Dissertation

After successful completion of the comprehensive examination, the students should select a Dissertation advisor to start working on the Ph.D. dissertation.

Once a dissertation topic is selected and substantial progress is done in that topic, the student -in consultation with the Dissertation advisor- forms a Dissertation Committee. Usually, the dissertation advisor becomes the Chairperson of the student's Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee has sole responsibility for administering the defense of the completed research. The Dissertation Committee should be approved by the Associate Dean. (The student should send a memo to the Associate Dean with the names of the members of the Dissertation Committee. This memo, once signed -i.e., approved- by the Associate Dean, should be sent to the Director of Student Records and Registration. Download example of memo: Committee-memo.)

Enrollment Issues

After successful completion of the oral examination, the students will register for dissertation research hours (FINA 8399 or 8699). A minimum of 18 hours is required for the Ph.D. degree.

Students will register for nine hours of dissertation research per semester in order to maintain continuous enrollment at the University of Houston.

A grade for the dissertation research will be assigned by the Chairperson of the student's Dissertation Committee upon successful defense of the final dissertation.

Proposal Defense of the Dissertation

All Bauer College of Business policies regarding the oral defense of the dissertation proposal apply. Two weeks prior to the scheduled defense the student will supply one copy of the dissertation proposal to the chairperson of the Dissertation Committee to be made available for inspection by other faculty and students. The Dissertation Committee shall inform the candidate of one of the following decisions within 24 hours of the proposal defense:

Pass - An unconditional pass (by unanimous vote) with no major qualifications. The candidate may proceed with his/her dissertation.

Conditional Pass- The candidate must correct identified deficiencies of the dissertation proposal to the satisfaction of all members of the Dissertation Committee before proceeding with the dissertation. The Dissertation Committee will provide to the candidate a written account of the committee's reservations. The proposal defense need not be repeated.

Failure - The candidate must significantly revise the dissertation proposal, or begin a new proposal. The Dissertation Committee shall provide to the candidate a written account of the committee's reasons for rejecting the proposal. Any revised or new proposal must again be defended.

The candidate must successfully pass the proposal defense within one year of completion of the comprehensive examination.  Failure to do so will result in the student reverting to pre-candidacy status and being required to repeat the comprehensive examination process.

After passing the dissertation proposal, the student should bring a memo signed by the Dissertation Chair or the Finance Ph.D. Coordinator to the Director of Student Records and Registration indicating they have successfully defended their proposal.( Download example of memo: Proposal passed-memo.)

Final Defense of the Dissertation

All Bauer College of Business policies regarding the oral defense of the dissertation apply. All members of the university community are welcome to attend the final defense. The Dissertation Committee shall inform the candidate of one of the following three decisions within 24 hours of the dissertation presentation:

Pass - Unconditional pass (by unanimous vote) with no revisions required to the defended draft.

Conditional Pass- A conditional pass requiring minor modifications to the written dissertation not involving additional analyses, reanalysis or major substantive changes in interpretations or conclusions. The candidate must correct the deficiencies to the satisfaction of all members of the Dissertation Committee before this conditional pass becomes a pass. The dissertation defense need not be repeated.

Failure - The candidate must significantly revise the dissertation to correct serious deficiencies determined by the Dissertation Committee and communicated to the candidate in writing. Any revised dissertation must again be defended.

The dissertation should be completed within four years of the comprehensive examination. In addition, there is a limitation on the total length of study.  The student who fails to successfully defend a dissertation within six years of entering the program must retake the comprehensive examinations.

Certification of Form

Written certification that the dissertation is complete and meets the college requirements in matters of format and style must accompany the dissertation at time of its submission for binding.  (See Instructions for the Preparation and Submission of the Ph.D. Dissertation, Bauer College of Business.)  Such certification is obtained from the Director of Student Records and Registration and must be requested at least two working days before the University dissertation filing deadline.  Failure to meet this deadline will cause the student's graduation to be delayed one semester.

When the student applies for graduation the Director of Student Records and Registration, the student must bring a memo from the Finance Ph.D. Coordinator indicating they have successfully defended the dissertation.

Resources

Seminar-Job Talk
Choosing the Right Research Adviser
Preparing for the Job Market