The Graduate College

Doctoral Program Process Flowcharts and Corresponding Narratives

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Links Below By College

The following pages reflect the efforts of the Graduate Center for Research at Western Michigan University to place structure upon the doctoral education process. By flowing out the process for each of the disciplines within the Colleges and by including corresponding narratives, we have created visual and linguistic representations of the doctoral process that permit for students to traverse their respective programs of study with relative ease and certainty. Thus, students remain focused and on task in complying with program initiatives because the charts represent an accurate roadmap to completion.

Our method in developing each of the charts was to construct a prototype for the flow chart based upon information reflected in the Graduate Catalog 2002-2004. The department chair or his or her appointed representative was then engaged in several conversations that permitted for the ongoing revision, development, and refinement of each chart. The final versions of the charts that appear on these pages as well as the corresponding narratives have received the tacit approval of the department chairs.

We thank the dean, the associate deans, the department chairs, and the faculty of each of the Colleges for their generous support of this project.

Flowcharts with narratives by college:
(Some are yet in process, please check back)

College of Arts and Sciences

College of Education

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences

College of Health and Human Services

Interdisciplinary Evaluation (pdf)