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Graduate Programs
Undergraduate Certificate & Major Alumni |
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Handbook for Doctoral StudentsThis Handbook is designed to serve as a guide to students who have been admitted to the Doctoral Program in Urban Studies and to provide information to those thinking about entering the Program. The various sections explain the steps that students must take to complete the degree requirements. The UWM Graduate School Bulletin contains the official description of the Program, and every student is expected to read and understand the Bulletin's relevant sections. But this Handbook furnishes supplementary data and explanations concerning important features of the Program. Thus, it makes useful suggestions about seeking advice and about maintaining scheduled progress through the Program's several phases. The Handbook also describes the committee structure of USP and the significant role played by students in helping to promote and plan the Program's activities. Urban Studies Programs (USP) offers two distinct interdisciplinary graduate programs of study: a Master's in Urban Studies and a Ph.D. in Urban Studies (until 1991-92, this was called Urban Social Institutions). Both Programs draw on the same faculty and are governed by the same administrative structure. Thus, throughout this Handbook some references will be to "committees" or faculty while other references will be to policies and procedures specific to the Ph.D. Program. Table of Contents
1. Introduction: A General Description of the Ph.D. Program
Ph.D. students remain in constant contact with professors who actively conduct research and evaluate policy in a wide range of public-sector and urban-related fields. Scholars in the Program have achieved wide recognition for their work; USP faculty have served as consultants to governmental bodies and to political leaders on the national, state, and local levels. USP professors have furnished advice on legislation to prominent U.S. senators; others have provided research and analysis for such public bodies as the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Agency. The Program's interdisciplinary training is novel and challenging, and it fosters an atmosphere of academic excitement. The graduate students also contribute to the intellectual appeal of USP. A considerable diversity of age, race, occupation, and ethnic origin characterizes the USP entrants. Many of the Program's forty or so students pursue their degrees part-time while holding professional positions and maintaining families. The average age of graduate students is in the mid-thirties. The Program's commitment to diversity is also reflected in the fact that a significant percent of Ph.D.'s have been earned by women and minority students. The Program's graduates enjoy considerable career success. Some are faculty members at major research universities (e.g. University of Minnesota, Indiana University, University of Illinois-Chicago, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Houston), while others find their skills marketable in a wide variety of other fields. For instance, an Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor of a Big Ten University received his doctorate from USP. Another USP Ph.D. serves as a partner in the management consulting division of a "Big Six" accounting firm. A handful of others run their own businesses, while an equal number are executives in non-profit community organizations. No one can guarantee success, but we do believe that USP graduates are well trained. They compete very well indeed for jobs both on and off university campuses. Established in l975, the Doctoral Program combines the disciplines of history, sociology, and urban affairs. The Program also draws upon faculty in economics, geography and UWM's professional schools, including Social Welfare and Architecture and Urban Planning. USP's interdisciplinary training demands highly motivated individuals who have already demonstrated scholarly ability; the Program admits only those who hold a master's degree in a social science or related field. Ph.D. students must exhibit initiative not only in planning a course of study but also in conducting research on a significant topic. The Program requires diligence in maintaining a steady advance from admission through graduation. Applicants must possess specific kinds of intellectual preparation in order to gain admission to the Doctoral Program. They must demonstrate familiarity with urban history, sociological theory, statistics, and basic types of social science research methodology. Students with outstanding scholastic records who have some weaknesses in their academic preparation may be admitted conditionally (as described below) by agreeing to take the necessary coursework. Doctoral training in USP is comprised of five key components: core courses; a specialization (together with elective courses); a comprehensive examination (called a preliminary); a dissertation proposal; and finally, an acceptable dissertation. In the first component the student must enroll in six core courses devoted to urban growth, urban institutions, methodology, social science theory, and urban analysis (USP 979 through 984) for a total of eighteen credits. In the second component the student must consult with the major professor in choosing a field of specialization in one of three areas of specialization: urban development: comparative, historical and contemporary perspectives; human service organizations; and race, class, gender, and ethnicity. Every student must complete three courses in his/her area of specialization. The Ph.D. program's third component involves taking and passing a preliminary examination, a written and oral test in the student's special area of scholarly interest. A pass in this comprehensive examination means that the student has achieved doctoral candidacy. The fourth component centers on the student submitting and defending a suitable dissertation proposal before his/her dissertation committee. The final component of the Program requires the writing of an acceptable dissertation. (Students must register for six credits of USP 991 while completing the dissertation.) Working closely with the major professor, the doctoral candidate must select a dissertation committee, formulate a significant topic for research, and defend the dissertation's findings in a final oral examination. When these requirements are fulfilled, the doctoral degree is conferred upon the candidate. Return to the Table of Contents 2. Procedure for Applying to the Program Completed applications, including transcripts of grades, must be sent to the Graduate School together with the application fee. Materials required by the Ph.D. Program include: three letters of recommendation concerning the applicant's academic and other qualifications, transcripts of grades earned in other academic programs, GRE scores, and a copy of the master's thesis or other evidence of the applicant's ability to do social science research and to write. The applicant is also required to prepare the "statement of intent" portion of the application form, and two essays in response to the questions in the application packet. The Admissions Committee pays particular attention to these written materials in evaluating those seeking admission. Return to the Table of Contents 3. Fellowships, Assistantships, and Financial Aid Applications for fellowships and tuition remissions are usually solicited from students in January; the USP Office sends out detailed information on how to apply. The UWM Graduate School also administers the Advanced Opportunity Program. AOP Fellowships are designed to assist minority and disadvantaged students who are seeking graduate degrees. AOP Fellowships in the past have been generously funded. Information and applications for the AOP Fellowships may be obtained from the UWM Graduate School. A limited number of Teaching Assistantships are awarded by the Departments of Sociology and History to qualified Ph.D. students. Those interested in applying for these positions should consult with the Coordinator of the Doctoral Program. The Program also offers several Project Assistantships in which qualified individuals work with faculty on research projects. Applicants should make inquiries concerning these positions when they are submitting their materials to the program. At times USP faculty obtain grants that include funds for research by graduate students. Inform the Coordinator if you wish to be considered for one of these Project Assistantships. Return to the Table of Contents
4. Admission to the Ph.D. Program.
Students seeking admission in the Fall semester should forward all documentation by March 1, while those desiring entry in the Spring semester should submit their materials by December 1. A Student Affairs Committee made up of USP faculty and student representatives reviews the applications and makes recommendations concerning entry into the Program. In some cases superior applicants may be accepted into the Ph.D. Program with weaknesses in academic preparation. The Ph.D. Program distinguishes two types of inadequacies: work done to remedy "deficiencies" and work done to address weaknesses in "foundations." Deficiencies refer to shortcomings in the student's training, and are generally applied to research methods and statistics. "Foundations," on the other hand, reflect the fact that in an interdisciplinary program, students often do not have an adequate foundation in all the relevant disciplines comprising USP. Thus, "foundations" courses are typically in urban studies, sociology, and/or history. Students admitted will be required to remedy these through additional coursework. Courses taken for this purpose do not count toward completing degree requirements; and, furthermore, deficiency courses do not count toward establishing doctoral residency. Individuals accepted into the Program with such shortcomings must immediately meet with the Coordinator in order to set a timetable for completing the necessary courses. Return to the Table of Contents 5. Getting Started. Meeting the Coordinator. Doctoral Forms. Measuring Student Progress
All students are strongly urged to maintain close and continuing contact with the Coordinator. Indeed, at least once each semester students must arrange an interview with the Coordinator in order to ensure smooth progress through the Program. The Coordinator maintains records that register each student's advancement through the Program's various phases. A "flow chart" outlining the various administrative steps in the Program is contained in the Appendix. Return to the Table of Contents 6. Planning a Program of Study
In preparing this plan, the student must take into account the residence requirement. Ph.D. students must fulfill the residence requirement in one of two ways. The first alternative is to enroll in nine or more credits of graduate courses in each of two consecutive semesters, exclusive of summer sessions. The second alternative is to enroll for six graduate credits in each of three consecutive semesters, exclusive of summer sessions. The student's plan of study should be developed in association with the major professor. The major professor is a member of the USP Program Faculty who is chosen not only as an advisor, but also as a dissertation director. The choice of a major professor represents an important decision and should be made with due deliberation and only after full consultation with the Coordinator. Due to the nature of the preliminary exams (see #7 below), after choosing a major professor, students are urged to establish a three person committee to help develop their area of study. This committee consists of three USP faculty members, all of whom cannot be members of the same department. The composition of this committee, chaired by the student's major professor, needs the approval of the coordinator. It is expected that students study under each of their committee members in preparation for prelims and the dissertation. Thus, it is important that students arrange this committee relatively early in their stay in the Program. This program of study itself is to be located within one of the three areas of specialization: urban development; human service organizations; and race, class, gender, and ethnicity. Nine credits are required in the special area, no more than three credits of which may be in independent study courses. For Urban Development, six credits should be in History or in Comparative or Historical Sociology. Courses satisfying this requirement include History 833, 909, 924, and 930, Sociology 770 and 775, and other courses deemed appropriate by the Coordinator. In Human Service Organizations, nine credits at the 700 level or above in the study of complex organization or in some aspect of human service systems are required. Three of these credits must come from USP 985 or 986, Sociology 732, or other courses deemed appropriate by the Coordinator. Finally, the specialization in Race, Class, Gender, and Ethnicity requires nine credits at the 700 level or above in the study of inequality. Three of these credits must come from History 827, 831, or 912, Sociology 780 or 790, or other courses deemed appropriate by the Coordinator. Return to the Table of Contents 7. The Preliminary Examination Students must establish their formal eligibility to take the preliminary examination. According to Graduate School regulations, eligibility is based on:
When nearing eligibility, the student should confer with his/her committee and the Coordinator about an appropriate date to take this examination. The student proposes an area of concentration and a relevant bibliography to his/her prelim committee. This area is the broad area in which the student specializes, not the narrower research topic of the dissertation. For instance, a student interested in writing a dissertation on the role of public-private partnerships in downtown development would take prelims in urban development. The student's bibliography should reflect this broader area, and the student's prelim committee can amend this bibliography accordingly. The committee, then, is responsible for approving the final reading list upon which the prelim exam will be based. The USP office will maintain a file of previously approved prelim bibliographies and questions for students to peruse. The committee is responsible for formulating three questions, two of which the student must answer. These are not research questions; rather, they should allow the student the opportunity to demonstrate intellectual flexibility, critical analysis, originality of thought, and mastery of the relevant literature. The student will have four weeks to produce written answers to these questions. Each answer will be limited to ten typed pages (double-spaced, with reasonable margins). Within two weeks of completing the written portion of the exam, the student will be examined orally on his/her answers. (No formal feedback will be provided on the written answers until after the oral examination.) Based on both the written and oral work, the prelim committee will either "pass" or "fail" the student. Students will be given two opportunities to pass prelims. Those who pass will advance to Doctoral Candidacy and will receive formal notification of this from the Graduate School. Those who fail twice will be referred to the Student Affairs Committee with a recommendation for cancellation. Three general principles govern the grading of the preliminary examination:
Return to the Table of Contents 8. Doctoral Dissertator Status
The Graduate School will check to make sure that student is still within Graduate School Doctoral degree time-limit requirements. USP students can move to this stage very easily after passing prelims. Students need to complete an "Application for Doctoral Dissertator Status" form (available in either the Graduate School or the USP office) and submit a brief summary of their dissertator topic. Since disserators are assessed reduced fees for tuition, students are urged to apply for dissertator status immediately after passing prelims. Return to the Table of Contents 9. The Dissertation Proposal
A student's dissertation proposal requires the approval of a dissertation committee consisting of three USP Program Faculty, all of whom may not be members of the same department. The composition of this committee, chaired by the student's major professor, needs the approval of the Coordinator from the USP Ph.D. Program. Although not required, at this time students often expand their committee to the five person committees required for the dissertation. Upon completion of a final version of his/her proposal, the student will provide the USP Program office with the following:
This information must be provided at least two weeks in advance of the hearing. USP will announce this hearing and circulate the abstract to all Program Faculty. The student is also required to complete a "Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Hearing Form" (available either in the Graduate School or the USP office). This form must be signed by the members of the dissertation committee and returned to the Coordinator of the Program, who will then forward it to the Graduate School. Although the student's committee helps the student develop the proposal, the USP office has a form outlining the various components of a good proposal, and also has copies of proposals available for review. In general, the dissertation proposal should contain the following:
Return to the Table of Contents After passing the proposal, the student proceeds to compose and submit a dissertation. The dissertation demonstrates the individual's ability not only to formulate a suitable topic for investigation, but also to accomplish original research. The dissertation represents the final and most exciting intellectual endeavor in the Program. Because students have worked closely with at least a three person committee throughout their stay in the Program, it is expected that there will be a smooth transition to the thesis committee. If students have not already done so, they now need to expand their dissertation committees to include the dissertation director and four other faculty members who will constitute a dissertation committee. Identification of the dissertation director and the committee must be done in consultation with the Coordinator who registers these actions on the appropriate doctoral forms. The subject of one's doctoral research and the composition of the dissertation committee are closely related. That is, the focus of research will be reflected in the expertise of the faculty on the committee; conversely, the specializations of committee members will naturally influence the research approaches of the doctoral investigator. In other words, doctoral candidates ought to design their dissertation committees and their thesis proposals at the same moment. Chaired by the candidate's major advisor, the dissertation committee must include at least three members of the USP Program Faculty, not all of whom can come from the same department. In all, the committee must have at least five members. Return to the Table of Contents 11. Defense of the Dissertation. Awarding of the Ph.D.
The ten year rule on the dissertation is seductive. Ten years seems to be a long span and can sometimes lull candidates into complacency about completing their research. Doctoral candidates are urged to adhere to the schedule for completing the dissertation, which they have worked out with their committee. While working on the dissertation the student must be enrolled for three graduate credits each semester. To arrange for the hearing, the student must complete the "Application for Doctoral Graduation: Dissertation Defense" form and submit it to the Graduate School. In scheduling the defense, there are two deadlines that must be met:
All committee members must be present at the dissertation defense, as no absentee ballots are allowed. In order for the student to pass, a positive vote by a simple majority of the committee is required. Each committee member's vote will be shown on the warrant. If the deferral box is checked on the warrant this means that the substance of the dissertation findings are acceptable to the committee. Some aspects of the dissertation, however, (minor mechanical and editing) need refining before final acceptance. If deferral is checked, specific reasons for the deferral must be given. The student in dissertation deferral status cannot graduate and needs to register for the next semester if the deferral is not changed to a pass by the deadlines outlined above. If the deferral status is not cleared by the time limit designated by the dissertation committee (up to a maximum of four months), the deferral reverts to a failed dissertation defense. The dissertation committee designates the time limit and communicates the procedures for redefending the dissertation to the student. Redefending the Doctoral defense after a failure: The student is allowed to redefend once after a waiting period. The waiting period is determined by the doctoral committee and communicated to the student. The Graduate School requires that the redefense take place within one calendar year of the date of the first defense. The Graduate School will notify the program and student of the results of the defense and when all the requirements have been met for the doctoral degree. Return to the Table of Contents 12. USP Standing Committees
Each fall, the Director solicits student participation for the Student Affairs, Curriculum, and Lectures and Programs Committees. The goal is to have a master's and doctoral student on each. In addition, the whole program faculty meet at least once each semester to hear committee reports and conduct business. Return to the Table of Contents 13. Review of Student PerformanceThe Coordinator of the Ph.D. Program meets at least once a year with each student in the Program. At these interviews the student may discuss difficulties and seek help for any problems he or she may encounter. At these sessions the Coordinator also reviews the progress of each individual. It is important to emphasize that students themselves bear responsibility for arranging these interviews with the Coordinator and for maintaining progress toward the degree. Return to the Table of Contents 14. Appendix -- Flowchart for USP Doctoral Students Student is Admitted to Doctoral Program |
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If student is eligible, USP sends Application form to the student's Major Professor. This form now serves as the warrant, and the Major Professor records the results of the prelim exam on it. |
If student is not eligible for exam, s/he must make arrangements to take exam at a later date when eligible. Submits new Application at that point. |
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If the student passes prelims, s/he advances to Doctoral Candidacy. The Grad School will send formal notification of this. Submits new Application to the Grad School. |
If student fails prelims, s/he must make arrangements with USP to retake exam. Submits new Application to the Grad School. |
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Student completes "Doctoral Dissertator Status form" and submits it to Major Professor and then to USP |
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Student enrolls for three credits each semester until s/he graduates |
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Student completes "Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Hearing form" to Major Professor. In addition, student submits a copy of proposal, proposal abstract, date, time, and place of proposal hearing to USP office at least two weeks in advance. |
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Once the proposal is passed, the student's Major Professor returns the signed Proposal Hearing Form to USP office. Student proceeds to work on the dissertation. |
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Student submits "Application for Doctoral Graduation: Dissertation Defense" to Grad School; makes arrangements with USP for Final Oral Exam. |
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Graduate School reviews file. |
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Student is notified if there are any requirements which must be met before s/he is eligible for final exam. |
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Student is notified if s/he is not eligible to graduate. S/he must submit new application when s/he is eligible. |
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Graduation Application is sent to USP, indicating student is eligible to take final exam. |
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USP returns Application on which they have nominated exam committee members,-- committee members must have Graduate Faculty status or been approved by Dean of Graduate School-- (USP office must have a copy of dissertation before returning the Application to the Grad School), requesting a warrant for the final exam. |
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Grad School checks committee members for eligibility, issues warrant for final exam to USP. |
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Student submits draft of dissertation to Grad School for review Four Weeks before final exam. |
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Student takes final exam; USP returns warrant to Grad School with results |
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If student FAILS exam, s/he must make arrangements with USP to retake exam. Submits new Graduation Application to Grad School. |
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If student has passed final exam, s/he submits ORIGINAL, signed dissertation plus one copy to Grad School. |
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Diploma is given to student at Commencement Ceremony, or is mailed if student does not attend. | ||
*This document has been modified from a Graduate School Flowchart (May 1994). |
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Send your comments concerning the site to usp@uwm.edu |
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