Doctoral Program

In addition to Wagner's general Academic Policies, doctoral students should note:

  • Doctoral candidates are required to maintain a "B+" (3.3) average.  If a student's grade point average remains below 3.3 for two consecutive semesters, the student may be asked to withdraw from the program.
  • All Students who elect to apply transfer credit towards the PhD Degree must complete all requirements within 7 years.  Students who undertake all of their coursework (the full 72 credits) at Wagner have a 10 year limit.
  • To meet this time requirement students should adhere to the Doctoral Program milestones.
  • Students must maintain continuous matriculation for the degree in the manner described. No degree can be awarded to a student who is not currently matriculated.  Students who have not maintained matriculation will be terminated from the program.
  • Students granted a leave of absence are still required to complete all degree requirements within 7-10 years of initial enrollment.
  • Students receiving Wagner School financial aid who take a leave of absence for more than one semester relinquish their scholarships. They may reapply for scholarship assistance at the time of re-enrollment and their applications will be considered along with other continuing students who are requesting financial aid for the first time.

Incomplete Grades

Incomplete grades are intended for rare circumstances when course requirements cannot be met in a timely manner. If an incomplete is granted, students must complete their coursework and receive a grade within one semester. Students with more than one incomplete on their record at any given time may be putting their scholarship funding at risk. In addition, such students will require the permission of the doctoral program director to register for comprehensive exams. In those cases where a student has an IP on their record that they do not intend to complete, they should see the Associate Director of Operations Research to officially withdraw from the course.

Language Courses

While students are encouraged to hone their language skills, language courses cannot be credited toward a Wagner degree. Please view the Wagner Language Courses page for details.