Dissertation

After completing doctoral comprehensive examinations, it is, at all times, the responsibility of the student to establish and maintain a satisfactory relationship with a faculty mentor approved by the chairperson and the dean while preparing a dissertation. Continuation in the doctoral program is contingent upon the approved mentor’s availability and agreement to the dissertation topic.

The membership of a student’s dissertation committee must consist of at least a mentor and two readers, each of whom is normally a full-time faculty member in the student’s department or program at Fordham. If a student wishes to invite a retired faculty member to serve on their committee as reader or mentor, this requires express approval by the DGS and the GSAS dean and the professor must hold emeritus/a rank. Similarly, if a student wishes to include a faculty member from another institution as reader or examiner, this requires express approval by the DGS and the GSAS Dean. Outside faculty members may not serve as mentors or directors. Members of the committee are specified, along with the dissertation topic, on the Dissertation Title Approval Form (available at GSAS Student Forms and below), which is submitted to the dean’s office by the department chairperson or program director. The department chairperson or program director is responsible for ensuring that the committee is professionally appropriate.

Upon the dean’s approval of a student’s dissertation title and committee, a copy of the Dissertation Title Approval Form is sent to the student. For any changes made to the dissertation title or committee membership, a Revised Dissertation Title Approval Form (available at GSAS Student Forms and below) must be prepared by the department chairperson or program director, and sent to the dean’s office for approval. Failure to submit revisions to the dissertation title or committee may result in a delay in graduation.

Early Dissemination of Dissertation Materials

Students sometimes have the opportunity to present or publish their scholarly work or ideas from the dissertation before the dissertation is successfully defended and presented to the dean. Upon consultation with their mentors, students are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities.

Acceptance of part of the dissertation for presentation or publication does not obligate the dissertation committee, the oral examiners, the dean or Fordham University to accept the dissertation as fulfilling the degree requirements.

Dissertation Defense

Doctoral students must defend orally their completed dissertation before an examination committee consisting of the dissertation committee (normally, the dissertation mentor and two readers), and at least one additional examiner, according to departmental procedures. The department or program chairperson is responsible for ensuring that the examination committee is professionally appropriate, and the dean reserves the right to appoint a representative.

Public notification of the examination, including time, place, and examiners must be sent to the dean’s office at least two weeks in advance.

The physical presence of the student at the defense is required: candidates may not defend the dissertation by teleconferencing, Skype, phone, or any other means of distance communication. The physical presence of the dissertation mentor is, likewise, required. Readers and examiners are expected to appear in person at the defense and to sign the Report on Oral Defense Form there, unless excused according to the procedure below. Exceptions to physical presence and signature policy are approved for a reader only in cases such as those of illness or prolonged absence from the University, and require the recommendation of the department and the written permission of the dean. One examiner may participate by distance methods but only if such participation provides expertise that cannot be otherwise obtained. In all, at least three defense committee members, in addition to the candidate, have to be physically present at the exam and no more than one person (reader or examiner) may participate by distance methods. The physical presence of all committee members at the defense remains the objective GSAS strives toward.

Students should note that the presentation of the dissertation to the dean, not the oral examination, is the last requirement to be satisfied for receiving the degree. Thus, degree completion will not be certified until after the presentation of the dissertation.

Presentation of the Dissertation to the Dean

After the oral defense, students must submit the dissertation paperwork, complete the SED survey, and upload their dissertation to UMI Proquest by the deadline listed on the GSAS Academic Calendar, generally the Friday before the last day of classes for May graduation, or two weeks before the August and February graduations. Exceptions to this date will be granted under only unusual circumstances outside the student’s control and must be requested by the student’s mentor. Dissertations will not be accepted when the University is officially closed.

Dissertations and paperwork will be reviewed in absentia. However, students are invited to meet the dean during the designated time block, when the dean will be available to answer questions, discuss materials and extend congratulations. Students who are unable to meet with the dean in person during the designated time blocks may request a phone call during the time block.

Dissertations submitted to the dean ought to be in their final version, including any changes required by the committee during the oral defense. The following contents ought to comprise the final version of a doctoral dissertation:

• One Dissertation Prepared under the Direction sheet, signed by the mentor and readers.

• The Report on Written Dissertation Form, signed by the mentor and readers.

• The Report on Oral Defense Form, signed by the mentor, readers and up to two examiners.

• The Survey of Earned Doctorates online survey, is available on the National Science Foundation website. After submission, the student and GSAS will receive an email confirmation.

• Proof of online submission of dissertation at UMI ETD administrator, located here.

GSAS dissertations are disseminated in several ways. Students submit an electronic copy to ProQuest/UMI for electronic publishing. The record is then available through the Walsh Library's online database collection. In some cases, a bound copy is delivered to the student's department for inclusion in the department library.

From the GSAS Student Handbook