Deadlines for Doctoral Degree Candidates
Deadlines for Doctoral Degree Candidates
To be eligible to earn an advanced degree, students must fulfill appropriate requirements as established by their major department and the Graduate School, and have an approved Candidacy Application.聽Procedures and final deadlines required by the Graduate School are described below.
Note:聽Please submit paperwork first to your department and allow time for review before Graduate School deadlines.
Commencement Dates &聽Requirements鈥
For December 19, 2024*
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| Oct. 1 | Doctoral students who have not already done so聽must聽apply online to graduate听迟丑谤辞耻驳丑听聽on the 鈥渁pply for graduation鈥 card in order to聽have the degree awarded in December.聽This is required even though there is no university-wide ceremony.聽PhD students must enter their dissertation title as part of the online graduation application; you may update the title through the portal until this date.聽This title will appear聽on your transcript after your degree is awarded. |
| Nov. 14 | Doctoral聽students must complete the PhD dissertation defense or final examination by this date.聽Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the doctoral final examination form two weeks before the exam. |
| Nov. 21 | PhD students must submit the dissertation聽with Thesis Approval Form to ProQuest by this deadline. The dissertation must be聽聽for review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. The聽single-page聽Thesis Approval Form聽(TAF) must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.聽Students whose dissertations聽are received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,聽must apply to graduate at the following semester's聽commencement. |
| Nov. 21 | PhD and DMA students must fill out the 聽by this deadline.聽. |
| Dec. 2 | Grade changes must be聽submitted for incomplete courses taken during previous or current semesters. |
| Dec. 13 | Deadline for fall聽doctoral graduates to聽update diploma name or address聽in Buff Portal. |
For May 8, 2025
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| March 1, 2025 | Doctoral students who have not already done so聽must聽apply online to graduate听迟丑谤辞耻驳丑听聽on the 鈥渁pply for graduation鈥 card in order to聽have the degree awarded in May.聽This is required whether or not you plan to attend the university-wide ceremony.聽PhD students must enter their dissertation title as part of the online graduation application; you may update the title through the portal until this date.聽This title will appear聽on your transcript after your degree is awarded.聽 |
| April 8, 2025 | Doctoral聽students must complete the PhD dissertation defense or final examination by this date.聽Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the doctoral final examination form two weeks before the exam. |
| April 15, 2025 | PhD students must submit the dissertation聽with Thesis Approval Form to ProQuest by this deadline. The dissertation must be聽聽for review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. The聽single-page聽Thesis Approval Form聽(TAF) must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.聽Students whose dissertations聽are received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,聽must apply to graduate at the following semester's聽commencement. |
| April 15, 2025 | PhD and DMA students must fill out the 聽by this deadline.聽. |
| April 21, 2025 | Grade changes must be聽submitted for incomplete courses taken during previous or current semesters. |
| TBD | Deadline for fall聽doctoral graduates to聽update diploma name or address聽in Buff Portal. |
*Note: although there is no campus-wide ceremony, students may have degrees awarded in August and December.