College of Education, Health and Human Services Graduate Handbook

Welcome to your graduate program in the College of Education, Health and Human Services. We are delighted that you have chosen our college as a place to continue your education, and we will work hard to ensure that you have a successful experience. This handbook is intended as your college guide to that successful experience and, hopefully, the successful completion of your degree or certificate program. Please take some time to review the handbook and keep it in a safe place so you can access it when questions arise. Your graduate education staff will always be available if you need to talk with someone. These staff members are:

Associate Dean's Office, 407/300 White Hall:
Dr. Jennifer Walton-Fisette, Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education
jfisette@kent.edu

Luci Wymer, Special Assistant to Associate Dean Walton-Fisette
awymer@kent.edu

School Directors:
Mark Lyberger, Director, School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration
mlyberge@kent.edu (Fall 2025 only)

John McDaniel, Interim Director, School of Health Sciences
jmcdani5@kent.edu

Frank J. Sansosti, Director, School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
fsansost@kent.edu

Scott Courtney, Director, School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
scourtn5@kent.edu (also School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration in Spring 2026)

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Core Functions

Graduate Education and Administrative Affairs supports the mission of the College of Education, Health and Human Services by leading and/or assisting others with:

Continuous improvement of student learning
Professional development
Program development
Research and evaluation
Accreditation
Grant procurement
Data collection, management, reporting
Student affairs from admission through graduation
Relation with the University Graduate College and the Ohio Board of Regents

Staying Informed

All �Ը�� University students are given a kent.edu account. It is the student’s responsibility to check it regularly. �Ը�� University’s official correspondence with students occurs through the kent.edu student email account. Please note that your kent.edu email address will be added to the Graduate Student email listserv. The Office of Graduate Student Services website will keep you informed about important policies, procedures and deadlines.

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Admission

Admission Process

General Admission
Minimum Qualifications for Admission

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. If applicant attended a non-U.S. college or university, the degree must have been received from a recognized institution where the requirements for the bachelor's degree are similar to those at �Ը�� University, as determined by �Ը��’s Office of Global Education.
A total undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 on a 4.00 point scale. Applicants who do not meet the 2.75 minimum undergraduate GPA requirement may still be considered for admission if the applicant demonstrates one or more of the following conditions:
1. Earned a graduate degree from an accredited institution with 3.00 GPA.
2. Completed 9 or more graduate hours at �Ը�� University or an accredited institution and earned a 3.00 cumulative GPA or above in graduate level courses.
3. Earned a 3.00 cumulative GPA in the undergraduate major or in courses related to the academic program to which the applicant has applied.
4. Earned a 3.00 cumulative GPA in the last 60 credit hours of completed undergraduate courses.
5. Other compelling evidence as determined by the academic program.

Some program areas may require a higher minimum undergraduate or graduate GPA, these being the following that require a 3.00 undergraduate GPA for admission: Athletic Training, Audiology, Counselor Education and Supervision, Higher Education Administration, Nutrition Internship, School Psychology, Speech Pathology and Audiology.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum university and/or program requirements for admission may be considered for conditional admission. Admission in such cases will depend heavily on other indices of the student’s ability to handle graduate-level work. These might include strong performance on standardized tests, GPA in the major and/or other experiences that are clearly indicative of strong academic ability. Programs may also require additional indicators of potential success for admission, such as interviews and writing samples. Applicants should check the specific requirements for their programs of interest on the College of Education, Health and Human Services Graduate Programs page. Applicants should meet with program faculty for pre-admission advising. EHHS evaluates application files holistically considering GPA, professional experience, interviews, English proficiency, and recommendations. Application to a graduate degree program must be made online through the �Ը�� University Admissions website.

Other Types of Admission

Certificate Programs

A current/active graduate student enrolled in a degree-granting program at �Ը�� University (KSU) will need to apply for a certificate online through the �Ը�� University Admissions website. There is a non-refundable application fee of $25.

Applicants, who are not current graduate students, will also need to apply for the certificate online and provide, in addition to the $25 non-refundable application fee, the following application material:

Two letters of recommendation. If at all possible, one of the letters should be completed by a faculty member familiar with the applicant’s academic work, and the other should be supplied by individuals familiar with the applicant’s professional achievements.
One official transcript from all institutions in which a degree was conferred (associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s). Transcripts must have a print date within the past year. Admissions will secure a transcript of those credits earned at �Ը�� University.
A written statement of “Personal Goals and Professional Objectives.”

For full admission details visit the Graduate College. Note that documents for domestic applicants are sent by email to gradapps@kent.edu. International applicants submit documents to intladm@kent.edu.

Guest Admission/Application

Guest admission is available to applicants who are new to graduate study at �Ը�� University.

Guest students typically take courses for job enhancement, personal enrichment, or enjoyment. Guest students may remain in this status until a maximum of six (6) semester hours of �Ը�� University credits have been attempted. Students cannot earn a degree through this admission status. If students wish to pursue a degree program or continue after six semester hours have been attempted, they must apply for regular admission. Guest students must meet all the prerequisites for courses they plan to take.

To be admitted in this category, the applicant must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.

Anyone who has been denied admission to graduate study or is under dismissal from �Ը�� University is not eligible for guest student status. Guest students are not eligible for financial aid.

$25 non-refundable application fee is required for guest admission.
Transcripts are not required.

Students can apply for admission as a Graduate Guest student through the Admissions website.

Non-Degree Seeking Admission/Application

The classification of non-degree seeking student is available for those who wish to take a few graduate courses for personal reasons, self-improvement, or intellectual curiosity.

This classification is for those students not working toward a graduate degree at �Ը�� University. Non-degree seeking admission is valid for six years. In order to be admitted as a non-degree seeking student one must submit:

$25 non-refundable application fee
Official transcript from each institution where a degree was/will be conferred.

Applicants who have been denied admission to graduate studies, or is under dismissal from the University, are not eligible for non-degree seeking student status.

It is important for non-degree seeking students to understand that in the event they decide to apply to a degree program, a maximum of 12 hours taken either as a non-degree seeking student or in the form of graduate coursework from another institution can be applied to a degree program, if approved. (Coursework used in conferral of a previous degree at an institution outside of �Ը�� University cannot be used for another degree.) Students can apply for admission as a non-degree seeking student at Admissions website.

*Students who have previously earned a graduate degree from �Ը�� University are not required to provide KSU transcripts.

Non-Degree License/Non-Degree Endorsement Admission/Application

For those interested in earning initial teacher licensure (i.e. Middle Childhood 4-9; Special Education) or additional teacher licensure (Middle Childhood 4-9; Special Education; or Adolescent to Young Adult 7-12) or those interested in advancing an alternative license to a professional teaching license through a graduate non-degree program, applicants must submit a Non-Degree License application for the appropriate non-degree licensure preparation program. For admission to non-degree additional licensure programs, evidence of a valid (unexpired) Resident Educator (not an Alternative Resident Educator) or 5-year Professional State of Ohio teaching license is required. For admission to the non-degree Alternative Licensure Professional Development Institute (ALPDI), evidence of a valid (unexpired) Alternative Resident Educator license; completion of an Intensive Pedagogical Development Institute or Alternative Resident Educator Institute approved by the Ohio Department of Education; and passing scores for the Ohio Educator Assessment (OAE) test for licensure area are required. For those interested in adding a teaching endorsement to an existing, valid teaching license, applicants must submit a Non-Degree Endorsement application for the appropriate non-degree endorsement preparation program. For admission to non-degree endorsement preparation program, evidence of a valid (unexpired) Resident Educator or 5-year Professional State of Ohio teaching license is required.

$25 non-refundable application fee
Official transcript from each institution where a degree was/will be conferred. This transcript must have a print date within the past year. Graduate Admissions will secure a transcript of those credits earned at �Ը�� University.
Evidence of a valid (unexpired) Resident Educator or 5-year Professional State of Ohio teaching license (NOT REQUIRED FOR INITIAL LICENSURE PREP PROGRAMS)

Please note: Some programs require additional admission requirements such as a goal statement; letters of recommendation; interview; etc. Please reference the current University Catalog for admission criteria to a specific non-degree licensure preparation or non-degree endorsement preparation program.

Per the College Residence Requirement Policy for Non-Degree Teacher Education Licensure/Endorsement Preparation, admitted students to a non-degree licensure/endorsement preparation program must adhere to the following:

Non-degree licensure (initial and additional) and endorsement programs that are a total of 15 credits or above: Students must complete 60% of the coursework at �Ը�� University, including the course that addresses the CAEP A.1.1 Standard as designated by the program area.
Non-degree licensure (initial and additional) and endorsement programs that are less than 15 total credits: Students must complete 100% of the coursework at �Ը�� University.
Students are permitted 6 years to complete licensure programs and 4 years to complete endorsement programs at �Ը�� University.
Coursework transferred from another university cannot be more than 6 years old at the time the licensure/endorsement program is completed.
Students who do not meet the residence requirements will not be recommended for licensure by �Ը�� University.

Appeals Regarding Denials of Admission

If a student is denied admission, they may appeal the decision. A letter must be emailed to the Associate Dean at jfisette@kent.edu within 10 days of the notification of denial. The appeal letter should include evidence for reconsideration.

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English Language Proficiency Requirements

Applicants for whom English is not the first language must submit evidence of oral and written English language proficiency.

Please refer to the Office of Global Education’s website regarding English language requirements (Graduate Program English Requirements). Minimum English language proficiency scores for the College of EHHS are indicated in the table below:

Programs	TOEFL (Paper-based)	TOEFL (Internet-based)	IELTS	PTE	DET (Duolingo English Test)
Audiology	587	94	7.0	65	120
Speech Language Pathology	587	94	7.0	65	120
All other Majors in the College of EHHS (besides Audiology and Speech Language Pathology)	550	79	6.5	58	110

Graduate Certificate Guidelines

For more information on these certificate programs visit the individual program's website through the College of Education, Health and Human Services.

General Requirement for Certificates

Graduate students must maintain a 3.00 minimum grade point average. Good academic standing indicates that students are meeting university and program requirements and are making satisfactory progress towards their academic program. See for the Academic Standing policy.
Certificates must be completed within six years starting from the most recent term of admission. Please refer to policy.
No more than 2 hours of workshop credit may be used toward certificate requirements.
Before being eligible to be awarded a certificate, students must be formally admitted to the certificate program.
Students who are currently in a degree program (Master, Educational Specialist, or Doctoral) may also formally apply to a certificate program. Their degree-seeking coursework may be applied to the certificate coursework with advisor approval.

Transfer of Credit Process for Certificates

Certificate applicants who have a previous graduate degree and are not currently seeking another graduate degree may transfer a maximum 6 credit hours with advisor approval. These credits may include hours from another KSU program or from another accredited institution, if the following conditions are met: (1) courses were at the graduate level, (2) a grade of “A”, “B” or “S” was earned, and (3) student was admitted as a graduate student at the time the course was taken.

To transfer coursework from an accredited institution (not KSU) the student completes the Request for Transfer of Graduate Credit form. The transfer of credit electronic signature form should be completed in the first semester and supported by a transcript showing the grade earned. Coursework that does not have a letter grade of “A”, “B” or “S” cannot be transferred. Time limits for graduate transfer credit must follow established policy. Refer to

Certificate Plan of Study

It is the responsibility of each graduate certificate student to make an appointment with the assigned certificate advisor and prepare a plan of study to be filed with the Office of Graduate Student Services, via attachment to the electronic plan of study form, by the end of the second enrolled semester. The plan of study form is available through the program area. Screenshots of GPS or university catalog requirements will not be accepted. If the plan of study must be revised after submission, a new plan of study with revisions must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Student Services. The plan of study form is available through the program area. Screenshots of GPS or university catalog requirements will not be accepted. If the plan of study must be revised after submission, a new plan of study with revisions must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Student Services.

Certificate Graduation/Application Process

The application for graduation for the certificate must completed through FlashLine no later
than Friday of the University’s official first week of classes in the SEMESTER IN WHICH
GRADUATION IS ANTICIPATED. Graduation applications are available through FlashLine, under Student/Resources.

Students who submit a graduation application after the posted deadline will need to complete the Late Graduation Application form, accessible on FlashLine, under Student/Resources/Graduation.

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Registration

Registration Information

All registration transactions will be completed using FlashLine. Students should log into FlashLine and click on Student/Dashboard to access FlashLine. Registration and schedule adjustment for all campuses of �Ը�� University is available using FlashLine. Students must register and make payment of fees by published deadlines before attending classes. Students who are not officially registered for a course by published University deadlines will not be permitted to attend classes and will not receive credit or a grade for the course. For more information on registration steps, permissions, and overrides refer to the Financial, Billing, and Enrollment website.

All students are assigned a priority pre-registration time when they may register for classes.

Minimum Enrollment Requirements

Per Graduate Catalog, graduate students shall enroll for at least one term each year to maintain status as a degree-seeking student. A year is defined as three consecutive terms, including summer as one term. Meeting this minimum enrollment requirement does not guarantee the student will meet the minimum requirements of other programs, offices, or agencies.

Students not meeting the minimum enrollment requirement for maintaining status as a degree- seeking graduate student will be considered as having voluntarily withdrawn from the University. After three consecutive terms of non-enrollment, students will be inactivated.

Students who withdrew and wish to have their graduate standing re-instated must follow the same admission procedures as those required of new applicants, including submission of a non- refundable application fee and application materials. Acceptance back into a graduate program
is not guaranteed even if the student departed in good standing. Students who apply and are admitted will be re-instated under the catalog-in-force at the time of admission. The program determines how much of the previously completed work may be applied toward the graduate degree program.

Students on an approved leave of absence may return to their program of study by completing the Application for Graduate Re-Enrollment form.

Course Withdrawal Information

Withdrawal from any or all courses is permitted through the 10th week of the semester (or the prorated deadline for flexibly scheduled sections). After that time, students are considered to be committed to all remaining courses and must complete them. If students are unable to complete the semester because of extreme circumstances that first occur after the deadline, students should consult the course instructor. Any course withdrawal(s) processed after the second week of the semester will appear on the student’s academic record with a grade of “W.” Visit the Registrar’s website for more information.

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Transfer of Credit

Graduate courses earned at another college or university may be transferred into a �Ը�� University graduate program. Students who wish to have those courses considered for transfer must petition administrators of the graduate program. The program can accept or reject such courses based on the program requirements, regardless of the discipline or institution in which the credits were earned.

The following conditions must be satisfied to transfer graduate credit:

A maximum of 12 credit hours of transfer courses may be applied toward a master’s degree, the Educational Specialist degree or a doctoral degree. Some programs may have a lower maximum.
The graduate credit was earned at an institutional accredited college or university (or international equivalent).
The credit was not used for a previously awarded degree.
The student earned, at minimum, a B or satisfactory (S) grade in each course for which credit is to be transferred.
The transfer coursework satisfies a requirement in the student’s program.
Time limits for transfer credit must follow established policy. Refer to
The student’s petition for transfer credit with an official transcript is filed with the program and college.
The student’s program coordinator approves the petition.

Accepted transfer credits are posted on the �Ը�� University transcript in semester hours and count toward total credit hours earned for graduation at �Ը��. Transfer credits and grades will not count toward the students’ (GPA) and ; nor will a transfer grade replace a grade earned in an equivalent course at �Ը��. Transfer grades, however, may be considered for prerequisites to a specific course or admission to and/or progression for a specific program.

Students who are enrolled in a �Ը�� graduate program and wish to take graduate credit at another college or university to be transferred back to their �Ը��'s program must obtain approval from their program coordinator prior to taking the courses.

Transfer of Credit Process

Students who wish to transfer course work from another accredited institution to a KSU graduate programs should take the following steps: 1) Complete and sign the Request for Transfer of Graduate Credit form. 2) Attach an official transcript to the form listing the courses to be transferred to KSU.

In compliance with the Ohio Revised Code and the University course numbering system, credits requested for transfer into a master’s program must have been earned at the 50,000 or 60,000 level. Credits requested for transfer into a doctoral program must have been earned at the 70,000 or 80,000 level. Credits requested for transfer into a graduate certificate program must reflect the appropriate level of certificate.

Courses completed at �Ը�� are not considered transfer. However, courses taken in one �Ը�� program may be applied toward another �Ը�� program with approval of that program’s coordinator. The 12-credit limit pertains to any and all coursework taken at another institution regardless of program type. The limit does not pertain to coursework taken for a �Ը�� graduate program (major, minor, certificate) that is being requested to apply toward another �Ը�� program.

Approval for Acceptance of Graduate Coursework at East Ohio Public Universities

Under specific circumstances, �Ը�� University graduate students may take one or more graduate courses at Cleveland State University (CSU), The University of Akron (UA), NEOMED, Ohio University (OU) or Youngstown State University (YSU) without registering as a transient student. The course should be required in the student’s program of study and be unavailable at �Ը�� University during the timeframe required for degree completion. For timely completion of a program of study students must be in good standing (GPA > 3.00) and be within time limits for completion of the program for such coursework to be approved.

The graduate program unit at �Ը�� University will establish a special topics course with a graduate title that will correspond to the course title at the host university and with the initials of the host university. Registration for such a course is controlled by the home program area and will be permitted only upon receipt of the request form approved by the faculty advisor.

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Degree Credits

Credit Hours Required

The number of credit hours required for a master’s degree varies by program area but is a minimum 30 credits. No more than one-half of a master’s student’s coursework may be taken at the 50000-level. A master’s student must complete all work toward the degree within six calendar years from their most recent program admission. Entering doctoral students must have earned a master’s degree and must complete a minimum of 90 semester hours beyond the baccalaureate degree or 60 hours beyond the master’s degree. All work for the doctoral degree must be completed within ten years. Education Specialist degrees (Ed.S.) require a minimum of 30 credits beyond the master’s level and must be completed within five years from their most recent program admission. Refer to the university for more information. If a degree program course is waived, the hours must be earned through the completion of an approved substituted course.

Workshop Hours

A maximum of four (4) semester credit hours earned in graduate workshops may be applied to some graduate degree programs. All workshops are graded “S/U.” Some programs may be more restrictive in their acceptance of workshop hours. Students are advised to consult with their advisors regarding application of workshop credit toward degree requirements.

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Leave of Absence

A leave of absence can be granted for degree-seeking graduate students in active status who must be away from their studies for one or more semesters for personal, family, financial, or other compelling reasons that are beyond the control of the student. Prior to applying for a leave of absence, students should consider the potential implication on funding and financial aid, including assistantships and veterans’ benefits, loan repayment, immigration status, health insurance, university housing, and time to degree completion.

International students should contact the Office of Global Education before the initiation of a leave of absence and before returning to campus to ensure compliance with immigration regulations and visa restrictions. for more information. Students can initiate a Leave of Absence request via FlashLine / Student tab / Requests and Authorizations / Leave of Absence for Graduate Students or Graduate Student Services form page.

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Grading

Grade Point Average

Only work of high quality is approved for graduate credit. Graduate students are expected to maintain a 3.00 average in all work attempted at �Ը��. A student who fails to maintain a 3.00 average is subject to dismissal. In addition, in order to qualify for graduation, students must maintain a 3.00 average for all graduate coursework. Grades of C- and below are not counted toward completion of requirements for any graduate degree, certificate, endorsement, licensure and other non-degree programs, but are counted in the graduate GPA. Refer to the for more information.

Once grades are submitted, they are final and will not be changed except in cases of administrative error. Grades will not be changed by allowing students to do additional work (e.g., retaking exams; redoing papers; submitting extra credit papers, reports, etc.) or by using criteria other than those applied to all students in the class. In the event of a possible administrative error, the student must contact the instructor as soon as possible following the posting of the grade. If there is a dispute over a student’s grade, the student may follow the University Academic Appeals process outlined in the University Policy Register, section 4 – 02.3.
Grade-to-Grade Change Policy

With the exception of the IN (incomplete), IP (in progress) and NR (not reported) marks, once grades are submitted, they are final and will not be changed except in cases of administrative error. Grades will not be changed by allowing the students to do additional work (e.g., retaking exams; redoing papers; submitting extra credit papers, reports) or by using criteria other than those applied to all students in the class.

In the event of a possible administrative error, the student must contact the instructor as soon as possible following the awarding of the grade. If the instructor is not available, the department/school chair/director should be contacted.

Grade appeals for reasons other than administrative error must follow established policy and procedures for student academic complaints; see University Policy Register, section 4 – 02.3.

Approved grade change requests for reasons other than removal of the IN, IP and NR marks must be submitted no later than the end of three consecutive terms after the grade was submitted or before the student’s degree is posted officially to the permanent academic record, whichever comes first. No challenge will be considered, or adjustment made after that period.

"U" Grade

The “U” grade denotes unsatisfactory performance in a course for which a regular grade is inappropriate. Credit hours are recorded as credit hours attempted, and the “U” grade is valued as an “F” in computing grade point averages. For graduate students, the “U” grade (along with the “S” grade) are the only grades to be used for thesis (6xx99), dissertation (8xx99), workshops and courses involving internship/practicum.

"IN" Grades

The administrative mark of “IN” (incomplete) may be given to students who are currently earning a “C” or better and are unable to complete the required work between the course withdrawal deadline and the end of classes due to extenuating circumstances. Appropriate documentation is generally required to support the extenuating circumstances. The student must initiate the request for the incomplete mark with the instructor, and it is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements to complete the incomplete work. Incompletes must be made up within one calendar year. The IN agreement between instructor and student must include the work to be completed for the course and the grade to be assigned if the work is not completed (default grade). In the event the instructor assigns an “IN” grade without a default grade, the default grade will be “F” if the work is not completed by the student. Incompletes will not be counted in the computation of grade point averages until the work is completed, at which time an appropriate grade will be assigned based on the instructor’s evaluation of the work submitted and a new grade point average computed. Unless the course is completed or an extension is granted, Incompletes will automatically lapse to the grade designated on the Incomplete Mark form at the end of one year.

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Academic Standing

indicates that students are meeting university and program requirements and are making satisfactory progress towards their academic program.

Dismissal/Reinstatement/Reapplication

Consistent with , students who are unable to maintain the academic standards of the College, or who violate the �Ը�� University Code of Student Conduct are subject to dismissal. Dismissals will be determined by the School Director in which the graduate program is situated.

Appeals for Reversal of Dismissal Action

Appeals for reversal of a dismissal must be initiated within 10 working days of receipt of notification. Any appeal must be based on circumstances beyond the student’s control and of recent origin. Personal illness or deaths in the family are conditions which may be recognized. Reasons such as outside work, disagreement with friends, “I know I can do better,” roommate problems, poor study habits, inadequate academic preparation, or other similar reasons are seldom justified.

Any appeal which might be legitimate, and which is based on uncontrollable and recent circumstances, must be submitted via email, and show that grades met the required standard before the problem occurred, and include reasons why a statement was not made prior to the end of the term or at the earliest indication of academic difficulty. Appeal submissions and relevant documentation should be sent by email to Dr. Jennifer Walton-Fisette (jfisette@kent.edu, 330-672-0234), Associate Dean of Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education. It is important to note that the appealing student should not anticipate being able to enroll for courses in the same semester as the appeal.

Hearing Process

Upon receipt of an admission denial or a dismissal appeal letter, the Associate Dean will, if necessary, following consultation with the School Director and Program Coordinator, convene the College Graduate Student Appeals Committee for a formal hearing with the appellant. This committee is composed of four faculty members (one faculty member from each EHHS school) and one doctoral student. Present at the hearing will be the members of the committee, the Associate Dean, and the appellant. Legal representation is not appropriate at this time in the appeals process.

Before the meeting with the appellant, the Committee will meet with program area faculty members invested in the appeal. The program faculty will be dismissed before the Committee meets with the appellant. The appellant will be afforded the opportunity to present their case to the Committee members. Members will also address questions to the appellant; the appellant will then be asked to leave the room while the Committee deliberates. The appellant will be invited back to the room to hear the Committee’s decision. The hearing will be followed by a formal notification of the Committee’s decision to the appellant.

In the event of a successful appeal, the student will be reinstated into the program and will be able to register for classes for the following semester. If the appeal is not successful, the student cannot be reinstated for work in their former program or readmitted in any other program or coursework. However, after one year as a dismissed student, reapplication to the program may be made based upon evidence that former academic weaknesses have been appropriately addressed. In such a case, if the program and the Associate Dean agree that another opportunity should be provided, conditional admission may be granted.

Reapplication

The minimum period of Academic Dismissal is twelve (12) months before a dismissed student can reapply to the program. Before reapplication, the student should engage in appropriate self-improvement to overcome the deficiencies that led to dismissal. Appropriate self-improvement activities employed by dismissed students may include the following: non-credit courses in study skills; assistance from counselors or other mental health professionals; and basic skills reinforcement. Other worthwhile activities may also be recognized. If students intend to enroll in coursework at another college or university before applying for readmission to �Ը�� University, they should first confer with their KSU faculty advisors. At times, coursework taken at another institution may not be applicable to specific program requirements in the College of Education, Health and Human Services.

To initiate a new application for admission, complete the appropriate application on the Graduate Admissions website. Students must follow admission and degree requirements in the University Catalog in effect at the time of their return to the University.

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Extensions

Time Limits and Time Extensions

There are specific for completion of graduate degrees, certificates, and endorsements: 6 years for master’s degrees, 5 years for Educational Specialist, 8 years for Doctor of Audiology, 10 years for Doctor of Philosophy and 10 years for Doctor of Education. Certificate and licensure programs have a 6-year time limit, while endorsements are limited to 4 years.

Graduate students who require an extension will complete the request for before the time limit for completion has expired. No time extension will be given to students after their time limit is up. For further questions contact Luci Wymer (awymer@kent.edu) in the Associate Dean’s Office. Students must provide a realistic timeline and rationale with their request. The student’s advisor must provide support for the requested extension. The extension may be granted with qualification, or the extension may be denied.

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Advising and Plans of Study

The relationship between graduate students and their advisors is an important factor in graduate student success. The advisor provides academic and professional guidance to graduate students throughout their program of study. Advisors have been known to assume a variety of roles in graduate students’ lives from providing opportunities for publishing and conference presentations to lending a listening ear.

Advisors/Plan of Study Masters, Non-Degree, and Educational Specialist Students

Students will be assigned an advisor who will inform them of program requirements during the first academic year of enrollment in graduate study. Advisors acquaint students with the requirements and regulations guiding their program. Students are free to choose a different advisor at any time if they wish; however, they must file a Change of Advisor form, obtained from their school office.

It is the responsibility of each graduate student to make an appointment with the assigned advisor and prepare a plan of study to be filed with the Office of Graduate Student Services, via attachment to the electronic plan of study form, by the end of the second enrolled semester. The plan of study form is available through the program area. Screenshots of GPS or university catalog requirements will not be accepted. If the plan of study must be revised after submission, a new plan of study must be submitted indicating the changes to the Office of Graduate Student Services.

Master's degree, Certificate, Non-Degree licensure/endorsement, and Educational Specialist students will be blocked from registering for the third semester after admittance (including summer) until a plan of study have been filed in the Office of Graduate Student Services.

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�Ѳ��ٱ��’s Thesis/Project

Appointment of Thesis/Project Director and Thesis/Project Committee

When a student is ready to begin thesis or the project planning, they should meet with the faculty member who has been assigned as graduate program advisor. If the student is considering a topic outside the advisor’s area of expertise, the advisor will arrange for the student to meet with another faculty member for advice on the topic.

The advisor and the student are responsible for securing the consent of a qualified professor to act as director. The advisor may serve as director if this arrangement is agreeable to both parties. As per , the thesis committee will consist, at minimum, of three members:

The advisor, who chairs the committee
Minimum two additional members from the candidate’s academic unit (department or school)
If appropriate, one or more committee members also may be selected from other academic units. However, the majority of the committee members must be from the student’s home academic unit.

The director will guide the student during the development of the thesis or project proposal. The director will also assist the student in the selection of two other graduate faculty members appropriate to advise and serve on the committee.

Registration for �Ѳ��ٱ��’s Thesis ONLY

The student is required to register continuously for Thesis I (6x199) each semester (fall, spring) for a total of 6 credit hours. A student who has completed the required 6 credit hours of Thesis I but has not finished the thesis is expected thereafter to register continuously for Thesis II (6x299) each semester (fall, spring) until all degree requirements are met. Students who are planning to defend their thesis in summer or early fall, or who are requiring access to university resources during the summer months — including, but not limited to, feedback or mentoring from their thesis advisors, use of university buildings and other research resources — must register for thesis in the summer term.

Registration must be for 2 to 6 credit hours per semester, distributed over 1 to 3 semesters, as necessary. No more than 6 credit hours of Thesis I credit may be counted toward completion of degree requirements.

Registration for �Ѳ��ٱ��’s Project ONLY

Upon completion of coursework, students are required to register for 6 hours of Master Project. Registration must be for 2 to 6 credit hours per semester, distributed over 1 to 3 semesters, as necessary. Continuous registration for Master Project is not required.

Approval of Thesis or Project Topic

The students are to prepare a thesis or project topic proposal as directed by their thesis or project advisors. The proposal is presented to their committee for review and approval.

When the committee is satisfied with the proposal, the student will initiate the form Master's Thesis or Master's Project Committee & Proposal. This form, accompanied by a copy of the abstract, is accessed on the electronic forms page no later than the first day of the term in which the student plans to graduate.

Completion of Thesis or Project

Students completing the thesis must consult the Guidelines for Preparation of Theses and Dissertations regarding thesis style and form. The committee director will act as consultant during the time the thesis or project is being completed. Students must complete the thesis or project to the satisfaction of the committee. Students should deliver copies to each member of the committee at least ten days prior to the oral defense of the thesis or project.

Students will arrange for an oral defense of the thesis or project with the various members of their committee. The entire three-person committee is required to be present for the defense meeting. Upon completion of the defense, the student will initiate the Thesis or Project Report of Oral Defense form and the Thesis Approval page.

Thesis only: Students must adhere to established EHHS deadlines in applying for graduation, scheduling the oral defense of thesis or project, and electronically submit the thesis. Please note that EHHS deadlines are earlier than the university deadlines to allow for format checking. Deadlines can be found online at the Graduate Student Services Important EHHS Graduate Dates page.

Remote Participation in a Thesis Defense

Under normal circumstances, all members of a thesis committee must be physically present in the examination room during the entire thesis defense and during the committee's private deliberations following the examination. In most cases, the chair of the thesis committee is expected to be physically present in the examination room. Students enrolled in a fully online degree program are not required to be physically present for their thesis defense. For on-campus and hybrid (online/on-campus) degree programs, remote participation by web conferencing is permitted only if the student and/or committee member has obtained permission in advance from the chair of the thesis committee in consultation with committee members. They must provide a compelling reason and/or explanation as to why they cannot be physically present. With any thesis defense that is approved to be conducted with remote participation, the following rules must be enforced:

The web-conferencing software to be used allows all participants to see and hear each other during the entire defense.
The defense remains open and available to the university community.
The program pays for any costs associated with the remote participation.
The chair of the thesis committee is responsible for ensuring that all requirements for remote participation are met, that the remote participation was uninterrupted and, if interrupted, that the defense was paused until all remote participations were fully restored.

Participation by telephone only is not permitted under any circumstances.

Finalization of Thesis

Approval/Signature Pages
Following successful defense of the thesis, students can immediately initiate the approval/signature page form.
Upload to Electronic Thesis and Dissertations
1. Unless requested by the committee stuents do not need to submit a paper or electronic version for review prior to upload.
2. Students should consult the Office of Graduate Students Services / Master's Student website for information on uploading thesis.
3. The Associate Dean's assistant will be notified electronically when students have uploaded their thesis.
Review of Thesis
1. The Office of Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education will pull a copy of your document and review for any formatting issues.
2. The office will be in touch with you via your KSU email.
3. Once you and/or your editor have made the appropriate corrections you will re-upload to OhioLINK, following the instructions provided.
4. The document is again reviewed for appropriate formatting.
5. Once all corrections have been made, submit the final revised version.

Finalization of a Project

Students must follow the established deadline for applying for graduation.
Students must defend the completed project by the EHHS posted deadline.
The project must be submitted to project director by the end of the semester in which student plans to graduate.

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Educator Licensure

Graduate students in teacher education programs must adhere to the policies and procedures outlined in the Teacher Education Handbook in addition to those specified in this handbook.

Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates

Professional dispositions are the professional attitudes, values, and beliefs demonstrated through both verbal and non-verbal behaviors as educators interact with students, families, colleagues, faculty, and communities. We value these professional dispositions because they provide a vision for you to aspire to as you develop into your teacher identities throughout your program. The teacher education faculty believe the following dispositions support student learning and development. Therefore, throughout the program, we are optimistic and hopeful that you will demonstrate:

Professional responsibility
Communication and collaboration
Fairness and safety
Privacy and confidentiality

These dispositions are assessed at least three times in a candidate’s program. You must have satisfactory disposition assessments on file to pass Student Teaching. If at some point you were required to complete a Professional Development Plan (PDP), you must have this resolved and signed before you are able to pass Student Teaching, graduate, and apply for a license.

Modules

As you progress through your teacher education program, you will be required to successfully complete a variety of learning modules that have been designated by the state of Ohio. These modules must be completed for you to be cleared for licensure. Modules are in the . Sign in and click on the link for Teacher Education Modules. The modules that will be completed prior to graduation are listed below.

*If you are in the MCED or SPED programs, you will NOT complete the Dyslexia module. Depending on your program, these topics/concepts will be expanded on in different ways. You can take these at any time; however, you will find that some programs will have you complete the module for homework and then have discussions or activities in class. All modules must be successfully completed before you apply for licensure.

Computer Science
Dyslexia*
Ohio Resident Educator
Ohio School Operating Standards
Ohio Standards for Professional Development
Opioid Use Prevention
Value-added

Pre-Service Teacher Permit/Background Check

Students in Teacher Education programs will be required to complete a variety of observations, field experiences, and student teaching. As of July 1, 2024, any individual enrolled in a course that is part of an Educator Preparation Program AND who will be in a Pk-12 classroom as part of the course must obtain a Pre-Service Teacher Permit before you are allowed in schools for your field experience or student teaching assignments. The Pre-Service Teacher Permit is either valid for three years at a cost of $75.00 or for 1 year at a cost of $25 (see Teacher Education Handbook Appendix E for more information).

The first step in obtaining a state-issued Pre-Service Teacher Permit through the State Board of Education, is to complete both a BCII and FBI background check/fingerprinting evaluation. BCII and FBI background checks require current, state-issued identification (driver’s license or a state identification card issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles) and must be paid for by check or cash.

If you are a student on the Kent campus, background checks and fingerprinting can be completed in the Instructional Resource Center (IRC), Room 221 White Hall, during operating hours and by appointment. Contact the IRC to verify dates and hours of operation at 330-672-2353.

Cost for the BCII is approximately $27.00, but is subject to change, and can be paid with cash or (a 3% fee will be applied to all card purchases.) Checks are NOT accepted.

Cost for the FBI fingerprinting is approximately $33.00 and can be paid with by cash or (a 3% fee will be applied to all card purchases.) Checks are NOT accepted.

You are required to bring current state issued identification (driver’s license or identification card). You are responsible for the payment of this fee at the time of service.

Please request that both background checks are sent to the State Board of Education and mailed directly to you. Do not send the results of background checks to �Ը�� University or the student teaching site. Both background checks are required when applying for initial licensure as well. Student teachers may need to update their background checks when applying for licensure.

Neither the Vacca Office of Student Services nor your faculty advisor views these results. For any questions, you can review the Standards for Licensure and Employment of Individuals with Criminal Conviction concerning the results of background checks. This document can be viewed on the . Locate “Teachers” in the topic menus bar at the top of the homepage, from there go to “Professional Conduct,” located in a box to the right under State Board of Education. For additional help, contact the Office of Professional Conduct directly at 855-983-4868. For further questions regarding the directions or if you have any questions or concerns as to what may be or is found on your background check, please contact the Clinical Experience Office in the Vacca Office of Student Services at 330-672-2870 or email the Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences at rbrow156@kent.edu.

Student Teaching Placements

Before a student teaching placement will be arranged for you, you must maintain eligibility to student teach according to catalog policy. The eligibility criteria include coursework requirements, GPA, disposition standards, and any other criteria as specified by your Program Area Faculty and/or College. The following are important points to guide the student teaching placement process:

Prior to participating in your student teaching semester, you are required to enter the to complete the Student Teaching Application. Using the Clinical Experience link, you will complete the Student Teaching Application one year prior to student teaching. Importantly, Student Teaching Application deadlines are program specific. Information on program timelines is available each semester on the Clinical Experience website.
Please keep in mind that you are not permitted to student teach in the same school district where you are employed, your relatives are employed, your children are attending, or from where you have graduated within the last 10 years.
Generally, placements are made within a 50-mile radius of the Kent Campus and/or your residence. You are responsible for having reliable transportation to and from your placement site and for all other necessary travel that is a part of student teaching.
The Vacca Office of Student Services makes all arrangements for student teaching on the Kent Campus; therefore, any other attempts to make one's own student teaching placement is not allowed. Under no circumstances are you to contact any school district personnel with the intention of securing your own placement. 5. The Clinical Experience Placement office reserves the right to change your student teaching placement site if it is deemed to be inappropriate, insufficient, or contrary to the expectations, policies, and practices of our teacher preparation programs.

Exceptions to Student Teaching

To participate in the student teaching experience, you must have met all of the program requirements in order to be fully eligible. This includes having an overall 2.75 GPA and having met the major GPA as required by individual programs. In addition, you must have completed all required courses and received a rating of “acceptable” on all program disposition assessments. In rare circumstances, exceptions may be made with the approval of the Director of Educator Preparation in the College of EHHS. Each program has identified these rare circumstances so please refer to your Program Coordinator for specific information on these exceptions. It is important to note that the Director of Educator Preparation will not approve any exception requests for taking more than one course during the student teaching semester or more than 2 courses after the student teaching semester. Students seeking approval for an exception must complete the appropriate Exceptions to Student Teaching Form (see Teacher Education Handbook Appendix G) and abide by the following:

We ask that you meet with a professional advisor to review graduation and student teaching requirements. The professional advisor will provide you with the link needed to request an exception to student teach and review the directions of this process.
We also require you to meet with a faculty advisor to review the situation. The faculty advisor will include comments and indicate whether they support the request for an exception to student teach on the Exceptions to Student Teaching Form.
Fully submitted applications should be sent to etesta@kent.edu for approval.
The Director of Educator Preparation will review the request, make the final decision to accept or reject the request, and notify you, the faculty advisor, the professional advisor, and the Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences of the final decision.
The completed Exceptions to Student Teaching form will then be scanned into your KSU Advising file.

Appealing an Exceptions to Student Teaching Decision There are times when a faculty advisor will deny your petition for exception to student teaching. If you want to appeal this decision, contact the Director of Educator Preparation, Dr. Lisa Testa at etesta@kent.edu with your application and an explanation as to why your exception should be approved. The Director will review this appeal, make a final decision, and inform you, the faculty advisor, and professional advisor.

For additional information on overseas student teaching, on-the-job student teaching placements, professional conduct, student teaching evaluations, and K-STEP (initial licensure only), please refer to Student Teaching Phase in the Teacher Education Handbook.

Assessments Required for Licensure

Praxis II and OAE (Ohio Assessments for Educators) Licensure Requirement (not required for graduation): Candidates seeking Ohio licensure are required to pass specific assessments to apply for licensure. See the for more information on assessments specific to licensure type. Please pay close attention to the chart on the website - some licensure areas require Praxis II and/or OAE, or other test(s). Taking and passing the licensure tests prior to graduation is strongly encouraged (but not required).

ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages): If you are completing a licensure program for a World Language (e.g., Spanish, French, etc.), you are required to take a content knowledge test and a test on your education knowledge. Your content test will be taken through ACTFL - a system of assessing and ensuring the spoken and written language proficiency of candidates for licensure to teach World Languages. Visit the for more information about World Language tests. See below for information about the test for education knowledge (Praxis II and OAE).

Applying for Licensure

Congratulations on completing your licensure program at KSU. Graduation/program completion is the first step toward eligibility for licensure, but there are important steps to follow to get your Ohio license. Please email licensure@kent.edu with any questions about this process.

To apply for an initial license in the State of Ohio:

Create an OH/ID Account: Before accessing the online licensure application, you must first let ODEW know who you are by creating an OH/ID account. This is a secure web portal account that allows users to access the ODEW in a secure and streamlined way.
1. What is OH/ID?
2. How to Create an OH/ID Account:
Licensure Pre-application: Once all final grades are posted for your licensure program and all licensure exams are passed, you are now ready to complete the online on the which, once complete, will link to the online licensure application on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce website. You must complete the pre-application before the Vacca Office of Student Services can review and process your licensure application.

List of Programs & Ohio Licenses:

Review this information to determine license to apply for and its cost:

Five-Year Associate: $200. Educational Interpreting (Bachelors or Masters level)
Five-Year Professional: $200. School Counseling, Speech Pathology/Audiology, Principal, Superintendent
Two-Year Resident Educator: $80. All other initial licensure areas, including any undergraduate, post undergraduate, and graduate level programs. Examples: Early Childhood Education at the undergraduate or graduate level, Master of Arts in Teaching, Special Education at undergraduate or graduate level, Library Media, etc. (this is not an inclusive list).

What Needs to be on File in 304 White Hall Before Applying for Licensure?

Completion of the appropriate teacher education modules based on the licensure in which you seek to obtain.
Licensure Pre-application on the which, once complete, will link to the online licensure application on the State Board of Education’s website.
Passing test scores (Praxis II, OAE, ACTFL) required for licensure.
Copy of prospectus or plan of study (not a transcript) listing licensure course requirements for graduate and non-degree licensure/endorsement students.
Principal applicants must provide a letter from your school district verifying a minimum of 2 years of employment and indicating the specific grade levels in which you have taught.
Superintendent applicants must provide a letter from your school district verifying 3 years of employment.

Any of the above items can be uploaded through the online .

PLEASE NOTE: We cannot process your application if any of these items are incomplete or missing.

When to Apply for a License?

The State Board of Education and the Vacca Office of Student Services always recommends that you apply for licensure immediately following completion, regardless of whether you have secured a job in Ohio. If you wait more than 12 months to apply for your license, you may be required to take additional coursework to meet any new state requirements that are in place.

This means that students who apply after the 12-month deadline may have to take additional coursework if the content, methods courses, program requirements, or Licensure requirements have changed from the catalog.

If it has been more than 12 months since program completion, you must complete the and forward it to the program coordinator (undergraduate or graduate) prior to applying for licensure.

If you do not apply for your license within 6 years, you are subject to any additional state licensure requirements and are also subject to additional coursework based on changes in areas such as content, age of coursework and changes in program requirements. A minimum of 9 credit hours will be required to apply for licensure after 6 years of program completion.

Fingerprinting

FIRST OHIO LICENSE: When you apply for your very first license issued by SBOE, a BCI and FBI background check report, completed within 365 days of the date your application is received, must be on file with the State Board of Education.

Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) Electronic Fingerprinting (for the State of Ohio)

This can be done in the Instructional Resource Center (IRC) in room 221 White Hall during operating hours and by appointment only. For current hours, check the IRC website.
The cost is $27.00 and can be paid with cash or (a 3% fee will be applied to all card purchases.) Checks are NOT accepted.
You must bring current, state-issued identification (driver's license or ID card).
The results will be mailed to the address you give at the time of fingerprinting. This is your only official copy of your results. The IRC and the Vacca Office of Student Services do not have access to your results. You can obtain additional official copies for a fee from BCI (740-845-2375). BCI electronic fingerprinting can also be done at any WebCheck location in Ohio.

FBI Electronic Fingerprinting (Federal)

This can be done in the IRC in room 221 White Hall during operating hours and by appointment only. For current hours, check the IRC website.
The cost is $33.00 and can be paid with cash or (a 3% fee will be applied to all card purchases.) Checks are NOT accepted.
You must bring current, state-issued identification (driver's license or ID card).
The State Board of Education does not accept BCI or FBI paper and ink fingerprints. All BCI and FBI fingerprint information must be submitted electronically.
On the SBOE website, there is a general and how they affect licensure.
SBOE

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Graduation

Graduation Application Process

Application for graduation must be completed no later than Friday of the first week of classes in the semester in which graduation is anticipated.

Students who miss the graduation application deadline will need to complete the downloadable PDF Late Application for Graduation form (accessible in FlashLine, under Student/Resources/Graduation) and email to ogs@kent.edu.

All required coursework, internships and practica must be completed before students will be cleared for graduation. Students who are on the graduation list will receive an email from University Events and Protocol. This letter will contain pertinent information regarding cap and gown rental/purchase and graduation ceremony attendance. If any questions or problems arise once the graduation audit process has begun, students will be notified. Problems communicated to the student that are not resolved will result in student’s removal from the graduation. At that time, the students will receive a letter explaining the reason for the action and must reapply for graduation in a future term.

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Doctoral Programs

This section highlights the frequently asked questions by doctoral students. Please use this handbook as a guide to work through the details related to the requirements, forms, and stages of the doctoral program. Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact your advisor or the Office of Graduate Student Services (OGSS) via email at ogs@kent.edu.

The procedures, rules, and regulations stated in the following sections are valid under the normal time limits for earning the Doctoral degree. Maximum recommended time to completion are as follows:

Five years from time of admission to complete coursework and candidacy examinations.
Five years from the time of reaching candidacy to completion of the dissertation and awarding of the Doctoral degree.

Refer to catalog regarding time extension; however, if a student has not completed comprehensive exams, then an extension will not be considered. Furthermore, an extension is unlikely to be granted if a dissertation proposal has not been successfully defended.

Please find Doctoral Student forms at EHHS Graduate Student Services Forms.

Advisor/Coursework Phase

Areas of Study and Advisors

The College of Education, Health, & Human Services (College of EHHS) doctoral programs can be found on the

The letter of admission to the Doctoral program specifies a student's major and names the major advisor assigned by the program coordinator. In some instances, a second faculty member is assigned to serve as a co-advisor or to provide special assistance throughout the advisory phase. When reading this handbook, students having a committee headed by co-advisors should assume that the duties and responsibilities ascribed to the major advisor will be shared.

Minor, Cognate, and Minor Concentration Program Options

The College of EHHS does not require a student to pursue a minor area of study (or a minor area of concentration), an interdisciplinary cognate, or minor concentration. If you are interested in a minor, cognate, or concentration, please see your program coordinator.

The Advisory/Coursework Phase Committee

The major advisor or co-advisors play an important role in the planning of the doctoral program. It is the responsibility of the committee to approve the student's plan of study and residency plan. Doctoral students will be blocked from registering for the third semester after admittance, including summer, until a Plan of Study has been filed in the Office of Graduate Student Services. The plan of study must be attached to the Advisory Phase Form, found on the EHHS Graduate Student Services and Forms.

Structure of Typical Committees

The typical committee for a program containing a single major and a single minor or cognate appears below. The committee must contain at least two members if a student is not seeking a minor or cognate.

Major advisor (or co-advisor) assigned by the program area
Second member (or co-advisor) may be from the major program area
Minor or Cognate (Optional)

Committee Members

The major advisor and co-advisor or second major advisor may be full or associate members of the Graduate faculty in the student's major. If the major advisor has associate rank, the co-advisor or second major advisor must hold full graduate faculty rank.

The minor or cognate advisor must be a full or associate member of the graduate faculty of the department in which rank is held. This individual will assist the student in selecting coursework and preparing for comprehensive examinations. The minor or cognate advisor will write the questions for the written comprehensive examination in the minor or cognate area of specialization.

The Program Plan of Study and Residency Plan

Doctoral programs are highly individualized and must be carefully documented. It is suggested that the entire committee meet to review and discuss the plan of study and residency plan with the student before it is finalized. The plan agreed upon by the student and committee constitutes the official program of the doctoral student. The doctoral plan of study should not include courses other than those at the 70000 and 80000 levels. Doctoral students must be enrolled in courses only at those levels.

The Plan of Study and Residency Plan

The plan of study and residency plan should be approved by your advisors and filed in the Office of Graduate Student Services (OGS) by attaching the plan of study to the Advisory Phase Form, found on the EHHS Graduate Student Services and Forms. Students will be blocked from registering for the third semester after admittance (including summer) until a plan of study has been electronically filed in the Office of Graduate Student Services.

The College of EHHS does not specify the number of hours of coursework to be included in the doctoral major. This decision is made by the advisory phase committee after a thorough review of a student's background and goals. University policy mandates that a student must complete a minimum of 90 semester hours beyond the bachelor's degree or 60 hours beyond the master's degree in order to qualify for a doctoral degree.

Because a variety of important seminars, internships, and individual courses are graded according to an S/U system, there is no set limit to the number of S/U graded courses that may be included in a program. Students and committees are expected to carefully consider the total plan of study and weigh the merits of each course listed in the plan of study.

Changes in an approved plan of study may be made by completing an Advisory Phase Form, found on the EHHS Graduate Student Services and Forms, utilizing the checkbox “Revised” and attaching an updated plan of study, noting the changes/updates, after being endorsed by members of the advisory committee.

Completing the Plan of Study and Residency Plan Form

Coursework Comprising the Advisory Phase of the Program
1. The list of courses to be completed during the advisory phase of the student's program should be presented on the program plan of study provided by each program area.
2. The dissertation preparation and writing for publication courses in Higher Education Administration (HIED) and Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) are open to all doctoral students. Those courses will be publicized to program areas as opportunities for their doctoral students.
3. Students who have elected a double major or minor should present plan of study information for each of the major or minor areas of study.
Residency Plan
1. Program areas will determine their own residency requirements. Residency requirements should be written in the square provided on the Advisory Phase form or attached to the plan of study.
2. Residency (Purpose, Rationale, and Options)
  1. Doctoral work across the diverse specialties addresses several goals:
    1. Development of a comprehensive knowledge base in both the specialty and the broad field.
    2. Development of the attitudes, values, reasoning, and technical tools of scholarship and practice appropriate to the specialty.
    3. Socialization into the scholar-practitioner role of professor, counselor, administrator, or researcher.
    4. Mastery of advanced skills and knowledge that enables the student to obtain the appropriate certification or licensure required for many professional roles. The purpose of residency is to provide doctoral students with professional experiences in addition to their programs of coursework and previous employment activities.
  2. Residency, as it is defined by the College of EHHS, is a period in which students are engaged in personalized scholarship through the following broad types of intensive activity:
    1. Examination/analysis of various forms of investigation
    2. Examination/analysis of issues, problems, and trends within and across practice and research.
    3. Development of a personal and professional perspective through synthesis of the various points of view and models provided in theory and practice.
    4. Criticism of ideas, investigations, and practice.
    5. Development of colleagueship that cannot be attained through part-time or isolated study.
Tentative Fulfillment Dates
1. This section of the program plan of study provides the student with an opportunity to "project" the doctoral studies program in a time frame. While not absolute, the plan is intended to provide general time guidelines for accomplishing the task.
Approval of Plan of Study, Advisory Committee, and Residency Plan
1. Each member of the advisory phase committee is asked to sign to indicate approval of the plan of study and residency plan. Because it may be helpful for the student to refer to the plan from time to time, it is suggested that the student retain a copy of the plan of study and residency plan. The doctoral plan of study should not include courses other than those at the 70000 and 80000 levels.
If a plan of study has been filed and the student wishes to change the Advisory Committee, please submit a new Advisory Phase form and mark “Revised” on form.

Doctoral Comprehensive Examinations

All doctoral students will take comprehensive examinations and must be registered during the semester of comprehensive exams. If a student is not otherwise registered for coursework, they must register for a one credit hour research experience in the program area during the comprehensive exam semester. This will be supervised by the program coordinator. By filling out the Permission to Take Doctoral Comps During Final Semester of Coursework form, found within the Comprehensive Exam Packet, and with approval of the comprehensive examination committee and the program coordinator, doctoral students may elect to sit for comprehensive exams as early as the final semester of their coursework or to wait until the completion of their required course work. Some program areas will require all coursework to be completed before sitting for the comprehensive exams. Doctoral students will not be registered for Dissertation I until they have successfully completed written and oral exams and satisfied any “IPs” or “INs” received in their final semester of coursework.

Formats

Program areas define the process for their examination process as one of the following nine formats. The doctoral advisor/committee makes the final determination about which format is followed:

Format 1

Eight hours in length, written in four-hour sessions on two consecutive days. The College of EHHS will provide the appropriate technology and reserves the right to require students to use laptop computers.

Format 2

Four take-home questions given. Students may spend two weeks on each question for a total of eight weeks.

Format 3

Two take-home questions or two sit-down questions and a portfolio. The portfolio is to be turned in when the questions are given. The two take home questions must be completed within four weeks (two weeks per question). The two sit-down questions will be written in one four-hour session. The College of Education, Health, and Human Services will provide the appropriate technology, and reserves the right to require students to use laptop computers.

Format 4

Exercise Physiology: Students develop a portfolio of three-unit artifacts (e.g., published peer-reviewed manuscript, externally submitted research grant, course curriculum development, two 4-hour written exams.

Format 5

Speech Pathology and Audiology: No established number of questions covering the major and two minor areas taken over 4-5 days totaling 16 hours of writing.

Format 6

Counselor Education and Supervision: Five take home questions given. Students may spend one week on each question for a total of five weeks

Format 7

Higher Education Administration: Students complete a two-day written portion of the comprehensive examination from a location of their choosing. The four questions will be drawn from the courses required in the Ph.D. program and usually span the content of multiple courses. One question will focus on research. Questions will be chosen by the members of the student’s advisory phase committee and will not be shared in advance with the student. One rewrite is allowed and only one oral defense is permitted.

Format 8

Research, Measurement, and Statistics has the student prepare a portfolio containing three essays and a Dissertation research pre-proposal. Three essays from three major programmatic areas (i.e., Statistics, Research Methods, and Measurement) are submitted. These essays are derived from previous coursework or independent research conducted in those areas since admission to the program. Additionally, students will prepare and submit a Dissertation pre-proposal of approximately ten pages containing a research topic, aims/objectives, research questions, and specifically, detailed Methodology. Dates administered through the School.

Format 9

Interprofessional Leadership doctoral students create a portfolio per the guidelines in their program handbook. Four coursework artifacts, each accompanied by a narrative and a reflection, plus an abridged dissertation proposal are required.

In addition, to assess the ability to communicate knowledge verbally, students will complete an oral examination. The intent in both written and oral exams is to evaluate the student’s comprehensive knowledge of the field of study. The committee will submit their evaluations within a timely manner, usually within four weeks of the student’s writing. Satisfactory completion of both exams is required to enter candidacy. Scheduling of exams will be determined by the program area.

Procedure

Students apply for comprehensive exam by completing the Application for Doctoral Comprehensive Examination, found in the Comprehensive Exam Packet, found on EHHS Graduate Student Services and Forms.

Students will submit a Comprehensive Exam Packet, which includes the Comprehensive Exam Committee form as part of the application process. The committee will include a minimum of two members from the student’s program area. Optional members may be included from outside the program area and in some programs; the outside member(s) will contribute a question and be responsible for evaluating that question. If any course changes were made after filing the plan of study, the student will also need to submit the Plan of Study Changes form, included in the Comprehensive Exam Packet on EHHS Graduate Student Services and Forms.

The Office of Graduate Student Services will notify the school staff person responsible for coordinating exams when the student is cleared to take the exam. An email will be sent to the student, the staff person, and each comprehensive committee member. This email will list the committee members so that the school staff person knows whom to contact for questions, and which option the student has requested. Once a student receives an email from the Office of Graduate Student Services, the student will be responsible for contacting the staff person in the School to schedule a time to take the exam or to pick up questions if the exam is take-home.

The committee should respond within two weeks of completion of the student’s writing in a meeting with the whole committee and the student. All programs allow two attempts to pass written exam; some may allow two attempts to pass the oral exam as well. The chart below lists program area policies.

Program Area	Written	Oral
Audiology	Two tries	Two tries
Communication Sciences & Disorders	Two tries	Two tries
Counselor Education & Supervision	Two tries	One try
Cultural Foundations	Two tries	One try
Curriculum & Instruction	Two tries	Two tries
Exercise Physiology	Two tries	One try
Educational Leadership K–12 (Suspended)	Two tries	Two tries
Health Education & Promotion	Two tries	Two tries
Higher Education Administration	Two tries	One try
Interprofessional Leadership	Two tries	Two tries
Learning Sciences	Two tries	One try
Research, Measurement & Statistics	Two tries	Two tries
School Psychology	Two tries	One try
Special Education	Two tries	One try

The Written Comprehensive Examination for Candidacy form will be initiated by the student and sent to their comprehensive exam committee prior to their written exam.

If the student has designated a minor or cognate (as defined by the program) and requires a comprehensive exam, then the student will be required to successfully complete the minor comprehensive exam before completing the major comprehensive exam.

The examination committee will determine when the student has permission to schedule the oral examination.

The Oral Examination

When the major written examination has been evaluated as satisfactory, students contact their advisors for guidance in preparing for the oral examination. It is the responsibility of the major advisor to make arrangements for convening the advisory committee for the oral examination which must be completed within 60 days after a student has passed the written examination.

The student who elects a double major must complete only one oral examination. The major advisors will collaborate in planning for the examination. The oral examination is chaired by the major advisor, and all members of the advisory committee are expected to attend and participate in the questioning. At the discretion of the committee, the student may be questioned on any content pertaining to the doctoral program. Following completion of the questioning, the student is dismissed, and the committee evaluates the examination performance.

For the student to successfully complete the oral examination there must be no more than one negative vote. If the advisory phase committee's vote is favorable and the student has completed all coursework, the student is advanced to Doctoral candidacy.

The student is responsible for initiating the Oral Comprehensive Examination for Candidacy and having it sent to the exam committee prior to the oral exam.

Any student who will be taking comprehensive exams during the same semester courses are taken will not be able to move forward with dissertation registration until the course, or courses, have been completed.

The Office of Graduate Student Services will notify the department that the student has passed and to register the student for Dissertation I. The student will be given a two-year time limit from the end of the semester in which they successfully defend the comprehensive exam to submit and successfully defend the dissertation proposal. Failure to adhere to this timeline may result in your dismissal from the program.

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Candidacy Phase

At this point in the doctoral program, the student is designated a "Doctoral Candidate."

Dissertation Registration

Registration for Dissertation I or the advancement to candidacy will not occur until satisfactory completion of both the written and oral exams along with any “IPs” or “INs” received in their final semester.

Each doctoral student, upon admission to candidacy, must register continuously for Dissertation I (8x199) each semester (fall, spring) for a total of 30 credit hours. A student who has completed the required 30 credit hours of Dissertation I but has not finished the dissertation is expected, thereafter, to register continuously for Dissertation II (8x299) each semester (fall, spring) until all degree requirements are met.

Students who are planning to defend their dissertation in summer or early fall, or who are requiring access to university resources during the summer months — including, but not limited to, feedback or mentoring from their dissertation advisors, use of university buildings and other research resources — must register for dissertation in the summer term.

The fee for Dissertation I or II can be determined by consulting Tuition for the appropriate term. A student who enrolls in an additional course or courses will be charged additional tuition fees.

All doctoral dissertation registrations permit the student the use of University facilities including library and research equipment.

Students must be registered for dissertation credit in the term in which graduation is anticipated.

Dissertation Phase Committee

Dissertation Phase Committee form must be submitted by the end of the first semester of Dissertation I. All Committee Members must have Graduate Faculty Status. If Temporary Graduate Faculty status for outside members needs to be granted, the paperwork should be processed through the school office prior to submitting the committee form.

The student is responsible for initiating a meeting with the dissertation director for the purpose of identifying a committee to guide preparation of the dissertation. Once this has been done, the Dissertation Phase Committee form must be completed. It can be found on EHHS Graduate Student Services and Forms. If, due to faculty leave of absence or illness, it becomes necessary to change the committee, a “Revised” committee form must be completed by accessing the Dissertation Phase Committee form and utilizing the checkbox “Revised”.

Although a general research topic should be selected prior to choosing a committee and filling the form, it is not expected that the student be able to state the exact title of the dissertation at this point. The title provided on the Dissertation Phase Committee form is assumed to be an approximation of the eventual title.

Committee Structure

When the student has developed a dissertation topic acceptable to the advisor, a dissertation committee is convened, responsible for overseeing the progress of the candidate’s dissertation. The graduate/program coordinator appoints the members of the committee in consultation with the student and the student’s advisor. This group will consist, at minimum, of three members. As per , the committee will consist of:

The advisor, who chairs the committee and must be from the candidate’s program area.
One additional member from the candidate’s unit (i.e. school)
One faculty member from a discipline outside the program. This member can also come from outside the unit, college, or university.

The advisor must have been approved to direct dissertations. The unit members of the committee must have associate or full Graduate Faculty Status. A co-advisor, if used, will count as one of the above members. Special permission must be obtained from the Associate Dean for anyone on the dissertation committee who does not meet the qualifications stated above. Any changes to committee memberships may be made after discussion with the program coordinator.

Please note: Dissertation directors are required to have at least co-directed a dissertation to completion before directing in a solo capacity. Exceptions to this must be approved by the School Director and the Associate Dean.

Dissertation Models

In addition to the traditional dissertation model, faculty in some programs will permit an alternative model. This model would consist of a minimum of two manuscripts that would be intended for publication. Each program area can decide whether the doctoral candidate would be permitted to utilize this alternative model, and each dissertation advising committee must grant approval to any candidate wishing to pursue this option prior to (or at) the dissertation proposal defense.

Regardless of the model used, standard “Organization of Front Matter” will apply as outlined in the Guidelines for Preparation of Dissertation (PDF) and Finalization of Theses/Dissertation Steps (PDF)

Traditional Dissertation Model

Abstract*
Chapter 1. Introduction*
Chapter 2. Literature Review to establish conceptual/theoretical base*
Chapter 3. Methodology*
Chapter 4. Results
Chapter 5. Discussion/Interpretations/Implications
References

*Included in the dissertation proposal

Alternative Dissertation Model 1

Abstract*
Chapter 1. Introduction, statement of problem, purpose, hypotheses*
Chapter 2. Literature Review to establish conceptual/theoretical base*
Chapter 3. Methodology*
Chapter 4. Manuscript 1 (in submission form including separate abstract)**
Chapter 5. Manuscript 2 (in submission form including separate abstract***
Chapter 6. Summary – overall conclusions.
References

Notes:

Each manuscript (purpose/aims, research questions, etc.) must be approved by the
advisor(s) at proposal stage.
Manuscripts 1 and 2 will include elements of chapters 1-3.
Manuscripts 1 and 2 should be research-based and developed from data collected by the
student.
Manuscripts 1 and 2 should contain discussion and interpretation/implications sections
pertaining to the research question(s) on which the manuscript is based.
Manuscripts 1 and 2 should contain their own separate reference sections, in addition to
the overall dissertation reference section.

*Included in the dissertation proposal

**The dissertation is singularly authored. At the point of journal submission, each manuscript may be either singularly authored by the student or reflect the student as first author of a collaborative piece. In the event of collaborative work, the student will be the first author and the advisor(s) last author. The major advisor(s) ensures that the student is responsible for data collection and the write up of the dissertation.

***Manuscript 2 may be a grant proposal or review article based on findings from manuscript 1. A grant proposal/application should be formatted and include all the information and sections required by a specific funding agency for a specific grant mechanism. This may include background, research methods, budget, timelines, bio sketch, etc. In other words, upon completion of Chapter 5, it should be ready to submit for funding. Students must have committee approval for a grant proposal/application at the time of dissertation proposal defense. A review article will focus on the main topics of interest within the student’s dissertation and can be formatted per the guidelines of a peer-reviewed scholarly journal of the student/committee’s choosing.

Alternative Dissertation Model 2

Abstract*
Chapter 1. Introduction/Literature Review to establish conceptual/theoretical base*
Chapter 2. Methodology*
Chapter 3. Findings/Results
Chapter 4. Discussion/Interpretations/Implications
References

*Included in the dissertation proposal

Format/Style

Regardless of the model, dissertations should be written in an appropriate style. The most recent version of the APA style manual is preferred though this might vary if the alternative model is used, if for example a particular journal requires a different style of writing. Please inform the Office of Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education if a style other than APA is being used. It then becomes the responsibility of the student and chair to review the formatting to ensure accuracy. The Office of Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education will not review for formatting if a style other than APA is used.

Regardless of the model and style used, it is the responsibility of the author (i.e., the doctoral candidate) and the dissertation advisor(s) to ensure that the manuscript is uploaded to OhioLink in finished condition, appropriately formatted, edited, and referenced.

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Dissertation Proposal

Contents of Proposal

The dissertation proposal consists of a detailed plan for the proposed research study.

The proposal should be as specific as possible to ensure that the dissertation phase committee and the student know exactly what the student plans to do, as well as why, how, when, and where the student plans to do it. The importance of the dissertation proposal should not be minimized. The proposal becomes a contract between the student and the dissertation phase committee. The more accurate, complete, and detailed the proposal, the easier it should be to complete the dissertation.

Often a dissertation proposal will include the first two to three chapters. The topic under study should demonstrate a strong relationship to a theoretical base and should represent a thorough understanding and analyses of the related literature.

Dissertation Proposal Defense

A formal dissertation proposal defense, conducted by the student’s full dissertation committee, should include a rigorous review of the topic and methodologies to be used in this study. Once the student and the dissertation director are satisfied that the proposal (often the first 3 chapters of the dissertation) is ready to present to the dissertation phase committee, copies of the proposal are distributed to the members of the committee. The committee should have a minimum of one week to study the proposal prior to the dissertation proposal approval meeting. The dissertation director is responsible for arranging the time, date, and place of the dissertation proposal approval meeting.

When the dissertation phase committee has approved the proposal, the student should initiate the Notification of Approved Dissertation Proposal form on EHHS Graduate Student Services and Forms. The names of members of the dissertation phase committee should be typed on the appropriate lines so electronic signatures may be obtained. This must be accomplished no later than the first day of the semester of graduation.

Human Subjects Review

Even though it may appear that risk to research subjects or participants is negligible, any research that involves human subjects must have approval from the University Human Subjects Review Board before proceeding.

The doctoral student and the dissertation director are responsible for obtaining the approval to use human subjects in research. An Application for Approval to Use Human Subjects form may be secured from the Office of Research Compliance and Graduate College, or downloaded from the web at IRB Compliance Documentation. If human subjects are involved, the student must complete an attaching an approval email from research compliance.

Guidelines for Preparation of Dissertation

The Office of Graduate Student Services mails a letter to doctoral students when they attain candidacy and informs them of the availability of the College of EHHS Guidelines for the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations.

Guidelines are extremely helpful in providing information to the doctoral candidate and typist on specific style requirements of the College of EHHS. A list of recommended editors is available from the Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education office at awymer@kent.edu. The Seventh Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2020) is the required guide. If the advisor prefers an alternative style guide, this must be cleared thru the Office of Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education.

Preparation for Defense of Dissertation

It is important to note that application for graduation must be made by Friday of the first week of classes in the semester in which graduation is anticipated. Refer to the Office of Graduate Student Services for important dates.

There are several levels to the oral defense of the dissertation:

Appointment of the Graduate Faculty Representative
Pre-Defense
Defense

Selection of Graduate Faculty Representative (GFR)

When the committee determines that the student is ready for pre-defense, the advisor completes a request form for the GFR. Suggestions for an appropriate GFR should be made by the dissertation advisor in consultation with the doctoral student. A Graduate Faculty Representative form must be completed and submitted to the Associate Dean’s assistant (awymer@kent.edu). The GFR is selected from a list (provided by the advisor) of three full members of the Kent graduate faculty who have directed at least one dissertation to completion and who are members of a program areas different from the major and minor area of study of the doctoral candidate. It is acceptable for the GFR to serve as moderator during the dissertation defense.

Suggestions for sources, departments, or program areas with relevant expertise for GFR are offered, when possible, by the advisor or co-advisor of the dissertation committee or other members of the committee in counsel with the advisor(s). The Associate Dean the final appointment.
The advisor(s) of a doctoral dissertation MAY request the addition of a GFR earlier in the process when the proposal is emerging, in which case that GFR would participate in the proposal process, they could continue and serve as GFR for the dissertation pre-defense and defense as well. They do not serve as a regular committee member.
A GFR must be appointed prior to the dissertation pre-defense. The GFR participates in the pre-defense and has a vote.
After a dissertation defense, the dissertation evaluation form completed by the GFR along with the oral defense approval form is submitted by the candidate to the Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education. The candidate and advisor(s) ensure all forms are present at the defense.

Pre-Defense Dissertation Committee Meeting

The pre-defense meeting is scheduled by the dissertation director when it appears that the document may be ready for defense.

The dissertation phase committee, plus the Graduate Faculty Representative, meet to discuss the dissertation and to determine whether the dissertation is ready for the final oral defense. The doctoral candidate is not present at this meeting. The doctoral candidate must allow the dissertation committee and Graduate Faculty Representative a minimum of ten working days to read the Pre-defense copy before the pre-defense meeting.

A formal decision should be made by the committee in the absence of the doctoral candidate as to the state of readiness of the manuscript. The following are among possible decisions:

There is unanimous agreement that the dissertation is ready for the oral defense. Individual committee members may have some suggestions for improvement, but they do not wish to see revisions before the defense copy of the document is submitted to the entire examination committee. They recommend that the responsibility for seeing that these changes are made rests solely with the dissertation director.
One or more committee members request that minor changes be made in the pre- defense copy and wish to see the revisions before determining readiness to defend. However, the changes are of a minor nature and none of the committee members feels that an additional meeting of the dissertation committee is needed for final approval.
One or more committee members feel that revisions of a major nature are needed in the pre-defense copy. In this case, the doctoral candidate makes the recommended revisions and resubmits the revised copy to the dissertation phase committee. At this point, a reasonable period of time must be allowed before the rescheduling of the pre- defense meeting. At the second pre-defense meeting, outcomes "1" through "4" are again possible.
The committee determines that major revisions necessitate postponing the scheduling of the oral defense for an unspecified time period. If possible, arrangements should be made at this point to submit the revised document to the committee and a time for the next pre-defense committee meeting should be set.

Once the committee has determined that the dissertation is ready to defend, only minor changes agreed upon by the committee should be made.

Arranging for the Defense

Each term's deadline date for the oral defense is posted on our web page of Important EHHS Graduate Dates. It is important to adhere to the EHHS defense deadline in order to provide sufficient time for editing and for production of the final corrected dissertation copy.

Please note: Remember that the EHHS oral defense deadline is different from the university deadline. Only rarely can a short extension of a deadline be made, and then only with a petition from the doctoral candidate and the dissertation director to the Associate Dean.

Upon receiving the approval from the dissertation director, the doctoral candidate should distribute the defense copy to all members of the Dissertation Committee and the Graduate Faculty Representative (GFR). At least ten working days must elapse between distribution of the defense copy and the oral defense.

The purpose of the defense copy is to be a basis for the questioning of the doctoral candidate. As such, all parts of the work must be included in typewritten form. These include the table of contents, lists of tables, all data, the complete references, and appendices. All pages must be numbered appropriately.

Readiness to Defend & Brochure

The defense is announced to the faculty and students of the College of EHHS through the defense brochure, prepared by the candidate. The Doctoral candidate is responsible for assuring completion of the Notification of Readiness to Defend the Dissertation form, found on EHHS Graduate Student Services and Forms. This form testifies that all members of the dissertation phase committee have agreed that the dissertation is ready for defense. A copy of the defense brochure must be attached to the form.

The candidate should attach a copy of the brochure to the Readiness to Defend form and ensure completion of the form has occurred no later than ten days prior to the dissertation defense. Copies of the brochure will be posted on the EHHS Graduate Student Services Doctoral Student website so that interested parties can make arrangements to attend the defense. The candidate should also plan to provide copies of the brochure to committee members and guests at the defense. Two samples of brochures can be found on the EHHS Graduate Student Services brochure samples webpage.

The defense brochure contains a biography of the candidate and a condensed abstract of the dissertation. The biography, which should be 200 to 250 words in length, should include background information, professional experience, and research completed or in progress. The condensed version of the dissertation abstract should be limited to 200 to 250 words.

Oral Defense

The oral defense of the dissertation is a formal scholarly event which is open to the university community and the public. It is suggested that the candidate distribute copies of the defense brochure to members of the audience who did not obtain them at an earlier time. At the discretion of the moderator, members of the audience may be granted the privilege of questioning the candidate. It is the responsibility of the Graduate Faculty Representative to file an evaluation with the Associate Dean regarding the maintenance of scholarly standards. Evaluation forms are distributed by Luci Wymer awymer@kent.edu in the Office of Administrative Affairs & Graduate Education

Students are expected to have achieved independence with the requisite research methodology of the dissertation and demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the research processes for his or her dissertation. The oral defense of the dissertation should be a clear demonstration of a student’s independence and competence in research.
Examining Committee and Voting Procedures

The examining committee consists of the dissertation phase committee, the Graduate Faculty Representative, who also often serves as moderator. Apart from the moderator who votes only if serving in the dual capacity of Graduate Faculty Representative, each committee member must vote in favor of passing or failing the candidate's performance.

No abstentions are permitted. A candidate passes the final oral defense if they receive no more than one dissenting vote.

Immediately preceding the defense, if not previously determined at the pre-defense meeting, the moderator might clear the examination room of all but the examining committee. The committee then discusses the defense copy to ensure that all members judge it ready to defend. The moderator and committee will also establish the questioning procedures at this time.

At the outset of the examination, the moderator reviews the ground rules for the oral defense and the order of questioning by the examining committee. The doctoral candidate then presents an overview of the research, briefly stating the purposes of the research, method of investigation, and outcomes. Questioning of the doctoral candidate follows the rules previously established by the moderator. Normally each committee member is allotted ten to fifteen minutes during the first round of questioning. The dissertation director is usually the last member of the committee to present questions.

Following the first round of questioning, the moderator will normally ask each examination committee member if there are further questions. When the examining committee has been satisfied in the questioning, the moderator may ask if there are any questions or comments from the members of the faculty or guests in attendance. The moderator may also choose to question or comment at this time.

When the questioning and dialogue have been completed, the doctoral candidate and all visitors are excused. The examination committee then has an opportunity for discussion before voting to determine whether the oral defense should be evaluated as pass or fail.

Doctoral candidates preparing to defend their dissertations are strongly encouraged to attend one or more oral defenses in order to become familiar with procedures.

Remote Participation in a Dissertation Defense

Under normal circumstances, all members of a dissertation committee must be physically present in the examination room during the entire dissertation defense and during the committee's private deliberations following the examination. In most cases, the chair of the dissertation committee and the Graduate Faculty Representative are expected to be physically present in the examination room. Students enrolled in a fully online degree program are not required to be physically present for their dissertation defense. For on-campus and hybrid (online/on-campus ) degree programs, remote participation by web conferencing is permitted only if the student and/or committee member has obtained permission in advance from the chair of the dissertation committee in consultation with committee members. They must provide a compelling reason and/or explanation as to why they cannot be physically present. With any dissertation defense that is approved to be conducted with remote participation, the following rules must be enforced:

The web-conferencing software to be used allows all participants to see and hear each other during the entire defense.
The defense remains open and available to the university community.
The program pays for any costs associated with remote participation.
The chair of the dissertation committee is responsible for ensuring that all requirements for remote participation are met, that the remote participation was uninterrupted and, if interrupted, that the defense was paused until all remote participations were fully restored.
Participation by telephone only is not permitted under any circumstances.

Report of the Oral Defense

The must be initiated by the student prior to the oral defense. It is necessary that this form be submitted in order to clear the candidate for graduation.

The Graduate Faculty Representative is expected to provide an evaluation of the dissertation defense including thorough written comments which are forwarded to the Associate Dean. Comments will be summarized periodically and will be disseminated to dissertation chairs, the Annual Dissertation Awards Committee, and the committee conducting the five-year review of graduate faculty.

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Post Defense Activities

Final Dissertation Copy

It is not unusual for the examining committee to recommend a number of changes in the defense copy of the dissertation. The candidate should work closely with the dissertation director as these revisions are made.

The final dissertation should be checked as carefully as any article or book being prepared for publication. Format, style, spelling, punctuation, and references should be in final form before the committee gives final approval to the dissertation.

Signature/Approval Pages

Signature/ Approval pages will be done electronically. The form can be found on the EHHS Graduate Student Services and Forms website. The candidate should be careful to note the examples of the signature page in the Guidelines for Preparation of Theses and Dissertations. Please ensure that you have all proper names and email addresses for your entire committee along with the School Director prior to beginning the electronic form as you will be required to enter these. Please ensure that you have all proper names and email addresses for your entire committee along with the School Director prior to beginning the electronic form as you will be required to enter these.

Once you begin the electronic document it will automatically move through all the signatures and end with the Associate Dean. The process will be completed once all corrections to your document have been made. If you have any questions, you can contact Luci Wymer, awymer@kent.edu in the Associate Dean’s office.

Editing

It is suggested that the candidate hire a dissertation editor (a list of recommended editors is available through the Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education office by contacting awymer@kent.edu) to assist in producing an error-free document that can be a continuing source of pride for the individual and for the College of EHHS. When working with an editor it is important to be specific about the scope of the editing expected. In general, the less polished the document delivered to an editor, the greater the editing cost. Please provide your editor with a copy of the Guidelines if they are not one of the EHHS recommended editors.

Typically, candidates request editors to check the following:

Type style.
Pages preceding text to note whether the following items are properly included: title, copyright, and approval pages; preface and table of contents; lists of figures, illustrations, and tables; blank pages before title, copyright, approval, and preface pages.
Margins, spacing and pagination.
Chapter titles and subheadings.
Paragraph and sentence structure; punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary usage in text and appendices following standard procedures as presented in APA.
Coordination of text with appendices, references, tables, and illustrative material.
Tables, figures, and references for consistency with the APA used by the student.

Finalization of Dissertation Steps

Each term, there is an official deadline for electronically submitting the final corrected copies of the dissertation and survey of earned doctorates.

The candidate should check Important EHHS Graduate Dates for the deadline dates for the semester in which graduation is anticipated.

Approval/Signature Pages
1. Approval/Signature Pages are being processed electronically. The form can be found at EHHS Graduate Student Services and Forms. Please have the proper names and email addresses for your entire committee and the School Director prior to beginning the electronic form. Once you begin this process the form will automatically move through the process.
2. Review the Guidelines for Preparation of Dissertation appendices for examples of needed information.
Finalize document in preparation for upload to
1. Dissertation information for upload is available on EHHS Graduate Student Services Doctoral Students. You do not need to submit a paper or electronic version for review prior to upload.
2. The Office of Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education will be notified as soon as you have uploaded your document.
Review of Dissertation/Thesis
1. The Office of Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education will pull a copy of your document from the ETD site and review for any formatting issues.
2. Luci Wymer will contact you via your KSU email once the review is complete.
3. Once you and/or your editor have made the appropriate corrections you will re-upload to OhioLINK, following the instructions provided.
4. The document is again reviewed for appropriate formatting.
5. Once all corrections completed, submit the final revised version to ETD site – ETD Submitter User Manual (PDF)
Students are responsible for copyrighting and hardbound copies.

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Graduation Arrangements

Doctoral Hoods

Every doctoral graduate who attends the commencement ceremony is presented with the ceremonial doctoral hood free of charge. The hood is given by the College of EHHS to celebrate the accomplishments of the new doctoral graduate. Students who would like to own a hood, but do not attend the commencement, may obtain the hood at their own expense.

Candidates who plan to participate in the graduation ceremony must make arrangements to be properly attired in a doctoral gown. The University Bookstore rents and sells doctoral gowns. Whether purchased or rented, the doctoral gown must be appropriate to the degree. When ordering a gown, a doctoral candidate from the College of EHHS should specify that the Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Education, or Doctor of Audiology degree has been earned. The gowns worn by master's or bachelor's degree recipients are inappropriate attire.

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