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Proposal
Following your written and oral comprehensive examinations, work with your major advisor to identify a topic for your dissertation.
- Based on your literature review and any additional courses, prepare a dissertation proposal.
The proposal is a written document of 25-30 pages that contains the rationale for your dissertation. In addition, it delineates your research hypotheses, subjects, procedures, and instruments, if you are conducting empirical research or it delineates the theoretical background for your dissertation if you are conducting qualitative or theoretical research. (Your tuition is reduced another 50% (to 25% of full tuition) after you pass your proposal.)
- See sample proposals for Maharishi Vedic Science and Physiology:
- While you are writing your proposal, work with the chair of your dissertation to form a committee of 4-5 researchers. Your committee should include at least four members who cover five roles:
- the chair of the committee, from your department
- one other faculty member from your department
- one faculty member from another department at MUM
- one faculty member from another university
- The fifth "role" is responsible for the Maharishi Vedic Science and Graduate Committee issues. This role can be covered by a fifth member or by one of the above members of your committee.
- Work on your proposal with the chair of your committee. Once the chair feels that your proposal is in good shape, then you should send it to the members of your committee. Give them two weeks to respond to your proposal. Incorporate their changes and defend the final version.
Richo Akshare line / Unified Field Chart / Prachetana Chart
Each Dissertation should have a Richo Akshare line and Unified Field Chart, or a Prachetana Chart. The guidelines are explained at the links below
A note from the Dissertation Coordinator:
To save time, get it right the first time: meet with the Dissertation Coordinator, Dr. Suzanne Vesely, at the outset of your dissertation preparation and again once the committee has your first draft in hand. Dr. Vesely can be reached at svesely@mum.edu or at 641-472-1148
Design and implement your research plan. This process can take from 24-48 months. Keep orderly records and consult frequently with your chair. It’s good to give regular progress reports to your committee members every semester.
Pay close attention, even at the beginning, to the final steps
Steps to Finish your Dissertation
- Four months before you plan to graduate, you should have the first version of your dissertation completely checked by your chair; this is a requirement, so plan your time. If you follow this schedule, you can avoid the late nights trying to finish your dissertation. Plan ahead!
Dissertation Style and Formatting Aids
- Each part of the dissertation — title page, abstract, acknowledgements — has a very specific format. This PDF of a slide presentation tells you all the rules.
- We also recommend that you use Endnote student version citation software. You get a discount as a student and can get it reasonably; in 2011 it was $120. It will automatically put the body of your text in APA Style and format your bibliography (you will still have to create the preliminary pages that are unique to dissertations, following the guidelines provided by Maharishi University of Management--see the slide presentation).
- You may also want to try a citation maker; we recommend EasyBib. It is free and has good features, but don’t fully rely on it; e.g., citation makers won’t get your Movement citations right for works and organizations connected with the Transcendental Meditation Movement. Also check on Word 10 or more recent Word versions, these have a citation feature.
Content Updated October 2012 |