Marine Affairs Ph.D.
Dissertation
The dissertation is a requirement for the PhD program. These pieces of work require substantial efforts by the student in terms of identifying and scoping out an appropriate study and then executing it. The dissertation provides the student the opportunity to develop detailed expertise in some selected area and provides a tangible example of the student’s knowledge, understanding, writing, research, and professional capabilities. They represent the culmination of work toward the degree, allowing students to incorporate and build upon the expertise and insights which they have gained in the program. Students take MAF 502, Research Methods, in the spring of their first year and in that course work to develop a proposal.
The dissertation involves a major advisor and dissertation committee. It requires a proposal, which is presented to the committee during the Comprehensive Exam. The dissertation is also defended in a formal “defense” presentation that is open to the public.
When the dissertation is deemed ready for defense, the student meets with his or her dissertation committee and a defense chair selected from outside the department to “defend” the thesis. The defense is open to graduate students as observers and graduate students are encouraged to attend. When a defense is scheduled a notice of time, place, and subject will be posted on the graduate bulletin board outside the Marine Affairs Library.
The Graduate School has developed a brochure for the dissertation process which should serve as a guide. A list of past theses and major papers completed in this department is available in the MAF library. Timely and periodic consultation is very important as is the need to provide the major professor sufficient and realistic “turn around” time for comments on initial work drafts. Be aware that, frequently, faculty are not available during the summer months. Students should take into account the time constraints of faculty as they prepare their dissertation. The Graduate School requires that the defense text must be submitted to the Graduate School a minimum of 20 days in advance of the defense date.