Are all students who are offered admission also provided financial aid?
Generally, yes. In recent years, students who are selected for admission and financial support receive a yearly stipend (currently $20,350 for the academic year and summer term) and a full tuition waiver (currently $13,104). Additional merit scholarships of up to $10,000 per year are available for qualified students. Students receiving financial support conduct 20 hours of assisted research weekly.

In addition to the stipend and tuition remission for the academic year, students receive a partial health insurance credit to be applied towards a health insurance plan for graduate students offered through Kent State University. For the 2006-2007 academic year, students received $810 credit towards the $1350 plan.

What are the minimum GRE and TOEFL scores that an applicant must have to apply to the program?
TOEFL – University Minimum: 550 (paper-based); 213 (computer-based)
GRE – this test is optional, but highly recommended.

For the GRE and TOEFL scores, what is your institution’s code?
1367

What test dates are acceptable?
Our Graduate School requires recent, official score reports. GRE scores more than 5 years old and TOEFL scores more than 2 years old are not acceptable.

Must all my application materials arrive before the application deadline?
Submission of all materials by the application deadline is strongly encouraged. We begin to evaluate applicants' materials immediately after the deadline. The earlier a file is complete, the earlier a formal decision can be made concerning admission.

Can I provide my GRE scores to the Department or must they come to you directly from the Educational Testing Service?
We invite students to send us early 'unofficial' copies of their GRE and TOEFL test scores. These can be used for internal departmental evaluation for admission. However, our Graduate School requires that 'official' results reach us from the testing agency before any admission offer can be extended.

How long does the department keep my file? May I request submitted information to be returned?
Your file will be kept for one year. Contact the department, via email, to obtain guidelines on how to update your file. Once documents are submitted to the department, they will not be returned.

Will I need to submit a new application and fee after one year?
Yes, together with updated versions of all documents needed.

When is the application deadline for your program?
Our application deadline for initial Fall semester enrollment is January 15. In practice, this means we begin reviewing all completed applications in early February, or as soon thereafter as they are complete. We do not actually refuse later applications. They simply have a decreasing chance, the later they arrive, for consideration for admission and for full financial aid. Our application process remains formally open until our class is full.

How many credits are required to complete the doctoral program?
24-27 credit hours of core courses, and 30 credit hours of electives.

What kind of exams are there and when do they take place?

• Ph.D. Candidacy Exam -Students are expected to take the Ph.D. Candidacy exam after completing one full year of graduate courses.
• Ph.D. Defense - Once all the departmental requirements for the Ph.D. degree are satisfied, including submission of a dissertation, the student defends the dissertation during an oral examination before a panel of faculty.

How long does it take to get a Ph.D.?
The typical duration of studies for well-prepared, conscientious students to achieve a doctoral degree is about five years

What is your schedule for notifying applicants of acceptance or rejection?
We usually begin to send offers of admission in mid-February, and continue to admit students until we believe sufficient offers have been made to fill our class for the coming year. Later offers may be made if space is available. Rejection notices are not usually sent until after June.

Is an acceptance by email sufficient to hold my place in your program?
Notifying us by email of your acceptance is strongly encouraged. We ask also that a follow-up letter of acceptance be sent by regular mail.