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- Review the Graduate School website. The Graduate School has critical information regarding deadlines, paperwork, and scheduling. Try to review this at least a semester before your defense.
- Meet with your supervisor. Discuss your plan to defend and any important requirements/expectations for your defense.
- File to graduate. At the beginning of the semester, you must file to graduate to let the Graduate School know you will finish your degree.
- Schedule your defense. Contact your committee members to let them know when you hope to defend and ask them for their availability. When you've determined a date, you must submit a Request for Final Oral form to the Graduate School at least two weeks in advance of the date of your defense.
- Send your dissertation to your committee. Once your supervisor approves, send your dissertation to the rest of your committee. This should be done approximately four weeks in advance of the date your defense.
- Contact the Graduate Coordinator. Send the date, time, and location of the defense and the title of your dissertation. This will be distributed to the department.
- Prepare your presentation. Most students will use Powerpoint or a similar program to present. Discuss format and style with your supervisor.
- Prepare paperwork. A number of documents must be prepared for and signed at your defense. Also, print a Learning Outcomes form for each committee member.
- Confirm with your committee. Be sure to confirm your committee's attendance and send a reminder at least a few days in advance.
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