A Dissertation committee is formed to read and evaluate the dissertation. This committee should be selected (and may convene briefly) within a few months of the beginning of the student's research. It will have at least three faculty members, normally selected from the Advisory Committee, including the student's advisor. When all members of this committee have signed the Draft Approval form, an outside member appointed by the Graduate School is added to the Dissertation Committee, and that group conducts the Final Oral Examination in accordance with the rules of the Graduate School; in addition, the Graduate School assigns a Graduate Faculty Representative to the Dissertation Committee. This examination tests originality, independence of thought, the ability to synthesize and interpret, and the quality of the research presented.

Final Oral Examination The exam usually consists of two parts: 1) oral presentation by the student, followed by 2) a question-and-answer session. Departmental Policy permits University faculty and graduate students to attend the oral presentation part of the Ph.D-degree Final Oral Examination. One week prior to the Final Oral Exam, the student must give the Graduate Studies Coordinator their thesis abstract, date, time, and location of their exam. At least one day prior to the examination, all attendees must notify the Chair of the Examination Committee of their intent to attend. The candidate shall be excused when Committee members discuss and vote on the approval decision. The candidate will pass if there is no more than one negative vote cast by members of the Examination Committee.