2012–2013 UNIVERSITY CATALOG - Florida Institute of Technology

academic unit at least one month in advance of the desired examination
date. Examination dates will normally be announced each
term by academic units requiring written examinations.
A candidate must be enrolled during the term the examination is
taken or retaken in the case of a failed examination. An exception is
made for a nonthesis student if a separate examination fee is paid.
Transfer Credit
If the courses constitute a logical part of the student’s master’s
program, a maximum of 12 semester hours of transfer credit
from regionally accredited institutions may be accepted, with the
approval of the head of the appropriate academic unit and the
director of graduate programs under the following conditions:
The courses must have been taken for graduate credit and must
not have been applied previously to any undergraduate degree.
They must have been graded courses, and grades of at least B or
equivalent must have been earned in each course.
Graduate Study at Other Institutions
A currently enrolled student may take a limited number of courses
at other institutions for transfer to a Florida Tech graduate degree
program. The restrictions on graduate transfer credit listed above
apply. Prior approval is mandatory. The student must complete and
submit the designated form with all required signatures and a written
justification. A copy of the other institution’s published course
description(s) must be attached. The student must arrange for an
official transcript to be sent by the other institution directly to the
Florida Tech registrar’s office.
doctoral degree Requirements
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree include
the general requirements listed here and specific program-byprogram
requirements and variations as presented in later sections.
In addition to the Ph.D. degree, the university also offers the
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree, described under College of
Psychology and Liberal Arts in the Degree Programs section.
The Ph.D. degree is awarded on the basis of clear evidence that the
recipient possesses knowledge of a broad field of learning and mastery
of a particular area of concentration within that field. The work
leading to the degree consists of advanced studies and research that
represents a significant contribution to knowledge in the subject
area. Each student must complete an approved program of study,
pass a comprehensive examination, complete an original research
program, and prepare and defend a dissertation on that research.
Credit Hour Requirements
Although the Ph.D. is awarded primarily on the basis of original
scholarly accomplishment rather than the accumulation of a
specified number of credit hours, minimum standards are enforced
regarding the number of credit hours that must be successfully
completed by all Ph.D. students subject to the limitations
delineated in graduate policy.
Credit earned for courses taken in fulfillment of the requirements
for a master’s degree, either at Florida Tech or elsewhere, may be
used in meeting some of the minimum requirement for coursework,
subject to the restrictions stated above and provided the courses
are directly applicable to the field of the Ph.D. degree. A student
should expect to take a significant amount of coursework at a more
advanced level, even if graduate degrees in more than one field have
been earned.
Doctoral Committee
At least 90 days before the comprehensive examination, the student
must select a major adviser with the concurrence of the individual
selected and the student’s academic unit head. The major adviser
serves as both research supervisor and chair of the doctoral committee
and need not be the same person who served as academic
adviser while the student was taking courses.
At least 60 days before the comprehensive examination, the major
adviser nominates a doctoral committee for approval by the student’s
academic unit head and the director of graduate programs.
The committee consists of at least four Florida Tech graduate faculty
members, including the major adviser. One member must be
a full-time graduate faculty member from an academic unit that is
administratively different from the student’s and major adviser’s. At
least three members, including the major adviser, must be approved
for doctoral advising.
This committee serves in an advisory capacity throughout the
remainder of the doctoral program and is responsible for formally
evaluating the candidate’s progress by conducting the comprehensive
examination, reviewing and approving the dissertation
proposal, conducting the dissertation defense and approving the
dissertation.
Comprehensive Examination
After the completion of all formal coursework (as determined by
the academic unit) included in the doctoral program of study, the
student is required to take a comprehensive examination administered
by the doctoral committee established for the student. The
examination covers the student’s major area of emphasis in depth
but may also include other areas considered appropriate by the
doctoral committee. The examination may be written, oral or both,
according to the requirements of each doctoral program. To pass,
the student must have the unanimous approval of the committee.
A student who does not pass the examination may, at the option of
a majority of the committee, be allowed one opportunity to retake
the examination after a suitable period of study. The examination
must be passed at least one calendar year before the degree
is awarded. Scheduling the examination to meet this requirement
is the responsibility of the candidate and his or her committee. A
candidate must be enrolled at the time the examination is taken.
Otherwise, a separate examination fee must be paid.
Dissertation Proposal
Subsequent to successful completion of the comprehensive examination,
a dissertation proposal must be submitted to the doctoral
committee, who ascertains if the subject of the dissertation is of
doctoral quality and that completion of the dissertation is feasible.
Degree Candidacy
An overall grade point average of 3.2 is required for admission to
candidacy.
After a student has passed the comprehensive examination and has
had the dissertation proposal approved by the doctoral committee,
the student will be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree by
submitting the required form for approval and forwarding it to the
registrar.
Academic Overview 45