5.4.21 Restoring a Lapsed Candidacy

(Approved May 5, 1995) (Amended January 25, 2012)

Due to time limitations for completion of the Ph.D. program and the unique demands faced by NPS students once they have completed their residence, there may be instances in which a student wishes to renew their pursuit of a Ph.D. after their candidacy has lapsed.

The following procedure is designed for renewing Ph.D. candidacy:

1. The student initiates the request (to the academic unit) for reinstatement of Ph.D. candidacy.
2. The departmental Ph.D. committee, or special committee it designates, evaluates the reinstatement request. The committee shall seek answers to the following questions:
   1. Should the candidacy be reinstated?
   2. What will be required to reinstate candidacy (e.g., course work, written and/ or oral qualifying examinations for both major and minor areas of concentration?

Any request by the student to waive retaking the qualifying examinations should be submitted in writing to the academic unit at the beginning of the process.

After evaluating the student’s request for reinstatement to candidacy, the departmental Ph.D. committee makes a recommendation to the Academic Council.

The recommendation should include:

1. Recommendation as to whether the student’s candidacy should be reinstated.
2. Statement of any conditions necessary for the reinstatement of candidacy, such as retaking one or both of the qualifying exams.
3. Nomination of the dissertation committee.
4. Signatures of the departmental Ph.D. committee Chair.
5. Signatures of all members of the nominated dissertation committee.

The Academic Council decides whether to accept or reject the departmental Ph.D. committee's recommendation. The request to the Academic Council should contain documentation of the process and a narrative describing the reasoning behind the recommendation.

If the Academic Council approves the student’s request, the academic unit Chair instructs the student on his or her status and what will be necessary to reinstate the candidacy.

Per section 5.4.18, all requirements for the Ph.D. must be completed within five (5) years of the reinstatement to candidacy.