General Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree, page 3
The Graduate School

Defense of the Dissertation

After passing all required course examinations and the qualifying examination, and after meeting all other requirements, the candidate must defend the dissertation. This defense will be conducted in such a manner as to determine to the unanimous satisfaction of the dissertation committee that the candidate has attained the stage of scholarly advancement and power of investigation demanded by the university for final recommendation to the doctorate.

At least one month prior to the defense, written notification of the date, time, and place is to be submitted to the Graduate School. While the oral examination is open to the general university community, only the members of the dissertation committee shall have the authority to recommend acceptance of the dissertation. The recommendation must be unanimous.

Departments differ concerning the time of the defense of the dissertation, some holding it prior to approval for final typing, some holding it subsequent to final typing. The following schedules apply in the two cases.

Prior to Approval for Final Typing In this case a candidate defends the dissertation on the basis of an approved preliminary copy. If the defense is satisfactory, the committee then signs the Approval for Final Typing Card; if additional work is required, the card is signed at a later date. When the committee has signed the Approval of Dissertation for Final Typing, the card should be immediately submitted by the candidate to the Graduate School.

The final typewritten copy of the dissertation, together with an abstract signed by the committee chair, the signed signature page, and triple card, must be presented to the thesis editor at least three weeks prior to the end of the semester in which the degree is to be received. Approval of format and acceptance by the university will be noted on the triple card which then must be presented to the Degree Progress Department by the student. See Regulations for Format and Presentation of Theses and Dissertations, available from the Graduate School,Grace Ford Salvatori Hall 315.

Abstract of Dissertation

An abstract of the dissertation approved and signed by the committee chair, must be submitted to the thesis editor, Grace Ford Salvatori Hall 315, with the final typed dissertation. This is a separate document from the dissertation itself and will be published in Dissertation Abstracts International. It must be typed double spaced on 8 1/2 by 11 white bond paper and must not exceed 350 words. An abstract containing more than 350 words will be returned to the candidate for editing.

Schedule of Deadlines

The Graduate School provides a schedule of specific dates for completing the various requirements to qualify the student for the Ph.D. degree at Commencement in May or to receive the degree in August or December. Upon completion of all requirements, the official USC transcript will serve as evidence of the degree until the diploma is received.

The student's dissertation committee is responsible for the content and bibliographical consistency of the dissertation. The university thesis editor reviews the original copy for conformance to university regulations. The final typed dissertation must be accepted by the university within six months after the Approval of Dissertation for Final Typing Card has been signed by the dissertation committee. For requirements concerning preparation of dissertations, the student should obtain the brochure Regulations for Format and Presentation of Theses and Dissertations, available from the Graduate School, Grace Ford Salvatori Hall 315.

The student must sign a file card in the Graduate School granting permission to make positive microfilm copies at the request of institutions or individuals. This is done when the dissertation is submitted to that office. Authors who wish to withhold dissertations from circulation for one year pending publication should so inform the Graduate School.

Each student whose dissertation is accepted must pay a $113 publication fee, for microfilming and binding the dissertation, at the Cashier's Office, King Hall, prior to or upon completion of all requirements for the Ph.D. The publication fee receipt must be submitted to the university thesis editor, Grace Ford Salvatori Hall 315.

It is the student's responsibility to submit the triple card, with all required signatures, to the Degree Progress Department of the Office of the Registrar (SAS 010).

Next Section

Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
univpub@stuaff.usc.edu