Before the end of the student’s eighth semester, he/she will defend his/her thesis proposal at a meeting of his/her dissertation committee.
The purpose of this meeting is to assure that:
1) the proposed research can lead to a dissertation that meets the requirements and standards for a attaining a doctorate;
2) the project is feasible;
3) the student has designed experiments that answer the questions posed, has sufficiently worked out the details of the proposed research, has anticipated possible pitfalls, and is thoroughly ready to proceed with the project.
The committee will also evaluate whether the student has sufficient knowledge in the field to competently interpret and discuss his/her research findings in a broader context.
Successful defense of the thesis proposal is the formal requirement for advancement to candidacy. The outcome of this meeting should be reported in writing to the Graduate Director and to the Graduate School.
While this an official and required meeting, it is more significantly part of a continuing dialog between the student and the committee that should result in thesis research of the highest possible quality.
NOTE: The Graduate School requires that students who have been advanced to candidacy must register every semester (excluding summers) until the degree is awarded.
