Topical Examination

Following the Preliminary Essay, students begin work toward their dissertations. During the winter and spring quarters, they should be meeting with various faculty members to discuss and refine possible dissertation topics, and possible dissertation committees; and, by the ninth week of spring quarter, each student should submit a "dissertation sketch" to those faculty and to the Graduate Program Committee. The character of that sketch will vary from case to case; but, in any case, is not expected to be long or elaborate. Some sketches may be more definitive than others; some may be seriously disjunctive; some students may submit more than one sketch. The point of the sketch and preliminary meetings is to provide some faculty guidance for the more independent research that begins over the summer.  Ideally, the student should arrange a preliminary meeting with all potential dissertation committee members, or with as many as is possible, already in the Spring.

At the beginning of the following fall (fourth year), students will again meet with their advisors (optimally all together), to discuss progress and developments over the summer, and make concrete plans for the Dissertation Topical (to be held later that quarter, or, if necessary, the first week of the winter quarter). Those plans will include a tentative timetable, a determination of the dissertation committee, and the expected character of the materials to be submitted by the student, and on which the exam/discussion will be based. Though the details will vary (depending on the subject matter, the state of the research, individual work habits, and so on), these materials must include a substantial piece of new written work by the student (something on the order of twenty-five double-spaced pages)-perhaps a draft of a chapter, an exposition of a central argument, a detailed abstract (or outline) of the whole dissertation, or whatever the committee as a whole agrees upon. (It is expected that students will abide by these agreements; but, if there are unanticipated problems, they may petition their advisors and the DGS, in writing, for a revision.)

Students must finish their language exams by the end of their fourth year in the program (independently of their status with regard to any other requirements).

The Department requires that each student submit a written progress report on his or her progress by the end of the winter quarter of each year, beginning with his or her fourth year in the program. The report should be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies and (after the Topical) to the student's dissertation committee. If the student is making satisfactory progress, he or she will be so notified; if there has not been satisfactory progress, a meeting will be scheduled with the student and committee to discuss the problems impeding progress.

It is very much in each student's own interest to be well along with his or her dissertation early in the fifth year, for several related reasons. First, of course, students with Century Fellowships are obligated to teach a stand-alone course that year, which is inevitably time and energy consuming. Second, all of those fellowships run out at the end of that year; and many (probably most) students will not get any more support from the University. And, finally, such sixth-year support as there is from the University is systematically directed to those applicants whose work is not only of the best quality, but also the furthest along (as documented not only by faculty testimonials but also by submitted chapters). Keep in mind also that so-called "dissertation-year fellowships" are awarded competitively on a Division-wide basis, and there are not enough to go around. Though Philosophy students have often done well in this competition, there is no guarantee for the future; and, in any case, not all applications will be successful.

To be sure, supporting oneself without aid, while finishing up a dissertation, is a time-honored academic tradition. But, for most students, the available opportunities are far from deluxe (either inside or outside the University), and it is clearly wise to minimize one's dependence on them, if possible.