UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Residency Requirements

The intent of doctoral residency is to ensure that doctoral students benefit from and contribute to the complete spectrum of educational and professional opportunities provided by the university. The granting of a doctoral degree by USC presupposes a minimum of three full years of graduate study and 30 graduate semester hours of study after admission to the program. The doctoral residency requirement may be satisfied only after admission to a doctoral degree program and must be fulfilled by enrollment in at least 18 graduate semester hours within a span of three consecutive semesters (excluding summers). Enrollment in a summer term is not required to maintain continuity, but credits earned during summer terms will count towards residency. (The Graduate School at USC, August 30, 1995).

Procedures For Full Admission to The Doctorial Program In Language and Literacy

The student will fulfill all criteria for full admission to the Doctoral Program in Language and Literacy leading to the doctoral qualifying examination. Beyond those requirements set forth by the College of Education, the applicant shall:

1. Complete an application to The Graduate School on the web www.gradschool.sc.edu;

2. Have official copies of transcripts sent from all institutions attended (a master's degree is required to apply to this program);

3. Have at least two letters of positive recommendation;

4. Include a resume;

5. Submit a writing sample (from a previous master's level course or an article);

6. Have a Graduate Record Examination aptitude score of not less than 1,000 (verbal and quantitative) with not less than 475 on either subscale or a Miller's Analogy Test score of 388+;

7. Have appropriate grade point ratios for undergraduate and graduate work completed. A “B” average on undergraduate and at least a “B” average on graduate work is expected;

8. Present evidence of at least three years of teaching experience in an elementary, middle or high school;

9. Submit a comprehensive letter of intent expressing the applicant’s professional background, professional goals and aspirations, and specific research interest in advanced study in Language and Literacy.

To be considered for admission, the applicant must ensure that his or her file is complete. No action will be taken on incomplete files. Applicants wishing to check on the status of their files should contact the Office of Student Affairs in Wardlaw 113 of the College of Education at 803- 777-6732. Applications must be received by February 1 for Fall semester admissions and by September 1 for Spring semester.

Using the specific admission criteria outlined above, the program admissions coordinator compiles a composite applicant profile for review and discussion by the Language and Literacy graduate faculty. After applications are reviewed and if the above criteria are met, applicants will be called for an interview with members of the Language and Literacy Faculty. Since there are limited openings, the faculty carefully reviews each applicant’s total profile including the interview and recommends the most qualified applicants for admission.