The Written Dissertation and Oral Defense

A Ph.D. candidate’s program of original research and the written dissertation to which it leads are the highlight and culmination of doctoral study. The dissertation is the written documentation of the findings of the research program, and is required by the University to constitute a high degree of scholarly competence and of such quality as to represent a meaningful contribution to knowledge in the field.. Not only the research, but also the exposition, grammar and style must be of the highest order.

The dissertation defense is a public presentation and discussion of the findings of the research program are conducted before a committee of selected faculty. This event marks the first time that the candidate truly expounds on and defends the meaning and significance of his or her research and knowledge of the discipline to peers and colleagues alike. It is open to attendance by all members of the UCLA community.

The official UCLA manuscript preparation guide (Policies for Final Oral Examination and Dissertation Filing) contains established criteria for uniformity in the physical format of theses and dissertations. The regulations included in it supersede any style manual instructions regarding format. Information on filing dates and procedures, microfilming, and registration of copyright are also included.
Staff from the University Archives and the UCLA Graduate Division will present information on University regulations governing manuscript preparation and completion of degree requirements. Students who plan to file a dissertation during the quarter are encouraged to attend. All meetings are in the West Electronic Classroom, Room 23167 Young Research Library. See schedule below for important dates and deadlines.

Dissertation Meeting Schedule for 2006 - 2007

Candidates may elect to complete a Doctoral Filing Fee Application to be used in lieu of registration if all formal requirements for the degree, except for taking the final oral examination and filing the dissertation, are met prior to the first day of instruction of the term. Doctoral students may use the Doctoral Filing Fee Application only if they were registered for the previous academic term.