A Short Guide to Everything From the Proposal to the Defense
Before the grand process of writing and submitting a dissertation can be accomplished, most universities require the student to complete several hours of coursework in addition to whatever departmental requirements have been set forth by the school. The student then must pass several exams, usually referred to as qualifying exams, in order to present a request to school administrators to advance into the doctoral candidacy program. It is after the student has fulfilled all of the prerequisites set forth by the school that he/she can finally proceed to the formulation, writing, and submittal of the dissertation.
While the guidelines set forth for this process are different for each school, they are often similar in their application and students are always provided with a copy of the dissertation proposal guidelines and rules. It is before the dissertation proposal occurs that the student becomes responsible for considering and appointing individuals to serve on the doctoral committee. Departmental administrators must approve the committee before any further work can be completed. In certain instances, the committee approval occurs before submission of the dissertation proposal, while other institutions require that the dissertation proposal be submitted at the same time as the names of the individuals comprising the proposed committee. However, once the doctoral committee is approved, it is these individuals who work closely with the student in the formulation of the dissertation.
Again, dissertation proposal processes vary amongst schools. Some institutions require the student to submit an initial dissertation proposal to departmental administrators. This document details the nature of the thesis, the methods in which the thesis will be studied, the goals and timeframe of the study, and the resources for the project. In other universities, the student must only submit a full thesis proposal to the doctoral committee. This proposal is submitted to committee members only after the committee chair has provided approval of the proposal. Often, the full thesis proposal entails the first three chapters of the dissertation with a framework provided for the fourth and fifth chapter. By providing this information, the doctoral committee can properly evaluate the direction and approach that the student is taking with his/her thesis. Some academic institutions require that the student present his/her dissertation proposal in a public seminar as a means of gaining more feedback on his/her dissertation topic. However, it is most always the doctoral committee that provides the ultimate approval of the dissertation proposal.
When the proposal has officially been approved, the in-depth research and writing of the dissertation begin. Throughout the writing process, the student will be able to meet with his/her committee chair and members to gain further insight into possible research methods or information that will benefit the development of the dissertation. When the student and the committee chair decide that the dissertation is complete, an appointment for a dissertation defense is scheduled and copies of the dissertation are distributed to committee members according to the required timelines set forth by the school.
The dissertation defense is almost always a public event in that it is open to other members of the academic community. And often, visitors to the dissertation defense have the ability to ask the student questions regarding his/her dissertation, just as the committee members are able. When the defense is completed, the committee members vote on whether the student passed or failed the oral examination and if necessary, will provide a list of changes (both required and recommended) to the dissertation. If the student is considered to have passed the oral examination and subsequently, makes the necessary changes to his/her dissertation, the dissertation along with paperwork from the doctoral committee is sent to administrative officials, and a doctorate degree is conferred upon the student.
