Dissertation

A doctoral student will be advanced to doctoral candidacy status after successfully completing the comprehensive exams.  At that point, the student will be able to enrol in Dissertation Hours and commence work on the dissertation.

The comprehensive examination requires first a written submission that includes a full literature review, a methodology review, and a detailed plan for the dissertation research. An oral examination based on the written submission will be conducted by the dissertation supervisors and the Associate Dean/Program Director. The comprehensive exam will be assessed as pass/fail.

To qualify for the DSocSci, candidates must satisfy the examiners that their dissertation and their defence of the dissertation meet the following criteria:

• The results of the research make a distinct interdisciplinary contribution to applied scholarship in the social sciences. The dissertation and the defence of the dissertation should demonstrate a high degree of original work, and understanding and knowledge of the topic area. Evidence of originality may be demonstrated by a combination of the following:
  • the development of a new critical analysis of a practical issue or challenge;
  • the development of a new theory from practice;
  • the novel application of existing theory to a practical challenge; or
  • the discovery of a new professional approach to practice.
• The dissertation should be written to a standard for professional and academic communication. It should be evident that the dissertation can be the basis for a published book, a monograph or a series of articles, and a significant application in the field.

At the oral defence the candidate must successfully:

• defend the contents of the dissertation;
• demonstrate an understanding of research methods appropriate to the topic and fields of study;
• demonstrate knowledge of the literature in the field (s) and the work of other scholars.

The Examination Committee may recommend one of the following decisions by majority vote:

• Pass;
• Pass with minor changes;
• Major changes required; or
• Not acceptable.

Subsequent to the oral defence, the Chair of the Examination Committee must confirm the decision in writing to the candidate and to the members of the DSocSci Program Management Committee.