Students may not register for the dissertation course until they are admitted to candidacy. Passing the comprehensive exam and completion of course work does not in itself constitute admission to candidacy. Formal admission to candidacy requires that the following conditions have been met:
- The student has successfully passed all sections of the comprehensive examination.
- The student has completed the program of work as approved by the Doctoral Committee.
- Doctoral Committee approval of the following:
- The application for candidacy (which must be submitted to the Graduate School after Doctoral Committee approval). This petition lists the proposed chair and all other proposed members of the student’s Dissertation Research Committee. In addition to the chair, the committee is comprised of two faculty members from The University of Texas School of Social Work plus at least one member from outside the School of Social Work. The application must provide the title and a brief description of the proposed dissertation and include a copy of the completed program of work.
- A brief rationale for why each dissertation committee member is being selected. Students are required to obtain the agreement of each proposed member prior to submitting the proposed list to the Doctoral Committee.
- A statement of up to 500 words explaining how the students’ completed program of work prepares them to do their dissertation research. The statement should provide a basis for the Doctoral Committee to judge whether enough relevant electives have been taken to prepare the students adequately to conduct their dissertation research. This statement should not duplicate the rationales submitted incrementally for each elective course taken, and the statement need not justify each course.
If the above materials are approved and all other requirements for candidacy have been fulfilled, the Doctoral Committee will vote to recommend candidacy. Following this the student submits the candidacy petition form to the Graduate School. Official action to appoint the Dissertation Committee is taken by the Graduate School.