The Ph.D. degree requires a level of knowledge and of research ability evidenced by examination and by the preparation of a dissertation. The Graduate School, itself, has no explicit major course credit requirement, but expects a solid program of coursework as preparation for the preliminary examinations and dissertation. The Graduate School expects the equivalent of about 30 semester credits of graduate work in the major and requires at least 12 semester credits in a minor or "supporting program." Credits earned in a Master's program may be counted toward these requirements. In addition, a student must enroll for 24 semester doctoral thesis credits.

A proposed course of study must be filed as an official "Degree Program" with the Graduate School before the preliminary Ph.D. oral examination. Most students file their Degree Program during fall of their third year of the program.

The Graduate School requires the completion of all Ph.D. requirements and conferral of the degree within five calendar years following the semester in which the student passes the preliminary oral examination. During this period the student is officially a "Ph.D. Candidate."

The Graduate School requires registration for at least three semesters in the University of Minnesota Graduate School. If work is transferred from other schools, either the first two years or the last year of the Ph.D. registration must be spent in residence at the University of Minnesota.

Some other Graduate School requirements are included below as requirements of the School of Statistics. For details of Graduate School requirements, see the section concerning the Ph. D. Degree in the Graduate School Bulletin. Students are advised to read these sections carefully.

School of Statistics Requirements

All programs are planned with the aid of an adviser and must be approved by the adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies. Note: the requirements for the Ph.D. program were revised during spring of 2006; this page describes the requirements for students entering in Fall 2006 or later.

Major Coursework for Ph.D.

A Ph.D. program in statistics shall include the following courses or equivalent material:

Stat 8051-8052-8053-8054	Applied Statistical Methods I, II, III, IV (4-4-4-2 cr)
Stat 8101-8102	Theory of Statistics I, II (4-4 cr)
Stat 8111-2	Mathematical Statistics I, II (3-3 cr)
Stat 8802	Statistical Consulting (2 cr)
Stat 8055	Applied Project (2 cr)
Stat 8913	Literature Seminar (1 cr/semester in the second and third years)

In addition, a program must include a minimum of 12 credits in advanced elective courses approved by the DGS (generally 8-level statistics courses or equivalent).

Minor or Supporting Program

A supporting program consists of a minimum of 12 credits. If all 12 credits are taken in one field, it may be possible to designate the supporting program a "minor." A minor field program must be approved by the student's adviser and the Directors of Graduate Studies for both Statistics and the minor area. A supporting program need only be approved by the student's adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies in Statistics.

We strongly recommend that Math 8651-2 (Theory of Probability Including Measure Theory) be part of the supporting program.

Grade Point Average

Ph.D. graduate students are expected to maintain a GPA of 3.00 or better in courses included in their Degree Program. Students may take 8802 and at most 4 elective credits as S-N.

Language

Ph.D. Preliminary Written Examination

The preliminary written examination for the Ph.D. degree is based on the material covered in Stat 8051-2 and Stat 8101-2. The exam is normally given at the end of the spring Semester, and students take the exam after their first year. The exam is typically given in three sessions, of which one is of the "take home" type. A student who fails this examination will normally be allowed to retake it only once.

Ph.D. Preliminary Oral Examination

This exam covers both major and minor fields and is given by a committee that includes at least three members from the major field and at least one member from the minor or supporting program field. The exam must be taken at least one full semester before the degree is conferred.

The Preliminary Oral Exam is based on a thesis proposal. The student, proposing an area of research, prepares this written document. The proposal should describe the student's research area, discuss critically the relevant literature, explain the student's research objectives, and describe initial approaches to the research objectives. The proposal is prepared in consultation with the advisor and other committee members. The proposal need not contain research results and does not limit the student's Ph.D. topic (the dissertation is expected to contain materials not in the proposal, and some aspects of the proposal may be dropped from the dissertation). The proposal need only to show that the student has a novel and substantial problem, has an approach that may succeed, and has surveyed the relevant literature.

The presentation is a formal oral presentation of the proposal. The presentation is in seminar form, lasting approximately 30-45 minutes, and all students and faculty in the School of Statistics are invited. The presentation serves several purposes: it builds the student's oral skills, it communicates the student's research plans to the members of the School, and it helps committee members assess the student's facility with the research area.

The examination is a closed oral examination conducted by the student's committee; in most circumstances the examination will immediately follow the oral presentation. The examination evaluates the student's readiness for research, as evidenced by the proposal, presentation, and oral responses to questions. Criteria for evaluation include the clarity of the proposed problem, the student's knowledge of relevant literature, the feasibility and scientific merit of the proposed problem, and the quality of the written proposal, oral presentation, and responses to questions.

Ph.D. Dissertation

The culmination of the Ph.D. program of study is a doctoral dissertation, prepared with the guidance of a thesis adviser. The dissertation must demonstrate originality and ability for independent investigation, and the results of the research must constitute a noteworthy contribution to knowledge in the field. The dissertation must exhibit mastery of the literature on the subject and familiarity with the sources, and must be well written.

A Ph.D. candidate files a dissertation proposal form with the Graduate School shortly after passing the preliminary oral examination.

The Ph.D. dissertation is read by three members of the final oral examination committee, including the student's thesis adviser, one other member of the Statistics Graduate Faculty, and one member from the field of the minor or the supporting program. The Graduate School has specific requirements for the format of the submitted copy of the thesis and the candidate should be sure to obtain the latest information from the Graduate School.

Ph.D. Final Oral Examination

When the dissertation readers unanimously agree that the dissertation is ready for defense, a final oral examination is held. The oral examination includes a public seminar followed immediately by a closed meeting of the candidate with the examining committee. The examination covers the dissertation subject and related areas. The examining committee will consist, minimally, of three members from the School of Statistics and one member from the field of the minor or supporting program.

Seminar Requirement

All Ph. D. students must give at least two public seminars, including those in association with their Preliminary Oral and Final Oral examinations.