The Doctoral Research Office (DRO) supports students enrolled in doctoral programs for writing and completing a dissertation or projects. The Sofia Dissertation Handbook and the Sofia Projects Handbook are available on the DRO website and these documents outline the entire dissertation or projects process. Other resources include links to Forms needed to complete a proposal, organize a committee, conduct research and pilots, as well as providing links to video tutorials on APA style and research or pilot skills, and samples of completed dissertations and projects. Instructions for how to access the dissertation and projects Research Ethics Committee are also available on the website.
Doctoral Graduation
The Doctoral Research Office (DRO) certifies the completion of doctoral degree requirements and notifies the Office of the Registrar that all required materials have been successfully completed and submitted by the student. All required materials must be submitted to the DRO by the doctoral student and not their Committee Chair.
Filing the Final Dissertation Paperwork
Upon submission of an approved dissertation and related paperwork, the DRO submits the document for a final review. When the editor has completed the last review, the DRO provides the student with deadlines to revise and submit the final copy of the dissertation and any related outstanding paperwork. Doctoral degrees cannot be awarded until all of the final paperwork has been completed.
It is important that doctoral students stay in close contact with the DRO to complete their degree requirements fully and expeditiously.
Completing the Dissertation:
To graduate from a Sofia University doctoral program, students must successfully complete a dissertation. After the Draft Meeting students must:
- Submit Form 6: Final Approval of Draft
- Hire an editor to complete a full draft edit
- Submit Form 7: Proof of Final Draft Edit
- Submit the edited dissertation for a Final Edit Check (FEC)
- Pass the FEC
- Submit Form 8: Abstract & Keywords
- Email a PDF of the dissertation to the Dissertation Office
- Complete the UMI ProQuest submission
Once these steps are completed, the DRO notifies the Registrar that all dissertation requirements have been fulfilled.
Visit the Doctoral Research Office (DRO) website for access to all dissertation and capstone project forms.
Commencement Participation
The University holds an annual Commencement Ceremony and celebration. All students who have completed a degree in that current academic year are welcome to participate. Students must complete all requirements before graduation. No student may participate in the graduation ceremony unless all course requirements are complete. In addition, all tuition and fee payments must be settled.
Doctoral students are expected to have completed all of their academic requirements (i.e., course work, dissertation or capstone project including all the final steps mentioned above) in order to participate in the Commencement ceremony. There is generally no exception to this policy.