Advancement to Candidacy

Application for Advancement to Candidacy

Doctoral students will need to be advanced to candidacy within four years of initiating Ph.D. course work. The student will need to indicate their intent to advance to candidacy during the semester before they will complete the 31 hours of the required course work.

Advancement to Candidacy Time Limit

No credit will be applied toward your doctoral degree for course work completed more than four years before the date on which you are to advance to candidacy. This time limit applies toward credit earned at Texas State as well as credit transferred to Texas State from other accredited institutions.

Requests for a time extension must be submitted to your Ph.D. Graduate Coordinator, who in turn, submits a recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate College.

Grade-Point Requirements for Advancement to Candidacy

To be eligible for advancement to candidacy, you must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. No grade earned below "B" on any graduate course work may apply toward a Ph.D. at Texas State.

Incomplete grades must be cleared through the office of the Graduate College at least ten days before the approval for advancement to candidacy.

Advancement to Candidacy Comprehensive Examination

All applicants for advancement to candidacy for the doctoral degree must pass a comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination procedures may be obtained from the Graduate Staff Advisor. Both prevailing expectations in the field and the actual courses taken by the candidate will determine the subject matter of the examinations. This exam may not be taken until all required course work has been completed. The student may take the candidacy comprehensives exam without being enrolled in course work.

Arrangements for the examination will be made with your Ph.D. advisor. The results of the "Advancement to Candidacy Comprehensive Examination" must be filed in the office of the Graduate College before final approval to advance to candidacy is given by the Dean of the Graduate College. The department is responsible for submitting the report to the office of the Graduate College.

Dissertation Proposal

Your "Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal" form must be approved before you can be advanced to candidacy (see Dissertation Research and Writing, Dissertation Proposal section for more information).

Recommendation for Advancement to Candidacy

The Geography Graduate Committee recommends the applicant for advancement to candidacy to the Chair of the Department of Geography and the Dean of the Graduate College. The Dean of the Graduate College certifies the applicant for advancement to candidacy once all requirements have been completed.