All students who are advanced to Ph.D. candidacy following the general examination are required to participate in a two-day seminar on the Responsible Conduct of Research. This seminar provides training and discussion on topics relevant to historians and supports Princeton University’s policy of providing education in the Responsible Conduct of Research to all graduate students.
Students are also expected to participate in a month-long dissertation prospectus seminar in June of the second year. Each student will present a draft of their prospectus and a designated commentator will respond. The discussion then opens up to all participants for questions with the goal of preparing each student to undertake the independent work of researching and writing the dissertation.
The dissertation prospectus must be formally approved by the student's dissertation supervisor before December 1 of the student's third year. Continuation as an enrolled student is contingent upon approval of the prospectus.