3. Requirements for the Doctoral Degree in Rural Sociology

The principal aim of the doctoral program in Rural Sociology is to develop the advanced sociological research and analytical capacities necessary for understanding and addressing the problems, structures, and processes affecting the well-being of rural people and places and the sustainability of communities and landscapes in domestic and international contexts. To this end, the student selects relevant Rural Sociology courses as well as courses in complementary academic fields, with guidance from the advisor and other members of their PhD advisory committee.

For students entering the program with a MS/MA (or its equivalent) from a different educational institution, a minimum of 36 graduate-level credits (400- and 500-level courses, not including 600-level course credits) are required, of which at least 27 credits must be in Rural Sociology. Doctoral students who completed the MS in Rural Sociology at Penn State must complete at least 48 graduate level credits (400- and 500-level courses, not including 600-level course credits), of which at least 27 credits must be in Rural Sociology. Courses completed during their MS program at Penn State count toward the PhD course requirements. Additional graduate-level courses may be taken in complementary academic fields to supplement the core areas of concentration, chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor and committee. All PhD graduate students are required to have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 to graduate.

3.1. Areas of Concentration
All PhD students are expected to become strongly prepared in four areas: Rural Sociology, Methods and Statistics, and two additional areas of concentration of their choice. All students must meet Rural Sociology requirements and the Methods and Statistics requirements, as noted below.

3.1.1. Rural Sociology Area Requirements
Required rural sociology courses provide a broad overview of the discipline’s theoretical roots, intellectual connections, and current uses, as well as the substantive issues facing rural people and places both domestically and internationally. Three courses are needed to meet the rural sociology area requirements.

• RSOC 502 "Use of Theory in Rural Sociology"
• RSOC 516 "Change in Rural Society"
• RSOC 517 "International Rural Social Change"

3.1.2. Methods and Statistics Area Requirements
PhD students in Rural Sociology need to become equipped with a meaningful level of research skills early in their degree program. This is accomplished either through prior instruction, whether in Master's training at Penn State or at another institution, or by enrollment in research methods and statistics courses in the PhD program. PhD students must meet the following four-course minimum requirements, recognizing that thorough competency often requires additional coursework:

• RSOC 513 "Research Methods in the Rural Social Sciences"
• RSOC 514 "Qualitative Methods"
• Two graduate-level (500 and above) statistics courses (selected in consultation with the student’s advisor)

3.1.3. Areas of Concentration
PhD students must declare two additional areas of concentration prior to the comprehensive examination. The areas of concentration should be a declaration of the student's substantive expertise and reflect the core strengths of the Rural Sociology program. The areas of concentration should be built and substantiated through coursework and relevant research experiences. Generally, it is expected that students will take two courses in each of these areas, which provides evidence for effective exposure to the relevant field. Students should supplement coursework with additional training and/or research experience to indicate satisfactory performance in these areas of concentration to the advisor and committee members.

The Rural Sociology program has four core areas of concentration: sociology of food and agriculture, environmental and natural resource sociology, community and international development, and rural social demography. Each concentration area, along with the core foundational RSOC course(s) that have typically been associated with it, are listed below (note that course offerings vary by year). The Rural Sociology program supports four dual-degree options: Demography; Transdisciplinary Research on Environment and Society (TREES); International Agriculture and Development (INTAD); and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (see below). Students pursuing a dual-title program must declare one of their areas of concentration in correspondence with the chosen dual-title program. In unique circumstances, students may design their own areas of concentration, in consultation with their advisor, and with approval of the Director of Graduate Studies at least 3 weeks prior to the comprehensive examination.

3.1.4. RSOC 590 Requirement
If an entering PhD student has not completed their MS degree in Rural Sociology at Penn State, they are also expected to complete two semesters of RSOC 590. Students should take one credit in the fall and one credit in the spring of their first year.

3.1.5. Waivers and Substitutions
Students should discuss substitutions for any of these course and credit requirements with their adviser. Requests for waivers/substitutions require prior consultation with and approval by the Director of Graduate Studies.

3.2. Qualifying Examination
A qualifying examination must be taken and passed by all students intending to earn the PhD.⁴ The examination is administered by the Rural Sociology Graduate Program Committee prior to the start of the student’s third semester and after completion of at least 18 graduate (400- or 500-level) credits. Most students will take the exam during the summer between the first and second year in the program. No student may advance to the comprehensive examination without a formal record of having taken and passed the qualifying examination.

3.2.1. Examination Content
The exam will cover basic knowledge of theory, methods, and content appropriate for all Rural Sociology students regardless of their chosen areas of concentration.

3.2.2. Eligibility Criteria
Students must have completed at least 18 graduate level (400- or 500-level) credits at Penn State. Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA, have no deferred or incomplete grades, and be in good academic standing in the program (i.e., not on probation) at the time of the exam. Students transitioning from the MS to the PhD program in Rural Sociology must graduate from the MS program prior to taking the exam. Students must therefore meet all Graduate School deadlines to graduate prior to or in the spring semester of the year they plan to complete the qualifying exam. Part-time students and those with other exigent circumstances who do not meet these criteria must work with their advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies to identify the appropriate timing for the examination while adhering to the timeline for adequate academic progress.

3.2.3. Administration
The qualifying examination is a written exam to be conducted on one day. There is no oral examination. The exam will be scheduled in the summer between students' first and second years. All students will receive the same examination form. Students for whom English is not their first language will be provided with additional time to complete their exams. Students with documented disabilities and/or special needs should work with Student Disability Resources and the Director of Graduate Studies to identify appropriate accommodations at least 2 months prior to the exam date. Further rules and procedures will be provided prior to the examination. Failure to comply with these rules falls under the Student Conduct policy and may lead to failure of the examination and termination from the program.

3.2.4. Grading Procedures and Communication
Evaluation criteria to be used by the Rural Sociology Graduate Committee members will include demonstrated knowledge of the subject, responsiveness to the question, and organization/coherence of the response. Written English competence will also be assessed by committee members. Grading outcomes for each exam include:

• Pass with distinction
• Pass
• Fail with opportunity to re-write some or all of the exam
• Fail with no opportunity to re-write

Students can re-write the exam (partially or fully) once at most. Failure on the re-written exam will result in termination from the program. Results of the exam will be reported to each student in writing within 30 days of completing the exam. The results will also be shared with the student’s advisor. The report of results may include recommendations for addressing deficiencies, as needed.

3.2.5. Assessment of English Competency
The Graduate Committee will assess competence in the English language when reviewing the written exam responses. This determination will be reported to the Graduate School at the completion of the exam. Deficiencies will be noted in the written report sent to the student and advisor.

3.2.6. Dual-Title Programs
Students considering a dual-title program need to consult the specific enrollment and qualifying examination procedures for each program. The Rural Sociology qualifying exam focuses on content specific to the Rural Sociology program and does not explicitly incorporate content from the dual-title programs.

3.3. Comprehensive Examination
Each PhD candidate must pass a comprehensive (combined written and oral) examination in four areas: Rural Sociology, Research Methods and Statistics, and two chosen areas of concentration. The Rural Sociology and Methods and Statistics core competency areas are required for all Rural Sociology students. The two additional areas of concentration are based on the student’s research interests and are determined through consultation with the student's dissertation committee (see above). Possible areas include (but are not limited to) the program’s four core areas: sociology of agriculture and food, environmental and natural resource sociology, rural social demography, and international/community development. If the student is enrolled in a dual-title program, one of the specialization areas on the comprehensive exam must correspond with this area.

The student's graduate committee administers the comprehensive exam after the candidate's coursework has been substantially completed (typically during the third year). The student must be registered full or part-time during the semester (including summer) the exam is taken.

3.3.1. Content and Process
The comprehensive examination has written and oral components.

1. Written: The student's PhD committee chair/co-chair is responsible for soliciting questions from committee members and constructing the exam. Students will provide written answers to 5-6 questions in total, which should be designed to assess competency in the four areas of concentration. Students are given all of the questions at the beginning of a five-day writing period. Directions will clearly indicate whether students have choice among questions and if there are any sub-components of questions. Once the exam is started, the student has the allotted amount of time (five consecutive days) to answer the questions and submit the exam. Any changes to the length of the writing period will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances and must be approved in advance by the Director of Graduate Studies.
2. Oral: The oral component of the exam occurs after the written portion is completed. Typically, the committee has at least two weeks to review the written answers, though less time is allowed if all committee members agree. At the discretion of the committee, the oral component covers the written answers and material closely related to them and other content within the four areas of concentration. The comprehensive examination may be held fully in-person, fully remote, or hybrid with some individuals participating in-person while others participate remotely. Student preference for delivery mode should be strongly considered, but the student and adviser must agree on the mode. If the student and adviser cannot agree on the mode, the Director of Graduate Studies will make the final decision. Either the student or adviser can appeal the decision of the Director of Graduate Studies to the Department Head.

3.3.2. Eligibility
To schedule the exam, students must be in good academic standing (i.e., not on probation), have a minimum GPA of 3.0, and not have any deferred or missing grades.⁵ Also see policy GCAC-215 regarding limits on the total number of research credits that can be assigned quality grades in a student’s program. The student is required to notify the Graduate Program Coordinator of the oral comprehensive exam date and time no later than three weeks prior to the intended date. The paperwork must be filed and submitted to the Graduate School, as a two-week notice is required by the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services to schedule the comprehensive examination. The qualifying examination results, and the doctoral committee appointment form, must have already been filed with the Graduate School prior to scheduling the comprehensive exam.

3.3.3. Preparation
In preparation for the exam, students should write a dissertation prospectus and submit it to their committee at least four weeks prior to the written exam start date. The prospectus (approximately 8-10 pages) should provide a summary of the proposed research question, relevant literature, data, and methodology. It should specify which form (monograph or three-paper) the dissertation is intended to take. Students are encouraged to discuss the exam with their chair/co-chair and committee members. Preparation typically includes the development of a reading list and relevant resources in consultation with committee members.

3.3.4. Examination Results
A two-thirds affirmative vote of committee members (e.g., 3 out of a 4-member committee; 4 out of a 5-member committee) is required for passing the exam. In the case of a failure, the committee may choose to allow the student to retake part or all of the exam one time within six months. Failure of a second attempt will result in immediate termination from the program.

3.3.5. Dual-Title Program Representation
Students enrolled in dual-title programs must have appropriate representation of the dual-title program on their committee, as defined by the dual-title program's handbook requirements. The dual-title faculty representative(s) on the committee will participate in constructing comprehensive examination questions and assessing student performance related to the dual-title area of study as part of a unified comprehensive examination.

3.3.6. Time Limits
The Graduate School requires that when a period of more than six years has elapsed between the passing of the comprehensive examination and the completion of the program, the student is required to pass a second comprehensive examination before the final oral examination will be scheduled.⁶

3.4. Dissertation Proposal Meeting
Following the comprehensive examination, students should prepare a dissertation proposal for review and approval by the doctoral committee. The dissertation proposal (approximately 25-30 pages) should consist of a thorough review of relevant literature, a clear statement of the research questions or objectives, an analytic strategy, and a timeline for completion. If the student has chosen to write a three-paper dissertation, the proposal should clearly describe the overarching content and question that unifies the papers, in addition to the requisite details for each paper.

The dissertation proposal meeting must take place within four months of the oral defense of the comprehensive examination. The dissertation proposal meeting may serve as one of the required annual meetings of the dissertation committee (see reporting requirements above).

3.5. Dissertation Format Options
The doctoral dissertation should represent a significant contribution to knowledge. As such, it should demonstrate the PhD candidate's ability to design and conduct rigorous sociological research on an important theoretical or substantive issue, to select and effectively apply appropriate social science research methods, and to contribute to relevant academic and policy or practice debates. The dissertation and dissertation defense must also demonstrate the candidate’s ability to communicate in writing and orally in a manner that is accurate, precise, and well-substantiated.

Dissertation papers may not be wholly or substantially submitted for publication prior to the dissertation defense without prior, written approval of all members of the student's committee. Students who submit papers to a journal must request and receive copyright permission from the publisher of the journal to use the paper in their dissertation prior to the defense. (Students must notify the publisher that the dissertation may be made available online through the Penn State library system.) Paper revisions based on reviewer/editor feedback (either acceptance or revise and resubmit) prior to the defense need to be approved by the committee members prior to submission. Any paper submitted for publication prior to the defense may not be co-authored.

There are two main format options for Rural Sociology dissertations. Students should choose their dissertation format in close consultation with their advisor and doctoral committee.

3.5.1. Monograph Format
The continuous monograph is a format in which students describe their research stemming from a core set of integrated research questions. This approach draws from a combined, coherent theoretical and literature base, and culminates in a series of integrated results and conclusions.

3.5.2. Three-Paper Format
A three-paper dissertation is a format in which the research develops from a broad research question or focus but is presented as three distinct, standalone papers, each written in the model of a manuscript to be submitted to an academic journal. The dissertation should include a first chapter to introduce the broader problem and wider scholarship uniting the three dissertation papers and a final chapter to synthesize the contribution and implications across the set of papers. The need for three papers should be made clear, and the papers should not represent minor variations that would be better presented in one or two papers.

3.6. Final Oral Examination
Paperwork must be filed for the final oral examination (dissertation defense) at least three weeks prior to the oral exam date. In practice, PhD students should anticipate scheduling their dissertation defense well in advance of the intended date to ensure the availability of all members of the committee. Students are advised to carefully check and understand University deadlines for completion of the defense and submission of the final document in making their plans, especially if they wish to receive their degrees by a particular date.⁷ The exam is administered by the student's doctoral committee. The exam is generally preceded by a brief (i.e., 20-25 minute) presentation on the thesis research that is open to all members of the department. The actual exam is conducted privately by the committee after the presentation.

The final oral examination (dissertation defense) may be held fully in-person, fully remote, or hybrid with some individuals participating in-person while others participate remotely. Student preference for delivery mode should be strongly considered, but the student and adviser must agree on the mode. If the student and adviser cannot agree on the mode, the Director of Graduate Studies will make the final decision. Either the student or adviser can appeal the decision of the Director of Graduate Studies to the Department Head.

3.7. Time Limits
A doctoral student is required to complete the program, including acceptance of the doctoral dissertation, within eight years of the date of successful completion of the qualifying examination.

Additional information about the Doctoral Degree requirements can be found online.

⁴ In accordance with the Graduate School Policy GCAC 604.
⁵ Additional information available online.
⁶ Comprehensive exams and time limits
⁷ Deadlines can be found online. Note the multiple deadlines associated with declaring the intent to graduate, format review, oral defense, and final submission to the Graduate School.