The Dissertation
Proposal
After passing the General Exam, you are expected to build on the critical
review of literature to develop a dissertation proposal. The proposal
should be formally presented to the Supervisory Committee at a scheduled proposal
defense presentation. (This is not scheduled through the graduate
school, however, like the general and final exams.) The Supervisory
Committee then certifies that you are prepared to undertake the proposal research
and that it meets the program requirements for scholarship. At this
point, you can register for dissertation credits (URBDP 800). One must
complete a minimum of 27 dissertation credits over a period of at least 3
quarters (http://www.grad.washington.edu/policies/doctoral/requirements.shtml).
The
Dissertation Defense/Final Exam
The final exam/dissertation defense is a two-hour presentation to the
Supervisory Committee of the dissertation. To schedule it, after
agreeing on a date and time with your committee, you go to the following web
site and enter the information:
http://www.grad.washington.edu/mygrad/student.htm. The following are frequently asked
questions:
- Do I need to register
in the quarter that I defend? What if I defend in the summer?
Yes, you need to register for at least 2 credits in the quarter
that you defend. This is true for summer quarter as well.
- Who is my
GSR
?
For the roles and responsibilities of the GSR please see the
above link. The GSR's attendance is required at your final exam,
and he/she cannot participate via videoconferencing.
Therefore, in scheduling your final exam, it is important to choose
a time that this person can attend.
- How and when do I establish
my
Reading
Committee?
Usually several months before scheduling your Final Examination
it is time to formally designate a reading committee
consisting of at least three voting members of your supervisory committee.
The reading committee is appointed to read and approve the dissertation.
You do this by letting Jean Rogers (jeanp@u.washington.edu)
know which three members of your supervisory committee you would like to
have appointed.
- How far in advance do
I need to do my paperwork to schedule my Final Exam?
It is recommended that this be done no later than three weeks before the exam
date (just like the general exam).
- How many faculty members
need to attend it?
At least four members of the committee (including
the Chair and GSR) must be present at both the General and Final Examinations.
For the guidelines regarding videoconferencing, please see:
http://www.grad.washington.edu/students/doctoral/audio-video.shtml.
- How much time do I have
to turn in my dissertation?
While the 60 day deadline is no longer in place, it is
recommended that you turn it in as soon as possible. Tuition must be
paid in the quarter in which the dissertation is submitted, and there must not
be a lapse in graduate student status (unless on-leave), so delay of
submitting the dissertation can be costly. If the dissertation is
submitted within 2 weeks of the final day of the quarter, it is possible
to pay a late fee of
$250 and waive tuition for the following quarter;
otherwise, if it is not turned in by the 2 week "grace" period, full tuition
must be paid the following quarter. Procedures for
submitting your dissertation to the graduate school are addressed on the
graduate
school web site.
- When do I get my diploma?
It usually takes four months from quarter
that you graduate before the diploma is mailed to you. To have this
expedited, contact the Graduation and Academic Records Office (264 Schmitz,
543-1803, ugradoff@u.washington.edu).
For further information about about any of these topics, please don't hesitate to contact:
Jean Rogers, jeanp@u.washington.edu Coordinator Interdisciplinary Programs University of Washington The Graduate School Box 35 2192 Seattle, WA 98195- 2192 (206) 543-6398.