Students are required to defend a dissertation at a Final Examination, which is conducted at an oral presentation open to the public. At this juncture, an outside member of the Examining Committee must be in place and able to read, critique and be present at the student's dissertation defense.  Once successfully defended, the student must deposit the approved final version (signed by the appropriate members of the Examination Committee and Executive Officer) at the Mina Rees Library. Regulations concerning the style of the dissertation are available at the Office of the Dissertation Assistant (212-817-7069).

Checklist – Setting Up the ‘Dissertation Defense’:

• Students should be in close contact with their mentors and members of their Examining Committees throughout the "dissertation process," sending them drafts and soliciting their comments.
  

• When a final draft is arrived upon, a student should schedule a mutually acceptable date with the members of his or her Examining Committee and the Executive Officer when all will be able to attend the presentation and defense.
  

• At least three weeks prior to scheduling this date, a student is required to deposit final draft of the dissertation in the program office and inform the office of the proposed date and time of the Defense, the members of the Examining Committee and their addresses using the attached form.