After successfully completing Review I (satisfying the scholarly product requirement) and Review II (passing the comprehensive examination), the student may then submit a dissertation proposal to her/his doctoral committee and submit the accompanying "Dissertation Prospectus" form to the Graduate College. The doctoral committee will meet and determine whether to accept or reject the prospectus. A prospectus can be accepted provisionally given that the student follows the committee's suggestions in the dissertation.

A dissertation is an original contribution to current knowledge in the field and a demonstration of sufficient mastery in the field to pursue independent research and scholarship.

When the dissertation is complete, a defense will be scheduled and conducted in accordance with the Graduate College’s policies for thesis and dissertation completion. It is the responsibility of the student to file the required "Notification of Oral or Written Examination' form with the Graduate College in a timely manner.