Department of Government

Additional Resources:

• Dissertation defenses 2001-present
  
• Choosing a Dissertation Topic
  

Graduate Students Planning to Defend in the Fall 2007 Semester

If you are planning to defend your dissertation this semester, there are a number of forms that you will need to complete throughout this semester and submit to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

First, please review the "Guidelines for Dissertation and Thesis Writers" booklet. This newly revised booklet can be downloaded off the Graduate School's website or can be picked up at the Graduate School.

"Application for Graduate Degree": This form needs to be completed by you and submitted to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. This form will ensure that you receive your degree on time. Degrees are awarded every month except for June. This form needs to be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the first business day of the month that you hope to complete all degree requirements and have your degree awarded. All degree requirements must be completed by the last business day of that month. This form is valid for 90 days, starting with the chosen degree award month (for example, if you apply for a September degree, the application will remain active for October and November if the degree is not awarded) . Therefore, for those students who must submit a thesis and who do not know how long final revisions to the thesis will take after the defense, the application for graduate degree will be valid for 90 days assuming that your thesis along with all the supplementary forms mentioned below are submitted within three months of the chosen degree date..

Please note that you are all required to post your defense information to the online Graduate School Dissertation listing. This information must be posted exactly one week prior to the date of your defense.

"Thesis Reviewers Report" form: This form needs to be completed by you, signed by all of your dissertation committee members, and submitted to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences exactly one week prior to the date of your defense. After this form has been signed, please submit it to Tatiana, who will then make a copy of it for your files and submit the original to the Graduate School. Faxes and e-mails from your committee members may be attached to this form in lieu of signatures.

"Dissertation Cover Sheet": This form needs to be completed by you, signed by all of your dissertation committee members, and signed by the Director of Graduate Studies the day of your defense. This form serves as the cover sheet to your thesis and is submitted to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences along with your thesis. This form can be downloaded off the Graduate School's website or can be picked up at the Graduate School. This form must be printed on bond paper and must contain original signatures of all of your committee members.

"Thesis Examination and Defense" ballot: This form is completed by me. Please have one of your committee members pick up this form from Tatiana on the day of your defense. It needs to be signed by all of your dissertation committee members and then returned to me right after you defend. Tatiana will then submit it to the Office of the Registrar to be recorded on your transcript.

"Survey of Earned Doctorates": This form can only be picked up from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. It needs to be completed by you and submitted along with your thesis to the Graduate School.

"Publishing Your Dissertation": This booklet can only be picked up from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. It contains a form that you will need to complete and submit to the Graduate School along with your thesis.

If you are planning to defend your dissertation this semester and receive your degree, you will need to complete all degree requirements, defend your dissertation, and submit your dissertation along with all the supplementary forms listed above to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences by 5 p.m. on the last working day of the semester (December 28th for Fall 2007).

If you submit your thesis and supplementary paperwork any day after the last working day of the semester, you will need to register for the next semester. If you submit your "Application for Graduate Degree" by 5 p.m. on January 2nd, and complete all of your degree requirements (submit your dissertation with all of the above forms) on or before the first day of classes of the Spring 2008 semester, then you can be registered for "Continuous Registration" with no associated tuition cost. If you complete your degree requirements after the first day of classes of the Spring 2008 semester, you will need to be registered for "Resident Thesis Research" in the Spring.

If you should have any questions about any of the above information or need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Tatiana. Also, please let her know the day and time of your defense once you have decided so that she may assist you in finding a conference room as well as begin completing any forms necessary for the Graduate School on your behalf.

Also, please feel free to contact Chris Quigley in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. She is the person responsible for all matters pertaining to graduation and completion of degree requirements, and she is happy to discuss graduation requirements and do a preliminary check of your dissertation upon request.