Dissertation

The general supervision of the dissertation will be the responsibility of the student’s committee chairperson. When needed, members of the committee will advise the candidate about the dissertation. The comprehensive examinations must be passed before the student enrolls for dissertation (DISS 799). Each program will have a process by which the student’s doctoral committee will formally approve the dissertation proposal, and these approved proposals will be submitted to the Graduate School and kept on file. The dissertation for a doctor of education degree candidate typically will be a study that will contribute to the solution of some important educational problem. The dissertation for a doctor of philosophy degree candidate will be a research problem that will contribute new knowledge or a new technique. The dissertation for the doctor of arts degree candidate may take the form of an original contribution to new knowledge; the production and use of innovative teaching materials such as the development of new teaching media, the writing of a textbook, or the designing of a curriculum or course of study; or the writing of a series of scholarly papers worthy of publication.

After the dissertation defense, the final approved copy, any accompanying materials, and an abstract (250-300 words in length, suitable for publication) must be filed with the Graduate School electronically and must be approved by all committee members. Although the department concerned has the responsibility for determining the manual or form to be followed in writing the dissertation, such matters as typeface, spacing, and professional typing standards must follow the specifications in Graduate School Requirements for Writing a Dissertation, available online and in the Graduate School office.