San Diego State University currently offers 32 doctoral programs with numerous degree objectives (AuD, DNP, DPT, DrPH, EdD, PhD). Independent Doctoral Programs (IDPs) are offered by San Diego State University. Joint Doctoral Programs (JDPs) are offered and granted in partnership with another degree-granting institution in cases where the unique educational experience is not duplicated on either campus.
The following PhD. and AuD programs are offered jointly by San Diego State University and the University of California San Diego:
The following PhD programs are offered jointly by San Diego State University and a university outside of San Diego:
San Diego State University offers the following Independent Doctoral Programs::
To receive a doctoral degree at San Diego State University, the candidate must complete the following general requirements as well as the more specific requirements listed in the corresponding catalog section.
Admission to Doctoral Graduate Study
Applicant for admission to a doctoral program must be admitted into conditional or classified graduate standing at San Diego State University, and at the appropriate partner campus for a joint doctoral program (JDP). Fees and regulations governing the doctoral programs are found in the SDSU catalog and in the graduate bulletin of each of the cooperating campuses. For JDPs, formal admission with appropriate graduate standing occurs when the student is formally accepted by each of the universities. Applicants are advised to consult the appropriate program director at San Diego State University for specific details on application procedures.
Residence Requirements
After formal admission to a doctoral program, the student must spend at least one year in full-time residence at SDSU, although programs vary in this requirement. For JDPs, residency definitions shall follow the regulations of the cooperating university. At San Diego State University, at least one year of full-time residence is required, which consists of registration in and completion of at least six semester units of SDSU graduate level courses. In order to maintain graduate student good standing, doctoral students must be continually enrolled at SDSU each Fall/Spring semester, or have an alternative Form of Study on file. For JDPs, partner campus enrollment requirements vary and are outlined in the respective handbooks.
Financial Support
US resident doctoral students are eligible to apply for financial aid through the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at San Diego State University. The College of Graduate Studies also provides a variety of competitive funding and financial support. In addition, many doctoral programs offer financial support through appointments as graduate assistants, instructional student assistants, research assistants, or teaching associates. Please see the Graduate Student Employment website for more information.
Good Progress Towards Degree Completion
Doctoral students are expected to meet the criteria for good progress described in University Policies: Graduate Student Good Standing. This includes steady progress each semester towards completion of degree requirements. The time required for degree completion is program specific, and dependent on mastery of the subject matter field and completion of a satisfactory culminating experience (dissertation or doctoral project). Most doctoral programs have time limits for advancement to candidacy and/or degree conferral. Students who do not meet those time limits will have a negative service indicator placed on their registration to prevent future enrollment until a degree completion timeline is agreed upon.
To remain in good standing, doctoral students must earn a grade of C (2.0) or higher in each program of study course, maintain a 3.0 or higher grade point average across all program of study courses, and maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher across all post-baccalaureate coursework attempted at SDSU. In JDPs, the two grade point averages must be maintained within each individual campus (as per their guidelines) and also jointly across both campuses. Some programs have additional course grade or grade point average requirements, which may be found in the corresponding catalog chapter and corresponding doctoral program handbook.
Program of Study Rules and Guidelines
Graduate students must complete each course listed on the official program of study with a grade of C (2.0) or better, although some doctoral programs have higher course grade requirements. A course cannot be deleted or replaced from an official program of study after it has been completed, regardless of grade. This also includes courses with assigned grades of Incomplete (I, Incomplete Charged (IC), Report in Progress.(RP), or No Credit (NC). With graduate advisor approval, graduate students have one opportunity to repeat a course that will be applied to the program of study, with both the old and new grade remaining on the student’s transcript; see University Policies for details.
For students in Independent Doctoral Programs (IDPs), each student’s official program of study is documented in their online degree evaluation available through their my.SDSU home page. This is a personalized status report of their progress toward completing graduation requirements. The program of study is specific to the Catalog bulletin for the semester of admission. For students in Joint Doctoral Programs (JDPs), the program of study is maintained by the doctoral program directors.
A program of study must adhere to all degree requirements listed in the Catalog. The graduate advisor may request a course substitution or other degree requirement adjustments by successfully petitioning Graduate Studies for an adjustment of academic requirements. Petitions to substitute a course on the program of study should generally be approved prior to registration, and may not be approved after the course is completed.
Withdrawal from the graduate program (and loss of matriculation) occurs when a student takes no courses in fall or spring semester after admission, and also does not request a leave of absence (LOA) in that semester. (oNote that an LOA is not permitted until the student completes their first semester in their program.) Withdrawn students must reapply for admission to the university, pay any applicable fees, and gain acceptance before resuming matriculation and regular class enrollment. Readmission to the university is not guaranteed, and will be decided by the program’s graduate advisor. Readmitted students are subject to degree requirements for the year of readmission, unless the advisor successfully petitions for reversion to a prior year’s requirements.
Course and Grade Requirements for Doctoral Degrees
Each course and grade requirement listed below applies to all doctoral degrees, unless the program’s catalog entry lists a policy that is more restrictive. See University Policies for additional policies that apply to all doctoral programs.
Minimum Course Grade Requirements
A course may not be used to satisfy the requirements for a doctoral degree if the final grade is below “C” (2.0) or No Credit.
Credit/No Credit Grading
For many programs, at least 70 percent of the units used to fulfill the minimum requirements of a doctoral degree program shall be letter graded. Courses graded Credit/No Credit (Cr/NC) are not acceptable for a doctoral degree program, except those offered for Cr/NC only. Units graded Cr/NC will not be included when determining the number of non-letter graded units allowable if they were earned in practica, field experiences, or internships that are explicitly stated as requirements for the degree.
Course Level (Number) Restrictions
Courses designated as undergraduate level (numbered 500 and below) cannot be used towards a doctoral degree. Doctoral programs must follow the CO’s Executive Order defining the percent of courses that must be designed specifically for doctoral education (e.g., 800-level courses).
Application of courses to a Single Degree
Courses applied toward one post-baccalaureate degree may not be used to fulfill the requirements of another post-baccalaureate degree unless specifically approved in the corresponding catalog entry.
Non-matriculated Units (Including Transfer From Other Universities)
Credit earned through work experience, by correspondence, or by examination is not acceptable for the doctoral degree program of study. All doctoral degree courses must be completed after earning a baccalaureate degree, and for some programs, a master’s degree.
A limited number of non-matriculated post-baccalaureate courses may be applied to a doctoral degree if requested by the graduate advisor and approved by the College of Graduate Studies. Unless otherwise specified, no more than 30% of a doctoral degree’s units may be earned while in non-matriculated status. Partial credit from a non-matriculated course may not be considered for this calculation; only entire courses may be included. “Non-matriculated status” includes all SDSU Global Campus courses (regardless of when they were taken), plus SDSU Open University courses taken before the student started the program, plus transfer courses from other institutions. (In a JDP, partner campus courses are not considered to be transfer courses if they were taken after beginning the doctoral program.)
Requests to apply transfer courses to a SDSU doctoral degree may be approved if 1) the institution is accredited by a regional accrediting association, 2) the course was completed after a bachelor’s or master’s degree was awarded, 3) the course has not and will not be applied to another degree, and 4) the course is graduate-level. Transfer course requests must be submitted by the program’s director and approved by the College of Graduate Studies. Transfer courses must not have expired at the time the degree is awarded; validation or time extension of transfer courses is not permitted.
Financial Aid and Scholarship Appeals
Students may be required by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to obtain written verification from the program’s graduate advisor that a course not on the official program of study is required (for example, to prepare for a thesis or other culminating experience).
Doctoral Committee Composition
Doctoral education is distinguished by its emphasis on original scholarship, critical inquiry, and the development of independent researchers and professionals. To ensure the quality, rigor, and integrity of this advanced work, each doctoral student is guided and evaluated by a faculty committee. Doctoral committees play a central role at key milestones in the program, including the qualifying examination, culminating experience proposal and defense. Through these processes, committees assess a student’s mastery of the field, readiness to advance to candidacy, and ability to conduct and communicate significant original research. The committee structure fosters mentorship, intellectual breadth, and accountability, helping to ensure that each doctoral degree reflects the highest standards of academic excellence.
The College of Graduate Studies shall maintain a list of faculty who are eligible to serve on committees for each doctoral program. Eligibility must be approved by the program’s academic college dean, the faculty member’s academic college dean (if different from the program), and the graduate dean or designee. Per SDSU Graduate Council policy, the chair of any doctoral program committee must meet all of the following criteria:
- A doctoral degree in the appropriate discipline.
- Specific expertise (theoretical, methodological, or topical) in the area(s) of the doctoral program.
- A strong, continuous professional record of published research through monographs, refereed journal articles, chapters in edited volumes, grants, and presentations at national and international meetings of relevant professional associations.
- Hold an active tenured or tenure-track appointment.
- Be involved in teaching at the graduate level.
- Demonstrated ability to direct others in research activities.
- Additional criteria established by the doctoral program.
As an exception and when necessary to represent specialized research expertise, committee members other than chair may be approved if most (but not all) of the seven criteria have been met. Additional requirements and procedures may be specified in the program handbook.
From the pool of faculty who have been approved for doctoral committee service, students shall solicit (with their primary mentor’s guidance) prospective members for the qualifying examination, culminating experience, and other committees. (Guidelines and procedures should be specified in the program handbook.) The names for each committee position shall be submitted by the doctoral program directors for review and approval by the graduate dean. For JDPs, approval is also required from the cooperating institution’s graduate dean. Approval must be finalized at least four weeks prior to the qualifying examination, doctoral defense, or other relevant milestone.
Qualifying Examinations
The purpose of a qualifying examination is to satisfy program faculty that the student is adequately prepared in the discipline to warrant continuation in the program. The faculty committee (see details above) shall assess both foundational and specialized knowledge in the field. In a JDP, the committee shall include faculty from both institutions.
Students may take their qualifying examination(s) only if they are in Good Academic Standing (cumulative grade point averages are 3.0 or higher), have a program of study grade point average of 3.0 or higher, meet all university Graduate Student Good standing requirements, and meet all relevant program-level requirements.
Qualifying examinations must be passed prior to advancement to candidacy. The examination may consist of written and/or oral parts. If a program’s oral examination is open to the public, it should be publicly advertised at least two weeks in advance. A majority vote of the qualifying examination committee is required for the candidate to pass the examination (see handbook for program-specific details). If a student does not pass their qualifying examination, program policy shall dictate whether the student shall be administratively disqualified, or given an opportunity to retake it.
Each doctoral program requires completion of a culminating experience, either in the form of a dissertation or a significant scholarly project which is designed to demonstrate the student’s ability to conduct systematic, rigorous research on a significant issue and to apply current, evidence-based knowledge at the doctoral level.
Prior to undertaking this work, students develop and obtain approval of a formal proposal outlining the purpose, scope, and methodology of the project. The dissertation or doctoral project proposal is a formal process allowing the student to demonstrate the requisite theoretical and methodological background, as well as the necessary writing skills to proceed to concentrated dissertation work.
a. The dissertation or doctoral project proposal shall include the submission of a written proposal to the doctoral committee.
b. A formal oral presentation and defense of the proposal shall occur before faculty and peers.
c. The proposal should be provided to the dissertation/doctoral project committee no later than two weeks prior to the date of the oral presentation and defense.
A doctoral student may be advanced to candidacy if they
- Hold classified graduate standing.
- Have passed the qualifying examination(s) and proposal defense.
- Have completed all program requirements for advancement, including (but not limited to) minimum coursework and grade point average.
- Meet university-level scholastic, professional, grade point average and other graduate student good standing requirements.
- Are well-prepared to complete research and dissertation preparation per program standards.
- Have been approved for Advancement to Candidacy by the relevant program committee, doctoral program director(s), and the graduate dean(s).
A student may not enroll in the final semester of coursework or in courses associated with the culminating experience (e.g., 899 Dissertation/Doctoral Project) until after advancement to candidacy.
Culminating Experience
Each doctoral program requires a culminating experience that is either a published dissertation or doctoral project. The culminating experience demonstrates that the student has mastered current, evidence-based practice at the doctoral level, and has conducted systematic, rigorous research on a topic that is significant in their field of study. The structure, content, formatting requirements and academic standards for the culminating experience are presented in the program handbook.
The dissertation or doctoral project topic is chosen by the candidate along with and approved by their dissertation chair (primary advisor). Students work closely with their dissertation chair and dissertation committee to guide the research topic, methods and analysis. However, the final responsibility for content rests with the student.
The completed dissertation or doctoral project shall be submitted to the student’s dissertation/doctoral committee for scholarly review. Evaluation will assess whether the final product reflects original scholarship, sound interpretation of evidence, and a meaningful contribution to the field. This includes:
- clarity and significance of the research problem
- appropriateness and rigor of the methodology
- appropriateness and rigor of analysis
- appropriate interpretation and effective presentation of the results
- adherence to tone, style, and formatting expectations
- overall effectiveness of the written document
Prior to final committee approval of the dissertation or doctoral project, a final oral examination (defense) is required, where the student presents their culminating experience and answers questions from their committee.
Course registration
As part of their degree requirements, doctoral students are required to enroll in a course that is associated with their culminating experience. Students in the AuD program enroll in AuD 899 at SDSU and/or AuD 299 at UCSD, please refer to the program handbook for details. In all other cases, the student shall enroll at San Diego State University in their department or school’s 899 (Dissertation or Doctoral Project) course. For the AuD, DNP, and DPT degrees, enrollment in 899 is required in the term that the culminating experience is completed. For the DrPH and EdD degrees, enrollment is required in the term that the culminating experience is submitted to the SDSU College of Graduate Studies. For JDP degrees, SDSU 899 registration is required in the term that the dissertation is submitted for publication at the partner campus.
Doctoral Project Publication
AuD, DNP, and DPT degree programs require publication of a doctoral project (instead of dissertation) based on standards and processes that are outlined in the program handbook and coordinated by program faculty.
Dissertation Publication
After the oral examination, committee-approved dissertations must be published and made publicly available. Dissertation publication through San Diego State University is a degree requirement for the DrPH, EdD, and PhD degrees; PhD programs also require publication at the cooperating campus. Formatting review, formatting approval, and publication is facilitated by Montezuma Publishing using standards that are established by the Graduate Council. Publication is electronic through the ProQuest ETC (Electronic Thesis & Dissertations) system.
For doctoral students, the dissertation and other documents associated with degree completion are submitted electronically to the College of Graduate Studies for evaluation and preliminary review. JDP students shall submit their dissertations immediately after publication at the cooperating campus. Students are required to fill out the Survey of Earned Doctorates at the time the dissertation is submitted. Dissertation submission deadlines vary by program, as reflected in the doctoral program’s handbook and the College of Graduate Studies website.
After preliminary review, the College of Graduate Studies will transfer the dissertation to Montezuma Publishing. Doctoral degrees may only be issued after all publication steps through Montezuma Publishing are complete. It is the student’s responsibility to promptly complete all additional tasks, formatting corrections, and fee payments as requested; delay may result in the degree being issued in a future term, or cancellation of the graduation application. Dissertation submission and publication deadlines are available on the College of Graduate Studies website.
The University Library and Montezuma Publishing will temporarily restrict (embargo) the use of a thesis or project if the author and the chair of the thesis committee request such action and the graduate dean or designee approves. See Dissertation Embargo below.
Research Involving Human Subjects or Animal Subjects
University committee authorization must be obtained in advance of conducting research involving humans (IRB) or animals (IACUC), see below. Failure to observe this requirement may result in the refusal of the university to accept the dissertation/project for publication and degree requirements.
Research in which information is obtained about an individual through the use of a survey, interview, observation or experimentation or which involves analysis of previously collected human tissues, records, samples or other existing or secondary data is subject to review and approval of the Institutional Review Board (IRB). For students enrolled in a joint doctoral program, IRB review may be required at each campus. Students are responsible for knowing and complying with IRB review requirements at the institution(s) in which they are enrolled. IRB review application materials and guidance on the SDSU campus may be obtained online at https://research.sdsu.edu/research_affairs.
Students planning to conduct research that involves the use of live, vertebrate animals must be listed on a protocol approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) where the research will take place. If the research will occur under a SDSU approved protocol, the student must be listed on the responsible faculty’s animal protocol form and receive required training. Application materials used to request a review by the IACUC can be obtained at https://research.sdsu.edu/research_affairs or through the Division of Research and Innovation located in Gateway Center, Room 3519.
Upon receipt of written authorization from the relevant committee, IRB or IACUC, students may initiate their research and register for required coursework.
Dissertation Embargo
If the author (and the chair of the dissertation committee) requests a dissertation embargo it must be approved by the graduate dean or designee. Montezuma Publishing will communicate the approved embargo request to ProQuest and the University Library. The purpose of the embargo is to protect the author’s right to publish or otherwise exploit the new knowledge before making it available to others. The display of a dissertation may be embargoed for: (a) up to two years for JDPs and (b) one year (renewable for 1 additional year) for IDPs.
JDP students must submit the partner campus embargo form to both campuses. IDP students should send a memorandum requesting restricted use to the dean of the College of Graduate Studies, explaining the rationale for the need. If the dean or designee approves, the request is forwarded to Montezuma Publishing for implementation. For IDPs, authors may request an extension of the embargo period for a second year by sending a memorandum to the graduate dean or designee specifying the reason for the extension. After a dissertation is published, restricted use is no longer an option.
Degree Time Limits
Students may file up to four semesters of Leave of Absence (LOA) at SDSU. LOAs are not required for the summer semester unless the doctoral program requires summer enrollment (see the doctoral program handbook for requirements). JDP students must concurrently file an LOA at the partner institution. If the partner campus is on the quarter system, then the leave must cover all relevant terms (e.g., an SDSU spring semester LOA requires both winter and spring quarter LOAs). LOAs may not be filed in the first semester in the doctoral program. LOAs will not be approved if the student’s cumulative post-baccalaureate GPA is below 3.0.
All degree requirements must be no more than seven years old when the degree is awarded. Time spent on leave of absence does not extend the degree time limit. Students who do not graduate by these deadlines may be subject to administrative disqualification by the graduate dean(s).
A course may not have its time limit extended if it is a transfer course from another university. An expired culminating experience (thesis, project, portfolio or comprehensive examination) may not have its time limit extended. No more than 30% of the degree’s total units may be extended beyond standard time limits, and no course or other degree requirement can be greater than 10 years old at the time the degree is awarded. Individual graduate programs may more narrowly limit the number, types and/or expiration date of courses, based on field-specific standards.
Doctoral directors who support time extensions for expiring courses may appeal to the Graduate Dean on behalf of the student if those courses have not changed significantly since the student completed them. Appeals for time limit extension require justification of the student’s extenuating circumstances. Doctoral directors must also address whether degree requirements have changed since the student began their program, and how each expired course will be “validated” for current knowledge. If an appeal is approved and student knowledge is then validated for recency, a one-year course time limit extension will be granted. Courses that fail validation must be repeated or substituted.
Students who have lost matriculation and wish to continue their studies must formally apply for readmission, which is not guaranteed. See Readmission under University Policies.
Application for Graduation
Graduation is not automatic upon the completion of requirements. Doctoral students who intend to graduate must take the initiative to file a graduation application with the university. Deadlines for receipt of graduation applications by the College of Graduate Studies are published each year in the academic calendar and on the College of Graduate Studies website at: https://grad.sdsu.edu.
A one-time, nonrefundable graduation services fee is required at the time of application. See the SDSU Bursar’s Office website (https://bursar.sdsu.edu/) for the current fee. Students who do not complete all degree requirements in the semester in which they applied for graduation must submit a “Request to Postpone Graduation Application” eform in my.sdsu. Candidates for graduation are not eligible to register for terms subsequent to the graduation date unless admitted to another graduate program.
Doctoral students who are also pursuing an advanced certificate or post-baccalaureate credential should obtain degree completion information from the corresponding advisor, since these degree types do not require a graduation application. For all other graduation or cancellation information please visit the College of Graduate Studies website at: https://grad.sdsu.edu.
Awarding of Degree
The degrees of Doctor of Doctor of Audiology and the Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, Chemistry, Clinical Psychology, Computational Science, Ecology, Education, Engineering Sciences (Bioengineering), Engineering Sciences(Electrical and Computer Engineering), Engineering Sciences (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), Engineering Sciences (Structural Engineering), Evolutionary Biology, Geography, Geophysics, Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use, Language and Communicative Disorders, Mathematics and Science Education, Public Health: Epidemiology, Public Health: Global Health, Public Health: Health Behavior, will be awarded jointly by the regents or trustees of the cooperating institution and the trustees of The California State University in the names of San Diego State University and the appropriate cooperating university campus.
The degrees of Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership with concentration in PreK-12 School Leadership, Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership with concentration in Community College / Postsecondary Leadership, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Doctor of Public Health with a concentration in Executive Management, Doctor of Public Health with a concentration in Global Health Management, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a concentration in Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Specialist, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a concentration in Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a concentration in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner will be awarded by the trustees of The California State University.
Commencement
SDSU commencement exercises are held each year at the conclusion of the spring semester for students completing degrees in the prior fall, current spring, or subsequent summer term. In March, details regarding commencement are communicated to those with an SDSU spring or summer graduation application on file or those who graduate in the prior fall. This information is also available on SDSU’s commencement website https://commencement.sdsu.edu. JDP students are encouraged to participate in the commencement ceremonies at both institutions. Information about participation in commencement ceremonies at the partner campus can be found on their graduate division’s website.
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