{"id":43,"date":"2018-06-04T20:15:11","date_gmt":"2018-06-04T20:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/environmental-management-phd\/?page_id=43"},"modified":"2023-02-14T10:12:54","modified_gmt":"2023-02-14T15:12:54","slug":"information-for-current-students","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/environmental-management-phd\/information-for-current-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Information for Current Students"},"content":{"rendered":"
This is a description of the Environmental Science and Management Program’s\u00a0components and\u00a0terminology<\/a>, timeline and major milestones<\/a>, and forms<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dissertation Committee:<\/strong>\u00a0A faculty committee that advises you, and guides and evaluates your academic progress and dissertation research.\u00a0Environmental Science and Management committees consist of four members, as follows:<\/p>\n Written qualifying exams:<\/strong>\u00a0Part I of advancement to candidacy. The dissertation committee writes and administers the written qualifying exam. The written exam is designed to assess your knowledge of the disciplines related to your research, your written communication skills, your ability to think critically, to locate, analyze and integrate data sets, and explore environmental management problems and solutions from multiple viewpoints. Exam responses should be written in the style of a scientific journal article, with appropriate in-text citations and references cited section. Each committee determines the structure and format of the exam (length, time limit, open or closed book, etc.) as appropriate for each doctoral candidate.<\/p>\n Oral qualifying exams:<\/strong>\u00a0Part II of advancement to candidacy. The dissertation committee administers the oral qualifying exam, which is designed to assess your preparedness to begin dissertation research, your preliminary dissertation topic ideas, your oral communication skills and your ability to brainstorm “in the moment” about your research and its foundation disciplines. Successful completion of the BOTH the oral and written qualifying exam is required before the candidate is allowed to begin dissertation credits (EAES900).<\/p>\n Dissertation proposal:<\/strong>\u00a0A formal document that explains your over-arching research questions, your hypotheses to be tested, a literature review that places your work within the larger context of your discipline, your proposed methodology and rationale for this methodology, preliminary results obtained thus far and discussion of how those results guide your next steps, your expected outcomes, and timeline for completing all dissertation components. Dissertation proposals should be written in the style of a funding agency grant proposal, with high-quality graphics and appropriate in-text citations and references cited section.<\/p>\n Dissertation proposal defense:<\/strong>\u00a0A closed presentation (i.e., not open to the public) to your dissertation committee in which you explain your over-arching research questions and proposed research plan, followed by a question and answer session with your committee. The purpose of the proposal defense is to ensure that you are conducting original, important research that contributes new knowledge to your discipline, with sound methodology and a realistic plan for completion.<\/p>\n Dissertation Defense:\u00a0<\/strong>The culminating experience for a PhD program, the dissertation defense begins with an open presentation to your dissertation committee and the general public in which you present your major research activities, results and conclusions. The presentation is typically 45 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of questions from the audience. After this open session, the audience is dismissed a closed question and answer session continues with your dissertation committee.<\/p>\n This is a sample timeline for full-time students. The program faculty expect that students are on campus and engaged in their coursework and research year round, including summers.<\/p>\n Connect with a potential dissertation advisor with whom you have compatible research interests. Explore external funding opportunities such graduate fellowships and student research grants.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Your committee administers your qualifying exams and its membership must be formally recorded prior to any exam. Upon completion of qualifying exams, work with your advisor to complete form A and submit this to the program director:<\/p>\n NOTE:<\/strong> Forms B and C must be submitted to the Graduate School before<\/strong> Form A. This is because the qualifying examination is administered by the dissertation committee Chair and committee members, so the names and affiliations of the chair and committee must be formally recorded before the examinations can be taken.<\/em><\/p>\n This is done online through\u00a0NEST<\/a>. Deadlines are as follows:<\/p>\n When you and your committee are ready to schedule your dissertation defense, complete\u00a0Form E – Application for Dissertation Defense Date<\/a>. NOTE: Before submitting Form E you must provide a copy of your dissertation to each member of your committee, for their use as they prepare for the defense. Ask each committee member if a hard copy or electronic copy is preferred.<\/p>\n One hard copy of your dissertation MUST be provided along with Form E, which is signed by your committee and by the program director, and then submitted to the Graduate School.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Program Components and Terminology<\/h2>\n
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Program Timeline and Major Milestones<\/h2>\n
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