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Executive Master's Program

Ph.D. Program
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For Current HSOP Students

Fast Answers to Tough Questions

1. Rackham Fee Totals and You: 36 RFTs are needed to advance to candidacy unless the student has a relevant masters degree posted on their transcript, then they would require 18. A student can earn up to 9 RFTs per full term, and 5 per half term. If they register for 2 half terms, the total is the same as a full term – 9. A student earns RFTs as long as they are registered in Rackham, whether it’s a Rackham course, a “VI” course, an Undergrad course, an “S/U” course, a “W” course or even a failed course.
   For example:
   WN 2006 - Registered for 12 credit hours - Receives 9 RFTs
   FA 2006 - Registered for 15 credit hours - Receives 9 RFTs
   WN 2007 - Registered for 7 credit hours - Receives 7 RFTs
   SP 2007 - Registered for 7 credit hours - Receives 5 RFTs
   FA 2007 - Registered for 9 credit hours - Receives 9 RFTs
   TOTAL 39 RFTs
   Most students do not need to worry about having enough RFT's, generally you acquire well more than needed through your regular coursework and your relevant masters. However, if you happen to be the rare student able to advance to candidacy before you have acquired enough just through basic registration, you can "buy" additional RFT's by paying for additional credit hours.
2. Advancing to Candidacy: Once you have finished your requirements including your 835, you can submit the form that advances you to candidacy. This requires the signature of the HSOP Chair. You do not need to have your dissertation committee in place or a proposal complete before submitting this paperwork.
3. Dissertation Proposal: The Department does not have a form that must be completed proving that your dissertation proposal has been accepted.
4. Meeting with your Committee: Do you need a conference room to meet with your committee? Simple! Just email Student Services and request a conference room. Please provide the date and time you wish. The conference rooms come with speaker phones, committee members may phone in if you wish. If more than one committee member will be calling in, you must ask Student Services for a conference call set up.

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