Regardless of the preceding discussions, the defense provides the opportunity for the candidate to summarize the intentions of the document submitted and to comment on its significance to the field. The committee will ask questions about, comment on the strengths and weaknesses of, and discuss the larger implications of the project. At the conclusion of the defense, the committee will determine whether the candidate has successfully defended the project, and whether the dissertation itself is acceptable in its current form or is in need of further revision. The Ph.D. program is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of different students, and there is no single or correct way to proceed to the degree. The following timetable assumes that students either are Graduate Assistants or are working part-time, and hence can take only two courses per semester.
First year Take two courses each semester.
Attend Department and University lectures and colloquia. Second year Take two courses each semester. By the end of the second year, most students will have completed their eight required courses. Continue work on the foreign language requirements. By the end of the second semester, choose an advisor who will chair the Area Exam Committee.