Before degree conferral is possible, all PhD candidates must:

1. Maintain continuous registration until the PhD degree is conferred.
2. Complete a minimum of 72 credit hours of graduate study. A minimum of 50 percent of the PhD program must consist of courses completed at UB and uniquely applied to that degree program (see the policy on course sharing).
3. Earn a minimum 3.0 GPA in the courses being applied to your degree program.
4. Complete UB's Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training requirement.
5. Successfully complete an oral and/or written comprehensive or preliminary qualifying exam; or a dissertation prospectus; or a preliminary paper or prospectus.
6. Submit a Degree Update Form (in place of the Grad School's PhD Application to Candidacy form).
7. Complete and orally defend an acceptable doctoral dissertation; electronically submit the dissertation to the Graduate School for final approval and filing in the UB Institutional Repository.
   
8. Complete the Degree Complete Form in place of the Grad School's M-form for PhD).
9. Fulfill the doctoral degree recipient survey requirement.
   
10. Complete additional requirements as the department or program might duly specify.