Dissertation Advancement Procedures

Application for Candidacy

Once the student has completed all coursework and passed both comprehensive exams, they may apply for candidacy. When a student has met the requirements for candidacy, they can begin working on their dissertation. This is the time where students select their dissertation chair and committee members. The SOE Dissertation Manual (located in the canvas doctoral lounge) has a list of faculty who can serve as chair and who can serve on dissertation committees. 

Students can apply for candidacy by contacting the Associate Director for Graduate Programs. The AD will supply students the form to apply. The SOE dissertation manual outlines requirements to advance to candidacy. The AD verifies these requirements have been met and approves the application.

Dissertation Proposal

The first step in a student's dissertation is the dissertation proposal. The requirements for the proposal are outlined in the dissertation manual. Students will work with their dissertation chair on the initial drafts of their dissertation proposal. The chair will ask committee members to read at least one draft before scheduling a proposal defense. Committee members must be allowed a minimum of two weeks for reading the dissertation proposal before the proposal defense meeting.

Once the committee is satisfied a proposal is ready for a defense, students will work with their chair and committee to find a day and time for the proposal defense. Arrangements for the dissertation proposal defense are primarily managed between the student and their chair. Typically the defense can be held in the chair's office (or on Zoom).

Notify the AD that you are preparing your proposal defense. The AD will share the dissertation proposal defense approval form with the student and chair, and collect it from the chair following the defense. Once the proposal has been approved by the committee, the Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Defense form should be submitted to the AD. The AD will collect signatures and return a copy to the student. 

Dissertation Oral Defense

To earn their doctoral degree, all students must participate in an oral defense in front of their dissertation committee. Once completed, students will receive a grade of: pass, pass with minor revisions, pass with major revisions, or fail. It is uncommon for students to fail their dissertation oral defense, because a dissertation committee chair will typically not let a student defend unless the student is ready. 

Candidates need to work with their committee to find a few dates and times for their oral defense. Oral defenses require a 2-hour time block. When the candidate and committee have settled on a few dates and times, the student or chair will notify the AD of the selected dates and times. From there, the AD will manage the scheduling and invitation process.

The AD will provide the student and committee with necessary items to complete following the defense, and specific directions to prepare the dissertation for publication. The AD also announces the successful defense to the SOE community.

NOTE: Dissertations must be defended by the end of April in order to walk in June’s commencement ceremony. Dissertation defenses in May and beyond walk the following year.