Graduation Information

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Terms Used

Degree Requirements
Completion of Annual Progress Reports, RECRs, courses, plans, committee members, major professor, defense, thesis/dissertation submission, etc. have been completed and indicated in SIS.

Graduation
The completion of all degree requirements.

Commencement Ceremony
A ceremony, not required. Each student is permitted to attend one ceremony (Fall or Spring).

Confer Degree
The department, college, Graduate School, and Registar's Office each review that degree requirements have been met and the RO issues the diploma.

Enrollment
You must be enrolled the semester in which you defend. If you successfully defend in one semester, and submit your thesis/dissertation in another, you do not need to be enrolled in the submission semester.

Graduation Components

There are four main components to graduating:

Applying for Graduation
Defending
Submitting the Thesis/Dissertation
Degree Conferral

All of this begins with communication with the following:

Major Professor
Guidance Committee
Graduate Team
- GraduateProgram Director
- Graduate Program Coordinator

Major Professor

You should be in discussion with your major professor on:

The progress of your research.
The status of your written thesis/dissertation.
The semester they feel you are ready to defend.

Guidance Committee

The status of your written thesis/dissertation.
Scheduling a defense date that works for everyone.

Graduate Team

Notify the Team of the semester you intend to graduate.
This should be as soon as possible to ensure enough time for the team to review your status.
Verify requirements have been met (RECR, Annual Progress Reports, courses, plans, etc.).
Make sure status is set in SIS to apply for graduation.

Steps

Major Professor
- Review research and written document status.
Major Professor/Committee
- Review research, written document, and determine whether you are ready to defend.
- Set defense date.
Graduate Team
- Notify of intent to graduate and semester.
- SIS will be updated to reflect the graduation eligibility date, allowing you to apply for graduation.
Online
- Schedule your defense date using the MS Defense or PhD Defense Form at least two weeks prior to the defense date.
- Once submitted, a calendar invite is sent to everyone by the Graduate Team, and paperwork is generated for your committee.
Apply for Graduation
- Complete the Application for Graduation.
  This is required so the Graduate Team can confer your degree (all requirements met).
- Also register to participate in the commencement ceremony. Reminder to Candidates: You MUST complete the Commencement Ceremony registration by the deadline date for the intended semester (typically 3-4 weeks before the ceremony). This will ensure that your name is included in the printed commencement program. If you have a FERPA restriction on your account or apply after the deadline, your name will not print in the program.
Defend
Submitting the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Submission (ETD), including links to:
- Formatting your document
- Copyright
- Required Paperwork
- Formatting Workshops
- Deadlines
  You must submit the final version of your ETD for review by the first date (submission deadline), and then if any corrections are required, the final document must be accepted and delivered by the second date (final deadline). Important: Do not submit a draft for the submission deadline. If your draft has no corrections needed by ProQuest, your draft will be submitted.

Scenarios

Each of the scenarios below starts with the submission deadline of a thesis/dissertation as set by the Graduate School and assumes a Spring defense.

OPTION 1 - Spring Defense

Set defense date prior to submission deadline.
Successfully defend and make any committee required corrections to your document.
Submit your thesis/dissertation BY the submission date.
Make any required corrections and submit your document by the final deadline.
If all requirements have been met, your diploma will indicate "SPRING 20xx"

OPTION 2 - Spring Defense

Set defense date prior to submission deadline.
Successfully defend and make any committee required corrections to your document.
Miss the submission deadline.
Submit your thesis/dissertation anytime AFTER the submission date but before the next semester's submission deadline. You do not need to be enrolled in the following semester.
Make any required corrections and submit your document by the final deadline.
If all requirements have been met, your diploma will indicate "SUMMER 20xx"

OPTION 3 - Spring Defense

Set defense date AFTER the submission deadline. You have up until the last Friday before classes start for the next semester. Refer to the Academic Calendar for dates.
Successfully defend and make any committee required corrections to your document.
Submit your thesis/dissertation by the next submission date.
Make any required corrections and submit your document by the final deadline.
If all requirements have been met, your diploma will indicate "SUMMER 20xx"