Environmental Science Ph.D. Program

Specific Requirements 

The candidate for the doctoral degree must pass a final examination by deadline dates announced in the Division of Graduate Studies’ calendar each semester or summer session. No student may be given a final examination unless his or her official GPA at the time of the examination is 3.0 or better.

The final examination is not to be administered until such time that the dissertation is available to the Student’s Advisory Committee in substantially final form, and all members of the Advisory Committee have had adequate time to review the document, and express their approval by signing the Draft Dissertation Form.

To be eligible to take the final examination, or to defend the dissertation, the candidate must:

1. Be advanced to candidacy (a + b + c)
   • a. Have completed all course work on his or her degree program with the exception of any remaining research hours.
   • b. Have successfully passed the comprehensive exam.
   • c. Have had an approved research proposal on file with the Division of Graduate Studies.
2. Submit an approved Draft Dissertation Form and two copies of Draft Dissertation to the Program Director at least three weeks before the Dissertation Defense.

Schedule

In consultation with the student and the Advisory Committee Members, the Committee Chair must submit the date and time of student’s dissertation defense; at least two weeks before the scheduled date; to the Program Director who should immediately inform the Dean of the College, and the Dean of the Division of Graduate Studies.

In consultation with the Program Director, the Committee Chair should secure a place for the defense, and post announcements at the College of Science, Engineering and Technology at least one week before the scheduled defense .

Administration

The Student’s Advisory Committee as finally constituted will conduct this examination.  While the final examination may cover the broad field of the candidate’s training, it is presumed that the major portion of the time will be devoted to the dissertation and closely allied topics. Persons other than members of the Graduate Faculty may be invited to attend final examinations.

Upon completion of the questioning of the candidate, all visitors must excuse themselves from the proceedings. The Advisory Committee will submit its recommendations regarding acceptability of the candidate for the doctoral degree to the Program Director who should forward them to the College Dean and the Dean of the Division of Graduate Studies.

Students are required to make appropriate corrections of the dissertation; based on the suggestions and recommendations of all the members of Advisory Committee. Five copies of the dissertation in substantially final form must be submitted (2 copies to Program Director for the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, and 3 copies to the Division of Graduate Studies for the University).

Students must be registered in the University in the semester or summer session in which the final examination is taken. The final examination for the doctoral degree must be administered on the campus of Jackson State University