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. The Graduate School typically hosts workshops that are helpful and recommended.

List of Forms at the Graduate School website

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.
   
   1. When you've determined a date, you must submit a Request for Final Oral form (the pink form) to the Graduate School at least two weeks in advance of the date of your defense. This form must be printed on pink paper. You can get pink paper from the Graduate Coordinator. When you submit the Request for Final Oral form to the Graduate School, you should include one copy each of the dissertation abstract, title page, and doctoral committee membership page, a table of contents, and lists of tables and figures for a format check.
   2. The pink form is the official mechanism for scheduling your defense with the Graduate School. Scheduling changes may take place as needed prior to submitting the pink form. If you need to change the date or time of your defense after the pink form is submitted, please contact the Graduate Coordinator.
   3. You may use the BME Room Reservation system to reserve space for 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, the title of your dissertation, and an abstract. This will be distributed to the department, the BME Graduate Studies Committee, and letter writers from your application to the program. If you do not wish for your letter writers to be notified, please express objection in writing to the Graduate Coordinator.
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.
   
   1. Print a Learning Outcomes form for each committee member.
   2. Print the Report of Dissertation Committee Form (the gold form) on goldenrod colored paper. You can get goldenrod paper from the Graduate Coordinator. This form will be emailed to you approximately one week prior to your defense.
9. Confirm with your committee. Be sure to confirm your committee's attendance and send a reminder at least a few days in advance. Committee participation is set by the Graduate School at n-1. The Graduate School does not distinguish between electronic and in-person participation. Your supervisor may participate electronically.

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. The "gold" form will be sent directly to you, your supervisor, and the Graduate Coordinator via email one week prior to your defense. Please check with your supervisor to ensure this is brought to your defense and all 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 successfully defended, acquire signatures for your forms. You should get signatures on the gold form, the signature page, and the have your committee complete the Learning Outcomes Forms.
   
   1. Gold Form signature updates as of fall 2017. Signatures may be original or electronic. Electronic signatures preferably consist of a certificate logo (Adobe, DocuSign) or an actual written electronic signature. Typed names will not be accepted. All signatures must be dark enough to withstand multiple scans and prints.
   2. Authorized designees. If the GSC Chair is unavailable for signature, the BME Graduate Advisor or BME Department Chair may sign instead.
   3. The final, signed gold form must be submitted on gold paper. The best process to accomplish this is to collect all signatures on a white piece of paper. Once signed by all committee members, copy the document to goldenrod colored paper. The Graduate School will not accept a document that has been printed with a gold background on white paper, as the back of the page will be white. See the Graduate Coordinator for gold paper.
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 your and the department's records. Your supervisor may give the gold form to Graduate Coordinator to submit to the Graduate School.
2. Upload your dissertation. You must upload your dissertation by the Graduate School's deadline. Your dissertation must be uploaded prior to submitting paperwork to the Graduate School.
3. 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.
   
   

Commencement

The Cockrell School of Engineering hosts one commencement ceremony each spring. Students who graduated in the summer or fall semesters prior to the ceremony and those who have applied to graduate in the spring may participate. Learn more here about the Cockrell School of Engineering Commencement Ceremony. For spring 2018 graduation, you must register by completing an Intent to Graduate Form by April 2, 2018 in order to have your name in the program.

The Graduate School hosts one convocation ceremony each spring. Students who graduated in the summer or fall semesters prior to the ceremony and those who have applied to graduate in the spring may participate. Learn more here about the Graduate School Convocation Ceremony. Graduates from summer and fall 2017 and spring 18 will receive an email at the end of March, 2018 with more information and instructions on how to participate.

Regalia must be purchased or rented for the ceremonies and details for required regalia can be found online at the links for each ceremony. You can purchase or rent regalia at the University Co-op. Check the co-op site for details and deadlines.