PhD Expected Milestones

Year One Milestones and Major Events Student Responsibility
August Prior to Start of Fall Term
  • Choose discipline track.
  • Identify Major Advisor
  • Attend Graduate Program Orientation and Registration
  • Attend Orientation for any student assigned a Teaching Assistantship
  • Obtain information about the PhD program and TA responsibilities or GSR responsibilities.
  • Students with TA appointments contact course coordinators of their assigned courses.
  • Complete paperwork for payroll, healthcare enrollment, tuition payments. (At orientation)
  • Bring copies of Visa, Passport, Drivers’ License etc, to orientation.
Fall And Spring Term
  • Complete a total of 30 credits.
  • Present 10 minute mini-seminar on research experience or topic of interest at end of Spring Semester.
  • End of semester graduate student meeting both fall and spring terms.
  • Complete core and required courses.
  • Laboratory research experience in mentor’s lab.
Summer Term
  • Preliminary evaluation from advisor due at end of summer term. Advisor should submit evaluation to the PhD program liaison and to the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee.
  • Select Doctoral Committee (see Guidelines) and submit form to program liaison and to Academic Affairs Committee chair.
  • Laboratory research experience in mentor’s lab.
Year Two Milestones and Major Events Student Responsibility
Fall and Spring Term
  • Complete an additional 30 credits for a total of 60.
  • Report research findings or a topic of interest for first 20 minute seminar. Schedule of seminars determined by Program Director.
  • Meet with Doctoral Committee in Fall or Spring Term to :
    1. Review course requirements.
    2. Determine if any credits earned from a previous degree are eligible for transfer.
    3. Determine if any additional courses specific to your research are required prior to taking the comprehensive exam.
  • Core, Required and Elective Courses.
  • PhD Research: literature search, determining research question(s), develop laboratory skills.
  • Prepare a written summary of Doctoral Committee meeting and submit to the program liaison and Program Director.
Spring Term See above See above
Summer Term
  • Meet with advisor to determine readiness for completing the Comprehensive Examination.
  • Submit abstract of proposal to Comprehensive Examination Committee and obtain approval to proceed.
  • Schedule the exam before December 15
  • Notify Graduate Program Director of Exam Date 3 weeks prior to exam.
  • Submit completed proposal to Comprehensive Exam Committee at least 2 weeks before the examination date (see Guidelines).
  • Complete comprehensive examination
  • Complete the Comprehensive Examination Date Approval Form and submit to the Graduate Program Director along with Abstract of Proposal.
  • At Comprehensive Exam have each member of committee complete the “Evaluation Form for Comprehensive and Doctoral Exams”. Submit to program liaison.
  • At Comprehensive Exam have Committee complete the “Comprehensive Examination (PhD) Report” and submit to program liaison.
Year Three Milestones and Major Events Student Responsibility
Fall and Spring Term
  • In Fall, complete 15 credits for a total of 72, the minimum required for the PhD. In Spring term register for Full Time Dissertation (FTDQ).
  • Present full 45 minute seminar on research findings
  • Meet with Doctoral Committee to:
    1. Review completed projects
    2. Present outline for Dissertation topic.
    3. Obtain approval for Dissertation topic.
  • Apply for AFPE, PHARMA, NSF and other fellowships
  • Dissertation Research
  • Have Committee complete the “Approval of Dissertation Proposal and Admission to Candidacy” and submit to the program liaison.
  • Prepare a written summary of Doctoral Committee meeting and Dissertation Plan and submit to the program liaison and Program Director.
Spring Term See Above
Summer Term
  • Dissertation Research
Year Four Milestones and Major Events Student Responsibility
Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms
  • Conduct Dissertation Research
  • Writing and review of each chapter of dissertation with advisor.
  • Present full 45 minute seminar of research progress.
  • Meet with Doctoral Committee to discuss progress towards Dissertation.
  • Prepare a written meeting summary for Doctoral Committee approval and submission to the program liaison and Academic Affairs Committee chair.
Year Five Milestones and Major Events Student Responsibility
Fall and Spring Terms
  • Schedule date for Open and Closed Defense. *
  • Assemble your Dissertation document following instructions from Pitt’s ETD website (: http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/etd/).
  • Bound typed copies of the document must be distributed to each member of your committee at least four weeks prior to defense date.
  • After defense, make changes to the written document as required by the Doctoral Committee.
  • Submit your document** electronically via Pitt’s ETD website (http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/etd/). See program liaison for instructions.

Notes:

* The date, time, location of the defense, candidate’s name, departmental affiliation and title of dissertation must be made public to the School of Pharmacy no less than 30 days prior to the date of defense. The same information must be published in the University Times well in advance of the defense date (normally 2 weeks).

**The final ETD is due no later than 30 days following the date of graduation. (Address all questions pertaining to the submission of forms and documents related to graduation to the program liaison.)

  • Submit associated paperwork for the scheduling and advertisement of the dissertation defense.
  • At Closed Defense have each member of committee complete the “Evaluation Form for Comprehensive and Doctoral Exams”. Submit to program liaison.
  • At Closed Defense have Committee complete the “PhD Dissertation Defense Report” and submit to program liaison.
  • Graduation application must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the date of graduation defined by the University’s academic calendar. See program liaison for information.
  • as well as for submission of the electronic form of the dissertation (ETD) ** to program liaison
Fall and Spring Term Graduation