PhD Program Schedule

Program Schedule

FIRST YEAR students take the core and required courses and undergo a doctoral screening

• • Refer to the program of study or the sample program schedule
  • DOCTORAL SCREENING for 1^st year students occurs during the spring semester Doctoral Screening Timeline
  • Speak with faculty advisor about teaching assistantships during year 2

SECOND YEAR students take cognate and concentration courses as well as TA

• • Consult with faculty advisor regarding course selection
  • Refer to the current and past schedule of classes to select courses
  • Concentration courses are within Rossier
  • Cognate courses are taken in other departments/schools to enhance interdisciplinary perspectives
  • Continually monitor progress degree progress by looking at the STARS report on OASIS
  • TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP – students should be a teaching assistant once or twice while in the program. Most students TA for their faculty advisor in a PhD or EdD class.
  • The Center for Excellence in Teaching is a great resource!

THIRD YEAR Qualifying Exams & Teaching and Research Portfolios

• • Time Line for Qualifying Exam and Dissertation
  • Qualifying Exam Procedures
  • Teaching & Research Portfolios Information
  • Qualifying Exam Sample Questions
  • Qualifying Exam Committee form
  • Request to take the PhD Qualifying Exam Form

THIRD-FOURTH YEAR Dissertation proposal & proposal defense

• • Dissertation Proposal Procedures
  • Dissertation Committee Form
  • Report on Defense of Dissertation Proposal

FOURTH YEAR Dissertation submission deadlines & commencement!

• • Dissertation Procedures
  • The PhD degree is governed by the Graduate School, so please refer to the USC Graduate School website for guidelines for submission, submission deadlines & degree conferral dates, required documents and guidelines for format and presentation information.
  • The USC Graduate School has TWO upload deadlines:
  1. Deadline for submission of required documents
  2. Deadline for submission of the dissertation manuscript.
  • The documents upload deadline is a week before the dissertation upload deadline. Both deadlines are at 12:00 PM noon, PST on the given dates and the deadlines are not flexible!
  • Commencement Information the PhD Program office will start commencement planning in January!