When a doctoral student has completed all required course work and has passed the qualifying examination, the student's advisory committee nominates the student for doctoral degree candidacy. Following nomination to candidacy, the dissertation phase of the degree program begins.

A doctoral student who has passed the qualifying examination, and who has earned acceptable grades in all courses on the student's doctoral course prescription, may initiate the Ph.D. degree candidacy process by completing and submitting the student's portion of the online Nomination to Candidacy for the Ph.D. Degree Form at: https://onestart.iu.edu/kr-prd/kew/EDocLite?userAction=initiate&edlName=UGS.Candidacy.Doctype. The structure of a student's Ph.D. degree program dictates which members of a student's advisory committee must approve this form.

• Double majors, who do not have a doctoral minor, do not need to complete the sections of the form, entitled, "Minors" and "Minor Representative(s)". However, in the section, entitled, "Advisory Committee Members", double majors must list the advisory committee chair from each major.
• Single majors must list the advisory committee minor representative, or two in the case of a student with two minors, in the "Minor Representative(s)" section of the form. Single majors must also list the chairperson of the advisory committee in the "Advisory Committee Members" section of the form.

This form, when submitted by the student, routes to the School of Public Health-Bloomington dean's office, then to the advisory committee chairperson(s), then to the minor representative(s). Lastly, the form routes to the University Graduate School for final approval.

NOTE: For students with prescribed courses older than seven years at the time of the qualifying exam, the School of Public Health graduate recorder must attach a document showing University Graduate School approval of the revalidation request for each such course.

Approved doctoral degree candidates generally register for dissertation research credit hours only.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Question: I passed my qualifying examination with one incomplete course on my course prescription. May I be nominated to Ph.D. degree candidacy immediately?
Answer: No, you must first earn an acceptable grade in the course which currently has an incomplete grade.