The culminating requirement of the Nova Scotia PhD Program in Educational Studies is a Doctoral Dissertation. The research presented in the dissertation constitutes a substantial and original contribution to the study of education.

• Doctoral candidates offer a dissertation proposal to their Supervisory Committee which they defend at a public meeting.
• Candidates secure ethics clearance from their home university for research described in their proposal.
• Once their proposal has been passed and ethics approved, candidates conduct their research and write their dissertation.
• Once they have completed their dissertation, candidates publicly defend their dissertation at a final dissertation defense (includes an external examiner).

Normally, candidates complete their dissertations in three years after the comprehensive portfolio examination, but no later than six years after entering the doctoral program, unless an extension has been granted.