In addition to the policies noted in this publication and on the University's web pages, the following policies are enforced for students enrolled in a doctoral program. At the time this publication was printed, Minnesota State University, Mankato has been approved by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) to offer doctoral programs. Additional levels of approval external to the university are required. The institution is in the process of pursuing approval from the Higher Learning Commission.
Students admitted to a doctoral program who have completed graduate courses
elsewhere may apply to be admitted with advanced standing. The maximum number
of advanced standing credits awarded will vary from program to program;
however, with the exception of the DNP program, at least 45 credits of a
student’s doctoral program must be completed at
Courses accepted as advanced standing do not affect the Minnesota State Mankato graduate grade point average. Please consult the appropriate departmental web pages to determine the doctoral program’s additional policies concerning advanced standing.
During the first semester in the program each doctoral student will be assigned
an advisor by the program coordinator. Students may change their advisor by
completing the required forms.
The advisory committee consists of at least three members of the faculty,
with the chair being a member of the research faculty of the
Prior to beginning a doctoral dissertation or other capstone project, and
at or near the time of completion of all required course work, doctoral students
must pass a qualifying examination or, with the approval of the advisory committee
and program, an alternate qualifying activity. This examination process is
intended to determine if a student is prepared and qualified to begin work
on the dissertation or other capstone project.
Qualifying examinations may contain written and oral components; in the case
of oral examinations, a written evaluation will serve as documentation of
the student’s performance. Students who fail some or all portions of
the qualifying examinations may be allowed to retake these portions. This
decision is made by the student's advisory committee and the department chair,
and is based on the student's overall program performance and the extent of
the deficits on the qualifying examinations. No more than two attempts to
pass the qualifying examination will be permitted. Second examinations should
be scheduled so that sufficient time is provided to address weaknesses identified
during the initial examination.
In order to be eligible to take the qualifying examination, a student must
have an appointed doctoral advisory committee and have completed sufficient
doctoral course work as specified by the program. No more than six credit
hours may be graded as incomplete. Individual doctoral programs will have
additional policies concerning qualifying examinations.
Admission to doctoral candidacy confirms that the student possesses
sufficient knowledge of the academic specialty and has demonstrated potential
to engage in, and to complete, the capstone project. After successfully
completing coursework specified by the doctoral program, passing the necessary
exams, and satisfying all other program requirements, the student is prepared
to apply for Doctoral Candidacy. Please consult the appropriate departmental
web pages to determine the doctoral program’s policies concerning
admission to candidacy.
A doctoral student is admitted to candidacy only with the approval of the Dean
of the College of Graduate Studies and Research, acting upon the recommendation
of the members of the student’s advisory committee, and if applicable,
the Dean of the college of the student’s content area.
Continuous Registration
Students enrolled in a doctoral program must register for at least three academic
credits for each fall and spring semester until all courses and examinations
are completed, and the student is admitted to candidacy. Thereafter, doctoral
students are required to register for at least one credit every semester until
they receive their degree. Registration for summer
sessions will not substitute for the mandatory registration during both semesters
of the academic year.
Students who fail to register each semester after passing qualifying examinations
must arrange to register for the missing semester credit hours, or the student
will not graduate.
Doctoral programs often require a dissertation as the program’s capstone
project. At the very least, the dissertation must make a unique contribution
to what has previously been written and known. The dissertation must be approved
by the majority of the members of the student’s advisory committee and
must be presented in a standard scholarly format as established by the program
and the
Approved dissertations must be submitted to the
Doctoral Student Time
Limit
Students must complete all doctoral program requirements, including the
dissertation or other capstone project, within seven years of being admitted
into the doctoral program. After seven years, doctoral candidacy is terminated
for students who have not completed the dissertation or other capstone project.
Students may apply for readmission by submitting a letter requesting
readmission to the Dean of the