The Defense of the Dissertation is the final exam of the PhD program. It is your obligation to submit an acceptable dissertation to the Graduate School. Therefore, every effort should be made to complete the dissertation and pass the Defense of the Dissertation exam before you leave The University of Texas at Austin for employment.
You MUST be registered for Dissertation (X99W) continuously from the time you are admitted to Candidacy until graduation. Beginning Fall 2019, student would only register for C E x99 "W" for each subsequent semester after entering candidacy. At least six (6) hours of Dissertation are required to apply for graduation (these can be taken during a single semester). If you leave the campus without completing the requirements (incomplete courses or dissertation), continuous registration must still be maintained.
