates for a Ph.D. degree.
Prerequisite Degrees
To be eligible for admission into a Ph.D. program, an applicant must first hold a Master's degree, preferably in the same field, or sometimes a related one. Attainment of a Masters degree, in turn, requires that students first complete a bachelors program. Each of these prerequisite degrees --- Master's and Bachelor's --- carry their own individual credit requirements.
Coursework Credits
While the exact number varies from program to program, often even among programs in the same university, Ph.D. candidates must earn a certain minimum number of credits in a major, or the general field of study named on their future degree, and a minor, or a specific area of study within or relevant to that larger field. Many Ph.D. programs, such as the Geological Sciences program at the University of Michigan's Rackham Graduate School, impose a residency requirement, which means that a candidate must earn a certain number of their eligible coursework credit hours on the university's own campus rather than elsewhere, such as remotely via the Internet.
Required Courses
A university may require candidates take certain specific courses toward completing their Ph.D. credit requirement. At Portland State University, prospective Biology Doctoral candidates must complete both a Graduate Research Prospectus and Graduate Grant Writing course. At Purdue University, Engineering Ph.D. candidates must complete a math credit requirement, though students may choose from a selection of eligible mathematics-related courses.
Thesis Credits
Every Ph.D. program requires candidates complete a thesis, or a Doctoral dissertation, on a topic related to their major and field of interest, determined by the candidate and generally under the supervision and guidance of their advisor. As the candidate works on this thesis, he must enroll for a minimum number of thesis credits. At the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering, for example, candidates must enroll in 24 thesis credits while working on their dissertation.
Credit Conditions
In order for credits earned to apply toward completion of a Ph.D. program, certain conditions must be met. Two common examples are that the candidate must earn all applicable credits within a certain period of time and maintain a minimum GPA (grade point average) throughout their program. At the University of Pittsburgh, Psychology Ph.D. candidates must earn all applicable credits within a 10-year period and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA. Universities will also only allow a certain number of eligible transfer credits earned at another university. Oftentimes this number varies on a case-by-case basis.
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