FALL 2022 DEFENSE TIMELINES

DOCTORAL DISSERTATION DEFENSE

Click here to download a PDF of this timeline

Friday, September 2
Final date to apply for graduation on Athena. Be sure you have an updated version of your advisory committee form on file at the Graduate School if you made any changes to your committee after comprehensive exams.

Wednesday, October 12
Final date to submit a complete draft of your dissertation to your major professor. You and your major professor then have two weeks to make any needed revisions before a final copy is distributed to the committee. We assume that you have been working closely with your major professor and your committee for quite some time, but by this time you should have put together a complete draft.

Wednesday, October 26
Final date to distribute the final copy of your dissertation to your committee members. Your committee has three weeks to read your dissertation before deciding whether or not you are ready to defend. The committee may also request changes before the defense takes place. Although a defense time and date will be reserved soon after distribution, please be aware that this might be canceled or rescheduled if your committee does not approve your dissertation for a defense.

Monday, October 31
Final date to electronically submit one complete copy of your dissertation for a format check on the Graduate School website.

Wednesday, November 16
Absolute last day the Graduate Advisor will schedule a defense. The committee may request changes before final approval.

Wednesday, November 23 (please note that this is during Thanksgiving Break)
Final date to submit the Defense Approval Form and final copy of your dissertation to the Graduate School for a December graduation. This means all suggested changes have been made and your major professor has given final approval of these changes.

DOCTORAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS

As a requirement for admission to candidacy, all PhD students must pass written and oral comprehensive examinations covering both a major and minor field of study.

Courses at both the MA and PhD levels can be counted as preparation for the major and minor; however, the majority of courses for each should have been completed at UGA. Before the comprehensive examinations are taken, all incompletes should have been removed and all coursework must be completed with a 3.0 GPA.

Comprehensive examination questions are designed to test the student’s capacity for critical analysis and synthetic integration of knowledge. It is the student’s responsibility to master the fields of study and not merely to review the coursework from each field. Students should also seek to strike the proper balance between learning factual information or empirical data and comprehending theories, conceptual frameworks, and methodologies that are used to organize and interpret data.

The Methodology exam is now a take-home paper. Students should contact the Graduate Program Administrator early in the semester before they plan to take comps to learn more about the Methods paper requirements.

Doctoral Comprehensive Exams Checklist
Comprehensive Exams Checklist 

The Semester Before Comprehensive Exams

1. Register for at least 3 credit hours of POLS 9300 the semester before exams.
2. Sign up to take comprehensive exams.  The deadline to sign up is the midpoint of the semester prior to the exams.  The Graduate Advisor will have a sign-up sheet and will send an email indicating the sign–up deadline each semester.
3. Fill out a Worksheet for PhD Program of Study (or, if you are a Fast Track student, a Worksheet for Worksheet for Fast Track Program of Study.  This form is for planning purposes only.
4. Schedule an appointment with the Graduate Advisor.  During this meeting you will: 1) review your program of study worksheet and 2) complete your Final Doctoral Program of Study, which the Graduate Advisor will submit on your behalf.
5. Confirm that the Graduate Advisor has submitted a comprehensive exams advisory committee form on your behalf before you take exams. Please note that this is NOT the same as your dissertation advisory committee. The Graduate Coordinator will nominate two faculty members from your major field and two faculty members from your minor fieldto the committee. This committee is the same for all examinees in each field, and they will read your written comprehensive exams and be present at your oral comprehensive exam.

The Semester in Which You Take Your Comprehensive Exams

1. Register for at least three credits of POLS 9300 during this semester.
2. Once you have successfully completed your written and oral comprehensive exams, revise your advisory committee to reflect your dissertation research. Request the Graduate Advisor to submit an updated dissertation advisory committee form through GradStatus.

Previous Exams:

• American Politics

FALL 2022 Exam
SPRING 2022 Exam
FALL 2021 Exam
SPRING 2021 Exam
FALL 2020 (no exam administered)
SPRING 2020 Exam
FALL 2019 Exam
SPRING 2019 Exam
FALL 2018 Exam
SPRING 2018 Exam
SPRING 2016 Exam
FALL 2015 Exam
SPRING 2015 Exam / Study Guide
FALL 2014 Exam / Study Guide
SPRING 2014 Exam / Study Guide

• Comparative Politics (Note: Due to the transition to an essay format, no new CP exams after Fall 2022 will be posted)

FALL 2022 Exam
SPRING 2022 Exam
FALL 2021 Exam
SPRING 2021 Exam
FALL 2020 Exam
SPRING 2020 (Minor Field only) Exam
FALL 2019 Exam
SPRING 2019 Exam
FALL 2018 Exam
SPRING 2018 Exam
FALL 2017 Exam
SPRING 2017 Exam / Study Guide
FALL 2016 Exam / Study Guide
SPRING 2016 Exam / Study Guide
FALL 2015 Exam / Study Guide
FALL 2014 Exam / Study Guide
SPRING 2014 Exam/ Study Guide

• International Relations (Note: Due to the transition to an essay format, no new IR exams after Fall 2022 will be posted)

FALL 2022 Exam
SPRING 2022 Exam
FALL 2021 Exam
SPRING 2021 Exam
FALL 2020 Exam
SPRING 2020 Exam
FALL 2019 Exam
SPRING 2019 Exam
FALL 2018 Exam
SPRING 2018 Exam
FALL 2017 Exam
SPRING 2017 Exam / Study Guide
FALL 2016 Exam / Study Guide
SPRING 2016 Exam / Study Guide
FALL 2015 Exam / Study Guide
SPRING 2015 Exam / Study Guide
FALL 2014 Exam / Study Guide

• Methodology (Note: Due to the transition to an essay format, no new Methodology exams will be posted)

SPRING 2021 Exam
FALL 2020 Exam
SPRING 2020 Exam
FALL 2019 Exam
SPRING 2019 Exam
FALL 2018 Exam
SPRING 2018 Exam
FALL 2017 Exam
SPRING 2017 Exam
FALL 2016 Exam
SPRING 2016 Exam
FALL 2015 Exam
SPRING 2015 Exam
FALL 2014 Exam / Study Guide

• Political Theory

SPRING 2021 Exam
SPRING 2018 Exam
FALL 2015 Exam / Study Guide
SPRING 2012 Exam / Study Guide
SPRING 2011 Exam / Study Guide
FALL 2010 Exam / Study Guide
SPRING 2010 Exam / Study Guide

The purpose of a dissertation prospectus is: (1) to establish the program of scholarly research that the candidate proposes to follow in the preparation of the dissertation, and (2) to indicate the significance of the planned dissertation research for—and it’s relationship to—the existing body of knowledge in political science and related areas of inquiry.

Students should regard the prospectus as presenting a research design for the dissertation. Bear in mind, though, that the prospectus should be regarded as a working document subject to alteration on the advice of committee members.  The better the plan, the higher the likelihood of a strong execution. Traditionally, a dissertation was thought of as a strong first draft of a book manuscript.  For many young scholars, it still is.  You should also see the various parts of the dissertation as potential research papers to be presented at professional conferences.

Students should consult often and regularly with their committee members about a proposed research topic and preparation of their dissertation prospectus. It is up to the individual student to interact with the chair and other committee members on a regular basis in order to move the prospectus forward.  Moreover, students are encouraged to begin thinking about the prospectus early in the course of their graduate training and fine-tune as their training goes on.

Current students please see the Dissertation Prospectus Checklist for detailed procedures.

• What should be addressed in a dissertation prospectus?

The purpose or objective of the planned dissertation. What puzzle, problem, or hypotheses does the research address? What are the limits or boundaries of the proposed dissertation?  (Make clear that the proposal is feasible and focused.)

Significance of the proposed research. What important theoretical and/or empirical issue does the research address? In other words, why does it matter that this research be undertaken?

The present state of knowledge related to the topic. What do we already know (or think we know) in the area of proposed research? Is there consensus or disagreement?  The bibliographical review included in the prospectus should not be an extensive literature review that lists references in a general domain but rather one that discusses the specific contribution or shortcomings contained in particular items relevant to the proposed research.  It should be organized conceptually rather than by author.  It should also be linked to your research question.  More importantly, it should lead the reader to your hypotheses.

The research strategy to be employed. How will the problem be investigated?  Where appropriate, what analytical methods, types of evidence, data collection strategies, and sources will be employed? Show how key concepts will be defined and, if appropriate, measured. Discuss what type(s) of evidence will support your hypotheses and what evidence could demonstrate that they are incorrect.

Enumeration of the specific and as yet unresolved problems the candidate perceives. The prospectus defense is a time for gaining help from the dissertation committee as a whole. It may be the first time that the student meets with the committee as a whole. Focus their attention on problems that require further consideration.

Outline of the chapters. The outline should be more than chapter headings.  It should reveal the student’s approach as well as the boundaries and parameters.

• When should I defend my dissertation prospectus?

The dissertation prospectus is ideally completed at the end of the semester in which one takes comprehensive exams.  By doing so, one advances the ability to get started on the dissertation.  Traditionally, a student is given one year in which to complete the dissertation and defend it. If a student is unable to defend his or her prospectus during the comprehensive exams semester, the defense should take place the next semester.

• How should a dissertation prospectus be formatted? How long should it be?

The format of the dissertation prospectus and its contents should be worked out with the student’s dissertation committee. The target length may vary, but an average length would be 15 pages plus references and tables/charts, etc. The dissertation prospectus should provide information in a clear and sufficiently detailed written form so that the candidate’s dissertation committee can bring their judgment to bear in advising the student about the appropriateness and adequacy of his/her anticipated doctoral research program. Moreover, the prospectus should be viewed as a proposal for research that may be altered in light of ongoing discussions with dissertation committee members and the actual initiation of the research itself.

Dissertation Prospectus Checklist
Download the PDF version of this checklist

The Semester Before Your Defense

1. If the makeup of your advisory committee has changed since your comprehensive exams, notify the Graduate Advisor of the names, roles, and email addresses of your new committee. The Graduate Advisor will submit this form online to the Graduate School.
2. Start writing your prospectus!  Next semester, you will be required to allow your major professor two weeks to work with you on a complete draft, your committee two weeks to read the final prospectus, and the Graduate Advisor will need a window of time in which to schedule the defense before the semester ends and your committee is no longer available, which means you will not have the entire semester to finish your prospectus. To avoid a last-minute rush, write now.

The Semester in Which You Defend Your Prospectus

1. Follow program deadlines for distributing and defending your prospectus.  The Graduate Advisor will have sent these dates out shortly after the midpoint of the previous semester.
2. When you are ready to distribute your prospectus to the committee, bring four hard copies directly to the Graduate Advisor’s Office. You will then be able to officially distribute your dissertation prospectus. If you would prefer a different method of distribution, please speak to your major professor and committee. PDF copies of your dissertation are acceptable if one or more committee members specifically request them. The Graduate Advisor will schedule a prospectus defense no less than two weeks after the official distribution date.

The dissertation is the culminating event in one’s doctoral program.

When a dissertation is successfully completed, it becomes the starting point of a productive career.

A student’s major professor will play the lead role in providing direction for the dissertation project.

Current students please see the Dissertation Checklist for detailed procedures.

• Helpful Links
  University of North Carolina Dissertation Handout

Dissertation Checklist
Download the PDF version of this checklist

 The Semester Before Your Defense

1. If the makeup of your advisory committee has changed since your comprehensive exams, notify the Graduate Advisor of the names, roles, and email addresses of your new committee. The Graduate Advisor will submit this form online to the Graduate School.
2. Start finishing up your dissertation!  Next semester, you will be required to allow your major professor two weeks to work with you on a complete draft, your committee three weeks to read the final dissertation, and the Graduate Advisor will need a window of time in which to schedule the defense before the Graduate School deadline, which means you will not have the entire semester to finish your dissertation. To avoid a last-minute rush, finish now.

 The Semester in Which You Defend Your Dissertation

1. Apply for graduation on Athena.  The deadline to do so comes shortly after the beginning of the semester.  You can find this semester’s deadlines here.  If you have previously applied for graduation and need only to change your graduation date, email Graduate School Enrolled Student Services at gradinfo@uga.edu to request a change to the current semester.
2. Follow departmental deadlines for distributing and defending your dissertation.  The Graduate Advisor will have sent these dates out shortly after the midpoint of the previous semester.
3. Submit an electronic copy of your dissertation to the Graduate School for a format check.  For format check information and submission guidelines see this page.  To find this semester’s submission deadline, please see the Graduate School deadlines.
4. When your major professor has approved your dissertation for distribution to the committee, bring four hard copies directly to the Graduate Advisor’s Office.  You will then be able to officially distribute your dissertation.  If you would prefer a different method of distribution, please speak to your major professor and committee. PDF copies of your dissertation are acceptable if one or more committee members specifically request them. The Graduate Advisor will schedule a dissertation defense no less than three weeks after the official distribution date.
5. At the defense, you may be asked by your committee to make changes to your dissertation before final approval.  You will need to make these changes and submit them to your major professor, who will need to sign off on them before the Graduate School deadline.  You will also need to submit a final electronic copy of your dissertation to the Graduate School by this date.  Again, see the Graduate School deadlines for your specific semester.

All policies for current students can be found in the Graduate Handbook. Students should consult this handbook for information and procedures on issues related to coursework, comprehensive exams, the dissertation, etc. Students will adhere to the version of the Graduate Handbook active in the year in which they matriculate. In the case of any discrepancies between the Graduate Handbook and The Graduate School’s policies, The Graduate School’s policies supersede those of SPIA.

Important Graduate School policies:

• PhD Time Limit
• Cumulative Graduate Average (GPA)

• Assistantship application for current students (due January 1)
• POLS 9200 approval form
• Worksheet for Fast-Track PhD Program of Study
• Worksheet for PhD Program of Study
• Completing the Program of Study form (MA and PhD)

Graduate courses for Political Science, Fall 2022, can be viewed here.

Graduate courses for International Affairs, Fall 2022, can be viewed here.

Graduate students traveling on University business, including attending and presenting at conferences, must register their travel with the University and SPIA. Please complete the following steps every time you travel for University business, even if you do not anticipate receiving travel funding:

1. Complete a Travel Authorization on OneSource. (Find instructions here.)
2. Complete the SPIA Student Travel Request Form. You will need to provide documentation of your approved travel funding (e.g., letter from the Graduate School) no less than 2 weeks prior to travel.

Graduate students traveling internationally must also register their travel authority with the Office of Global Engagement.

All travel authorities must be completed a minimum of 2 weeks before your travel begins. You cannot complete them after the fact without going through extra paperwork and pain.

If you have received travel funding, please keep a record of your expenses and receipts. You will need to submit an expense report, also on OneSource.

You will need to add a delegate to approve your forms. Please add Lacey Botsford (myid: Laceyb). You can find instructions on how to complete this process here.