Dissertation Defense

Students complete their final oral defense typically at the end of their fifth year. The Graduate School provides critical information regarding deadlines, paperwork, and scheduling. Students file to graduate in their final semester. 

Dissertation Defense Step-by-Step

 Before Your Defense

1. 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.
2. Meet with your supervisor. Discuss your plan to defend and any important requirements/expectations for your defense.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Prepare your presentation. Most students will use Powerpoint or a similar program to present. Discuss format and style with your supervisor.
8. 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.
9. Confirm with your committee. Be sure to confirm your committee's attendance and send a reminder at least a few days in advance.
   
   

At Your Defense

1. Arrive early. Set up the room and media, and greet your committee and attendees.
2. Distribute forms and paperwork from step 8. Have the appropriate documents to acquire all of the necessary signatures. Note, a "gold" form will be sent directly to your supervisor. Please check with your supervisor to ensure this is brought to your defense and all original signatures are acquired. Distribute a Learning Outcomes form to each committee member. This must be completed and returned to the Graduate Coordinator after the defense.
3. Conduct your defense. The process can take up to a few hours. Including the presentation, questions, and deliberation.
4. Acquire signatures. If you have success fully defended, acquire original signatures for your forms and make sure your supervisor has done the same for the "gold" form. Gold form signatures may be original or electronic, however, electronic signatures must be from a reputable signature service, like DocuSign or Adobe, and must be dark enough to withstand scans and copies. If the GSC Chair is unavailable for signature, the Graduate Advisor or the Department Chair may sign in their place.
5. Collect Learning Outcomes forms in sealed envelopes or have your committee members submit them to the Graduate Coordinator.
   
   

Immediately After Your Defense

1. Check in with the Graduate Coordinator. Bring your signed paperwork to the Graduate Coordinator so copies may be made for yours and the department's records. Your supervisor may give the "gold" form to Graduate Coordinator to submit to the Graduate School.
2. Submit your paperwork. Turn your paperwork in to the Graduate School in person. DO NOT SEND YOUR PAPERWORK THROUGH CAMPUS MAIL. All documents must be received by the Graduate School by their established deadline. Late paperwork will prevent you from graduating.
3. Upload your dissertation. You must upload your dissertation by the Graduate School's deadline.