phd university of utah

Department of Psychology

College of social and behavioral science, main navigation, ph.d. program overview .

Students apply to one of four concentrations:

• Clinical Psychology
• Cognition and Neural Science
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Psychology

These four areas provide a home base for faculty members and graduate students; however, students move easily across these areas pursuing research interests and projects. There is an explicit cross-area program in health , and cross-area interests in sexuality, developmental psychopathology, and biological bases of behavior. Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for more information about the program.

Clinical Ph.D. Program

Cns ph.d. program, developmental ph.d.program, social ph.d. program, collaborative research.

A unique feature of our program is the highly collaborative environment that exists among researchers within areas, across areas, and with other departments such as Computer Science, Medicine, etc. A strength of this approach to graduate training is that it allows a fresh perspective to familiar questions and produces findings that are relevant to the field as a whole, not just a select niche.

Apply to the Graduate Program

**For questions regarding the graduate program and the graduate application process, please contact Cindy White at [email protected] or by phone at 801-585-7167.

Required Materials

The GRE test is not a requirement for applications to the Psychology PhD program.

The Psychology Department requires the following materials be submitted as part of the online application:

• Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose – Two to three pages double-spaced is generally sufficient. Your personal statement should summarize your research and career goals, prior educational and work experience, and any other appropriate information. Make sure to indicate which faculty members you hope to work with and include a discussion of the parallels between their research interests and your own, as well as the reasons for your interest in our program. If there is information related to your history, background, and experience that you believe cannot be addressed by any other section of the application, we encourage you to include that information in your personal statement.
• Curriculum Vita
• Transcripts - unofficial transcripts from each college or university attended (upload to the online application); official transcripts are required only if offered admittance to the graduate program, and at that point should be sent directly to the Graduate Admissions office.
• 3 Letters of Recommendation - may be completed online (preferred), or submitted by hard copy directly to the Psychology Department.
• Writing Sample (optional; strongly encouraged but not required) - Possible writing samples include senior theses; master's degree theses; published, in press, or submitted research papers; conference posters and presentations; etc..  Applicants may include no more than TWO writing samples with their application materials.

CUDCP's policy for Admissions Offers and Acceptances

CUDCP's policy for Admissions Offers and Acceptances  (PDF)

Online Application

We admit students once a year, for fall semester. Our application deadline is December 1 st , 11:59 PM MST.   

PLEASE NOTE: This year, all interviews will be virtual; interview dates will be announced by early January.  There will be a campus visit day in February (TBD) for applicants who receive offers of admission.

Graduate Program Application

All applicants are automatically considered for financial assistance; no separate financial aid forms are necessary. Announcements of admission and support will be made on or before April 1, and applicants who choose to enroll are expected to begin their studies the following Fall Semester. See our Scholarships/Funding page for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

For a number of frequently asked questions and their answers, check the FAQ . 

The following faculty will be reviewing graduate applications for the Fall 2025 admission cycle:

Lisa Aspinwall Jonathan Butner Pascal Deboeck LillyBelle Deer Bruce Ellis Brenna Gomer Cory Inman Monika Lohani Kara Moore Tochukwu Nweze Lee Raby Jeanine Stefanucci

Department of Philosophy

College of humanities, main navigation, phd program.

About the Philosophy PhD Program

The Ph.D. program in Philosophy at the University of Utah provides students with the opportunity to study philosophy on an advanced level, prepares students to engage in independent research in philosophy, and equips them to teach philosophy at the university level.  The Philosophy Department also recognizes the appropriateness for some students of philosophy to receive training in a complementary discipline such as mathematics, computer science, law, or health specialties.

In addition to the Departmental Requirements noted in the   Philosophy Department Graduate Handbook , please read the University requirements for the Ph.D. degree, which are listed on the   Graduate School’s website .

Click Here to Apply

PhD Departmental Requirements

For a complete list of Doctoral Degree Requirements, please review the Graduate Handbook, pages 13-23.

Maintaining Standing

• Students must maintain a minimum graduate GPA of 3.10
• Complete all degree requirements within 7 years of admission

Maintain Funding Eligible Standing

       Funding Eligible standing is normally required for initial eligibility for funding and for the presumption of continued funding.

At the time of being offered admission to the graduate program, students are issued a letter that states for how long and at what level the department proposes to fund the student’s studies, based on long-term departmental budgetary planning at the time the offer of admission is made. However, all student funding as outlined in such letters is contingent on the availability of funding: in case of unexpected fiscal shortfall, funding may not be available and the department shall not be obligated to fund students under such circumstances. The purpose of the “Funding Eligible Progress” or “Funding Eligible Standing” designation is to indicate to unfunded students that they are eligible to receive funding and to indicate to funded students that (in normal circumstances) they have the presumption of continuing funding.

(upon the availability of funds as described above. Failure to retain Funding Eligible standing is, therefore, a loss of this presumption (and not necessarily the loss of continuing funding).

       A student who fails to meet the conditions set out below shall have their “Funding Eligible” status reviewed by the Graduate Committee, upon which the Graduate Committee may issue guidance to the student, set conditions upon remaining in Funding Eligible standing, remove Funding Eligible standing or remove funding, as appropriate.

Maintain a high level of quality in all graduate work

• Students who receive a B- or below in a philosophy graduate course will have their Funding Eligible standing status reviewed by the Graduate Committee within one semester.
• Students shall not have excessive incompletes (I grades). No more than two, and none lasting more than two years.

Notes that students who fall below a 3.0 will have their funding automatically cut by the Graduate School, as per Graduate School regulations. (See also the “Minimally Eligible Standing” requirements above).

Attendance at Department Colloquia

• Funded students enroll in PHIL 7020: Philosophical Traditions. Each semester this course awards credit for attendance at departmental colloquia. This requirement may be waived with approval from the department’s Director of Graduate Studies.
• Funded students who teach or are TAs shall be required to enroll in PHIL 6920: Teaching Practicum for 1 credit hour each semester . When taking PHIL 6920, students should enroll in 2 credit hour of PHIL 7020: Philosophical Traditions. This requirement may be waived with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies.
• Complete the Proseminar Requirement (PHIL 7010) – All students entering the program must take PHIL 7010: Proseminar twice: once during their firs fall semester and once again their second fall semester. 
• Teaching Assistants should maintain a sufficient level of quality in teaching. Students should arrange to have faculty members visit their class and complete an evaluation form once a semester.
• * Summer teaching assignments are made at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies. Funding Eligible status will be considered when making these assignments.

PhD Model Timeline/Fulfill the Proseminar Requirement

Grad School Timeline

All students entering the program must take PHIL 7010: Proseminar, twice: once during their first fall semester and once during their second fall semester.

Form a Supervisory Committee

Comply with the Graduate School requirement for formation of the committee .

• A Supervisory Committee should be formed as soon as an area of focus has been settled on, but no later than the beginning of the semester in which the student intends to defend his/her COMP Exam.
• Doctoral students’ Supervisory Committees must consist of five faculty members, the majority of whom must be tenure-line faculty in the Philosophy Department. At least one member must be from outside the Philosophy Department. Faculty members may at any time withdraw from the committee, and shall notify the student that they are doing so. Likewise, a student may remove a faculty member from the committee, but must notify both the chair of the Supervisory Committee and the faculty member(s) being removed.
• Members may or may not include those used for the approval of the COMP Exam paper.

In order to advance to candidacy, students must pass a comprehensive exam (called a “Qualifying Exam” by the Graduate School). To pass this exam, students must write and defend a substantial paper of journal submission length (5000 words or more). The objective of the comprehensive exam is to demonstrate that the student is able to produce written work of professional quality and is capable of defending the paper in oral presentation. The paper of professional quality and the oral presentation will be graded by faculty members selected by the Director of Graduate Studies as appropriate. It is intended that acceptable papers be submitted to professional journals for publication or to professional conferences for presentation. Students MUST be registered for at least 3 credit hours when defending their comprehensive exam. Graduate School website

Complete Approved Program of Study

The expectation is that graduate students will use coursework to develop a broad understanding of the main areas of philosophy and of several more specialized areas of philosophy. After fulfilling the field requirements, students specializing in a particular area will be encouraged to complete their remaining coursework in that area. After completion of coursework, students must consult with the Director of Graduate Studies to ensure that they have completed their course requirements.

Funded students who are not TA’s must register for 3 credits of PHIL 7020 – Philosophical Traditions. (This last requirement may be waived with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies.)

Dissertation Prospectus

• For students who enter the PhD program without a master’s degree , the dissertation prospectus must be successfully defended in the 6 th semester of PhD study.
• For students who enter the PhD program with a master’s degree , the dissertation prospectus must be successfully defend in the 4 th semester of PhD study.
• For students who enter the PhD program from the master’s program at the University of Utah, the dissertation prospectus must be successfully defended in the 2 nd semester of PhD study. A written copy of the prospectus must be given to the student’s Supervisory Committee at least 2 weeks prior to the oral defense.

Present Dissertation Prospectus

In order to advance to candidacy, students must have their written prospectus defense approved at an oral review and defense conducted by the student’s Supervisory Committee. A student’s prospectus will normally be on the order of 15 pages. The committee may request that the student complete a review of the literature on their dissertation topic; if so, students may be examined on their literature review during their prospectus defense.

The comprehensive exam and dissertation prospectus, and their respective oral defenses, are distinct exercises. The written component of the comprehensive exam is a paper intended for ultimate publication (one which may also be intended as a draft of a dissertation chapter); it will contain a completed argument for some claim. The prospectus outlines and motivates a plan of action for writing a dissertation; it will describe how the student proposes to go about developing an argument for what will ultimately be the conclusion of their dissertation.

Defend Dissertation

              PhD students must pass an oral examination based on the thesis in order to graduate. The examination should be scheduled only when the dissertation is essentially completed and the student’s thesis advisor has agreed that the thesis is ready to be defended. The Supervisory Committee schedules and announces a public oral examination at which the candidate must defend the dissertation. The length and content of the oral examination are determined by the thesis Supervisory Committee. All members of the committee must participate in the oral defense. A candidate must be enrolled for at least 1 credit hour in the semester in which his or her oral examination is held.

The department requires that the thesis advisor and the other members of the committee must receive a copy of the dissertation at least four weeks before the final oral examination. The Graduate School also requires that in order to be considered for graduation in a particular semester, the defended and committee-approved thesis or dissertation must be submitted to the Thesis Office seven weeks prior to the closing date of the semester, and eight weeks’ prior for manuscripts in excess of 200 pages.

Milestone Master’s Degree

PhD students may receive a milestone master’s’ degree while pursuing a PhD. To do so they must:

• Fill out a Change of Classification Form and mark ADD Career – Non-thesis Master’s. This effectively makes them a master’s student while completing the PhD degree. The form must be signed by the Graduate Director.
• The 30 hours required for the master’s (recorded on the Program of Study) cannot be counted towards the PhD Program of Study. Students should review coursework with the Graduate Director. NOTE: There is no hour requirement for the PhD program, so even though coursework listed on the Master’s Program of Study will not be listed on the PhD program of Study, the coursework will still count internally for the PhD.
• Gather a Supervisory Committee and defend their best paper as if they were doing a normal Non-thesis master’s program. (The Supervisory Committee should be assembled one semester before defending the best paper.) The Best Paper for the master’s non-thesis must be a paper that is written at the University of Utah, for one of our graduate faculty, and (ideally) the paper should have received an “A” for a graduate seminar. There is no prohibition on using the comprehensive paper, in cases where the student is applying for the “Milestone” Master’s. The paper will be signed-off by the student’s graduate advisor. If the student does not have a supervisor, the Director of Graduate Studies will sign-off.
• Meet all requirements of the Master’s including two consecutive semesters of at least 9 hours each for the residency

To complete the PhD

• Students must have three more years of continuous registration at the University of Utah of at least three hours per semester (this can be all thesis hours or other courses not already counted toward the non-thesis master’s).
• Students must complete another two consecutive semesters of at least nine credit hours each for the residency requirement (they may be nine thesis hours) See: gradschool.utah.edu/graduate-catalog//degree-requirements

NOTE: Although the master’s degree does not have area requirements other than formal methods, those also pursuing a PhD should take classes as if following the PhD coursework with area requirements. Also, students should be aware that all coursework must be completed in order to receive the master’s degree. Thus, if you are a PhD student with incomplete coursework you are not eligible for the Milestone Master’s degree.

Forms/ Thesis Office Manuscript Submission 

PhD Supervisory Committee Form Comprehensive Exam Form (COMP) PhD Program of Study Form Prospectus Form Apply for Graduation

Thesis Office Manuscript Submission Procedures Thesis Office General Information Manuscript Submission Procedures

Policy on Outside Teaching and Employment

In providing student stipends and in helping our students receive stipends from outside the Department, the Philosophy Department seeks to enable our students to concentrate on philosophy, to further their development as philosophers, and to provide them with a source of support. Thus, the Department requires that full-time student TA’s and those teaching independent courses not take outside employment or teaching. We recognize, however, that student’s may receive outside opportunities which further their career objectives or that they may need to seek outside employment for further economic support. Any exceptions to the policy prohibiting outside teaching or employment for full-time TA’s and those teaching independent courses require explicit disclosure to and permission from the Director of Graduate Studies.

Graduate students receiving fellowships to support completion of the PhD may accept outside part-time teaching or outside part-time employment as long as two conditions are met. First such work must not be explicitly prohibited under the terms of the fellowship. Second, the student must make satisfactory progress toward the degree. (Note: normal progress includes regular attendance at Departmental programs and colloquia). If a student has not make satisfactory progress, they will not be recommended for a fellowship the following year. Any outside teaching or employment must be disclosed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

Departmental Teaching Assistantships

Purpose: To provide financial support for graduate students in the form of a teaching apprenticeship under the guidance of professional teachers of philosophy.

Stipend:   Varies per academic year but includes full tuition and mandatory fee waiver. Also includes health insurance option.

Application: Submit a Departmental Application for Financial Aid form by January 15 for fall semester of the same year.

Current students without funding are eligible on the same cycle year if they apply.

Family Leave Policy

The Philosophy Department recognizes that, during their time in the graduate program, some students may have children or add children to their families through childbirth or adoption. With advance notice (at least three months prior to the arrival of the child), the department is willing to make reasonable accommodations for students who need to take parental leave and who meet the criteria for being an “eligible caregiver” as defined in the University Policy 6-315. In such circumstances, students will be eligible to take leave for up to 16 weeks, and:

• Students on parental leave shall have the deadlines for completion of required coursework, courses, exams, theses, or thesis defenses extended by one full semester. Such extensions shall be taken into consideration in determining whether the student is maintaining minimally acceptable standing and funding eligible standing (but shall not count as adding a semester of eligibility under the Graduate School’s Tuition Benefit Program).
• Students should avoid registering for classes and then withdrawing from them. Students should therefore either a) register for classes and then maintain their registration throughout the leave period, or b) avoid registering for classes entirely when the leave period would commence or overlap with the beginning of a semester in such a way that, in the opinion of the instructor(s), the student would be unlikely to obtain the requisite grade for the course as specified elsewhere in this handbook. Students who do not register for any classes need to file leave paperwork in advance with the Graduate School, in order to retain their eligibility to register again in future semesters.
• For students who are funded by the department, the department shall continue their compensation (at the usual rate) and health insurance benefits for up to 8 weeks of any period in which the department would normally pay for compensation and benefits.

Other details of accommodations will depend on the student’s stage of progress through the graduate program and will be arranged in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies and other relevant department faculty. The departmental accommodations as described above will be granted no more than twice during the entire time of a student’s matriculation in the graduate program. Applications for parental leave should be filed with the departments Director of Graduate Studies. Students who experience a medical condition associated with their pregnancy and need accommodations recommended by their medical provider should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Title IX Office , (https://oeo.utah.edu) who will work with the student, cognizant faculty, and administration, to determine what accommodations are reasonable and effective.

Code of Conduct

The department expects graduate students’ behavior to adhere to the Professional Code of Conduct adopted by the American Philosophical Association, as outlined at: apa.org/ethics/code

Graduate students who violate this Code of Conduct may be subject to disciplinary actions by the department, up to, and including dismissal from the program.

Graduate School Timeline (PhD)

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy College of Education

Phd program.

Application Deadline: 12/01/2024

Program Information

Students can specialize in either K12 or Higher Education. Coursework includes topics in educational leadership, organizations, educational policy, or critical studies in education.

Independent research in an area chosen by the student will be the basis of the final dissertation. Assistantships are available to full-time students (20 hours a week and receive a stipend along with a full tuition waiver.)

For most studies, the following information should be explained in separate sections of your proposal document:

Problem Statement and Research Questions

What is the problem to be investigated? In other words, what is the purpose of the study? What are the specific research questions the study will seek to answer?

Conceptual Framework & Related Literature

What theories, concepts, and research provide the best framework to explain or study the problem? Offer conceptual definitions of study variables where appropriate.

Significance

Why is the problem important? How will the proposed study fill an important need for knowledge or chart a new area for investigation?

Include methodological considerations such as:

(A) sample or data sources (B) data collection procedures (C) instrumentation or measurement tools and issues, including operational definitions of variables where appropriate (D) study design (including checks on possible bias or threats to study validity) (E) data analysis

Assumptions and Limitations 

What are the assumptions and expected limitations of the study?

Implications

What might be the implications of this study for future scholarship and educational practice?

How have your doctoral course work, assistantship and/or internship, and previous experience prepared you to do this scholarly work?

What is the expected timeline for completing your study?

Pre-Defense to Publication, A Checklist for Graduate Students

At a Glance

Application Fee

For domestic applicants the application fee is $55, for international applicants, the fee is $65. You can pay your fee online through the Slate application system.

Transcripts

All applicants should upload an unofficial copy of their academic transcripts in the online application. Current students or graduates of the University of Utah will not be required to submit their U of U transcripts. If you are admitted to our program, you will be required to provide an official copy of your transcripts, sent directly from your previous school to the address below:

The University of Utah 201 S 1460 E Room 250 S SSB Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Under the Program Information section on the application, first choose your program of interest, Educational Leadership & Policy PhD. Then choose your area of emphasis – either Higher Education or K12.

A Master's Degree is required with a minimum 3.0 GPA (or enrollment in joint MPA/PhD program).

Please upload the following under the appropriate sections on the Slate application:

-RESUME  that includes professional and leadership experience.

-STATEMENT OF INTENT AND RESEARCH INTEREST ( 1000 words or less )

Describe the following:

• Your educational journey to this point and your career aspirations upon completing a PhD • How you see the ELP PhD program fitting into your academic and professional trajectory • Concise statement of your research interests • Which ELP faculty member(s) best match your research interests and why

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Select and answer one of the following essay topics:

Topic A : Education has long been viewed as the "great equalizer" through which individuals and groups that have traditionally been marginalized in the broader society can attain greater economic and social equity. However, evidence suggests that education has fallen short of this goal, particularly in relation to historically marginalized students in educational settings (e.g., students of color, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, immigrant students, LGBT students, and students living with disabilities).

In the face of enduring challenges to provide all students with high-quality learning opportunities in higher education, what role, in your opinion, does educational leadership and/or policy play in creating more socially just educational environments?

Topic B: It is often believed that education is beneficial to both individuals and society. Describe some of the major individual and societal benefits of education. Is it possible that educational attainment is differentially beneficial for particular groups in the population (e.g., racial, social, sexual identity, gender, ability, etc...)? Discuss the idea of education as a public versus private good. What role do educational leaders and policymakers play in ensuring that the benefits of education are equitable for all? Please limit your response to 1000 words or less.

Letters of Recommendation -- Three recommendations are required as part of the application process. These should be written by those who can speak to your leadership and academic ability and potential. We HIGHLY recommend that at least one letter be written by a faculty from whom you have previously taken a class. This can be done through the Slate application website.

All application materials are provided on or prior to the application deadline of December 1. Applications that are incomplete at the deadline will not be considered.

If you have questions or concerns at any time please contact our Graduate Student Coordinator, Lenora Monge, lenora.monge @utah.edu .

Degrees are awarded when students have completed t he Graduate School Thesis Editor's  requirements for release to the Registrar.

Student Stories

Amber roderick-landward.

Director of Instructional Supports Educational Leadership & Policy PhD, 2019 Amber is a strategic thinker,...

Department of Sociology

College of social and behavioral science, main navigation, ph.d in sociology, a ph.d. in sociology prepares students to conduct methodologically sound, empirically rigorous, and theoretically grounded research in a variety of substantive domains., we offer foundational training in:.

• Social Theory
• Research Methods
• Statistical Analysis
• Instructional Pedagogy
• Research Ethics

This will give students the skills needed to pursue a range of academic and applied careers. Students will have ample opportunities to take courses in and conduct research in more than one specialized program area, and develop their own research interests and topics.

Students work closely with faculty members to pursue specialized training in one or more of the following program areas:

Environmental sociology.

Enviromental Sociology

   Political Sociology           

Political Sociology

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

Sociology of race and ethnicity

Sociology of Development

Sociology of Gender

Sociology of Health

SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH

Population Studies

population studies

Criminology

CRIMINOLOGY

Regardless of which emphasis area you choose, every Ph.D. student must complete the following program requirements:

1. required coursework (program of study).

A Ph.D. in Sociology requires:

• All core courses must be completed with a B or better.
• One full year (two consecutive semesters) must be spent in full-time (9+ credit hours) academic work at the U of U.

Required Courses

SOC 6010 Proseminar in Sociology (1)

SOC 6050 Classical Sociological Theory (3)

SOC 6110 Methods of Social Research (3)

SOC 6120 Statistics I (3)

SOC 6130 Statistics II (3)

SOC 7800 Professional Development Forum (3)

PHL 7570 Research Ethics (1)

CTLE 6000 Teaching in Higher Education (3)

Advanced Research Methods or Statistics (3)

Elective Seminars (9 or 12)*

At least 9 credit hours of electives should be fulfilled using the following seminars, which help prepare students for the Comprehensive Area Exams. Remaining elective requirements can be satisfied by courses inside or outside of the Sociology Department. Each of the listed seminars is offered on a rotating basis, typically every 2 to 3 years. Other seminars and/or advanced methods courses will be offered occasionally, based on instructor availability and student demand.

 Elective Seminars

SOC 6930 Comprehensive Area Exams (3 or 6)*

SOC 7910 Third Year Research Paper (minimum of 3)

SOC 7931 Qualifying Exam: Review of Literature (6)

SOC 7950 Qualifying Exam: Dissertation Proposal (6)

SOC 7977 Dissertation Research (14)

* Students must enroll in at least 3 credits of Comprehensive Area Exam reading hours (SOC 6930), but the course is repeatable one time for credit. Students who enroll in 3 credits of SOC 6930 will take 12 credits of elective seminars; students who enroll in 6 credits of SOC 6930 will take 9 credits of elective seminars.

2. Comprehensive Area Exam

Comprehensive Area Exams   evaluate students’ ability to synthesize and critically assess the scholarly literature related to two substantive areas in Sociology as well as classical sociological theory.

Description

The Comprehensive Area Exams test students in three areas: classical sociological theory and two subfield specializations. For the specialized component of the exam, students will select two out of the seven substantive areas represented by elective coursework:

• Medical Sociology,
• Population Principles,
• Political Sociology,
• Sociology of Development,
• Environmental Sociology,
• Sociology of Gender, and
• Sociology of Race.

Satisfactory completion of the Comprehensive Area Exam (i.e., earning a   Pass ) is associated with the conferral of the master’s degree   and   permission to continue in the doctoral program. These two outcomes are distinct: for example, students may earn a terminal master’s degree upon completion of the Exam, but not be allowed to continue in the program. Thus, in addition to a   Pass , the following grades may be awarded:

• Fail   – Dismissal from program without a master’s degree.
• Marginal pass   – Conferral of a terminal master’s degree;   not   allowed to continue in the program.
• Conditional pass   – Requires revisions; if revisions are acceptable, allowed to continue in Ph.D. program. Revisions must be approved no later than the first week of the following Fall semester.

Students will have only one opportunity to take the exam. Students entering the program with a master’s degree cannot waive this requirement under any circumstance; they must pass the comprehensive area exam to continue their doctoral studies.

By the beginning of the second year each student will select a comprehensive examination committee consisting of two tenure-line faculty members in Sociology, one corresponding to each of the substantive subfield areas selected. The student will designate one committee member the Chair, who has primary responsibility for monitoring student progress and ensuring that relevant deadlines are met.

Assigned readings from elective and classical sociological theory coursework constitutes the starting point for exam preparation. For the two area specializations, students will also work closely with their committee members to expand upon course-based reading lists, identifying broader literatures within these areas. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with other faculty members—especially those who routinely teach seminars in their selected subfield specializations—for advice when developing reading lists.

Students will produce three written essays in response to exam questions corresponding to classical sociological theory and each of their two specialized areas. Faculty in each area will be responsible for writing these questions. For each of the three essays, students will generally be given a choice of answering one of two questions. Students are expected to write well-organized essays, showing both a depth and breadth of knowledge related to each question. Each essay will should comprise 12 to 15 pages with standard formatting (double-spaced, 12-point font, one-inch margins), or approximately 3,000 to 3,800 words, not including references.

The comprehensive exam committee will designate a one-week period (typically commencing at 12:00 noon on a Monday and ending at 12:00 noon the following Monday) during which students will complete the exam. Students can access all readings, notes, and the internet during the exam period, but they may not consult with faculty or other students (beyond minor issues of clarification) once the exam questions have been distributed.

To prepare for the exam, students will enroll in  SOC 6931   for 3 credits, typically in the Fall or Spring semester of their second year. SOC 6931 may be repeated one time for credit: students may take 6 credits concurrently or else distribute them across Fall and Spring semesters. These credit hours are intended to be independent study, in which students prepare for the exam on their own schedule and in consultation with their comprehensive exam committee. The Chair of each student’s committee will serve as the instructor of record. Students are encouraged to meet with one or both members of their committee at least every other week, and perhaps more frequently toward the beginning of their preparations; however, students and their committee members are free to develop a plan and framework that works best for them. Students are welcome and encouraged to consult with other students who will be taking or have already taken the exam, as well as the faculty in their chosen area.

Timing & Completion

Comprehensive Area Exams are administered toward the end of the Spring semester in students’ second year. The one-week exam period must be scheduled and completed by the last day of the final exam period of spring semester during the second year.

The committee will grade each exam and provide written feedback justifying the grade assigned. Each individual essay will be read and assessed by the two members of the student’s comprehensive examination committee, as well as by a third independent grader recruited by the committee members.

In the case of a Conditional Pass, if any required revisions are not completed and approved by the   first week of classes during the student’s third year , the student’s overall progress in the program will be evaluated by the Graduate Committee. A student failing to make steady progress could be dismissed from the program.

As with all requirements, exceptions or deviations to these requirements will be made on a case-by-case decision. Please speak with the Director Graduate Studies, who will discuss your case with the Graduate Committee.

3. Third-Year Paper

The Third-Year Paper is an independent research project in which a student produces a manuscript that contains empirical analysis. The Third Year Paper requires a Primary and Secondary Reader. The Primary Reader should be a tenure-track faculty member from within the Department of Sociology. The Secondary Reader can be a faculty member from within or outside of the Sociology Department.

4. Qualifying Exam

The   Qualifying Exam   is a series of projects related to establishing ones own research agenda, and when completed, mark the important transition from a doctoral student to a doctoral candidate. The Qualifying Exam requires a student to select and consult with a Supervisory Committee and develop a clear plan for the Dissertation Project. The Qualifying Exam includes two components:

• Written Research Proposal
• Oral Defense of the Research Proposal

The research proposal outlines a detailed plan for the dissertation project, as well as a clear description of how the project is framed within and contributes to the literature associated with that topic.The first part of the document includes an extended analytic literature review. The second part of the document will include a clear statement of the research question(s), a description of the methodology including a description of the data or data collection plan as well as how the data will be analyzed, and a proposed timeline for a dissertation project. Students are required to discuss the written research proposal during and oral defense that is approximately two hours in length. During this defense, the Supervisory Committee will ask questions about the literature review to ensure the student knows the relevant literature deeply and broadly. The Supervisory Committee will also ask the student to justify the proposed research design. At the end of this defense, the student and Supervisory Committee should agree on the scope and direction of the Dissertation. The Qualifying Exam is overseen by a five-person committee called the Supervisory Committee. This committee is responsible for providing guidance and advice to the student throughout the development and completion of the Qualifying Exam requirements, as well as the final Dissertation Project as described on the next pages. In other words, this committee is the student’s dissertation committee. The Supervisory Committee must consist of at at least five faculty members, including at least three regular sociology faculty. The chair of the committee must be a core faculty member in the Department of Sociology. One member of the committee must be appointed from a department other than Sociology.

To complete the Qualifying Exam, students will enroll in   SOC 7931   for a minimum of 6 credit hours and   SOC 7950   for a minimum of 6 credit hours.

5. Dissertation Project

A dissertation is the final requirement of a Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.). A dissertation is an original piece of research that provides evidence of a student’s ability to conduct an independent investigation. A dissertation should make a unique contribution to the field of knowledge in sociology. To complete this final requirement, students will

• Prepare a written manuscript called a thesis
• Pass an oral examination, called the final defense

The Supervisory Committee is responsible for evaluating and assessing the dissertation requirements (e.g., thesis & defense), as well as providing guidance and advice during the development and execution of the dissertation research project. The same Supervisory Committee is also responsible for approving the student’s Program of Study and Qualifying Exam requirements.

For additional information visit our website at   soc.utah.edu/graduate/requirements.php . and   http://soc.utah.edu/graduate/description.php

Dissertation Requirements

A Doctoral Supervisory Committee consisting of five members is appointed to direct a student’s work after the master’s paper requirement has been fulfilled. Students entering the program with a master’s degree will form this committee by the second semester of the first year. At least one member must be from the faculty in another department. The chair of the committee is the student’s major professor for the dissertation and normally directs the student’s research for and writing of the dissertation. This committee approves the post-master’s paper program of study, prepares and evaluates the qualifying examinations, approves the dissertation proposal colloquium, judges the final oral dissertation defense, and grants final dissertation approval.

Two written qualifying examinations determine the student’s mastery of general sociological principles and depth of understanding within two areas or fields of specialization. These exams are taken only after all required course work is completed. One of these areas must be in either Comparative International Sociology (CIS) or the Sociology of Population and Health (SPH). The second exam may be taken the other core area, or in an area of specialization defined by the student in consultation with the Doctoral Supervisory Committee.

Students are required to present a dissertation proposal colloquium that is approximately two hours in length and open to all sociology faculty and graduate students. A written dissertation proposal must be distributed to each committee member and available in the main office no later than two weeks prior to the colloquium. The proposal should include a clear statement of the research question, a review of the relevant literature, a description of the methodology to be employed, and the data sources. After successful defense of the dissertation proposal in the colloquium, research for the dissertation may proceed. Students whose dissertation research will involve human subjects are responsible for following the procedures of the University’s Institutional Review Board ( www.research.utah.edu/irb ).

Students must submit a dissertation embodying the results of research that provides evidence of originality and an ability to do independent investigation that contributes to knowledge in the field. The dissertation should be of sufficient merit to warrant publication in a professional journal or monograph series. Style and format are the same as required for manuscripts submitted to the American Sociological Review and are verified by the Graduate School dissertation editor.

Following submission of the dissertation and prior to graduation, the student must pass a final oral dissertation defense. This is a public examination scheduled by the Doctoral Supervisory Committee. Public notice of the oral defense must be made two weeks prior to the event. A copy of the dissertation must be on file in the Department office and available to faculty and students at the time of public notification. The final format and distribution of the dissertation and abstract as well as the use of restricted data are governed by the Graduate School as described in A Handbook for Theses and Dissertations, which is available on-line at the Graduate School web site ( https://gradschool.utah.edu/ )  under "Academics" then "Thesis & Dissertation" then "Thesis Office."

Students are expected to complete the doctoral program within five years. Students who are allowed to continue after the normal five years must complete the degree within seven consecutive calendar years. Upon written recommendation from the Dissertation Supervisory Committee and the Department Graduate Director, the Dean of the Graduate School may modify this requirement in extraordinary cases.

The Department will notify students admitted to the Graduate Program in Sociology of departmental policies and requirements that may not be represented in this document. Degree Requirements are subject to change. All students should check the Department web site ( www.soc.utah.edu ) for the most current degree requirements. The University of Utah and the Department of Sociology are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity in all programs, activities, and employment.

Annual Evaluation

Graduate students in the Department of Sociology are expected to

• pass the requirements of any course in which they enroll
• meet the expectations and milestones of their graduate program
• adhere to standards of academic honesty
• uphold the professional and ethical standards of the discipline.

All students in the sociology graduate programs are required to complete a self-evaluation each spring ( by April 1 st ). This self-evaluation focuses on the accomplishments and progress of the student for the past academic year, with specific attention paid to whether or not s/he has successfully completed program requirements that keep him/her on track and in good standing in the program.

During this evaluation period, faculty members consult the self-evaluation forms submitted by each student, as well as additional documentation including:  official grades, teaching evaluations (if applicable), online grad tracking system, and written and verbal assessments from any faculty member in the department.  Funded students will also be assessed on their performance as a TA, GA, or RA, as evaluated by the faculty member who supervised their work.  Typically by mid-May, each student will receive an evaluation letter containing:  

• A review of the student’s progress, performance, and achievement of academic goals
• Advice for what the student should focus on in upcoming years
• Specific timelines and expectations, if the student is deficient in any regard
• An evaluation of the student’s performance as a TA, RA, or GA, if funded as one of these job classifications
• Status of the student’s funding (if applicable), including if they will receive funding from the department for the following academic year (including how much), as well as the number of years of remaining TBP eligibility the student has.

GRADUATE SCHOOL  

Admission requirements  , finances & scholarships, graduate contacts.

Bethany Everett, Ph.D.

Director of Graduate Studies 801-581-7105 [email protected]

Alana Robison

Administrative Assistant 801-581-6153 [email protected]

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Electrical & Computer Engineering

General degree requirements.

Before applying for graduation, a student must meet with the Graduate Student Coordinator to review their graduate file and ensure that all degree requirements including their Program of Study are satisfied and review the process for completing their manuscript and defense.

Program of Study

A student must meet with the Graduate Student Coordinator and complete the Program of Study Form prior to their final semester of study. After it is approved by the student’s Supervisory Committee and the Director of Graduate Studies it will be submitted to the Graduate School for approval.

Requirements

All PhD students are required to fulfill the following credits requirements, (regardless of path requirements):

• ECE 7951 Teaching Engineering (2.0)*
• ECE 7970 PhD Thesis Research (14.0+)
• EE Only - Graduate Seminar (2.0)**

*Students admitted to the PhD program prior to Fall 2022 are not required to enroll in ECE 7951 Teaching Engineering , although it is strongly encouraged so that students who require additional funding can serve as a department TA.

**Electrical Engineers should take ECE 7900 & 7910 PhD-level graduate seminar. Students who have already taken Graduate Seminar at the 6000- level during their University of Utah MS degree do not need to retake it at the 7000- level.

Additional courses may be recommended or required by a student’s advisor and supervisory committee.

Additional Criteria

• Students who receive an “Incomplete” grade in a class must complete the work as soon as possible.
• Coursework cannot be used for more than one degree- see  How to Transfer Graduate Credits
• A course taken for 5000-level credit cannot be taken again for 6000-level credit.
• Where an ECE course has both a 5000- and 6000-level number, the 5000-level version is intended for undergraduates and the 6000-level version for honors and graduate students. The two versions of the class will meet together, but extra work will be expected of honors and graduate students.

All coursework should be completed within 7 consecutive years (not including any official Leaves of Absence ). If a student needs to defer or take a leave of absence, they should contact the Graduate Student Coordinator . Students who are not granted a Leave of Absence and are unregistered will be discontinued and will need to reapply .

Tuition Benefit Enrollment Requirements

Terms w/ Coursework: 9-12 credits*

Research-Only Terms: 3 credits of ECE 7970

*Thesis research will count towards this credit limit. Additional graduate-level credits taken beyond the 12 and/or undergraduate course credits will not be covered by the TBP.

International students must be registered for 9+ credits every semester (excluding summer) they are completing coursework. Once coursework has been completed they may register for 3 credits of research to maintain full-time status. International students requesting a leave of absence or reduced course load must consult with the ISSS office .

Allied Departments

Students who have not earned a prior MS degree at the University of Utah are required to complete additional coursework. This can include courses from the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) or other allied departments:

• ANAT – Neurobiology and Anatomy
• ASTR – Astronomy
• ATMOS – Atmospheric Sciences
• BIO C – Biochemistry
• BIOL – Biology
• BLCHM – Biological chemistry
• BME – Biomedical Engineering
• BMI – Biomedical Informatics
• CH EN – Chemical Engineering
• CHEM – Chemistry
• COMP – Computing
• CS – Computer Science
• CTLE – Center for Teaching Excellence
• CVEEN – Civil and Environmental Engineering
• ENGIN – Engineering
• GEO – Geology and Geophysics
• MATH – Mathematics
• MBIOL – Molecular Biology
• ME EN – Mechanical Engineering
• MET E – Metallurgical Engineering
• MG EN – Mining Engineering
• MSE – Materials Science and Engineering
• MST – Master of Science and Technology
• NEUSC – Neuroscience
• NSURG – Neurosurgery
• NUCL – Nuclear Engineering
• PHYS – Physics
• RDLGY – Radiology
• ROBOT – Robotics see Robotics Certificate

Supervisory Committee

Each student forms a supervisory committee with members who will guide the student’s graduate program and conduct the student examinations (Qualifying Exam, Research Comprehensive Exam, and Final Oral Exam). The Ph.D. supervisory committee consists of five members – at least three of the committee members must be tenure-line ECE faculty members, and at least one must be from outside the ECE Department. When a student has established their committee they should notify the Graduate Student Coordinator who will enter it into their student file.

Committee Roles and Criteria

A student’s Ph.D. faculty advisor is the committee chair. The chair* and majority of the committee (3 out of 5 committee members) need to be:

• University of Utah Faculty
• Electrical and Computer Engineering (as Academic Home Department)
• Tenure-Line**

A list of faculty and their classifications can be verified on the OBIA Faculty Information page . If a committee member does not meet all three of these requirements, they are considered an Outside Committee Member. A PhD Supervisory Committee is required to have at least one Outside Committee Member. If one of the committee members is not University of Utah faculty, the student must request and submit their Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a Justification Letter for approval by the Graduate Committee. For more information, read Rules for Outside Member Necessities .

Any exceptions to these criteria must be submitted as a petition and are not guaranteed approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

*Tenure-line faculty outside of the ECE Department may supervise a student as a co-chair with a tenure-line ECE faculty member. **Adjunct ECE faculty are not tenure-line and may serve as an Outside Committee Member

Resources, Links, & Forms

Safety & Wellness

Your safety is our top priority. In an emergency, dial 911 or seek a nearby emergency phone (throughout campus). Report any crimes or suspicious people to 801-585-COPS ; this number will get you to a dispatch officer at the University of Utah Department of Public Safety . If at any time, you would like to be escorted by a security officer to or from areas on campus, DPS will help — just give a call.

The University of Utah seeks to provide a safe and healthy experience for students, employees, and others who make use of campus facilities.  In support of this goal, the University has established confidential resources and support services to assist students who may have been affected by harassment, abusive relationships, or sexual misconduct. Read a detailed listing of University Resources for campus safety.

Your well-being is key to your personal safety. If you are in crisis, call 801-587-3000; help is close.

The university has additional excellent resources to promote emotional and physical wellness, including the Counseling Center , the Wellness Center , and the Women’s Resource Center . Counselors and advocates in these centers can help guide you to other resources to address a range of issues, including substance abuse and addiction.

In addition to coursework requirements, students must complete all of the following exams and each their components: Qualifying Exam (typically written), Proposal (written submission and oral presentation), Defense (written manuscript submission and oral presentation). The PhD proposal and the defense cannot be completed in the same or adjacent semesters. There must be at least one term gap between both, which may include Summer term.

Qualifying Exam

The purpose of the qualifying exam is to determine the student’s readiness for research . This may include their ability to assess technical literature in their area of research, understand techniques (measurements, simulations, etc.) that they may need to use, their ability to critically analyze technical ideas, etc. The exam should consist of 3 to 5 questions that test the candidate’s breadth of ECE knowledge as it pertains to the candidate’s likely area of research. The students will have 5 weeks to provide a written response to these questions. The committee will review them and decide if an oral exam is recommended.

Students should complete the qualifying exam within their first 2 academic years. Students must be registered for at least 1 credit at the University of Utah the semester they complete the qualifying exam. It is the student’s responsibility to work with the Chair to follow up with the committee and the Graduate Student Coordinator to ensure that the steps described below are completed .

*Request for an extension is discouraged because it demonstrates a lack of planning and judgment that is essential for success in a PhD program. Exceptions are rare; however, they may be approved by the PhD Committee supervisory on a case-by-case basis.

Instructions for Students

This exam is open-book/resources. Students may refer to any textbook, literature, or online resources. However, discussions with other individuals are strictly prohibited.

Students should be concise and clear in their responses. It is recommended that a submission not exceed five pages. If this does not seem appropriate for the questions, the student may discuss with their supervisory committee chair.

Answers should be submitted in IEEE format:

• Visit IEEE Author Center for resources. It is recommended that students use the Author Tools and choose a template for a journal in their specialty.
• For calculations or code/computations the student may consider any other professional format that their committee can understand.
• Additional resources can be found on the Graduate Writing Resources page .

If a student needs clarification on what a question is asking, what format or length your response can take, or similar procedural questions, they may discuss these with their supervisory committee chair or the Graduate Student Coordinator .

Proposal Written Submission

The proposal is 15 pages written in an NSF or NIH format with a recommended outline available on the Graduate Writing Resources page (students should defer to their supervisory committee’s requests for alternative paper structures). The oral component is conducted by the supervisory committee according to Graduate School regulations.

Please note: The PhD proposal and the defense cannot be completed in the same or adjacent semesters. There must be at least one term gap between either which may include Summer. (Spring/Fall, Summer/Spring, Fall/Summer are acceptable).  As such, students should be respectful of their committee’s time and plan ahead and send the proposal several weeks prior the end of the semester.

Proposal Presentation

Preliminary Review Submission

It is strongly recommended, that after completing/revising their proposal to their supervisory committee’s satisfaction, the student should now have the content to draft their preliminary pages and up to their 4th chapter of their thesis/dissertation. (see Graduate Writing Resources for chapter explanations and template)

They should submit this draft to the thesis office for preliminary review and feedback on proper formatting.

Students should use the formatting requested by their supervisory committee/chair when writing and organizing their work. If no specific formats are provided or suggested, students are recommended to use the department’s for outlines and additional helps when preparing their written reports and oral presentations.

If a student does not defend/submit their thesis by the semester target date, then they may need to re-apply for graduation the following semester as the Thesis Office cannot guarantee that it will be reviewed and released in time for graduation deadlines.

Minimum Credit Enrollment for Defending

Written Manuscript

All students must understand that they are responsible for ensuring that the submitted thesis meets the requirements of the Graduate School Handbook for Theses and Dissertations . Theses without proper formatting will be rejected.

The thesis defense is conducted by the supervisory committee according to Graduate School regulations. A student will be passed only if the committee is satisfied that the thesis research and documentation are unquestionably of the quality that will bring distinction to the candidate and the department . The committee may request further work from the candidate before a final decision is made.

After the defense, the Graduate Student Coordinator will work with the student’s supervisory committee to process the paperwork and the student will need to:

• Follow submission procedure
• Re-upload their thesis for defended review to the Graduate School by the semester target dates

Paths and Recommended Schedules

Milestone Master's

This path is for students who have not earned a Master’s degree from a US or Canadian university.

Transfer Master's

This path is for students who have already earned a MS degree from an university or institution.

This path is for students who have already earned a MS degree from the University of Utah.

This is for students who have not yet earned a Master’s degree from a US or Canadian University. International students who have earned a Master’s degree in their home countries are eligible for this pathway.

Students on this path will be required to complete the following coursework requirements:

• MS Degree Requirements (30.0)
• ECE 7970 Thesis Research (14.0+)
• ECE 7951 Teaching Engineering (2.0) - Can count towards MS credit requirements

A Milestone Master’s degree must be completed in the same department that the student completes their PhD in. A student must meet the following criteria prior to earning a Milestone Master’s degree:

1. Meet with Graduate Student Coordinator to add MS program to file

2. Complete MS coursework requirements with an average GPA of 3.0 or higher

3. Apply for MS degree when requirements are met with the option of participating in convocations

Students should work with their advisor and committee to determine coursework relevant to their future research and professional goals.

Recommended Schedule for Milestone Completion

Students starting in the Spring should reverse the order and start with Term 2

Required Track Coursework (Fall):

EE – ECE 7900 Graduate Seminar (1.0) CE – ECE 6710 Digital VLSI (4.0) & ECE 6810 Comp. Arch. (3.0)

Required Track Coursework (Spring):

EE – ECE 7910 Graduate Seminar (1.0)

Term 3 Milestones:

Meet with Graduate Student Coordinator Apply for MS Graduation

Term 4 Milestones:

Establish Supervisory Committee Complete Qualifying Exam

Term 5/6 Milestone:

1st submitted journal article

Term 7 Milestones:

2nd submitted journal article Proposal

Term 8 Milestones:

Submit for preliminary review – thesis draft      – Thesis Draft: Preliminary Pages through Chapter 4

Once a student has completed their proposal they are permitted to enroll in only 3 credits of thesis research to maintain full-time status (domestic & international) and qualify for tuition benefits.

Term 9 Milestones:

3rd submitted journal article Defense Apply for PhD Graduation Apply for CPT – International students (optional)

Students who have already earned a Master’s degree are required to complete the following coursework requirements:

All Students

• ECE 7951 Teaching Engineering (2.0)

Electrical Engineers

• ECE 7900/7910 Graduate Seminar (2.0)
• 12 additional credits of coursework

Computer Engineers

• 7 additional credits of coursework

Recommended Course:

ENGIN 6960 Graduate Writing & Communication (3.0)

Term 5 Milestones:

2nd submitted journal article

Term 6 Milestones:

Submit thesis draft for preliminary review      -Preliminary Pages through Chapter 4

Prior University of Utah MS Degree

Students who have already earned a Master’s degree from the University of Utah before starting their PhD program are only required to complete the following coursework requirements:

• EE Only - ECE 7900/7910 Graduate Seminar (2.0)*

*Electrical Engineers should take ECE 7900 & 7910 PhD-level graduate seminar. Students who have already taken Graduate Seminar at the 6000- level during their University of Utah MS degree do not need to retake it at the 7000- level.

This requirement includes students who completed an ECE MS Online/Remote-Learning degree and students who completed a non-ECE MS degree at the University of Utah.

Term 1 and 2 Milestones:

Term 3 and 4 Milestones:

Privacy Preference Center

Privacy preferences.

Materials Science & Engineering Ph.D. Program

The Doctoral (PhD) degree offered through the Materials Science and Engineering Department is an intensive research and doctoral dissertation degree. Students may directly pursue a PhD degree without first earning a MS degree.

MSE Graduate Handbook Year 2020-2021

MSE Graduate Handbook Year 2018-2019

MSE Graduate Handbook Year 2017-2018

Academic Advising

Office: CME 304

Complete a minimum of 54 credit hours in courses level 6000 or above

• 30 hours of course work (that include 3 hours of MSE Graduate Seminar MSE 7800 / 7801 , and 15 out of the 30 hours must be MSE/MET E courses). Exceptions to this rule are at the discretion of the student’s Supervisory Committee
• A minimum of 24 hours of Thesis Research ( MSE 7970 )

All coursework must be completed at a cumulative 3.0 GPA (B grade average). All courses must be passed with a B- or better.

Students will also be required to complete the following requirements during the course of the program:

• Qualifying Examination
• Supervisory Committee
• Program of Study
• Dissertation Proposal
• Dissertation

Required Courses

All entering PhD students are required to take the following MSE core courses within their first two semesters, regardless of where they received their Mater’s degree.* These courses will count towards the 25 hours of MSE coursework hours.

• MSE 6032  – Advanced Thermodynamics (3 credits)
• MSE 6001  – Engineering Materials (3 credits)
• MSE 6034  – Kinetics (3 credits)
• MSE 6011  – Advanced Materials Techniques: Experiment, Theory, and Characterization (3 credits)

*EXCEPTION: Students who received a B.S. or M.S. degree from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah, and received a B or better in MSE 5034 and MSE 3001 will not be required to take MSE 6034, 6011 and 6001. These students are allowed to substitute these three required courses with any other 6000/7000 level MSE or MET E course.

Graduate Seminar

Students are required to take 6 semesters (0.5 credit hours each semester) of MSE Graduate Seminar.

• MSE 7800  – Graduate Seminar I (0.5 credits) Fall Semesters
• MSE 7801  – Graduate Seminar II (0.5 credits) Spring Semesters

Two oral presentations are required.  Graduate Seminar credit hours cannot be used to satisfy the 25 credit hours of MSE coursework.

MSE Graduate Seminar Independent Study

If students are unable to attend the Graduate Seminar in a given semester due to an academic or work related conflict, they will be required to make up the credit through an independent study. Students will still be required to register for MSE 7800/7801, as the credit hours are required for the graduate program. However, it will be the student’s responsibility to attend at least 10 seminars or lecture during the duration of the semester.

The seminars or lectures must be related to the field of Materials Science & Engineering. The seminars or lectures can be on or off campus. They could also be pre-recorded and viewed from various media platforms (example YouTube).

Students must write a one page (typed, single spaced, 12 pt. font) paper addressing the following topics: • How the topics relates to your research • One full paragraph should discuss the research style and communication skills of the speaker. • Students should give advice on how the presentation could have been better

The 10 one-page papers are due the last day of classes in the given semester. Thesis Hours

Students must complete at least 14 hours of Thesis Research ( MSE 7970 , Thesis Research: Ph.D.). The candidate must also be regularly enrolled at the University and registered for at least one course during the semester in which the final oral examination (dissertation defense) is taken.

After the residency requirement has been met (two consecutive semesters of nine hours or more), graduate students who are registered for three credit hours in any one of the following classes are considered full-time status:

• Classes within the range of 6970-6989, 7970-7989

This does not fulfill state residency requirements.

Registration Restrictions

Credit hour requirements for full time and part time status at the University of Utah:

• Graduate credit may be transferred from other regionally-accredited institutions with department and advisor approval. Credits transferred from another institution may be used for only one degree. Up to six semester hours of transfer credit may be applied toward fulfillment of graduate degree requirements if they are of high letter grade (B or higher; ‘credit only’ grades are unacceptable), are recommended by the student’s supervisory committee, and were taken within four years of semester of admission to the University of Utah for master’s students and within seven years of semester of admission to the University of Utah for doctoral students.
• Only nine semester hours of nonmatriculated credit, taken no more than three year prior to approval, can be applied toward a graduate degree.
• No candidate for a graduate degree is permitted to register for more than 16 credit hours in any single semester. A schedule of nine credit hours is considered a full load for doctoral degree candidates.
• Only 3 hours of MSE 6980 / 7980 – Faculty Consultations can be counted towards the PhD degree provided there is proper documentation. This can take the place of 3 MSE coursework hours on the Program of Study.
• Only 1 hour of MSE 6950  – Independent Study can be used towards the PhD degree.

English Proficiency

The University of Utah Admissions Department sets the requirements for English Proficiency, not the department. This requirement cannot be waived. Applications will not be processed without official test results dated within two years. For more information, please see the admissions page on English Proficiency found here .

Candidate will write a report and prepare an oral presentation for a topic of scientific area which is NOT directly related to his/her ongoing Ph.D. research. The presentation and report shall cover:

•  Current state of the art of the area,
• Key challenges related to materials design,
• Ideas for future research directions in this field (students are encouraged to propose their own ideas and discuss possible plan and feasibility of proposed research).

Students will be expected to do a deep dive into the topic and be prepared to apply/discuss the basic MSE principles (covered by the core courses) to the selected topic.

Topic selection: The topics will be suggested/assigned by the MSE graduate committee.

Deliverables:

• Report (written portion) should be concise and not exceeding 10 pages (single spaced).
• Oral presentation will be a 20minute power point presentation with additional 20-30 minutes for questions from the committee.
• Topic selection/assignment will occur earlier May (after the Spring semester).
• Reports will be due first week of June.
• Presentations will be scheduled in the second/third weeks of June depending on examination committee schedule availability.

Examination committee will consist of at least three MSE faculty, excluding student’s primary advisor.

After successfully passing the Candidacy Evaluation, PhD students must make an appointment with the MSE Academic Advisor to start building a supervisory committee.

Each supervisory committee consists of five faculty members . In compliance with The Graduate School’s policy, the majority of the committee members (3) must be tenure line faculty in the MSE department. The supervisory committee chair must be a regular tenure line faculty at the University of Utah. The dean of The Graduate School may approve requests to appoint a committee member from another university where appropriate justification and supporting documentation is provided. The supervisory committee is responsible for approving the student’s academic program, preparing and judging the qualifying examinations, approving the dissertation subject and final dissertation, and administering and judging the final oral examination (dissertation defense).

Supervisory Committee Form

• PhD Supervisory Committee form

During the third year of graduate study, PhD students are required to complete a Program of Study. This form is not a selection of courses that satisfies the minimum requirements but will be a list of all course work and research hours proposed for the PhD degree that will be approved by the Supervisory Committee. It is important that students understand that the Supervisory Committee makes the final decision for the courses that will appear on the Program of Study for the PhD. Procedure to Complete

The procedure to complete the Program of Study form is as follows:

• Students must arrange a meeting with their Supervisory Committee Chair to present the proposed course for the Program of Study form.
• At the meeting, the Supervisory Committee Chair will review and approve the student’s courses for their degree.
• In some cases, the Supervisory Committee Chair may require extra course work that exceeds the minimum requirements for a PhD degree based on the dissertation topic.
• As stated in the Graduate School’s requirements: coursework used to complete requirements for one graduate program may not be used to meet the requirement of another.
• All course work must be completed in the first two years of graduate study.

Program of Study Form

• PhD Program of Study, MSE

After advancing to candidacy, but before the end of the third year (6th semester) in the program, students must complete the written and oral portions of the Dissertation Proposal Exam. An exception can be granted by a student’s Supervisory Committee Chair for extenuating circumstances.

The Dissertation Proposal must occur before the Dissertation Defense and the two many not be completed within the same semester. The Dissertation Proposal Exam (written, oral, or both parts) may be repeated once if a “Fail” or “Conditional Pass” is received the first time. Written Proposal

Students must independently prepare a written proposal for the research they will complete for their dissertation. It must be given to their Supervisory Committee at least two weeks prior to the date of the oral exam. Students must propose their own original research which will form the basis of their publications and PhD dissertation. The proposal should detail the prior work in the field, detail any results already obtained by the student, and lay out the research objectives and plan for meeting those objectives before completing the dissertation. A copy of the Dissertation Proposal will be provided to the Academic Advisor to be retained in the student’s file.

The proposal should follow the NSF proposal format (or other federal agency if approved by the committee). For more information on the format, student should refer to the MSE Dissertation Written Proposal Template here .

For additional resources and information on NSF formatting, students should refer to the University of Utah Office of Sponsored Projects website by clicking here.

Oral Proposal

Students must arrange with their Supervisory Committee to present and defend their proposal. A common format is to prepare a talk lasting 40 minutes if uninterrupted based on the same ideas and research plan contained in the Written Proposal.

The committee will ask questions, evaluate the proposal, and give feedback and suggestions to the student on the proposed research. The committee will sign the Dissertation Proposal from, which has separate “Pass,” “Conditional Pass” and “Fail” marks. Again, the committee may require remedial actions for “Conditional Pass” or “Fail” marks.

Dissertation Proposal Form

• MSE Dissertation Written Proposal Template
• PhD Dissertation Proposal form

  Dissertation

Students must submit a dissertation embodying the results of scientific or scholarly research. The dissertation must provide evidence of originality and the ability to do independent investigation and it must contribute to knowledge. The dissertation must show a mastery of the relevant literature and be presented in an acceptable style. The style and format are determined by departmental policy and registered with the thesis and dissertation editor, who approves individual dissertations in accordance with departmental and Graduate School policy. The approved style guides can be found here .

At least three weeks before the final dissertation defense, students should submit an acceptable draft of the dissertation to the chair of the Supervisory Committee; committee members should receive copies at least two weeks before the examination date.

The doctoral dissertation is expected to be available to other scholars and to the general public. It is the responsibility of all doctoral candidates to arrange for the publication of their dissertations. The University accepts two alternatives for complying with the publication requirements:

The entire dissertation is submitted to UMI Dissertation Publishing, ProQuest Information and Learning, and copies are made available for public sale. The abstract only is published if the entire dissertation has been previously published and distributed, exclusive of vanity publishing. The doctoral candidate may elect to microfilm the entire previously published work. Regardless of the option used for meeting the publication requirement, an abstract of each dissertation is published in UMI Dissertation Publishing, ProQuest Information and Learning, Dissertation Abstracts International.

Detailed policies and procedures concerning publication requirements, use of restricted data, and other matters pertaining to the preparation and acceptance of the dissertation are contained in A Handbook for Theses and Dissertations, published by The Graduate School and available on The Graduate School website .

Please be sure to check the Thesis Office manuscript tracking system to see if your dissertation has been uploaded to  ProQuest . Defense

PhD students must orally defend the significant contents, results, and conclusions associated with their doctoral research before the entire Supervisory Committee at an open and public defense. At the conclusion of the public participation, the committee will excuse the public and conduct further questioning on the thesis and related topics. The outcome of the defense is reported on the PhD Defense Form.

The draft or final dissertation document will serve as the written basis for the presentation and should be submitted to the Supervisory Committee four weeks prior to the oral defense. The Supervisory Committee will examine in detail the contents, results, conclusions and contribution made by the student’s research and written dissertation.

“The Supervisory Committee Approval” and “Final Reading Approval” forms must be filled out by the student and the appropriate signatures obtained before final dissertation can be submitted to the Thesis Editor for final approval and release. These forms are the responsibility of the student and can be found on The Graduate School’s website .

When should you defend in order to graduate in a specific semester?

The earlier you defend in a given semester, the more likely you are to be able to graduate that same semester. Check the  Thesis Calendar  to see when the submission deadline is. You need to defend far enough ahead of that deadline that you can make any changes to the text required by your committee and ensure that the manuscript adheres to your chosen style guide and Thesis Office requirements by the deadline. Be aware that if you submit your manuscript on the deadline and there are any formatting errors you will not graduate that semester. The sooner you turn your manuscript in the more likely you are to graduate in that semester.   As a general rule of thumb, plan to defend in the first 2 months of the semester if you want to graduate that semester. Registration

Student must be registered for 3 credit hours of MSE 7970 during the semester they defend. Once student defends and the dissertation has been accepted by the Supervisory Committee, the student is not required to register for another semester. International Students should check with the International Center once they have defended to make sure that they do not go out of status while completing requested rewrites.

Defense and Dissertation Forms

Materials Science and Engineering Department form:

• PhD Dissertation Defense form – Must be completed at the time of defense.

Graduate School Forms

• Dissertation forms  – Forms that must be turned in with completed dissertation to the Thesis Office.
• Preliminary Review Dissertation form  – Form for those seeking a preliminary dissertation review by the Thesis Office.
• For information on admission to the PhD program  click here.
• For information about housing options at the University of Utah, click here.

Full Time Student Status

Part time student status.

• Appeal to the Department Chair (in writing) within 40 working days; chairs must notify student of a decision with 15 days. If the faculty member or student disagrees with decision then,
• Appeal to Academic Committee, see II Section D, Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities for details on Academic Appeal Committee hearings.
• Dismiss the student from the program immediately.
• Place the student on academic probation for 1 semester. In this case, the student’s committee will provide a list of specific milestones which the student must accomplish in order to be reinstated to good standing. If these milestone are not accomplished within 1 semester, the student will be dismissed from the program.
• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
• Passing all required examinations within specified times limits (e.g. for PhD students the candidacy exam, dissertation proposal, and thesis defense).
• Continuously maintain an official advisor and supervisory committee from the 3rd semester through completion of the program.
• Continually make acceptable progress toward the degree as determined by the supervisory committee + thesis advisor.
• PhD Program of Study form, MSE
• PhD Dissertation Defense form
• Milestone Master Application
• Recommendation for Change of Graduate Classification
• Dissertation Forms
• Preliminary Review Dissertation Form
• Non-Matriculated Credit Hours Form 
• Graduate Transfer Credit Authorization
• Insurance Declaration Form

Thesis Office

Preliminary formatting.

• During the semester before your graduation date, students should check their Electronic Graduate Record File in CIS. For more information on how to access the Electronic Graduate Record File  click here .
• If students have questions or issues surrounding graduation, they should make an appointment with the MSE Academic Advisor. It is important that you communicate with the Academic Advisor about your intended graduation date and progress.

Campus Resources

• International Center
• Learning Abroad
• Counseling Center
• Dean of Students
• Disability Services
• Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action
• Student Wellness
• Veterans Support Center
• Leave of Absence 
• Willing Suspension of Integrity: Research Misconduct & Academic Pitfalls

Safety and Wellness

Neuroscience Program

Main navigation, neuroscience phd university of utah.

Prospective Students, learn more about the program, meet some of our training faculty and get your questions answered by joining our annual

Virtual Open House - Monday, October 28, 2024 11:00 am MT

Sign up to received the online link to join the open house here!

READY to apply?

Application portal is now open for 2025-26 academic year consideration. for more information click the link below., university of utah indigenous land acknowledgement statement.

The University of Utah has both historical and contemporary relationships with Indigenous peoples. Given that the Salt Lake Valley has always been a gathering place for Indigenous peoples, we acknowledge that this land, which is named for the Ute Tribe, is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Shoshone, Paiute, Goshute, and Ute Tribes and is a crossroad for Indigenous peoples. The University of Utah recognizes the enduring relationships between many Indigenous peoples and their traditional homelands. We are grateful for the territory upon which we gather today; we respect Utah’s Indigenous peoples, the original stewards of this land; and we value the sovereign relationships that exist between tribal governments, state governments, and the federal government. Today, approximately 60,000 American Indian and Alaska Native peoples live in Utah. As a state institution, the University of Utah is committed to serving Native communities throughout Utah in partnership with Native Nations and our Urban Indian communities through research, education, and community outreach activities.

The primary goal of the Neuroscience Program at Utah is to develop well-rounded scientists who are passionate about science and will become the next generation of leaders in our society. 

The Neuroscience PhD Program at the University of Utah offers rigorous training through a combination of coursework, research training, mentoring, and professional development. More than 80 program faculty from 26 participating departments provide broad expertise from molecular and cellular neuroscience, to systems and cognitive neuroscience. 

Students receive hands-on training and mentorship within a world-class research environment, collegial and collaborative mentorship and a vibrant research community. They have the unique opportunity to develop professionally through a variety of student leadership roles, such as organizing the Annual Snowbird Neuroscience Symposium and Neuroscience Program Speaker Series.

Send your questions and inquiries about the Neuroscience PhD Program to our Program Manager at  [email protected]  

Program Philosophy

Program Outcomes

Core Curriculum

Areas of Research

Application

In the NeuroNews...

BREO has Been Announced

Recent Awards

• Donzelle Taylor - 2024 Gilliam Fellowship Award Michelle Swarovski - Neuroimmunology Grant T32
• Ashley Zachery-Savella - Skaggs Fellowship
• Alicia Walker : NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
• Kaelan Sullivan : NIH F99/F00 D-SPAN
• Fei Chang : Utah Graduate Research Fellowship
• Qwynn Landfield : CTSI STARS T32 Award

Neuro SWAG is Arriving Soon

We've succefully have ran our first Neuroscience store! The sale lasted for the month of May. If you missed out don't worry we will have the sale run again this fall with new upgrades.

And don't forget to watch your email for when your package arrives to the office.  

Department of Economics

College of social and behavioral science, main navigation, program admissions.

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN YOUR PhD APPLICATION

The requirements for admission to the PhD program are:

• The completion of a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited College or University
• GPA of 3.0 or better or its equivalent
• The successful completion of intermediate microeconomic and macroeconomic theory*
• Sufficient preparation in mathematics through calculus, statistics, and linear algebra
• Three academic reference letters
• A brief statement of personal academic goals

  A master's degree in economics is not a requirement for admission.  The GRE is no longer a requirement for admission. 

*If you do not meet these prerequisites, your application will be considered incomplete. Grades for the prerequisites should be posted on your transcripts at the time of application. These requirements may be completed at any accredited university, including as a non-degree seeking student at the University of Utah. These courses do not count towards your graduate degree program once admitted. 

Preparation in mathematics through calculus, statistics, and linear algebra is strongly recommended. The level of required mathematics is described in the document  Mathematics Prerequisite . Students who lack the proper background in micro and macroeconomic theory, statistics, and mathematics must take courses to remedy these deficiencies prior to being admitted into the program. It may be necessary for students not fully prepared for a graduate program to take remedial courses. 

Detailed information on the University of Utah Graduate School admissions policies can be found here.

International students must demonstrate their proficiency in English by specific citizenship or examination. The University requires a minimum of 80 on the TOEFL   i BT exam, 110 on Duolingo , or 6.5 on the IELTS . The TOEFL is preferred by our department. A strong speaking score (25 or higher) is particularly important for funding through a teaching assistantship. For details about the English Proficiency requirement, including approved non-examination demonstrations of proficiency, please visit this page . 

We recommend completing all TOEFL exams by December 15. To ensure that scores reach Admissions in a timely manner, please provide ETS with the following codes: University of Utah: 4853 Department of Economics: 1801

More information about University of Utah International Graduate Admissions can be found here .  

Application Deadline

Fall admission: january 15.

Applications for the PhD program are only accepted for Fall semester. The PhD program is scheduled so that the first-year core courses are offered in a sequence; therefore, it is only possible to begin the PhD program in the fall.

Applicants will hear back between early March and mid-May.

Applications for Fall 2025 will open on August 1, 2024. 

Application Procedure

Applications to our PhD program are made online through the Slate application system .

• Please upload all materials directly to Slate.
• Letters of recommendation are completed online and submitted directly through Slate. Please confirm with your recommendation providers before submitting your application that they have e-mail and Internet access and will be able to complete the process online. Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the recommendation provider by the February 1st deadline to be considered. 
• Please send official documents directly to the Office of Admissions , not the Economics Department.
• The Economics Department cannot waive the application fee . 
• Access the application at https://futureu.admissions.utah.edu/apply/ . After an application is submitted, applicants can login to their application status portal to track letters of recommendations, submit additional transcripts and other materials, withdraw their application, and view their decision. 

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION

Admissions Tips and Frequently Asked Questions

• Application Fee: We are unable to waive the application fee under any circumstances. New PhD students are offered $1,000 to help cover the admissions fee and moving expenses. This is disbursed as a reimbursement following the start of the program. 
• Late Submissions: Our Admissions Committee meets very soon after the January 15th deadline. Please complete your application by that date and ensure that all materials are uploaded and your letters of recommendation are submitted by that date. Late applications will not be accepted. 
• Letters of Recommendation: are completed online and submitted directly into the Slate system. Before beginning your application, please confirm with your recommendation providers that they have access to e-mail and the Internet and will be able to complete the process online. If a recommendation provider is having trouble completing their recommendation, they should reach out to Slate technical support. 
• Sending Materials: Please upload all materials directly into the Slate application system.  We cannot add emailed or mailed materials to your application. Official transcripts should be sent to the Office of Admissions as explained here .
• Transcripts: You may upload unofficial transcripts to the application system. Transcripts should include: Your name, Institution name,  Course names and grades, Credit hours, GPA, and Information about degree conferral or a degree certificate. If you are accepted you will be then be asked to have all official transcripts sent to the Office of Admissions as explained here .  
• Application Updates and Status: After an application is submitted, you can login to the application status portal at https://futureu.admissions.utah.edu/status to track letters of recommendations, submit additional transcripts and other materials, withdraw your application, and view your admissions decision.
• University of Utah Office of Admissions: The Office of Admissions and the Economics Department are separate offices. If you need to check on receipt of materials you have sent to the Office of Admissions, please contact them directly. The best email for Graduate Admissions in the Office of Admissions is [email protected] . The best email for International Admissions in the Office of Admissions is [email protected] . 
• Acceptance Rates: We receive around 160 applications each year and admit a cohort of 4-8 students. Four to six are fully funded with a teaching assistantship . The Admissions Committee conducts a holistic review that incorporates academic history (including completion of prerequisite courses and math preparation), recommendation letters, the personal statement, research interests and fit with the department's areas of research, and cohort make-up. 
• Financial Assistance:  All applicants are considered for a teaching assistantship alongside their application review. No additional information is required to apply for a teaching assistantship. The Department of Economics offers a teaching assistantship to 4-6 incoming students per year. This teaching assistantship is compensated with a stipend of $26,000 (for the 2024-2025 academic year) and participation in the University's Tuition Benefit Program , which offers full tuition and health insurance (per the policies found here and here ). More details about Financial Assistance and Tuition Costs can be found here . 
• Re-Applying: If you unsuccessfully applied to the program in a previous term and wish to apply again, you may do so.  You will need to submit all new materials. 
• Decision Notifications: Initial offers are made in early March, and additional offers (when available) are made on a rolling basis through early May. You will receive your notification by e-mail. We strive to have admissions decisions available to all applicants by May 15th. 
• Faculty Mentor/Advisor: Applicants do not need to identify a faculty mentor or advisor to support their application. Applications are reviewed by a central admissions committee within the Department of Economics. Faculty mentor/advisor relationships are developed during the program. 
• Part-Time or Full-Time: The PhD program is designed to be a full-time program of study with classes and research workshops scheduled for daytime hours. In limited circumstances, a student may be able to pursue a part-time program from their second-year onward. Prospective students wishing to pursue this option are encouraged to consult with the Graduate Student Coordinator before applying. Financial Assistance is only available to full-time students.
• GPA: This varies from year to year, but over the past 10 admission cycles, the average GPA of accepted students is 3.7 on a 4.0 scale.
• Statement of Purpose: The Statement of Purpose is an important part of your application.  Take the time to write a great one.  A page or two is a good length. Include information about your background, career goals, and research interests. Explain why you feel that our PhD program would be a good fit for you and what you would like to contribute.
• GRE: Our department no longer requires the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) for admission. You do not need to submit a GRE score.
• Will I be admitted? : Because of the diverse and competitive nature of our applicant pool each year, it is difficult to say whether or not an applicant will make it into the program based on transcripts or CVs.  The Admissions Committee conducts a holistic review that incorporates academic history (including completion of prerequisite courses and math preparation), recommendation letters, the personal statement, research interests and fit with the department's areas of research, and cohort make-up. Applicants should do their best to submit a complete, thorough application for consideration. 

International Students

• Proof of English Language Proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo): The University accepts several English Proficiency tests for international students and several non-examination ways to prove proficiency. Please read this page thoroughly here to determine if you need to take an English Proficiency exam . Take the TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo test early enough so that your scores arrive before the January 15th deadline. Only official test scores are accepted. Test scores should be sent from the examination service directly to the Office of Admissions (not to the Economics Department) for the quickest processing. The ETS code (for TOEFL scores) is 4853. If you wish to receive financial aid from our department, a strong TOEFL speaking sub-score (around 25) or a strong IELTS speaking band score (around 7.0)  is important and we would encourage you to take the TOEFL or IELTS even if it is waived.
• International Admissions: Please see this page for more information on International Application Documents .  
• I-20:  I-20s for international students are processed and mailed by the Office of Admissions after a student has been admitted into the PhD program. Processing times will vary. Students must have their I-20 documents sent to the Office of Admissions as early as possible, but no later than June 1st. To learn more about the I-20 Certificate of Eligibility required to apply for or maintain an F-1 Student Visa, please see this Office of Admissions page . 

Admissions Questions

Prospective students who have   thoroughly   explored our website (including the   FAQs) and have additional questions about the program or admission process are invited to contact the Economics Graduate Student Coordinator at   [email protected] .

Department of Political Science

College of social and behavioral science, main navigation, political science doctoral degrees.

The Political Science Department at the University of Utah seeks graduate students who are both motivated and able to succeed in political science study and research. Students with substantial preparation in political science or another social science are most likely to meet this standard, although the department has admitted applicants from other disciplines who can demonstrate, through relevant interests and experience, the abilities necessary for advanced work in political science. The fit between applicants' interests and the research expertise of our faculty is also an important consideration during the admissions process. Although there are no specific course prerequisites for our graduate program, applicants must have completed at least a bachelor's degree.

The department offers a variety of courses that effectively introduce students to major research issues, plus others that encourage advanced research. Graduate degrees promote career advancement for certain types of jobs and are the prerequisite for faculty appointments at the college and university levels. Students take classes (seminars) in different subfields of the discipline: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory.  As of Summer 2024, the Public Administration subfield is no longer available in our degree programs. The Public Administration program is under the new  Division of Public Affairs . 

For complete information concerning the Doctoral Degree Program, consult the PhD Handbook .

To see a list of faculty members and research interests, click here .

General Information

Students must complete all required political science course work with at least a B average (3.0). At least one year (two consecutive semesters) of study must be spend in full-time (at least nine hours per semester) academic work at the University of Utah.

Students who have completed a master's degree in political science at the University of Utah may use the courses taken as part of their master's course work to satisfy these requirements provided that no more than three years has elapsed between the completion of the master's degree and start of the PhD program. Students who complete a master's degree in political science at the University of Utah must complete a minimum of 18 hours of graduate courses beyond the master's degree.

Satisfactory completion of departmental core courses, major field course requirements, and minor field course requirements. The departmental core courses are:

• (3) POLS 6003 - Approaches to the Study of Politics
• (1) POLS 6960 - Statistical Analysis - must take as preparation for POLS 6001 
• (3) POLS 6001 - Quantitative Analysis 
• (3) An additional methods course - either POLS 6002, POLS 6004, or POLS 6005

Students must complete the courses designated by their major and minor fields of study. 

Students must form a supervisory committee of five faculty. The chair of the supervisory committee and at least one other member of the committee represent the student's major field of study within political science, at least one member of the committee represents the student's minor area of study, and at least one member of the supervisory committee must be from outside the department of political science. The supervisory committee approves the student's course of study and determines the extent of language and research method proficiency required.

Students must pass comprehensive examinations in their major and minor fields of study after the completion of their course work. Students must complete a minimum of nine political science graduate courses (27 semester hours) at the University of Utah prior to taking the comprehensive examinations. A comprehensive examination consists of both written and oral examinations and students must pass the written examinations in both their major and minor fields before proceeding to the oral examinations conducted by the supervisory committee. Students are required to complete their comprehensive exams in one semester.

Students must successfully defend a written dissertation proposal in an oral exam conducted by their supervisory committee within two regular semesters (one calendar year) of having passed their comprehensive examinations. Students must successfully defend their completed written dissertation in public defense conducted by their supervisory committee within six regular semesters (three calendar years) of completing their comprehensive examinations (an extension of up to two regular semester can be granted by the supervisory committee). Students must register for a minimum of 14 semester hours of dissertation credit.

Graduate Studies

College of pharmacy, student tools, faculty resources, research departments, research centers, phd in pharmacotherapy outcomes research & health policy.

The University of Utah College of Pharmacy is part of the University of Utah Health Sciences Center, with state-of-the-art classroom, research and library facilities available to students pursuing graduate education. The Department of Pharmacotherapy has a long, rich history in the provision of high quality post-graduate training for pharmacy practitioners and outcomes researchers. Students in the Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacotherapy Outcomes Research Program are highly motivated with backgrounds in a pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, health economics, or other healthcare field.

Students graduate with core competencies in health economics, epidemiology, research design, and statistics. They are also prepared to be independent outcomes researchers trained to generate evidence to support health policy decisions regarding pharmaceuticals and related technologies. Graduates of our program currently apply these sills in a broad range of career settings including the pharmaceutical industry, academia, institutional pharmacy, community pharmacy, and managed care organizations.

We require a statement of purpose, CV, transcripts, score reports (GRE for US applicants and GRE and TOEFL for International applicants) and three letters of recommendation from all applicants.

PhD in Pharmacotherapy Outcomes Research

Our PhD in Outcomes Research program offers students a unique opportunity to  study pharmacotherapy outcomes research  in the context of a sophisticated academic health science center. 

Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk, PharmD, PhD

Director, Graduate Program, PhD

Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry

The Department of Medicinal Chemistry together with the Dean's Office have developed a pathway for students who are interested in simultaneously pursuing a Pharm.D and a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry. This program is intended for students who are interested in a career in basic or clinical research for the discovery and development of new pharmaceutical therapies. It is constructed to intersperse the core curriculum requirements of the Ph.D. program into the curriculum of the Pharm.D. program, making course substitutions where feasible. In doing this, we minimize curriculum redundancy between the two programs while ensuring that the student is adequately prepared for the demands of both degree programs.

During the joint program pathway, students undertake research in the summers between their P1-P3 years. Students are also expected to use at least one clerkship rotation for research. The program is structured so that students can take their Ph.D. qualification exams during their P5 year and their pharmacy licensure exam at the normal time after completion of the P4 year. Following P4 year, the students engage in full time research to complete the Ph.D. program.

Students who are interested in pursuing this pathway should apply to the Pharm.D. program first. Students are accepted into the Ph.D. program during their P1 year if the student meets the program admissions criteria and there is appropriate research mentoring and support for the student. Interested students should contact the  Director of Graduate Admissions  in the  Department of Medicinal Chemistry  for application procedures and information.

Students enter directly into the Pharm.D./PhD program. Curriculum based on application to the Med Chem program during the P1 year. First class would be summer rotations

International Students . International students are encouraged to apply to either of the Interdepartmental Graduate Programs as appropriate. Students interested in research in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry would then join a Medicinal Chemistry laboratory in their second year.

Graduate Program in Biological Chemistry

Graduate studies in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry are dedicated to research and education at the interface of the chemical and biological sciences.

Mailing Address and Links to Forms

Terri Elder-Hale

Department of Medicinal Chemistry 30 South 2000 East, 307 SKH Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-5820 University of Utah Phone: (801) 581-5581

Ph.D. in Pharmacology & Toxicology

The Graduate Program in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Utah offers training for the Ph.D. degree. Since 1948, more than two hundred individuals have been trained by this program. Our graduate students (see  current graduate students  page) hail from all regions of the country, and enjoy close working relationships with their faculty mentors, rich and diverse research opportunities, and flexible programs of study based on their individual needs and interests. Students gain didactic teaching and public speaking experience by participating in our professional teaching, journal club and seminar programs.

Students generally enter the PhD Program in Pharmacology and Toxicology through the Bioscience PhD Programs of Biological Chemistry or Molecular Biology www.bioscience.utah.edu . or via the Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience  www.neuroscience.med.utah.edu . 

PhD Program in Pharmacology and Toxicology

For additional information regarding the Graduate Program in Pharmacology and Toxicology, please contact:

Melaney Mckellar, Administrative Manager Phone: 801-213-6440 Email:   [email protected]

Dr. Philip Moos, Director of Graduate Studies Phone:  801-585-5952 Email:  [email protected]

Molecular Pharmaceutics

The Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics offers a Ph.D. degree program through the Graduate School of the University of Utah. The program seeks to prepare graduate students to function independently, competently and technically in a variety of settings including academic, research, administrative, business management, legal, regulatory and investment career tracks.  This goal is accomplished through formal didactic courses, seminars and journal clubs, laboratory research rotations, and dissertation research. Every attempt is made by the faculty to help the student complete the program in a timely fashion. Typically, students graduate within 5 years of entering the program, although the nature of some projects and approaches requires a longer time commitment for full completion of the dissertation work.

PhD Molecular Pharmaceutics

The department of Molecular Pharmaceutics is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive campus community of students from every financial background. 

Hallie McCarthy Graduate Student Coordinator Phone: 801-581-6731

PharmD/PhD Pathway

The Departments of Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Pharmacotherapy together with the Dean's Office, have developed a pathway for students who are interested in simultaneously pursuing a Pharm.D and a Ph.D. This program is intended for students who are interested in a career in basic or clinical research. It is constructed to intersperse the core curriculum requirements of the Ph.D. program into the curriculum of the Pharm.D. program, making course substitutions where feasible. In doing this, we minimize curriculum redundancy between the two programs while ensuring that the student is adequately prepared for the demands of both degree programs.

PHARMD/PHD PATHWAY

Students can explore their enthusiasm for a career in basic or clinical research by enrolling in a supervised, paid research project with a faculty mentor during their P1 summer. At the end of the  P-SURF program , students can decide whether or not to continue working on the same (or related) research project with the same (or different) mentor during their P2 year. At the end of the P2 year, student and advisor can then choose whether or not to transition the project into the student’s required PharmD project in the P3 & P4 years.

James Herron, Ph.D.

Executive Associate Dean, Professional Education

• (801) 581-7303
• (801) 587-9966

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Ph.D. in Metropolitan Planning, Policy, and Design (Requirements)

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City and Metropolitan Planning College of Architecture + Planning

The doctoral degree in Metropolitan Planning, Policy and Design helps meet society’s need for researchers, scholars, teachers, and leaders to make our metropolitan areas sustainable and resilient. The planning challenge is to anticipate change and learn how best to manage it; the policy challenge is how to craft and implement policies needed to facilitate desired change; and the design challenge is how to shape the built environment to achieve desired outcomes.

The doctoral degree includes core, electives, qualifying examination, proposal, and dissertation benchmarks. The following outlines the degree requirements for students entering the program in fall semester 2019 or later. The total number of credits needed to graduate is 55 with a master’s degree in planning, 58 with a master’s degree in another field, and 76 without a master’s degree. The entire program takes between 5 to 7 years, depending on prior graduate work. The following outlines the degree requirements for students entering the program fall semester of 2019 or later. We recommend you meet with your advisor every semester to plan out coursework.

Planning Foundation (0-24)

For students with an accredited planning master’s degree from Utah or elsewhere, the graduate planning core is waived.

For students with a master’s degree in another area from Utah or elsewhere, the graduate planning core is waived except for CMP7100 – Urban & Planning Theory (3).

For those without a graduate degree, the MCMP core is required (see list below). For most students, completing the core planning courses will require the equivalent of about one full academic year of study.

CMP 6010 Community & Regional Analysis (3)CMP 6160 Plan Making (3)

CMP 6260 Land Use Law (3)

CMP 6322 City & Metropolitan Economics (3)

CMP 6430 Community Engagement in Planning (3)

CMP 6450 Geographic Information Systems in Planning (3)

CMP 6610 Urban Ecology (3)

CMP 7100 Urban & Planning Theory (3)

Doctoral Foundation (16)

The doctoral foundation is composed of 4 semester-long doctoral seminars in research design, quantitative methods, qualitative methods, and theory. Students also take 4 semesters of the research seminar in the first two years of the program; however, the department expects students to participate in the seminar beyond the first two years of study.

CMP 7840 Advanced Planning Theory (3)

CMP 7401 Research Design for Metropolitan Planning, Policy and Design (3)

CMP 7302 Qualitative Methods for Planners and Designers (3)

CMP 7022 Quantitative Methods in Planning (3)

CMP 7501 Metropolitan Planning, Policy and Design Research Seminar (1) x 4 semesters.

Elective Courses (12)

Elective courses are selected in consultation with the Supervisory Committee and should be selected to deepen knowledge in substantive areas related to the dissertation project. While a minimum number of credits are expected, this may vary depending on the level of preparation by the student as determined by the Supervisory Committee. The courses can be taken inside or outside of the department and must be numbered 6000 and above.

Qualifying Examination (minimum 6 credit hours required)

The qualifying (or preliminary) examination requires the student to produce a scholarly piece of work that is of publishable quality. The paper typically includes a review of relevant literature, methods/data collection, findings, conclusion, and implications for planning, policy, and/or design. Students enroll in this course while working on the qualifying exam paper. This course may be repeated.

CMP 7930 Qualifying Exam (1 to 9)

Dissertation Research Proposal (minimum 3 credit hours required)

Candidates will prepare and defend their proposal for a dissertation based on the plan and format negotiated with the Supervisory Committee. Students enroll in this course while writing the proposal. This course may be repeated.

CMP 7940 Dissertation Research Proposal (3)

Dissertation (minimum 18 credit hours required)

Students are required to write and defend their dissertation in order to graduate from the program. Typically, a dissertation is a written work on a singular topic, but a three discrete paper dissertation is also an option. An approved dissertation proposal is required before taking dissertation credits. This course may be repeated.

CMP 7970 Dissertation (1 – 18)

DEPARTMENT RULES ON DEGREE PROGRESS AND TIMELINE

Per Department policy, all Ph.D. students must meet the milestones and deadlines stated below. Students that fail to meet any of these deadlines will be put on an academic probation. Failure to meet the conditions of the academic probation may result in removal from the program. This process and time limits for filing a formal appeal of an academic decision are outlined in University Policy 6-400.

Required milestones and deadlines:

• Ph.D. students should have their supervisory committee in place by the end of the second year which is the time it takes to complete the required foundational core and elective course work.
• Ph.D. students must advance to candidacy by the end of the third year. Advancing to candidacy means the student has completed all required course work (except for CMP 7940 and 7970) and completed the qualifying exam.
• Ph.D. students must have an approved dissertation prospectus (proposal) by the end of the fourth year. Typically, this is completed by the end of the third year. Upon completing this stage, a student is advanced to “ABD” or “all but dissertation” status, meaning that the student has completed the required course work (except for CMP 7970), qualifying exam, and successfully defended the dissertation proposal.
• A Ph.D. student with or without a master’s degree has 7 calendar years from the date of first registration to complete the doctoral degree with an approved dissertation. This timeline applies to both full- and part-time students. If a student takes an approved leave of absence (maximum of two semesters) the approved leave will not count towards the student’s time to program completion.
• Students must be registered in the semester that they defend their thesis, including the summer semester.

RECOMMENDED DEGREE PLAN:

To ensure students meet department rules on degree progression, we recommend following this degree plan:

• Year 1 – Take planning foundation and/or doctoral foundation, and elective courses
• Year 2 – Finish coursework and form Supervisory Committee
• Year 3 – Pass Qualifying Exam (Fall semester) and defend Dissertation Proposal (Spring/Summer)
• Year 4 – Conduct dissertation research (Data Collection, Analysis, and Writing)
• Year 5 – Defend dissertation and submit thesis document to University Thesis Office

Forming a Supervisory Committee

Ph.D. students should have their Supervisory Committee in place by the end of the second year which is the time it takes to complete the required foundational core and elective course work.

Each Supervisory Committee consists of five faculty members. The committee chair and the majority of the committee must be tenure-line faculty in the student’s department. One member of the committee must be appointed from outside the student’s major department. The outside member is normally from another University of Utah department. However, the dean of The Graduate School may approve requests to appoint a committee member from another university where appropriate justification and supporting documentation is provided.

The Supervisory Committee is responsible for approving the student’s academic program, preparing and judging the qualifying examinations (unless delegated to a departmental examination committee), approving the dissertation subject and final dissertation, and administering and judging the final oral examination (dissertation defense).

To officially confirm your supervisory committee, fill the Supervisory Committee Form. Your supervisory committee is NOT formalized until you submit this form to the department (Send to the administrative officer with cc- to Chair).

The qualifying (or preliminary) examination requires the student to produce a scholarly piece of work that is of publishable quality. The paper typically includes a review of relevant literature, methods/data collection, findings, conclusion, and implications for planning, policy, and/or design.

Students are required to take at least 6 credit hours of CMP7930 to prepare for the qualifying exam. Students must have an approved supervisory committee before registering for CMP7930. A permission code is required for registration.

The paper is the written portion of the exam. In the oral exam, the student presents the paper and responds to questions posed by the Supervisory Committee. After the student passes both the written and oral exam it is anticipated that the student will refine and submit the paper to an appropriate peer-reviewed journal for its consideration.

Recently published papers may be used for Qualifying Exams as long as the supervisory committee has had a chance to provide feedback on the article before it was published. Published articles in which the supervisory committee had no opportunity to provide feedback prior to publication may not be used for the Qualifying Exam.

Students must send their QE paper to the committee 4 weeks in advance of the defense date and work with their advisor to send out a public announcement of the defense date 2 weeks in advance. The advisor should send out the announcement, but students should initiate the process.

Students must complete the qualifying exam by the end of the 3rd year to remain in good academic standing, however, most students finish this exam by the 3rd year. After the student completes the qualifying exam, the student has advanced to candidacy.

To officially defend your QE, fill the relevant form obtainable from this link and get all the relevant signatures, then submit to the administrative officer with cc- to Chair. Your pass grade is not formalized until you submit your revised and approved document and this form to the department.

Ph.D. candidates will prepare and defend their proposal for a dissertation based on the plan and format negotiated with the Supervisory Committee. The design for the proposal may begin at any time.

Students are required to take at least 3 credit hours of CMP7940-Dissertation Research Proposal while they are writing the dissertation proposal. A permission code is required for registration.

Ph.D. candidates will prepare and defend their proposal for a dissertation based on the plan and format negotiated with the Supervisory Committee. The design for the proposal may begin at any time. Students are required to take at least 3 credit hours of CMP7940-Dissertation Research Proposal while they are writing the dissertation proposal.

After the proposal is defended, the student is considered to be “ABD” or All But Dissertation. Students must send their proposal document to the committee 4 weeks in advance of the defense date and work with their advisor to send out a public announcement of the defense date 2 weeks in advance. The advisor should send out the announcement, but students should initiate the process.

To officially defend your proposal, get all the relevant signatures on the Dissertation Proposal Defense Form, then submit to the administrative officer with cc- to Chair. Your pass grade is not formalized until you submit your revised and approved document and this form to the department.

Students may enroll in CMP 7970 once they defend the dissertation proposal. A minimum of 18 credit hours is required. A permission code is required for registration.

Students (including international students) who have defended their proposals (are in ABD status) and have completed the minimum 18 credits need only register for 3 credit hours CMP 7970 each successive semester to maintain full-time status and 1 credit hour for part-time status. Note: Some assistantships, fellowships, and/or grants may require up to 9 credit hours. The qualifying exam and dissertation defense must occur at least one semester apart.

Thesis composition and formatting

Students are required to write and defend their dissertation in order to graduate from the program. Typically, dissertations are a written work on a singular topic including multiple chapters, such as an introduction, literature review, research methods, results, discussion, and conclusion.

The Supervisory Committee will also consider a three discrete paper dissertation (with an introduction and conclusion). The three papers must be deemed publishable in peer-reviewed journals by a majority of the committee. Co-authorship of the papers in the dissertation is permitted, provided that the student is the first author on all papers and is responsible for the full writing of all of the papers. If it is found that any significant portion of a paper was not written by the student, the committee may prohibit that paper from being included in the dissertation.

All dissertations must conform to the formatting requirements outlined by the Graduate School Handbook for Theses and Dissertations. Using a Graduate School provided template to write your thesis from the start is highly recommended.

Dissertation defense

Students should work with their advisor and committee to schedule a defense date. Defense scheduling should carefully consider last date for defense for any semester as set by University of Utah Graduate School  Thesis Office. Once the date is set, the student should work with their advisor and academic program manager to send out a public announcement of the defense date 2 weeks in advance.

Thesis submission

Students must send their thesis draft to the committee 4 weeks in advance of defense date and

To officially pass your dissertation defense, get all the relevant signatures on the Dissertation Defense Form, then submit to the administrative officer with cc- to Chair. Your pass grade for CMP7970 is not formalized until you submit this form to the department. To graduate from the program, your revised and approved thesis must be submitted to the University of Utah Graduate School by the deadlines published on the Thesis Office website for any given semester. Missing this deadline may result in delay in graduation, so students are recommended to pay careful attention to this date.

Excerpts from the  Graduate School Rules & Regulations

Transfer Credit A student may petition to transfer up to six semester credit hours of graduate course work from an accredited college or university provided that: 1) The course work was not used to satisfy requirement for a baccalaureate degree or another master’s degree, 2) The course grade was at least a “B” (or equivalent), 3) The course work is not more than four years old when the transfer is approved, and 4) The student fulfills the residency requirements of the University of Utah. Students seeking transfer credit will need to demonstrate the appropriateness of the proposed transfer credits to the program. At a minimum, this will require providing copies of course syllabi, catalog descriptions, and grade transcripts. In some cases, copies of course work products may also be required. Students should discuss their specific circumstances with their academic advisor.

Non-matriculated Credit Non-matriculated graduate credits are those graduate credits that students might accumulate prior to being formally admitted (matriculated) into a graduate degree program. According to Graduate School regulations, up to nine non-matriculated graduate credit hours, taken no more than three years prior to approval, may be counted toward meeting the degree requirements. Students should discuss their specific circumstances with their academic advisor.

Course Substitutions Occasionally, students have completed course work in other graduate degree programs that closely resembles the content of a core course. In such circumstances, students may petition to substitute a core requirement with some other graduate-level course. Students seeking to make such substitutions should consult with Program Coordinator.

Time Limit Program time extensions must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Minimum Registration, Continuous Registration, and Leave of Absence All graduate students at the University of Utah must maintain minimum registration of at least 3 credit hours of graduate level course work from the time of formal admission through completion of all requirements for the degree they are seeking unless granted on official leave of absence (see below). Students not on campus and not using University facilities during summer are not expected to register for summer term. Students receiving scholarship or assistantship aid must maintain a schedule of at least nine credit hours per term to be eligible for Graduate Student Tuition Benefits.

Students unable to maintain continuous registration as outlined above must file a Leave of Absence form for the semester(s) during which they will not be enrolled. Leave of Absence forms are available from the Graduate School’s website, and must be submitted prior to the beginning of the semester of leave. The Program Coordinator and the CMP Department Chair must approve each request. After signatures have been obtained, the CMP office will forward the request to the Graduate School. At the end of the leave of absence, the student must register for at least three credit hours in the CMP program, or make another request for a leave of absence. Students who do not meet the minimum registration requirements and who fail to obtain an approved leave of absence are discontinued as students of the University of Utah and can return only upon reapplication of admission and approved by the CMP department.

Grades Students must achieve a minimum letter grade of B– to count a course toward the degree requirements. Courses with lower grades or with a credit/no-credit grading option will not be counted.

Minimum Grade point Regulations Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students whose GPA’s fall below a 3.0 or who accumulate more than 3 incompletes will be placed on probation. Probation may carry specific requirements that the student must meet in order for probation to be removed. Students on probation for two consecutive terms will be asked to withdraw from the program. Students may retake courses in an attempt to raise their grades. At the point of entry of the first grade, a student’s transcript will note that the course has been repeated. The new grade is shown in the semester in which the course is retaken. The student’s GPA is recalculated to eliminate the effect of the first grade and to recognize only the new grade.

Incomplete and Work-in Progress grades Occasionally, a student needs to discontinue work in a particular course before the semester is finished. An “I” (incomplete) can be given in such cases and needs to be cleared within one calendar year or the “I” will be converted to an “E” (failure) automatically. If the course is successfully completed the “I” will remain on a student’s transcript and a letter grade will be inserted next to the “I”. Sometimes a “T” grade is used instead of an “I” courses where students are engaged in independent research extending beyond the semester. Students can check the status of their grades by visiting the Campus Information System.

Maximum Hours Graduate students are not permitted to register for more than 16 credit hours in any single semester. Students must achieve a minimum letter grade of B– to count a course toward the degree requirements. Courses with lower grades or with a credit/no-credit grading option will not be counted.

Civil | Construction | Nuclear

Graduate civil engineering, graduate degrees, civil & environmental engineering.

Civil & Environmental Engineering has both MS and PhD degree offerings .

With eight distinct and competitive areas of study , students choose a research area to focus on and that area's renown faculty to work with in their studies. 

Environmental Engineering

Course Requirements→ Active Research→ Faculty→

Structural Engineering

Geotechnical engineering, transportation engineering, materials engineering, water resources, environmental engineering  .

Environmental Engineers work to improve public health and quality of life, while protecting and restoring environmental systems. These engineers focus on drinking water treatment, wastewater reclamation, air pollution control, solid waste management and environmental remediation.

Research active professors in this area:

• Dr. Ramesh Goel
• Dr. Andy Hong
• Dr. Jennifer Weidhaas

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

Geotechnical Engineering is the application of Civil Engineering technology to some aspect of the earth, usually the soil and rock found on or near the surface. Infrastructure and natural geologic landforms and hazards designed and/or analyzed by Geotechnical Engineers include foundations for many types of structures (for example, buildings, bridges, dams, and roadways), natural and human-made slopes, retaining walls, tunnels, earthen dams and levees, highway embankments, earthquakes, liquefaction and lateral spread, ground contamination, ground improvement and stabilization, lightweight embankment materials, and re-use of construction and other waste materials.  Sub-disciplines and related disciplines include Soil Mechanics, Rock Mechanics, Foundation Engineering, Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, Geoenvironmental Engineering, and Geological Engineering.

• Dr. Steve Bartlett
• Dr. Kami Mohammadi
• Dr. Shahrzad Roshankhah

MATERIALS ENGINEERING  

• Materials deals with the durability of materials. For example, better portland cement concrete does not fall apart from intrusion of chemicals (salts, etc.), better asphalt concrete will not be susceptible to water intrusions (e.g., less potholes during the spring thaw)
• When materials last longer, the maintenance cycle is extended (i.e., less often) resulting in substantial savings
• Better materials also reduce the carbon footprint of everything we built. 
• Concrete last between 20 to 50 years and is responsible for 5% of all greenhouse emission in the planet
• Over $40M are spend every year in road maintenance. Given a 10 year cycle, a simple improvement of 1 year will result in $4M in savings. That's every year!
• Dr. Pedro Romero

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

Structural engineering involves learning the theory of structures such as buildings and bridges, and includes computer-aided engineering and structural dynamics, and earthquake and wind engineering analysis and design. Structural engineers carry out performance-based design and study the behavior of structures built using reinforced and prestressed concrete, structural steel, timber, or composites. Moreover, structural engineers are involved in mitigating the impact of natural hazards and extreme weather using advanced structural sensing, hybrid simulation and reliability, to improve infrastructure resilience.

• Dr. Luis Ibarra
• Dr. Chris Pantelides
• Dr. Abbas Rashidi  
• Dr. Xuan "Peter" Zhu

TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

The transportation engineering program in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering emphasis on the applications of state-of-art advancements concerning planning, design, operations, maintenance, and assessment of transportation systems. The faculty conducts research in the area of the transportation system design and modeling, addresses contemporary issues such as shared mobility, vehicle electrification and automation, and stresses the development of computational analytics and problem-solving skill sets. 

• Dr. Cathy Liu
• Dr. Nikola Markovic
• Dr. Juan Medina

WATER RESOURCES  

Water resources engineers plan and design infrastructure systems to provide clean drinking water, collect and treat wastewater, supply water for agriculture, protect from floods, prevent adverse water quality impacts, increase efficiency, address greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate drought impacts. Today’s exciting opportunities for civil engineers include applications of smart technologies, distributed sensor systems, artificial intelligence, natural systems, biotechnology, robots, social sensing, and more to make water systems of all kinds more sustainable and resilient.

• Dr. Michael Barber
• Dr. Brian McPherson  

* The only exception is for MS non-thesis students who have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.

Our Graduate Students Make a Difference

Now a Ph.D. student, Beatriz Fieldkircher sought an internship in the asphalt materials lab at the University of Utah in 2022. Initially driven by the desire to design enduring pavements, Beatriz’s research began to hone in on asphalt’s behavior under varying temperature conditions.

Her research  was recently awarded The Utah Asphalt Pavement Association’s $1,500 One-Time Annual Scholarship—a distinct and prestigious recognition in the state’s engineering and transportation industry .

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Bioscience PhD Programs

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The Bioscience PhD Programs are comprised of the Molecular Biology Program and Biological Chemistry Program. Each program is distinct in its core curriculum and requirements and reach across 11 departments at the University of Utah. The programs allow students to obtain a broad scientific education, yet tailor their training to their specific interests. Students carry out cutting-edge research mentored by world-class scientists, in an environment emphasizing the critical thinking and creativity necessary to become a successful scientist.

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The Bioscience PhD Programs are comprised of the Molecular Biology Program and Biological Chemistry Program. Each program is distinct in its core curriculum and requirements and reach across 11 departments at the University of Utah. The programs allow students to obtain a broad scientific education, yet tailor their training to their specific interests. Students carry out cutting-edge research mentored by world-class scientists, in an environment emphasizing the critical thinking and creativity necessary to become a successful scientist.

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Please Read Statement of Support for Racial Equity from the MB, BC, NP, and MD/PhD Programs

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Https://gradschool.utah.edu/covid-19/, research community updates on coronavirus (covid-19), https://research.utah.edu/coronavirus/, essential research activities -  https://research.utah.edu/coronavirus/essential-research-activities-during-the-covid-19-outbreak.php, guidelines for mandatory researchers on campus -  https://research.utah.edu/coronavirus/guidelines-for-mandatory-researchers-on-campus.php, fall 2020 classes will be in person on campus, with flexibility and a focus on safety, https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/a-return-to-campus-in-fall/,  due to covid-19, currently in person events are cancelled., please see covid-19 central for more informaiton. , news and events archive, the bioscience office staff is working remotely.  please contact us by email with questions about events and changes during this time..

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Department of Economics

College of social and behavioral science, main navigation, program requirements, part i: core program.

The core program consists of 8 courses (24 credits) in Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory, Political Economy, and Econometrics. 7 of these courses should be completed during the first year, with the 8th course (ECON 7800) being completed during second year, or optionally during first year. All Ph.D. students are expected to be full-time during their first year, registering for 9 to 12 credit hours per semester. The full set of graduate courses for the first year of the program is listed below:

Program of Study: 1st Year

Doctoral students are encouraged to take the core course of Econometrics I (Econ 7800) during Spring Semester of their second year, but may choose to complete it during Spring Semester of their first year. 

Qualifying exams covering Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Political Economy are given at the end of the first year of study. They are scheduled during May and June following Spring semester of the first year of study. Students are allowed to retake these exams once. Samples of past qualifying exam questions

Entering students must be proficient in college algebra, introductory calculus, and statistics. Students must take the Mathematics Exam administered by the Department before beginning classes in Fall semester. Students are not required to pass the exam in order to continue with their coursework. The level of required mathematics is described in the document Mathematics Prerequisite

As an aid, the following sample examination can be used as an indicator of the examination students will be required to take prior to being enrolled in the Fall Semester classes: Sample Mathematics Exam

Students who want to refresh their mathematics knowledge or who wish to improve their performance on the exam should enroll in the Department's optional mathematics tutorial course held during the summer before entering Graduate School. The tutorial and the exam are described below: Math Tutorial Class

PART II: Methodology Seminar

Each student must take a course in either Economic History (ECON 7400) or History of Economic Doctrines (ECON 7600 or 7601). This requirement is completed in the student's second or third year. ECON 7400 and ECON 7600 or 7601 are offered in alternative years.

PART III: Elective Coursework

After completing the core, students take elective coursework suited to their particular research interests.  The department regularly offers elective coursework in:

• Development Economics
• International Economics
• Labor/Gender Economics
• Econometrics
• Environment & Natural Resource Economics
• Economic Doctrines
• Advanced Monetary Theory
• Health Economics
• Economic History
• Industrial Organization
• Behavioral Economics

By arrangement with the Graduate Program Director, students may also take graduate level courses in other departments that suit their research interests.  Recent students have completed coursework in Finance, History, and Epidemiology, for example.

In total, following the completion of core courses, students are required to take 24 credit hours (equivalent to eight courses) including the elective and methodology courses and the Research Workshop course.

PART IV: Research Workshops

To facilitate the transition from coursework to original research, all second- and third-year students are required to participate in the research workshops organized by the faculty.  These workshops will vary in detail but typically reflect the department’s emphases in inequality, globalization, and sustainability.  Students and faculty participating in each workshop discuss their developing research, host visiting researchers, and explore emerging topics in their fields. As part of their active participation in these workshops students are required to submit a research idea to their research workshop by the end of the Spring   semester of their second year.  Students must have an extended research abstract approved through their research workshop by the end of their third year. This proposal is then refined and developed in consultation with the faculty, with the goal of producing a publishable research product and/or a dissertation proposal.

Students register for ECON 7900  Research Workshop during Spring Semester of their third year as the culmination of their participation in the research workshops. 

PART V: Dissertation Research

What is satisfactory progress guideposts for students.

The following timeline summarizes the department's description of satisfactory progress in the Ph.D. program. These guideposts are set to help students pace their work in the program (and they may be taken into account in the determination of eligibility of funding).

• Students are expected to pass the core qualifier exams in micro, macro, and political by the end of Spring Semester of their first year. (Students must pass core qualifier exams by the end of the Spring semester of their second year.)
• Students are expected to satisfy elective and methodology course requirements by the end of their third year.
• Students must have a research proposal approved through their research workshop by the end of their third year.
• Students are required to have a dissertation advisor at latest by the beginning of their fourth year.
• Students are expected to defend their dissertation proposal by the end of the Spring semester of their fourth year. The proposal should provide a clear articulation of the topic, expected contribution to the literature, the road map for the completion of the dissertation, and substantive work in one core chapter of the dissertation.
• Students are expected to have the final defense of dissertation by the end of their fifth year.
• See here  for more detailed rules on the Ph.D. Program.

Printable PhD requirements sheet

• Rehabilitation Science (PhD)

College of Health

Our mission.

The mission of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Rehabilitation Science Program is to advance the scientific knowledge underlying the clinical practice of rehabilitation through the development of expertise in research, teaching, and professional service. Applicants should have a strong interest in research, teaching, and service in a rehabilitation-related field. Applicants should also have a master’s or clinical doctoral degree in an area related to the health sciences and rehabilitation (e.g., DPT, MD, etc.). The exceptional student with a bachelor's degree and compelling clinical/research experience in the health sciences will also be considered.

Admissions Information

Potential PhD students should contact a faculty member with a common research interest prior to making application to the PhD program as students will only be accepted to the PhD program under the mentorship of a faculty member. This, however does not guarantee acceptance into the PhD program.

Applicants to the University of Utah PhD in Rehabilitation Science Program will complete an on-line application.

The application and instructions are available here.  More information on graduate admissions is available on the University of Utah Graduate Admissions website and on the Graduate Admissions Application instructions. Please be aware that one unofficial set of transcripts from EACH college that you have attended will need to be uploaded to the application site. Students may enter the PhD Program in Rehabilitation Science in either the fall or spring semester.

Additionally, the online graduate student application has several sections:

• Please fill out the Basic Information Section.
• Program Information - Program of Interest Section: choose “Rehabilitation Science PhD” as the intended graduate program and degree and “Not Applicable” as the emphasis area.
• Academic Interests and Background - Curriculum Vitae-Resume Section: submit a completed copy of the Curriculum Vitae Form .
• Academic Interests and Background - Statement of Purpose Section: submit a written statement (less than 1000 words) describing your professional interests and career aspirations. Include research experiences and interests.
• Academic Interests and Background - Writing-Sample-Essay-Publication Section: submit a publication or a duplicate copy of your Statement of Purpose.
• Recommendations Section: provide the names of 3-5 individuals who will be providing letters of reference.

Requirements for Program Completion

Students admitted to the PhD program will need to complete all courses in the program of study, successfully complete a qualifying examination, and a written and oral dissertation defense. Required coursework includes:

• core courses in a selected area of emphasis
• courses in research design and methods
• rehabilitation science seminars

Further details on the areas of emphasis and plan of study for the PhD program in Rehabilitation Science can be found in the PHD Student Handbook.

Rehab Science Documents

• PhD Student Handbook (pdf)
• Request for Supervisory Committee Form
• RHSCI-PhD Qualifying Examination Record
• Program of Study– Template
• Current Students
• Leave of Absence Request Form

Related Links

• PTAT History & Mission
• Accreditation
• Graduation Statistics

Micah Drummond, PhD

Professor/Director of Graduate Studies

Email: [email protected] Phone: 801-213-2737  

Anatomic Pathology

Anatomic pathology is a medical specialty that is concerned with the diagnosis of disease based on the gross, microscopic, and molecular examination of organs, tissues, and cells.

Clinical Pathology

The Division of Clinical Pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine is one of the largest divisions in the pathology department, under the direction of the Division Head Sherrie Perkins, MD, PhD. The division provides medical oversight of clinical laboratory activities at the University of Utah associated hospitals as well as the ARUP national reference laboratory. The faculty also engage in a broad range of research endeavors. Over 40 clinical and research doctoral faculty provide an integral bridge between clinical care, translational research, and basic science. They play an essential role in the University of Utah and Department of Pathology’s missions to improve patient care and foster research and scholarly activities.

Medical Laboratory Sciences

The Division of Medical Laboratory Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Medical Laboratory Science and a Master of Science degree in Laboratory and Biomedical Science. In the undergraduate program, students gain practical experience in many areas of the clinical laboratory, including chemistry, hematology, coagulation, immunohematology, immunology, microbiology, molecular diagnostics, and other sub-specialties.  Students learn to support the diagnosis and treatment of disease by performing complex testing of tissue, blood, urine, and other body fluid samples. The graduate program offers two tracks, one with an emphasis in clinical laboratory science and one with emphasis in biomedical research. Areas for advanced study and research specialization in the graduate program include immunology, cell biology, molecular biology, clinical chemistry, toxicology, microbiology, hematology, hematopathology, immunohematology, and genetics, among others. Graduate students complete advanced coursework and a laboratory-based thesis research project in their selected area of specialization.

Microbiology & Immunology

The Division of Microbiology and Immunology (M&I) in the University of Utah School of Medicine Department of Pathology provides high quality education and research experiences to qualified students seeking a PhD or master's degree in microbiology and immunology.

Pediatric Pathology

The Division of Pediatric Pathology in the University of Utah Department of Pathology is based at Primary Children's Hospital, which is the referral tertiary and quaternary pediatric hospital for the Mountain West.

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19 Founders Graduate from the Master of Business Creation Online in Summer 2024

Nineteen founders graduated from the Master of Business Creation (MBC) Online at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business following the summer 2024 semester. This is the second group to graduate from the flexile, online option in this unique, affordable and award-winning program designed specifically for entrepreneurs, and follows the May graduation of over 40 students from the MBC program.

The group includes founders of 18 companies. One of the companies had two cofounders who enrolled in the program together. Find a complete listing of the graduates and their startups below.

The MBC program is an academic offering provided by the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy in partnership with the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute . Both are part of the Eccles School, which is ranked among the top 10 schools nationally for entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report and the Princeton Review.

“The online option of the MBC program is growing fast, because it provides the flexibility that founders need to grow their companies at any location and at times that work best for them,” said Paul Brown, director of the MBC program and a faculty member in the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy. “We invite founders everywhere to explore the MBC program and see how it can help them build their business.”

Founders in the MBC program receive mentorship and resources to grow and scale their companies. All benefit from Eccles School courses, applied curriculum workshops, practicum labs, networking opportunities, one-on-one mentoring, access to grants, and the intense learn-by-doing that occurs when lessons are applied to their own businesses.

The MBC program is one of the latest additions to the Eccles School, which celebrates entrepreneurship as a core value and fosters it throughout its undergraduate and graduate programs. The program was recently recognized by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers for “Excellence in Entrepreneurship Teaching and Pedagogical Innovation,” and the program won first place recently in the professional-services category in the Utah Innovation Awards managed by Utah Business and Foley & Lardner.

The MBC program was created to blend the best attributes of a business curriculum with a startup accelerator. The founders develop their startups while taking classes from leading experts and receiving extensive resources and mentorship to help them address their immediate business needs.

“The Master of Business Creation is unlike any other degree,” Brown said. “We designed the program for working entrepreneurs. It is customized to the special needs of a founder who wants to grow their business with help from personalize support, networking opportunities, a great group experience, and access to funding and other resources.”

Sabrina Sherwood is one of the founders to graduate from MBC Online. She is a clinical pharmacist, enrolled from Boise, Idaho, and she is the founder of Idaho Barkery. The company sells gourmet dog treats.

“I enrolled in the MBC program to learn the business side of owning a company,” she said. “As a pharmacist, my experience with business education was limited.”

The MBC program was making a big impact on Sherwood’s business soon after enrolling. “I have already tripled my revenue and number of partnerships since joining the program,” she said while enrolled in the program. “The faculty and mentors are really invested in my success.”

Other graduating founders, husband and wife Matt and Stephanie Eau Claire enrolled from Lehi, Utah. They are cofounders of Clear Water Distilling, a company that creates unique, innovative liquors.

Matt said “the single most valuable thing” he has gained from the program was the simplification of their financial model. Previously, the Eau Claires struggled with a large, complicated financial matrix. After completing the MBC program, they were able to streamline their financial model, aligning it with the language understood by investors, banks and business professionals.

“Having all that coursework apply to your already established business, you can’t beat that model. Other programs are theoretical – most of the coursework is centered around things that are not concrete. In the MBC, you can derive benefits from it almost immediately,” Matt said.

Learn more about the Master of Business Creation and apply at eccles.utah.edu/mbc .

MBC Online Graduates for Summer 2024

Here are the MBC Online startups and the founders that graduated for this period (in alphabetical order by company):

• Bodomint  (Rebecca Waldron, of Costa Mesa, Calif.) – Online premium diaper bag designers and sellers.
• Brooks Haus Entertainment (Brandon Brooks, of South Salt Lake, Utah) – One-stop-shop for artist booking, management and production services.
• Clear Water Distilling Co.  (Matthew Eau Claire, Stephanie Eau Claire, of Lehi, Utah) – A distillery that crafts and sells premium spirits.
• Gforce Learning  (Susan Kingsley, of Salt Lake City) – Software to convert PowerPoint documents into e-learning compatible files.
• Ghost 13  (Landon Hull, of North Salt Lake, Utah) – Limited-edition firearm cases and accessories.
• Griffin Waste Utah (Dane Eyerly, of Highland, Utah) – A dumpster rental and waste hauling business.
• Guided (Connor Chase, of Provo, Utah) – An app that combines meditation with AI to unlock effective and affordable mental well-being.
• Hope in Art Association  (Kassidy Ricks, of Bountiful, Utah) – Art supplies and instruction for women in need to help the healing process of trauma.
• Idaho Barkery  (Sabrina Sherwood, of Boise, Idaho) – Gourmet, all-natural dog treats.
• Leorian Education Refugee Service Provider  (Susan Knott, of Salt Lake City) – Unique curriculum and childcare centers for refugee children.
• Maintain Bicycles  (Michael “Tiger” Chase, of Chatsworth, Calif.) – Mobile bike maintenance and repair.
• Mandala Pies  (Caitlin LaComb, Salisbury, Md.) – Pie bakeries on the Maryland shore.
• securesample  (Arjun Gill, of Fort Collins, Colo.) – Secure fluid-sampling technology.
• Sexy Donut Company  (Christine Mather, of Boulder, Colo.) – Meal and treat preparation service for college students, ordered by parents.
• Small Business To Go  (Jeffrey Lunt, of Salt Lake City) – Marketing and operational services for small businesses.
• Utah Mobile Emissions  (Daniel Diehl, of Lindon, Utah) – Mobile auto-emissions testing.
• Vida  (Samuel Mehr, of Salt Lake City) – Data and analytics platform to connect musical artists with their most committed fans.
• Wonder Arts  (Alexanna Wonder, of Salt Lake City) – Artwork based on tarot, witchcraft, herbalism and nature.

About the David Eccles School of Business

The Eccles School is synonymous with “doing.” The Eccles experience provides a world-class business education with a unique, entrepreneurial focus on real-world scenarios where students put what they learn into practice long before graduation. Founded in 1917 and educating more than 6,000 students annually, the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business offers nine undergraduate majors, four MBAs, eight other graduate programs, a Ph.D. in five areas and executive education curricula. The School is also home to more than 20 institutes, centers and initiatives, which deliver academic research and support an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. For more information, visit Eccles.Utah.edu or call 801-581-7676.

About the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute

The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute is a nationally ranked hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Utah and an interdisciplinary division of the David Eccles School of Business. The first programs were offered in 2001, through the vision and support of Pierre Lassonde, an alumnus of the Eccles School and successful mining entrepreneur. The institute now provides opportunities for thousands of students to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation. Programs include workshops, networking events, business-plan competitions, startup support, innovation programs, graduate seminars, scholarships, community outreach and more. All programs are open to students from any academic major or background. The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute also manages Lassonde Studios, a five-story innovation space and housing facility for all students. Learn more at  Lassonde.Utah.edu .

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