Writing a dissertation is a long and potentially arduous process. To help doctoral students boost their writing productivity and maintain progress toward completing their degrees, the Graduate School hosts a Dissertation Boot Camp during Winter Break. Provisions include:
- At least 6 hours of dedicated, distraction-free writing time per day
- On-site writing consultants, subject librarians and data services specialists
- Optional workshops on dissertation-completion-related topics
- “Mental Recharge Station” and “Zen Zone” de-stressing area
- Lunch provided!
- Coffee, tea and light refreshments available all day
- Opportunities to form peer support groups and find writing buddies
- Laptop computers and wifi available
Doctoral students in all programs and at all stages of the dissertation (including proposal-writing) are eligible. Enrollment is limited to 30 students, and individuals may participate a maximum of three times.
The 2026 Dissertation Boot Camp will be held January 6-9 in the lower level of Bird Library.
How to Apply
- Complete the short application form; the form will become active at 9 a.m. on Friday, November 21, 2025.
- After your online application is received, you will be notified by email of your provisional acceptance OR place on the wait list.
- If you are provisionally accepted (you are among the first 30 eligible applicants), you will receive attached to your status notification email a pre-camp self-assessment form. You will have until 5 p.m. on Monday, December 1 (or five [5] business days from the date of your notification email, if later) to return the completed and signed form to the attention of Peg De Furia (mldefuri@syr.edu) in the Graduate School.
- Upon receipt of your timely self-assessment, you will receive an email confirming your acceptance for the Boot Camp. (If your self-assessment is not submitted by the deadline, you will forfeit your spot to a wait-listed applicant.)
Questions may be directed to Peg De Furia in the Graduate School (x4646; mldefuri@syr.edu). The Dissertation Boot Camp is funded by the Graduate School and your student activity fee.