A committee of three faculty members, including the adviser, is chosen by the student. This committee guides the work and provides evaluation. An oral defense of the written work is the final step toward completion of the degree. Students should be well aware of Graduate School deadlines that apply to many steps of this procedure. The Ph.D. dissertation is an original work of scholarship that contributes to the field of study.
Topics cover the full range of theatre scholarship from actor training to literary theory.
Typically, a minimum of one full year is devoted to the research and writing of the dissertation. Students are required to present a dissertation topic at the comprehensive examination oral review, and a full prospectus must be approved by the dissertation committee. Although the comprehensive committee frequently becomes the dissertation committee, this is not a requirement. Changes in adviser and membership are acceptable. The committee should be chosen based on knowledge of the topic area and interest in the study.