When a student begins his or her doctorate degree at a university, he or she usually face with two sets of requirements: those put by the graduate school and those put by the individual department or program that a student is enrolled in within the school.Graduate schools put a wide range of policies and practices that make sure quality degree programs.
In most programs, the first two years of the doctoral studies provide a student with a hard base of advanced knowledge of his or her field. This may be composed of a core of material that a student and all of his or her fellow students are expected to master. On the other hand, in great fields such as history or chemistry, a student may simply need to obtain a few courses in definite fields.
Whatever student’s requirements may be, he or she will possibly finish this part of his or her studies with a general qualifying exam which, if a student pass, formalizes his or her candidacy for a doctoral degree. Frequently, these exams take place early and sometimes serve as good indicators of student’s readiness to continue his or her thesis.
When a student has finished the essential work towards his or her specialization, his or her knowledge are tested by means of a comprehensive test or an oral examination. After passing this test and meeting all program requirements, the formal class work ends and a student begins his or her work on the thesis.
The thesis stage of student’s doctoral studies is the final step towards achievement. The knowledge he or she obtains through original research or scholarship will identify student’s expertise as an educated professional.
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