Ph.D. Program: Dissertation and Defense

Each student must write a doctoral dissertation that includes significant original research in Computer Science. The student must successfully defend his or her thesis in a public forum before the Examination Committee and any other interested parties. The Examination Committee will decide the format for the defense. Typically, the student gives a 45-50 minute talk about his/her work followed by a public question period and then a private question period. All faculty are invited to stay for the private part of the exam.

The student must give proper notice at least two weeks before the defense. Proper notice consists of the following actions:

  1. The student must give a draft of the dissertation, approved by the advisor, to each member of the Examination Committee. The draft must be nearly complete with only minor changes expected in the final version.
  2. The student must give a draft of the dissertation to the Program Administrator. The Program Adminstrator will register the dissertation, put a copy on public display, and announce the time, date, and location of the defense.

All dissertations must meet certain formating standards and be filed with the University dissertation office. The University publishes requirements for the formatting and acceptance of the Ph.D. dissertation. For additional information contact the dissertation office.

Prior to the defense, students should obtain "Report of Final Examination for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy" and "Doctoral Approval" forms from the Program Adminstrator. The first form is typically signed by the Examination Committee at the end of the defense. The second form is signed by the advisor once the dissertation is complete. Once the advisor and Examination Committee have approved the defense and the dissertation, the student must obtain signatures from the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chair of the Department.