PhD Degree Requirements
To be awarded a PhD in Information Science from the UW Information School the following requirements must be met:
- Pass a Preliminary Review in the quarter following the completion of 20 quarter hours of study in the PhD program.
- Pass 2nd Year and 3rd Year Reviews (assuming General Examination has not yet been taken).
- Successfully complete (minimum cumulative GPA 3.25) all course requirements as stipulated by the Information School.
- Complete the Information School’s requirement for teaching and research practica.
- Pass all four evaluative criteria on a General Examination to attain formal candidacy for the PhD program (Candidate’s Certificate). Note: To take the General Exam requires the completion of 60 credits and all PhD course requirements.
- Successfully defend a dissertation proposal before a Supervisory Committee.
- Complete 90 credits (minimum), 27 dissertation credits, and at least 18 numerically graded courses in compliance with UW Graduate School Policy.
- Successfully defend a dissertation before a Reading Committee (Final Examination).
- In addition to the iSchool degree requirements, students must satisfy UW Graduate School degree requirements.
Expected Time for Program Completion
Full-Time
Full-time study for the PhD in Information Science is preferred. The Information School is committed to helping to support students wherever possible through graduate assistantships. The standard program for full-time study is two years for the coursework and practica components. These components are followed by a general exam to determine candidacy. You will then normally complete another two to four years of full-time study. These two to four years will normally involve six months to one year focused on the preparation and defense of the dissertation proposal followed by the completion and defense of the dissertation. Estimated time to degree completion is 5 to 6 years.
Part-Time
Many outstanding PhD students cannot afford full-time study and would prefer to study for their doctorate part-time. The Information School acknowledges this preference but also recognizes how important it is to establish and foster collegiality, intellectual community/ecology, trust, relationships, and a sense of belonging that are essential to active participation in a research culture. This process is essential for the successful academic apprenticeship and mentoring of the Information School’s PhD students. For these reasons, the Information School requires all candidates to enroll as full-time students for the first year of study. If you then choose to complete your PhD part-time, completion of the degree will normally take longer than the time estimated above for full-time study.