Phase III: Dissertation

Once the student passes the General Examination, he/she is advanced to the level of doctoral candidate, and is expected to build on the critical review of the literature to develop a dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal should demonstrate the characteristics of interdisciplinarity, relevance to urban and environmental planning and policy, and potential for contribution to scholarship.

Dissertation Proposal

A dissertation proposal should be formally presented to the Reading Committee at a scheduled defense presentation. The Reading Committee must certify that the student is prepared to undertake the proposed research, and that it meets the program requirements for scholarship.

Dissertation Defense

The final step in the Ph.D. program is the formal presentation and defense of the dissertation. This process follows the normal protocol as set by the Graduate School.