Dissertation Guidelines (Key Milestones)

Pre Dissertation 0

 Learner attends core, emphasis, research and residency classes during first two years of
program.

 Identifies broad area of research and narrows research area to potential researchable
and feasible topic.

 Develops working draft of 10 Strategic Points document.

 Learner builds on 10 Strategic Points to develop initial draft of Prospectus in Residency I

with topic defined by the extant research literature and problem space. Theoretical
foundation(s), problem and purpose of the study, research questions, and proposed
methodological approach are aligned to an updated 10 Strategic Points.

 Learner selects either quantitative or qualitative methodology program track based on

Prospectus and10 Strategic Points research design elements (problem space,
theoretical foundation, problem and purpose, research questions, research design, data
collection approach, and instrumentation).

 Prospectus finalized and 10 Strategic points updated in Residency II, with added detail
to methodology, design, study participants, sampling approach, data collection,
instrumentation/data sources, data analysis, and ethical considerations.

 Begins to draft sections of Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of dissertation in research, emphasis

and core courses.

 Develops research skills and doctoral level writing compliant with APA standards.

Milestone Group 1

 Learner completes first dissertation course xxx885; chair and methodologist are
assigned.

 Learner submits updated 10 Strategic Points and Research Prospectus draft to chair for
review.
  Learner begins to draft Dissertation Proposal with focus on Chapter 2.

 Learner identifies a content expert; D-10 Form issued, and dissertation committee is
formally established, Learner Dissertation Page (LDP) is created in the DC Network for
Dissertation Committee/Learner communication, document review(s) and archive.

 Learner obtains preliminary verbal agreement for site authorization to conduct research
with the sample population in the targeted organization.

 Learner continues to draft key elements of Dissertation Proposal including sections of

Chapters 1, 2, and 3.

Milestone Group 2

 Level 1 Review – Prospectus in second dissertation course xxx955: Research

Prospectus iteratively reviewed, and learner is receives recommendation to move to full
proposal development by the dissertation chair and methodologist.

 Learner continues to participate in dissertation classes and completes draft of Proposal -

Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of dissertation template.

 Dissertation committee (chair, methodologist and content expert) reviews dissertation

proposal in iterative review/revision process with learner.

 Learner and committee members complete a final review of proposal using the criterion
tables and scoring in dissertation template (Chapters 1-3).

 Learner obtains final written site authorization/permission to conduct research on the

sample population in the targeted organization. Note: Site approval does not constitute
IRB approval. Learners are not allowed to collect data until IRB approval is received
(Milestone 4).

 Dissertation committee approves proposal for Level 2 Proposal Peer Review; chair
submits committee approved proposal for peer review.

 Level 2 Peer Review - Proposal: Proposal review and recommendation by peer

reviewer for proposal defense conference call (iterative process with learner, chair and
peer reviewer).
Milestone Group 3

 Learner develops draft PowerPoint presentation for Level 3 Review Proposal Defense
Conference Call.

 Learner ensures final site authorization is obtained at data collection sites, updates site
authorization letter(s) if needed.

 Learner prepares documents for IRB Application.

 Learner schedules proposal defense call with chair and committee members.

 Level 3 Review – Proposal Defense Conference Call: Proposal Defense Conference

Call is conducted;

 Dissertation Committee Approval of Proposal; D-35 Form issued upon successful

completion and approval of proposal defense.

 Dissertation Proposal recommended for Level 4 review with iterative revisions based on
proposal defense as recommended.

Milestone Group 4

 Learner is required to obtain approval from GCU's Institutional Review Board (IRB) in
advance of participant recruiting and data collection in accordance GCU policy and U.S.
federal regulations.

 Learner finalizes documents for IRB Application (iterative process with chair) and
submits to IRB for review.

 Level 4 Review – IRB Review: IRB Application Documents Reviewed/Approved with

iterative revisions if required.

 IRB determination letter and D-50 Form issued.

 Advancement to Candidacy recommended, and letter issued by College of Doctoral

Studies.
Milestone Group 5

 Learner executes opposed study per Level 3 and 4 approvals; collects and analyzes
data.

 Learner writes drafts of dissertation Chapter 4 and Chapter 5.

 Chair reviews Chapter 4 (iterative process with learner, chair, and methodologist).

 Chair reviews Chapter 5 (iterative process with learner, chair, and content expert).

Milestone Group 6

 Full dissertation (Chapters 1-5) submitted to chair for review/approval (iterative process
with chair and learner until chair approves manuscript).

 Chair reviewed approved dissertation manuscript submitted to dissertation committee for

a final iterative review in preparation for the Level 5 Peer Review.

 Learner and committee members complete a final review of dissertation manuscript

using the criterion tables and scoring in dissertation template.

 Dissertation committee approves dissertation manuscript for Level 5 Peer Review; chair
submits committee approved manuscript for peer review. Please Note: that dissertation
manuscripts submitted to Level 5 peer review that do not meet the criteria outlined for
each section and chapter in the GCU Dissertation Template will designated as not ready
for review and immediately returned to the learner for revisions.

 Level 5 Review – Dissertation: Iterative peer review of dissertation manuscript and

recommendation by Peer Reviewer for learner to move Level 6 Review - Dissertation
Defense Call.

 Learner revises Level 5 peer-reviewed dissertation manuscript in consultation with chair

and committee until manuscript is ready for for Level 6 - Dissertation Defense
Conference Call.

 Learner develops draft of Dissertation Defense PowerPoint in preparation for defense

conference call.
  Level 6 Review – Dissertation Defense Conference Call: Dissertation Defense
conference call with Dissertation Committee and assigned Peer Reviewer. D-65 Form
issued upon successful completion and approval of dissertation defense.

Milestone Group 7

 Learner completes all final edits from Level 5 Peer Review and Level 6 Dissertation
Defense in consultation with chair and ensures the manuscript fully complies with GCU
publication requirements as outlined in Dissertation Template, current version of APA,
and Form/Format Checklist.

 Form and Format Checklist completed by learner and reviewed/signed by chair;

Dissertation Manuscript is submitted for Level 7 Form and Format review by chair.

 Level 7 Review: Form and Format Iterative review of dissertation manuscript and
approval for manuscript publication; D-75 form issued when manuscript is fully compliant
with GCU publication requirements; recommendation for Level 8 Review: Dean's
Review.

Milestone Group 8

 Level 8 Review: Dean’s Review and Final Approval of Dissertation Manuscript;

Recommendation for Dean's Signature; (iterative revision process if necessary with
learner, dean, and associate dean).

 Learner submits dean approved and signed manuscript to ProQuest for Publication.

 ProQuest submission review by CDS administration, and dissertation manuscript is

approved for publication.

 Learner moved to graduated status and is eligible to walk at commencement.

 University issues diploma.