Doctoral Program: Degree Requirements

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Philosophy and Expectations

The doctoral program at Maryland prepares the next generation of researchers, scholars, teachers and professional leaders in the broad field of Kinesiology. This is done not only through formal coursework, but also through active engagement in research, in departmental activities, in current research seminars (KNES 609) and in professional meetings at the state, regional, national and international level.

The graduates of our program are expected to have an understanding of Kinesiology as a discipline and are expected to develop teaching and presentation skills appropriate to the specialization. We expect that all graduates will be "good citizens" and act effectively in any professional group. With respect to the Graduate Program itself, it is the student's responsibility to remain current with regard to requirements and to complete all required paperwork/forms in a timely manner (available in Graduate Office). An Overview of the major steps through the program is given below.

Program of Study

The general requirement for a doctoral degree is a minimum of 60 credits beyond the master's degree (30 credits). Of the 60 credits, 12 credits are assigned to the dissertation research. The specific Program of Study is approved by a faculty committee.

A doctoral student's program of study is a formal plan which incorporates courses and other experiences significant to the culture of scholarship including the pursuit of independent research. The program of study includes: (1) coursework in the area of specialization; (2) coursework outside the area of specialization that provides important knowledges in support of the area of specialization; (3) coursework that provides competencies in the research skills needed in the specialization (e.g., statistics, computing, historiography); and (4) research experiences. The actual credit hours and related experiences approved by the student's Program of Study Committee should be based on the student's previous experience and future scholarly goals. It is anticipated that credit hours and ancillary experiences taken by doctoral students will vary considerably from student to student.

Advisement/Program Approval

A faculty member has agreed to serve as doctoral advisor and mentor for each student upon admission. The relationship between mentor and student is a very critical component of the student's graduate education that goes well beyond the approval of specific courses. Students are expected to consult with their mentor on a regular basis to seek guidance concerning academic progress, research interests, and professional development. At a minimum, a student must meet with his/her advisor each semester to review their progress and obtain approval of the next semester's schedule.

Monitoring annual progress and approval of the student's Program of Study is a function of the Program of Study Committee. Annual reports of progress are placed in the student's file in the Graduate Office. There is a formal process of approval for the course work (second year of the program) and for the research experiences (third year). Details about the committee make-up, distribution of the final plan to all graduate faculty, formal meetings, and formal approval are available in the departmental Graduate Office.

In the rare instance where an advisor and/or student requests a change of advisor, this request should be done early in the student's program. The request must be in writing, be deemed in the best interest of both parties, and identify another qualified faculty member willing to mentor the student. If the mentor leaves the University, the student must find another faculty member willing to serve as mentor.

Comprehensive Examination/Advancement to Candidacy

Both the written and oral portions of the comprehensive examinations will assess the ability of the student to integrate knowledges and pursue creative, independent research. The examinations are not merely a retesting of course knowledges, but, rather an integration of course work and research experiences. The student may elect to write the comprehensive examination upon completion of a minimum of 70% of the courses proposed in the Program of Study. Policies relative to intent, eligibility, format and results are detailed separately. Successful completion of this examination results in Advancement to Candidacy, which must be accomplished within 5 years of the admission date.

Dissertation

The dissertation is the culminating experience in the doctoral program. The dissertation reflects the ability to do original, independent research that will expand the body of knowledge in the specialization. Details relative to the proposal, committee membership, format and oral defense can be obtained from the advisor or Graduate Secretary.

Graduate Load/Full-time Status/Residency

No full-time graduate student may carry more than 15 credit hours during any one semester. Students who have been granted Graduate Assistantships will not be permitted to enroll in more than 10 credits of coursework. Full-time summer school students should not enroll in more than 6 hours of credit in a six-week period.

Registration for a minimum of 48 graduate units per semester is necessary to satisfy full-time status (400-level courses carry 4 units per credit hour, 600-798 level courses carry 6 units per credit hour, and KNES 799 carries 12 units per credit hour, and KNES 899 carries 18 units per credit hour). A Graduate Assistant is considered full-time status upon registration for a minimum of 24 graduate units.

Time Limitations

Advancement to Candidacy must be accomplished within 5 years after admission to the doctoral program. The candidate then has 4 years in which to complete the remainder of the program, including the dissertation and final oral defense, during which time continuous registration is required.

A time extension of up to one year is possible if extenuating circumstances can be documented by the student; this is NOT automatic. An extension is requested by using a special form available from the Graduate Secretary. The extension form must be signed first by the advisor and then submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies before sending the request forward to the Graduate School. The student will be notified by the Graduate School if approval for the extension has been granted. An appeal may be made to the Graduate Committee, with supporting documentation. Subsequent extensions must be approved by the Graduate Committee, and the final decision is made by the Graduate School. The student is responsible for supplying the written rationale as well as advisor support for the request.