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Build Your Program of Study

For full details of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Guidelines please review the document available below:

IPh.D. Guidelines

Part of your application materials will include a Program of Study. This is a document that you, your committee chair, and the members of your proposed academic committee will develop and sign to signify their agreement.

A Program of Study includes:

  • A 4 – 5 page proposal that contains:
  • A dissertation focus statement
  • A literature review of your intended field
  • A statement addressing how your dissertation work will add to the current field of knowledge
  • A statement of the methodologies you will use throughout the dissertation work
  • A statement of what data will be obtained and the means and methods by which it will be analyzed or interpreted.
  • A one-page or less justification of the interdisciplinary nature of your proposed work that specifies the different disciplines or areas of inquiry involved, and defines why the work does not fall under the purview of a single discipline or area of investigation. Detail any relevant graduate programs at the University of Maine and state why the proposed dissertation work may not be completed in the individual programs identified.
  • A document that presents and discusses the members of your proposed Academic Advisory Committee that includes:
  • their faculty appointments
  • their University of Maine Graduate Faculty status
  • the relevance of each member’s academic background to your dissertation topic.
  • A list of proposed courses (including prerequisite courses, language requirements, and any courses to be taken on an audit basis) and a statement outlining the importance of the proposed coursework in light of your prior academic and/or professional training and future professional plans.
  • The statement should describe the interdisciplinary nature of the proposed coursework.
  • Courses should be presented in the multiple disciplines or areas of inquiry involved,  which should include at least 2.
  • In addition, courses that bridge the disciplinary areas or areas of inquiry should be presented. 
  • Your program of study must include at least 6 dissertation credits. Normally, 30 to 60 hours of graduate credit excluding transfer credit is the expected total.
  • No more than 6 credits may be taken at the 400 level.
  • Up to 12 credits from the University of Maine earned after a master’s degree may be applied toward the proposed Program of Study.
  • A brief description of the topics to be covered in the comprehensive examination and the names of the faculty Academic Advisory Committee members responsible for each topic.