In the Ph.D. programs students select a major area of study (child development, family relations, or marriage and family therapy) and may combine these with a secondary area of emphasis. The Ph.D. degree in child development and family relations require a minimum of 60 credits beyond the master�s degree, exclusive of the dissertation. The Ph.D. in marriage and family Therapy requires a minimum of 74 credits which includes 33 hours of clinical preperation, but excluding dissertation credits. Because the Ph.D. is a research-based degree, students are provided with extensive training and experience in research methodology and statistics. The programs are based on the belief that theory serves as the foundation for research and that generating new knowledge through scholarly contributions to research is valued. Unique to the marriage and family therapy doctoral program, students are required to demonstrate their competency through several practicum.

Most students who pursue a Ph.D. in the Department can expect coursework to take approximately 2 years, and coursework must be completed with 5 years of enrollment in the programs. Course loads usually range between 9 and 12 hours per semester. The student must be continuously enrolled for a minimum of 24 semester hours in any period of 12 consecutive months while pursuing the degree. When the student has completed coursework, he or she then must take a preliminary examination or complete a critical review (CR) paper, both with an oral defense. Upon successful completion of the exam, the student enters into �candidacy,� the final portion of the academic program. During candidacy, the student undertakes original research that culminates in a dissertation and an oral defense of the work. Although some students may complete their dissertation within a year, others take longer. The period of candidacy is limited to 5 years.

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