PhD | Current Students | Timeline | Handbook | NLM T-15 Training Program
Year One
Fall: Secure an Adviser
Graduate students must obtain a faculty adviser within the first semester of CHIP.
Fall/Spring: Coursework
Doctoral students will develop an individualized course structure that incorporates the required classes from the five pillars of CHIP curriculum.
Year Two
Fall/Spring: Coursework
Doctoral students should aim to fulfill the required pillar coursework within the first two years of CHIP.
Spring: Prep for Comprehensive Exams
With the help of their adviser, students will develop a full– length, systematic review of literature pertaining to a research topic they will pursue for their dissertation. Graduate students will also begin assemble their dissertation committees at this point.
Year Three
Fall: Comprehensive Examination and Dissertation Proposal
Doctoral students will present their comprehensive research review to their committee. Once the written review passes committee, graduate students will defend their review through oral examination.
Using the research collected from the comprehensive exam, students will develop a dissertation proposal and conduct a verbal defense of their proposal to their committee. Students are permitted to complete the Comprehensive Exam and the Dissertation Proposal at the same time. In this instance, both the written paper and the oral examination must fulfill the required components of both exams.
Spring: Dissertation Proposal and/or Dissertation Research and Draft
With guidance from their adviser, doctoral students will begin research on their dissertation project and writing their dissertation draft.
PhD Candidacy awarded upon successful defense of dissertation proposal.
Year Four
Fall: Dissertation Draft Review
Research and dissertation draft writing should continue throughout the summer months and the fall semester. All committee members must review the draft dissertation and provide feedback. Once all committee members have approved the draft dissertation, graduate students will begin finalizing their dissertation.
Spring: Complete Dissertation project
Doctoral students will complete their dissertation project and prepare for their dissertation defense.
Year Five
Fall: Dissertation Defense
Doctoral students will present and orally defend their completed dissertation to their committee.