Essential Instructions

• Based on your literature review and any additional courses, prepare a dissertation proposal.
  The proposal is a written document of 25-30 pages that contains the rationale for your dissertation. In addition, it delineates your research hypotheses, subjects, procedures, and instruments, if you are conducting empirical research or it delineates the theoretical background for your dissertation if you are conducting qualitative or theoretical research. (Your tuition is reduced another 50% (to 25% of full tuition) after you pass your proposal.)
• See sample proposals for Maharishi Vedic Science and Physiology:
  • MVS_Proposal1
  • MVS_Proposal2
  • MVS_Proposal3
  • Physiology_Proposal1
• While you are writing your proposal, work with the chair of your dissertation to form a committee of 4-5 researchers. Your committee should include at least four members who cover five roles:
  • the chair of the committee, from your department
  • one other faculty member from your department
  • one faculty member from another department at MIU
  • one faculty member from another university
  • The fifth “role” is responsible for the Maharishi Vedic Science and Graduate Committee issues. This role can be covered by a fifth member or by one of the above members of your committee.
• Work on your proposal with the chair of your committee. Once the chair feels that your proposal is in good shape, then you should send it to the members of your committee. Give them two weeks to respond to your proposal. Incorporate their changes and defend the final version.

Richo Akshare line / Unified Field Chart / Chart of Validation of Experiences during MIU’s Reading Vedic Literature Program

Each Dissertation should have a Richo Akshare line and Unified Field Chart, or A Chart of Validation of Experiences during MIU’s Reading Vedic Literature Program

The guidelines are explained at the links below

• Richo Akshare Line
• Unified Field Chart
• Chart of Validation of Experiences during MIU’s Reading Vedic Literature Program

Steps to Finish your Dissertation

• Four months before you plan to graduate, you should have the first version of your dissertation completely checked by your chair; this is a requirement, so plan your time. If you follow this schedule, you can avoid the late nights trying to finish your dissertation. IF YOU DELAY, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE TIME TO DO THE EXTENSIVE RE-WRITING NEEDED TO COMPLETE A DISSERTATION. Plan ahead!

Dissertation Style and Formatting Aids

• Each part of the dissertation — title page, abstract, acknowledgements — has a very specific format. This PDF of a slide presentation tells you all the rules.
• We also recommend that you use Endnote student version citation software. You get a discount as a student and can get it reasonably; in 2011 it was $120. It will automatically put the body of your text in APA Style and format your bibliography (you will still have to create the preliminary pages that are unique to dissertations, following the guidelines provided by Maharishi International University–see the slide presentation).
• You may also want to try a citation maker; we recommend EasyBib. It is free and has good features, but don’t fully rely on it; e.g., citation makers won’t get your Movement citations right for works and organizations connected with the Transcendental Meditation Movement. Also check on Word 10 or more recent Word versions, these have a citation feature.