Doctoral Residency Requirements

Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Students

Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students must satisfy the doctoral residency requirement by satisfactory completion of at least 18 credits in no more than 24 consecutive months following the approved Plan of Study. When satisfying the residency requirement, all Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students are subject to the following restrictions:

  • The doctoral residency requirement must be satisfied no later than the end of the semester in which the student completes his or her comprehensive examinations. 
  • Students must achieve a cumulative graduate grade-point average of at least 3.0 in all courses counted toward satisfying the residency requirement.
  • Dissertation research credits (5696 to 5699) may not be counted toward satisfying the doctoral residency requirement

Ph.D. and Ed.D. Students

The residency requirement for the PhD and Ed.D. student may be satisfied using the same guidelines stipulated for Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students, or in any one of the following alternate ways:

  • Two consecutive semesters of 12 credits each term of resident coursework at UMKC.
  • Three terms of eight credits each term of resident coursework at UMKC, to be completed within 18 months.
  • Two consecutive semesters of nine credits each term of resident coursework at UMKC while employed at least half time for the University in teaching or research.

D.M.A. Students

The residency requirement for the D.M.A. may be satisfied in any one of the following ways:

  • Two consecutive semesters with a minimum of nine credits each.
  • One semester with a minimum of nine credits and two summer sessions with a minimum of five credits each, provided that the full-time semester is adjacent to one of the summer sessions. It is expected that the summer sessions be consecutive.
  • Completion of 24 credits within 18 consecutive months.