Dissertation Requirements
Each candidate for the PhD in Engineering degree must complete a dissertation on a subject approved by the graduate dissertation committee. Dissertation credits must be completed over no less than two semesters, and a student must remain continually enrolled in dissertation creditsonce initially enrolled.
The major professor supervises the research, directs the writing of the dissertation, and approves the dissertation in its final form. Prior to the finalapproval, the dissertation is read by the dissertation committee. One member, termed the second reader, has responsibility for an intensive andrigorous criticism of the dissertation and a third member of the dissertation committee has the responsibility of an “editorial reader.” Both second and third readers must report all comments to the major professor. The dissertation must be defended in an oral examination before the graduate committee prior to final approval and sign-off. The style and format for the completed dissertation shall follow that prescribed by the college. Procedural steps in the preparation of the dissertation are as follows:
- The prospectus for the dissertation shall be submitted to the major professor and dissertation committee for approval.
- The student must prepare the dissertation for electronic submission following the latest version of the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD): Student Guide to Preparation and Processing manual. *
- The dissertation must be electronically submitted to the ETD site for format check by the ETD format check submission deadline as stated in the University Calendar.
- The final corrected dissertation must be electronically submitted to the ETD site by the ETD format check submission deadline as stated in the University Calendar.
- The final document must be electronically approved by the Dissertation Committee.
*See the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD): Student Guide to Preparation and Processing (latest version at the COGS Electronic Theses and Dissertation website).
