Culminating
Events:
Culminating event for the degree program
Dissertation
Dissertation Advising Committee Information
The PhD Program Committee, in consultation with the student, will identify at least three Graduate Faculty members from Temple University; two of these members, including the Chair, will be from the Department of Physical Therapy.
Dissertation Examining Committee Information
The Doctoral Advisory Committee and at least one other Graduate Faculty member from outside the Department make up the Doctoral Examining Committee. The PhD Program Committee will select the outside member(s)
Advisor/Committee Information
The student will prepare a written request/rationale for consideration and action by the PhD Program Committee.
Preliminary Exam Description
The PhD student is required to take qualifying examinations in three areas. These examinations are designed to demonstrate that the student has the skills to analyze, reflect, and conceptualize independently. Therefore the student and the Examining Committee jointly agree on the requirements for the exam, and the student completes the examination during the designated period.
Subject Areas/Major Components of the Preliminary Examination
Three exams are required, one each in a clinical content area, in teaching, and in research.
At what point in the program is the student expected to take the preliminary examination
Students may take the clinical content examination after competing a minimum of 30 CH in the PhD program. Students may take the teaching examination after completing PT 683 and PT 685. Students may take the research examination after completion of all course work.
Writing the Questions for the Preliminary Examination
The examinations are jointly agreed upon by the student and the Qualifying Examining Committee, using pre-determined guidelines regarding basic content and format.
Evaluating the Preliminary Examination
The examinations are independently graded by the two members of the Qualifying Examining Committee. The Director of the PhD Program, in consultation with the student, identify the faculty with the best expertise in the content area to be on each Qualifying Examining Committee.
Criterion for Passing the Preliminary Examination.
The examinations are graded Pass with Honors, Pass, and Failure. Students who receive a failure are allowed an opportunity to rewrite the examination. Determination of the grade is based on fulfillment of the contract agreed to in writing prior to the examination.
Administering, Scheduling, and Proctoring the Preliminary Examination
The examinations are scheduled by the student requesting in writing that the PhD Program Director convene a Qualifying Examination Committee.
Dissertation/Monograph Philosophy
The doctoral dissertation is original research, based on mastery of research methods, that demonstrates the student’s ability to expands existing knowledge
Philosophy of the Proposal
The dissertation proposal must be successfully defended in a public oral defense as determined by the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee.
Criterion for Passing the Dissertation and the Defense.
The dissertation must be successfully defended in a public oral defense as determined by the student’s Doctoral Examining Committee.
