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Germanic Languages and Literatures Ph.D. Dissertation Guidelines

Guide for Germanic Languages and Literatures Ph.D. dissertation, defense, and electronic submission.

Overview

  1. Preliminary Paperwork:
    1. Present completed Title, Scope, and Procedure (TSP) Ph.D. form^ to the faculty advisor and Research Advisory Commitee (RAC) for approval and signatures for submission to the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) before beginning the fifth year of full-time enrollment in the Graduate School. 
    2. File the Intent to Graduate (ITG) for the Ph.D. 
    3. Create an Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCiD).
  2. Dissertation Defense:
    1. Form a Dissertation Defense Commitee and complete the Dissertation Defense Committee form.
    2. Confer with the Dissertation Director about procedures for submission of chapters and revisions during the dissertation writing process.
    3. Review the OGS Dissertation and Thesis Template and consult it for answers to all formatting questions.
    4. Consult with Dissertation Defense Committee and schedule the oral defense, and complete the Dissertation Defense Notification form.
    5. Submit complete dissertation manuscript upon approval by the Dissertation Director to the Dissertation Committee, no less than 4 weeks in advance of the scheduled defense.
    6. Pass the oral defense.
  3. Preparing for Electronic Submission:
    1. Complete Survey of Earned Doctorates.
    2. Create ProQuest Online Account.
  4. Electronic Submission of Dissertation:
    1. Submit the dissertation to the OGS electronically via ProQuest.
    2. Forward email from OGS of approval of dissertation to Coordinator along with .pdf of dissertation to order copies from Thesis on Demand.
    3. Request Degree Certification (optional).
  5. Commencement and Hooding
    1. RSVP to Ceremony
    2. Reserve Regalia

The Student is responsible for punctually completing and providing all of the necessary materials(^) for submission to the OGS, and for formatting the dissertation in accordance with its guidelines. 

The Dissertation Director is responsible for assisting The Student in assembling the full five member Dissertation Defense Committee for the defense, for assisting in arranging a defense date and location, as well as submitting all required signed paperwork and forms(^) to the The Coordinator for submission to the OGS via Portal(*), including the Dissertation Defense Committee and Examination Approval forms. 

The OGS provides a comprehensive Doctoral Dissertation Guide for all Ph.D. candidates. 

Preliminary Paperwork

  1. Title, Scope, and Procedure (TSP)
  2. Intent to Graduate (ITG)
  3. Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCiD)

Title, Scope, and Procedure (TSP) M.A.

Completed by The Student, Submitted by The Coordinator

You may file your Title, Scope, and Procedure (TSP) Form as soon as your Research Advisory Committee (RAC) has signed it. RACs normally consist of three tenured or tenure-track Washington University faculty members from within your degree program. The form serves as a contract between you and your RAC.  

You must file your TSP Form no later than one semester before your thesis examination. The Academic and Administrative Coordinator must receive the completed and signed TSP form to submit to the OGS on behalf of the student.  

Your project's "scope" defines its limits—what you intend to cover and what you intend not to cover. Your "procedure" describes the manner in which you intend to conduct your research. By defining the
scope and procedure of your thesis, you provide an initial outline or model for yourself as you research your topic. Your thesis's title, scope, and procedure may change in the course of your research. You are not required to file an amended form with the Office of Graduate Studies in Arts & Sciences, although getting your committee’s written approval of the changes may be advisable.

The Student submits a Title, Scope, and Procedure (TSP) Thesis (Masters only) form^  for approval; this form requires the signatures of the Professor in Charge of Thesis and two additional readers (collectively konwn as the RAC), as well as the Department Chair. 

Intent to Graduate (ITG)

Completed by The Student

The Student must file an Intent to Graduate (ITG) form for the semester in which they intend to graduate. Deadlines for filing the Intent to Graduate form for each semester are listed on the Office of Graduate Studies’s online calendar. Complete this form by logging onto WebSTAC and clicking on “Intent to Graduate” from the menu. Take note of the diploma pick-up and mailing dates that are included in the form because the diploma will be mailed to the address entered.

If the graduation semester changes, a new form must be filed for the term the Student intends to graduate.

Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCiD)

Completed by The Student

Graduate students are encouraged to establish an Open Researcher and contributor ID (ORCiD), a free, personal digital identifier. Many scholars will want to establish their ORCiD profile and maintain it throughout their careers. For more information, visit https://libguides.wustl.edu/orcid.

Dissertation Defense

The Student should work with the Dissertation Director to establish an effective and efficient calendar for submission of work, allowing time for revisions. Once the Dissertation Director has approved a chapter, the student should submit it to the other two readers.  The Student is expected to respect the suggestions for revision from all three of their readers for each chapter as they go along. This process ensures that the dissertation is sound from their different perspectives before the Student submits the completed dissertation to the larger Dissertation Committee for the "defense."

Defense of Thesis

Completed by The Student and The RAC

In partnership with your Thesis Chair, contact The GPA to assist in coordinating the day, time, and location of your thesis defense. Please follow the OGS calendar for the strict submission deadline: in general, the departmental deadline is one week before the posted OGS deadline to ensure time for revisions, submission, and updates. 

Master's Thesis Approval Form

Signed by The Thesis Examination Committee and Chair of the Department, delivered to The GPA by The Thesis Chair, submitted by The GPA to OGS

The Thesis Director is responsible for gathering signatures of the committee on the Master's Thesis Approval Form^*. The GPA will then submit it on behalf of The Student via Portal.

Preparing for Electronic Submission

Completed by The Student

The Student is responsible for punctually completing and providing all of the necessary materials(^) for submission to the OGS, and for formatting the dissertation in accordance with its guidelines. 

Visit the OGS calendar for the Dissertation/Thesis Final Submission deadline. The following items must be completed by this deadline or Graduation and degree dates will need to be delayed. It is encouraged to submit the dissertation before the deadline in the event fomatting changes are needed.

Consult the Germanic Languages and Literatures subject librarian regarding copyright permissions for any copyrighted work included in the dissertation. 

Creating Open Scholarship Online Account

OGS requires that The Student create an online account at Washington University Library's Open Scholarship website (http://digital.wustl.edu/publish/thesis-prep.html) to submit the final approved text. You will need an activated WUSTL Key and password in order to create your thesis submission.

Electronic Submission of Dissertation

Completed by The Student

Visit the OGS calendar for the Dissertation/Thesis Final Submission deadline. The following items must be completed by this deadline or Graduation and degree dates will need to be delayed. It is encouraged to submit the dissertation before the deadlin in the event fomatting changes are needed.

Consult the Germanic Literature and Languages subject librarian regarding copyright permissions for any copyrighted work included in the dissertation. 

Checklist for Electronic Submission

The Student must have completed all items below before the electronic submission of the dissertation to ProQuest.

Checklist for Electronic Submission

 
  • Filed Intent to Graduate for the semester planned to complete degree?
 

  • Does the title page indicate the correct administrative unit?
 
  • Is the committee alphabetized by last name, after chair/co-chair?
 
  • Is The Title in Upper and Lower Case, as in This Quest?
 
  • Does the title page indicate the month and year in which the degree is being conferred?
 
  • If including an abstract page, does it use the required heading found in the Dissertation & Thesis Template?
 
  • Is the front matter numbered correctly, starting with ii?
 
  • Does the page numbering on the Table of Contents correspond to the correct page location?
 
  • Does the Table of Contents include a bibliography/references/works cited?
 
  • Completed the Survey of Earned Doctorates?
 
  • Completed the Post-Graduation Job Survey?
 
  • Has the OGS received the Examination Approval Form?
 
  • Any requisite copyright permission letters?

Electronic Submission of Dissertation

The OGS is notified when you submit your dissertation to ProQuest. When reviewing submission, they ensure that the Examination Approval Form and Survey of Earned Doctorates have been completed and check the submitted PDF to ensure that all formatting requirements have been followed. The amount of time needed to review the manuscript, and the number and nature of any changes that may be required to make, are generally determined by how carefully the work has been prepared. Do not wait until the deadline day to submit the dissertation! Work must be formatted correctly and approved by the OGS in order for graduation. Once the OGS review is complete, they will send you an email through ProQuest saying one of the following:

  1. Submission has no revisions and is being accepted.
  2. Submission has no revisions, but there is missing required paperwork.
  3. Submission has a few revisions that must be made before accepting.

Ordering Bound Copies and Degree Certification

After the dissertation has been approved by the OGS, The Student should forward The Coordinator the OGS dissertation approval email for ordering of bound copies from Thesis On Demand.

The Student may need to present proof of completion of degree to a prospective employer before receiving a diploma. In that case, only after notification that submission has been approved, The Student may request a Degree Certification on the Graduate School website, on the Forms page.

Commencement and Hooding

Completed by The Student

Once the dissertation has been approved, The Student should contact The Dissertation Director for confirmation of the Hooding Ceremony for Commencement. Traditionally, The Dissertation Director will be present to present The Student with the Ph.D. hood during the Ph.D. Hooding Ceremony. 

Reservation to Ceremony

Registration for the Commencement ceremony is required and is separate from the ITG and ordering of regalia. Please register by the deadline online via the Wash U Commencement site.

Reserve Regalia

Please note that the deadline and process for ordering regalia will be announced on the Wash U Commencement regalia site and is taken care of by the Wash U Bookstore and NOT the Comparative Literature program. 

Questions from students may be addressed to the current Germanic Literature and Languages Academic and Administrative Coordinator GPA (aka Graduate Program Assistant) or the Germanic Literature and Languages program at: german@wustl.edu.