Clinical Epidemiology Yellow Book
5.4 PhD Timeline
The model timeline is necessarily a rough one and may be altered to take account of leave granted for special circumstances. The checkpoints outlined below are feasible, and while there are no automatic penalties levied on a student who fails to meet them (with the exception of the Transfer Protocol), timely completion of the program requires meeting these targets.
The two timelines below reflect the differing requirements between students who transfer to the PhD from a Clin Epi MSc and students who enter directly into the PhD program.
Students who begin their PhD without completing the Transfer Protocol must present their thesis proposal at a hospital-based Clinical Epidemiology Rounds.
Please remember that full-time students have a maximum of 6 years to complete their degree.
A. Timeline for students transferring from Clin Epi MSc (Thesis Based)
| Checkpoint | Desirable Completion | Maximum Completion |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1: Confirm proposed thesis & committee | End of Year 1 | End of Year 1 |
| Step 2: Development of full thesis proposal | In Year 2 | In Year 2 |
| Complete Transfer Protocol | Within 24 months | Within 24 months |
| Complete course work | 1.5 – 2 years | 2 years |
| Thesis Defense | 3 – 4 years | 6 years |
B. Timeline for all other PhD students
| Checkpoint | Desirable Completion | Maximum Completion |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1: Confirm proposed thesis & committee | End of Year 1 | End of Year 1 |
| Step 2: Development of full thesis proposal | In Year 2 | In Year 2 |
| Present thesis at hospital-based Clin Epi Rounds | End of Year 2 | End of Year 2 |
| Complete course work | 1.5 – 2 years | 3 years |
| Thesis Defense | 3 – 4 years | 6 years |