Get GUIDELINES FOR COMPLETING ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY FORM MASTER'S DEGREE These Guidelines Must Be

If someone is a “degree candidate”, then they are enrolled in, but haven't yet graduated from, some program that terminates when they meet the degree requirements, resulting in the granting of a diploma.

Strictly speaking, it is best to use master's student for most of the degree. A master's candidate is someone who has passed all the comprehensive exam components of their degree and is in the process of meeting the final requirements for the degree.

Advancing to candidacy means you have completed all course and any other program requirements and are ready to research and write a dissertation (this stage is sometimes referred to as “all but dissertation” or ABD). Requirements and standards for advancement vary by program.

Candidacy is the second and advanced phase of graduate study. To be eligible for candidacy, students must fulfill certain standards determined by their degree objective and their graduate program requirements.

The Admission to Candidacy application is a contract between a student and the university, establishing the coursework required to graduate with a degree in their chosen program.

Advancement-to-candidacy signifies that the student has completed his or her coursework and other requirements and is ready to move forward to the dissertation phase for doctoral students or the thesis/comprehensive exam phase for master's students.

Doctoral students use the term candidate once they've completed all of their required courses and passed the required examinations. This means that they're a Ph. D. student or doctoral student for the duration of their coursework. They can then transition to the candidate status when all that remains of their Ph.

Candidacy status indicates that the program is ready to begin the two-year process that culminates in the Program Presentation, comprehensive review of the program, and accreditation decision by the COA. When a program is granted candidacy status, it then follows the processes for undergoing a comprehensive review.