D6. Candidacy
Students should file the Graduate College's "Advancement
to Candidacy" form (this was previously called the "Doctoral
Application to Candidacy"; it can be found by clicking
here) no later than 6 months before they schedule the Oral
Defense Examination.
D7. Final Oral Examination
The Final
Oral Examination is a defense of the penultimate draft
of the dissertation. It will include a presentation on the topic
of the dissertation, open to the public, followed by an oral examination
by members of the Dissertation Committee. The Chair of the Dissertation
Committee is also the Chair of the Final Oral Examination Committee,
and has the responsibility for reporting the results of the examination
to the Graduate College. Three grades are possible on the Final
Oral Examination: (1) unconditional pass, (2) pass with revisions
required, (3) fail. In case (2), the committee must specify in
writing what revisions are necessary, whether the revisions are
"major" or "minor," and by what date they
must be completed. The committee will also specify whether the
completed revisions must be approved by the entire committee or
only by the Chair. Usually only a major revision requires the
full committee's approval (please see "A Guide to the Final
Oral Examination" in Appendix E ). The "Announcement
of Final Oral Examination” form (found on line at http://grad.arizona.edu/)
must be received by the SLAT Office at least ten (10) working
days before the date of the exam. The Administative Assitant will
schedule a room and will then submit the form to the Graduate
Degree Certification Office seven (7) working days before the
date of the exam, as required by the Graduate College.
E. ADVISING AND MENTORING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Centralized academic advising is the responsibility of the SLAT
Advisor, a SLAT faculty member who serves on the Executive Council.
In addition, each student selects an orienting mentor who is in
her/his area of specialization. If a student has difficulty finding
an orienting mentor, he/she should consult with the SLAT Advisor,
who will assign an appropriate mentor. Usually, the orienting
mentor does not become the permanent mentor. Students often change
mentors during the course of study as they focus more clearly
on an area of specialization. It is the responsibility of the
student to inform the orienting mentor and SLAT Advisor of any
change. The following are examples of advising and mentoring duties:
SLAT
Advisor
a. Provide a clear map of the requirements each student must
meet, including:
- Coursework
- Language proficiency criteria
- Examinations
- Dissertation
b. Explain Graduate
College procedures
c. Delineate the amount of time expected to complete each step
d. Coordinate administration of the Qualifying Exercise
e. Monitor progress to degree
f. Provide general information to all students on conferences,
organizational memberships, and other professional growth activities.
Mentor
a. Enhance socialization to the values, norms, practices, and
attitudes of the discipline.
b. Share knowledge in area of specialization and give emotional
and moral encouragement.
c. Provide opportunities for apprenticeship in area of specialization.
d. Serve as an academic role model.
e. Advise on course selection in area of specialization.
f. Give specific feedback on student performance.
g. Encourage attendance and participation in professional meetings.
h. Encourage student publication, including detailed and encouraging
comments on student manuscripts (before dissertation).
i. Guide students in selection and initiation of research topics.
j. Create an ethos of collegiality.
