Dissertation Defense for ICLS Students

The dissertation defense is the final requirement for the Certificate in Comparative Literature and Society. The dissertation is defended by oral examination in the student’s home department before a committee including the sponsor, the second reader, a third reader, and two other faculty selected from outside the list of participating faculty listed above whose fields are appropriate to the candidate’s dissertation subject. At least one member of the dissertation committee must be a member of the ICLS Affiliated Faculty, our Executive Committee, or an ICLS Core Faculty member. Other than including an ICLS faculty member, the student should follow their home department defense guidelines.

NOTE: To ensure your ICLS Certificate is conferred at graduation, make sure your home department administrator informs ICLS ( at icls.columbia@gmail.com) of defense matters including: scheduling, emailing us a copy of the GSAS Application for Dissertation Defense form (with ICLS checked) and passing of defense (copy of signature sheet emailed to us.)

Students should familiarize themselves with the GSAS Guidelines for Dissertation Distribution and Defense.

Please note: It is required that students attend the ICLS Graduate Student Colloquium and strongly encouraged that they schedule a date to present their work in the ICLS Graduate Student Colloquium. This is a valuable opportunity to present a chapter in progress for feedback on the comparative work well in advance of the dissertation defense. Please contact the ICLS office for more information.