Typical Timeline

The following estimates of time to complete requirements for the PhD in TCR are based on the assumption of part-time enrollment because of a teaching assistantship. Students will normally enroll in 9 graduate hours each long semester. The estimates are also based on the assumption that students will complete 30 hours in the specialization, minor, and electives beyond the Master's degree plus 9 hours of research methods courses.

The Texas "99-hour rule" gives students 4 years to complete their work beyond the master's degree.

Students who can complete their qualifying exams in the fall semester of the third year will be better prepared for the job search in the fourth year than those who write exams in January of the third year.

Year Time Events
1 first semester
(fall)
  • get preliminary approval for specialization, minor, and research methods courses from the Director of Graduate Studies according to degree requirements
  • take hours in specialization, minor, and research methods courses
  second semester
(spring)
  • take hours in specialization, minor, and research methods courses
  • first-year review by your 2-person advisory committee
    • assemble your portfolio
    • meet with the review committee
  • final approval for specialization, minor, and research methods courses
2 third semester
(fall)
  • file degree plan (12 mo. after enrollment)
  • continue coursework
  • choose dissertation committee
  fourth semester
(spring)
  • finish coursework
  • submit preliminary dissertation proposal to your dissertation committee
  • develop reading lists for qualifying exams with the advice of your dissertation committee (100 books total)
  • annual review
3 fifth semester
(fall)
  sixth semester
(spring)
  • take qualifying exams (in January at the latest); be admitted to candidacy for the PhD
  • revise dissertation proposal; meet with your dissertation committee; create dissertation outline; begin chapters
  • annual review
4 seventh semester
(fall)
  • enroll in dissertation hours
  • continue to write dissertation
  • circulate and review chapters as completed
  • schedule a mid-point dissertation review with the entire committee to get consensus about revisions and directions for the remaining chapters
  • apply for jobs; interview at MLA
  eighth semester
(spring)
  • continue taking dissertation hours
  • file "intent to graduate" form early in semester
  • complete dissertation; meet with committee members to get approval for scheduling the oral defense
  • defend the dissertation orally; follow Graduate School deadlines for scheduling this defense in time for spring graduation
  • "What's up, doc?"

These estimates will serve as measures for the annual progress reports. Ongoing support, including recommendations for summer school teaching, will depend on timely completion of the requirements. Support in the form of a graduate part-time instructorship cannot be offered after a student has accumulated 99 hours of graduate credit beyond the master's degree.

99-Hour Rule basics

The Texas Legislature has capped fundable graduate study at 99 doctoral hours. Students who exceed 99 doctoral hours pay out-of-state tuition regardless of residence status. The 99 hours exclude 30 hours for a master’s degree or the equivalent in coursework for the early semesters of doctoral work.

  1. After three (3) years of full time study and each semester thereafter, graduate advisors must provide a progress report on all doctoral students to The Graduate School.
  2. Reduced Enrollment: Doctoral candidates in good standing* who have completed at least 85 hours may register as full-time students for one semester, taking the number of hours (but not less than 3) that will bring him or her up to 93 hours, and then may register as full-time students for up to two more semesters of 3 hours each. (*Students who have completed course work, passed qualifying exams, have a committee, dissertation topic and approved proposal, and are making satisfactory progress on the dissertation.)

    With the reduction, the student will be considered full time with graduate school approval. This approval is vital because it retains the financial aid package and assistantship.
  3. Anytime there is an unforeseen problem, graduate advisors must update the Graduate School in order that a beneficial remedy can be found.

February 2000, Graduate Council Minutes
Also see the Graduate Catalog 2000-2001, p. 30.

 

Last Updated by Joyce Locke Carter, September 18, 2008