Admission to Candidacy
Typically, in the third year of study, students are required to submit the full academic plan to the Graduate College for review. This is accomplished by submitting an “Application for Admission to Candidacy” for approval. This form is important because it allows the university to detect problems in the academic plan well in advance of the anticipated graduation date. The candidacy process helps avoid unwelcome surprises that could delay graduation.
The “Application for Admission to Candidacy” should be filed as soon as all course requirements are satisfied (or in progress) except the dissertation course (BMOL 693) requirement. Candidacy will be awarded if the academic record meets the following requirements:
- The GPA of the completed courses on the “Application for Admission to Candidacy” is at least 3.0, with all individual courses graded C or better.
- At least half of the required credits for the degree have been completed.
- A regular status in the Graduate College has been achieved (no remaining provisional admission stipulations).
- The preliminary and comprehensive examinations have been passed, and the residency requirement satisfied (one year as a full-time graduate student).
Once candidacy has been awarded, the approved “Application for Admission to Candidacy” is the student’s roadmap to degree completion. If candidacy is not awarded, the Graduate College will define the problem(s) that need to be addressed, so that the “Application for Admission to Candidacy” can be appropriately revised. This form must be submitted prior to the semester anticipated for graduation. Please check the Academic Calendar on the Registrar’s website for a complete listing of important deadlines for graduate students.