phd dissertation evaluation

Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

*The Caveat *

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.  

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

• Acknowledgements page
• Abstract (or executive summary)
• Table of contents , list of figures and tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Literature review
• Chapter 3: Methodology
• Chapter 4: Results
• Chapter 5: Discussion
• Chapter 6: Conclusion
• Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

• The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
• The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
• The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
• The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

• Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
• Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
• Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

• The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
• The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
• Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or  mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

• Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
• Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
• Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
• Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

• Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
• Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
• Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
• Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

Table of contents

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

• What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
• Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
• What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
• What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
• How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
• How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

• What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
• Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
• How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
• How does your research contribute something original?
• How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

• Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
• Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings . In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

• Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the  Grad Coach Blog .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Evaluation & Applied Research Methods

PhD in Psychology

The Evaluation & Applied Research Methods PhD program focuses on training you in the design and implementation of impactful evaluations that improve the lives of people across a range of settings, including federal health agencies, educational programs, philanthropic foundations, academia, and more.

Program Highlights

• All graduate students in Evaluation & Applied Research Methods are encouraged to gain practical experience through projects, internships, or jobs. These opportunities can be frequently accessed through our research centers and affiliates, such as the Claremont Evaluation Center or the Health Psychology and Prevention Science Institute
• The curriculum balances technical training in research methods, statistics, and evaluation approaches with your interests by allowing you to select multiple elective courses to develop an area of specialization that fits your career goals and objectives (e.g. health evaluation, educational evaluation, foundation evaluation, international development evaluation, etc.).
• We have a generous transfer-of-units policy if you have already earned a master’s degree with an empirical thesis from another institution. If applying for a PhD, you may transfer up to 24 units of relevant coursework and a master’s thesis.
• All Evaluation students who request financial aid receive fellowships. DBOS also regularly hires students for paid research positions and teaching assistantships.

Program At-a-glance

required units

degree awarded

Spring, Fall

program start

5-7 years | full time*

estimated completion time

Regina Burch

Assistant Director of Admissions

Where You Can Find Our Alumni

Missouri Foundation for Health

Director of Evaluation

Davidson Consulting Ltd.

Evaluation and Organizational Consultant

Foundation for Behavioral Health

U.S. Department of State

Foreign Affairs Officer

Lanterman Development Center

Chair of Psychology

National Institute of Justice

Senior Social Science Analyst

Delaware Division of Alcohol and Drug Services

Deputy Director

Brigham Young University

Professor of Psychology

Loma Linda University

Associate Professor of Nursing and Psychology

Stewart I. Donaldson

Distinguished University Professor Executive Director, Claremont Evaluation Center Executive Director, The Evaluators' Institute (TEI)

Research Interests

Positive Organizational Psychology, Health/Well-Being & Positive Functioning Across Cultures, Program Design & Re-Design, Culturally Responsive Theory-Driven Measurement & Evaluation

Tiffany Berry

Dean, School of Social Science, Policy & Evaluation Full Research Professor

Educational Program Evaluation, K–12 Educational Curricula, Comprehensive School Reform

Extended Faculty

Eusebio alvaro.

Full Research Professor

Social Influence Processes, Health Promotion, Disease Prevention & Medicine

William Crano

Stuart Oskamp Chair of Psychology

Social Influence, Effects of persuasive information on drug addiction and HIV/AIDS, Minority and majority relationships to health information

Jason T. Siegel

Social Psychology, Health Psychology, Persuasion, Survey Research

Anna Woodcock

Senior Research Fellow

Identity, Identity balance, Stereotypes, Diversity, STEM, Prejudice, Longitudinal Research, Quasi-Experimental Research, Intervention Evaluation, Theory-driven Interventions, Implicit Bias, Implicit identities

Application Guidelines

CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.

Spring 2024 Priority Deadline – November 1, 2023 Final Deadline (International) – November 15, 2023 Final Deadline (Domestic) – December 1, 2023 Classes begin – January 16, 2024

Fall 2024 Priority Deadline – February 1, 2024 Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2024 Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2024 Classes begin – August 26, 2024

Application Checklist

The Claremont Graduate University online application is hosted online by Slate Technolutions via a secure web server. You will create a username and password so that you can return to continue your application over several sessions and check your status after submission. After you submit your application, it is made available for review by our faculty and staff.

Begin your application

The application fee is non-refundable.

Applicants must submit a sealed, official transcript from every undergraduate and graduate institution that has granted the applicant a degree. Electronic transcripts sent to [email protected] are also accepted. For undergraduate coursework, applicants are required to submit proof of a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial copies of transcripts are accepted for review purposes, but official copies will be required upon admission.

Applicants currently earning a degree that will be completed prior to attending CGU are required to submit a transcript showing work in progress for evaluation purposes. Once the degree has been granted, a final official transcript documenting the degree conferred must be submitted to CGU.

International applicants are advised to review the International Transcript Guidelines for additional information on submitting international transcripts.

Applicants must submit an up-to-date copy of their resume.

A valid score on one of the following examinations TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE scores is required of all non-native English-speaking applicants. The examination is not required for the following applicants:

• Citizens or permanent residents of countries where English is the sole official language of instruction, e.g., Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada (except Quebec), England, Ghana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda, and Wales (see the CGU Bulletin for a complete list of accepted countries).
• Applicants who hold an undergraduate or advanced degree, or will have earned such a degree prior to enrolling at CGU, from an institution in the US or in countries where English is the sole official language of instruction (see above).
• Applicants who have successfully completed an academic English pre-master’s or intensive graduate bridge program from a nationally recognized, regionally accredited four-year college or university in the United States in the last two years, with submitted evidence of successful completion, and subject to curriculum approval.

CGU’s school code for the TOEFL exam is 4053 .

International applicants are encouraged to visit our International Applicants page for more information, including score requirements.

When filling out the online application, please enter references acquainted with your potential for success who will submit a written recommendation on your behalf. In most academic departments, references from faculty members who can speak to your academic ability are preferred; applicants with substantial work experience may request professional references. Please do not enter family members as references.

You will be required to input information for your recommenders (whether they are submitting online or not) in the “Recommendations” section of the online application. Please follow the directions in this section carefully before clicking on “Recommendation Provider List” to input the names and contact information for each recommender. You will have an opportunity to indicate if the reference writer will be submitting online. These reference writers will receive an email from CGU with instructions on submitting an online recommendation.

Recommenders who are indicated as offline will not receive an email from CGU with instructions to submit. These reference writers can submit via traditional mail and should use the supplemental New Student Recommendation Form. Recommenders can also email their letter of recommendation to the Office of Admissions at [email protected] .

Download the Recommendation Form

Please submit a 2-3 page statement of purpose that details your academic and/or professional achievements, your specific areas of research interest within your desired field of study, why you are a strong candidate for graduate studies at CGU, and your career goals.

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Estimated tuition (california residents, non-residents, international).

*Based on 2023-2024 tuition rates.

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For estimates of room & board, books, etc., please download CGU’s  Cost of Attendance 2022-2023  .

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Dissertations and Theses

The dissertation is the hallmark of the research expertise demonstrated by a doctoral student. It is a scholarly contribution to knowledge in the student’s area of specialization. By researching and writing a dissertation, the student is expected to demonstrate a high level of knowledge and the capability to function as an independent scholar. 

A thesis is a hallmark of some master’s programs. It is a piece of original research, generally less comprehensive than a dissertation, and is meant to show the student’s knowledge of an area of specialization.  

Document Preparation

PhD and master’s students are responsible for meeting all requirements for preparing theses and dissertations. They are expected to confer with their advisors about disciplinary and program expectations and to follow Graduate School procedure requirements.

The Graduate School’s format review is in place to help the document submission process go smoothly for the student. Format reviews for PhD dissertations and master’s theses can be done remotely or in-person. The format review is required at or before the two-week notice of the final defense. 

Access and Distribution

Ohio State has agreements with two organizations— OhioLINK   and   ProQuest/UMI Dissertation Publishing —that store and provide access to Ohio State theses and dissertations.  

Examinations

Graduate degree examinations are a major milestone in all graduate students’ pursuit of their graduate degree. Much hinges on the successful completion of these examinations, including the ability to continue in a graduate program. 

The rules and processes set by the Graduate School ensure the integrity of these examinations for graduate students, the graduate faculty, and for Ohio State. 

Final Semester

During your final semester as a graduate student there are many activities that lead up to commencement and receiving your degree. Complete the final semester checklist and learn more about commencement activities.

Graduation Calendar

Select your expected graduation term below to see specific dates concerning when to apply for graduation, complete your examinations and reports, submit approved thesis and dissertation, commencement, and the end-of semester deadline.

Applications to Graduate Due 1  : January 26, 2024

Examinations and Reports completed by 2  : April 12, 2024

Approved thesis and dissertation submitted and accepted by 3  : April 19, 2024

Commencement 4  : May 5, 2024

End of Semester Deadline 5  : May 6, 2024

Applications to Graduate Due 1  : May 24, 2024

Examinations and Reports completed by 2  : July 12, 2024

Approved thesis and dissertation submitted and accepted by 3  : July 19, 2024

Commencement 4  : August 4, 2024

End of Semester Deadline 5  : August 19, 2024

Applications to Graduate Due 1  : September 6, 2024

Examinations and Reports completed by 2  : November 22, 2024

Approved thesis and dissertation submitted and accepted by 3  : November 27, 2024

Commencement 4  : December 15, 2024

End of Semester Deadline 5  : January 3, 2025

Applications to Graduate Due 1  : January 24, 2025

Examinations and Reports completed by 2  : April 11, 2025

Approved thesis and dissertation submitted and accepted by 3  : April 18, 2025

Commencement 4  : May 4, 2025

End of Semester Deadline 5  : May 5, 2025

1  Applications to graduate include current semester or End-of-Semester deadline. Applications must be received by close of business.

2 Format reviews may occur electronically or in person at the Graduate School during announced business hours.  Both options require submitting a digital version of the dissertation or DMA document draft in a PDF format to  [email protected] .  

3  Approved documents must be submitted via OhioLINK and accepted by the Graduate School by the close of business before the Report on Final Document will be processed.

4  Students not attending commencement must complete the commencement section on the Application to Graduate to indicate how their diploma should be disbursed.

5  A degree applicant who does not meet published graduation deadlines but who does complete all degree requirements by the last business day prior to the first day of classes for the following semester or summer term will graduate the following semester or summer term without registering or paying fees

Still Have Questions?

Dissertations & Theses 614-292-6031 [email protected]

Doctoral Exams, Master's Examination, Graduation Requirements 614-292-6031 [email protected]

Research Training for the PhD in Clinical Psychology

Learn the details of the dissertation process.

Research is an important and integral part of doctoral training at Derner. As such, involvement in research begins with your acceptance into the program at which time you must begin the process of selecting a research mentor. You will work with your mentor throughout your first year (and most often beyond), initially, in developing and conducting the required pre-dissertation research project. Your choices are many and varied. Currently, there are more faculty members conducting research on more diverse topics than at any time in the history of the school.

Students are encouraged to explore as many options as possible to learn as much as they can about faculty as research mentors. You might begin by reviewing our faculty profiles.

As you start to focus your interests, you might want to schedule an individual meeting with a faculty member to ask specific questions. As well, most faculty conduct research workgroups on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. You might want to ask about attending one or more work group meetings. There, you not only get to see how the workgroup functions, you can also meet upper-level candidates who have been working with that professor. You are welcome to and, indeed, encouraged to speak privately with current students of a given research mentor to learn more about their experiences as well as the process and completion of pre-dissertation/dissertation research.

In exploring the choices of research mentor, you should explore widely. Because this is a faculty-student matching procedure, and there is a limit on how many students faculty can mentor, students are asked to submit four choices, and they are guaranteed to be matched with one of the four.

The matching process:

You will have until mid-May to investigate your choices. After that, you will be asked to rank the top four research mentors with whom you would like to work in descending order, with rank #1 being the highest and rank #4 being the lowest. These ranked choices must be submitted to the chair of the Research Committee by a date to be determined at the end of the spring semester.

• The chair of the Research Committee will compile the list of student rankings and provide this summary information to the Research Committee, as well as allow for review of original rankings.
• The chair of the Research Committee will then contact individual faculty via email regarding the individual students who have selected them as their first choice (rank #1) research mentor and ask faculty to approve those students they wish to accept.
• All faculty members will be available for consultation at the end of year clinical faculty meeting; as second, third, and fourth student choice matches may need to be reviewed and discussed. The Research Committee will convene to address any matching problems or issues that remain on the day.
• The final student-faculty research mentor match list will be emailed by a date to be determined and students should then contact their research mentor.

A few caveats on the process:

• During both the investigatory and ranking phases, it is inappropriate for a student to ask a faculty member if they plan to select them as a research advisee. Likewise it is inappropriate for a faculty member to ask a student about their rankings or inclinations of their rankings. Nor is it appropriate for a faculty member to suggest you only attend his/her research group meetings.
• Although students may conduct research activities for their graduate assistant responsibilities, students and faculty must be aware that this level of participation cannot be substituted for the required pre-dissertation project.

We wish you the best in this process. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:

Laura E. Brumariu, PhD Associate Professor & Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program Director e – [email protected]

Catherine E. Eubanks, PhD Professor and Research Standards Committee Chair  e – [email protected]

The pre-dissertation research project is an empirical study, developed and carried out in conjunction with the adviser and the workgroup. The project is the primary training vehicle for gaining hands-on experience in designing an empirical study, collecting and analyzing data and reporting the findings. The aim of the project is to acquaint students with the workings of research in a manner that is integrated with their clinical training, and that will increase their understanding of the potential contribution of research to their clinical work throughout their careers.

For most students who will do empirical dissertation projects, the pre-dissertation research project is designed to provide directed training as a basis for carrying out the independent research of the dissertation. For students electing to carry out a theoretical dissertation, the pre-dissertation research project requirement is designed to insure that all students have direct hands-on experience designing, collecting and analyzing data of an empirical study as a component of their doctoral training.

The requirement for the project conducted in conjunction with Derner School of Psychology faculty may be met in either of two ways:

• Publication in a peer-review journal or presentation at a peer-review conference. If research is presented, as a paper or a poster, a report of the presentation should be submitted to the adviser, as a paper in APA format , printout of poster, copy of PowerPoint presentation or other appropriate format.
• Alternatively, the requirement may be met by review and approval of a completed report of the project by the adviser and another faculty member who is a member of the Research Committee.

The first choice is advised where possible for training purposes and as a valuable research experience.

Students must have their pre-dissertation research project fully completed by the end of the fall semester of the third year.

Completion of the pre-dissertation research project is required prior to the student being approved to submit a proposal for the dissertation. Special cases of large sample and longitudinal studies may require an exception to this procedure.

Students must have their dissertation proposal fully completed by the end of the fall semester of the fourth year and before the internship application is approved. Prior to September 15 of their internship application year, all fourth-year students are required to submit a Research Training Requirements Form to the Research Committee, signed by their faculty research supervisors and indicating their level of research progress in the program. The committee then reviews these forms, which, if approved, are forwarded to the director of clinical training for approval and then to the dean who will complete the review and approval process, prior to November 1. Additionally, students must pass a Portfolio Review. However, there are no comprehensive exam requirements (neither written nor oral).

Requests for exceptions concerning approval for internship application must be submitted to the Research Committee along with a completed Research Requirement Form, prior to September 15. The Research Committee will vote on the written request with a majority of votes required for approval, and will then forward approved forms to the director of clinical training for approval and then to the dean for final approval. Research advisers and students may appeal the vote of the Research Committee to the dean.

Any exceptions to the requirements for any reason must be submitted in writing to the Research Committee by the student and the research adviser. The request must provide a detailed explanation of the reasons for the exception and a plan/timetable regarding the completion of this project.

In cases where students collect large data sets or carry out longitudinal studies, to be used for both their pre-dissertation research projects and dissertations, an approved dissertation proposal may be substituted for completion of the pre-dissertation research project. In such cases, the student must apply for waiver of the requirement that the pre-dissertation research project be completed before the dissertation proposal is submitted.

The Research Committee will evaluate this application prior to the proposal meeting to establish the status of the project as an empirical project requiring an exception.

If approval is granted, the proposal meeting must be held and the project approved by the committee prior to November 1 of the internship application year to meet the deadline for internship application. The completion of the proposal should be noted on the Research Training Requirements Form.

In such cases, the student is required to carry out a distinct component of the overall project as a pre-dissertation research project that meets the criteria for completion outlined above as soon as feasible following data collection. The completion of this requirement will be monitored by the Research Committee prior to approval for scheduling an oral defense.

Students intending to carry out a theoretical dissertation cannot petition for exception based on an approved proposal. They must complete data collection of an empirical pre-dissertation research project prior to approval by the Research Committee and certification by the director of clinical training for internship application.

Prior to establishing a dissertation committee and scheduling a proposal meeting, the student must submit evidence of completion of the pre-dissertation research project to the Research Committee, using the Research Training Requirements form. This may either be a notice of the acceptance of the publication or presentation or a form signed by the chair and reader of the report, as outlined above. The approval by the Research Committee will be submitted and included in the student’s file along with the proposal evaluation by the dissertation committee.

In special cases, the dissertation committee may be formed and the proposal meeting scheduled prior to completion of the pre-dissertation research project. The specific requirement of the pre-dissertation research project as outlined above must then be met before scheduling the oral defense.

Permanent Members

The committee shall consist of a chair and two members. The chair and at least one committee member must be on the full-time Derner School of Psychology faculty. The other member must be on the full-time Derner School of Psychology faculty or the half-time clinic faculty. Any exceptions, such as outside permanent members, must be approved by the Research Committee, following procedures described below.

Criteria and Procedures for Approval of Outside Permanent Committee Members

An outside committee member is required to have specific and unique research expertise in the area of the dissertation. The student is responsible for obtaining the approval of the Research Committee for such members. The student must submit a request to the chair of the Research Committee outlining the specific expertise of the proposed outside member in relation to the dissertation topic as indicated by relevant publications, and including his or her CV. The request will be considered by the Research Committee and a response will be provided in writing.

Once the permanent committee has been formed, an announcement of the composition of the committee should be sent to the Research Committee and the dean for approval.

Special Members

In addition to the three permanent members, the proposal committee will have two special members, and the oral examination committee will have an outside reader, as described below:

Special Members: Proposal Meeting

Two Derner School of Psychology doctoral students will serve as special members for the proposal committee only. They may be chosen by the student whose proposal is being evaluated, subject to the approval of the dissertation committee chair.

Special Members: Orals

The committee convened to examine the student for the oral defense of the dissertation will include an outside reader, who must: 1) teach at Adelphi University and have a doctoral degree in a discipline outside of psychology or have a doctoral degree in psychology and teach in a discipline outside of psychology; or 2) have a doctoral degree in psychology or in a related discipline and be a faculty member at another college or university (including a faculty appointment at a teaching hospital or medical school). The outside reader may be chosen by the student whose proposal is being evaluated, subject to the approval of the dissertation committee chair. Requests for special members not meeting these criteria must be submitted to the Research Committee at least a month prior to the orals date, outlining the qualifications of the proposed special member and explaining the rationale for the exception.

Changes in Committee Composition

The Research Committee and the dean must be notified as to any changes in the dissertation committee. Changes involving inclusion of outside members must be submitted for review by the Research Committee and the dean as outlined above. The dissertation committee chair is responsible for implementing this requirement.

Responsibilities of Committee Members

All members of the committee are expected to follow the evaluation procedures outlined below, and to be present for the proposal meeting and for the oral defense. Proposals should be scheduled for one hour; the oral defense should be scheduled for two hours. The proposal and oral defense evaluation forms must be signed by each committee member at the close of the meeting.

Proposal and dissertation meetings are generally scheduled from September through June. Exceptions may be requested for meetings in July and August at the discretion of the committee.

Doctoral students will be required to successfully complete their dissertation proposal (i.e., they must hold their proposal meeting and file the signed proposal approval form) by end of fall semester of the fourth year in order to apply for internship. The proposal should consist of the first two chapters: literature review and method section, along with references, and any other material required by the student’s dissertation chair.

Proposal Evaluation

After the chair has approved the proposal for distribution, copies will be given to the other faculty members. (The degree of involvement of the committee prior to this point is at the discretion of the members.) The members can either approve the proposal as ready to be discussed at the proposal meeting, or require revisions prior to scheduling a meeting. When all committee members view the proposal as acceptable for discussion, the proposal meeting may be scheduled. All committee members must receive a copy of the proposal with revisions at least two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting date.

An announcement of the proposal meeting, including a list of permanent and special committee members, will be posted publicly and copies sent to the dean of the Derner School of Psychology and the chair of the Derner Research Committee. Following the proposal meeting, the proposal evaluation form will be filled out and signed by all dissertation committee members and sent to the dean for approval.

Once the proposal has been approved by the committee, the candidate is then responsible for carrying out the project addressing the research questions outlined in the study and following the specified method. Minor changes in the research questions or methods may be approved by the chair. Changes deemed major by the chair must be submitted and approved in writing by the committee. Assuming approved procedures are followed, approval of the dissertation does not depend on the success of the project in achieving significant results.

Dissertation Evaluation Prior to Defense

After the chair has approved the dissertation for distribution, copies will be given to the other faculty members. When at least one committee member, in addition to the chair, has approved the dissertation, it is strongly suggested that the outside reader also be given a copy. The committee members and outside reader may then either approve the proposal as ready to be discussed at the oral defense or require revisions prior to scheduling the defense. When all committee members, including the outside reader, approve the dissertation as an acceptable form for defense, the oral examination may be scheduled. All committee members must receive a copy of the proposal with revisions at least two weeks prior to the scheduled date for the oral examination.

An announcement of the oral defense, including a list of committee members, will be posted publicly after approval by the dean and the chair of the Research Committee.

Evaluation Procedures at Oral Defense

The candidate’s presentation and responses in the oral examination and the written dissertation are evaluated separately. The dissertation may be evaluated as: a) approved without revision, b) approved with minor revisions, c) approval pending, major revisions required. Minor revisions will be examined and approved by the committee chair. Major revisions should be unlikely if procedures are followed prior to the oral defense as outlined above. If unexpected major issues do arise requiring such revisions, the changes must be examined and approved by the entire committee, including the outside reader.

Following the oral defense, the evaluation form will be filled out and signed by the dissertation committee members and sent to the dean for approval.

The evaluation form will indicate the action required of the candidate, which may be minor or major revisions or no revisions, to obtain final approval for the dissertation. When the candidate has completed the requested revisions, and they have been approved as specified above, the final approval will be indicated in the attached Dissertation Approval form.

Dissertation Format

Students are permitted to complete a theoretical dissertation or an empirical one that follows a traditional six chapter format: 1) Introduction, 2) Literature review, 3) Statement of the problem, 4) Methods, 5) Results, 6) Discussion. There is also the option of completing a dissertation consisting of two separate (but conceptually related) manuscripts (a review paper and empirical report or two empirical reports at the level of publishable works.

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tools4dev Practical tools for international development

10 PhDs for Monitoring and Evaluation

A doctorate will place you on a whole new trajectory when it comes to your field of specialisation. As the field of Monitoring and Evaluation grows, so are the opportunities for focused doctoral study expanding across fields, while also deepening in their technical specificity. Whether your strengths lie in the highly analytic, and technical aspects, or whether a specific development challenge or cause has captured your heart, mind, and career, there is a PhD opportunity out there for you to formalise your knowledge, and to take your contribution to developing real-world solutions to the next level. It takes many years to find your niche for doctoral study, but these suggestions may assist is guiding your decision making as you navigate.

DPhil in Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation – University of Oxford

Oxford’s Department of Social Policy and Intervention offers this world-class, interdisciplinary doctoral programme focusing on Social Intervention process, policy and practice across a range of subject areas. The programme equips students with the theory and skills for conducting sound evaluations of programmes in health, violence prevention, the reduction of poverty and inequality, and child mental health; indeed some of the most pressing challenges for governments, civil society and development practitioners. This advanced programme encourages independent work, and the programme is usually highly specific to each individual, although all candidates are well supervised. This is a research-based programme, with stringent access requirements, but will guarantee candidates with the skills to grapple with development issues from the level of international policy, right down to the grass-roots implementation of even the most complex problems.

PhD Programme in Social and Engineering Systems – MIT

This cutting-edge research programme speaks into the heart of current best practice in social and human science. This programme will equip participants with the analytic and statistical methods to be able to analyse and address leading social challenges, from a strong data and machine learning perspective. Combining aspects of Information Systems and Sciences, with Engineering, Social Science, and the study of research methodologies, this fascinating programme will pave the way for a new generation of development practitioners. This programme includes a focus on autonomous systems, financial systems, urban systems and how these systems can be used to strengthen policy making, and urban development. If you’re looking at not only grasping M&E, but how to use evaluation as a principle in creating reinforcing loops for ongoing development practice, then why not explore this option.

PhD in Development Studies – University of Cambridge

This is a structured programme which provides participants with comprehensive coverage of current development issues and challenges; an excellent place to situate skills in monitoring and evaluation for improvement of development practice. At the end of their third year, participants submit a research dissertation, and the second year usually involves international, on-the-ground participation and study. The first year equips participants with all the critical research theories and skills. This structure makes this a unique opportunity to properly experience and explore real-world development challenges, while seeking their solutions. This is a full time PhD course, with stringent entry requirements, and a demanding study regime, however a strong supervisory element ensures a high quality, and enriching study experience.

PhD in Environmental Science, Policy & Management – University of California Berkeley

If your passion for problem solving is related more to issues of the environment, and the climate crisis, and this is where you hope to focus your Monitoring and Evaluation specialisation, this this expanded Environmental Science PhD might be the thing you are looking for. With employment and career prospects in government, environmental policy making, and academia, this programme will equip you with the methods and skills to evaluate programmes and policies to improve the outlook of our environment, and to mitigate the negative effects of our industrialised world. This will provide you with the language and the evidence to sway key stakeholders toward creating a better world.

PhD in Biomedical Informatics – Columbia

If you’re looking to focus on Public Health, and Health information systems, with Monitoring and Evaluation to improve healthcare policies and programmes, the this PhD in Biomedical Informatics will equip you will the skills you require to evaluate and improve healthcare programmes, information flows and conduct studies around programme efficacy. With a growing focus on healthcare related issues, this programme with its strong theoretical and applied components will equip epidemiologists, looking to sharpen their M&E with a top notch qualification, to engage in solving health challenges at the global level.

PhD in Evaluation Studies – University of Stellenbosch

This is a two-year doctoral programme offered by one of Africa’s leading universities, situated outside Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, which has been generating some of the most rigorous research and evaluations on the continent and around the world. The programme equips upcoming evaluators with all the skills and methodologies to conduct rigorous evaluations and aims to build Monitoring and Evaluation capabilities on the African continent and to ensure that this field continues to grow in professionalisation and practice. This programme is an excellent opportunity for those seeking to specialise as evaluators, and who aim to make a sound contribution across a range of intervention subjects and areas by applying this critical skillset. Studying M&E within a developing country context is sure to provide additional context, and a real edge the study experience.

PhD in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics and Assessment (MESA) – Boston College

If you are technically skilled in statistics and are fascinated by the interplay with these skills and social research, then this is the programme for you. The programme ‘integrates state-of-the-art research design, statistical methods and testing’ to ensure that candidates are equipped with the highest degree of technical excellence. This programme is collaborative, both within the school amongst colleagues, but also on an international level. The programme is technical, but also applied, providing participants with the opportunity to work with NGOs and other civils society organisations, focusing on real-world development challenges.

PhD’s by Research – Institute of Development Studies

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) ranked 1 st place in the 2020 QS World University Rankings by subject. The Institute takes some 50 PhD students at a time, and the work is focused on Development Studies across a range of topics and geographies. PhD students work with two Research Fellows, and participate actively in the teaching and learning activities offered by the IDS. Whether you are interested in applying your M&E skills to Policy and Governance, Civil Society, or Dev Tech, you will find associates at the IDS to facilitate a comprehensive research-based PhD. If you have a research topic in mind, focusing on any of the Institute’s subject areas, applications are welcome. As this programme is research based, coupled with teaching and learning opportunities, this programme will provide some freedom for research, while allowing participants to gain critical work experience in academia.

PhD in Development Studies with Reference to Emerging Economics – King’s College London

If your interest is in solving development challenges, using an evidence approach, and focusing on developing economies, then this PhD programme may be the one for you. The degree focuses on developing systems for modernisation, development and progress, with focus areas of Poverty, Inequality and Inclusive Growth, Social Justice and Political Economy and Institutions. The Department also hosts the Africa Leadership Centre, which creates a unique network with young leaders in Africa. This PhD may be completed part-time, or full-time.

PhD in the Evidence-based Practice Unit – University College London

If you’re already a subject specialist, looking an analysing critical issues such as healthcare provision and when to stop treatment, resilience in schools, child and adolescent mental health, mental well-being, or a range of other specialist areas at the centre of some of the world’s most significant development challenges, then why not browse the research areas currently support at UCL’s Evidence-Based practice unit. UCL, a ‘diverse global community of world-class academics, students, industry and external partners’, is well recognised for research strength and is growing its reputation as a leading multidisciplinary University. With links to the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families in the UK, this is an excellent opportunity for those seeking to bring an evidence-based and evaluative focus to an existing development challenge.

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Online PhD in Monitoring, Measurement and Evaluation

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EUCLID’s online PhD in monitoring and evaluation is the only doctoral degree program offered by an institution that is itself an intergovernmental   treaty-based institution (EUCLID). To master monitoring and evaluation means to be able to manage and oversee complex programs with external funding sources. M&E is defined as:

Monitoring and Evaluation  ( M&E ) is used to assess the performance of projects, institutions and programmes set up by governments,  international organisations  and  NGOs . Its goal is to improve current and future management of outputs, outcomes and impact. Monitoring is a continuous assessment of programmes based on early detailed information on the progress or delay of the ongoing assessed activities. [1]  An evaluation is an examination concerning the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and impact of activities in the light of specified objectives.

Moreover, EUCLID is an academic partner of other intergovernmental organizations lacking degree-granting authority such as  LLPI  and  CAFRAD . Remarkably, EUCLID’s associated MBA (Sustainable Development) has been consistently ranked in the world's top 20.

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This PhD degree program was officially designed for and by senior civil servants over 4 continents. It is also highly relevant to managers and executives working for multinational companies.

EUCLID’s online PhD in monitoring and evaluation offers a strong coursework core capped with a dissertation and associated project. Graduates can expect to complete the program transformed and enhanced in their ability to make a difference in global research and governance.

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OECD governments and international organizations play a vital role in today’s global and complex international development scene. These governments and organizations fund complex development programs that call for rigorous and professional monitoring and oversight. The employment opportunities in this field are vast, exciting and geographically diverse.

The EUCLID PhD in monitoring and evaluation program is the program you need to obtain the skills necessary to become a desirable and valuable asset for employment with these governments (often through their development agencies like SIDA) as well as international organizations (such as the World Bank or AfDB) and universities: you will receive advanced training in project management and auditing, project monitoring, relevant IT tools, etc.

Although spending 2 years in Geneva or Washington DC is exciting and possibly the best approach for those who can take the campus-based route, the EUCLID program has the advantage of being offered completely online, with a very low tuition designed to make international careers possible for residents to developing countries.

Within certain parameters, the EUCLID Online PhD in Monitoring and Evalution (M&E) is customizable, with elective courses focusing on:

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From this semester, all degree dissertations are required to go through the plagiarism check (hereinafter referred to as “plagiarism detection”). For detailed operation instruction, please check the information on the Graduate Education Information Management System: http://www.yjs.sjtu.edu.cn/ssfw/login.jsp

Procedure for Ph. D. Students:

1.Input the information related to pre-defense of thesis for School/Department Review. 

2.Submit application for dissertation evaluation, input related information, and appoint the secretary of the defense committee. Submit the dissertation in format of Anonymous Assessment and wait for plagiarism detection by School/Department. (Please make sure that the dissertation uploaded is the same as the version ready for anonymous assessment, non-anonymous assessment, or plagiarism detection. Only PDF version is accepted.) 

3.After plagiarism detection, there will be a Form for Doctoral Dissertation Thesis Evaluation generated online automatically. Please print it and submit to your supervisor, discipline chair, and school/department for approval (Fill the review advice, sign and seal on the checklist).

4.Submit the following documents to the Graduate Education Service Center (Room 328, Chen Rui Qiu Building) : 

(1) Form for Doctoral Dissertation Thesis Evaluation with signature and seal;

(2)Assessment fees: RMB 800. 

5.The Secretary will dispatch the dissertation to experts for non-anonymous assessment, through the Graduate Education Information Management System. 

6.Review Result Lookup: The student can login the Graduate Education Information Management System to check the results of anonymous and non-anonymous assessment. The students who pass the evaluation can enter the stage of thesis defense. 

Notes: 

1.The student whose pre-defense conclusion is “pass muster” should submit the dissertation revision report to the Graduate School when apply for dissertation evaluation. 

2.The hard copy of dissertation should be consistent with the electronic version uploaded. 

3.The submittal date of dissertation is recorded as the acceptance date of the Graduate Education Service Center. 

4.The student whose dissertation fails to obtain the approval of his/her supervisor or school/department can re-submit the dissertation for school/department review after revising. Generally, each student has no more than three chances for the plagiarism detection. Those who fail the plagiarism detection twice are required to revise the dissertation carefully and apply for re-detection one month later. 

Procedure for Master Students:

1.Submit application for thesis evaluation, input related information, and appoint the defense secretary. Submit the dissertation in format of Anonymous Assessment and wait for plagiarism detection by School/Department. (Please make sure that the dissertation uploaded is the version for anonymous assessment, non-anonymous assessment, or plagiarism detection. PDF ONLY.) 

2.After plagiarism detection, there will be a Checklist for Correspondence Review generated online automatically. Please print it and submit to your supervisor, discipline chair, and school/department for review (Fill the review advice, sign and seal on the checklist). The uploaded dissertations will be spot-checked for Anonymous Assessment. Students who are randomly chosen or compulsorily required to attend Anonymous Assessment should submit their thesis (in required format) and related documents to the Graduate Education Service Center within one week after the plagiarism detection.

3.Submit the following documents to the Graduate Education Service Center: 

(1)A copy of master thesis in the format of anonymous assessment (See the “Format requirements of theses for anonymous assessment” ); 

(2)Two copies of Form of Shanghai “Double Anonymous” Assessment on Thesis (One copy should be signed by the student and his/her supervisor, and stamped by the school/department.);

(3)A copy of the online spot-check confirmation (the printout of the spot-check result webpage). 

4.The Defense Secretary will dispatch dissertation to experts for non-anonymous assessment. 

5.Review Result Lookup: The student can login the Graduate Education Information Management System to check the results of anonymous and non-anonymous assessment. The students who pass the evaluation can enter the stage of thesis defense. 

Notes： 

1.The hard copy of the dissertation should be consistent with the electronic version uploaded. 

2.The students whose fail to obtain the approval of his/her supervisor or school/department can re-submit the dissertation for evaluation after revising. Generally, each student has no more than three chances for plagiarism detection. The student who fails the plagiarism detection twice is required to revise the dissertation carefully and can apply for re-detection one month later. 

Contacts of the Degree Affairs Office:

Master Thesis Evaluation: Miss Wenying LI, 34206359, [email protected]

Doctoral Thesis Evaluation: Mr. Dan LU, 34206359, [email protected] 

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Cinema and Media Studies, PhD

The Department offers a full-time Ph.D. program. Comprehensive in the range of specializations, the program is intellectually dynamic and rigorous. Our Ph.D. program prepares students for full participation in the profession as scholars and teachers of Cinema and Media Studies, broadly conceived.  The Ph.D. provides students with training in a variety of global and comparative approaches to studying diverse national cinemas and a variety of media institutions and art practices. We are committed to an advanced humanities education to address our shared need to be able to think historically and critically about the structures, operations, ethics, aesthetics, and interactions of cinema and media.    Our departmental ethos reflects our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment that is at once rigorous and nurturing. We expect our graduate students to be full members of the Department and encourage them to take an active role in the intellectual and social community of the University by attending colloquia, screenings, roundtables, discussions, and events in the Department as well as across campus.

Required Courses

The total number of course units required is 16. 

Teaching Requirement

Four semesters of teaching are required.

Language Requirement

In addition to a command of English, students must demonstrate reading knowledge in a minimum of one research language relevant to the particular subfield being studied. More languages may be required by the proposed field of study, and the program strongly encourages multiple language acquisition. The specific languages required for each student will be determined by the student and the student’s faculty advisor in consultation with the Graduate Chair. As Digital Humanities is becoming such a large part of our new department, we will also consider programming languages as needed.

Qualifications Evaluation

At the end of the second year, students will select one paper from those they have written in their first year of study, substantially developing it over the course of two further semesters in dialogue with their advisor and two additional members of the Graduate Group. This group of three faculty members constitutes the Qualifications Examination Committee. Students will work on the paper throughout the first semester of their second year. In the spring semester of their second year, the student will present their paper to the committee, followed by a discussion. The Qualifications Exam assesses a student’s ability to write a coherent research paper of publishable quality. The student’s grade (High Pass/Pass/Fail) will be recorded, and both the student and the SAS Graduate Division will be notified of the outcome of the evaluation.

The field exam is a two-hour oral exam, which will take place at the end of the fall semester of the student’s third year. It consists of questions about the student’s lists, fields, and write-ups. The student will be given these questions in the form of two separate closed-book three-hour exams that will be taken a week apart from each other. The Fields Committee will then meet with the candidate to discuss the written answers and offer feedback.

Candidacy Examination

A Ph.D. Candidacy Examination will be held after the candidate has completed all required coursework, including language requirements and attendance at the CIMS colloquium. The candidacy exam, which will be both oral and written, entails the successful defense of a Dissertation Proposal with the Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee will meet with the student to discuss the proposal for a two-hour session sometime in mid- spring semester of the third year. Feedback will be provided to the student and the student may be asked to make revisions to the proposal. The final version of the dissertation proposal must be submitted by the last day of classes of the Spring semester.

Dissertation Defense

Upon completion of the dissertation, students will present an overview of their research project to faculty and peers. This presentation will be followed by a closed conversation among the student, the dissertation committee (who will have received the complete dissertation several weeks earlier), and the graduate chair. This will allow faculty members formally to evaluate the project formally and to give feedback on how to develop the project in the future.

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

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Sultan bin Ahmed honours winners of 21st Sharjah PhD Award

S HARJAH, 27th May, 2024 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah, attended the honouring ceremony for the 21st Sharjah Award for the Best PhD Thesis in Administrative Sciences in the Arab World.

The event took place in the Al Biruni Hall at the University of Sharjah.

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed honoured Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Adel Ramadan from Egypt, the first-place winner in Administrative Sciences for his thesis on consumer behaviour towards substandard food products.

Dr. Mohammed Jameel Mohammed from Jordan received second place for his work on hospital accreditation in Jordan.

No third place was awarded, nor were any top positions in the Financial Sciences category, due to the high standards not being met.

Sponsors and scientific committee members were also honoured.

The ceremony began with the UAE national anthem and a Quran recitation, followed by a video presentation about the award's history, goals, and this year's submissions.

The award encourages documenting administrative practices in the Arab world, promoting studies that address real-world problems, and disseminating findings for practical use.

Key evaluation criteria include the originality of the research, methodology, literature review, findings, and recommendations.

The winners presented summaries of their theses and discussed their research findings.

The award ceremony was attended by several prominent figures alongside the President of the University of Sharjah, including Dr. Mansour Mohammed Bin Nassar, Head of the Legal Department of the Sharjah Government; Dr. Mohammed Khamis Al Othmani, Director-General of the Police Science Academy in Sharjah; Dr. Hamid Majoul Al Nuaimi, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Sharjah Award for the Best PhD Thesis in Administrative Sciences in the Arab World. Members of the Board of Trustees of the Award were also present.