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Graduate thesis defense examinations are public events and open to the university and wider community. The student should submit their name and project, thesis, or dissertation title and the date, time, and location of their defense examination to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to their defense examination date. The Graduate School, along with the home program, department, college, or school, will advertise the examination.

The defense examination includes a public presentation of the thesis moderated by the chair of the graduate advisory committee, followed by a private executive examination by the committee.

You may submit your Public Defense Announcement to the Graduate School using the submission form found on the Forms webpage. 

 

Here is listed all the required paperwork for all Master's students.

For more details on the timelines for deadlines to submit these, please visit our dates and deadlines page. You may file these forms through the new online platform linked to the forms page. 

• Report on Comprehensive Exam 
  Oral and/or written as required by your program.
  
  
• Report on Dissertation/Thesis/Project Defense   
  NOTE: Some programs combine your defense and comprehensive exams into one large event. If this is true for your program, please be aware that we still need this form filled out and fully signed.
  
  
• Language and/or Research Tool  
  Required for Anthropology students only
  
  
•  
  See deadlines at the bottom of this page.
  
  
• Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form 
  This is NOT the same as your Report on Defense form
   
• Advancement to Candidacy
  Due one semester before applying to graduate
  
  
• Publishing-Agreement 
  Required when uploading/submitting your thesis to Proquest

A PDF copy of your thesis must be uploaded via ProQuest
For details instructions on how to submit your thesis, please visit the ProQuest ETD submittal page.

Interdisciplinary Master's Degree students MUST submit an Interdisciplinary Degree Title Form 

Responsibility: You are responsible for meeting all requirements for graduation. Your Advancement to Candidacy must be received by the Graduate School the semester before you intend to graduate.

• Master’s with thesis
  • You must be registered for a minimum of 3 graduate-level credits within your discipline the semester that you successfully defend your thesis or project and plan to graduate.
  • If you have already successfully defended but missed the previous semester graduation deadline, then you must be registered for a minimum of 1 graduate-level credit within your discipline the semester that you plan to graduate.

ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓÊÓƵ issues diplomas to graduates three times each year: in September following the summer sessions, in January at the close of the fall semester, and in May at the end of the spring semester. All students who complete degree requirements during the academic year are invited to participate in the annual commencement ceremony at the end of spring semester.

Names of students receiving degrees appear in the commencement program and are released to the media unless a written request not to do so has been received by the graduation department. Students who do not want their names to be released may so indicate on the application for graduation form.

Graduates are responsible for ordering caps and gowns through the  in early spring. Master’s students also must order hoods; the color of the hood is determined by the graduate’s school or college. Doctoral students who attend the commencement ceremony will receive a doctoral hood on stage during the ceremony.