College of Graduate Studies

Doctoral Students
Master's Students
Education Specialist Students

Every Ed.D. student must file a Program of Study (POS) with the College of Graduate Studies.  This program is a formal list of courses the student intends to complete to fulfill the requirements for the degree and should consist solely of courses directly related to the doctoral degree.  A student should prepare the Program of Study in consultation with their advisor/major professor and committee.  The program must be signed by the student, and approved by the advisor/major professor and committee members.  It is then submitted to the College of Graduate Studies for final approval.   Students must file their Program of Study with the College of Graduate Studies not later than the end of the semester prior to the expected graduation term.

These guidelines should be followed when preparing a Program of Study:

·         The number of credits required for the Ed.D. degree varies depending upon the degree major.  Please see Information for Doctoral Candidates regarding time limit for degree completion.

·         Consult with your advisor, major professor or committee chair.  The Official Doctoral Program of Study Form can be downloaded from the College of Graduate Studies website.  The Official EDD Program of Study Form is available in WORD or PDF format that will permit you to print and complete the form. Print the file after completing the form, sign and forward to your advisor for his/her signature.  The Program of Study must have all required signatures before being submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.  NOTE: the minimum number of credit hours required to complete degree requirements vary depending on the program. 

·         Quarter hour course credits must be converted to the semester hour equivalent.  To convert a quarter hour course to semester hours, multiply the number of quarter hours by 0.66.  Example: (5 quarter hours *0.66 = 3.3 semester hours.

·         A completed Program of Study with the required signatures must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies for final review and approval not later than the end of the semester prior to the expected graduate term.

·         Course prefix codes, course numbers, course titles, credit hours and semesters taken must be listed on the program as they are recorded on the transcripts.  Students should secure copies of transcripts to be sure that information recorded on the Program of Study is accurate.  Course work and dissertation hours must be listed on the program.

·         No Master’s degree program credits may be included on the Program of Study.

·         No 5000 level Georgia Southern University courses may be included on the Program of Study.

·         Undergraduate credits may not be counted toward a graduate degree.

·         Not more that six (6) credit hours of independent study may be included on the program.

·         Courses designated as deficiencies or prerequisites at the time of admission cannot be used on a Program of Study (refer to the admission letter sent to you by the Office of Graduate Admissions for deficiencies or prerequisites designated by the department or consult with your advisor).

·         Transfer credit may be included on the Program of Study if approved by the major professor and supervisory committee.  If transfer credits are included on the POS, the courses must be listed on the POS exactly as they appear on the transfer institution transcripts.

·         EDD Curriculum Studies students may count up to 27-semester hour of previous credits (including transfer credits) earned beyond the Master’s degree, toward EDD requirements.

·         EDD Educational Administration students may count up to 36 semester hours of previous credits (including transfer credits earned beyond the Master’s degree, toward EDD requirements.

·         Transfer courses with grades below “B” are not acceptable.  If a transfer course is to be taken in the future, the semester should be noted on the Program of Study.  Official transcripts that show the courses and grades for transfer credit(s) must be on file in the College of Graduate Studies.  Final approval of the Program of Study cannot be determined until all transcripts are received.

·         If changes need to be made in the Program of Study, you must submit a completed Amended Program of Study Form that is approved by major professor and/or committee chairperson.  The College of Graduate Studies must approve the Amended Program of Study Form.  Unless there are extensive changes, a revised Program of Study does not have to be submitted.

The University Catalog also contains information about degree requirements, programs of study and other requirements for graduate study at Georgia Southern University. 

Program of Study Form
The POS is available in both Word and PDF format. The POS forms are available under the Forms for Enrolled Students section of the Applications and Forms page. 
EDD CS POS Word or PDF
EDD EA POS Word or PDF                          

AVOIDING PROBLEMS
When your Program of Study cannot be approved, either because it violates College of Graduate Studies guidelines or because you have not been admitted to the degree program or satisfied certain prerequisites, both you and your advisor are confronted by delays and extra work.  In an effort to help you avoid such problems, we have listed below some of the more common reasons programs of study are returned not approved.

·         A course listed may not have been taken for graduate credit or a course may have a grade below “C”.

·         The POS list of courses exceeds the minimum number of transfer credits.

·         The POS includes deficiency or prerequisite courses.

·         The POS includes undergraduate courses.

·         The POS includes GSU 5000 level courses.

·         The POS does not meet the minimum hour requirement for your degree program

·         The POS was submitted for a program to which you have not been admitted.

·         You may not have been admitted as a degree-seeking student.

·         Courses listed do not match those appearing on your transcript(s).  Department codes, course numbers, titles and credit hours must appear exactly as they appear on the transcript.

·         All signatures of the student, major professor/committee chair and committee members have not been obtained.

·         The College of Graduate Studies has not received official transcripts for all transfer courses or such transcripts indicate that the courses in question do not qualify for transfer credit.