Time Limits

Preliminary exam

You are expected to pass your preliminary exam within 3 years of being admitted to the Ph.D. program. After 3 years, you will be considered to not be making minimal satisfactory progress.

Dissertation proposal

You are expected to submit a dissertation proposal within 2 years of passing your preliminary exam. After 2 years, you will be considered to not be making minimal satisfactory progress.

Final oral examination / “5-Year Rule”

You must successfully complete the final oral exam (i.e., defend your dissertation) within 5 years of passing your preliminary exam. See “Final oral exam / defense” section for more information. While you can request an extension of the 5-year time limit, this is a rule set and administered by the Graduate School and the department cannot guarantee that an extension will be granted. The Graduate School may require that you retake the preliminary examination and be admitted to candidacy a second time. Please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator if you think you will not meet this time limit.