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Ph.D. Dissertation Overview procedures
A Dissertation Overview Committee will be formed for each Ph.D. candidate as early in the research process as possible and should meet with the student on a regular basis. Meetings of the committee with the candidate will provide opportunities to offer suggestions and assess progress. This committee will be available to give the student advice throughout the completion of the dissertation. While this mentoring process is to be on-going, a public discussion of the student's dissertation progress is to take place as outlined below and evidenced by submission of the Dissertation Overview Report form.
Selection of the overview committee members
Selection of the Dissertation Overview Committee members is the responsibility of the student's advisor. A minimum of three MSE faculty will comprise the committee, one of whom is the student's advisor. Additional members are permitted, within Graduate School guidelines. Since these committee members may also later act as members of the student's Final Oral Exam Committee, selection of faculty with a category "P" status is advisable.
Timing of the public overview committee meeting
Within six months of the successful completion of the Candidacy Examination, and at least twelve months before the estimated quarter of graduation, the student will make a public presentation of his/her research progress to the Dissertation Overview Committee.
This presentation is open to the entire department and should be publicly announced one week before the Overview Committee meets. This announcement--in the form of an e-mail or set of posted fliers--should include the student's name, dissertation title, the committee members, and the date and location of the meeting. The student is to arrange a time and location with the committee members for the Dissertation Overview to take place (see the Graduate Studies Coordinator, 477 Watts, to reserve a conference room).
Dissertation Overview Report form
Download Overview Report form (PDF, 32K). Submission of the Dissertation Overview Report form is a Ph.D. degree requirement in the MSE department. This form must be received before a student is considered to have completed his/her degree requirements. The form may be obtained from the Graduate Studies Coordinator.
The student is to complete the "Student Information" section, provide the title of the dissertation (this may be changed later as needed), and the date, time, and location of the public Overview Committee meeting. This form is taken into the Overview Committee meeting for the committee members to sign and provide comments.
After the meeting, the student is to take the form and any comments to the Graduate Studies Committee Chair for signature. The form and a copy of any comments are to then be submitted to the Graduate Studies Coordinator to be included in the student's file.
Questions and petitions
Please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator, Mark Cooper, with any questions at 614-292-7280, mse@osu.edu, or in 477 Watts Hall.
To deviate from any of these procedures requires the prior approval of the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC). Please submit a petition to the GSC Chair outlining any changes required and the rationale behind the petition.
8/2/01
