Voted on by CEE faculty February 2025.
Effective beginning Summer 2025.
Purpose
The dissertation research proposal, when defended and approved, will provide a roadmap for the completion of the dissertation.
The proposal defense process enables the dissertation committee to have a meaningful impact on the direction and quality of the proposed research.
Eligibility/Timing
Students are expected to complete the research proposal within two semesters (one year) after advancing to candidacy.
Students cannot defend a research proposal before advancing to candidacy.
Committee
The committee for the proposal defense is assumed to be the same committee for the student's eventual dissertation defense, and must follow the requirements listed here.
The committee must be approved by the Graduate Affairs Committee.
Note: This approval is internal will not take the place of formal Graduate School approval, which is needed before the final dissertation defense.
Components/Procedure
Before:
The student submits the following to Anna Damm (adamm1@umd.edu) for Graduate Affairs Committee approval.
Abstract of research (1-2 pages)
Once approved, the student and advisor can continue to plan the proposal defense.
During (Proposal Format)
Student submits a written dissertation research proposal consisting of a well-formulated problem statement, literature review, and outline of the research approach.
Student completes an oral examination consisting of presenting and defending the research proposal to the dissertation committee.
All of the committee members must be present for the oral defense.
The defense can be in person, online, or hybrid.
After
Advisor notifies student of their result and submits Research Proposal Results Report to Graduate Affairs Committee (via Anna Damm).
Outcomes
Pass
Conditional Pass
Fail - must defend proposal again within one year.
The research proposal may only be conducted two times for each student. If a student fails the proposal defense a second time, they will be asked to leave the program.
Forms