6.6 The Prospectus Hearing
6.6.1 Length of the Dissertation
The text of the dissertation should be no less than 150 pages and no more than 300 pages. These page limitations apply to the chapters of the dissertation and do not include the preliminary pages, appendices, or other referential matters. Students may petition the Dissertation Committee for the waiver of normative length requirements.
6.6.2 Preparing the Defense Version of the Completed Dissertation
The completed dissertation must follow all matters of style as found in the PhD in Biblical Studies Style Guide, which is based on the latest editions of the Society of Biblical Literature Handbook of Style (SBL handbook) and The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS).
The defense version of the dissertation is due to the Dissertation Committee members a minimum of three weeks prior to the defense hearing.
Please Note: Failure to share the defense version of the dissertation at least two weeks prior to the open hearing will result in the cancellation of the hearing, possibly delaying graduation.
Once the defense version of the dissertation is submitted, no further changes can be made to the document. Students who discover minor changes that are needed in the dissertation after the defense version is submitted should make note of the changes and identify them during the open hearing.
6.6.3 The Dissertation Defense Hearing
6.6.3.1 The Presentation of Findings
The oral defense of the completed dissertation occurs in an open hearing that includes the student, the Dissertation Committee, student colleagues, and other LBC|Capital faculty. The following guidelines and expectations are designed to aid the student in preparing for the defense hearing.
6.6.3.2 The Presentation of Content
The dissertation defense presentation must consist of the following PowerPoint slides in the following order:
1. Dissertation Title (15-17 words maximum) followed by the Research Purpose Statement
2. Research Questions or Hypotheses as appropriate to the research design
3. Synopsis of the Research Process
4. Analysis of Findings using key tables and figures—meanings proposed by the data should be stated in short one sentence summary statements
5. Research Implications and the Precedent Literature
6. Research Applications
7. Evaluation of the Current Research Design
8. Suggestions for Further Research
9. What the student has learned through the exploration of the dissertation topic
6.6.3.3 Hearing Process and Protocols
After the student presents and defends the dissertation, the Dissertation Committee deliberates in a closed session. Once the committee has reached a consensus, the hearing reopens and the committee gives their response. If changes are needed, the committee describes the necessary changes to the student at that point.
Open hearings are recorded in order to free the student to interact with the Dissertation Committee rather than having the student focus on taking notes about any changes needed on the final copy of the dissertation.
6.6.3.4 Potential Dissertation Hearing Presentation Times
Students wishing to graduate in the May graduation must have hearings scheduled by April 1. Students wishing to graduate in the December graduation must have hearings scheduled by November 1.
6.6.4 Dissertation Evaluation
Students must receive a full consensus of approval from the committee to pass the dissertation defense and graduate from the program. A student who successfully defends the dissertation may still be required to rewrite specified sections of the document as determined by the Dissertation Committee in order to graduate.