Item		Deadlines/Timing		Procedure (Student)		Procedure (Program/ Department Chair)		Procedure (Dissertation Chair and/or Committee)
Pre-proposal/Request for Approval of the Ph.D. Dissertation Committee		After completing all coursework and passing the Doctoral Comprehensive Examinations		Student selects or refines dissertation topic and identifies faculty as potential dissertation committee chair and committee members. Prepare the Pre-proposal in accordance with guidelines posted in the Doctoral Student Policies and Procedures, meet with proposed committee chair and identify possible committee members who meet criteria specified in Doctoral Student Policies and Procedures. Complete Pre-proposal and Request for Approval of Ph.D. Dissertation Committee Form; send to Dissertation Liaison in advance of meeting with him/her.		n/a		Approve Pre-proposal; sign off on relevant form
Human Subjects Review Training		Before proposal hearing is scheduled		Complete required training course: see BC Institutional Review Board website		Sign off on student IRB application		n/a
Dissertation Proposal		After filing Pre-proposal and receiving confirmation of Dissertation Committee membership		Submit proposal to Dissertation Committee		n/a		Approve final draft of Dissertation Proposal, with any changes
Proposal Hearing		After the proposal is completed and accepted by the committee. Must be scheduled at least two weeks before the planned proposal hearing; final copy of proposal must be submitted 2-4 weeks before the planned proposal hearing		Obtain chair’s signature on Agreement to Schedule a Proposal Hearing Form and submit to the office of the department in which you are completing your degree program; confirm availability of Committee members; contact the Department Office to schedule a meeting place for hearing; deliver one copy of final Dissertation Proposal to the Office of Graduate Student Services and copies to all members of the Dissertation Committee		n/a		Sign Agreement to Schedule Proposal Hearing form and schedule hearing; submit ballot to Department Office when proposal is approved; attach addendum with any changes to proposal and ballot
Human Subjects Review Application		After the Dissertation Proposal is approved; **No data may be collected for the dissertation research prior to the approval of the Human Subjects Review application		Complete Application for Approval of Research Project Involving Human Subjects and submit form (signed by Dissertation Chair and Department Chair) to Institutional Review Board (IRB) with a copy of certificate of training		n/a		Sign off on student IRB application
Scheduling the Final Defense		After informal approval of the Dissertation by each of the committee members; must be scheduled at least 2 weeks prior to the desired date for the defense; hearing must be completed by March 31st for student to participate in May graduation ceremonies		Submit completed Agreement to Schedule a Final Defense form and one electronic copy of Dissertation Abstract to the office of the department in which you are completing your degree program; schedule meeting place for defense with Department Office		n/a		Sign off on relevant form
Final draft of the Dissertation		Final draft must be submitted to all committee members at least two weeks before the defense.		Submit final draft of the Dissertation to each of the committee members		n/a		Sign ballot approving Dissertation and submit it to the Office of Graduate Student Services, after defense and only after all required changes have been completed by student and approved by chair
Doctoral Packet and Final Approval of Dissertation		To be obtained in the Office of Graduate Student Services (Campion 135) or on the Lynch School Student Forms page before the final defense; all completed materials (except the Exit Interview) must be returned to the Office of Graduate Student Services by March 31		Complete all materials (including those posted online on the Doctoral Student Forms page) and return to the Office of Graduate Student Services		n/a		Each member of the committee signs a title page (distributed to the Chair by the Office of Graduate Student Services) indicating his or her official approval of the Dissertation