CUIN Home > Instructional Technology > Doctorate > Dissertation

Dissertation Requirements: Doctorate of Education

1. Once enrolled for dissertation credit, the candidate must be continually enrolled (except for summers) to receive dissertation credit. The student must enroll in summer terms if working on the dissertation utilizing faculty time or university facilities during the summer sessions, or if graduating during the summer. Continuous enrollment should be for 3 credit hours each semester you are working on your dissertation, and 6 credit hours the semester you complete your dissertation.
   Students may register in absentia for dissertation credit if arrangements are made through the Office of Registration and Academic Records at least two weeks before the registration period. Registration for all other students must be completed in the prescribed manner during the announced registration period.
2. The candidate should refer to the College of Education Thesis and Dissertation Guide, available from the Office of Student Services, 112 Farish Hall, for details regarding the typing and submission of the dissertation.
   Online: http://www.coe.uh.edu/docs/gso/Thesis_and_Dissertation_Guide.pdf
3. Defense of the candidate's dissertation is open to faculty of the University, graduate students of the College of Education, and others approved by the research chairperson. The student must pass the comprehensive examination prior to the defense of the dissertation. The research committee chairperson notifies the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies at least ten working days in advance of the date, time and location of the candidate's final oral defense. The room scheduled for this examination must accommodate at least ten persons. The Associate Dean for Graduate Studies posts announcements of the final defense scheduled for the ensuing week. Prior to the final oral defense, faculty members may request an abstract of the dissertation from the research committee chairperson.
4. The oral defense may not take place if more than one member of the research committee is absent at the time scheduled for the defense. Both the quality of the dissertation and the candidate's oral defense will be evaluated. The dissertation must be approved by the research committee with no more than one dissenting member. Upon approval, the dissertation is signed by all approving members of the candidate's research committee and the Dean of the College of Education. The dissenting committee member's name will not appear on the title page.
5. The candidate secures the signatures of the committee members and the Dean of the College on at least three copies of the dissertation. Once approved, the candidate delivers copies of the dissertation to the Academic Affairs Office for binding. The candidate's chairperson then assigns a grade for dissertation credit.
6. The Associate Dean for Graduate Studies is notified by the candidate's research committee chairperson that the dissertation is approved at least one month prior to graduation. The candidate must supply the Academic Affairs Office with an abstract of the dissertation prior to or at the time the dissertation is submitted.