Final Thesis Review

Final Thesis Review

 Last Updated:  June 21, 2008

1. When a student has generated sufficient novel research findings to constitute a doctoral thesis, the student’s thesis advisory committee, at a regularly scheduled meeting, will advise the student that they may write and submit their doctoral thesis. At that time, the committee will decide whether to assemble for a final “thesis defense meeting” or whether they prefer to forego that meeting and review the thesis individually. In either case, the final thesis must be accepted by all of the members of the student’s thesis advisory committee. 
   
   
2. After a complete draft of the thesis is written and approved by the student’s preceptor, one copy of the draft should be provided to the departmental office for review and approval by the Program Director (allow for a 48-hour turnaround).
   
   
3. After the draft thesis is approved by the Program Director, one copy for each thesis advisory committee member should be delivered to the department office for distribution. Upon distribution, the department office will include letters to each committee member describing their responsibilities in reviewing the thesis, which will vary depending on whether or not the member is designated as a “reader” (see below). If a thesis defense meeting is warranted, it may then be scheduled by the student to fall on a date no less than two weeks after the draft copies have been delivered to the committee members.
   
   
4. Two committee members, one of whom may be the advisor, will serve as official thesis “readers.”  The readers are required to write a joint review and approval of the thesis using guidelines that will be provided by the department. Thesis advisory committee members who are not designated as “readers” need not provide a written review, but must still approve the draft thesis.
   
   
5. It is the responsibility of the student and preceptor to ensure that any changes required by the thesis advisory committee members are included in the final thesis document.  Any significant changes must be approved by the readers prior to submission of the final copies of the thesis to the bindery and department.
   
   
6. When all changes required by the thesis advisory committee have been completed, the student must print the thesis on acid free paper and deliver one original to the Commercial Binding Office, A-Level, Eisenhower Library, Homewood Campus and one original to the departmental graduate program office.
   
   
7. The thesis seminar should be scheduled to fall on a date after the thesis has been distributed to the thesis advisory committee members or after the thesis defense meeting (if warranted), whichever is later.
   
   
8. A student is considered to have completed his or her degree requirements when the thesis has been approved by their committee, the thesis has been delivered to the Eisenhower Library, and the signed letter of dissertation approval has been delivered to the departmental office. The university considers student status to end upon receipt of a signed form from the Program Director to the Registrar's office stating that these requirements have been met.