Dissertation

All CS PhD students must register for graduation prior to defending and submitting their dissertation.

Required Format

Students will prepare their dissertations according to the ODU Guide for the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations along with a model journal. For more information on the format templates and college review procedures, see College of Sciences Thesis & Dissertation Instructions. Also see the guides under "Electronic Theses and Dissertations" on the Graduate School page.

Model Journal

Before you submit your dissertation to ProQuest, the format must be approved by the College of Sciences. The College expects that you submit a "model journal" article along with your dissertation. Your dissertation format should match the journal for placement of table titles, placement of figure titles, and reference format. Your advisor may suggest a model journal, for example IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing.

Recommended Deadlines

  • Submission of dissertation to committee: six weeks prior to the last day of classes for the semester (must be at least two weeks before the defense)
  • PhD dissertation defense: four weeks prior to the deadline for College review
  • Submission of electronic copy committee-approved dissertation to the department for College review: three weeks prior to the deadline for College review
    • Include all required documents as specified by the College of Sciences Review Procedures
    • The College will follow-up with you about one week after submission
    • Any subsequent submissions to the College may be sent as PDF via email
  • Submission of approved dissertation to ProQuest: see the official academic calendar for exact deadlines