Dissertation Proposal

Students must complete all of their core courses (grade "B" or better), their research papers, and their comprehensive exams before giving their thesis proposals. Dissertation proposals defense may be held on any day when regularly scheduled classes and/or exams are being held at the university. Such events should be scheduled with the respective department and the Graduate Programs Office (typically the office manager or PhD liaison). Defense of the proposal is open to all faculty and PhD candidates. Students are strongly advised to attend the defenses of others prior to their own to become familiar with the process and its requirements.

A proposal defense must be attended by a member of the PhD Committee. Ordinarily this is the advisor in the major area of the defending doctoral candidate. If the advisor is unable to attend, the PhD Committee will select an alternative representative. A brief outline of the proposal (at least 350 to 500 words) shall be distributed to all faculty members and PhD students in the School of Management along with the announcement of the proposal, via email. The individual PhD candidate is responsible for the preparation of such outline or summary.

Two copies of the proposal must be submitted to the Graduate Programs Office at least five business days in advance of the presentation date. This notice requirement will be strictly enforced, and any doubts as to what constitutes a business day should be resolved through consultation with the Graduate Programs Office.

At the conclusion of the public proposal presentation, it will be the dissertation chairman's responsibility to summarize for those present any suggested changes, modifications, etc. As soon after the proposal defense as possible (no longer than two weeks), this summary will be submitted, in writing, to the PhD program chairman.