School of Graduate Studies General Graduation Guidelines:

Degree Verification

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited U. S. college or university or a similarly recognized international university is required for admission to and completion of a graduate program.

Overall Graduate GPA

Graduate students are required to maintain at least a 3. 0 GPA for degree-program courses. Grades of C- or lower will not be accepted for a graduate degree.

Course Number Acceptability

If the student has a master’s degree, a maximum of 18 credits at the level of 6000 may be used on an approved program of study in a doctoral program.

If the student does not have a master’s degree, the Program of Study must include at least 30 credits at the level of 6000 or above.

A maximum of 12 credits at the 5000 level may be used on an approved program of study.

Matriculation Start Semester

A doctorate degree must be completed within eight years of entering the degree program.

Additional time may be requested by the student’s committee and submitted to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies for review.

Coursework Validity

Coursework more than eight years old at the time of degree completion may not be used for a graduate degree unless it is revalidated.

If permitted by the departmental or interdepartmental degree program policy, a supervisory committee may develop and submit a revalidation plan to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies for approval.
The plan and determination must be verified in writing and include the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies and the student’s major professor or other person(s) responsible for the revalidation.
Work experience cannot be substituted for out-of-date coursework or used for revalidation, except where that work experience can be documented to have involved the use of current knowledge and application of material currently covered in the coursework.
Graduate credits from another institution exceeding the eight-year limit at the time of degree completion may be transferred to a Utah State University graduate degree only if the student’s supervisory committee provides a justification acceptable to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies.
- The revalidation procedures described above apply.

Program Requirements

To complete the doctorate degree in career and technical education, a minimum of 60 total credits (12 credits of Dissertation) is required for students with a master’s degree, or a minimum of 81 total credits (18 credits of Dissertation) is required for students without a master’s degree. Additional requirements include:

Completing the required coursework and electives as approved by the student’s supervisory committee.
Passing a written and oral comprehensive qualifying examination after completing 36 credits in the program. This exam must be satisfactorily completed before the student advances to candidacy. Advancement to candidacy also requires an approved dissertation proposal.
Complete and satisfactorily defending a doctoral research study directed and judged by a supervisory committee of faculty.
Complete the CTE PhD Professional Residency Requirements found in the ASTE CTE PhD Program Guide.

Additional Requirements

Supervisory Committee Approval by the end of the second semester
Program of Study submitted by the end of the third semester
Prior to taking the comprehensive exam, students without a master's degree will need to have submitted at least two publications for peer review
After completing 36 credits in the program, take and pass comprehensive qualifying examination outlined in the ASTE CTE PhD Program Guide
Receive supervisory committee approval for dissertation research proposal
Obtain regulatory approvals to conduct your proposed research including completing the Utah State University Responsible Conduct of Research course that is offered on the CITI website
Application for Candidacy form which must be submitted at least three months prior to the student’s final defense.
Appointment for examination form submitted 10 days before defense and during defense semester students must be registered for at least 3 credit hours of dissertation
Record of Examination Form
Title Page Form
Thesis/Dissertation format and Style and Electronic Publication Form
Authorship and Copyright form
Graduation application

Career and Technical Education - PhD

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Program Overview

Program Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes

Total Credits Required In Program Coursework

Total Credits Required To Earn This Credential