Graduate School

Student responsibility

The student is responsible for knowing all regulations and procedures required by the University and the graduate program being pursued. In no case will a regulation be waived or an exception granted because of ignorance of the regulation or of the assertion that the student was not informed by the adviser or other authority. The student should be familiar with information published in the Portland State University Bulletin, including the section on the Graduate School and the section listing the requirements for the degree and the offerings and requirements of the major department. The department chair appoints an adviser for each graduate student to assist in developing the course of study, determining deficiencies, planning the program, and clarifying special regulations. Departments can be expected to have additional degree requirements beyond those listed in the Bulletin.

A graduate student may petition the Graduate Council for the waiver of a University graduate academic regulation or degree requirement. The petition process is an option in unusual cases with extenuating circumstances. A petition is not a remedy for poor advising on the part of an academic unit or poor planning by the student. The responsibility of initiating the petition rests with the student. Petition forms are available from the Graduate School. The decision of the Graduate Council is final.

The University reserves the right to require the withdrawal of any student who fails to accept responsibilities, as evidenced by conduct or scholastic achievement.

Admissions requirements

Graduate admission requirements

Graduate admission is selective and meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. The number of students admitted to a particular program is limited to the resources and space available in each program. All applicants for a graduate degree or certificate program must meet minimum University admission requirements as well as departmental requirements. 

University admission requirements include:

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Minimum GPA. To be considered for Regular admission, applicants must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or the equivalent (on the U.S. 4.0 scale) from the degree granting institution(s). Applicants who have earned 9 or more letter-graded graduate credits must have a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 or the equivalent; this graduate GPA supersedes the undergraduate GPA. Applicants who have a cumulative undergraduate GPA between 2.5 and 2.74 or the equivalent from the degree granting institution(s) are eligible for University Conditional status. After completing 9 letter-graded graduate credits at PSU with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, students with University Conditional status will automatically be given Regular status.
  • Previous PSU students returning after an extended absence can be considered for Academic Forgiveness which will allow up to three terms to be excluded from the cumulative graduate GPA calculation
• Copies of transcripts from all colleges and/or universities attended (except PSU), including junior colleges and community colleges
• $65 application fee + $2 processing fee
• Recommendation for admission from the appropriate graduate program's department

University enrollment requirements include:

• Verification of official transcripts from degree granting institution(s) and all colleges and/or universities attended where any graduate credits were completed
• Proof of English language proficiency as demonstrated by:
  • Completion of a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in Australia, English-speaking Canada, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, or Zimbabwe, or;
  • Completion of Portland State's Intensive English Language Program (IELP) with a 3.50 GPA in all courses and recommendation from the IELP, or;
  • Completion of one of the following exams:
    • International Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), minimum overall score of 80; minimum subscores of 18 in reading and writing
    • International English Testing Systems (IELTS) exam, minimum overall score of 6.5; minimum subscores of 6.5 in reading and writing
    • Pearson Test of English-Academic (PTE), minimum score of 60 overall
    • Duolingo English Test (DET), minimum score of 110
  • Tests more than two years old are accepted if the score exceeds the minimum requirement and the applicant has maintained continuous residency in the United States since the exam date

In cases when a student does not meet University admission requirements, departments may choose to submit a Graduate Admission - Special Approval Request to the Graduate School. This process may only be initiated by a department.

International applicants must also submit:

• Copies of official degree certificates/diplomas
• Certified translation of transcripts and degree certificates/diplomas
• Financial documentation demonstrating adequate financial support for at least the first year of study

Depending on the individual graduate program, additional departmental requirements may include:

• Personal essay or statement of purpose
• Letters of recommendation
• Standardized test scores, e.g. GRE or GMAT
• Resume
• Writing samples
• Portfolio

Three-Year Bridge program

This program is an alternate method of meeting graduate admission requirements. It is designed for international students coming from non-Bologna-compliant three-year baccalaureate degree programs recognized by the Ministries of Education in their home countries. This program comprises approximately one year of academic study intended to bridge the differences between the applicant’s degree and a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree. Students are invited to participate in this program only if they have been recommended for admission by their departments.

1. Students graduating from international educational institutions with thirteen years of pre-collegiate work, 'A-level' passes, and three-year bachelor's degrees are directly admissible to PSU graduate programs if they meet all other university requirements.

2. As a general principle, students with twelve years of pre-collegiate education and three-year bachelor's degrees are admissible to graduate programs at PSU only if they complete one additional year of acceptable coursework.
   a. When additional coursework is required for admission to graduate study, specific courses must be approved by the Graduate School, in consultation with appropriate program/college officials.
   b. Coursework is a year's duration and totals 30 – 42 credit hours, with 16 graduate credits that can be applied towards a graduate degree.

3. 'Special Action' exceptions of Graduate School Conditional Admission could waive the additional year of additional work describe in #2. Requests will be considered on the basis of acceptable evidence that the applicant is judged by appropriate campus authority to possess sufficient academic, professional and other potential pertinent to the applicant's educational objectives to merit such action. 'Special Action’ exceptions require submission of additional information. Examples of additional information needed to support the request for Special Action admission are:
   a. Test score results (GRE general and/or specialty tests; GMAT; departmental placement examinations)
   b. Completion of one year of college-level work at a regionally accredited U.S. university in a field related to the field of application
   c. Department faculty evaluation of a portfolio of the student's work in the field (e.g., published articles, research, creative work, relevant awards, professional licensure)
   d. Department faculty evaluation of coursework taken at the international university (review of syllabi, reading lists, prerequisite preparation, recommendations) and of English communication skills
   e. Commitment of individual faculty members who will act as advisors to the student.

4. All special approval admissions requests under either #2 or #3 above must be initiated by the department and processed through the Graduate School’s admissions system. Requests should include support for why special consideration should be considered.

5. When additional coursework is required for admission to graduate study, specific courses must be approved by the Graduate School, in consultation with appropriate program/college officials. Coursework is a year's duration and totals 30 – 42 credit hours, with 16 of these credits countable towards the graduate program.

6. Admission to Portland State University to complete graduate admission preparation (#2) or with a 'Special Action' exemption (#3) does not confer 'baccalaureate possession' rights or privileges acceptable either for the seeking of an American teaching credential or for transfer to graduate programs at other U.S. higher education institutions. Moreover, students so admitted will not be eligible to earn a baccalaureate degree at the University.

Admission statuses

All admitted graduate certificate and degree students will be assigned one of the following admission statuses:

Regular status

To be considered for Regular status, applicants must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or the equivalent (on the U.S. 4.0 scale) from the degree granting institution(s). Applicants who have earned 9 or more letter-graded graduate credits must have a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 or the equivalent; this graduate GPA supersedes the undergraduate GPA.

University Conditional status

Applicants who have a cumulative undergraduate GPA between 2.5 and 2.74 or the equivalent from the degree-granting institution(s) are eligible for University Conditional status. Students admitted with University Conditional status must achieve a 3.0 cumulative graduate GPA, based on all graduate courses taken at PSU, once they have completed 9 letter-graded graduate credits after admission. Students who meet the University Conditional status GPA requirement will automatically be converted to Regular status. Students with University Conditional status who do not earn a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher once completing 9 letter-graded graduate credits at PSU after admission will have their admission canceled.

Department Conditional status

Department Conditional status may be imposed on a student who has a deficiency in departmental requirements. These conditions may include GPA requirements or additional coursework and may be more rigorous than University Conditional status or other University standards. Department Conditional status is removed once a department determines the appropriate requirements have been met. Students who do not fulfill the requirements of their Department Conditional status can have their admission canceled by the department.

Both University Conditional and Department Conditional status

Students who have both University Conditional status and Department Conditional status are subject to all of the policies stated above. University Conditional status and Department Conditional status are removed independent of each other, and usually not at the same time.

Postbaccalaureate

Students not currently working toward a degree but who wish to register for more than 8 graduate credits per term may be admitted to postbaccalaureate status. A postbaccalaureate student may find departmental enrollment limitations on many courses.

A postbaccalaureate student wishing to be admitted to a graduate certificate or degree program must apply in the same way as any other applicant, meet the general University requirements, and be recommended for admission by the department. Courses completed in a postbaccalaureate status are not automatically applied toward a graduate degree; each course must be evaluated and recommended by the department and is considered pre-admission credit to which all pre-admission limits and requirements apply. See Pre-admission and transfer credit for additional details.

Enrollment

Validation of admission

Students must register for a minimum of 1 credit during their term of admission; failure to do so will result in cancellation of admission.

Graduate grading system

The following grading scale is employed at the graduate level:

A	= 4.00	B-	= 2.67	D+	= 1.33
A-	= 3.67	C+	= 2.33	D	= 1.00
B+	= 3.33	C	= 2.00	D-	= 0.67
B	= 3.00	C-	= 1.67	F	= 0.00

The grading system at the graduate level is defined as follows:

A—Excellent

B—Satisfactory

C—Below graduate standard

D—Failure

F—Failure

The following grades are also used; these marks do not impact the GPA:

P—Pass (B- or better)

NP—No Pass

I—Incomplete

IP—In progress

W—Withdrawal

X—Non-attendance/No basis for grade

M—Missing grade/No grade received

AU—Audit

Academic Forgiveness

Graduate Academic Forgiveness allows a PSU student, who returns after an extended absence, to begin a new graduate program with the benefit of excluding previously earned low grades from their PSU cumulative graduate GPA calculation. There must be, at minimum, a three-year break in registration at PSU between the terms considered for Graduate Academic Forgiveness and the student’s term of admission to a new graduate program.

If Graduate Academic Forgiveness is approved, courses from the applicable terms will remain on the student’s transcript and will be include in attempted hours, but the courses will be excluded from the earned, passed, and GPA hours. A notation on the transcript will identify the courses as excluded from the graduate GPA calculation. A maximum of three terms can be approved for Graduate Academic Forgiveness. Once Graduate Academic Forgiveness is processed and the courses excluded from the graduate GPA calculation, the action is irreversible.

Graduate Academic Forgiveness is applied to all graduate courses in the approved terms, not just those with low grades. Courses approved for Graduate Academic Forgiveness cannot be used toward any current or future graduate degree or certificate requirements at PSU.

A student who has previously been placed on graduate academic probation or disqualification at PSU is not eligible for Graduate Academic Forgiveness for the same program. Graduate Academic Forgiveness cannot be requested after a student has earned a graduate degree or certificate at PSU. A student may receive Graduate Academic Forgiveness only once during their time as a graduate student at PSU, regardless of how many graduate programs they may have participated in.

If Graduate Academic Forgiveness is approved as part of the graduate admission process, the student will be admitted with University Conditional status. After admission, the student must earn a 3.0 graduate GPA or higher in their first 9 letter-graded graduate credits after admission. If the student earns a 3.0 GPA or higher, and has already been approved for Graduate Academic Forgiveness, the approved terms will be excluded from their graduate GPA calculation.

If the need for Graduate Academic Forgiveness is identified post admission, the student must earn a 3.0 graduate GPA or higher in their first 9 letter-graded graduate credits after admission to their new graduate program before being eligible to apply for Graduate Academic Forgiveness. 

Responsibility for dropping courses

It is the student’s responsibility to drop courses they do not wish to attend. Non-attendance does not cancel the tuition charges nor prevent the course from appearing on the student’s academic record.

Non-completion of course

A student who has participated in a course but has failed to complete essential work or attend examinations, and who has not communicated with the instructor, will be assigned the appropriate grade based on coursework completed.

Incompletes

Students do not have a right to receive/demand an Incomplete grade. The option of assigning an Incomplete grade is at the discretion of the instructor when the following criteria are met.

Eligibility Criteria

1. Required satisfactory course completion/participation. The quality of work is satisfactory, but some essential work remains. In addition, the student must have successfully completed most of the course work at the time the student requests the Incomplete, with a minimum grade up to that point of a B- for a graduate course.
2. Reasonable justification for the request. Reasons for assigning the Incomplete must be acceptable to the instructor. A student does not have the right to demand an Incomplete. The circumstances should be unforeseen or beyond the control of the student. The instructor is entitled to request appropriate medical or other documentation to validate the student's request.
3. Incomplete grade is not a substitute for a poor grade. The Incomplete grade is not meant to create the opportunity for special or additional work for a student to raise a poor grade, or for the opportunity to take the course over by sitting in on the course in a later term without registering or paying for it.
4. Written agreement. A written or electronic agreement will be endorsed by both the instructor and student. The document will specify a) the remaining work to be completed, b) the highest grade which may be awarded upon submission of remaining items, and c) the date which the missing work is due. The latter may not exceed one year from the end of the term of enrollment for the given course. A template Incomplete Contract is available from the Registrar. 
5. Resolving the Incomplete. Instructors may not encourage students to "sit in" an entire future course in order to resolve the Incomplete grade. If the student needs to retake the entire course, they should be given the grade presently earned, and must formally register for the future class they will be attending. If the missed portion of the course is no longer available, instructors may offer an alternate assignment. Grading weight of the alternate assignment should not exceed the original assignment. Students are fully responsible for monitoring all due dates. 

Other Rules:

1. GPA Calculation. Incomplete grades are not included when calculating GPA.
2. Deadline for Completion. The deadline for completion of an Incomplete is one calendar year. The instructor may set a shorter deadline, which is binding. Any request for a longer deadline must be requested via petition to the Graduate Council.
3. Failure to make up an Incomplete by the end of one year. The Incomplete will become part of the student's permanent academic record for a graduate course.

Drops and withdrawals

Drops/withdrawals from a course must be initiated by the student. It is the student’s responsibility to drop/withdraw properly by the published deadlines dates.

A student may drop with no record on the transcript up to the end of the second week of the term. As a courtesy, students are advised to notify the instructor concerned of the intended or completed drop.

A student may withdraw for any reason before the end of the seventh week. Withdrawing in the third through seventh week will result in a "W" recorded on the transcript.

A student wishing to withdraw after the seventh week must petition the Deadline Appeals Committee. A "W" is recorded if the petition is approved.

Refunds are automatic and are calculated from the date of official drop/withdrawal. The refund is 100% only if the drop occurs within the first week of the term.

The above deadlines refer to fall, winter and spring terms. For deadlines during summer session, consult the Registrar's Academic Calendar.

No Basis for Grade (X grades)

An X grade indicates No Basis for Grade and is used when there is little or no attendance and there is no work/performance upon which to base an academic evaluation. X grades cannot be changed after initial submission, and other grades cannot be changed to an X.

An auditor may also be assigned an X for insufficient attendance.

Missing Grade (M grades)

If an instructor does not award a grade during the open grading window, an M grade (Missing) is automatically assigned. An M grade will change to a grade of X one term after the M was initially assigned. Once converted to an X, the grade cannot be changed.

A graduate student will not be certified for graduation who has any M grades in PSU graduate courses that could potentially be letter graded, even if the courses are not applied to the student's degree.

Audit (AU)

Graduate students may take any course for which they have the prerequisites and which is open to them on the basis of their admission category on an audit (no-credit) basis. The tuition and fees for auditing courses are the same as for taking the courses for credit, but a student’s load (total credit hours) does not include audit enrollments. Audited courses cannot be used to meet any requirement for degrees or certificates, for required registration for graduate assistants, or for scholarship students. Students cannot receive financial aid for audited courses. During the add-drop period, a student registered for a course for audit may change to credit status or vice versa through the official methods; thereafter, the change cannot be made.

Academic record sealed after degree awarded

PSU academic records are sealed thirty days after the conferral of a degree. After this date, no changes can be made to the academic record, such as removal of Incompletes or grade changes, except via petition to the Graduate Council.

Catalog eligibility

To earn a graduate degree, students must meet the degree requirements published in a single, valid PSU Bulletin (catalog). The requirements in a catalog are valid for seven years; for example, the 2023-24 Bulletin can be used through summer 2030 graduation. Students can only use a catalog year during which they were both admitted and enrolled.

At the time a graduate program has a change to their curriculum approved, they may set more restrictive limits about which set of requirements (catalog year) can be used.

Credit distribution and limitations

Courses applied to any graduate certificate or degree program must be at the 500 or 600 level. Courses at the 700 and 800 level are not acceptable in any graduate certificate or degree programs, with the exception of 800-level courses in the master’s degree programs in the College of Education as well as some M.A.T./M.S.T. programs; these programs may allow a maximum of 6 credits at the 800 level. Student teaching credits cannot be applied to a graduate degree or certificate.

Students who take 400/500 courses at the 500 level must complete distinct requirements from those in the 400-level section. With the exception of coursework taken as part of a bachelors+masters program or pre-admission credits taken while still an undergraduate, graduate tuition is charged for all graduate-level coursework.

At the master’s level, a minimum of 12 credits in a 45-credit program must be taken in residence in 500, 500/600, or 600 course level categories. The remainder of the required credits may be 400/500 courses taken at the 500 level.

Limitations are placed on the number of 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 508, and 509 credits that can be applied to master’s degrees. In a 45-credit program, the limits are as follows: a maximum of 12 credits in 501, 502, and 505 combined; a maximum of 9 credits in 504, 508, and 509 combined; a range of 6 to 9 credits in 503. Courses numbered 60x are included in these limitations.

Repeat of graduate courses

If a graduate course is repeated, the grades awarded both times are included in the GPA. Repeating courses with the sole intent of raising the GPA is not acceptable.

A graduate course cannot be repeated and applied to degree requirements twice unless the course has been approved as repeatable for credit.

If a course offered as a 400/500 level course is taken for credit at the 400 level, the same course cannot be taken again for credit at the 500 level.

Correspondence credit

Under no circumstance will credit earned through correspondence study be acceptable toward a graduate degree or certificate.

Academic load

Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 9-16 credits. Graduate students must obtain approval for registration in excess of 16 credits (graduate and undergraduate credits combined) via the Overload Approval form. A student registering for 17 to 19 credits must obtain the approval from their department chair or faculty adviser. A student registering for 20 credits or more must obtain the approval of their department chair and the Graduate School. A graduate assistant registering for more than 16 credits must obtain approval from their department chair and the Graduate School.

Computer Science and Electrical & Computer Engineering graduate students have a lower maximum registration limit of 10 credits. These students must obtain approval to register for 11 or more credits via the Overload Approval form.

Minimum enrollment

PSU requires that graduate students who are involved in activities requiring faculty time or the use of University facilities register every term (excluding summer), including those engaged in any phase of research, such as collecting or developing data, or when engaged in any aspects of a project, thesis, or dissertation.

After advancement to candidacy, doctoral students must be continuously enrolled for a minimum of 1 graduate credit every term (excluding summer) through the term of graduation.

A minimum of 1 graduate credit of registration is required in any term (including summer) when students are completing a major milestone for the degree such as taking any comprehensive or final examination, when holding a thesis/dissertation proposal or defense, and in the term of final thesis/dissertation submission and graduation.

The student’s department can require additional registration in any given term in relation to the amount of time required of faculty or the use of University facilities.

Enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms

Defenses and exams should be held during regular academic terms, i.e., not between terms. However, if it is necessary to hold a thesis/dissertation proposal or final defense, a final project presentation, or comprehensive/preliminary exams in the period between terms, and all faculty involved in the defense or exam have agreed to participate at this time, graduate programs are allowed to schedule defenses and exams between terms provided the following registration requirements are met by the student. Per the Minimum Enrollment policy, required registration for a defense or exam is a minimum of 1 graduate credit applicable to the degree.

• For defenses and exams held between the end of fall term and the beginning of winter term, the student must be registered in the immediately preceding fall term.

• For defenses and exams held between the end of winter term and the beginning of spring term, the student must be registered in the immediately preceding winter term.

• For defenses and exams held between the end of spring term and the beginning of summer term, the student must be registered in the immediately preceding spring term.

• For defenses and exams held between the end of summer term and the beginning of fall term, the student must be registered in the immediately succeeding fall term.

• The Graduate School identifies summer term as the 8-week summer session defined by the university’s Academic Calendar. For defenses/exams held during summer term, the student must be registered in one of the summer term sessions. Students should be aware that most faculty are not on contract over the summer and may not be available for defenses and exams in summer.

Residency requirements

Residence credit is defined as credit taken at PSU after formal admission to a graduate degree program. Residency requirements are intended to ensure that students work in close association with other graduate scholars in the intellectual environment of PSU.

In a master’s program, to meet the residency requirement a student must earn a minimum of two-thirds of the credits required for the degree after formal admission to a master’s degree program at PSU.

In a doctoral program, the residency requirement can be satisfied in one of the following ways:

• Three terms of full-time enrollment (minimum 9 graduate credits applicable to the degree program each term) during the first two years after admission to the program. This may include one or more summer terms.

• Six terms of part-time enrollment (minimum 1 graduate credit applicable to the degree program each term) during the first two years after admission to the program. This may include one or more summer terms.
• A doctoral student who was enrolled in the same major at PSU, and whose matriculation to the doctoral program immediately follows (within one calendar year) the master's degree program, may fulfill the residency requirement during the period in which the student was enrolled in the master's program.

Pre-admission and transfer credit

Courses taken at any institution, including PSU, before the term of formal admission to a PSU graduate degree program are pre-admission credits. Courses taken at any other institution at any time are transfer credits. Transfer credits must be graduate credit taken at a regionally accredited institution and applicable to a graduate degree program without qualification at the originating institution.

A master’s student must earn a minimum of two-thirds of the credits required for the degree after formal admission to the graduate degree program at PSU and must earn a minimum of two-thirds of the credits required for the degree at PSU. Departments may have stricter limitations.

Pre-admission credits taken at PSU and applied to master's degree requirements must be letter-graded B- or higher or graded Pass. Pre-admission or transfer credits taken at another institution and applied to master's degree requirements must be letter-graded B- or higher (Pass or similar grading methods are not acceptable). All pre-admission and transfer credits (whether taken at PSU or elsewhere) and applied to master’s degree requirements must also meet all the following requirements: must not be used for any other degree at any institution (except for dual master's degrees); must be no older than seven years old at the time the master’s degree is awarded; and must total no more than one third of the required credits for a master' degree program. Otherwise eligible PSU credits applied toward a completed graduate certificate can be applied toward a subsequent master's degree without counting toward the pre-admission limits. For master’s degrees, pre-admission credits taken at PSU are requested via a DARS exception submitted to the Graduate School. This request should be made soon after admission to the graduate program. Transfer courses from another regionally accredited institution are requested via the Proposed Transfer Credit form (GO-21M) submitted to the Graduate School. It is strongly suggested that this form be submitted early in the student’s program. (The M.S.W. program has specific transfer credit allowances resulting from accreditation requirements and inter-institutional agreements, but a minimum of 42 credits applied to the M.S.W. must be taken at PSU.)

For graduate certificates, two-thirds of the required credits, or 15 credits minimum, whichever is larger, must be taken at PSU. Individual programs may set higher minimums. Transfer credits for graduate certificates must be letter-graded B- or higher (Pass or similar grading methods are not acceptable) and must be no older than seven years old at the time the graduate certificate is awarded. Transfer credits from other institutions must be approved by the graduate certificate program and the Graduate School using the Proposed Transfer Credit form (GO-21M). Students are encouraged to apply for and be admitted to graduate certificate programs as early as possible.

For doctoral degrees, pre-admission and transfer limits are at the discretion of the individual doctoral programs; however, 603 Dissertation/606 Project credits, or their equivalent, cannot be transferred from another university. Transfer credits are requested via the Proposed Transfer Credit form (GO-21D) submitted to the Graduate School.

Approved graduate transfer courses from other institutions are not entered on PSU transcripts and are not considered in the computation of PSU cumulative graduate GPA. However, transfer courses are included in the approved program of study for all graduate certificate and degree programs and are used to calculate the program GPA, which must be 3.0 or higher in order to graduate.

Pre-admission and transfer credits from international institutions are subject to the same requirements and limitations. Requests for international pre-admission and transfer credits require additional documentation to facilitate verification of eligibility.

Joint campus courses

Admitted graduate students at PSU may take graduate courses offered by the University of Oregon or Oregon Health and Science University through the Joint Campus registration process. Joint Campus (JC) registration allows PSU students to have a graduate course from UO or OHSU included in their current term enrollment and tuition assessment at PSU. For additional details, see the Graduate School website. JC courses will be listed on the student's PSU transcript, however, JC courses are considered transfer credits for which all transfer credit limitations apply. After the course is completed, students will need to submit a GO-21 form to the Graduate School to request that the JC transfer credits be applied to their program of study at PSU.

Course overlap between degrees and certificates

In specific circumstances, coursework only (not a project, thesis/dissertation, comprehensive exam, or other culminating activity) can be shared between programs. There are limits on the use of eligible graduate courses between graduate programs.

• A graduate course that has been used to meet the requirements for a bachelor’s degree or any undergraduate program cannot be applied to any graduate program (degree or certificate) unless the courses are part of a bachelors+masters program approved by the University, and the student has been admitted to that program.
• Graduate courses can be applied to two master’s degrees only under the dual master's degrees allowance.
• Graduate courses can be applied to a master’s degree and a doctoral degree provided the master's degree is awarded prior to or concurrent with the doctoral degree.
• Graduate courses can be applied to a master’s degree and a graduate certificate.
• Graduate courses can be applied to a master's degree and a post-bac certificate.
• Graduate courses can be applied to a doctoral degree and a graduate certificate.
• Graduate courses can be applied to two graduate certificates unless both graduate certificates are included in a stackable degree program.
• Graduate courses can be applied to more than one doctoral program (at the discretion of both doctoral programs), but the following items must be completed at PSU for each doctoral degree: comprehensive exams, residency, proposal, advancement to candidacy, and dissertation research.

Departments can set more restrictive limits.

Bachelors+masters programs

Bachelors+masters degree programs allow students to complete a bachelor’s and master’s degree at an accelerated pace. Students with upper-division standing may apply to an approved bachelors+masters degree program. The minimum institutional undergraduate GPA for admission to a bachelors+masters program cannot be less than 3.30; beyond the GPA minimum, individual programs will set their own admissions criteria. Students admitted to an approved bachelors+masters program can share a maximum of 20 graduate credits between a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Programs may choose to allow fewer shared credits. Shared credits will be considered pre-admission credits when applied to the master’s degree.

After admission to a bachelors+masters degree program, students must maintain an institutional undergraduate GPA of 3.30 and earn a B or higher in graduate courses taken for shared credit. Students in a bachelors+masters program who are pursuing their first bachelor's degree will be assessed undergraduate tuition for the graduate credits earned while working toward the bachelor's degree. Upon completion of the bachelor’s degree, students who meet those requirements will be guaranteed admission to the master’s program with shared credits. Students who do not meet those requirements would need to apply for admission to the master’s degree program without the benefits of bachelors+masters shared coursework.

Dual master's degrees

A student may work toward the completion of the requirements for two PSU master’s degrees in complementary disciplines or toward a master's degree at PSU and a partner university when there is a formal agreement between the two institutions. Dual master's degrees allow for sharing of credits between the two degrees. The credits to be shared between both master's degrees cannot exceed one-third of the required credits for a degree. If the two degrees have different total credit requirements, the one-third limit is determined by the smaller total credit requirement. Only coursework can be shared between two master's degrees; comprehensive exam, internship, practicum, project, thesis, or other culminating activity cannot be shared. Students are limited to one use of one dual master's degree allowance at PSU. Dual degree credits must be approved by the student's departments and the Graduate School with a Dual Degree Form (GO-14).

Leave of absence

An admitted graduate student in good academic standing may request a leave of absence. A leave of absence (LoA) is a hiatus of a student's studies during which they are not registered and are not engaged in any phase of research or aspects of an exam, project, thesis, or dissertation. A leave of absence provides a guarantee that the student will be allowed to return to their graduate program at the agreed-upon time and exempts the student from the continuous enrollment requirement (applicable only to advanced Ph.D. students). However, a leave of absence does not constitute a waiver of the time limit for completion of a graduate program nor the one-year limit for completion of a course. 

A leave of absence is granted for a specific time period, up to a maximum of three terms (excluding summer). Students may request more than one leave of absence but all leaves combined cannot exceed six terms. A student with an approved leave of absence cannot: register for any coursework; engage in any phase of research or aspects of an exam, project, thesis, or dissertation; or engage in any activities that require faculty time or use of University resources. It is the student's responsibility to drop or withdraw from all courses as well as notify other appropriate offices on campus of their leave status (e.g. Financial Aid).

A Graduate Leave of Absence Request must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the Friday of the second week of the term for which the leave of absence should take effect. A leave of absence will not be approved retroactively.

Re-enrollment

Admitted graduate students who fail to enroll for credits for three consecutive terms (excluding summer) must submit a Graduate Re-Enrollment Request to their department. If this request is supported by their department, the form is signed and forwarded to the Graduate School for processing.

To ensure timely registration, the completed Graduate Re-Enrollment Request should be received by the Graduate School no later than three weeks prior to the start of the term the student wishes to re-enroll.

Per Executive Order 13607, students who are re-enrolling after an interruption due to military service can re-enroll in the same program, with the same enrollment status and the same academic standing, which they had when the military service began if they wish. The period of military service and an additional period of up to three years (limited to five years total), may be excluded from standard University time limits. Students must notify the Graduate School that they are returning from military services (and present appropriate documentation) so that the possible impact on time limits can be identified.

Cancellation of admission to graduate program

If a student does not validate admission by registering and paying for at least 1 credit at PSU in the term of admission, that admission will be canceled unless the student contacts Graduate Admissions and requests that the admission be updated to another term within a one-year period. If the student does not validate admission within a one-year period, the admission will be canceled and the student must submit a new application and a new application fee.

A student with validated admission to a graduate certificate or degree program who during a one-year period (1) does not have an approved leave of absence and (2) does not successfully complete a graduate course in the approved program of study for the degree OR does not make satisfactory progress toward the degree (as determined by the department) may have admission to the degree program canceled. Additionally, a doctoral student who has not been registered for three years will have admission to the degree program canceled. For further information, students are urged to contact individual departments for departmental policies and practices. 

Faculty as student policy

PSU faculty members are encouraged to pursue additional advanced degrees at other institutions. Faculty members above the rank of instructor are not eligible to receive an advanced degree in their own department or school at the University; however, in special circumstances, they may earn a degree in a department or school in which they do not hold an appointment.

Academic Standing

All admitted graduate certificate and degree students at PSU must maintain good academic standing during the course of their graduate program. Good academic standing is defined as maintaining a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.00 or higher in all graduate credits earned at PSU. All graduate students, especially those in a conditional admission status, are expected to keep in close communication with their departments and to avail themselves of departmental advising.

Academic probation

An admitted graduate student is placed on probation if their cumulative graduate GPA at PSU, based on the completion of 9 or more letter-graded graduate credits after admission to the graduate level at PSU, falls below 3.00.

While on academic probation a student will not be permitted to graduate, to be admitted to a new or different graduate certificate or degree program, to be advanced to doctoral candidacy, to have a thesis or dissertation committee appointed, to receive or continue to hold a graduate assistantship, or to register for more than a total of 9 credit hours in any term. A student is removed from academic probation if their cumulative graduate GPA is brought up to 3.00 or higher once they have completed the next 9 letter-graded graduate credits after beginning probation status.

Academic disqualification

Disqualification occurs if:

1. A student on academic probation fails to achieve a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.00 or higher once they have completed the next 9 letter-graded graduate credits after beginning probation status; or
2. A student becomes subject to academic probation for a second time.

A student who is disqualified may not register for any graduate courses at PSU.

Readmission after disqualification

Readmission after disqualification is not automatic. A disqualified student may petition for readmission as a student in a graduate certificate or degree program after one calendar year. Readmission after the mandatory one-year period is initiated by the student's filing of a petition for readmission to the Graduate Council through the Graduate School. Such a petition would need to address the circumstances that led to disqualification and provide evidence of preparedness to resume graduate study.

If a student's graduate program recommends readmission, the Graduate Council may grant readmission, with or without additional academic requirements, or may recommend continued disqualification. A readmitted student must raise the cumulative graduate GPA to 3.00 or higher within the first 12 letter-graded credits after readmission or the student will be disqualified.

Graduate courses completed at other institutions while a student is under disqualification at PSU will not be applied toward a graduate program at PSU.

Academic honesty

Graduate students have a primary, unique relationship and responsibility to the faculty of the academic departments, the faculty upon whose recommendations graduate degrees are awarded. A major feature of the graduate student’s responsibilities to the faculty is the adherence to academic honesty. Academic honesty is a requirement for all graduate activities and assumes that the student is honest, that all coursework and examinations represent the student’s own work, and that all documents supporting the student’s admission and graduation are accurate and complete. Any violation of academic honesty may be subject to disciplinary sanction as provided in the PSU Student Conduct Code.

Violations of academic honesty include but are not limited to:

1. Cheating in examinations and course assignments. The willful use or provision to others of unauthorized materials in written or oral examinations or in course assignments.
2. Plagiarism. The appropriation of language, ideas, and products of another author or artist and representation of them as one’s own original work; failure to provide proper identification of source data; use of purchased or borrowed papers in graduate courses without complete identification of the source.
3. Selling or offering to sell course assignment materials. Selling or offering to sell material to another person; knowing, or under circumstances having reason to know, that the whole or a substantial part of the material is intended to be submitted in fulfillment of a course requirement.
4. Academic fraud. Furnishing false or incomplete information to the University with the intent to deceive; forging, altering, or misusing University documents or academic forms which serve as the basis for admission, course study, or graduation; misrepresenting a person’s identity to an instructor or other University official.

Tuition, fees, and aid

Basic graduate fees

Tuition and fees associated with graduate study at PSU are available from Student Financial Services. The admission application fee is required and is nonrefundable. All newly admitted graduate students are assessed a one-time graduate matriculation fee in their initial term of admission. Graduate tuition and fees assessed each term depend on the total number of credits in enrolled classes, differential tuition, and resident or nonresident status in the state of Oregon.

Financial assistance

Graduate assistantships

The University offers graduate assistantships for teaching, research, and administrative support on a competitive basis for students working toward graduate degrees at PSU. To qualify and to remain eligible for an appointment, a student must be admitted to a graduate degree program, remain in good academic standing, and make satisfactory academic progress towards their degree. Students wishing to apply for graduate assistantships must correspond directly with the appropriate department offering the assistantship.

Scholarships

The Graduate School administers scholarships and awards through our office, and also provides links to external funding source.

WICHE

Under the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Regional Graduate Program agreement, residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Federal States of Micronesia (FSM), Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), The Republic of Palau (PW), South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming admitted to specific degree programs are assessed resident tuition. A full list of approved programs is available on the application form. Completed applications are submitted to the Graduate School.

Graduate programs

The graduate programs offered by Portland State University are listed below.

Graduate Certificates

A graduate certificate program is a linked series of approved graduate-level courses which constitute a coherent body of study with a specific defined focus within a discipline. Candidates for a graduate certificate must earn a minimum of 15 credits in approved graduate courses; many programs have higher minimums. A final project or portfolio may be required to provide for integration of the sequence of course materials.

Master of Arts and Master of Science (M.A. and M.S.)

The University offers programs leading to the Master of Arts and the Master of Science. These programs are designed to develop a mastery of subject matter in a chosen discipline and to provide training and experience in research.

Candidates for the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees must earn a minimum of 45 credits in approved graduate courses; many programs have higher minimums. A thesis may be required, depending on the program. The Master of Arts degree requires a demonstrated proficiency in a second language. Second language proficiency is not required for the Master of Science degree.

Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Science in Teaching (M.A.T. and M.S.T.)

The Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Science in Teaching degrees are designed to combine coursework in the major discipline with coursework in education. To this end, the programs are developed and administered within flexible guidelines to match the needs of students with varying backgrounds and professional plans. All M.A.T. degrees require a demonstrated proficiency in a second language. Second language proficiency is not required for the M.S.T. degree.

A minimum of 45 graduate credits is required. The program of study includes the following:

1. At least 24 graduate credits must be devoted to selected courses in academic fields which strengthen the candidate’s scholarship in a teaching field and related area. This minimum may be higher at the department’s discretion.
2. At least 9 credits of courses in education are required.
3. A final written and oral examination is required.

Professional Master's Degrees

PSU offers a variety of master's degrees which are designed to prepare students for work in professional fields. The programs are designed to develop a mastery of the subject matter in a chosen discipline and to provide practical training and experience in the field. Many professional master's degrees require more than the minimum 45 credits required for all master's degrees at PSU.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded for scholastic achievement based upon the candidate’s proven comprehensive knowledge in a specialized field of study and for creative scholarship through independent research. Judgment of such attainments is based upon the passing of comprehensive examinations and evaluation of a dissertation grounded in independent research.

Professional Doctoral Degrees

A professional doctoral degree is awarded for advanced knowledge and skills designed to address real-world problems. Students demonstrate readiness for completing a culminating project by passing comprehensive examinations. Students then address a problem of practice by completing a culminating project supervised by a combination of faculty and industry leaders.

Degree and certificate requirements

Graduate certificates

There are limits on the use of courses in graduate certificate programs that have not been fully approved through the curricular review process (i.e., courses numbered 501/601 through 510/610). A few graduate certificates require an omnibus course (e.g., 506 Project) as a culminating activity for the program. Apart from these required credits, courses numbered 501/601 through 509/609 are typically not allowed in graduate certificate programs. Experimental courses (i.e., courses numbered 510/610) can substitute for electives at the program's discretion, but all core courses must be fully approved.

All graduate certificates are approved with a minimum number of required credits. These minimum credit totals cannot be waived even if the approved program of study exceeds the University minimum of 15 credits for a graduate certificate.

Graduate certificate students must have a minimum 3.00 GPA on all courses applied to the program of study, as well as a minimum 3.00 GPA in all graduate-level courses taken at PSU, in order to graduate. Departments may establish a more rigorous standard. Although grades of C+, C, and C- are below the graduate standard, they may be counted as credit toward a graduate certificate with the specific written approval of the program. Grades of D or F indicate clearly unacceptable work and cannot be applied to graduate certificate requirements. Audited courses cannot be used to meet any requirement for graduate certificates.

Courses completed up to seven years prior to the certificate award date may be used to satisfy graduate certificate requirements (e.g., a course started in the fall term of 2016 will be beyond the seven-year limitation at the close of fall term 2023).

For graduate certificates, transfer credit is defined as any eligible letter-graded (B- or higher) graduate course taken at another regionally accredited institution. Two-thirds of the credits required for a graduate certificate, or 15 credits minimum, whichever is larger, must be taken at PSU. Individual programs may set higher minimums. See the section on Course overlap between degrees and certificates for use of coursework in certificate programs.

Students must apply for graduation by the first Friday of the anticipated term of graduation; see the Graduation Dates and Deadlines for specific due dates. There is a required $30 fee per application as well as a $2 service charge. As a one-time courtesy, students who do not complete certificate requirements can have their application for graduation carried forward to a future term (typically the next term, but it could be at maximum up to one year in advance). To request that an application for graduation be carried, students must contact the Graduate School in writing and provide an explanation for the graduation delay. If students do not graduate a second time, the application for graduation will be dropped; they will then need to reapply for graduation by the appropriate deadline (and will be assessed a new application fee).

Master’s degrees

Second language requirement

The second language requirement for M.A. and M.A.T. students must be met before any final exam is taken or final graduation paperwork can be approved.

The Department of World Languages and Literatures has determined that the second language requirement for M.A. and M.A.T. students can be met in the following ways:

1. Equivalent coursework: Students who have passed a course equivalent to PSU level 203 or higher in a second language will be deemed to have met the language requirement. The Graduate School will certify completion upon evaluation of the student’s academic record if the requirement was completed at PSU. If the requirement was completed at a different institution, the Department of World Languages and Literatures will issue a certificate of completion. M.A. and M.A.T. students are responsible for making their academic records available in the first term of admission and requesting evaluation and certification.
2. Students who do not meet the requirement under 1. above should make an appointment with the Department of World Languages and Literatures during the first term after their admission to make an individualized plan for the completion of their language requirement. Options include preparing for and passing one of these evaluations:
   1. Oral proficiency interview
   2. A written test such as
      1. The Graduate Student Foreign Language Test
      2. The CLEP exam
      3. A special exam, administered by the Department of World Languages and Literatures
   3. Coursework after admission: taking a course at level 203 or above in residence or abroad
   4. Special reading courses, if available.

The Department of World Languages and Literatures will teach and test only in languages in which it has expertise. However, off-campus arrangements may be possible with the cooperation of other institutions and the approval of the chair of the Department of World Languages and Literatures. Certification of having passed a second language examination from an institution other than PSU must be approved by the Department Chair of World Languages and Literatures.

A student whose native language is not English may meet the second language requirement in English, except for students in the M.A. in World Languages and Literatures, who are required to demonstrate fluency in two foreign languages other than English at the time of admission and are not required to demonstrate additional competency except as necessary to complete their degree requirements.

Coursework and program of study

In the first year a student should prepare a proposed program of study in consultation with an adviser. The purpose of the planned program of study is to present an organized, individualized plan for coursework, practica, and research activities consistent with the requirements for the proposed degree and approved by the adviser.

If PSU pre-admission credits are to be included on the program of study, the department must submit a DARS exception to the Graduate School. If transfer credits (courses taken at any time from another regionally accredited institution) are to be included on the program of study, the Proposed Transfer Credit form (GO-21M) must be submitted to the Graduate School for approval. See Pre-admission and transfer credit for detailed information.

All master's degrees are approved with a minimum number of required credits. These minimum credit totals cannot be waived even if the approved program of study exceeds the University minimum of 45 credits for a master's degree.

A student must have a minimum 3.00 GPA on the courses applied to the program of study, as well as a minimum 3.00 GPA in all graduate-level courses taken at PSU, in order to graduate. Departments may establish a more rigorous standard. Although grades of C+, C, and C- are below the graduate standard, they may be counted as credit toward a master’s degree with the specific written approval of the department if taken at PSU after the term of formal admission to the graduate program. Grades of D or F indicate clearly unacceptable work and cannot be applied to graduate degree requirements. Audited courses cannot be used to meet any requirement for master’s degrees.

A grade of IP (In Progress) may be used for 501 Research and for 506 Project when a student is progressing in an acceptable manner toward completion of the work; final grades for 501 and 506 credits are submitted by the instructor via an online grade change. An IP grade must be used for 503 Thesis when a student is progressing in an acceptable manner; final grades for 503 credits are assigned by the instructor on the Recommendation for the Degree form (GO-17M) and posted to the student’s transcript after approval of the thesis and certification for graduation by the Graduate School.

All coursework applied to the master’s degree program must be completed within the seven years prior to the awarding of the degree (e.g., a course started in the fall term of 2016 will be beyond the seven-year limitation at the close of fall term 2023).

Degree application

Students must apply for graduation by the first Friday of the anticipated term of graduation; see the Graduation Dates and Deadlines for specific due dates. There is a required $30 fee per application as well as a $2 service charge.

As a one-time courtesy, students who do not complete degree requirements can have their application for graduation carried forward to a future term (typically the next term, but it could be at maximum up to one year in advance). To request that an application for graduation be carried, students must contact the Graduate School in writing and provide an explanation for the graduation delay. If students do not graduate a second time, the application for graduation will be dropped; they will then need to reapply for graduation by the appropriate deadline (and will be assessed a new application fee).

Human Research Protection Program

All research involving human subjects conducted by faculty, staff, or students in any program at PSU must have Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) approval. This policy applies to all research under the auspices of the University, including surveys and questionnaires, whether supported by grant, contract, gift, University, or personal funds. The student should allow a minimum of six weeks for the approval process. A student cannot have a thesis committee appointed until HRPP approval is granted.

Final examination

If a final examination is required by the student’s department, it must be taken after successful completion of any required second language examination and after at least 30 credits have been completed. The examination is not a re-examination over coursework but rather a test of the candidate’s ability to integrate material in the major and related fields, including the work in any thesis or research project. A minimum of 1 graduate credit of registration is required when taking any final oral or written examination.

Oral examinations

In the case of a non-thesis oral examination, the committee must consist of at least two members of the student’s department, including the student’s adviser. At the discretion of the department, a faculty member from another department may be added. For M.A.T. and M.S.T. students, one additional member of the committee is required to be a faculty member from the College of Education or a faculty member with pedagogical expertise in the student’s discipline.

A non-thesis final oral examination (including a final project presentation) should be held during a regular academic term. If necessary, a final examination can be scheduled between terms; see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms. Examinations must be scheduled and completed by the Friday of finals week for graduation in that term. For summer term graduation, the deadline applies to the regular eight-week summer session dates, i.e., exams must be scheduled and completed by the Friday of the eighth week of summer term.

Passing of the final oral examination requires a majority approval. If the student fails the entire examination or any section thereof, the department may dismiss the student from the master’s program or permit the student to repeat the entire examination, or the section that was failed, after a minimum of three months. The results of the second examination are final.

Written examinations

If a final written examination is required, it should be held during a regular academic term. If necessary, a final examination can be scheduled between terms, see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms. Examinations must be scheduled and completed by the Friday of finals week for graduation in that term. For summer term graduation, the deadline applies to the regular eight-week summer session dates, i.e., exams must be scheduled and completed by the Friday of the eighth week of summer term.

If the student fails the entire examination or any section thereof, the department may dismiss the student from the master's degree program or permit the student to repeat the entire examination, or the section that was failed, after a minimum of three months. The results of the second examination are final.

Thesis

The presentation of a thesis as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the master’s degree is required in certain departments and is an option in others. Each school, college, and department defines the nature of research and scholarship accepted for a thesis, but in all cases a high level of resourcefulness, productivity, and mature perception of the discipline is expected. The quality of the culminating work must meet University standards and reflect those of other leading universities. Although the thesis is not required to show original results, it must reveal independent investigation, including the knowledge and application of the accepted methods of scholarship and research methodology. The thesis represents the independent work of the student and must be developed under the direction of the thesis adviser.

The thesis committee must be approved by the Graduate School using the Appointment of Master's Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation Committee form (GO-16) in advance of the thesis defense. Master’s thesis committees must consist of at least three and not more than five faculty members. The chair of the thesis committee must be regular, full-time PSU instructional faculty, tenured or tenure track, assistant professor or higher in rank; the other two to four committee members may be non-tenure track or adjunct faculty. Two of the committee members (the committee chair and one other member) must be from the student’s department; the third member may be from the student’s department or may be PSU faculty from another department or OHSU faculty. If it is necessary to go off campus for one additional committee member with specific expertise not available among PSU faculty, a CV for that proposed member must be submitted with the GO-16 form; this member must be in addition to the required three PSU faculty members. All committee members must have master’s degrees or higher.

No thesis defense shall be valid without a thesis committee approved by the Graduate School. The GO-16 form must be submitted to the Graduate School by the appropriate deadline for the intended term of graduation; see Graduation Dates and Deadlines for specific dates. 

Students must be registered for at least 1 graduate credit in every term in which they are working on any phase of their thesis, including data development or collection, writing, revision, defense, and finalization through approval by the Graduate School. Students must register for at least 6 to 9 credits of 503 Thesis in their department. (Since students must be continuously enrolled while working on the thesis, they may accumulate more than 9 credits of 503 Thesis. However, a maximum of 9 credit of 503 Thesis may be applied to the program of study.) IP (In Progress) is the interim grade reported until the thesis is defended and approved by the student’s thesis committee. Final grades for 503 Thesis credits are assigned by the instructor on the Recommendation for the Degree form (GO-17M) and posted to the student’s transcript after approval of the thesis and certification for graduation by the Graduate School. 

A thesis defense should be scheduled during a regular academic term, no later than five weeks prior to the close of the term of application for graduation in which the degree will be granted (i.e., must be completed four weeks before the beginning of finals week). For summer term graduation, deadlines apply to the regular eight-week summer session dates. Later completion will result in graduation in a subsequent term. If necessary, a thesis defense can be scheduled between terms; see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms. The student must deliver a final draft of the thesis to all members of the approved committee no fewer than 14 days before the thesis defense. See Oral Defenses of Theses and Dissertations for additional information on defense policies and procedures. 

A thesis defense must take place in a meeting with the student and the entire, appointed committee. While it is expected that all members should be physically present, remote participation is permitted under specific conditions. The student’s oral presentation should not exceed 60 minutes. The thesis defense is open to the University faculty and may be open to the public at the department’s discretion. Passing of the thesis defense requires a majority approval. If the student fails the thesis defense, the department may dismiss the student from the master’s program or permit the student to hold a second defense after a minimum of three months. The results of the second defense are final.

After passing the thesis defense, the student will be required to make any necessary edits and revisions. The final, post-defense version of the thesis must be approved by committee members by signing the Thesis Signature Page. For final approval, a majority of committee members must sign the Thesis Signature Page.  

The final thesis must be submitted to the Graduate School not later than three weeks prior to the close of the term of application for graduation. See the Graduation Dates and Deadlines for specific dates. For details about thesis formatting and submission, see the Thesis and Dissertation Information available from the Graduate School.

Doctoral degrees

Preliminary examinations

Early in the doctoral program the student may be required to take preliminary examinations. The scope and content of the examination, and the standard of performance, is determined by the doctoral program. Preliminary exams should be held during regular academic terms. If necessary, preliminary exams can be scheduled between terms; see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms. 

Advisory committee

When a student enters the doctoral program, a faculty adviser will be designated by the program to advise the student and to meet in regular consultation concerning the program of study and research. It is recommended that students also have an advisory committee appointed that should consist of at least three faculty members representative of the student’s field of study. The members of the advisory committee should be appointed after successful completion of 9 credits and not later than six months prior to the completion of the comprehensive examinations.

Language requirement

For the Ph.D. degree, the student may be required to demonstrate competency in at least one second language. Any second language requirement must be completed before the comprehensive examinations. Professional doctoral programs do not have a second language requirement. 

Residency requirement

Residency for a doctoral degree program can be satisfied in one of the following ways:

• Three terms of full-time enrollment (minimum 9 graduate credits applicable to the degree program each term) during the first two years after admission to the program. This may include one or more summer terms.
• Six terms of part-time enrollment (minimum 1 graduate credit applicable to the degree program each term) during the first two years after admission to the program. This may include one or more summer terms.
• A doctoral student who was enrolled in the same major at PSU, and whose matriculation to the doctoral program immediately follows (within one calendar year) the master's degree program, may fulfill the residency requirement during the period in which the student was enrolled in the master's program.

Coursework and doctoral program of study

The doctoral program of study includes coursework, research, internships, and/or seminar credits according to the requirements of the individual doctoral program. A minimum of three academic years of graduate study beyond the bachelor’s degree (equivalent to 81 quarter credits minimum) is required for all doctoral degrees. A minimum 27 credits of 603 Dissertation is required for all Ph.D. students; a minimum of 18 credits of 606 Project is required for all professional doctoral students. 

All doctoral degrees are approved with a minimum number of required credits. These minimum credit totals cannot be waived even if the approved program of study exceeds the University minimum of 81 credits for a doctoral degree.

For doctoral degrees, pre-admission and transfer limits are at the discretion of the individual doctoral programs; however, 603 Dissertation/606 Project credits, or their equivalent, cannot be transferred from another university. Transfer credits are approved via a Proposed Transfer Credit form (GO-21D) submitted to the Graduate School. See Pre-admission and transfer credit for detailed information. While potentially all coursework for the degree can be transferred from another institution, the following items must be completed at PSU: comprehensive exams, residency, proposal, advancement to candidacy, and dissertation/project research.

A student must have a minimum 3.00 GPA on the courses applied to the program of study, as well as a minimum 3.00 GPA in all graduate-level courses taken at PSU, in order to graduate. Doctoral programs may establish a more rigorous standard. Although grades of C+, C, and C- are below the graduate standard, they may be counted as credit toward a doctoral degree with the specific written approval of the doctoral program. Grades of D or F indicate clearly unacceptable work and cannot be applied to graduate degree requirements. Audited courses cannot be used to meet any requirement for doctoral degrees.

A grade of IP (In Progress) may be used for 601 Research and for 606 Project when a student is progressing in an acceptable manner toward completion of the work; final grades for 601 and 606 credits are assigned by the instructor via an online grade change. An IP grade must be used for 603 Dissertation when a student is progressing in an acceptable manner; final grades for 603 Dissertation credits are assigned by the instructor on the Recommendation for the Degree form (GO-17D) and posted to the student’s transcript after approval of the dissertation and certification for graduation by the Graduate School.

All coursework on the program of study, with the possible exception of seminar and internships, must be completed before a Ph.D. student can be advanced to doctoral candidacy. All coursework on the program of study must be satisfactorily completed before graduation.

For students entering a Ph.D. program with a master’s degree, a maximum of five years will be allowed from admission to completion of all required comprehensive examinations. For students entering a Ph.D. program with a bachelor’s degree, a maximum of two additional years will be added to this limit, for a maximum of seven years from admission to completion of all comprehensive examinations. For students entering a professional doctoral program, a maximum of four years will be allowed from admission to completion of all required comprehensive examinations. Failure to meet these time limits will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.

Comprehensive examination

Before advancement to candidacy and not less than one academic year before all requirements for the doctoral degree are expected to be completed, the student must pass a series of comprehensive examinations in the field of specialization. The examinations may be written, oral, or both. The comprehensive examinations may not be taken until the language requirement, if any, and substantially all the coursework for the degree have been completed. Students must be registered for a minimum of 1 graduate credit during the term comprehensive exams are taken. Comprehensive exams are scheduled and administered in accordance with the established rules of the program, which must be made publicly available to students via the program’s website or doctoral student handbook. Comprehensive exams should be held during regular academic terms. If necessary, comprehensive exams can be scheduled between terms; see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms. The doctoral program must notify the Graduate School the student has passed comprehensive exams by submitting the Report on Passing Comprehensive Examinations form (GO-22).

If the student fails the entire comprehensive exam or any section thereof, the doctoral program may dismiss the student from the degree program or permit the student to repeat the entire examination, or the section that was failed, after a minimum of three months. The results of the second examination are final.

For Ph.D. students, a maximum of three years will be allowed from the completion of comprehensive examinations to advancement to candidacy. For professional doctoral students, a maximum of five years will be allowed from the completion of comprehensive examinations to graduation. Failure to meet these time limits will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.

Culminating Project

Professional doctoral students will complete a culminating project in partial fulfillment of degree requirements.

After passing the comprehensive examination and identifying a culminating project topic, a project committee is appointed. The project committee will take the place of the advisory committee and the faculty adviser is superseded by the project adviser.

The culminating project committee must consist of three to five members. The chair must be a PSU tenure track or non-tenure track faculty member. Potentially all of the regular committee members can be off-campus members. At least two committee members (the chair and a regular member) must have doctoral degrees.  At the discretion of the program, the designation of co-chair can be used for one regular member of the committee. The designation of co-chair recognizes the significant academic advising role of the committee member, but oversight of the process and procedures and all administrative responsibilities remains with the chair.  

A proposal is not required for a culminating project, but some programs may develop their own internal proposal process. Professional doctoral students are not advanced to candidacy, but they are required to obtain Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) approval if appropriate (see below).  

With guidance from the culminating project committee, the student prepares a project designed to address a problem of practice. Until the degree is granted, the student enrolls for the number of graduate credits appropriate to the amount of University services utilized, as determined by the project chair, with a minimum of 1 graduate credit each term. Professional doctoral students must register for 18 credits of 606 Project before graduation. 

For professional doctoral students, a maximum of five years will be allowed from the completion of comprehensive examinations to graduation. Individual programs may have stricter limits. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.

Dissertation proposal

Ph.D. students will complete a dissertation in partial fulfillment of degree requirements. 

After passing the comprehensive examination and identifying a dissertation topic, a dissertation committee is appointed and the student must pass a proposal defense (some programs refer to the proposal defense as a prospectus or colloquium). The dissertation committee will take the place of the advisory committee and the faculty adviser is superseded by the dissertation chair. The dissertation committee must be approved by the Graduate School using the Appointment of Master's Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation Committee form (GO-16).

Ph.D. dissertation committees must consist of at least four and not more than six faculty members. The chair of the dissertation committee must be regular, full-time PSU instructional faculty, tenured or tenure track, assistant professor or higher in rank; the other three to five committee members may include non-tenure track or adjunct faculty and/or members of the OHSU faculty. If it is necessary to go off campus for a committee member with specific expertise not available among PSU faculty, a CV for that proposed member must be submitted with the GO-16 form; this off-campus member may substitute for one of the three to five regular committee members. All committee members must have doctoral degrees. At the discretion of the program, the designation of co-chair can be requested on the GO-16 form for one regular member of the committee. The designation of co-chair recognizes the significant academic advising role of the committee member, but oversight of the process and procedures and all administrative responsibilities remains with the chair. 

No proposal defense shall be valid without a dissertation committee approved by the Graduate School. The GO-16 form should be submitted to the Graduate School a minimum of six weeks in advance of the estimated date of the dissertation proposal meeting. The student must deliver a draft of the dissertation proposal to all members of the approved committee no fewer than 14 days before the proposal defense.

A dissertation proposal should be scheduled during a regular academic term. If necessary, a dissertation proposal can be scheduled between terms; see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms. 

A dissertation proposal must take place in a meeting with the student and the entire, appointed committee. While it is expected that all members should be physically present, remote participation is permitted under specific conditions. The student will make an oral presentation of the written proposal for discussion, evaluation, and suggested modification. The final proposal submitted to the committee for approval should be sufficiently detailed and clear to provide a blueprint for the study to follow. The proposal is expected to include the following:

1. General nature and present status of knowledge of the problem.
2. The theoretical and empirical framework within which the proposed problem exists.
3. The significance of the proposed research and its likely contributions.
4. The research methodology to be used.

The Ph.D. program recommends the student for advancement to candidacy once the dissertation proposal has been approved.

Human Research Protection Program

All research involving human subjects conducted by faculty, staff or students in any program at PSU must have Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) approval. This policy applies to all research under the auspices of the University, including surveys and questionnaires, whether supported by grant, contract, gift, University, or personal funds. After proposal approval, the student must submit a HRPP application to the Office of Research Integrity if human subjects are involved in the research in any way. A student cannot be advanced to candidacy until HRPP approval is granted. The student should allow a minimum of six weeks for the approval process.

Advancement to Candidacy

A student is advanced to candidacy after successful defense of the dissertation proposal and with the recommendation of the Ph.D. program, after verification of the student’s program of study, and after HRPP approval has been granted (if applicable). The Ph.D. program must request advancement by submitting the Request for Advancement to Candidacy form (GO-23) to the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School retains final approval authority for advancement to candidacy.

A doctoral candidate has a minimum of four months and a maximum of five years from the effective date of advancement to candidacy to complete all requirements for graduation, including defense of the dissertation and its final approval by the Graduate School (doctoral programs may have stricter requirements). Candidates must be continuously enrolled during that period. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.

Dissertation preparation

With guidance of the dissertation committee, the candidate presents a dissertation setting forth the results of original and independent investigation. The dissertation must constitute a contribution to knowledge, significantly enlarging, modifying, or reinterpreting what was previously known. Until the degree is granted, the student enrolls for the number of graduate credits appropriate to the amount of University services utilized, as determined by the dissertation adviser, with a minimum of 1 graduate credit each term. Ph.D. students must register for a minimum of 27 credits of 603 Dissertation before graduation. Continuous enrollment of a minimum 1 graduate credit is required through the term a student graduates, even if this results in more than 27 credits of 603 Dissertation at the time of graduation. Ph.D. students should only register for 603 Dissertation credits after advancement to candidacy.

Degree application

All doctoral students must apply for graduation by the first Friday of the anticipated term of graduation; see the Graduation Dates and Deadlines for specific due dates. There is a required $30 fee per application as well as a $2 service charge.

As a one-time courtesy, students who do not complete degree requirements can have their application for graduation carried forward to a future term (typically the next term, but it could be at maximum up to one year in advance). To request that an application for graduation be carried, students must contact the Graduate School in writing and provide an explanation for the graduation delay. If students do not graduate a second time, the application for graduation will be dropped; they will then need to reapply for graduation by the appropriate deadline (and will be assessed a new fee).

Dissertation defense

After preparation of the written dissertation, the candidate’s dissertation committee will conduct a dissertation defense. A dissertation defense should be scheduled during a regular academic term, no later than five weeks prior to the close of the term of application for graduation in which the degree will be granted (i.e., must be completed four weeks before the beginning of finals week). For summer term graduation, deadlines apply to the regular eight-week summer session dates. Later completion will result in graduation in a subsequent term. If necessary, a dissertation defense can be scheduled between terms; see information about enrollment for defenses and exams held between terms. The student must deliver a final draft of the dissertation to all members of the approved committee no fewer than 14 days before the dissertation defense. See Oral Defenses of Theses and Dissertations for additional information on defense policies and procedures.

The dissertation defense, which is open to the public, is the culminating experience in the student's Ph.D. studies. The candidate is expected to prepare an oral presentation on the research methodology and results. The oral presentation should not exceed 60 minutes. Following the oral presentation, the candidate must defend the dissertation as a worthy contribution to knowledge in its field and must demonstrate a mastery of the field of specialization as it is related to the dissertation. The questioning and discussion are for the purpose of further enlightenment of the candidate and the committee on the significance and limitations of the research and demonstration that the candidate has met the high expectations of the University for the awarding of the doctoral degree.

A dissertation defense must take place in a meeting with the student and the entire, appointed committee. If there is a need to update dissertation committee membership from what was originally approved on the GO-16 form, the update must be approved by the Graduate School before the final defense. While it is expected that all members should be physically present, remote participation is permitted under specific conditions. For dissertation approval, there may be no more than one dissenting vote on the dissertation defense. If the student fails the dissertation defense, the doctoral program may dismiss the student from the program or permit the student to hold a second defense after a minimum of three months. The results of the second defense are final.

After passing the dissertation defense, the student will be required to make any necessary edits and revisions. The final, post-defense version of the dissertation must be approved by committee members by signing the Dissertation Signature Page. For final approval, there may be no more than one committee member who does not approve the final, post-defense version of the dissertation by not signing the Dissertation Signature Page.  

The final dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate School not later than three weeks prior to the close of the term of application for graduation. See the Graduation Dates and Deadlines for specific dates. For details about thesis formatting and submission, see the Thesis and Dissertation Information available from the Graduate School.

Time limitations

Time limitations for Ph.D. students:

For students entering a Ph.D. program with a master’s degree, a maximum of five years will be allowed from admission to completion of all required comprehensive examinations. For students entering with a bachelor’s degree, a maximum of two additional years will be added to this limit, for a maximum of seven years from admission to completion of all comprehensive examinations. Individual programs may have stricter requirements. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the program.

A maximum of three years will be allowed from the completion of comprehensive examinations to advancement to candidacy. Individual programs may have stricter requirements. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the program.

A Ph.D. candidate has a minimum of four months and a maximum of five years from the effective date of advancement to candidacy to complete all requirements for graduation, including defense of the dissertation and its final approval by the Graduate School. Individual programs may have stricter requirements. Candidates must be continuously enrolled during that period. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the program.

Time limitations for professional doctoral students:

For professional doctoral students, a maximum of four years will be allowed from admission to completion of all required comprehensive examinations. Individual programs may have stricter limits. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.

For professional doctoral students, a maximum of five years will be allowed from the completion of comprehensive examination to graduation. Individual programs may have stricter limits. Failure to meet this time limit will result in cancellation of admission to the doctoral program.