history: I just turned in my dissertation. I'm scared it will not pass and all my work toward my masters will be for nothing. I just turned in my dissertation. I'm scared it will not pass and all my work toward my masters will be for nothing.
current: You only get to do it once?
next: Yes, you turn it in then go in front of a board of people. In my case 10 people. If they don't like it I can't go one to work on my PhD and will need to write another. This one has taken 2 years to write.