Candidacy

Students are admitted to candidacy when they have completed all program requirements, including course requirements, foreign language requirements, preliminary examinations, and acceptance of the proposal. Once a student is admitted to candidacy, the only remaining requirements for the doctorate are completion of the dissertation and the dissertation examination, which is often known as the final defense or the dissertation defense. Admission to candidacy is known colloquially as being ABD, or "all but dissertation." Candidacy is noted on student transcripts. It does not change a student's status on the residence track (e.g. changing from Scholastic Residence to Advanced Residence), as residence is correlated to quarters of study rather than specific academic milestones. Students are not admitted to candidacy until the department has submitted an Admission to Candidacy Form to the Dean of Students.

Admission to Candidacy Forms

The student or department administrator will fill out section I of the Candidacy Form.pdf. The Chair will sign the form. The department will send the form to the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students will fill out and sign sections II and III. The form is then forwarded to the Registrar's Office where it is processed and a notation added to the student's transcript. The form is then returned to the Dean of Students and a copy of the processed form is placed in the department's pick-up box in W111. A letter notifying the student of admission to candidacy is sent by the Registrar's Office.

Before submitting a candidacy form to the Dean of Students, make sure the student has fulfilled all departmental requirements (i.e. course requirements, language requirements, exam requirements, acceptance of proposal). If applicable, also attach an Alternative Language Option form.

Alternate Language Option

In some departments, language requirements can be fulfilled by alternatives to the University's Language Reading Exams. Alternative options include departmentally administered language exams, upper level language or literature courses, or proficiency as a native speaker.

If a student has completed an alternative option for the MA, the department should indicate this on the student's MA Approval Form.

If a student has completed an alternative option (or multiple alternative options) for the PhD, the department should submit an AlternateLanguageOption.pdf form along with the student's Candidacy form.

It is important that departments correctly note the completion date of any Alternative Language Option so fulfillment of the language requirement(s) can be listed under the appropriate quarter on the student's transcript. If a student fulfills more than one language requirement through alternate options, completion of the alternate language option is listed on the transcript in the quarter in which the final language requirement is fulfilled.