Department of English > Graduate Program > Ph.D. > Dissertation Requirements

Dissertation Requirements

(30 HOURS):

Early in the doctoral program of study, Ph.D. students should identify senior graduate faculty members (marked by an asterisk in the list of Graduate Faculty on p. 30 of this handbook) from one of the fields of specialization who might serve as the director of the dissertation. Selection of the dissertation director is the responsibility and prerogative of the individual student, though advice about this selection may be sought from the assigned adviser or the Director of Graduate Studies. The dissertation director, once identified, becomes the student's primary adviser.

Ultimately, of course, the dissertation is the undertaking that distinguishes a doctoral degree from other academic degrees and contributes to the reputation it enjoys as the highest degree that academe can offer. It is evidence that the student can perform as an independent and original scholar and make, as the Graduate Catalog phrases it, "a substantial contribution to knowledge."

Ideally, graduate students begin work toward the dissertation the day that they begin graduate study. They should carefully select related courses that will lead toward a specialization in a given area and allow them to produce a connected body of work. The "unfinished business" and unanswered questions of any course provide prime material for dissertation topics. Seminar papers may lead to proposals or even dissertation chapters. Preparation for candidacy examinations should immerse students even more deeply in the literature, criticism, or theory they have identified as a major area, particularly if they design a special field examination. The value of the working relationships students establish with faculty in their area of interest cannot be underestimated. One should not, therefore, view the dissertation as a completely separate requirement to be put off until the time of candidacy examinations. Rather, the dissertation process begins much earlier.

The Dissertation Committee

The dissertation committee consists of three members of the Graduate Faculty, one of whom serves as director of the dissertation and two of whom serve as readers. Well in advance of the oral candidacy examination, and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, the student shall have identified a dissertation director. In consultation with the student, the dissertation director recommends the other members of the dissertation committee to the Director of Graduate Studies.

The Dissertation

After completing 60 hours of graduate course work (typically 30 in the M.A., 30 in the Ph.D.), passing language proficiency, and passing candidacy examinations, students enroll in ENGL 699 as they begin formally writing the dissertation. Thereafter, the student must enroll in at least one hour of ENGL 699 every semester (including summers) until graduation, for a total of thirty hours. This rule applies with no exceptions unless a student requests and receives a formal leave of absence from the Graduate School.

Upon the completion of the dissertation to the satisfaction of the dissertation director and the other two members of the dissertation committee, the student may proceed to the oral defense of the dissertation. In addition to the manuscript form and content required by the departmental committee, the dissertation must conform to the requirements of the Graduate School as specified in The Graduate School Manual for Theses and Dissertations. At the time of the defense, the manuscript may be in final draft, pending identification of generally minor changes during the defense, or in a "defense draft" which awaits final revision following the defense.

The Dissertation Defense

Purpose: Scholarship, by its very nature, requires that it be articulated clearly and persuasively and be subjected to critical review by others. Thus, the defense is a forum in which the candidate's work is scrutinized by members of the academic community to ascertain whether the candidates can (1) satisfactorily explain the significance of their new contribution to scholarship in a particular field and (2) articulately respond to questions, concerns, and criticisms about the work, thereby demonstrating a command of all aspects of the work and how it fits within a disciplinary framework.

Timing: The oral defense of the dissertation occurs after the dissertation committee has formally approved a defense-ready draft of the dissertation and at least two weeks after this approved draft has been submitted to the Graduate School. (See procedures below.)

Preparedness: A candidate's preparedness for the defense depends largely upon the quality of the dissertation itself. Therefore, the dissertation director must ensure that the dissertation has reached a stage at which it can be defended successfully and must determine that the substantive research, analysis, and writing have been completed. For although a candidate may fail the defense of a good dissertation, no candidate may successfully defend a poor one.

Decorum: The nature of the defense derives from the second definition of defend: "to support or maintain, as by argument or action; to justify" (American Heritage Dictionary). The defense will be serious and intellectually rigorous. Neither the candidate nor the dissertation committee members can presume the successful outcome of the defense.

Format: The defense normally takes from 90 to 120 minutes. It is convened by the Director of Graduate Studies as a non-participant and is chaired by the dissertation director. The defense consists of three parts: (1) a public presentation of the work by the candidate (about 20 minutes), (2) a restricted examination by the dissertation committee, and (3) questions from the dean's designee and other guests.

Results: Upon completion of the defense, the candidate and guests are excused while the committee decides whether the defense was successful and whether the dissertation requires further revisions before the candidate submits the final copy to the Graduate School. These decisions are immediately conveyed to the candidate in person and are then reported to the Graduate School. If the defense is not successful, the dissertation director will meet with the Director of Graduate Studies to discuss the specifics of the case and to agree upon an appropriate course of action.

Assessment: In addition to the above procedures, the department monitors the overall quality of oral defenses by having the Graduate Studies Director review the evaluation forms completed by dean's designees of the Graduate School following each defense. Once a year, the Graduates Studies Director reports the findings from these reviews to the Department Chair.

Procedures:

At least four weeks prior to defense:

• The candidate applies for graduation by the deadline listed on the Graduate School Calendar. The candidate fills out and submits the Application for Graduation form along with the required fee. The application is available online at www.grad.niu.edu.
• The candidate will receive a letter from the Graduate School records officer stating graduation requirements. Questions about the letter should be addressed to the records officer as soon as possible to guarantee on-time graduation.
• The candidate makes arrangements for the defense with the dissertation director, committee members, and the Director of Graduate Studies.
• The Director of Graduate Studies registers the defense with the Graduate School, notifying them of the date set for the defense by submitting the Request for Appointment of Committee to Conduct an Oral Defense of Dissertation form..
• In order for the defense to be scheduled, a majority of the committee, with a minimum of three signatures (including the dissertation director's), must sign the Graduate School's Request for Oral Defense of Dissertation form (available from the Graduate Secretary). The Director of Graduate Studies must also sign the form.

Note: Signature indicates that the committee member has read the dissertation and judged it to be ready for defense. Signature does not indicate final approval.

At least three weeks prior to defense:

• The candidate submits to the Director of Graduate Studies two copies of a completed, defense-ready draft of the dissertation. The manuscript must conform to the form and content required by the dissertation committee and the requirements of the Graduate School as specified in The Graduate School Manual for Theses and Dissertations (http://www.grad.niu.edu/grad/thesis/thesis_guidelines.pdf).
• One copy is forwarded to the Graduate School (see below) to be read by a graduate faculty member from another department who is designated by the Dean of the Graduate School to be his or her representative at the defense.
• The second copy is left with the Director of Graduate Studies, who announces its availability to interested department members and invites the faculty and graduate students of the department to attend the defense.

  Following a successful defense:

  • The dissertation committee signs the Graduate School's Approval of Thesis, Dissertation, or Documentation form. Typically, approval is subject to the candidate making minor changes in the dissertation following the defense.
  • The candidate prepares the post-defense version of the dissertation in accordance with the Graduate School requirements and deadlines.
  • The candidate submits the post-defense version electronically, following the guidelines on the Grad School website.
  • The dissertation readers in the Graduate School contact the candidate with detailed instructions regarding corrections and preparation of the final electronic submission of the dissertation.
  • The candidate files the final electronic version with the Graduate School on or before the Graduate School deadline. Graduate deadlines can be found online at the Graduate School website.
  • The Graduate School sends a copy of the dissertation back to the department early the following semester.