Degree Requirements

Timelines and requirements may differ among Kellogg's doctoral programs. Students should refer to their Program Guidelines and consult with their DGS for guidance on exact details of degree requirements. 

Academic Integrity

Kellogg doctoral students fall under the policies and regulations set by The Graduate School; firm adherence to academic honesty and ethical conduct are expected. All Kellogg PhD students should read the statement from The Graduate School in full.

Any questions about this policy should be directed to the student's DGS or the faculty director of the Kellogg Doctoral Program.

Academic Progress

Kellogg PhD students are expected to make continuous academic progress and meet their program's expectations and requirements in a timely fashion. Kellogg students should also refer to The Graduate School's statement on Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Coursework Requirements

Students will be expected to enroll in departmental PhD courses, seminars, and any additional courses needed to adequately prepare for scholarly research. Students must maintain an overall "B" average (3.0) at a minimum; their program, however, may require a higher GPA. Students should consult with their DGS if they have any questions.

Residency Requirements

Doctoral students should plan to be on campus full time, including summer quarter, and be involved in the research of their departments in order to continue to receive funding. Absences longer than three (3) weeks need the direct approval of a student's DGS and academic advisor.

Candidacy

Qualifying Examination and Candidacy

A written qualifying exam is required in each major field that measures knowledge of the field as a whole; passing will advance students into candidacy. Other requirements, such as a first and/or second-year paper and presentation, may also be required. Students should refer to their Program Guidelines or consult with their DGS regarding specific requirements and expectations.

Proposal

Proposal Process

After completing the coursework and the written qualifying examination, a student takes an oral examination in which they propose a dissertation topic or other substantive piece of research, discuss its significance, and explains the research methods to be used and any preliminary results. The proposal date and requirements are set by the individual PhD programs and outlined in the Program Guidelines. Questions, should be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies for your program and/or your dissertation advisor.

The proposal process is similar to the final defense. Susan Jackman will need from you the following by email at least two weeks before the date of your proposal:

• Scheduled date, time, and location (room number) for your proposal
• Title of proposal or presentation
• List of committee members, noting who your chair is. Details regarding the committee requirements are listed below.

Michael Fishman, Faculty Director of the PhD Program, approves of all committees. Once Susan has his approval, she'll process the paperwork for your proposal and give the forms to your dissertation chair. To pass the proposal, signatures are required from your proposal committee members. The signature form is returned to Susan Jackman for processing.

Dissertation Committee
Dissertation committees are reviewed and approved by the faculty director at the time of the proposal and final examination (dissertation defense).

Committee Requirements
The committee is composed of at least four faculty members, no fewer than three of whom are on the Kellogg faculty. At least one member of the committee must be from outside the student's program. The committee chair and at least one other member must be from The Graduate School faculty, and the chair and at least one other committee member are expected to hold appointments in the student's program to ensure that half of the committee members represent the student’s program. Usually one member of the committee represents the student's minor field.

These are the criteria for choosing a committee member from outside the student’s department/program:
1. a faculty member from outside the department/program or outside of the Kellogg School, but within Northwestern University;
2. a faculty member from outside Northwestern who has a permanent appointment at another university and who supervises doctoral students as they complete their dissertations; a former Kellogg faculty member could also qualify if he/she has been away from Kellogg a minimum of 3 years.

Please note that a faculty member with a joint appointment spanning two Kellogg departments, one of which is within the student's own program, cannot be used as someone from outside the student's program.

Defense (Final Exam)

Dissertation and Final Examination Process

Each doctoral candidate must complete a dissertation demonstrating original and significant research and must pass a final oral examination on the dissertation. This exam is called the defense. If you have questions about the process, please speak with your dissertation chair and/or your DGS. 

The Graduate School awards degrees quarterly: December, March, June and August. Deadlines for filing for the degree and graduation are found on the Graduate School’s academic calendar.

Please see below for a list of items which must be completed by the published deadlines linked above:

1. Confirm Dissertation Committee Members with PhD Team – Please send an email to the PhD team with the names of your dissertation committee:

• Please include the email of the committee member from outside your program if that person is a non-Northwestern faculty member. The PhD Program Faculty Director, approves all committees. The PhD team will review the dissertation committee with the Faculty Director and obtain approval. Committee requirements are detailed above. 

2. Submit an Application for Degree Form:

• You will find a link to GSP (Graduate Student Progress) here. Use your NetID and password to access this system. To submit an “Application for Degree”, navigate to the “Forms” tab on the left menu bar of GSP. Click on “Start New Form” button then navigate to the “Application for Degree” form. 
• After you have submitted the Application for Degree form and after we receive committee approval from the PhD program Faculty Director, the PhD team will approve your Application for PhD Degree request in GSP.

3. PhD Final Exam form: 

• Please submit the “Final Exam” form via GSP the day before your defense date. Navigate to the “Forms” tab on the left menu bar of GSP. Click on “Start New Form” button then navigate to the “PhD Final Exam” form. Each committee member will render their approval of your “Final Exam” by clicking the embedded link in the email they automatically receive once the exam date passes. 

4. Defend Your Dissertation: 

• You must schedule your defense and defend by the deadlines set by The Graduate School. Once you have confirmed your dissertation date with your committee members and if you need to reserve a room, please reach out to your events team member within your academic department.
• Please inform the PhD team of your dissertation date. This will allow the PhD team to track the Final Exam form to ensure the required approvals are processed by the TGS published deadline. 

5. Submission to ProQuest:

• Here is the link to the TGS site which contains guidance about Dissertation Formatting Requirements. Once the dissertation has been approved by your committee and all edits and revisions are complete, you must submit online via ProQuest. The dissertation must conform to The Graduate School's Dissertation Formatting Requirements. After submission, a Student Services representative will review its formatting and confirm via email that the dissertation is acceptable or will notify you if changes need to be made.

6. Certificate of Completion: If you need proof of degree completion prior to the degree awarding date and before your diploma is received in the mail, you can request from TGS a Certificate of Completion. See this page on the TGS site for details.

A student’s dissertation may include co-authored work with another student and/or a professor. This co-authored work may be found in a chapter or essay within the dissertation. The student’s dissertation committee sets the guidelines and requirements for the student’s dissertation and provides final approval of the finished document. However, the Dean’s Office would like some standardization in how students acknowledge co-authors within the dissertation. Below is the format that students should follow:

• The co-author(s) should be listed on the table of contents (next to the paper title).
• The co-author(s) should be listed next to the title on the title page of the essay/chapter. 

Graduation

Ceremonies include the Graduate School’s Hooding Ceremony, Northwestern University's Convocation, the Kellogg School of Management Convocation, and the Kellogg PhD Graduation Celebration. Graduates choose which ceremonies they wish to attend.