Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences — PhD

Code	Title	Hours
PhD
FISH 8950	Graduate Research Seminar	1
FISH 8990	Research and Dissertation	10
Select 49 Credits in @ 6000-8999 (Electives)		49
Total Hours		60

Admission to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program usually requires that the student has a master’s degree from a recognized graduate program. The doctoral program emphasizes original scholarly research and includes significant advanced coursework. The PhD degree requires a minimum of 60 semester credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, of which a minimum of 31 hours must be taken through Auburn University, and a dissertation describing original research. A minimum of 30 hours must be graded graduate courses. The minimum and maximum number of hours of dissertation research (FISH 8990) is 10. Students must pass a general examination, often called the "preliminary examination," typically taken after all graded course work is completed, to become a PhD candidate. The exam includes a written exam followed by an oral exam. The student becomes a candidate for the degree on successful completion of the general examination. After completion of the dissertation, the student must pass a final oral examination defending the dissertation.