General Graduate Program Requirements

Graduate School policies and standards can be found on the Graduate School Policies page. 

The minimum GPA for any graduate program is 3.0. Individual programs may require more than a 3.0 to remain in good standing. 

The minimum grade for a course to be accepted toward any requirement is C. Individual programs may require higher grades for specific courses.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

• The Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies is not focused on combining disciplines as are the masters programs in Interdisciplinary studies, but in allowing the student to bring forward a problem or series of problems to research.
• This degree has a different application process than other degrees at the university. Prospective students must schedule an appointment with the Director or Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs before beginning the application process.
• The student must seek out faculty with the resources and expertise to assist them in defining and executing the research goals and designing a curriculum to acquire the skills and competencies needed to reach those goals.
• The  Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies requires a student who is highly motivated, has a focused goal/research project in mind, and is able to actively participate in his or her educational process.
• Prospective students should read the thorough description of the program on the Doctoral Interdisciplinary Studies website.

Coursework

• To graduate, a student needs at least 45 credits beyond the master’s degree. Credits may include regular graduate-level courses, independent study, internships, and seminars. In fulfilling that credit requirement, students must take:
  • At least 10 credits of dissertation research.
  • At least 18 credits at the 500 or 600 level.
  • At least 2 credits of D.I.S. Seminar (when offered; students can substitute a department seminar in consultation with their advisors); seminars may not be taken in the same semester.
  • At least 2 credits of seminars offered by any graduate program on the UM – Missoula Campus; seminars may not be taken in the same semester.

Dissertation Proposal

Students must submit a formal dissertation proposal to their committee in their second year in the program or on a mutually agreed upon timeframe upon admission. This proposal should be approved by the doctoral committee prior to the student’s advancing to the comprehensive exam.

Comprehensive Exam 

Students must pass a comprehensive exam. The exam generally includes a written and oral portion, although the specific format will be determined by the student’s graduate committee and agreed upon prior to admission to the program.

Dissertation and Oral Defense

In line with Graduate School policy for all doctorates (D5.0000: Dissertation Defense), students must submit and receive formal approval of their doctoral dissertation and must pass an oral defense of their dissertation prior to receiving their degree.