A university graduate wearing robes.
The Ph.D. -- Doctor of Philosophy -- degree is the highest academic honor you can receive in the United States. It is necessary if anyone pursuing a career as a college professor or performing university research. The process of obtaining a Ph.D. in Mississippi is the same as doing so in any other state. You may pursue this degree in myriad fields including the humanities, social sciences, business, agriculture and the physical sciences. There are four institutions that grant Ph.D.s in Mississippi: Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi. Not all institutions offer Ph.D. programs in all academic areas.
Instructions
1. Complete your undergraduate education and earn a bachelor's degree. Some Ph.D. programs also require a master's degree, but frequently they are awarded within the first three years of doctorate study.
2. Research Ph.D. programs. Pursuing a doctorate is akin to having a full-time job. It can take months to research appropriate programs in your area of interest. Further, students generally apply to work with an individual professor at an academic institution and should be well-versed in their research pursuits before beginning the application process.
3. Apply and gain entrance into a Ph.D. program. Acquiring acceptance into a graduate education program can be difficult; numerous students are competing for few places. Prospective students must have Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores on file, or any other required testing, along with other application materials.
4. Complete graduate coursework and successfully pass qualifying exams. Though subject matter studied in Ph.D. programs varies widely, students are required to take qualifying exams at some point during their graduate study.
5. Write a dissertation. This is a highly involved and original work expounding upon a conjecture posed by a student. It requires in-depth research.
6. Defend your dissertation in front of a committee of tenured faculty members. These professors decide whether the dissertation can be accepted in the university and academic community.
7. Submit the dissertation to your institution's library. The library archives the work for others to use. Ph.D. candidates are often advised to obtain copyright on their work, so that no other person can plagiarize their research.
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