Doctoral Programs Degree Progress Checklist

EVERY QUARTER

• Maintained enrollment or registration status in each quarter of the regular academic year (i.e., autumn, winter, and spring) unless on an approved leave of absence.
• Maintained valid candidacy status (or pre-candidacy status before advancing to candidacy) at all times. Pre-candidacy is valid for two years from the start of the PhD program, and candidacy is valid for five years after advancement.

• Satisfied English language proficiency for international/foreign students.

FIRST YEAR

• Completed First-Year Review.
• Submitted preliminary Graduate Study Program (GSP).

SECOND YEAR

• When applicable, prior graduate credit from another institution transferred to Stanford. Consulted Doctoral Programs Officer regarding forms and potential residency implications.
• Completed Second-Year Review. This is the qualifying process for doctoral candidacy and includes a Qualifying Paper.
• Submitted final Graduate Study Program (GSP).

• Applied for doctoral candidacy. Candidacy application is consistent with the final Graduate Study Program (GSP), with no incomplete or missing grades.

FOURTH YEAR

• Completed disciplinary minor or master’s requirement outside of education. PhD Minor, Interdisciplinary Distributed Minor (IDDM), or Stanford MA/MS declared or finished, when applicable. (Can be satisfied by a prior, non-Stanford MA/MS when outside of Education and approved by advisor and review committee.)

• Earned at least 135 units of doctoral residency credit.

• Completed all courses listed on final Graduate Study Program (GSP) and Doctoral Candidacy form with passing grades. Includes PhD Minor or Stanford MA/MS courses, when applicable.

• Completed dissertation proposal and hearing.

• Dissertation Reading Committee formed and paperwork submitted.

• Changes to courses listed in the final Graduate Study Program (GSP) and Candidacy Application were made via Academic Program Revision form, when applicable.

FIFTH YEAR AND BEYOND

• Oral Examination scheduled. Forms and dissertation drafts submitted at least one month in advance.

• Dissertation revisions completed and final drafts submitted to the Registrar's Office by the published deadline.

• Applied to graduate online via AXESS before the published deadline for the quarter in which you graduate. Resolved any enrollment, or other, holds before graduating.