Doctoral Program Graduation Requirements

A student must complete and submit the Application to Graduate form to the Graduate School no later than the second Friday of the quarter in which graduation is expected. The application is valid for that quarter only. Submitting this application indicates that the student expects to complete all degree requirements by the end of that quarter. It must be signed by the student, the adviser, and the Graduate Studies Committee chair. The names of the Dissertation Committee members must be listed on the form.

In addition, the student:

• Must have earned a cumulative point-hour ratio of at least 3.0 for all graduate credit hours completed at this university;
• Must have final grades for all courses received in the Registrar’s Office by the deadline published in the Master Schedule of Classes; and
• Must have fulfilled all other requirements by the deadlines established by the Graduate School.

A student who does not meet published graduation deadlines, but who does complete all degree requirements by the last business day prior to the first day of classes for the following quarter may graduate the following quarter without registering or paying fees. This is considered an "End of Quarter" graduating student.

Summary of Ph.D. Degree Graduate Requirements

• Satisfactory completion of the Candidacy Examination and submission of the General Examination Report for to the Graduate School.
• Registration for at least three credit hours during the quarters when the Candidacy and Final Oral Examinations are taken and during the quarter in which graduation is expected.
• Submission of the Application to Graduate form to the Graduate School no later than the second Friday of the quarter in which graduation is expected.
• Completion of a minimum of 120 graduate credit hours, at lease 75 of which must be completed beyond the Master’s degree.
• Completion of the following residence requirements after the Master’s degree has been earned or after the first 45 hours of graduate credit have been completed:
              a) a minimum of 45 graduate credit hours at Ohio State;
              b) a minimum of three out of four consecutive quarters with an enrollment of at least ten graduate credit hours per quarter at this university; and
              c) a minimum of 6 graduate credit hours over a period of at least two quarters after admission to candidacy.
• A graduate cumulative point-hour ratio of at least 3.0.
• Approval of the dissertation draft by the Dissertation Committee members and submission of the Draft Approval form and the dissertation draft to the Graduate School at least two weeks before the date of the Final Oral Examination.
• Satisfactory completion of the Final Oral Examination and submission of the Final Oral Examination Report form to the Graduate School no later than two weeks before commencement.
• Submission of the approved dissertation and abstract and the Final Approval form to the Graduate School no later than one week before commencement.
• Completion of the Ph.D. degree requirements within five years after being admitted to candidacy.
• Receipt of final grades in the Registrar’s Office by the deadline published in the Master Schedule of Classes.
• Completion of the Ph.D. requirements established by the Graduate Studies Committee.
• Payment of doctoral hood, microfilming, and binding fees no later than one week before commencement.