The milestones to be accomplished and the requirements are:

1. The student must select a suitable major professor, who must be a faculty member of VIMS/SMS, as soon as possible following admission. The student and the major professor will choose an advisory committee, which must be approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Studies. The  major professor and advisory committee direct the student’s program. Should a student’s major advisor retire or leave the VIMS/SMS before the student completes his/her degree, the student is required to select an appropriate on-campus co-advisor.
2. The advisory committee, chosen by the student and approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Studies, must consist of at least five members, a majority of whom must be from the faculty of VIMS/SMS. At least one committee member must be from outside the College of William and Mary  although more than one person with appropriate qualifications from outside VIMS/SMS may serve on the committee. The committee must include at least one VIMS/SMS member who is both outside of the student’s research discipline and outside of the student’s home department. The  committee must be approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Studies before the comprehensive and qualifying exams are scheduled.
3. A minimum of three years of graduate study beyond the baccalaureate is required. At least one academic year (Fall and Spring terms) must be spent in residence at VIMS/SMS, as defined in the general degree requirements.
4. At least 42 credit hours of advanced work, of which at least 15 credit hours have been earned in courses numbered 550 or above with a grade point average of 3.0 or better, are required for the Ph.D. degree. In addition, a student must have registered for dissertation credit (MSCI 669 ) for a least  one semester. At least nine (9) but no more than 12 dissertation credits may be counted toward the minimum 42 credits required for the Ph.D. degree. Students also will be expected to register for seminar as required by their respective departments; however, only two (2) credits will be applicable  to the degree.
5. Upon a favorable recommendation of the student’s advisory committee and the Academic Status and Degrees Committee, followed by a majority vote of the Academic Council and the approval of the Associate Dean of Academic Studies, a student may be admitted to candidacy after completion of  the following requirements:
   
   1. The student must have achieved a grade point average of B (3.0) or better, averaged over all courses taken for credit at the time of application for admission to candidacy.
   2. The SMS core course requirements must be completed.
   3. A written comprehensive examination must be passed.
   4. The qualifying examination must be passed and prospectus must be
      completed.

6. The student must present a seminar to the marine science faculty, staff, and students on a dissertation topic approved by the major professor, the advisory committee and the Associate Dean of Academic Studies and must successfully defend this dissertation before his/her major professor and  committee. The defense of the dissertation will be separate from any other examination. A one-year period must elapse between successful completion of the qualifying examination and defense of the Ph.D. dissertation.
7. All requirements for the degree must be completed within the following time frame:
   • 4 years with a master’s degree from the School of Marine Science
   • 5 years with a master’s degree from another institution
   • 6 years with direct admittance (bypass master’s degree)

In exceptional cases, if recommended by the Academic Status and Degrees Committee, the Associate Dean of Academic Studies may approve time extensions. (See section entitled, Degree Program Time Extension under Degree Program Milestones, above).