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.

 

PhD Awarded upon successful completion dissertation defense.