When a student is ready to defend he/she must plan carefully and meet many requirements. You will need to plan at least at the beginning of each semester whether you will be able to defend in that semester. Here you will find some of the tasks that needs to be done before the defense.
- A student is ready for a PhD defense when the student has completed (or almost completed) a PhD dissertation. Please not the dissertation is expected to be a mature and competent piece of writing, embodying the results of significant and original research.
- The advisor AND the committee need to be in agreement that the defense can be scheduled based on the PhD dissertation. Hence the first task is for the student to request the advisor to contact the committee and get their approval. This can be accomplished through a simple email. The committee may request a more formal meeting if necessary.
- Once the advisor and committee believe the PhD defense can be scheduled, the student in consultation with the advisor must schedule a defense date. This must occur at least one month in advance of the defense. All members must be physically present during the exam. If a member cannot be present, a special permission needs to be taken from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the graduate school. This will take time and hence please plan early.
- One month before the dissertation is presented and no later than January 25 preceding the May commencement, July 1 for a September degree, and November 1 for a December degree, the student must Apply for Graduation in ACES. This application should indicate the approved title of the dissertation and be approved by both the director of graduate studies of the student's major department and the professor who directs the dissertation.
- Please contact the DGS assistant and provide some of the details of your project which includes, title, date, time and location of the defense, advisor's name.
- Two weeks before the dissertation exam the DGS assistant sends out a notice to the graduate school informing the date and time of the exam.
- Two weeks before the dissertation exam the advisor needs to send a notice to the graduate school telling if the dissertation is ready to defend.
- Two weeks before the dissertation exam the student subits the dissertation to the graduate school. For more information about the dissertation style please visit at this location