{"id":85196,"date":"2025-07-04T15:35:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T06:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/?p=85196"},"modified":"2025-07-04T15:36:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T06:36:27","slug":"on-the-path-to-completion-my-final-push-towards-the-ph-d","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/85196","title":{"rendered":"On the Path to Completion: My Final Push Towards the Ph.D."},"content":{"rendered":"

The path to a doctoral degree is rarely linear and usually defined by perseverance. As a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering\u2019s Department of Architecture <\/a>who\u2019s finally nearing the finish line, my journey has been shaped by demanding requirements and the push towards independence. While continuing my master’s research gave me an initial advantage, years of frustrating dead-ends resulted in dwindling spirit as graduation \u2018deadline\u2019 loomed. It was only through relentless perseverance, my advisor Prof. Tetsuya Yaguchi\u2019s<\/a> unwavering support, and a pivotal research breakthrough that I finally glimpsed the finish line.<\/p>\n

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Nishi-Waseda Campus where the Department of Architecture is located<\/p><\/div>\n

Now, with my research solidified, the doctoral completion timeline meticulously mapped, and my funding secured, I’m channeling determination and gratitude into this final, electrifying push towards graduation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Ph.D. Grind: Demands, Dead-ends, and Determination<\/h3>\n

I knew, from the start of my Ph.D. journey, the requirements that my advisor and department set for me. Per my department, students need to publish at least one first-author paper and attend a conference to graduate. My professor takes that a notch further by demanding two of each. He also requires that I take the lead on my own research, develop my own methodologies and techniques, and take full ownership of my work. In a way, he is preparing me to become an independent researcher. But, contrasting that to the hands-on guidance I received during my master\u2019s, one can also say that the system gives me too much freedom and not enough direction.<\/p>\n

My sole advantage was continuity: building directly on my master\u2019s work, which had already yielded one first-author publication. This meant “only” one more paper and two conferences stood between me and the degree. Yet, even with that advantage, I kept hitting dead-ends in my research, either during the initial literature review step or deep into the field investigation stage.<\/p>\n

The lack of tangible progress was disheartening, and as my third year loomed closer, my spirit dwindled a bit further. However, the only way has always been through, so the only option each time was to start over from a different angle and formulate another research plan. Through it all, my advisor remained kind and supportive, offering mental sustenance, academic counsel, and critical financial backing via the lab’s fund.<\/p>\n

Perseverance, his guidance, and finally, a successful research trip three-and-a-half years in, brought the finish line into view. A viable research plan crystallized.<\/p>\n

Mapping the Timeline to Graduation<\/h3>\n
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Nishi-Waseda Campus<\/p><\/div>\n

There are several steps to obtaining a doctoral degree at Waseda University. Typically, after finishing the first draft, Ph.D. candidates will have to go through multiple preliminary screenings before ending the rounds of presentations and revisions with a public presentation. After the hearing and submission of the final draft, our fates are out of our hands and depend on the graduation steering committee. Although this flow can be treated as a general norm, the doctoral completion timeline is actually incredibly personalized and shaped by the specific demands of the Ph.D. candidate, their research, and their advisors on top of requirements from their department. Therefore, it is crucial for Ph.D. students to always check their respective department’s websites and offices and consult their advisors on any additional expectations.<\/p>\n

In my case, to earn my doctorate by the end of this academic year (March 2026), I\u2019ll need to finish my second paper by the end of July 2025 and complete the first draft of my dissertation by the beginning of October 2025. Once my draft is deemed ready, I\u2019ll present it to the steering committee for preliminary feedback and approval. If cleared, I\u2019ll then work through several rounds and months of revisions based on their guidance. Next comes the public defense in mid-December 2025, the metaphorical finish line where I\u2019ll be presenting my research in public and incorporate any final feedback from the committee into my final draft. After refining my dissertation based on their input, I\u2019ll have to submit the final version for departmental review by late-January 2026, to allow for the departmental review. The graduate committee will then make their ultimate decision in late February 2026 and, assuming all goes well (fingers crossed!), my degree will be conferred in March 2026.<\/p>\n

The Breakthrough<\/h3>\n

This final push is happening at last, thanks to a hard-won breakthrough. Although this is not my first attempt at writing my second paper, it is <\/em>the first time that a research plan took flight, thanks to a fruitful June research trip to my hometown, Phnom Penh.<\/p>\n\n\t\t