Doctoral Dissertation

Spanish Ph.D. | Portuguese Ph.D.

The Doctoral Dissertation

The student is encouraged to begin planning the dissertation as early as possible in his/her doctoral studies. Such planning should encompass possible topics as well as potential directors. The candidate must have narrowed down his/her topic and determined who will serve as the dissertation director by the time of the Preliminary Examination, since the dissertation director must be one of the examiners in the major field. The determination of the dissertation director is accomplished through mutual agreement between professor and candidate. However, when in the opinion of the candidate such relationship ceases to function acceptably, the candidate MUST enlist the involvement of the Director of Graduate Studies in arranging for a change in dissertation director.

The defense of the dissertation proposal takes place within six months of the successful completion of the Preliminary Examination. The dissertation topic must be approved not only by the director but also by the other two members of the student's reading committee (selected jointly by the director and the candidate). They will have repeated opportunities for direct advice and consultation with the candidate and the director during the writing of the dissertation. Their approval of the dissertation is required prior to the final defense.

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese enforces the Graduate School policy that establishes a five-year deadline for completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation. If the candidate does not complete the dissertation within five years of the Preliminary Examination, the candidate must retake this examination.

The final oral examination for the Ph.D. (the dissertation defense) will concentrate solely on the dissertation and generally does not exceed two hours in length. The examining committee is composed of the dissertation director, the two readers and two non-readers, one of whom represents the minor field (although the representative of the minor field is eligible to be a dissertation reader). This examination is held at least two weeks after the dissertation is submitted. (The topic of the dissertation must, of course, pertain to the major field. If after the Preliminary Examination the student decides to write on a topic unrelated to the area of major concentration, he/she will be expected to pass a major examination in that field.)

A Guide to Preparing Your Doctoral Dissertation
http://www.grad.wisc.edu/education/completedegree/pguide.html

The Three D's: Deadlines, Defending, Depositing
http://www.grad.wisc.edu/education/completedegree/ddd.html