Dissertation Proposal Defense Exam

The Dissertation Proposal Defense is a major milestone in the Ph.D. program. It allows students to formally present their proposed research to their committee for feedback and approval before advancing to full dissertation work.

Ph.D. students must submit a written proposal to their Dissertation Committee prior to the defense. This proposal typically includes the first three chapters of the final dissertation: Introduction, Literature Review, and Methodology. The proposal should be developed in close consultation with the student’s dissertation chair.

Proposal Defense Exam Results Form

Guidance on How to Write the Proposal

Evaluation Criteria

Three main criteria are typically applied when evaluating a dissertation proposal. The first two are aligned with the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) guidelines for evaluating research proposals:

  • Intellectual Merit: What is the importance of the research in advancing knowledge or understanding within the field?
  • Expected Impact: What potential influence could the work have on specific research communities or society in general?
  • Feasibility: How likely is it that the student can achieve the proposed research goals within the available time and resources?

Recommended Proposal Structure

Based on these criteria, the dissertation proposal should contain:

  • An overview of the state-of-the-art, demonstrating the student’s understanding of relevant research areas
  • A clear problem statement and definition of research goals
  • A detailed explanation of the research approach and methodology
  • A strong justification for the study’s intellectual contribution and broader impact
  • A clear outline of how the goals will be accomplished within the expected timeline

Scheduling the Proposal Defense

Students may schedule the proposal defense after passing the Comprehensive Exam and having their prospectus approved. If you need a conference room, you may email Diane Wrightman (diane.wrightman@unlv.edu) for a space.

Additional Notes

  • The proposal defense is a closed meeting, attended only by the student and their committee.
  • After the defense, the student must submit the Proposal Defense Exam Results Form.