General Program Requirements
The program of study in effect at the time of admission constitutes the minimum course requirements. Additional courses or other work and activities may be required based on the student’s prior academic or professional background, on achievement in the program, or on professional or academic goals. Changes in state certification regulations may also affect a student’s program. All coursework is taken under the guidance and approval of an adviser within the student’s division. Changes to programs of study may require the approval of the division chairperson and the associate dean for academic affairs.
In addition to program-specific requirements for courses and activities, degree- and/or program-specific criteria must be met before degrees are awarded.
Time Limit and Credit Requirements
A master's degree must be completed within a five-year period, beginning with either the student's initial registration in the program or the date on which a course accepted for transfer was completed. The number of credits required for a master's degree depends on the particular program and the student's academic background; however, the minimum number of credits is 30, with no fewer than 24 credits taken at Fordham University as part of the program.
Comprehensive Assessments
Comprehensive, end-of-program assessments, such as the development of a professional portfolio, the completion of comprehensive examinations, or the demonstration of professional competencies, are required in all graduate programs. Students should consult their advisers or division chairperson for specific information regarding format and content of comprehensive examinations/assessments. Students must register to take these assessments during the semester they complete their course requirements or after all coursework is completed. See course registration materials for appropriate call numbers for comprehensive assessments.
If students are not registering for other courses during the semester in which they plan to register for this assessment, they must register for Maintenance of Matriculation. Check the academic calendar for deadlines for registration and for the administration dates. Students who are not successful on these assessments may register to retake them the following semester. If the second assessment is also unsatisfactory, the student's matriculation will be terminated.
Time Limit and Credit Requirements
An advanced certificate must be completed within a five-year period, beginning with either the student's initial registration in the program or the date on which a course accepted for transfer was completed. The number of credits required for an advanced certificate depends on the particular program and the student's academic background; however, the minimum number of credits is 30, with no fewer than 24 credits taken at Fordham University as part of the program.
Comprehensive Assessments
Comprehensive, end-of-program assessments (comps), such as the development of a professional portfolio, the completion of comprehensive essays, or the demonstration of program competencies, are required in all graduate programs. Students should consult their advisers or division chairperson for specific information regarding format and content of comprehensive examinations/assessments. Students must register in advance to take these assessments during the semester they complete their course requirements or after all coursework is completed. See course registration materials for appropriate call numbers for comprehensive assessments.
If students are not registering for other courses during the semester in which they plan to take comps, they must register for Maintenance of Matriculation. Check the academic calendar for deadlines for comps registration and for their administration dates. Students who are not successful on these assessments may register to retake them the following semester. If the second assessment is also unsatisfactory, the student's matriculation will be terminated.
Time Limit and Credit Requirements
Students in Ph.D. or Ed.D. programs must complete all the degree requirements for the specific program within an eight-year period, beginning with the earlier date of either the student's initial registration in the program or the date on which a course accepted for transfer of credit was completed. All doctoral students must complete a minimum of 45 credits beyond the master's degree at the Graduate School of Education.
Permanent Matriculation
Students are admitted to doctoral degree programs on a provisional matriculation basis. During the semester in which provisional doctoral students expect to complete their 12th to 15th credit of doctoral work, they must apply for permanent matriculation status by enrolling in either ASGE 0900, CLGE 0900, CTGE 0900, or PSGE 0900; effective Fall 2021, these administrative courses are graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. Students will be evaluated by the faculty of the appropriate division and will be continued in the program only on the recommendation of the faculty of the division and with the approval of the associate dean for academic affairs. Consult your adviser or division chair for additional information on permanent matriculation.
Research Apprenticeship
After being approved for permanent matriculation, all doctoral students must enroll in Research Apprenticeship (also called Capstone for the CLAIR program). During this apprenticeship, students will conduct research under the direction of a full-time faculty member. Students may also participate in seminars at which prominent researchers from various disciplines will make scholarly presentations.
Comprehensive Qualifying Examinations
After completing all required courses other than the dissertation seminar, students in Ph.D. and Ed.D. degree programs must undergo a comprehensive qualifying examination or equivalent assessment to test the integration of their knowledge of the field of study. Students must register for the examinations by the date indicated in the academic calendar. After passing the comprehensive examinations or assessments, the students are admitted to candidacy for the doctorate. Students who are not successful on these examinations may register to retake them a second time. If the result of the second examination is also unsatisfactory, the student's matriculation will be terminated.
Dissertation Seminar
After completing all required courses and the comprehensive qualifying examinations, doctoral candidates must register for the dissertation seminar offered by their division. While in seminar, they are expected to develop a dissertation proposal that will meet with the approval of seminar faculty.
Students who have not developed an approved proposal after two semesters of seminar may be required to meet with a committee of faculty convened by the division chairperson to determine the future of their studies.
Dissertation Proposal
One outcome of the dissertation seminar is an approved dissertation proposal, which needs to be noted on each student's transcript as ASGE 0999, CLGE 0999, CTGE 0999, or PSGE 0999.
Dissertation Mentoring
Doctoral candidates must engage in original research under the direction of their mentors and dissertation committees. When the candidate's committee determines a dissertation is complete, it is submitted for oral defense (EDGE 0990) and then format review (EDGE 0999). Candidates must pass a final oral defense focusing on their dissertation and field of study. Award of the doctorate requires the satisfactory defense of the dissertation and the final approval of the dissertation document, including format review.
If the dissertation or parts thereof are subsequently published, the preliminary matter of the printed copy must contain a statement that the book or part thereof was part of a dissertation, presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Education in the Graduate School of Education, Fordham University.