2013-2014 Graduate Catalog Downloadable PDF (10.71MB)

Degree Information/The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 189advanced degree. A positive vote by all members of the graduate committee with at mostone dissension is required to pass a student on his or her exam. A department can havea stricter requirement provided there is consistency within all degree programs withina department. Upon completion of the questioning of the candidate, all visitors mustexcuse themselves from the proceedings.The advisory committee will submit its recommendations on the appropriate Reportof the Final Examination for Doctoral Candidates form to the Office of Graduate andProfessional Studies regarding acceptability of the candidate for the doctoral degree. Astudent must be registered in the University in the semester or summer term in which thefinal examination is taken.Exam results must be submitted with original signatures of only the committee membersapproved by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies. If an approved committeemember substitution (1 only) has been made, his/her signature must also be submittedto the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.Application for DegreeGraduate degrees are conferred at the close of each regular semester and 10-weeksummer semester. A candidate for an advanced degree who expects to complete his/herwork at the end of a given semester must apply for graduation by submitting the electronicapplication for degree to the Office of the Registrar and by paying the requiredgraduation fee to the Fiscal Department no later than the Friday of the second week ofthe fall or spring semester or the Friday of the first week of the first summer term. Theelectronic application for degree can be accessed via the student’s Howdy portal.A cancellation made after the application deadline will not receive a refund of thediploma fee. Students who have completed all their degree requirements will notbe allowed to cancel their graduation. The Registrar attempts each semester to balancethe size of each ceremony. Thus, the make-up of the ceremony by colleges does changefrom semester to semester. Graduation times are posted each semester on the website ofthe Office of the Registrar. A student should check the website at graduation.tamu.edu todetermine the date and time of the graduation ceremony.