Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) may be tailored for any of the topical areas listed under the M.S. A research proposal and dissertation based on original research are required as major components of the PhD degree program. The degree requires 60 semester hours beyond the bachelor degree.

There must be a minimum of 30 semester hours in graded coursework at the 7000-level or above. Of the remaining 30 semester hours, 10 hours must be Research and Dissertation (FORY 8990) and 20 hours of 6000-level or above. While some of these 60 hours can be from previous graduate work, such as a MS degree, a minimum of 25 hours of graded coursework at the 6000-level or above must be completed at Auburn. All PhD students are required to take Research Methods ( FORY 7510) and Seminar (FOWS 7950). Oral and written preliminary exams are required for advancement to candidacy; The preliminary exams must be completed no less than two academic terms prior to graduation. The written and oral preliminary examinations for PhD students will normally consist of questions from each committee member regarding technical competency and other related issues.