Music Graduate Office

PhD and DME - Topic Proposal, Dissertation, and Defense

Flow chart for PhD-DME coursework, exams and dissertation  ·  Topic Proposal Procedure  · Human Subjects  ·  General Style Guidelines  · 

Dissertation and Defense Procedure  ·  Final project/defense calendar  · 

Preparation of final bound copies - PHD  ·  Preparation of final bound copies - DME 

Topic Proposal Procedure

The topic proposal outlines the subject of the dissertation. Here is the procedure:

1. Line up prospective members of your Research Committee, which is made up of three members of your major department and one member from outside the department. Committee members for Ph.D. dissertations must be members of the University Graduate Faculty.

2. Write a topic proposal according to the guidelines provided by your department.

3. Step 3 varies slightly depending on your major field. 

Musicology majors - Have the topic proposal endorsed by a prospective Research Director. Circulate copies of the topic proposal to prospective members of a research committee, in consultation with the prospective Research Director. When each member of the prospective research committee has endorsed the topic proposal, a copy of the endorsed proposal should be forwarded to the Music Graduate Office with a recommendation of an appropriate research committee by the department.

Music Theory majors – Have the topic proposal endorsed by a prospective Research Director. Circulate copies of the topic proposal to prospective members of a research committee, in consultation with the prospective Research Director. After each member of the prospective research committee has endorsed the topic proposal, students should contact the Music Theory department chair to schedule a presentation of the topic proposal before the departmental faculty.  Once the topic proposal defense is passed, a copy of the endorsed proposal should be forwarded to the Music Graduate Office with a recommendation of an appropriate research committee by the department.

Music Education majors - Have the topic proposal endorsed by a prospective Research Director. Circulate copies of the topic proposal to prospective members of a research committee, in consultation with the prospective Research Director. When each member of the prospective research committee has endorsed the topic proposal, a copy of the endorsed proposal should be forwarded to the Music Graduate Office with a recommendation of an appropriate research committee by the prospective Research Director.

Please note the following restrictions on taking and scheduling written and oral exams:

4. If your research involves work with human subjects (including surveys or interviews) you must get permission from the University's Human Subjects Committee. See the information here.

5.  Once the topic proposal is formally endorsed by the department, all PhD students must formally declare their Research Committee.  (DME students do not need to complete this step).

• Complete the "Nomination of Research Committee for the PhD" form (which you can obtain in the Music Graduate Office)

• Gather the signatures of the proposed Research Committee members

• Submit the completed form, a one-to-two page summary of your topic, and Human Subjects Committee approval (if applicable) to the Music Graduate Office.

If you are not in Bloomington, the Music Graduate office staff will help with completing the form and gathering signatures, but you will still be responsible for giving the Music Graduate Office the one-to-two page summary of the topic and proof of Human Subjects Committee approval (if applicable).

Human subjects

If your research involves work with human subjects (including surveys or interviews) you must get permission from the University's Human Subjects Committee. Information on this process is available at http://www.music.indiana.edu/som/grad/Doctoral/HSC.htm.

You must submit a copy of the written approval of your research by this committee before your proposal can be approved by the School of Music.

Every person proposing research on human subjects must demonstrate that he or she understands the rules and responsibilities for this kind of research by passing a test. Information on the test and a tutorial on the topic is available at http://www.iupui.edu/~resgrad/Human Subjects/HumanSubjectsCourse.html.

This requirement applies to the person conducting the research (the "Principal Investigator" or PI--you) and to the faculty sponsor of the research. If you are working with a member of the faculty who regularly conducts research on human subjects (for example, many members of the Music Education Department and the Speech and Hearing Department), they will probably have passed the test and can be the sponsor of your application. If you are working with a member of the faculty who does not usually conduct this kind of research, he or she may take the steps to pass it, or you may list the Director of Graduate Studies as the sponsor and make an appointment to have your application signed when it is complete.

Procedure--Dissertation approval and defense

The process in outline:

• have topic proposal approved (follow procedure outlined above)

• conduct research and prepare dissertation

• the research director approves the completed dissertation for circulation to the rest of the research committee

• submit multiple copies of the dissertation to the Music Graduate Office

• Music Graduate Office circulates these copies to the research committee

• once the dissertation is approved, the student may schedule the defense (at least 30 days in advance for PhD students)

• notify the University Graduate School of the defense date (PhD students only)

• after the defense, submit the final copies of the dissertation to either the University Graduate School, the Music Graduate Office, or both (see details below)

A. The student conducts research and prepares the dissertation.  Follow the style guidelines outlined here.

B. The research director approves the completed dissertation for circulation.

Ask your research director to send an e-mail note to musdoc@indiana.edu or a written note to the Doctoral Clerk in the Music Graduate Office.

C. The student submits multiple copies of the completed dissertation to the Music Graduate Office for circulation to the members of the research committee.

Please submit five copies; four are sent to the members of your committee for reading, and one is for the office and Director of Graduate Studies. The Graduate Office will distribute the document to members of the research committee for reading.

D. The research committee approves the dissertation.

The Music Graduate Office will inform you by e-mail when your dissertation has been approved by all the members of your research committee. Only when the dissertation has been approved by all committee members may a student schedule the defense. Committee members should indicate in writing any changes or revisions necessary in the approved text.

 

By University policy, faculty members may take up to twelve weeks for this process for PhD students; please allow sufficient time as you plan the final stages of your degree.

 

Although most faculty return materials much more quickly, the complexities of professional travel, leaves, and Graduate Office scheduling make it difficult to respond to last-minute requests. In general, students should allow a full semester for the entire process, from submission of document to graduation.

E. The student schedules a defense attended by the members of the research committee, which decides on the acceptability of the presentation.

Schedule a defense date through the Music Graduate Office after all members of your research committee have approved the dissertation. Defenses are held in a classroom reserved by the Music Graduate Office, Mondays through Fridays at 4 PM during most of the fall and spring semesters (not during the first week of classes, on holidays or during breaks.)  If committee members are available, events may be scheduled during the second summer session (not the first); students hoping to schedule during the summer should consult the Music Graduate Office before March 15th. 

 

Once your dissertation has been approved, you may tentatively reserve a date for the defense. This date will be held for one week while you confirm it with members of the committee.  (If a tentative date is not confirmed within one week, it may be offered to another student.)  Students should plan ahead because end-of-semester dates fill up quickly, especially in the spring.  Click here for the defense and public lecture calendar.  Once the date is confirmed, inform that Music Graduate Office so that an announcement can be sent to you and your committee members. 

 

PhD students must also contact the University Graduate School to file a defense announcement.  This must be done at least 30 days in advance of the defense date. 

A defense is attended by the members of the research committee and by interested members of the School of Music community. It typically begins with a presentation by the candidate explaining how he or she came to the topic and giving an overview of the research and its results. This is followed by questions on the project and topic from members of the committee (and, if time permits, from guests).

The members of the research committee will meet privately immediately after the defense to decide on its acceptability for the degree. The Music Graduate Office will supply the chair of the research committee with a form on which the committee can record its judgment; this form should be delivered immediately to the Graduate Office. The committee may also communicate any last-minute suggestions to the student for minor revisions to the final product.

F. The student prepares and submits final copies of the dissertation.

Information on the preparation of final copies is available below.

Students should submit an application for graduation no later than the beginning of the semester in which they plan to graduate. Click here for dates and information.

Preparation of final copies - PhD

When the final version of the dissertation has the approval of committee members (and after the defense is passed), the student has two options for final submission:  the traditional method of submitting two bound and one unbound copy of the dissertation to the University Graduate School, or the electronic method in which the student submits two bound copies to the Music Graduate Office and one electronic copy to ProQuest.  Click here for more details.

Instructions and tools for the electronic submission (if you choose that option) are available at http://dissertations.umi.com/indiana/. The submission process includes creating an account, logging in to the system, completing the author agreement, and uploading the relevant files and information about your submission. Note that all dissertations must be submitted as either PDF, Microsoft Word, or RTF files. (ProQuest requires that you convert your document to PDF using their online converter before submission if your document is in Microsoft Word or RTF.)

The on-line instructions walk you through the procedure and will remind you of any other necessary details. There is also an e-mail address for questions that come up: support@dissertations.umi.com. Please note there is a fee of $65 that must be paid to ProQuest LLC in order to complete the process.  During the submission process, you will also have the option to request that ProQuest file for copyright on your behalf. If you choose this option, there will be an additional $65 fee (payable to ProQuest LLC).

Preparation of final copies - DME

1. The student may deliver the dissertation copies to Smith Bookbindery and arrange to have the bound dissertation copies sent to the Music Graduate Office once they are complete:

     Smith Bookbindery
     112 W. 10th St.
     Bloomington, IN 47404
     phone: (812) 332-2743

           Contact Smith Bookbindery for details about rates and payment options.

2. The student may send the dissertation copies to the Music Graduate Office (Merrill Hall 011, 1201 E 3rd St, Bloomington, IN  47405) and have Smith Bookbindery pick up and return them for a fee (contact Smith Bookbindery for details).

3. The student may have the dissertation copies bound elsewhere and sent to the Music Graduate Office after binding.

If the student has the dissertation bound at Smith Bookbindery, the Music Graduate Office needs only confirmation that the bindery has received the copies and that the student has paid the bindery fees--a receipt or phone call from the bindery will suffice--by the last day of final exams for the student to graduate. If the student has the dissertation bound elsewhere, the Music Graduate Office must receive the actual bound copies by the last day of final exams for the student to graduate.

Beginning fall 2005, students must submit a copy of their final dissertation electronically to ProQuest (formerly University Microfilms) in addition to the two bound copies submitted directly to the School of Music.

Instructions and tools for the electronic submission are available at http://dissertations.umi.com/indianamusic/.  The submission process includes creating an account, logging in to the system, completing the author agreement, and uploading the relevant files and information about your submission. Note that all dissertations must be submitted as either PDF, Microsoft Word, or RTF files. (ProQuest requires that you convert your document to PDF using their online converter before submission if your document is in Microsoft Word or RTF.)

The on-line instructions walk you through the procedure and will remind you of any other necessary details. There is also an e-mail address for questions that come up: support@dissertations.umi.com. Please note there is a fee of $65 (required) that must be paid to ProQuest in order to complete the process.  During the submission process, you will have the option to request that ProQuest file for copyright on your behalf. If you choose this option, there will be an additional $65 fee.