LAI Doctoral Programs

Stages and Requirements

(In addition to reading this document, all Ph.D. students should obtain and carefully read the most current edition of the Graduate School's Graduate Student Manual: Policies and Procedures for Graduate Students . Ed.D. students should carefully read the most current edition of the Graduate School of Education's Ed.M. and Ed.D. Regulations and Procedures .)

Three Stages and seven department requirements

When a student is admitted to the doctoral program in LAI, the University at Buffalo and the Graduate School of Education (GSE) consider that person to be a fully matriculated doctoral student; therefore, in completing all GSE or university forms or questionnaires, the new student should list himself or herself as a doctoral student. LAI, however, divides doctoral study into three separate stages: Advanced Graduate Standing (AGS), Doctoral Program Standing (DPS), and Doctoral Candidacy. Admission to LAI as a doctoral student is into the AGS stage, during which the student develops a plan of study and identifies a major advisor. After 15 to 24 hours of study in AGS the student then applies to the Doctoral Studies Committee (DSC) for admission to the DPS stage. After admission to DPS, the student remains in that stage until completing all or most coursework, completing the Research Experience Component, and filing for Application to Candidacy, at which time the student becomes, upon approval, a Doctoral Candidate. As a doctoral candidate, the student defends the dissertation proposal and completes and defends the dissertation.

Stage I: Advanced Graduate Standing (AGS)

Major Requirements

• Confer with assigned major advisor.
• In collaboration with the major advisor, complete the Initial Course Plan Statement (ICPS).
• Complete at least 18 credit hours and no more than 24 credit hours.
• Pass the Research Analysis Examination (must have registered for 9 hours in major and 9 hours in research to sit for this exam).
• Apply for progression to Stage 2 (Doctoral Program Standing) by submitting ICPS (signed by major advisor and containing the residency statement) to the Doctoral Studies Committee (DSC). The DSC meets once a month during the academic year and once in the summer.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

AGS students must not register for more than 24 hours! AGS students must apply to Stage II (Doctoral Program Standing) before completing 24 credit hours.

Stage II: Doctoral Program Standing (DPS)

Major Requirements

• By the end of 33-36 credit hours, complete the Research Experience Component.
• After completing the Research Experience -- and not before -- establish a dissertation committee of no fewer than 3 persons: the major advisor, one other LAI faculty member, and one other UB faculty memberoutside the student's program area.
• Obtain approval of the dissertation committee by submitting the Dissertation Committee Approval Form to the DSC. This form requires (a) a brief description of the intended dissertation research project, (b) the signature of the major advisor, and (c) the name of each committee member.
• Ph.D. Students Submit the Graduate School form Application to Candidacy to DSC. Although the Graduate School requires the signature of only the major advisor at this time, LAI stipulates that it must be signed by all dissertation committee members. Upon approval of the Application to Candidacy by the DSC, the GSE Graduate Degrees Committee, and the Graduate School, the student progresses to Stage 3, Doctoral Candidate.
• Ed.D. Students Submit the GSE Statement of Program form to DSC. Although the GSE requires the signature of only the major advisor at this time, LAI stipulates that it must be signed by all dissertation committee members. Upon approval of the Statement of Program by the DSC and the GSE Graduate Degrees Committee, the student progresses to Stage 3, Doctoral Candidate.

Stage III: Doctoral Candidacy

For Ph.D. Students

1. Defend the dissertation proposal before the committee at a publicly-announced time and place.
2. Submit GSE's Dissertation Proposal Form with Abstract to chair's secretary.
3. Complete all courses on the ICPS.
4. 4. Get approval from dissertation committee for an oral defense and defend the dissertation at a publicly-announced time and place.
5. See chair's secretary for final details.

For Ed.D. Students

1. Defend the dissertation proposal before the committee at a publicly-announced time and place.
2. Submit GSE's Dissertation Proposal Abstract form to chair's secretary.
3. Complete all courses on the ICPS.
4. Complete dissertation
5. After committee approves dissertation for oral defense, defend dissertation at a publicly-announced time and place.
6. See chair's secretary for final details.

Dismissal from Program

Doctoral students who demonstrate limited academic progress (e.g., GPA < 3.0, excessive number of incomplete grades) will be informed by the Department Chair that their academic progress is considered unsatisfactory. This letter will state that the student has been placed on academic probation, and it will stipulate necessary requirements for removal of the academic probation status. An exception to this policy of informing students of their limited academic progress is when a student obtains a grade of 1 on the Research Analysis Examination, in which case, the student will be immediately dismissed from doctoral study. Students are subject to dismissal from the Department if they fail to meet acceptable standards of performance in examinations or coursework or if they do not comply with regulations stated in The Requirements of the Program.The Doctoral Studies Committee is charged to investigate the case of any student whose academic behavior appears to be unsatisfactory.

If the Committee decides that dismissal is warranted, it will recommend a dismissal, in writing, to the Department. The recommendation will contain supporting evidence, and the student, who will receive an exact copy of it, may write any response the student wishes. Then the Committee's recommendation, together with the student's response, will go forward to the whole Department. The name of the affected student will be placed on the agenda of the first regular Department meeting following submission of the recommendation, and the Department will vote to retain or to dismiss the student.