P.C. Rossin College of
Engineering and Applied Science
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Doctoral students should be planning to apply for candidacy at least a year before they plan to complete their degree.  Typically, students apply around the time they complete their minimum credit requirement, but this is not a requirement.  More information about doctoral degree requirements can be found in the college handbook here and you should consult your advisor/graduate coordinator for department specific information.

A complete Application to Candidacy must include the following:

  1. Completed Application to Candidacy packet;
  2. Copy of your written research proposal (electronic);
    > There is no college formatting requirement for this document.  Department guidelines should be followed if they exist.
  3. Approval signatures of your doctoral committee (collected via DocuSign form found here);
  4. Evidence of completion/passing department Qualifier Exam (if required in your department);
  5. Evidence of completion/passing department General Exam (if required prior to admission to candidacy, DocuSign from found here can be used).

All these documents must be completed and submitted to:

Brie Lisk (brc3@lehigh.edu) and Shaku Jain-Cocks (shj208@lehigh.edu)

You may submit a complete application to candidacy at any time.  However, if admission to candidacy must be approved by the start of a particular semester all required application materials must be received at least two weeks prior to the start of that semester.  Students will be advised in writing of their admission to candidacy. 

Note: If the additional registration required to reach the degree credit hour minimum is 3 credits or more, the student must register for at least 3 credits until only 2 or 1 credit(s) remain.  When less than 3 credits remain the student then registers for Maintenance of Candidacy (ENGR 499) two times per year (each fall and spring semester).

If you are unable to submit the necessary documents by that date, you should submit them as soon as they are ready and we will do our best to review them.  However, please know that if you delay we cannot guarantee they will be processed by the deadline to complete full time certification and any registration change.