Environmental Science Ph.D. Program

General Guidelines

The general field of research to be used for the dissertation should be agreed on by the student and the Advisory Committee at their first meeting, as a basis for selecting the proper courses to support the proposed research.

As soon thereafter as the research project can be outlined in reasonable detail, the official forms for proposing the dissertation should be completed. The research proposal should be approved at a meeting of the student’s Advisory Committee, at which time the committee should carefully review the proposal as to the feasibility of the proposed research and the adequacy of available facilities. The approved proposal, signed by all members of the student’s Advisory Committee, the Program Director, and the Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, should be submitted (in quadruplicate) to the Dean of the Division of Graduate Studies for final approval. This should be done before commencement of data collection.

The ability to perform independent research must be demonstrated by the dissertation, which must be the original work of the candidate. While acceptance of the dissertation is based primarily on its scholarly merit, it must also exhibit creditable literary workmanship. The format of the dissertation must be acceptable to the Division of Graduate Studies. Instructions as to format should be obtained from the Division of Graduate Studies .

Draft Approval

The student must submit a complete, typed dissertation draft to all members of the Dissertation Committee for review. If this draft is approved, the Dissertation Committee members indicate approval by signing the Draft Approval Form. The student must submit the Draft Approval Form and two copies of the Dissertation Draft to the Program Director who should consult with the College Dean and the Division of Graduate Studies for format review, at least three weeks prior to the Final Oral Examination (Dissertation Defense).

Final Approval

Final approval of the student’s dissertation can only be made after the Dissertation Defense has been completed satisfactorily. The dissertation must be completed with all suggestions and corrections from Advisory Committee Members incorporated and must bear the signatures of the student’s Advisory Committee and the College Dean.

The candidate must submit 5 copies of the revised dissertation in final form (2 copies to the Environmental Science Ph.D. Program Director for the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, and 3 copies to the Division of Graduate Studies for the University). It is the candidate’s responsibility to comply with the deadlines set by the Division of Graduate Studies for submission of dissertations.