Research Requirements
Research Core
Doctoral students must complete a research core of at least 12 semester hours of research courses or methods of inquiry designated as appropriate to the discipline and approved by the Graduate Council. Courses numbered XXX 622 (Directed Studies) shall not be used to substitute for courses in the research core.
The Graduate School will not waive this requirement but can approve appropriate substitute research courses or methods up to the full 12 semester hours. The program advisor must provide a written request to substitute an alternative course, a syllabus for each course, and rationale for the requested substitute(s) to the Graduate Dean.
Research Tools
All Ph.D. students must demonstrate competency in two acceptable research tools. A research tool is defined as exhibiting advanced knowledge and/or demonstrating a set of skills related to a specifiable technique or method that contributes to the student's ability to conduct doctoral level research in the discipline. Schools/departments will determine acceptable research tools such as languages, applied statistics, mathematical statistics, research methods, and computer languages/applications.
Collateral Field
With the approval of the major school/department and the Dean of the Graduate School doctoral students may use a collateral field of study as a substitute for one of the research tools. A collateral field of at least 12 credit hours is defined as advanced and specialized or focused knowledge and competence within a specifiable content area or skill area from a related discipline that contributes to the student's ability to conduct doctoral level research in their major discipline (e.g., advanced cognitive theory, applications of distance education technology or multimedia technology to the classroom). The level of competency and the assessment of competency is established by each school/department and must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.
Means of evaluating the student's knowledge or skill must be included on the plan of study to indicate how each research tool requirement is to be satisfied. Acceptable evaluation of research tools might include examinations in academic courses, competency demonstrations evaluated by advisors and committee members, or alternative testing or competency demonstration procedures developed within the school/department.