Grade, Credit, and Time Requirements

1. Each degree candidate must complete at least 72 hours of graduate credit subsequent to earning the bachelor’s degree; at least 48 of these hours must be in non-dissertation course work. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the graduate advisor to determine the acceptability of previous coursework. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools requires that the majority of the credits applied toward the degree be earned through instruction at the institution granting the degree.
2. Each degree candidate must present acceptable grades in the coursework specified for the curriculum. Grades must average B or better, both overall and in the major field. No more than one course in which a grade of C has been earned may be applied toward the fulfillment of degree requirements.
3. At least one-half of the minimum semester hours required of each degree candidate (not including dissertation credit) must be in courses limited to graduate students. In some instances (for example, mathematics) the student may be required to earn a higher percentage of semester hours in courses at the 500 and 600 levels.
4. Upon satisfactory completion of the dissertation, a minimum of 24 semester hours of dissertation credit will be applied toward the completion of degree requirements.
5. All degree requirements must be completed within seven calendar years following admission to a Ph.D. program. Admission is defined as the first semester the student is enrolled as a Ph.D. student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
6. A maximum of 12 semester hours of graduate credit for application toward the Ph.D. degree may be earned in courses in the sequences 497-498, 597-598, and 697-698 or in other individual or special studies courses.