The PhD in Vision Science at Pacific University requires a combination of coursework, research, and the completion and defense of a dissertation. Complete degree requirements are available in the academic catalog, and additional academic policies are available here.
Coursework
Students must fulfill course requirements with satisfactory performance and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher. The minimum credit requirements vary based on students' backgrounds. Additional coursework may be deemed necessary by the VSG Committee and the student's advisor.
Early Research Project
Students must conduct and present a research study before applying for the PhD Candidacy Exam. This requirement can be met by successfully defending a master's thesis, submitting a master's thesis in a vision-science-related field before entering the program, or submitting a manuscript accepted by or published in a peer-reviewed journal with the student being the first author or the corresponding author. The previous master's thesis or peer-reviewed paper must be reviewed and approved by the VSG Committee.
Research Proficiency
Students fulfill the requirement of research proficiency by passing the Laboratory Study course (VSC 862).
Comprehensive Knowledge Examination
After completing all advanced seminars, PhD students sit for the comprehensive knowledge exam, which is a combination of written exam, followed by an oral exam within the next four weeks. The purpose of the exam is to ascertain the breadth of students' fundamental knowledge in vision science. The VSG Committee appoints each student with a Comprehensive Exam Committee, which includes instructors in the advanced seminar classes. This committee will design the exam for the individual student to assess expertise in:
- Vision and Optics
- Ocular Anatomy and Physiology
- Eye Diseases and Public Health
- Oculomotor Functions and Visual Performance
PhD Candidacy Exam
After completion of the comprehensive knowledge exam, each student is assigned a research advisor and dissertation committee to guide their dissertation work. The dissertation committee includes at least four members with expertise related to the student's dissertation topic.
At least one semester after the Comprehensive Knowledge Exam, students may submit a dissertation research proposal. The proposal should be formatted as a grant application (such as an NIH grant proposal) and should include research aims, background and significance (literature review and rationale), preliminary studies or research; and planned research design or methods.
Dissertation & Defense
The final exam for the PhD in Vision Science is the defense of the student's research in front of the dissertation committee and the public, along with the submission of a write-up report.
Before defending their dissertation, students should submit their manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.
PhD candidates then apply to submit their dissertation by:
- Submitting a request form four weeks prior defense date to the VSC program coordinator,
- Submitting a complete draft of his/her dissertation to the Doctoral Dissertation Committee two weeks prior to the exam, and
- Indicating how the research proficiency of their research topics has been fulfilled. This can be demonstrated through completion of VSC 862 with a satisfactory grade and, when applicable, mastery of other relevant research skills (e.g., computer programming skills, advanced statistical methods, neuroimaging techniques, etc.). The candidate’s dissertation committee will evaluate the candidate’s research proficiency as part of the dissertation defense.
Students then present the results of their original research study to their dissertation committee and the public, and they submit their dissertation to the Pacific University Libraries CommonKnowledge repository.