Page 7 - DISSERTATION AND THESIS HANDBOOK 2017 -2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Message from the Dean ------------------------------------------------------------------- 5
Contact Information ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6
Institutional Overview-------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

SECTION ONE - DISSERTATIONS ------------------------------------------------- 16
What is a Doctoral Dissertation? ---------------------------------------------------- 18
What is a Candidate? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 19
Definition of Terms ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 19
Dissertation Advisory Committee-------------------------------------------------------- 19
Senior Faculty --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
Dissertation Examining Committee ------------------------------------------------------ 20
Composition of the Examining Committee----------------------------------------- 22
External Examiner----------------------------------------------------------------------- 22
Examining Committee/Final Defense Chair----------------------------------------- 22
Steps in the Dissertation Process --------------------------------------------------- 22
Selecting the Topic with the Dissertation Advisory Committee Chair------------- 22
Selecting Members of the Doctoral Advisory Committee --------------------------- 23
Completing an Initial Draft of Dissertation Proposal---------------------------------- 24
Proposal Review Evaluation Form--------------------------------------------------------- 25
Models of Dissertation Proposals--------------------------------------------------------- 26
Obtaining Final Approval of Dissertation Proposal ------------------------------------ 28
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) ---------------------------------------------------- 29
What is research involving human subjects?--------------------------------------- 30
Submitting a proposal to the IRB---------------------------------------------------- 30
Policies and procedures --------------------------------------------------------------- 31
Submission dates and semesters----------------------------------------------------- 32
Proposal Cover Sheet to IRB -------------------------------------------------------- 33
Proposal Submission Form to IRB--------------------------------------------------- 34
Exemptions ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 36
Review of the Process----------------------------------------------------------------------- 37
Communicating with Other Members of the Candidate‘s Department ----------- 38
Changes in Proposal or Committee Membership-------------------------------------- 38
Responsibilities of the Chair of the Dissertation Advisory Committee
and the Workings of the Committee -------------------------------------------------- 39
Graduate School Standards ---------------------------------------------------------------- 40
The Oral Examination Defense------------------------------------------------------------ 40
Approval for Scheduling Defense Form -------------------------------------------- 41
Philosophy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 42
Scheduling and public announcement----------------------------------------------- 42
Attendance at the oral defense------------------------------------------------------ 42
Preparing for the oral defense ------------------------------------------------------- 43
Graduate School representative at the oral defense----------------------------- 44
Dean’s representative at the oral defense ----------------------------------------- 44
Defense approval deadlines----------------------------------------------------------- 44

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