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Program Milestones

Program Milestone Worksheet

Students and their Faculty Advisor(s) can use the Program Milestones Worksheet as a guide of what to plan for and expect each year in the Ph.D. in Education program. 

Current students can refer to the Ph.D. Program Canvas for specific guidance and resources regarding the following milestones.

First Year Poster (FYP)

​Through the first year of graduate study, Ph.D. students will work on a research project. The project should be relatively small, contained, and feasible to manage within the scope of the academic year. For example, a student might identify and work with a study/data set that is already available from your faculty advisor, research the student previously completed, GSR work, or data that has been made public. The poster does not have to report a full and complete study/data set to be used for this milestone. Any study/data set should include strong research questions and a compelling argument with as much data as possible. 

Second Year Research Paper (SYRP)

During their second year, students must complete a research paper of sufficient quality to merit consideration for publication in a journal in the field of Education. It is expected that this work will be done under the supervision of each student’s advisor who will approve the paper for submission to the graduate office for evaluation. Satisfaction of this requirement will be determined by the Ph.D. faculty program director, considering the assessments/evaluations of the paper done by two assigned Ph.D. faculty readers. Any concerns will be discussed with the Ph.D. Steering Committee. Completion of the requirement will be certified by a letter from the Dean of the School advising the student that the paper has received a score of provisional pass.​

Advancement to Candidacy for the Ph.D.
​(Dissertation Proposal)

After a successful defense, complete the Google Form: DocuSign Graduate Division Forms (MA&PhD). Please email Amy Amador ([email protected]) if you have any questions.​

Dissertation

• Formatting and Submission Guidelines for the Final Dissertation

After a successful defense, complete the Google Form: DocuSign Graduate Division Forms (MA&PhD). Please email Amy Amador ([email protected]) if you have any questions.​

Summer filing of final degree paperwork

Although summer is not a required quarter, students who want to earn their degree during summer need to either be enrolled during summer session (4 units of ED 299 during the 10-week session) or be on filing fee (see filing fee information below). Filing fee cost is one-half the Student Services fee. While filing fee is the cheaper option, graduate students are only allowed to pay a filing fee in lieu of registration for one quarter or summer throughout their entire time in the doctoral program. It is advised that when you turn in your final degree paperwork to Graduate Division, you submit your filing fee petition form at the same time. This is so if your plans change, you have not used up your filing fee opportunity.

Filing Fee

Ph.D. students who have completed all requirements for the degree except “official” submission of the dissertation may be eligible to pay a filing fee in lieu of registration for only one academic quarter or summer during the student’s entire graduate career. Students applying for Filing Fee status must be registered in the preceding academic session. To establish eligibility to pay the Filing Fee, the student must submit a Graduate Division Filing Fee petition. The petition must be approved by the School of Education Associate Dean and Chair of the doctoral committee and must certify that all other requirements for the degree have been met. International students must secure approval from the International Center to on Filing Fee status. It is important that applications for Filing Fee be submitted to the Graduate Division Dean prior to or at the very beginning of the quarter. There are some restrictions to being on filing fee and are outlined on pages 3-4 of the filing fee petition form. The filing fee form is sent through DocuSign.

Please complete the Google Form: DocuSign Graduate Division Forms (various) to initiate this process. Note: there is a separate filing fee petition form for summer. 

Filing Deadlines

The UCI Graduate Division set specific  filing deadlines for advancement-to-candidacy and final degree paperwork for both the master's and doctoral degrees. Please be mindful of these dates when preparing for advancement or graduation.