The Doctoral Dissertation

The dissertation is based on the student's systematic inquiry into an area of educational leadership. A primary component for the timely completion of the dissertation is the development of the dissertation proposal during the summer residency. This proposal, once approved by the dissertation advisor and dissertation committee, serves as the academic roadmap for research and writing through the forthcoming semesters. Students are encouraged to create an individualized dissertation research timeline to help them move through the process.

Dissertation conceptualization, research, and writing are further supported by linking and integrating doctoral coursework to the student's particular academic focus. Click here to download a diagram demonstrating the relationship between doctoral coursework and dissertation development.

The full dissertation handbook of policies, procedures and formatting requirements is available on our Handbooks & Forms page. A listing of dissertation titles of all successfully defended dissertations can be found on our Research & Action page.

The first five students to defend their dissertations from Cohort 2. Left to right: Julio DeCarvalho, Sylvia Henry, Maureen Gaughan, Idamay Denny, and John Moschella