EdD Dissertation Committee Handbook€¦ · EdD Dissertation Committee Handbook Doctoral Office of Advising and Records College of Education and Health Professions Columbus State

1

EdD Dissertation Committee Handbook

Doctoral Office of Advising and Records

College of Education and Health Professions

Columbus State University

Columbus, Georgia

April 2020

2

Table of Contents

General Information .........................................................................................................................3

EdD Program Website .........................................................................................................3

EdD Program Timeline ........................................................................................................3

EdD Dissertation Committee ...............................................................................................4

Composition .............................................................................................................4

Appointment ............................................................................................................4

Responsibilities ........................................................................................................5

COEHP Policy for Workload Adjustment for Service on EdD Dissertation Committees ..6

Procedure for Approving an External Committee Member .................................................7

Communication with the Committee ...................................................................................7

Prospectus and Proposal Stages .....................................................................................................11

EDUF 8999: The Dissertation ..........................................................................................11

Continuous Enrollment ......................................................................................................11

Self-Plagiarism Recommendation .....................................................................................12

External Support ................................................................................................................12

Writing Support .................................................................................................................12

Final Dissertation Stage .................................................................................................................14

Institutional Review Board ................................................................................................14

EDUF 8000: EdD Dissertation Defense ...........................................................................14

Hackett Award for Outstanding Dissertation .....................................................................14

Defense ..........................................................................................................................................16

Attendance .........................................................................................................................16

Scheduling..........................................................................................................................16

Procedures for Dissertation Prospectus Defense ...............................................................17

Procedures for Dissertation Proposal Defense ...................................................................19

Procedures for Final Dissertation Defense ........................................................................21

Procedures for Virtual Defenses ........................................................................................23

3

General Information

EdD Program Website

The EdD student should monitor the EdD Program Website. The website contains

program policies and procedures, recommended programs of study, EdD dissertation committee

resources (e.g., list of dissertation faculty who can serve on EdD Dissertation Committees),

dissertation process resources (e.g., EdD Dissertation Guide, EdD dissertation template, and

defense applications), the EdD Program Calendar, and other EdD student resources.

EdD Program Timeline

1. Complete the admission process to the EdD Program, including application packet,

interview, and writing assessment.

2. Complete EDUL 8715 (Doctoral Seminar in Curriculum and Leadership) during the first

semester in the EdD Program. In this course, the EdD student will complete the initial

graduate dispositions assessment, orientation to EdD policies and procedures, CSU

Library orientation, introduction to scholarly writing, and dissertation topic development.

3. Complete recommended program of study for designated program track as outlined on

the EdD Program Website.

4. Select a Chair for EdD Dissertation Committee during the spring semester of the second

year (or Semester 5) in the EdD Program.

5. Complete EDUF 8129 (Developing the Dissertation Prospectus) during fall semester of

the third year (or Semester 7) in the EdD Program. The prerequisites for EDUF 8129 are

EDUF 8127, EDUF 8117, and EDUF 8125 with a passing grade of B or higher. In this

course, the EdD student will complete CSU Institutional Review Board (IRB) training

and CITI human subjects training, draft the dissertation prospectus (i.e., Chapters I and II

of the EdD dissertation), and select a methodologist and third committee member for the

EdD Dissertation Committee. EdD students who are enrolled in EDUF 8129 will be

required to meet with their EdD Dissertation Committee Chair at least once per month.

These meetings can occur via phone or video conference.

6. Revise the Dissertation Prospectus draft with support from the EdD Dissertation

Committee as part of EDUF 8999 (The Dissertation). The Chair will moderate this

process. The prerequisite for EDUF 8999 (The Dissertation) is EDUF 8129 with a

passing grade of B or higher.

7. Submit Application for Prospectus Defense at least 2 weeks prior to the scheduled event.

8. Defend the Dissertation Prospectus (i.e., Chapters I and II) successfully, which is this

program’s equivalent to a comprehensive examination.

9. Write Chapter III with support from the EdD Dissertation Committee as part of EDUF

8999 (The Dissertation). The Chair will moderate this process.

10. Submit Application for Proposal Defense at least 3 weeks prior to the scheduled event.

11. Defend the Dissertation Proposal (i.e., Chapters I through III) successfully.

12. Complete the CSU IRB application and obtain CSU IRB approval to conduct the EdD

dissertation study.

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/EDD.php


https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/forms/EdD_form_prospectus_defense.pdf


4

13. Collect and analyze data for the EdD dissertation study.

14. Write Chapter IV with support from the EdD Dissertation Committee as part of EDUF


15. Write Chapter V with support from the EdD Dissertation Committee as part of EDUF


16. Complete EDUF 8000 (EdD Dissertation Defense) during the last semester in the EdD

Program. In this course, the EdD student will submit the Application for Dissertation

Defense at least 2 weeks prior to the scheduled event, defend the final dissertation (i.e.,

Chapters I through V) successfully, complete the final graduate dispositions assessment,

complete EdD Program Exit Survey, and submit the final EdD dissertation draft for

publication.

EdD Dissertation Committee

Composition. The EdD Dissertation Committee will be comprised of at least three CSU

faculty members who hold graduate faculty status. A Chair of the EdD Dissertation Committee

must have full graduate faculty status and should have previous experience serving on EdD

Dissertation Committees. At least one committee member should have background knowledge,

experience, or research expertise in the EdD student’s dissertation topic. At least one committee

member, who will be referred to as the methodologist, must have expertise in the research

methods for the EdD student’s dissertation study. A fourth committee member may be selected

to serve if approved by the Chair of the EdD Dissertation Committee, the Director of Doctoral

Program in Education, and the Dean of COEHP. An EdD student may select an individual who

is external to CSU to serve as a methodologist or committee member if approved by the Chair of

the EdD Dissertation Committee, the Director of Doctoral Program in Education, the Dean of

COEHP, and the University Graduate Council. An approved external member can replace a

CSU faculty member on the EdD Dissertation Committee. The external committee member will

submit an application, which is available on the EdD Program Website, and a copy of his or her

current vita to the Doctoral Office for Advising and Records for the approval process.

Appointment. The EdD student is advised to select and invite committee members from

among faculty who have expertise in the area where the student plans to conduct research,

including content and methodology. During the second year of coursework, the EdD student will

identify a potential Chair for his or her EdD Dissertation Committee utilizing the EdD

Dissertation Faculty website and/or recommendations from the Director of Doctoral Program in

Education and CSU faculty members. The EdD student must contact that faculty member

directly and ask if he or she is willing to serve prior to completing the Doctoral Dissertation

Committee Appointment Form. More than likely, the faculty member will request a phone,

video, or face-to-face meeting before agreeing to serve on an EdD Dissertation Committee. In

addition, he or she may review a writing sample or a current prospectus draft to review before

agreeing to serve. Once the EdD student has established his or her EdD Dissertation Committee,

the EdD student must complete the Doctoral Dissertation Committee Appointment Form. After

submission to the Doctoral Office of Advising and Records, all EdD Dissertation Committee

members, the Director of Doctoral Program in Education, and the Dean of COEHP must approve

the EdD Dissertation Committee. Any or all members of the EdD Dissertation Committee may

be replaced by recommendation of the student along with approval of EdD Dissertation

Committee members, the Director of Doctoral Program in Education, and the Dean of COEHP.

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/forms/EdD_form_dissertation_defense.pdf


https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/docs/EdD_form_external_committee_member.pdf

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/EDD_faculty.php

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/EDD_faculty.php

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/dissertation_committee_appointment_form_instructions.php

5

If committee membership changes, the EdD student must submit a Change in Doctoral

Dissertation Committee Membership Form for approval.

Responsibilities. The responsibilities of the EdD Dissertation Committee include:

• Provide timely feedback on drafts submitted by the EdD student. (Note. EdD students

should give committee members a minimum of 2 weeks to review their submitted draft.)

• Determine appropriateness and quality of the EdD dissertation.

• Approve the dissertation prospectus and its oral defense using the appropriate evaluation

rubric.

• Approve the dissertation proposal and its oral defense using the appropriate evaluation

rubric.

• Approve the final dissertation and its oral defense using the appropriate evaluation rubric.

• The Methodologist Expert will provide feedback to student on the following:

o Alignment of problem statement, purpose of the study, research questions,

research design, data collection, and data analysis

o Selection of appropriate research methods and participants

• The Methodologist Expert will provide constructive criticism about the following:

o Data collection and analysis that would be considered practitioner-friendly.

o Presentation of the data and the conclusions drawn from the analyses.

• The Content Expert will assist the EdD student with outlining a comprehensive literature

review to summarize current knowledge and identify the gap in literature and establishing

the significance of the topic and research findings.

The responsibilities of the Chair of the EdD Dissertation Committee include:

• Guide the EdD student in selecting an EdD dissertation topic.

• Guide the EdD student to set a realistic timeline for completion of the EdD dissertation.

• Assist the EdD student in developing a dissertation proposal.

• Moderate the draft revision process among the EdD student and EdD Dissertation

Committee members.

• Facilitate collaboration between the content expert and EdD student if Chair is not the

content expert.

• Facilitate collaboration between the methodologist and EdD student if Chair is not

serving as a methodologist.

• Coordinate the scheduling process for all defenses and preside over all defenses (i.e.,

Prospectus, Proposal, and Final Dissertation).

• Monitor completion and submission of forms required during the dissertation process

(e.g., CSU IRB and defense application forms).

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/forms/EdD_form_committee_change.pdf

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/forms/EdD_form_committee_change.pdf

6

• Assist EdD student in the selection of other EdD Dissertation Committee members and

replacement members if needed.

• Serve as the instructor of record for the EdD student’s EDUF 8999 course.

• Be familiar with current EdD policies and procedures.

The responsibilities of the Director of the Doctoral Program in Education include:

• Serve as the primary advisor for an EdD student upon admission to the EdD Program

who guides the student through the coursework based on the Program of Study.

• Assist the EdD student in planning the preliminary program of study based upon

when required courses are offered. Ensure pre-requisites are met for course

enrollment.

• Assist the EdD student with the selection and/or approval of major field elective

courses.

• Assist the EdD student with the selection of a Chair of the EdD Dissertation

Committee.

• Provide dissertation resources for EdD students and faculty.

The EdD Student is expected to engage in active preparation of the dissertation process

from the onset of the doctoral program. EdD student is responsible for choosing a topic,

submitting proofread drafts of materials to the Chair, preparing adequately for meetings,

thoroughly reviewing all EdD policies and procedures, and communicating on a regular basis

with the Chair via email, phone, or video conferencing. The EdD student should contact the

Chair in the event of any significant changes in his/her personal or professional life, which may

interfere with program completion. To document the dissertation process, all drafts are

submitted and feedback returned through CougarVIEW.

COEHP Policy for Workload Adjustment for Service on EdD Dissertation Committees

Service to the education profession is expected for all COEHP faculty, including serving

on EdD dissertation committees. One 3-hour course in the COEHP faculty workload during the

academic year will be provided to (1) faculty who serve as a chair for 6 active EdD dissertation

committees, (2) faculty who serve as a methodologist for 9 active EdD dissertation committees,

(3) faculty who serve as a committee member for 12 active EdD dissertation committees, or (4)

faculty who serve on EdD dissertation committees in a combination of roles(chair,

methodologist, or member) equal to 12 (i.e., weighting of 2 for chair, weighting of 1.5 for

methodologist, and weighting of 1 for committee member). An active EdD dissertation

committee will be defined as a student who has completed the prospectus development course

(i.e., EDUF 8129) with a B or better and maintains continuous enrollment in the dissertation

course (i.e., EDUF 8999).

This policy will apply to faculty members meeting the above stated equivalent for a 3-

hour workload credit through service on EdD Dissertation Committees and will be approved in

consultation with the Department Chair and Dean. Faculty Professional Goals, which should be

reflective of the workload, will be evaluated during the annual evaluation process. In addition,

EdD students’ proposal drafts will be evaluated prior to the defense by an outside reader using

the approved EdD dissertation proposal rubric. The outside reader will be approved graduate

7

faculty, will not be affiliated with the EdD Dissertation Committee, and will be appointed by the

Director of Doctoral Program in Education. The following timeline outlines the proposal

evaluation process.

1. Student will submit a defense application 3 weeks from the desired defense date

along with clean draft.

2. Doctoral Program Administrative Assistant will send a link for the EdD

dissertation proposal rubric and the clean draft to each committee member and the

outside reader.

3. The committee members and outside reader will complete the rubric evaluation

and provide constructive feedback within the draft within 2 weeks.

4. The Doctoral Program Administrative Assistant will send the evaluation results to

the Chair within 1 week before the scheduled defense date.

5. Based on the rubric evaluation, the Chair will confer with the committee members

and outside reader and decided whether or not to move forward with the

scheduled defense.

Procedure for Approving an External Committee Member

The individual who would like to serve as an external committee member on an EdD

dissertation committee will complete and submit an application, which is available on the EdD

Program Website, with his or her vita to the Doctoral Office of Advising and Records. To be

eligible to serve as an external committee member, the individual must (1) have a terminal

degree (e.g., MFA, EdD, or PhD); (2) demonstrate qualifications and/or experience relevant to

the EdD student’s dissertation topic; and (3) be a faculty member with a regular academic

appointment (e.g., assistant professor or higher) at another higher education institution or a non-

faculty member who is a recognized authority in the appropriate discipline.

After consulting with the Chair of the student’s EdD Dissertation Committee, the

Director of Doctoral Program in Education will review the application and vita and decide

whether or not to approve the external committee member for service. If approved, the COEHP

Dean will review the application and vita and decide whether or not to approve the external

committee member for service. If approved by the COEHP Dean, the Director of the Doctoral

Program in Education will draft a memo and send the memo along with the application and vita

to the University Graduate Council for review during their next scheduled meeting. If approved,

the external committee member will be approved for service on the student’s EdD dissertation

committee. The notification of approval will be sent to the student, chair, and external

committee member by the Doctoral Office of Advising and Records.

Communication with the Committee

When the committee is established initially, the committee is encouraged to meet either

face-to-face or via video conference to discuss timeline, content, and methodology development.

All communication with Committee Members and the EdD student should be moderated by the

chair. The Chair will determine when a document is ready for electronic review by the full EdD

dissertation committee and will initiate communication amongst committee members. The EdD

student should avoid consulting with the full committee for feedback without prior approval of

the Chair.

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/docs/EdD_form_external_committee_member.pdf

8

Ongoing dialogue with committee members should be maintained throughout the

dissertation process, so they are reviewing and providing feedback during the development

process. Figures 1, 2, and 3 illustrate the communication between Committee Members for three

different scenarios; (1) Chair is not the Methodologist, (2) Chair is not the Content Expert, and

(3) Chair is the only Methodologist. In Figure 1 and Figure 2, the optional path indicates the

Chair may opt for the communication between the EdD student and Methodologist to occur

without the Chair’s moderation; however, the Methodologist should keep the Chair aware of the

student’s progress.

Figure 1. The dissertation process flowchart for reviewing and approving if the Chair is not the

Methodologist.

9

Figure 2. The dissertation process flowchart for reviewing and approving if the Chair is not the

Content Expert.

10

Figure 3. The dissertation process flowchart for reviewing and approving if the Chair is the only

Methodologist.

11

Prospectus and Proposal Stages

EDUF 8129: Developing the Dissertation Prospectus

In the EDUF 8219 (Developing the Dissertation Prospectus) course, EdD students will be

required to work with the Chair throughout the semester and submit the documentation to the

instructor of record. In addition, the EdD students will be required to complete a research

consultation with a CSU Librarian and submit the documentation to the instructor of record. The

final course project for this course will be a prospectus draft, which includes Chapters I and II of

the EdD Dissertation.

EDUF 8999: The Dissertation

EdD students will enroll in the EDUF 8999 (The Dissertation) course after completing

EDUF 8129 (Developing the Dissertation Prospectus) with a passing grade of B or higher and

establishing an approved EdD Dissertation Committee. The EdD Program of Study requires a

minimum of 9 hours of EDUF 8999 (The Dissertation). The hours for each section of EDUF

8999 can vary from 1 hour to 3 hours. The grading for this course will be S for Satisfactory

or U for Unsatisfactory. EdD students are expected to make substantial progress each semester

(e.g., submitting at least one draft to the instructor every 2 weeks with previously noted

comments addressed and new content added). Failure to make substantial progress or maintain

communication with the Chair could result in a U for the final course grade. An EdD student

should complete at least one goal each semester. Those goals include:

• Defend dissertation prospectus successfully.

• Defend dissertation proposal successfully.

• Obtain IRB approval.

• Collect and analyze data.

• Defend final dissertation successfully.

At the beginning of each semester, the EdD student and instructor will develop a

professional development plan (PDP) or student contract to outline specific measurable

objectives and associated timelines. If those objectives and timelines within the PDP or student

contract are not fulfilled during the designated semester, the EdD student will earn a U as a final

grade for EDUF 8999, which could result in academic exclusion. If those objectives and

timelines within the PDP or student contract are fulfilled, the student will earn an S as a final

grade for EDUF 8999.

Continuous Enrollment

EdD students must maintain continuous enrollment by enrolling in EDUF 8999 each

semester after the EDUF 8129 course. The number of credit hours can vary between 1 and 4

semester credit hours for EDUF 8999. EdD students are not required to enroll during the

summer semester if they will not be working with faculty or using university resources, unless

summer semester is the term they plan to graduate. If continuous enrollment cannot be

maintained, EdD students can request a leave of absence for up to 1 year or 3 full semesters.

Once an EdD student has completed the 63-hour program of study successfully, he or she may

enroll in a 1 credit hour EDUF 8999 section with reduced fees to maintain continuous enrollment

with approval from the Director of Doctoral Program in Education.

12

Self-Plagiarism Recommendation

EdD faculty should include a statement within the course syllabus about self-plagiarism,

including whether or not a student can resubmit an assignment that is the same as or substantially

similar to one’s own previously submitted work(s) during EdD coursework (i.e., research,

specialization, or electives). Similarity will be determined using TurnItIn.com. EdD students

may utilize previously submitted assignments when writing their EdD dissertation in EDUF

8129, EDUF 8999, and/or EDUF 8000 with the Chair’s approval.

External Support

EdD students may discuss assignments with fellow students, colleagues, instructors, or

writing tutors, but the actual course assignments must be completed by the EdD student alone. If

the EdD student utilizes an external agency or individual for any purpose during any part of the

dissertation process, the EdD student must obtain approval from his or her EdD Dissertation

Committee and acknowledge that agency or individual within the Acknowledgements section of

the EdD dissertation.

Writing Support

Online writing tutoring through the Academic Center for Tutoring (ACT) is available for

writing assignments in any course and at any level, including writing related to the dissertation

process. This service is free of charge to all CSU students. ACT recommends 1-hour

appointments (two 30-minute appointments scheduled back to back) for up to eight pages. A

student can schedule multiple appointments for more than eight pages. Students must use the

Google Drive to participate in an online writing tutoring appointment. Prior to making an online

appointment, please read the instructions, Making and Participating in an ACT Online

Writing Tutoring Appointment - STUDENTS.

The APA Help Desk ([email protected]) can answer questions related to APA (6th

edition) Style Guidelines, which includes, but not limited to, commas, numbers, abbreviations,

tables, figures, citations, and references. In addition, the APA Help Desk can answer questions

about dissertation formatting based the EdD Dissertation Guide. The APA Help Desk is not

intended to be an editorial service. The responses from APA Help Desk will be sent during

normal business hours when the University is open to the public.

Several online writing modules are available through the Doctoral Office for Advising

and Records. These modules cover the following topics: (1) Creating Cohesive Academic

Writing, (2) Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting Outside Sources, (3) Annotated

Bibliography, and (4) APA Formatting. If a Chair would like one or more of these modules

copied into a specific student’s EDUF 8999 section, that Chair will submit a request to the

Doctoral Office for Advising and Records.

The Doctoral Office for Advising and Records sponsors a Dissertation Writing Retreat

each fall and spring semester. All EdD students are encouraged to attend the event. The session

topics include APA style guidelines, writing literature reviews, and research methods. Figure 1

displays the expectations for scholarly writing in the EdD Program.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yEfUoJlRxylVHKfvPJux8PzMI9u1KAai_SezNyKV0UY/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yEfUoJlRxylVHKfvPJux8PzMI9u1KAai_SezNyKV0UY/edit?usp=sharing

mailto:[email protected]

13

Scholarly Writing

Criteria Undeveloped Emerging Developing Developed Well-

Developed

Organization

is poorly

focused and/or

poorly

organized

is limited in

focus and/or

organization.

The

progression of

ideas is

interrupted by

several errors

in logic, such

as absolutes or

contradictions

is adequately

focused and

organized.

The

progression of

ideas is

interrupted by

rare errors in

logic, such as

absolutes or

contradictions

is focused and

generally well

organized,

connecting

ideas

appropriately

sustains a well-

focused, well-

organized

analysis,

connecting

ideas logically

Clarity

has severe

problems in

language and

sentence

structure that

persistently

interfere with

meaning

has serious

problems in

language and

sentence

structure that

frequently

interfere with

meaning

has problems

in language

and sentence

structure that

result in a lack

of clarity

demonstrates

sufficient

control of

language to

express ideas

with

acceptable

clarity

conveys ideas

fluently and

precisely,

using effective

vocabulary and

sentence

variety

Mechanics

contains

pervasive

errors in

grammar,

usage, or

mechanics that

result in

incoherence

contains

serious errors

in grammar,

usage, or

mechanics that

frequently

obscure

meaning

contains

occasional

major errors or

frequent minor

errors in

grammar,

usage or

mechanics that

can interfere

with meaning

generally

demonstrates

control of the

conventions of

standard

written

English, but

may have

some errors

demonstrates

superior

facility with

the

conventions of

standard

written English

(i.e., grammar,

usage, and

mechanics),

without errors

APA (6th

edition) Style

APA (6th

edition) style

guidelines

were not

followed

consistently.

All APA (6th

edition) style

guidelines

were followed

occasionally.

All APA (6th

edition) style

guidelines

were followed

with some

errors.

All APA (6th

edition) style

guidelines

were followed

with few

errors.

All APA (6th

edition) style

guidelines

were followed

strictly without

errors.

Figure 1. EdD Program rubric for scholarly writing.

Pilot Studies

If an EdD student needs to conduct a pilot study to validate a data collection measure,

then that student is encouraged to conduct the pilot study after the prospectus defense and before

the proposal defense. The pilot study should be conducted with the consultation of the Chair and

Methodologist. In addition, the EdD student is required to obtain IRB approval before

conducting the pilot study. The results of the pilot study should be included in Chapter III and

discussed during the proposal defense.

14

Final Dissertation Stage

Institutional Review Board

The CSU IRB must approve all research involving human subjects, including EdD

dissertation research studies, before recruitment and/or data collection begins. After receiving

official approval for the Dissertation Proposal, EdD degree candidates must submit an IRB

application to the CSU IRB and obtain IRB approval. Application, informed consent templates,

and directions are available on the CSU IRB Website.

EDUF 8000: EdD Dissertation Defense

EDUF 8000 is a zero-credit course in which an EdD degree candidate documents (1) his

or her successful oral defense of the final dissertation; (2) the completion of edits and approval of

final dissertation by the EdD Dissertation Committee, Director of Doctoral Program in

Education, Director of COEHP Office of Graduate Studies, and Dean of COEHP; and (3)

submission to the CSU Library for publication. EdD degree candidates must be enrolled during

the semester of their final dissertation defense after obtaining approval from their Chairs and the

CSU IRB. The approval process in EDUF 8000 includes an originality review and a format

review based on APA (6th edition) and the EdD Dissertation Guide. One of the following

actions will be recommended after university review of the final dissertation draft: (1) Accept

for publication without revisions, (2) Return to EdD degree candidate for minor revisions, or (3)

Return to EdD degree candidate for major revisions. If the EdD degree candidate is unable to

complete revisions by the stated deadline, the EdD degree candidate will be allowed to

participate in the hooding ceremony and commencement ceremony; however, the EdD degree

will be awarded when the final dissertation is accepted for publication. A final grade of S in

EDUF 8000 is required for EdD program completion.

Publication of the Dissertation

After approval from the EdD Dissertation Committee, Director of Doctoral Program in

Education, Director of COEHP Office of Graduate Studies, and Dean of COEHP, the EdD

students will be published on Columbus State University’s ePress. EdD students are encouraged

to publish part or all of the dissertation in scholarly journals; however, the EdD student and/or

EdD Dissertation Committee Members cannot publish any part of the dissertation until the final

dissertation has been defended and approved by the EdD Dissertation Committee, Director of

Doctoral Program in Education, Director of COEHP Office of Graduate Studies, and COEHP

Dean.

Hackett Award for Outstanding Dissertation

The Hackett Award for Outstanding Dissertation was established to recognize annually a

graduating EdD student, and his or her EdD Dissertation Committee Chair, who conducted

dissertation research that has great potential to impact the field of education. The award was

named in honor of Dr. Paul (Paul) Thomas Hackett, Sr. and Dr. Paul Thomas (Tom) Hackett, Jr.

for their years of outstanding service to Columbus State University.

Purpose of the Award

● Recognize annually a graduating EdD student, and his or her EdD Dissertation

Committee Chair, who conducted dissertation research that has great potential to impact

the field of education.

https://aa.columbusstate.edu/research/irb/

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/docs/EdD_Dissertation_Guide.pdf

15

● Honor Paul Thomas Hackett, Sr. for his years of service to Columbus State University.

● Honor Paul Thomas Hackett, Jr. for his years of service to Columbus State University as

a faculty member, department chair, dean, provost, and interim president.

Guidelines

● The award shall be given annually unless, in the opinion of the Doctoral Program

Committee, there was not an outstanding recipient for that year (i.e., previous spring,

summer, and fall semesters).

● The Director of Doctoral Program in Education (or other representative) will send a call

for nominations to all EdD Dissertation Committee Chairs in January.

● EdD Dissertation Committee Chairs will submit a statement to the Doctoral Program

Assistant that highlights the strengths of the dissertation research and the potential impact

for the field of education.

● The Doctoral Program Committee will serve as the selection committee.

● The discussions related to the selection process shall remain confidential. Ballots will be

anonymous.

● The name of the award recipient and the EdD Dissertation Committee Chair will be

added to a perpetual plaque. The recipient will receive an award plaque, and the EdD

Dissertation Committee Chair will receive an award certificate.

Criteria

The award recipient will be selected on the following criteria:

● Defended the final EdD dissertation successfully during the previous spring, summer, or

fall semester.

● Graduated from the EdD in Curriculum and Leadership Program during the previous

spring, summer, or fall semester.

● Conducted dissertation research to address an identified problem, which has the great

potential to impact the field of education.

● Published the final EdD dissertation using scholarly writing (i.e., conveys clear and

insightful ideas fluently and concisely with well-focused analysis).

16

Defenses

EdD students are required to defend their prospectus, proposal, and final dissertation.

Students’ draft should be in final form prior to each defense. Committee members who perceive

major flaws that are likely to result in an unsuccessful defense should discuss these concerns

with the EdD student and Chair immediately.

Attendance

All committee members should be present physically at all defenses (i.e., prospectus,

proposal, and final defense). In the event of an emergency or unforeseen circumstances, a

methodologist or committee member can virtually attend if approved in advance by the

Teaching, Leadership, and Counseling Department Chair, but this option should be used

cautiously as there are always risks for technical difficulties, but the committee chair must be

physically present. If any members of the EdD Dissertation Committee are unable to attend the

defense, the defense must be postponed. The EdD Dissertation Committee members are

responsible for planning ahead of time to meet with the deadline requirements. Ideally, the EdD

student should attend each defense in person; however, the student can join the prospectus and

proposal defenses via video conference if distance of extended travel is a concern (i.e., minimum

of 150 miles from Columbus, Georgia). The EdD student must attend the final defense in

person. The EdD Dissertation Committee Chair must approve the video conference defense

before scheduling the defense. The Doctoral Program Administration Assistant can serve as a

resource for organizing the video conference. The prospectus and proposal defenses include the

EdD student and his or her EdD Dissertation Committee. The final dissertation defense is open

to the public, which can involve CSU faculty and staff, current EdD students, and friends and

family of EdD student.

Scheduling

The EdD Dissertation Committee Chair will schedule each defense in coordination with the other

EdD Dissertation Committee members and the EdD student. Scheduling of defenses is subject to

the availability of EdD Dissertation Committee members. Defense applications and EdD

Program Calendar are available on the EdD Program Website. Completed applications for a

prospectus defense and final dissertation defense should be submitted to Doctoral Program

Administrative Assistant at least 2 weeks prior to the scheduled defense. Completed applications

for a proposal defense should be submitted to Doctoral Program Administrative Assistant at least

3 weeks prior to the scheduled defense. The Proposal Defense and Final Dissertation Defense

cannot occur within the same semester. Only one defense can occur during the summer

semester. The Prospectus Defense and Proposal Defense can occur within the same semester

(e.g., spring or fall) if approved by the EdD Dissertation Committee Chair and Director of

Doctoral Program in Education. Defenses held outside of the designated term dates will be

counted as completed in the following semester. Table 3 presents the guidelines for establishing

EdD calendar dates.


17

Table 3

Guidelines for Establishing EdD Calendar Dates

Anticipated Timeframe Event

2 weeks before deadline for defense

applications

Deadline for Chair and Methodologist to

complete edits of dissertation prior to final

defense for semester graduates

2 weeks before the deadline to defend final

dissertation

Deadline for the Application for Dissertation

Defense for semester graduates

2 weeks before the deadline to defend final

dissertation

Deadline to send the final dissertation to all

committee members for semester graduates

Monday before 3 weeks (spring and fall) or 2

weeks (summer) prior to the class day of full-

term classes

Deadline to defend final dissertation

2 days (spring and fall) or 1 day (summer) after

deadline to defend final dissertation

Last day to submit one electronic copy of

dissertation for university review

Last day of classes

Final Dissertation Approval Form with

signatures and Dissertation Submission

Approval Form with signatures are due to

Doctoral Program Assistant

Procedures for Dissertation Prospectus Defense

The primary purpose of the Dissertation Prospectus Defense is for the EdD student to

demonstrate his or her knowledge of current empirical literature related to a specific problem. A

prospectus defense PowerPoint template is provided on the EdD Program Website. Prior to the

scheduled defense, the Doctoral Program Administrative Assistant will distribute the oral

presentation rubric, approval form, and any other needed materials to the Chair of the EdD

Dissertation Committee. When the Committee agrees the EdD student’s Prospectus is ready to

defend, the Chair will coordinate with the members of the Committee and the EdD student to

schedule the date and time for the Dissertation Prospectus Defense. Once the date and time have

been established, the EdD student will submit an Application for Prospectus Defense to the

Doctoral Program Administrative Assistant at least two weeks prior to the scheduled event, so a

meeting location can be reserved. The Chair will provide each committee member with the

Proposal at least 14 calendar days prior to the scheduled defense. EdD students should be

encouraged to provide the Chair with a draft of the PowerPoint presentation at least seven days

prior to the scheduled defense. Chairs are encouraged to work with the EdD student to refine

and rehearse the defense presentation. The following protocol will be followed when conducting

a prospectus defense.

Committee Organization

1. The Chair will explain the purpose of the defense and the Committee’s primary tasks.

2. The Chair will explain the two options (i.e., votes) available to each committee member:

pass or fail.

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/docs/defense_template_prospectus.ppt


18

3. The Chair will introduce the EdD student and give the title of the prospectus.

Presentation

4. The candidate will take 30 minutes acquainting the committee with the Prospectus. In this

time period, the EdD student will present essential and notable points regarding:

a. the problem studied and why the study will be significant.

b. significant aspects of the literature review reported in Chapter II.

c. state the research questions.

d. overview of the proposed research methodology.

5. When the EdD student completes the presentation, the committee members will ask

questions beginning with the third committee member and ending with the Chair. The

EdD student will respond to the questions posed with further discussion among the

committee members. As each member of the Committee asks questions of the EdD

student, other Committee members may wish to probe the student further or to follow up

on a related topic. Please ask the committee member who is currently questioning for

permission to interrupt their questioning process.

Committee Deliberation

6. When committee-student interactions are completed, the EdD student will leave the room

while the committee deliberates.

7. The committee will vote as to the defensibility of the dissertation prospectus, according

to these criteria:

a. Has the EdD student proceeded according to the requirements for the dissertation

prospectus?

b. Were the committee’s concerns addressed to every member’s satisfaction?

c. Did the EdD student organize the presentation around the written materials?

d. Was the description of the problem adequate?

e. Did the EdD student articulate the need for the research correctly?

f. Did the EdD student cite appropriate literature in Chapter II to guide the research?

g. Are the proposed research questions “smart”?

Specific: Does it include specific variables or concepts?

Measurable: Can it be evaluated (i.e., methods)?

Aligned: Does it align with the problem and purpose?

Realistic: Do I have the resources to answer it (i.e., feasible)?

Timely: Is it relevant to current issues in research?

h. Did the EdD student portray the importance of the study accurately in such a

manner that it will contribute to the field?

i. Can the study be conducted efficiently and effectively?

19

Decision

8. The Chair will ask the Committee whether or not the EdD student should move onto the

Dissertation Proposal stage.

a. If the Committee votes pass, the Chair will invite the EdD student back into the

room and inform him or her of the vote. The Chair will ensure that all required

signatures are obtained on the Proposal Approval Form.

b. If the vote is fails, the Chair will invite the EdD student back into the room and

inform him or her of the vote and the options that are available to the student.

c. If the Committee elects to suspend their vote, the Committee will be required

meet again via face-to-face, phone, email, or video conference. Before the EdD

student and Committee dismiss, a specific set of recommendations for corrective

action and a timeline for their completion must be developed before the

Committee can reconvene for the formal vote.

9. As a group, the committee members will complete the oral presentation rubric.

If revisions are required, those completed revisions should be reviewed and approved by the

Chair. Other committee members can request to review the revisions. On the approval form, the

Chair should indicate if the prospectus was approved by the Committee as

• “no revisions needed”

• “minor revisions needed” (e.g., formatting or grammar)

• “major revisions needed” (e.g., change from quantitative research methods

to mixed methods research or addition of more literature in Chapter II.)

If major revisions are indicated, the Chair should indicate what

specific revisions are needed on the approval form, and the Chair

should notify the Doctoral Program Assistant and Director of the

EdD Program to determine if another should occur.

Debriefing

Any edited copies of the EdD student's prospectus should be left with the Chair. The EdD

student must respond promptly to any recommendations or editorial suggestions. The Chair will

debrief the EdD student at the close of the defense and discuss how to improve the dissertation

prospectus.

Final Steps

After the defense concludes, the Chair will provide the Doctoral Program Administrative

Assistant with the completed oral presentation rubric and signed approval form.

Procedures for Dissertation Proposal Defense

The primary purpose of the Dissertation Proposal Defense is for the EdD student to

propose comprehensive and well-defined methodology for answering his or her research

questions. A proposal defense PowerPoint template is provided on the EdD Program Website.

Prior to the scheduled defense, the Doctoral Program Administrative Assistant will distribute the

oral presentation rubric, approval form, and any other needed materials to the Chair of the EdD

Dissertation Committee. When the Committee agrees the EdD student’s Proposal is ready to

defend, the Chair will coordinate with the members of the Committee and the EdD student to

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/docs/defense_template_proposal.ppt

20

schedule the date and time for the Dissertation Proposal Defense. Once the date and time have

been established, the EdD student will submit an Application for Proposal Defense to the

Doctoral Program Administrative Assistant at least two weeks prior to the scheduled event, so a

meeting location can be reserved. The Chair will provide each committee member with the

Proposal at least 21 calendar days prior to the scheduled defense. EdD students should be

encouraged to provide the Chair with a draft of the PowerPoint presentation at least seven days

prior to the scheduled defense. Chairs are encouraged to work with the EdD student to refine

and rehearse the defense presentation. The following protocol will be followed when conducting

a prospectus defense.




pass or fail.

3. The Chair will introduce the EdD student and give the title of the proposal.

Presentation

4. The candidate will take 30 minutes acquainting the committee with the Proposal. In this

time period, the EdD student will present essential and notable points regarding:

a. the problem studied and why the study will be significant from Chapter I.

b. highlights from the literature review reported in Chapter II.

c. detailed methodology for conducting the proposed study as reported in Chapter

III.



EdD student will respond to the questions posed with further discussion among the


student, other Committee members may wish to probe the candidate further or to follow

up on a related topic. Please ask the Committee member who is currently questioning for



6. When committee-student interactions are completed, the EdD student will leave the room

while the committee deliberates.


to these criteria:

a. Has the EdD student proceeded according to the requirements for the dissertation

proposal?


c. Can the study be conducted efficiently and effectively?

d. Does the candidate have sufficient resources to complete the study?

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/forms/EdD_form_proposal_defense.pdf

21

e. Has the EdD student explained the methodology using accurate and appropriate

language?

Decision


Final Dissertation stage (i.e., Degree Candidacy).

a. If the Committee votes pass, the Chair will invite the EdD student back into the



b. If the vote is fails, the Chair will invite the EdD student back into the room and


c. If the Committee elects to suspend their vote, the Committee will be required







Chair. Other committee members can request to review the revisions. On the approval form, the

Chair should indicate if the proposal was approved by the Committee as

• “no revisions needed”

• “minor revisions needed” (e.g., formatting or grammar)

• “major revisions needed” (e.g., change from quantitative research methods

to mixed methods research or addition of more literature in Chapter II.)

If major revisions are indicated, the Chair should indicate what

specific revisions are needed on the approval form, and the Chair

should notify the Doctoral Program Assistant and Director of the

EdD Program to determine if another should occur.

The Dissertation Proposal Approval Form should not be signed the Committee until the proposal

is deemed acceptable and the study is ready to submit to the CSU IRB for review. An approved

Dissertation Proposal functions as a document that specifically outlines how the EdD student

will implement the research study.

Debriefing

Any edited copies of the EdD student's proposal should be left with the Chair. The EdD

student must respond promptly to any recommendations or editorial suggestions. The Chair will

debrief the EdD student at the close of the defense and discuss how to improve the dissertation

proposal.

Final Steps


Assistant with the completed oral presentation rubric and signed approval form. If upon

completion of the Proposal defense, the Proposal is not ready for approval, the Chair will notify

the Doctoral Office of Advising and Records to hold the approval form. When the final draft of

the Proposal is approved (with no revisions), the EdD student will submit a copy of the clean

22

draft in TK20. Once the Proposal has been approved by the committee and received by the

Director of Doctoral Program in Education and COEHP Dean, the EdD student may move

forward with the IRB application process. Recruitment and/or data collection cannot begin until

the Dissertation Proposal has been defended successfully and the study has received CSU IRB

approval.

Procedures for Final Dissertation Defense

The primary purpose of the Final Dissertation Defense is for the EdD student to present

the findings, conclusions, and implications from his or her dissertation study. A final

dissertation defense PowerPoint template is provided on the EdD Program Website. Prior to the

scheduled defense, the Doctoral Program Administrative Assistant will distribute the oral

presentation rubric, approval form, and any other needed materials to the Chair of the EdD

Dissertation Committee. When the Committee agrees the EdD student’s final dissertation is

ready to defend, the Chair will coordinate with the members of the Committee and the EdD

student to schedule the date and time for the Final Dissertation Defense. To qualify for

graduation in a given semester, the Committee and EdD student should be mindful of the

deadline on the EdD Program Calendar, which is posted on the EdD Program Website. Once the

date and time have been established, the EdD student will submit an Application for Final

Dissertation Defense to the Doctoral Program Administrative Assistant at least two weeks prior

to the scheduled event, so a meeting location can be reserved. The Doctoral Office for Advising

and Records will announce the date, time, and location publicly via email to the COEHP faculty,

EdD Dissertation Faculty in other Colleges, the Provost’s Office, and current EdD students. The

Chair will provide each committee member with the Final Dissertation at least 14 calendar days

prior to the scheduled defense. EdD students should be encouraged to provide the Chair with a

draft of the PowerPoint presentation at least seven days prior to the scheduled defense. Chairs

are encouraged to work with the EdD student to refine and rehearse the defense presentation.

The following protocol will be followed when conducting a final dissertation defense.




pass or fail.

3. The Chair will introduce the EdD student and give the title of the dissertation.

Presentation

4. The candidate will take 30 minutes acquainting the committee with the dissertation. In

this time period, the EdD student will present essential and notable points regarding:

a. highlight the problem and purpose of the study from Chapter I.

b. state the research questions and methodology from Chapter III.

c. discuss the results from Chapter IV.

d. discuss the conclusions and implications from Chapter V.



candidate will respond to the questions posed with further discussion among the

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/docs/defense_template_final_dissertation.ppt

https://cfl.columbusstate.edu/docs/defense_template_final_dissertation.ppt



23


student, other Committee members may wish to probe the student further or to follow up

on a related topic. Please ask the Committee member who is currently questioning for


6. When committee-student interactions are completed, the Chair will allow guests and

other observers to ask questions of the EdD students related to the dissertation study. The

Chair will moderate the process to keep the exchange relevant and timely.


7. When the questions by the guests and other observers are finished per the Chair, the EdD

student, guests, and other observers will leave the room while the Committee deliberates.


to these criteria:

a. Has the EdD student proceeded according to the requirements for the final

dissertation?


c. Did the EdD student speculate on the meaning(s) of the results correctly?

d. Did the EdD student state the implications that can be drawn from the results

accurately?

e. Were the important strengths and limitations of the study identified and discussed

in light of future research?

f. Did the EdD student point out consistencies and inconsistencies in the results with

the findings in the literature cited in Chapter 2?

Decision


Final Dissertation stage (i.e., Degree Candidacy).

d. If the Committee votes pass, the Chair will invite the EdD student back into the



e. If the vote is fails, the Chair will invite the EdD student back into the room and


f. If the Committee elects to suspend their vote, the Committee will be required







Chair. Other committee members can request to review the revisions. The Dissertation

24

Approval Page should not be signed the Committee until the final dissertation is deemed

acceptable.

Debriefing

Any edited copies of the EdD student's final dissertation should be left with the Chair.

The EdD student must respond promptly to any recommendations or editorial suggestions. The

Chair will debrief the EdD student at the close of the defense and discuss how to improve the

final dissertation. In addition, the Chair will discuss the steps involved with the final dissertation

approval process.

Final Steps


Assistant with the completed oral presentation rubric and signed approval form. Once the

Doctoral Program Administrative Assistant receives the rubric and form, the Director of

Doctoral Program in Education will contact the EdD student about preparing the final

dissertation for university review and publication.

Procedures for Virtual Defenses via Zoom

1. The Doctoral Program Assistant will schedule all virtual defenses after the defense

application has been received and approved. (Note: Applications should be submitted to

the Doctoral Program Assistant two weeks prior to the scheduled defense.)

2. All procedures for a face-to-face defense that are included in the EdD Dissertation

Committee Handbook, which is posted on the EdD Program Website, should be followed

when conducting a virtual defense, except the following tasks:

a. For All Defenses

i. The Doctoral Program Assistant will email the Zoom link to the EdD

student and all EdD Dissertation Committee Members along with the

virtual defense procedures.

ii. Prior to the defense, the Chair of the EdD Dissertation Committee will

make sure that phone numbers are exchanged among the committee

members and EdD student.

iii. The committee approval form will be signed using DocuSign. This form

will be initiated by the Doctoral Program Assistant.

iv. The Doctoral Program Assistant will attend all virtual defenses to assist

with technical issues and create the breakout rooms for the EdD

Dissertation Committee’s pre-defense and post-defense discussions. The

Assistant will have the camera turned off and microphone muted, unless

assistance is needed. If the Doctoral Program Assistant is unable to

attend, the Director of the EdD Program will attend on behalf of the

Assistant.

v. The committee members will be assigned to a breakout room by the

Doctoral Program Assistant prior to the defense presentation to discuss the

EdD student’s dissertation draft. After the committee members leave the

breakout room, the defense presentation will begin.

25

vi. The EdD Dissertation Committee will be assigned to a breakout room by

the Doctoral Program Assistant after the defense presentation to discuss

the EdD student’s presentation and dissertation draft. After the committee

members leave the breakout room, the Chair will render the decision of

the EdD Dissertation Committee and discuss any suggestions and/or

revisions required by the Committee.

b. For Final Dissertation Defenses Only

i. The Doctoral Program Assistant will email the Zoom link to the EdD

student and all EdD Dissertation Committee Members along with all EdD

faculty and students.

ii. The Chair should remind all guests of these guidelines before the defense

begins:

1. All guests who attend the virtual defense will be asked to mute

their microphones and turn off their webcam until the defense has

concluded.

2. If one of the guests would like to ask a question, he or she will type

that question using the chat box feature within Zoom. The Chair

will screen the questions prior to presenting them to the EdD

student.

iii. The approval form, which is the first page of the dissertation, will be held

by the Doctoral Program Assistant until the campus reopens. After

campus reopens, the Assistant will obtain the signatures from the

appropriate individuals. The hard copy dissertation will be printed after

the handwritten signatures are obtained.

iv. To gather the appropriate approvals for program completion, these steps

will be followed.

1. The Chair of the EdD Dissertation Committee will send an email

to the Doctoral Program Assistant and CC all committee members

to document the Committee’s approval decision.

2. The Doctoral Program Assistant will forward that email to the

Director of the EdD Program.

3. After the university review process has been completed, the

Director of the EdD Program will forward the EdD Dissertation

Committee Chair’s email and indicate his/her approval to the

Director of the COEHP Graduate Studies.

4. The Director of COEHP Graduate Studies will reply to this email

to indicate his/her approval for the EdD student’s final dissertation

to be published.

5. The Director of the EdD Program will forward the email from the

Director of COHEP Graduate Studies to the COEHP Dean.

26

6. The COEHP Dean will reply to this email to indicate his/her

approval for the EdD student’s final dissertation to be published.

7. The final dissertation PDF along with the above email thread will

be sent to the CSU Library, then the Library will notify the

Registrar that the final dissertation has been received in

DegreeWorks.

Documents

EdD Dissertation Committee Handbook€¦ · EdD Dissertation Committee Handbook Doctoral Office of Advising and Records College of Education and Health Professions Columbus State