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The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is a terminal degree reflecting independent mastery of a specialized field of knowledge, and the successful pursuit of original research. The PhD effort requires academic discipline together with a significant commitment of time and effort. It involves highly focused study in a particular area of interest culminating in an original research effort which adds to the general body of knowledge in the field.
Eligibility
The applicant must have a masters degree in the general field in which the application for PhD has been submitted. The applicant must have earned a GPA of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 or it's equivalent grading in the masters degree program, or received a minimum combined score of 1400 on the three sections of the GRE, or a minimum score of 500 on the GMAT.
Transfer of Credit
A maximum of fifteen (15) semester hours of graduate-level course work may be transferred into the doctoral program. Only academic credits earned at recognized institutions with a grade of "C" or better may be transferred to Preston. Credit may also be applied for tangible evidence of significant professional achievements.
PhD Program Requirements
30 semester hours of total credit.
18 semester hours of course work.
12 semester hours for the dissertation.
The candidate may transfer a maximum of 15 semester hours into the program.
Transfer credit may be given for graduate course work completed as well as for tangible evidence of professional accomplishment such as technical papers published, major projects completed, or other significant professional achievements.
The candidate must take, or receive credit for an Advanced Research Methods course.
Overview of the Doctor of Philosophy Degree
The PhD degree represents the culmination of extended academic study into a particular field of knowledge. Every doctoral program should be unified in relation to a clear objective. That is, it should have the approval of the student's supervising professor, include focused academic course work which supports the research effort, and should include adequate hours of independent doctoral research. Those who earn the PhD must demonstrate significant intellectual achievement and must contribute to the scholarly knowledge in their field of investigation. Therefore, candidates for PhD degrees should have earned their Masters degree in the field of study chosen for their doctoral work.
Academic Course Work
Eighteen semester hours of graduate course work is required for the PhD. The required courses include: Research Preparation, Advanced Research Methods and a Seminar course. Three additional elective courses are selected by the student in consultation with his or her Supervising Professor.
The student's Seminar course is designed to guide the candidate's review of current literature, contemporary knowledge and recent research findings in the topical area of the dissertation. Ideally, the outcome of the Seminar course will be a comprehensive literature review covering the breadth of the research topic. Likewise, the three elective courses will be selected to support the specific area of the student's dissertation research. The primary focus of the academic course work is to provide the student with a comprehensive background in the chosen research area.
The Dissertation
The dissertation is an essential aspect of PhD studies. It is a formal written document representing sustained research or investigation into an important intellectual issue. The dissertation must be an independent effort which contributes to the accumulated wisdom of the field in which it is written. The required Research Preparation and Advanced Research Methods courses will help the student to focus his or her research effort, and provide general guidelines for research approach and report preparation. All dissertations must meet rigorous academic standards and be professionally prepared in a format suitable for reproduction. Dissertations will be reviewed and approved by the candidate's Supervising Professor and University's Academic Review Committee.
Dissertation Requirements
Every candidate for the PhD must prepare and submit a dissertation that shows independent investigation and is acceptable in form and content. The dissertation should normally be written in English and typewritten. Under certain circumstances, a dissertation may be completed in a language other than English, such as in the case of a PhD in a foreign language.
The dissertation should follow the guidelines contained in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers for overall style, page format, citation format and reference listings.
One paper copy of the dissertation suitable for quality reproduction, unbound, with an appropriate abstract must be submitted for evaluation.
Style Guide for Reports, Theses and Dissertations
The standard format and style reference guide for all academic writing for Preston University is the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. This handbook should be consulted to determine the format, style, reference citation criteria and standard conventions for writing all reports, papers, theses and dissertations. Deviations from this standard are permitted only with the expressed permission of the student's academic advisor.
Duration of the Program
The normal duration of the PhD program for full-time students is 6 semesters (24 months). Course work of 18 semester hours may normally be completed in three semesters (12 months). The dissertation may be completed in the remaining 3 semesters (12 months). The maximum duration of the PhD program is 18 semesters (72 months).
PhD Subject Areas
Business Administration
Computer Science
Education
Environmental Management
History
International Studies
Languages
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