The Ph.D. program includes four core courses taken by all students (12 credits), courses in a concentration area beyond the core, seminars, and dissertation research. Work in the concentration area includes a minimum of 24 credit hours of courses (which includes elective and seminar courses) and helps the student prepare for the written and oral candidacy examinations. All graduate courses approved by the student's advisor count toward the credit requirement.

It is also required that students apply a minimum of 18 credit hours toward thesis research. The student must achieve an overall average of 3.0 in the Ph.D. degree program. Ph.D. students are not normally accepted as part-time students. Courses may be taken at any IMS-affiliated program on the four campuses, in other departments, or at other area institutions, and may be included in a student's program of studies as determined by the student's major advisor and/or dissertation committee.