Student Resources

• Admissions
• CSUN Office of Graduate Studies
  The Office of Graduate Studies is responsible for implementing University policies on graduate student classification, formal programs, culminating experiences, diplomas, advisement for incoming students, probationary and disqualified students, and Interdisciplinary majors.
• CSUN Research and Sponsored Programs Office
  The RSP office manages all research grants and contracts for the University. They also oversee research integrity and compliance programs, intellectual property, and all campus Centers and Institutes.
• Doctoral Student Tuition and Fees (Student Finance)
• Financial Aid & Scholarship Department
• CSUN Doctoral Candidate Handbook
  This handbook serves as a guide and resource to doctoral students throughout their graduate career, providing step-by-step instructions on most aspects of doctoral study.
• Ed.D Programs in the CSU
• Project Change
• Associated Administrators of Los Angeles

Forms

• Mentor Assignment Form
• Employer Statement of Support
• Request Form for a Change in Dissertation Committee
• Request for Academic Leave of Absence
• Dissertation Defense Rubric
• Dissertation Hearing Rubric
• Dissertation Chair Request & Approval Form
• Dissertation Committee Member Approval Form
• Dissertation Proposal Defense Form
• IRB and Dissertation Proposal Development Status Form
• Dissertation Extension Request Form
• Dissertation Final Defense Form

Writing Resources

Writing challenges and time constraints can be major barriers to successful completion of the dissertation. Some candidates are overwhelmed with data and do not know where to begin; others have trouble organizing their material or putting findings into words; still others suffer from lack of experience with or confidence in academic writing. Nearly everyone has trouble finding the time to sit down and write. Candidates are encouraged to set a daily or weekly schedule for writing and stick to it, using larger blocks of time when most alert for the most difficult writing tasks, such as first drafts, and smaller amounts of time when less alert for easier writing, such as editing, creating data tables, or checking references.

Setting up small dissertation writing/support groups of three or four people outside of class can also be helpful; this could even be done online if in-person meetings are not feasible. Those who struggle with academic writing may need to seek additional help from workshops or professional editors.

Time management skills are critical to the successful completion of dissertations, especially for full-time working professionals in a three-year program. That is why candidates are started early on the dissertation process, beginning with the orientation; guided to maintain a strong focus on the dissertation process through the Saturday Doctoral Seminars; and held accountable for regular progress reports and chapter drafts in the Dissertation Seminars. Candidates are encouraged to use class research papers as opportunities to learn more about their dissertation topic; to make and follow a schedule for writing the proposal in Year II and the final dissertation in Year III; and to use the support network of the doctoral cohort to keep one another on track for successful completion.

CSUN Learning Resource Center

• The University Writing Center is here to aid students with their reading and writing skill-building through one-on-one consultations, writing workshops, and more!

Resources for Graduate Students

• Individual Consultations
• Dissertation Writers’ Retreat
• Asynchronous Graduate Student Online Feedback
• DISH (Drop-In Support Hour) for Graduate Students working on Longer Projects
• Online Writing Resources for Graduate Students