Each CRM student is to write and successfully defend in an oral examination a dissertation of high quality, representing original and meaningful disciplinary research that makes a contribution to the literature in the field of coastal resources management.

Prior to the preparation of the dissertation students are required to prepare and defend before their doctoral advisory committee a proposal that provides a literature review of the topic proposed for study; a statement of the objectives and hypotheses guiding the study; a description of the proposed methodology that will guide the study; and a statement about the contribution the proposed project will make to the broad area of coastal resources management.

The qualifying oral examination will consist of a defense of the dissertation proposal. Typically, the proposal defense should take place during the semester following the successful completion of the comprehensive examinations and prior to the writing of the dissertation. The dissertation proposal must be written in consultation with the dissertation committee, and be no more than 30 double spaced pages in length. The dissertation proposal must be approved by the doctoral advisory committee prior to preparation of the doctoral dissertation itself.

The content of the dissertation is the responsibility of the student. It is essential that the dissertation be written so that it is accessible to a multidisciplinary audience. While advanced techniques can be employed, the emphasis of the research is on management and applied problems and not methodology or technique.

In order to have a proper multidisciplinary perspective on the significance of the research project, a student must be aware of the history of the subject area. It is necessary to include in the dissertation an extensive multidisciplinary literature review that describes this literature and leads to a clear statement of the motivation for the research. Any decision to omit a literature review of this kind must be made jointly by the student and the dissertation committee.

The student shall submit preliminary drafts of the dissertation to the members of the doctoral advisory committee. The committee members, either separately or jointly, should advise the student as to how the dissertation might be improved. The committee should keep in mind that the student may receive conflicting advice, and should allow maximum freedom for the student's judgment to operate.

When, in the judgment of the advisory committee, the thesis is essentially complete, the student, in consultation with the committee chair and members, shall schedule a formal presentation of the research open to the public. Upon completion of the public presentation, the student will provide defense of the thesis before the committee. Upon satisfactory completion of this oral defense and appropriate modifications of the thesis manuscript, the committee will sign and submit to the Dean of the Graduate School certification that the student has completed the requirements to receive the doctoral degree.