Residency Requirement

 

Regardless of the number of credit hours required for the receipt of an EMU graduate
award/degree, a graduate student at EMU must take a minimum number of credit hours once
accepted and enrolled in an EMU degree program to receive an EMU graduate degree.

A Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree must require a minimum of 90 credit hours postbachelor’s
degree.

For students admitted to post-bachelor’s-admitting Ph.D. programs, at least 48 new graduate
hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the degree program must be
earned at EMU.

The remaining 42 program requirement hours may be met through the following at the discretion
of the doctoral program advisor:

● Prior graduate degree credit, whether the degree was earned at EMU or elsewhere. A
maximum of 30 credit hours may be used to satisfy doctoral degree requirements,
regardless of the length/credit hours of the prior degree. Only credit hours from one prior
completed degree may count as prior degree credit. Note: Hours applied from a prior,
completed graduate degree are excluded from the time-to-degree requirements.

Exception: If the doctoral program awards a master's degree en route to the doctoral
degree, then an EMU graduate of the same master's program may apply all earned EMU
master's program credits toward the 90-hour doctoral program, even if the number
exceeds 30 hours. Time-to-degree limits apply to all credits used in the POS.

● A maximum of 12 credit hours earned through a combination of the ways listed below may
be applied to the doctoral degree. Note: Hours applied from these options must meet timeto-
degree requirements.

o Prior EMU graduate credits not applied to a previous, completed graduate degree.
o Transfer of prior graduate credits not applied to a previously completed graduate
degree.
o Transfer of graduate credits after admission to the program.

For students admitted to post-master's Ph.D. programs, at least 48 new graduate hours
beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the degree program must be earned at EMU.  The remaining 12 hours may be met through the following at the discretion of the doctoral
program advisor.  Note: Hours applied from these options must meet time-to-degree requirements.

● Prior EMU graduate credits not applied to a previous, completed graduate degree.
● Transfer of prior graduate credits not applied to a previously completed graduate degree.
● Transfer of graduate credits after admission to the program.

For students admitted to post-specialist’s Ph.D. programs, at least 36 new graduate hours
beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the degree program must be earned at
EMU.  The remaining program requirement hours may be met through the following at the discretion of
the doctoral program advisor:

● Prior EMU graduate credits not applied to a previous, completed graduate degree.
● Transfer of prior graduate credits not applied to a previously completed graduate degree.
● Transfer of graduate credits after admission to the program.

A maximum of 12 credit hours earned through any combination of these ways may be used to
satisfy doctoral degree requirements. Note: Hours applied from these options must meet time-to-degree requirements.

For students admitted to clinical or practitioner doctoral programs admitting postmaster's,
at least 41 new graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment
into the degree program must be earned at EMU.


For students admitted to clinical or practitioner doctoral programs admitting post-bachelor’s,
at least 84 new graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment
into the degree program must be earned at EMU.

For students admitted to master's/specialist degree programs of 36 or fewer required
hours, at least 24 new graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into
the degree program must be earned at EMU. The remaining program requirement hours may be
met through transfer or use of prior degree credit (EMU or elsewhere).

For students admitted to master's/specialist degree programs of 37 or more required
hours, at least 30 new graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into
the degree program must be earned at EMU. Minimum degree hours must still be met for
graduation. The remaining program requirement hours may be met through transfer or use of
prior degree credit (EMU or elsewhere).

NOTE: Students transferring to or admitted into a closely related program may be exempt from
the requirement to accrue credit hours post-acceptance into the program. The Graduate School
makes the final determination of what constitutes a closely related program if questions arise.
Students are required to meet course requirements and minimum credit hour requirements
for their new degree program as it is listed in the EMU Graduate Catalog. Further, students
must meet the Time Limitations for Degree Completion policy. Under no condition will the
requirements of the degree be waived or altered.

Students enrolled in multiple master's/specialist degree programs must have 24 unique credit
hours in each degree program.

For students admitted to a graduate certificate program, at least nine graduate hours
beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the program must be earned at EMU.
Students completing multiple certificate programs must have a minimum of 9 unique credit hours
per certificate.

Only credits from one completed graduate certificate may be applied to a master's or specialist
degree in a relevant field of study, as determined by the Graduate School and with the approval
of the degree-granting academic department, and be included in the residency hours above. 

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