Navigating the Path: Understanding PhD Program Requirements at Stanford University

Embarking on a PhD journey at Stanford University is a significant undertaking, demanding a clear understanding of the university-wide requirements and those specific to your chosen department. This article provides a comprehensive guide to these requirements, drawing upon official Stanford University guidelines and focusing on the essential elements for prospective doctoral candidates.

Doctoral Degrees Offered at Stanford

Stanford University confers several doctoral degrees, each signifying a distinct area of expertise and research capability. These include:

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): Awarded to candidates demonstrating substantial scholarship, high attainment in a specific field, and the ability to conduct independent research and present its findings.
Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.): Conferred upon candidates holding a J.D. or equivalent, completing one academic year in residence, and presenting a dissertation that contributes to legal knowledge.
Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.): Awarded in recognition of advanced musical scholarship, artistic achievement, and research.

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Doctor of Education (Ed.D.): While Stanford University has authorized the granting of Ed.D degrees, currently it does not offer this degree.

General Requirements for Advanced Degrees

All doctoral candidates at Stanford must satisfy general requirements applicable to all advanced degrees, in addition to the specific requirements of their degree program. These include a residency requirement based on the number of academic units needed for the degree. The minimum number of units required is 135 for the Ph.D. and D.M.A. degrees, and 39 units (26 semester units) for the J.S.D.

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to a doctoral program is a separate process from admission to candidacy. Admission to candidacy signifies the faculty's judgment of a student's potential to successfully complete the degree requirements. Students are expected to fulfill qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy by the end of their second year in the Ph.D. program.

Teaching and Research Assistantships

Many doctoral programs require students to serve as Teaching Assistants (TAs) or Research Assistants (RAs) for one or more quarters. This provides valuable experience in teaching and research, integral to the doctoral training process.

Foreign Language Requirements

Some degree programs may require a reading knowledge of one or more foreign languages, as specified in the university bulletin and the program's requirements.

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Standardized Tests: GRE Requirements

Many departments at Stanford University require applicants to submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. The GRE is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).

GRE General Test

Applicants are generally required to take the GRE General Test. However, those who already hold a Ph.D. degree from an accredited institution may request a waiver. To request a waiver, applicants should use the subject heading "GRE General Test Waiver Request".

Applicants need to provide at least self-reported (unofficial) test scores for the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE General Test by the application deadline.

All official score reports must be sent electronically by ETS to Stanford University. The institution code number for ETS reporting is 4704. No department number is required. Test scores may be no older than five years, dating back from the application deadline. The GMAT is not accepted as a substitute for the GRE.

Applications will be processed using the self-reported (unofficial) test scores. If you submit your online application before you have taken the test, you may add the scores later, as long as it is still prior to the application deadline. Offers of admission are contingent on receipt of the official scores.

While there are no fixed minimum GRE scores, the average General GRE percentile scores of recently admitted applicants are Verbal 92%, Quantitative 94% and Analytical Writing 83%.

GRE Math Subject Test (Optional)

The GRE Math Subject Test is optional, but recommended. If submitted as part of the application, GRE Math Subject Test scores will be considered by the admissions committee. Applicants submitting GRE Math Subject Test scores are still required to submit GRE General Test scores.

All official score reports must be sent electronically by ETS to Stanford University. The institution code number for ETS reporting is 4704. No department number is required. Test scores may be no older than five years, dating back from the application deadline. Applications will be processed using the self-reported (unofficial) test scores.

Important Considerations for GRE Scores

It can take 2-3 weeks for official test scores to arrive from ETS. The department cannot see or access these scores until approximately two weeks after you have submitted your online application. The test score status in your checklist (viewable after submission of the application) may take an additional 10 business days to change to "official". Applications will be considered complete with unofficial scores, although no offers of admission can be made without receipt of the official scores of any required tests.

PhD Minor

Students pursuing a Ph.D. may pursue a minor in another degree program to complement their Ph.D. program. This option is not available to students who are not pursuing a Ph.D. Candidates cannot pursue a minor in their own major degree program. In rare cases, a Ph.D. student may complete the requirements for more than one minor.

Requirements for a Ph.D. Minor

Only degree programs that offer a Ph.D. may offer a minor, and those programs are not required to do so. Interdisciplinary Ph.D. minors, administered by a designated academic department, may be approved by the Faculty Senate. The minor should represent a program of graduate quality and depth, including core requirements and electives or examinations. The degree program offering the minor establishes the core and examination requirements. Elective courses are planned by the students in conjunction with their minor and Ph.D. programs.

The minimum university requirement for a Ph.D. minor is 20 units of course work at the graduate level (typically courses numbered 200 and above). If a minor program chooses to require those pursuing the minor to pass the Ph.D. qualifying or field examinations, the 20-unit minimum can be reduced. All of the course work for a minor must be done at Stanford.

Units taken for the minor can be counted as part of the overall requirement for the Ph.D. of 135 units of graduate course work done at Stanford. Courses used for a minor may not be used also to meet the requirements for a master’s degree. In rare cases, a Ph.D. student may complete the requirements for more than one minor. In that case, 20 unduplicated units must be completed for each minor.

Application for a Ph.D. Minor

An Application for Ph.D. Minor outlining a program of study must be approved by the major and minor degree programs and submitted to the Student Services Center. This form is submitted at the time of admission to candidacy or at the appropriate time thereafter.

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