Completing the PhD

In addition to the requirements listed in "Completing the Graduate Degree", PhD students must complete the following.

Research Seminar

As part of the requirements for a doctorate, you must present a seminar on part or all of your research to the public. This generally is scheduled for a time after you have passed your candidacy examination. Some departments may require you to present more than one seminar. The topic should be related to the dissertation
research you are doing.

Submission of Journal Article

You submit at least one paper to a refereed journal recognized in your field. The journal and your manuscript must be acceptable to your committee. The paper must be on the same subject as your dissertation, and in fact the substance of it may be incorporated into your dissertation. You do not have to be the sole author of this paper. Presenting papers at a conference does not qualify, nor does publishing an abstract of a paper you presented. Remember to notify the Center for Graduate Studies after your paper has been submitted (there is a space on the "PhD Advisory Committee Report" form for this).

Dissertation Defense

A dissertation defense is conducted in the same way as a thesis defense. After your advisor accepts your written dissertation, it is presented to your advisory committee and a dissertation defense is scheduled. Notify the Center for Graduate Studies of the date and time of your defense as soon as it is scheduled. All members of your advisory committee must attend, and usually your department chair and the Dean of Graduate Studies will also attempt to attend. The defense must be open to the public; feel free to ask your friends to show up. The time, date, place, and subject of your defense must be published on the NMT calendar at least one week in advance, and announcements of your defense must be posted around New Mexico Tech at least one week in advance.

At the defense, you should present the subject of your dissertation in the same manner as for the seminar. After your presentation is finished, your advisory committee will ask questions on details. Be prepared with a complete knowledge of all background material; only knowing only your research will not be sufficient. After the faculty members are finished asking questions, the audience may also ask questions about your presentation. When all questions are over, your advisory committee leaves the room and, in a closed session, decides whether or not you have earned your doctorate. Usually it doesn't take very long to make the decision. As soon as they have decided, they will let you know.

Make sure that your department chair and all members of your advisory committee sign the "Report of the PhD Advisory Committee" and submit it along with a pdf copy of your dissertation to the NMT ProQuest link on the Center for Graduate Studies web page. In addition, your academic advisor will check your thesis for plagiarism using iThenticate and submit the report to the Center for Graduate Studies. The Center for Graduate Studies must have your dissertation and paperwork at least two weeks before the end of the semester if you are to remain on the graduation list and not be required to register in the next semester. Note your dissertation is not officially accepted until it is approved in ProQuest by the Center for Graduate Studies.