Chapter 1: A Bit of History and Lore About Doctoral Programs and Dissertations

You are probably reading this book because you are a doctoral student, a professor who works with doctoral students, or a practicing professional who is involved in one or more doctoral programs. More specifically, you are involved in doctoral programs that prepare professionals who will graduate and enter or resume careers in one of the professions—in fields like education, business, psychology, social work, or the health professions. This book was written for you. It is about completing one of the major activities of most professional practice doctoral programs—the dissertation. It is a practical book, and that term applies to this chapter as well as the others. This chapter is an overview of the history of doctoral programs in general and of the dissertation in particular. We have included this chapter in the book because it is essential that you understand why some developments in Western doctoral programs are what they are. Do you, for example, know why there is an “oral defense of your thesis?” Do you know the original purpose of doctorates? Do you know how long the modern version of a dissertation has been a part of doctoral programs? These and many other questions are asked, and answered, in this chapter. The answers are important to you because they help you both understand current practices, and how procedures might, and perhaps should, be different when the doctoral program is preparing professional practitioners rather than academics or researchers.