Ph.D. candidates are required to write a dissertation based on original and independent research carried out by the student.

The Dissertation Committee advises the student on his/her research through the time of filing the dissertation. The committee will read and sign the dissertation.

The committee consists of three members:

• The student's mentor normally acts as the chair of the committee;
• A second IB faculty member;
• The third faculty must be a member of the Berkeley Academic Senate outside of IB.

You must be registered or on filing fee in order to submit your dissertation. Check with Graduate Division to be sure your committee is the same as what they have on file.

• Faculty from other departments with a joint appointment to IB may serve as an inside member of both the Qualifying and Dissertation Committees but may not serve in the capacity of outside member.
• If you are unsure whether an individual qualifies as a dissertation committee member, check with the Graduate Student Affairs Officer.

IB Graduate Student Curriculum

Graduate Division: Information for Current Students

Graduate Division: Top Ten Most Common Mistakes Students Make When Filing Dissertations or Master's Theses

Graduate Division: Instructions for Preparing and Filing Your Thesis or Dissertation [PDF]