Direct transfer to the Ph.D. program in Environmental Design and Planning from the MS in Building Construction Science & Management requires, at a minimum, the following three items of documentation to be provided to the department:
Request for Change of Degree Status Form
The Request for Change of Degree Level Form requires endorsement by the student’s committee chair, and thus the student must have completed the M.S. Plan of Study and have an approved graduate committee in order for the committee chair to be officially recognized as able to endorse this form.
Letter of Recommendation from M.S. Committee Chair
The Letter of Recommendation should review the student’s qualifications, the Graduate Chair in Building Construction requires a letter of recommendation from the student’s committee chair outlining the case for admissions to the Ph.D. program. The committee chair should also indicate in the letter his or her willingness to serve as the student’s Ph.D. committee chair.
Recommendation from M.S. Committee
The members of the student’s approved graduate committee must vote on the fitness of the student for admission to the Ph.D. program based on their evaluation of the student’s capabilities and performance in the M.S. program. The outcome of the vote should be documented in the letter of recommendation from the M.S. Committee Chair. A majority affirmative vote is required for departmental approval of the transfer, with a commitment of three faculty to serve on the student’s Ph.D. advisory committee. If only two M.S. advisory committee members are willing to continue, the student must obtain agreement from a third faculty to serve on the committee and obtain their signature as part of the committee recommendation.
All documentation requires that the student have an approved graduate committee and committee chair, and thus at a minimum the student should have completed the official M.S. plan of study and received endorsement from a minimum of three faculty who agree to serve as members of the advisory committee. A brief statement of intent regarding the student’s intended area of research is typically required to obtain the commitment of faculty to serve on the advisory committee.
If the student is approved for transfer to the Ph.D. program, the advisory committee will work with him or her to transition the M.S. plan of study to a Ph.D. plan of study. The committee, at its sole discretion, may also require that the student prepare and defend a proposal, project and report, or thesis as a condition of recommending his or her transfer. The student should meet with the committee chair and advisory committee to determine what requirements will be imposed in each specific case.
All documentation should be submitted as a package to the Graduate Program Coordinator, who will obtain the review and signature of the Graduate Chair. The student will be informed by letter of the outcome of the review.
With satisfactory academic performance, the student may elect to continue in the M.S. program to complete the M.S. degree as per his or her original admission into the program. If the student successfully completes all requirements for the M.S. degree, he or she may also apply directly for admissions to the Ph.D. program without committee approval. Please consult the Ph.D. admissions guidelines for current application requirements in this case.
