Requirements set by the Graduate School

The Ph.D. is governed by the policies and detailed requirements of the Duke Graduate School. All students should be completely familiar with these: see the Graduate School Ph.D. Requirements web page.

Some key excerpts include:

1. Payment of Six semesters of full-time tuition (or five, if transfer credit is approved). Most Duke Statistics students will receive a Tuition Scholarship that will satisfy this requirement. See the section on Financial Support.
2. Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) requirement. Each incoming PhD student must register for and attend the RCR program.
3. Language requirement. The Graduate School requires competence in English. International students must take an English examination administered by Duke. Then, according to the results of that exam, they may have to take one or two semesters of English as a Second Language.
4. Residence. Duke's minimum residence requirement is two consecutive semesters in the same academic year of full-time registration.
5. Satisfactory Progress. Each student must make satisfactory progress in studies and thesis research, as defined below under departmental requirements. Each year from the second year of study onward, each student must complete and submit the required annual progress form to the DGS Assistant before April 15.
6. Prelim(-inary Exam) Committee. During the second year students' Prelim Committee is established to administer the preliminary examination. Eventually this committee will morph into the Ph.D. Thesis Committee, and administer the thesis defense exam. The Committee membership proposed must follow Graduate School and departmental regulations governing what will become the thesis committee following a successful Prelim.
7. Preliminary examination. Each student takes an oral Prelim given by the Prelim Committee. In Duke Statistics the prelim usually occurs before the end of the second year. The student must show a broad understanding of statistics and a familiarity with some specialty deep enough to support original research.
8. Ph.D. Thesis Dissertation. The most important requirement for the Ph.D. degree is the writing of a satisfactory Ph.D. Dissertation. Each student's dissertation must be approved, first by the Advisor and then by the entire Thesis Committee. Each student and advisor should be fully aware of all details of the Graduate School requirements for thesis format and submission. (You can also find macros for thesis production at this Graduate School web page).
9. Final examination. The student presents the dissertation research at an oral public final examination (the "defense") and answers questions from the committee.

Requirements set by Duke Statistics

1. At the end of the first year of study each student must pass the First Year Examination, covering probability theory and statistics at the level of the usual first-year courses.
2. Each student must demonstrate proficiency in Applied Statistics through activities outside formal applied courses. This can be done via one of more of the following:
   • mentored interdisciplinary research involving extensive personal contact with non-statistics collaborators in a research assistantship with a Statistical Science faculty member;
   • participation in two semesters of the Statistical Consulting Workshop (STA 390);
   • active participation in a period of formal practical training in industry (usually in a summer internship).
3. Each year the student must make Satisfactory Progress toward the Ph.D. degree. The faculty meet annually to discuss each student in terms of achievements in formal courses (grade B or higher in each course), exams, demonstration of proficiency in applied statistics, fulfillment of duties as teaching or research assistant, and satisfactory progress in thesis research towards completion and defense within two or three years post-Prelim.

   Each year from the second year of study onward, each student must complete and submit the required annual progress form to the DGS Assistant before April 15 (this is a Graduate School requirement).

   In case of problems, the Director of Graduate Studies will communicate with the student and his/her advisor to summarize the faculty's consensus, specify any deficiencies the student must correct, and detailing any additional requirements the student must meet. In rare cases the Dean of the Graduate School may also play a role in such communications.

Note on Courses:
Students are not required to take any courses. However, they are required to learn enough statistics to pass the First Year and Preliminary exams and finish their dissertations. Most students do take a full load of courses as this expedites learning required material and provides an efficient means for broadening training.