Program Overview

Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences is designed to emphasize original scholarly research and includes significant advanced coursework.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program usually requires that the student has a master's degree from a recognized graduate program.

Program Requirements

The PhD degree requires a minimum of 60 semester credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, of which a minimum of 31 hours must be taken through Auburn University, and a dissertation describing original research. A minimum of 30 hours must be graded graduate courses. The minimum and maximum number of hours of dissertation research is 10.

Coursework

The program includes the following courses:

• FISH 8950: Graduate Research Seminar (1 hour)
• FISH 8990: Research and Dissertation (10 hours)
• Select 49 credits in electives

Total Hours

The total hours required for the program is 60.

Examination Requirements

Students must pass a general examination, often called the "preliminary examination," typically taken after all graded course work is completed, to become a PhD candidate. The exam includes a written exam followed by an oral exam. After completion of the dissertation, the student must pass a final oral examination defending the dissertation.

Degree Candidacy

The student becomes a candidate for the degree on successful completion of the general examination.