Download the Doctoral Dissertation Process Flowchart in MS Word format

Before starting research, research compliance forms must be submitted for those projects involving human subjects, vertebrate animals, biosafety, or radiation safety. Applications can be found on the Office of Research Administration website and must be submitted online.

During research, students should begin sending requests for copyright permission letters four months or more before submitting their dissertation then send a reminder request each month until they have a response.

During research, students should download the Calendar of Important Dates for Graduate Students for the term in which they expect to finish their degree requirements. These deadlines are final and will not be extended; failure to meet them will result in removal of a student’s name from the graduation list.

One semester prior to the semester of intended graduation, students should apply for graduation.

Registration requirement Doctoral students must be registered for the term in which they plan to defend their dissertation.

Before dissertation defense, students must make an appointment with the Thesis/Dissertation Coordinator for format review. For instructions regarding the materials students must bring to the meeting see the Guide for the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations.

At least six weeks prior to the last day of semester, at a time when all committee members can attend, the student’s public defense of dissertation must be held.

After dissertation defense, students must make corrections to their dissertation, as mandated by their advisory committee. When the dissertation with revisions is approved in writing, students must obtain an approval memo from their department’s graduate coordinator.

After the dissertation with revisions has been approved and an approval memo has been issued by the Graduate Coordinator, students must make an appointment with Thesis/Dissertation Coordinator to present a clean, unbound copy for final review. Format approval will be granted by Graduate Study once it is concluded that the manuscript complies with preparation guidelines and conforms to the university’s standards. For instructions regarding the materials students must bring to the meeting, see the Guide for the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations.

After the Thesis/Dissertation Coordinator has approved the dissertation format, students must make an appointment with the Thesis/Dissertation Coordinator to submit format approved dissertations ready for binding, as well as required documentation. For instructions regarding the materials students must bring to this final meeting see the Guide for the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations.

As part of the dissertation submission process, research doctoral candidates must complete the online Survey of Earned Doctorates.   Upon completion of the online survey, students should print the certificate at the end of the questionnaire and submit to the Thesis/Dissertation Coordinator to indicate the SED was successfully completed.  Completion of the survey takes approximately 10 minutes.

After the dissertation has been submitted, and all graduation requirements have been completed by the deadlines, an audit will be conducted, audit approvals will be obtained from the academic units, and a final graduation list will be produced approximately eight to ten weeks after the last day of final exams for that semester or session.