Degree candidacy
A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation must qualify for continuing masters or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program.
Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.
Degree candidacy requirements vary from program to program. Contact your program director for requirements specific to your degree program.
Graduate students who are eligible for master’s or doctoral degree candidacy must complete and sign the Degree Candidacy Form using DocuSign (electronic submission), then submit it to their graduate program directors for approval and processing.
DocuSign Process - Read the instructions prior to initiating the Degree Candidacy form
Instructions for using Degree Candidacy Form DocuSign
If you list the incorrect school dean/designee, your form will be voided and you will be required to start a new form.
The school deans/designees are as follows:
- College of Engineering: Dr. Gary Tepper, gradengr@vcu.edu
- College of Health Professions: Dr. Alena Hampton, achampton@vcu.edu
- College of Humanities & Sciences: Dr. D'Arcy Mays, chsgraddean@vcu.edu
- Psychology students-For program director, list Dr. Teri Sullivan, GradDirPSYC@vcu.edu
- VCU Life Sciences: Dr. Stephen Fong, ssfong@vcu.edu
- School of the Arts: Cynthia Myron, myroncj@vcu.edu
- School of Dentistry: Dr. Oonagh Loughran, oloughran@vcu.edu
- School of Education: Dr. Luciana de Oliveira, deoliveiral@vcu.edu
- School of Medicine: Harold Greenwald, harold.greenwald@vcuhealth.org
- School of Nursing: Dr. Terry Jones, tjones69@vcu.edu
- School of Pharmacy: Dr. Mary Peace McRae, mpmcrae@vcu.edu
- Pharmaceutical Engineering students-program director designee is Geri Youngblood, glyoungblood@vcu.edu
- School of Public Health: Dr. Kellie Carlyle, kecarlyle@vcu.edu
- School of Social Work: Dr. Stevara Haley Clark, clarksh3@vcu.edu
- Wilder School: Dr. RaJade Berry-James, berryjamesr@vcu.edu