Candidacy
Three activities define doctoral candidacy: 1) generation of a scholarly, publishable paper that is reflective of the advanced clinical research practicum process, 2) submission of an abstract to a professional research meeting, and 3) successful oral defense of the advanced clinical research practicum. It is expected that these scholarly activities will reveal the student's theoretical, research, and clinical applicability concerning their clinical phenomenon of interest. This knowledge is also foundational to the dissertation proposal.
The portfolio of these three clinical scholarship activities constitutes the comprehensive examination of students and will be evaluated by the student's Advanced Clinical Research Practicum Committee. Members of this committee are selected on the basis of their knowledge of the clinical population and/or phenomenon, theoretical orientation to the problem and methodological expertise. Admission to candidacy is a demonstration of confidence that the student will successfully complete a Doctor of Philosophy.
Thesis and Dissertation Process
A PhD nursing student must complete a dissertation. This document is developed through faculty-guided independent research projects. Review of the dissertation will follow the sequence of steps described in the manual Preparation of Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. Copies of this manual are available in each graduate Division and in the Library of Rush University Medical Center. The dissertation must be original and cannot have been used to meet the requirement of any other degree, either at Rush University or any other university. Each student will have a Dissertation Committee, the role of which is to assure that the dissertation meets the high standards of the Division, the college and the university, for originality, contribution to the field and scholarly presentation. The Committee also assures the student is making satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree. Additional policies of the committee are available from Division directors or the Dean's office.
Dissertation Research Committee
During the completion of the student's coursework and research practicum, the student and advisor select a dissertation research committee according to the policies of the College of Nursing and The Graduate College. This committee approves the dissertation proposal and ultimately the dissertation itself. The committee can be constituted at any time prior to the petition for doctoral candidacy. The committee is composed of five members including the student's advisor and one faculty member from another department or College in Rush University, or another institution according to Rush University policy. A majority of the members of the five-member committee must be faculty with full-time appointments at Rush University. The Director of the College of Nursing Graduate Division and the relevant Department Chair may serve as ex-officio members of the committee.
The chair of the committee, who cannot be the student's advisor, will be appointed by the Division Director from among the committee members who are from the student's Division. The Chair presides at all subsequent meetings and arranges for a timely completion of the dissertation work. The dissertation committee strives for consensus in all its actions. A majority vote of the committee's membership, however, is sufficient for all activities except the final approval of the dissertation which requires the approval of four out of the five members.
Dissertation Proposal and Presentation
On the establishment of candidacy, the student will submit a research proposal to the committee. This proposal will build on an exhaustive review of the literature, a clear statement of the problem and its relevance and a well-developed methodological strategy. The dissertation proposal must be approved by the student's committee and provides the basis for the student's continued research. The dissertation committee must meet at least twice before the student is considered for graduation.
At or near the completion of the dissertation, each student gives a public presentation to the academic community at large, to summarize the knowledge s/he has developed. Students work collaboratively with College of Nursing staff to post announcements (at least two weeks prior to the presentation) via the e-mail and on institutional bulletin boards. This posting includes the title of the dissertation, the student's name, advisor's name, and the location, date and time of the defense. This public presentation precedes the final approval of the dissertation by the Dissertation Committee.
Upon completion of all elements of the investigation agreed to by the dissertation committee, the student will present the dissertation to the University in written form (approved by the Director of the Library of Rush University Medical Center). After the public one-hour lecture attended by the dissertation committee and faculty of the University, the dissertation committee meets in closed session to approve the dissertation. In line with the rules and procedures of The Graduate College, the committee strives for a consensus but the dissertation can be approved over the objections of a single committee member. If, however, two committee members disapprove the dissertation, then it is not approved. The awarding of the PhD degree requires the demonstration of a capability for independent research and a contribution to scientific knowledge. Students must complete coursework and successfully defend their dissertation within eight years.
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