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A doctoral dissertation must be completed before the awarding of a Ph.D. degree. The purpose of the dissertation is to demonstrate the student's ability to conduct significant original research, to analyze the information obtained from the research, and to present the results in a form acceptable to the supervisory committee. The student generally works closely with the major professor during the preparation of the dissertation. The student should also consult regularly with the other members of the supervisory committee regarding their dissertation work.
Before substantial time is invested in a particular topic, the student shall prepare a written dissertation proposal, including identification of the problem to be studied, a review of literature relevant to that problem, and an outline of the research procedures to be used. The candidate shall defend that proposal at a seminar. In consultation with the major professor, the student shall schedule the seminar and arrange for the announcement of the time and location to faculty and graduate students in economics and agricultural economics. The presentation shall be open to faculty and graduate students.
The oral defense of the dissertation proposal must be completed at least six months prior to the date of the final Ph.D. oral dissertation defense. If the supervisory committee decides that the proposal or the presentation is unsatisfactory, a second oral defense of the dissertation proposal is held after the candidate has submitted a satisfactorily rewritten proposal to the committee.
The tentative completed dissertation is defended in a public final oral examination. Copies of the dissertation must be provided to each member of the final examining committee at least two weeks before the final oral examination. At least three-fourths of the committee must agree that the dissertation is in acceptable form before the final examination may be scheduled. The final oral examination is actually scheduled by completing the Graduate School form Approval to Schedule Final Examination: Doctoral , Appendix E. All departmental graduate faculty must be notified of the time and place of the examination. The notice should include the title of the dissertation. The final oral examination is public, i.e., it is open to all interested individuals.
The candidate normally will be requested to review in 20 or 25 minutes the problem addressed by the dissertation and the analytical procedures and major findings. This presentation will be followed by questions from and discussion with the examining committee over these topics and related topics in the major and minor fields. Regarding the use of visual aids in the presentation of the dissertation, it is the policy of the Graduate Council that “The use of such materials, if admitted by the Chair of the oral examination, should be for the benefit of the committee and not the candidate.” To pass the final oral examination, the candidate must receive the approval of at least three-fourths of the examining committee. With the permission of at least three-fourths of the committee, a failed oral examination may be retaken but no sooner than three months from the date of the failure. After the final oral examination is passed, final copies of the dissertation are distributed in accordance with Graduate School guidelines. The dissertation must conform to Graduate School guidelines concerning format and appearance.
For more details and restrictions see the Graduate Handbook.