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Deadlines for Theses and Dissertations

Select your graduation term below:

Doctoral Students – 03/31/2023

Last day to hold the defense for Spring 2023 graduation

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Doctoral Students

2023 Expected Graduation Terms

Spring Term: 2023

Important Dates: Doctoral Students
Last day to submit Dissertation Committee 09/17/2021
Last day to submit Application for Candidacy Refer to section 4 of Important Information below
Last day to submit Dissertation Proposal 04/01/2022
Last day to submit Dissertation Request for Oral Defense Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 03/31/2023
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval 04/21/2023

*03/10/2023 is the last day to submit your Dissertation Request for Oral Defense if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 03/31/2023.

Summer Term: 2023

Important Dates: Doctoral Students
Last day to submit Dissertation Committee 02/04/2022
Last day to submit Application for Candidacy Refer to section 4 of Important Information below
Last day to submit Dissertation Proposal 07/01/2022
Last day to submit Dissertation Request for Oral Defense Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 06/30/2023
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval 07/21/2023

*06/09/2023 is the last day to submit your Dissertation Request for Oral Defense if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 06/30/2023.

Fall Term: 2023

Important Dates: Doctoral Students
Last day to submit Dissertation Committee 06/03/2022
Last day to submit Application for Candidacy Refer to section 4 of Important Information below
Last day to submit Dissertation Proposal 11/10/2022
Last day to submit Dissertation Request for Oral Defense Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 11/09/2023
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval 12/01/2023

*10/20/2023 is the last day to submit your Dissertation Request for Oral Defense if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 11/09/2023 (Note that Friday, 11/10/2023 is Veteran’s Day and the University is closed).

2024 Expected Graduation Terms

Spring Term: 2024

Important Dates: Doctoral Students
Last day to submit Dissertation Committee 09/23/2022
Last day to submit Application for Candidacy Refer to section 4 of Important Information below
Last day to submit form Dissertation Proposal 03/31/2023
Last day to submit form Dissertation Request for Oral Defense Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 03/29/2024
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval 04/19/2024

*03/08/2024 is the last day to submit your Dissertation Request for Oral Defense if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 03/29/2024.

Summer Term: 2024

Important Dates: Doctoral Students
Last day to submit Dissertation Committee 02/10/2023
Last day to submit Application for Candidacy Refer to section 4 of Important Information below
Last day to submit Dissertation Proposal 06/30/2023
Last day to submit Dissertation Request for Oral Defense Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 06/28/2024
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval 07/19/2024

*06/07/2024 is the last day to submit your Dissertation Request for Oral Defense if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 06/28/2024.

Fall Term: 2024

Important Dates: Doctoral Students
Last day to submit Dissertation Committee 06/09/2023
Last day to submit Application for Candidacy Refer to section 4 of Important Information below
Last day to submit Dissertation Proposal 11/09/2023
Last day to submit Dissertation Request for Oral Defense Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 11/15/2024
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval 12/06/2024

*10/25/2024 is the last day to submit your Dissertation Request for Oral Defense if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 11/15/2024.

2025 Expected Graduation Terms

Spring Term: 2025

Important Dates: Doctoral Students
Last day to submit Dissertation Committee 09/22/2023
Last day to submit Application for Candidacy Refer to section 4 of Important Information below
Last day to submit form Dissertation Proposal 03/22/2024
Last day to submit form Dissertation Request for Oral Defense Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 03/28/2025
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval 04/18/2025

*03/07/2025 is the last day to submit your Dissertation Request for Oral Defense if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 03/28/2025.

Summer Term: 2025

Important Dates: Doctoral Students
Last day to submit Dissertation Committee 02/09/2024
Last day to submit Application for Candidacy Refer to section 4 of Important Information below
Last day to submit Dissertation Proposal 06/28/2024
Last day to submit Dissertation Request for Oral Defense Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 06/27/2025
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval 07/18/2025

*06/06/2025 is the last day to submit your Dissertation Request for Oral Defense if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 06/27/2025.

Fall Term: 2025

Important Dates: Doctoral Students
Last day to submit Dissertation Committee 06/07/2024
Last day to submit Application for Candidacy Refer to section 4 of Important Information below
Last day to submit Dissertation Proposal 11/08/2024
Last day to submit Dissertation Request for Oral Defense Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 11/14/2025
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval 12/05/2025

*10/24/2025 is the last day to submit your Dissertation Request for Oral Defense if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 11/14/2025.

Important Information:
(1) These are the dates forms are due TO the University Graduate School. Students must also meet departmental and college deadlines. Failure to meet these deadlines could delay graduation. Consult with the College website or your Graduate Program Director for this information. Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure forms are received by the University Graduate School on time.
(2) All defenses must be held no earlier than the first Friday and no later than the last Friday in a given semester.
For Spring 2023, the earliest date would be 1/13/2023. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 4/28/2023;
For Summer 2023, the earliest date would be 5/12/2023. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 7/28/2023;
For Fall 2023, the earliest day would be 8/25/2023. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 12/8/2023.
For Spring 2024, the earliest day would be 1/12/2024. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 4/26/2024.
For Summer 2024, the earliest day would be 5/10/2024. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 7/26/2024.
For Fall 2024, the earliest day would be 8/30/2024. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 12/13/2024.
For Spring 2025, the earliest day would be 1/10/2025. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 4/25/2025.
For Summer 2025, the earliest day would be 5/9/2025. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 7/25/2025.
For Fall 2025, the earliest day would be 8/29/2025. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 12/12/2025.
(3) Dissertation Committee:  Must submitted by doctoral students as soon as the dissertation committee has been formed. The Dissertation Committee should typically be submitted one semester before the Dissertation Proposal but no later than the deadline: FOUR semesters before the anticipated graduation term.
(4) Application for Candidacy: Must be submitted to UGS by no later than five business days before the first day of classes. The Application for Candidacy must be on file and approved by UGS by the first day of classes in the term in which the student advances to doctoral candidacy. Students cannot register in dissertation credits without an approved Application for Candidacy on file at UGS.
(5) Dissertation Proposal: Must be submitted by doctoral students as soon as the dissertation proposal has been developed and approved by the dissertation committee. This should be early in the dissertation process to allow maximum dissertation committee input. The Dissertation Proposal should typically be submitted within a semester after the Application for Candidacy but no later than the deadline: THREE semesters before the anticipated graduation term.
(6) Dissertation Request for Oral Defense: Must be submitted to the University Graduate School at least 3 weeks before the date of the defense or by the deadline (whichever date is earlier).
Master’s Students – 03/31/2023

Last day to hold the defense for Spring 2023 graduation

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Master’s Students

2023 Expected Graduation Terms

Spring Term: 2023

Important Dates: Master’s Students
Last day to submit form M-1 06/03/2022
Last day to submit form M-2 11/10/2022
Last day to submit form M-3 Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 03/31/2023
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval form 04/21/2023

*03/10/2023 is the last day to submit your M3 if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 03/31/2023.

Summer Term: 2023

Important Dates: Master’s Students
Last day to submit form M-1 09/23/2022
Last day to submit form M-2 03/31/2023
Last day to submit form M-3 Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 06/30/2023
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval form 07/21/2023

*06/09/2023 is the last day to submit your M3 if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 06/30/2023.

Fall Term: 2023

Important Dates: Master’s Students
Last day to submit form M-1 02/10/2023
Last day to submit form M-2 06/30/2023
Last day to submit form M-3 Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 11/09/2023
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval form 12/01/2023

*10/20/2023 is the last day to submit your M3 if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 11/09/2023 (Note that Friday, 11/10/2023 is Veteran’s Day and the University is closed).

2024 Expected Graduation Terms

Spring Term: 2024

Important Dates: Master’s Students
Last day to submit form M-1 06/09/2023
Last day to submit form M-2 11/09/2023
Last day to submit form M-3 Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 03/29/2024
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval form 04/19/2024

*03/08/2024 is the last day to submit your M3 if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 03/29/2024.

Summer Term: 2024

Important Dates: Master’s Students
Last day to submit form M-1 09/22/2023
Last day to submit form M-2 03/22/2024
Last day to submit form M-3 Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 06/28/2024
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval form 07/19/2024

*06/7/2024 is the last day to submit your M3 if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 06/28/2024.

Fall Term: 2024

Important Dates: Master’s Students
Last day to submit form M-1 02/09/2024
Last day to submit form M-2 06/28/2024
Last day to submit form M-3 Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 11/15/2024
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval form 12/06/2024

*10/25/2024 is the last day to submit your M3 if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 11/15/2024.

2025 Expected Graduation Terms

Spring Term: 2025

Important Dates: Master’s Students
Last day to submit form M-1 06/07/2024
Last day to submit form M-2 11/08/2024
Last day to submit form M-3 Three weeks before your defense*
Last day to hold the defense 03/28/2025
Last day to submit Final ETD Approval form 04/18/2025

*03/7/2025 is the last day to submit your M3 if you are defending on the last day to hold the defense, 03/28/2025.

Important Information:
(1) These are the dates forms are due TO the University Graduate School. Students must also meet departmental and college deadlines. Failure to meet these deadlines could delay graduation. Consult with the College website or your Graduate Program Director for this information. Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure forms are received by the University Graduate School on time.
(2) All defenses must be held no earlier than the first Friday and no later than the last Friday in a given semester.
For Spring 2023, the earliest date would be 1/13/2023. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 4/28/2023;
For Summer 2023, the earliest date would be 5/12/2023. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 7/28/2023;
For Fall 2023, the earliest day would be 8/25/2023. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 12/8/2023.
For Spring 2024, the earliest day would be 1/12/2024. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 4/26/2024.
For Summer 2024, the earliest day would be 5/10/2024. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 7/26/2024.
For Fall 2024, the earliest day would be 8/30/2024. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 12/13/2024.
For Spring 2025, the earliest day would be 1/10/2025. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 4/25/2025.
For Summer 2025, the earliest day would be 5/9/2025. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 7/25/2025.
For Fall 2025, the earliest day would be 8/29/2025. The last day to hold a defense in the semester would be 12/12/2025.
(3) FORM M-1 should be submitted by master’s students as soon as the thesis committee has been formed.
FORM M-1 should typically be submitted one semester before FORM M-2 but no later than the deadline: TWO semesters before the anticipated graduation term.
(4) FORM M-2 should be submitted by master’s students no later than the deadline: ONE semester before the anticipated graduation term.
(5) FORM M-3 must be submitted to the University Graduate School at least 3 weeks before the date of the defense or by the deadline (whichever date is earlier).