Dissertation Defense
The Graduate School has an extensive guide on PhD Graduation and Dissertation Procedures, with information regarding form deadlines, final exam procedures, and dissertation submission. Please review this guide well in advance.
Early Deadlines
- A student planning to defend should complete the Graduate School’s Intent to Graduate online form, early in the semester they plan to defend.
- If you submitted an Intent to Graduate Form for a previous or different semester, you may need to resubmit the online form for the semester in which you are now planning to graduate to provide the most accurate information to the Graduate School regarding your graduation plans.
Dissertation Abstract Approval and Exam Scheduling
- Once you have a PhD Final Exam (“PhD Defense”) date confirmed with your committee and your dissertation abstract is ready for departmental review, at least five weeks prior to your exam date, you should submit the Astronomy Schedule of PhD Final Examination with Abstract Approval Form to officially have your abstract reviewed and also schedule your defense with the department, typically in one of the department’s proprietary spaces.
- This should be as soon as the exam day and time are completely confirmed with your committee, and your dissertation abstract is ready for final departmental review. Please do this as soon as applicable, rather than closer to the exam date, if possible, so that any revisions or room reservation concerns may be managed well in advance of your defense date.
- Students do not submit exam room requests themselves via Outlook or 25Live; the steps outlined here are to clarify checking availability only.
- The Department Administrator will manage the room reservation for the exam (i.e. resolve any conflicts (if applicable), and put in and finalize the room reservation, either in an Astronomy room or other), and confirm with you regarding the scheduling request via returning a completed copy of the Schedule Form back to you.
- Typically a PhD Final Exam (PhD Defense) is held in one of the larger Astronomy proprietary rooms. To check room availability in Outlook for either proprietary room (Rm 500 or 502), use the following instructions:
- Add a Shared Calendar to your list of viewable Outlook calendars
- Check the relevant day and time block for your exam in each calendar for availability. Note that exams are typically a 3-hour block.
- If neither room is available, please note this in the form as “TBD”, and the Department Administrator will assist with finding an appropriate exam room.
- Your Faculty Advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Department Chair will confirm approval on the committee membership, dissertation abstract, and event details of the request.
- The Department Administrator will manage the room reservation for your defense, and confirm with you regarding the scheduling request.
Required Student Forms
Please keep in mind the following departmental and GRS deadlines and forms, which are required ahead of your defense date:
-
No Later than Five Weeks Prior:
- Astronomy Schedule of PhD Final Examination with Abstract Approval Form
- Formatted draft of dissertation submitted to GRS office, to be approved by the Associate Dean
- GRS Special Service Appointment(s) (if applicable)
(Can be completed as early as it is known that a committee member would require one.) - Formatted draft of dissertation approved by Readers and submitted to Committee
(This is to receive approval on your dissertation abstract from the Astronomy Department and officially schedule your defense date with the Astronomy Department.)
No Later than Three Weeks Prior:
No Later than Two Weeks Prior:
Department Announcement
- Approximately three weeks prior to your scheduled exam date, the Department Administrator will reach out to the student for defense announcement details which will be included in an internal email to the department, announcing the defense. The student should plan to re-confirm their defense date and time and committee members, in the event any details have changed in the intervening time. In addition, the abstract title and text are included for the public talk portion of the defense.
- The student should plan to have these details ready for the Department Administrator, by three weeks prior to their defense date.
- The Department Administrator will confirm with you regarding the announcement, before it is sent out.
Final Exam Approvals
The formal recording of the result of the dissertation defense includes paperwork from the Graduate School that must be completed by your readers, your committee chair, and the Department Chair.
- The Department Administrator will coordinate with your committee chair regarding the required Graduate School paperwork for the exam.
- As part of the dissertation submission procedures, the student should make sure to keep in mind and review any GRS post-defense requirements and deadlines as well as coordinate with each of their readers, for electronic Reader Approval sign-off of the dissertation, via the process outlined on GRS’ post-defense guidelines.
