doctoral dissertation reading committee form

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PhD | Reading Committee

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After passing the  qualifying examination , a student must secure the agreement of a Department faculty member to act as the dissertation advisor. Typically, this is the program advisor. In some cases, the dissertation advisor may be in another department. In addition, the student must form a dissertation reading committee composed of the principal dissertation advisor and at least two additional readers.

Reading Committee

The Reading Committee Form  should be signed by all the committee members and submitted to the CS PhD Student Services ( [email protected] ) no later than one year after passing a qualifying exam.

For any questions regarding your Reading Committee, please email  [email protected] . Form/s should be submitted as a PDF and emailed to  [email protected] . Jay Subramanian, Director of Graduation Admissions and PhD Program, approves all forms on behalf of the Department chair.

Regulations Concerning Composition of Reading Committee

• The principal advisor and at least one of the other committee members must be academic council members. This is a University regulation.
• At least two committee members must be CS professors or joint CS professors (academic council members, such as, Stanford faculty). Courtesy and adjunct CS professors do not count. This is a Departmental requirement.
• The reading committee supervises the dissertation research, advises the student, evaluates the student's progress, and signs the final draft of the dissertation.
• These committee members must serve on the student's orals committee because they are knowledgeable about the student's research.
• Readers who are not academic council members (limit 1) need prior approval from the CS PhD Student Services Office to serve on your reading committee. You must file a  petition form  and submit a copy of their CV to  [email protected] .

Explore Degrees Archive, 2010-11

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This archived information is dated to the 2010-11 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin .

Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee

The doctoral dissertation reading committee consists of the principal dissertation adviser and two other readers. At least one member must be from the student's major department. Normally, all members are on the Stanford Academic Council. The student's department chair may, in some cases, approve the appointment of a reader who is not on the Academic Council, if that person is particularly well qualified to consult on the dissertation topic and holds a Ph.D. or equivalent foreign degree. Former Stanford Academic Council members, emeritus professors, and non-Academic Council members may thus on occasion serve on a reading committee. If they are to serve as the principal dissertation adviser, however, the appointment of a co-adviser who is currently on the Academic Council is required. A non-Academic Council member (including emeritus professors and former Academic Council members) may replace only one of three required members of dissertation reading committees.

The reading committee, as proposed by the student and agreed to by the prospective members, is endorsed by the chair of the major department on the Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee form. This form must be submitted before approval of Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status or before scheduling a University oral examination that is a defense of the dissertation. The reading committee may be appointed earlier, according to the department timetable for doctoral programs. All subsequent changes to the reading committee must be approved by the chair of the major department. The reading committee must conform to University regulations at the time of degree conferral. Exceptions allowing two non-Academic Council members on the dissertation reading committee when a member of the committee becomes emeritus may be granted by the department chair through the Petition for Doctoral Committee Members.

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Submit Your Dissertation or Thesis

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To assist you during the submission process, review this Checklist for Submitting My Dissertation or Thesis .

Submission Requirements

You will not be able to submit your dissertation or thesis through the Dissertation & Thesis Center in Axess unless you have met all requirements outlined below.

• You must be registered for classes or on an approved Graduation Quarter during the term in which your dissertation or thesis is submitted. 

An application to graduate should be filed through Axess early in the degree quarter but no later than the date specified in the academic calendar for that quarter. View details in this article: How do I Apply to Graduate?

When you apply to graduate, you will be instructed to enter the title of your dissertation or thesis. You are not eligible to submit your work until an application to graduate has been filed for the current quarter.  

In order to submit your work in Axess, you must ensure:

• Your candidacy is valid
• Your reading committee is accurate
• You’ve completed all relevant milestones

If you have any questions about the status of your milestones, accuracy of your reading committee, or your candidacy end date, reach out to the Student Services Officer in your department.  

• You will be unable to submit your dissertation or thesis until your eForm has been approved. Please see How to Submit Your Reading Committee Signature Page for full instructions.

Please note: Students with unmet financial obligations resulting in the placement of a hold will not receive a diploma until the hold is released by Student Financial Services. Be sure your financial obligations are in order before submission of the dissertation. 

Considerations During Submission

Consider these other items during the submission process of your dissertation or thesis.

Managing copyright is an important responsibility in your academic career.

For this reason, all students are required to review a resource on Copyright Considerations prior to submission of a thesis or dissertation for publication by Stanford, produced by Stanford Libraries in consultation with the Office of the General Counsel.

You are encouraged to review this resource as early as possible in the dissertation or thesis preparation process.

During the online submission process, you, as the author, will sign the Stanford University Thesis and Dissertation Publication License.

By accepting the terms of this agreement, you are granting Stanford the non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable right to reproduce, distribute, display and transmit the dissertation or thesis. Read the full text of the agreement.

Stanford will make your full dissertation or thesis available online through its library website, and may also make it available through third-party search engines and distributors. Supplementary material submitted along with the dissertation or thesis will be available only from Stanford Libraries website .

On occasion, when a dissertation or thesis author enters into a contract with a publisher, the publisher requests the author to "pull back" their dissertation or thesis to limit accessibility. Stanford can often accommodate these requests, in which case the thesis or dissertation will be available only to those in hard copy, or those with a Stanford network account. Indexing of the document will continue to be allowed, however.  Pull-back requests should be submitted using a Services Ticket:  http://services.stanford.edu    Be sure to include a copy of the publisher's request in your ticket.

A dissertation or thesis author has the option to apply a Creative Commons license during submission.

Because Stanford will make your dissertation or thesis publicly accessible, readers may locate your publication and may wish to use parts of it in their own work. Because you hold the copyright to your work, your permission for that reuse is necessary.

By applying a Creative Commons license to your work, you make clear to users the terms and conditions under which they may reuse your material, obviating the need for them to contact you directly. Applying a Creative Commons license does not take away any of your rights; rather, it makes clear to readers of your work what kind of reuse you permit.

You may optionally apply for one Creative Commons license. Stanford Libraries recommends the "Attribution Non-Commercial" license, because it encourages open access and collaboration in the scholarly process. For more information on Creative Commons license options, please visit the Creative Commons website .

For specific questions about applying a Creative Commons license to your submission, please submit a help request , which will be reviewed by the library.

You, as the author, have the option to delay the release of a dissertation or thesis to search engines outside of Stanford and other third-party distributors. Under an embargo, the dissertation or thesis will be available online to Stanford-authenticated users, but not to readers outside the Stanford network.

Release delay options are: six months, one year, or two years. Embargos of longer than two years require the review and approval of the Subcommittee on Exceptions to Graduate Policy (S-EGP).

The embargo option may be appropriate for a student who wants to delay access to the dissertation or thesis for a limited amount of time in order to pursue other publications.

Embargos and Patent Protection

Please note that the laws of different jurisdictions vary on what constitutes a public disclosure that could prevent or impede one’s ability to obtain patent protection for inventions disclosed therein.

Stanford takes no position with regards to whether the delayed release of a dissertation or thesis will safeguard the ability to obtain patent protection for inventions disclosed therein.  Instead, Stanford recommends that any patent filings relating to material described in the dissertation or thesis occur prior to submission, whether or not the dissertation or thesis is under delayed release.

If you have any questions, please contact Stanford's Office of Technology Licensing at (650) 723-0651 or [email protected] .

Embargos and Grant-Funded Research

If your thesis or dissertation includes any research conducted as part of an active grant-funded project, discuss the embargo option with the project's principal investigator. 

Embargos and Multiple Authorship

Multiple authorship has implications with respect to copyright and public release of the material. Be sure to discuss copyright clearance and embargo options with your co-authors and your advisor well in advance of preparing your dissertation or thesis for submission.  Embargoes may be lifted early at the request of the author.

Embargos and Copyright Permissions

You may not select embargoed status in lieu of obtaining appropriate copyright permissions. A dissertation or thesis, in its entirety, will be governed by only one level of distribution at any given time; the work may not be subdivided with sections disseminated under differing levels of distribution.

If you have any questions about whether you should embargo your dissertation or thesis, please consult with your advisor.

Extending Embargos

Students who designate an embargo period (of six months or one year) during the initial submission, may later wish to either extend their original embargo period (to one year or two years from the time of submission).

To make such a request, submit a help request to the Office of the Registrar no later than four weeks before your original embargo selection expires.

Commonly Used Forms

To help you navigate your academic program, there are several processes that are in place. Some processes are conducted electronically, while others require manual processing with physical signatures. Forms included in this section are either Portable Document Format (PDF) files, dynamic forms, or HTML files that may be downloaded, filled out, and given to the appropriate university officials for approval. Many of these forms have been implemented by the College of Graduate Studies and have been adopted across UCF’s various colleges. Some forms are specific to CECS. Regardless, this list is not comprehensive, and your department may have additional forms to support your academic progress.  For College of Graduate Studies (CGS) forms, please visit: https://graduate.ucf.edu/forms-and-references/

Registration

• The deadline for Restricted Registrations/Overrides for Summer 2024 Registration is May 10, 2024 by 4pm .
• If you receive an email from [email protected] , this is because there is an issue with your registration.  Please read the email as there is very important information therein that will prevent the Office of Graduate Affairs from registering you for the requested classes.
• UCF CECS Registration Agreement Dynamic Form – THIS IS NOT THE OVERRIDE FORM! This form is a dynamic form for CECS Special Registration Agreement .  This form is needed for graduate students to register for any Variable Credit Hour Course in our college (XXX 6908, XXX 6918, XXX 6946, XXX 6958, XXX 6971, XXX 7919, or XXX 7980) .
• UCF CECS Graduate Override Dynamic Form : The Graduate Override form is only for access to a class where a prerequisite is required, 0V91 section of courses AFTER APPROVAL FROM COVE , or for IDS 6999.
• Administrative Record Change Registration/Override Attachment form : Please use this form when needing an Administrative Record Change completed by the department after the late registration deadline.
• SACM AND FULLBRIGHT ONLY:   If you are a SACM or Fullbright student please use this Override Dynamic Form to register for Section 002 courses ONLY.
• For Student guides on how to fill out the dynamic forms, please see the Guide for Restricted Registration – Student Edition and the Guide for Override Forms – Student Edition .
• For Instructor Guides on how to fill out the dynamic forms, please see the Instructor’s Guide on How to Complete Override Forms and Instructor’s Guide on How to Completed Restricted Registration Forms .

Program of Study

• Each graduate student must have a Program of Study on file by their 12th hour in their program.  These forms can be located on your department’s home pages and are simply the courses you have completed and plan to complete to meet your degree’s requirements.
• CECE – https://www.cece.ucf.edu/graduate/
• CS – https://www.cs.ucf.edu/academics/current-graduate-students/
• ECE – https://www.ece.ucf.edu/graduate-programs/
• IEMS – https://iems.ucf.edu/graduate
• MSE – http://mse.ucf.edu/graduate-program/
• MAE – http://mae.ucf.edu/advising/graduate-forms/
• Modeling & Simulation – https://msgrad.ist.ucf.edu/Forms.aspx

CECS How to Access Unofficial Transcripts

Here is a step by step guide on how to access your unofficial transcripts through your myUCF Portal.

Committee Forms

• The College of Graduate Studies has both the Doctoral and Thesis Committee Forms in dynamic forms.
• For doctoral students (at a minimum), you must have three members from your department and one member from outside of your department.  For both thesis and dissertation students, most of your committee members must be Graduate Faculty members.
• Before submitting either a thesis or dissertation committee for approval, please make sure that your Program of Study is approved and processed by the College of Graduate Studies.  These eForms originate by your program’s Graduate Advising Office.
• To find out committee member status, please visit the Graduate Faculty Page .
• To initiate a thesis or dissertation committee form, please fill out the dynamic Thesis and Dissertation Committee Form .
• To initiate a dissertation committee form where you need six members, please fill out the dynamic Dissertation Committee Form – 6 Members .

Graduate Procedures

• Filing your Intent to Graduate – The Intent to Graduate is filed online during the period designated on UCF Academic Calendar
• Graduate Petition Form  – Graduate students who wish to request an exception to university policy must complete this form to begin the process.
• Traveling Scholar Form – To request that courses taken at another institution apply toward completion of your UCF degree. After reading the form, complete the fields, have your advisor sign it, then submit the endorsed form and syllabus (or syllabi) to [email protected] .
• Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form – This form is used by Thesis and Dissertation students who have successfully defended.  It will be started by the student once they have completed their defense and automatically sent from member to member.  Students MUST complete their final submission before Graduate Studies will approve this form.

Student Services

• Change of Address Form
• Name Change Form 
• Student Grade Appeal Form 
• Thesis & Dissertation Webcourse ( https://webcourses.ucf.edu/enroll/EREP7Y )
• Integrity Training ( https://graduate.ucf.edu/pathways-to-success/#Academic Integrity Workshops)
• Binding Services for students who want their Thesis and Dissertation presentation bound

Forms for Research-Oriented Students

• Defense Link – Submit your request to convene your thesis/dissertation defense.

Performance Assessment

• PhD Annual Review
• GTA Assessment  

More graduate forms can be found at: https://graduate.ucf.edu/forms-and-references/ .

7-Year Plan

Students nearing 21 semesters since their admit term will need to complete a   7-Year Plan .

Probation Plan Agreement

Students who are placed on probation by the College of Graduate Studies are required to meet with their graduate program director to create a Probation Plan .

How to Apply for an IRB

NOTE: You must complete CITI Training before submitting an IRB application.

Follow these steps to complete an IRB application:

• If you are a graduate student, new submissions require principal investigator, faculty advisor, and departmental sign-off prior to submission to IRB. Complete form HRP 251  and upload it with your study submission.
• Visit HURON and login with your UCF NID.

• Once you have submitted the study, you can check your task list (items that require clarification) and track the IRB work-flow by selecting the study in “My Inbox.”

• One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
• A Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering or another closely related engineering degree.
• Résumé.
• Statement of educational, research, and professional career objectives.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.

For international students interested in  UCF Global Pathway Program  (immersive English-language learning), please contact  Dr. Ali P. Gordon  for guidance.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering or a closely related field with GPA of 3.0 or greater
• Mathematics through Calculus II (MAC 2312 or equivalent)
• An undergraduate course in engineering probability and statistics
• Familiarity with at least one programming language (such as Python, C, C++, Visual BASIC, Java, etc.)
• Official transcripts
• Two letters of recommendations
• Goal Statement

Admission is open to those with a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution recognized by UCF. An application to the graduate certificate program and official transcripts must be submitted. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline. Admission to the program is competitive on a space-available basis. Final admission is based on evaluation of the applicant's abilities, past performance and the applicant's potential for completing the certificate. • No Letters of Recommendation Required. For international students interested in  UCF Global Pathway Program  (immersive English-language learning), please contact  Dr. Ali P. Gordon  for guidance.

Applications are accepted for the fall and spring terms only. • No Letters of Recommendation Required.

• In addition, applicants to this certificate must provide: Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc only.
• Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation.
• Applications are accepted for the fall and spring terms only.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or closely related discipline with a minimum GPA 3.0
• No Letters of Recommendation Required.
• The GRE/GMAT is required
• A goal statement. This is your opportunity to outline in 500 words why you wish to join the program, what you think you will contribute to the program, and how you feel the program will enhance you both personally and professionally in the future.
• Updated résumé.
• Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
• A computer-based TOEFL score of 220 or 80 on the internet-based TOEFL is required if an applicant is from a country where English is not the official language, or if an applicant’s degree is not from an accredited U.S. institution, or if an applicant did not earn a degree in a country where English is the official language or a university where English is the official language of instruction. Although we prefer the TOEFL, we will accept IELTS scores of 6.5.
• The GRE is not required for admission to this program.
• Resume or Curriculum Vita
• The goal statement should discuss all relevant professional background and any previous research and/or teaching experience. The statement should explain the motivation behind the pursuit of an MSSE. Future educational and career goals after the completion of the applicant’s master study should be discussed.
• If the applicant is interested in completing a Master thesis, then the applicant must clearly describe the particular area of research interest. The applicant should identify at least one UCF faculty member who shares a similar research focus and is believed to be best suited to serve as a potential thesis advisor. 
• The goal statement should between 500 and 1,000 words.
• The letters of recommendation should be from faculty members, university administrators, and employers with a supervisory role of the applicant. The letters, which must be current to the application and must not be for another degree program, should address the educational and career goals of the applicant. The letter writers should also know the applicant well enough to discuss the applicant’s capacity to perform, excel and succeed in a graduate program. Letters for Master’s thesis students must discuss the applicant’s ability to perform graduate-level research.
• Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
• 2 Letters of recommendation

An undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Information Technology, or Computer Engineering is desirable but not required. Applicants without a strong undergraduate background in Computer Science and Statistics must demonstrate an understanding of the material covered in upper-division undergraduate courses listed under the Articulation Section of the Curriculum Information. Applicants may choose to demonstrate their knowledge of these courses by taking these courses as non-degree seeking and scoring “B” or better in all of them.

• A bachelor’s degree in Biomedical, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline. 
• Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or closely related discipline.
• TOEFL 80, IELTS 6.5
• Letters of Recommendation (Optional)
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related discipline.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering or closely related discipline.
• Official, competitive GRE score taken within the last five years.
• A written statement of experience and research, areas of current and future potential research interests, and future career goals.
• Multiscreen
• Projector/Screen
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• A Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in statistics, data analytics or a related field from an accredited U.S. institution recognized by UCF or its equivalent from a foreign institution.
• A current curriculum vitae.
• A personal statement identifying the area of research interest and a description of the applicant’s academic and professional experiences.
• The student should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all bachelor’s level work completed.
• Applicants to this program, except those that have earned or will earn a Masters or Doctoral degree from an accredited U.S. institution recognized by UCF, who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.

Doctoral Degree Requirements

Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is a judgment by the faculty of the student’s degree program on the potential to successfully complete the requirements of the degree program. Students are expected to complete degree program qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy by the end of their second year in the doctoral program. Candidacy is valid for five years, subject to satisfactory academic progress.

Policy Rationale Admission to candidacy marks the end of a doctoral student’s initial study period. Each degree program has an assessment procedure by which it pronounces the students qualified to pursue the doctoral degree and admits them as a candidate for the it. By admitting the student to candidacy, the degree program states its judgment that the student has the knowledge and ability to complete a research project and present it as a dissertation within the applicable time limits.

Policy Statement

Degree-specific requirements.

Admission to a doctoral degree program is preliminary to, and distinct from, admission to candidacy.  Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is a judgment by the faculty in the degree program of the student’s potential to successfully complete the requirements of the degree program. Students are expected to complete degree program qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy by the end of their second year in the doctoral program. Honors Cooperative students are required to apply by the end of their fourth year. Candidacy is valid for five calendar years (through the end of the quarter in which candidacy expires), unless terminated by the degree program (for example, for unsatisfactory academic progress). A Pregnancy or Parental Leave of Absence automatically extends the pre-candidacy or candidacy period (see GAP 5.9,  Pregnancy, Childbirth and Adoption , for details). 

Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is granted by the degree program following a student's successful completion of qualifying procedures as determined by the degree program. Programmatic policy determines procedures for subsequent attempts to advance to candidacy in the event that the student does not successfully complete the procedures. Failure to advance to candidacy results in the dismissal of the student from the doctoral program (see GAP 5.6,  Dismissal for Academic and Professional Reasons ).

Candidacy is confirmed on the  Application for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree  (or a departmental version of this form). This form also specifies a departmentally approved program of study to fulfill degree requirements, including required course work, language requirements, teaching requirements, dissertation (final project and public lecture-demonstration for D.M.A.), and university oral examination (for other doctoral degrees). The department should confirm at this point that the student’s program will meet all university and degree program requirements.

Prior to candidacy, at least 3 units of course work must be taken with each of four Stanford faculty members. To reiterate, however, a student will only be admitted to candidacy if, in addition to the student fulfilling programmatic prerequisites, the faculty makes the judgment that the student has the potential to successfully complete the requirements of the degree program.

If the doctoral student is pursuing a minor, approval by the degree program awarding the minor is also required on the Application for Candidacy.

Extension of the Pre-Candidacy Period

The degree program may determine that extension of the pre-candidacy period is necessary to provide a student with additional time to complete qualifying procedures or to provide faculty with necessary evidence on which to base a candidacy decision. Decisions to extend the pre-candidacy period and thus delay the candidacy decision should be made on an individual student basis and should not be applied to entire cohorts or students absent exceptional circumstances. Degree programs are not obligated to extend the pre-candidacy period.

 When providing an extension of the pre-candidacy period, the degree program should communicate in writing the reason for the extension, expectations for the academic work to be completed by the student, the duration of the extension, and the timeline for the candidacy review. Extensions of the pre-candidacy period should generally not extend beyond two academic quarters.

Time Limit for Completion of a Degree with Candidacy

Students are required to maintain active candidacy through conferral of the doctoral degree. All requirements for the degree must be completed before candidacy expires. Candidacy is valid for five calendar years (through the end of the quarter in which candidacy expires), unless terminated by the degree program (for example, for academic unsatisfactory progress). The candidacy time limit is not automatically extended by a student’s leave of absence.

Failure to make minimum academic progress or complete university, department, and program requirements in a timely or satisfactory manner may lead to dismissal of the student (see GAP 5.6,  Dismissal for Academic Reasons ).

Extension of Candidacy

All requests for candidacy extension, whether prompted by a leave or some other circumstance, must be filed by the student before the conclusion of the program’s time limit, using the  Application for Extension of Candidacy or Master's Program  form. Departments are not obligated to grant an extension. Students may receive a maximum of one additional year of candidacy per extension. Extensions require review by the department of a dissertation progress report, a timetable for completion of the dissertation, any other factors regarded as relevant by the degree program, and approval by the degree program; such approval is at the degree program's discretion.

 A Pregnancy or Parental Leave of Absence will also result in an extension of candidacy (or of the pre-candidacy period). See GAP 5.9,   Pregnancy, Childbirth and Adoption , for details.

Teaching and Research Requirements

A number of degree programs require their students to teach (serving as a Teaching Assistant) or assist a faculty member in research (serving as a Research Assistant) for one or more quarters as part of their doctoral programs. 

Foreign Language Requirement

Some degree programs require a reading knowledge of one or more foreign languages. Fulfillment of language requirements must be endorsed by the chair of the major department.

University Oral Examination

Passing a university oral examination is a requirement of the Ph.D., J.S.D. and Ed.D. degrees. The purpose of the examination is to test the candidate’s command of the field of study and to confirm fitness for scholarly pursuits. Degree programs determine which of the following three types of oral examinations is to be required in their doctoral programs:

A test of knowledge of the student’s field; this type of examination is intended to assess the student’s overall mastery of a specific field of knowledge 

A review of the dissertation proposal covering content relevant to the area of study, rationale for the proposed investigation, and strategy to be used in the research; this type of examination is intended to assist the student in refining a dissertation topic and to ensure mastery of theoretical and methodological issues as well as the materials needed to conduct the research effectively

A defense of the dissertation presented either upon completion of a substantial portion of the dissertation or upon completion of a pre-final draft (in either case, a draft of the work completed should be available for the examining committee well in advance of the examination); this type of examination is intended to verify that the research represents the candidate’s own contribution to knowledge, and to test his or her understanding of the research. General questions pertaining to the field as a whole, but beyond the scope of the dissertation itself, may be included.

Applicability: All Ph.D., J.S.D., and Ed.D. degree candidates and programs.

Timing and Process

Students are required to be enrolled in the term in which the University oral examination is taken. The period between the last day of final exams of one term and the day prior to the first day of the following term is considered an extension of the earlier term. Candidacy must also be valid at the time that the examination is taken.

The  University Oral Examination  form must be submitted to the department graduate studies administrator at least two weeks prior to the proposed examination date. The examination is conducted according to the major department's adopted practice, but it should not exceed three hours in length, and it must include a period of private questioning by the examining committee.

Committee Membership

The University oral examination committee consists of at least five Stanford faculty members: four examiners and the committee chair from another department. All committee members are normally members of the Stanford University Academic Council, and the chair must be a member of the Stanford University Academic Council. Emeritus faculty are also eligible to serve as examiners or as chair of the committee. Emeritus Stanford faculty, though no longer current members of the Academic Council, count as Academic Council members on dissertation oral committees.

Out-of-Department Chair

The chair of a Stanford oral examination is appointed for this examination only, to represent the interests of the University for a fair and rigorous process. The chair of the examining committee may not have a full or joint appointment in the principal dissertation advisor's, co-advisors or student's department, but may have a courtesy appointment in the department. The chair can be from the same department as any other member(s) of the examination committee and can be from the student's minor department provided that the student's advisor does not have a full or joint appointment in the minor department.

The department of Electrical Engineering has been granted an exception to this policy, whereby “out-of-department” may include a faculty member from another division of the department. The Graduate School of Education has been granted an exception to this policy, whereby “out-of-department” may include a faculty member from another program area of the school.

For Interdisciplinary Degree Programs (IDPs), the chair of the examining committee may not have a full or joint appointment in the primary advisor's major department and must have independence from the student and advisor. The faculty director of the IDP is not allowed to chair an examining committee for students in that IDP.

Responsibility for monitoring appointment of the out-of-department oral examination chair rests with the candidate's major department. The department should not require the candidate to solicit faculty members to serve as chair, however, the student may participate in selecting and contacting potential chairs.

A  Petition for Non-Academic Council Doctoral Commitment Members  to appoint an examining committee member who is neither a current or emeritus member of the Academic Council may be approved by the chair of the department or faculty director of graduate studies, if that person contributes an area of expertise that is not readily available from the faculty and holds a Ph.D. or equivalent foreign degree.

Exceptions for individuals whose terminal degree is not the Ph.D. or equivalent foreign degree may be granted by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education, upon the request of the student’s department chair or faculty director of graduate studies. The prospective committee member’s curriculum vitae and a brief description of their contributions to the student's research should be submitted  via email  to the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.

The majority of the examiners must be current or emeritus Academic Council members; more specifically, one of four or five examiners or two of six or seven examiners who are not current or emeritus members of the Academic Council may be appointed to the oral examination committee by means of this petition and approval by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education, as required for members who do not have a PhD degree.

The candidate passes the examination if the examining committee casts four favorable votes out of five or six, five favorable votes out of seven, or six favorable votes out of eight. Five members present and voting constitute a quorum. If the committee votes to fail a student, the committee chair sends within five days a written evaluation of the candidate's performance to the major department and the student. Within 30 days and after review of the examining committee's evaluation and recommendation, the chair of the student's major department must send the student a written statement indicating the final action of the degree program.

Dissertation

An approved doctoral dissertation is required for the Ph.D. and J.S.D. degrees. The doctoral dissertation must be an original contribution to scholarship or scientific knowledge and must exemplify the highest standards of the discipline. If it is judged to meet this standard, the dissertation is approved for the school or department by the doctoral dissertation reading committee (see  GAP 4.8 Doctoral Degrees: Dissertations and Dissertation Reading Committees ).

One reading committee member, who must be a current member of the Academic Council, reads the dissertation in its final form and certifies on the  Certificate of Final Reading  that degree program and university specifications, described below, have been met. Typically, the principal dissertation advisor serves as final reader though another member of the committee who is a current Academic Council member may provide the final signature.

All suggested changes have been taken into account and incorporated into the manuscript where appropriate. 

If the manuscript includes joint group research, the student's contribution is clearly explained in an introduction.

Format complies with university requirements.

If previously published materials are included in the dissertation, publication sources are indicated, written permission has been obtained for copyrighted materials, and all of the dissertation format requirements have been met.

The dissertation is ready-for-publication in appearance and ready for microfilming and binding.

Dissertations in a Language Other Than English

Dissertations must be in English. Exceptions to permit dissertations in a language other than English are granted by the school dean upon a written request from the chair of the student’s major department.  The student is required to submit directly to the Student Services Center a paper copy of the approval letter (or email message chain) from the school dean.  Approval for writing a dissertation in another language is normally granted only in cases where the other language or literature in that language is also the subject of the discipline. Approval is routinely granted for dissertations in the Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages, within degree program specifications. Dissertations written in another language must include an extended summary in English (usually 15-20 pages in length). 

When submitting electronically a dissertation in a language other than English, the student should upload the English summary as a supplemental file.  When submitting such a dissertation on paper, the student is required to submit the abstract for ProQuest in English.

Students have the option of submitting the dissertation electronically or via the paper process. Directions for preparation of the dissertation for electronic or paper submission are available at the  Office of the University Registrar dissertation  website. If submitting via the paper process, the signed dissertation copies and accompanying documents must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar on or before the quarterly deadline indicated in the  university's academic calendar . A fee is charged for the microfilming and binding of the paper dissertation copies. If submitting via the electronic process the signed dissertation signature page and title page must be submitted to the  Student Services Center  and one final copy of the dissertation must be uploaded, and approved by the Final Reader, on or before the quarterly deadline indicated in the  university's academic calendar . There is no fee charged for the electronic submission process.

Students are required to either be enrolled full-time or on Graduation Quarter in the term they submit the dissertation. At the time the dissertation is submitted, an Application to Graduate must be on file, all degree program requirements must be complete, and candidacy must be valid through the term of degree conferral.

Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee

The doctoral dissertation reading committee consists of the principal dissertation advisor and, typically, two other readers. The doctoral dissertation reading committee must have at least three members and may not have more than five members. At least one member must be from the student's major department. Normally, all committee members are members of the Stanford University Academic Council or are emeritus Academic Council members.

The student's department chair or faculty director of graduate studies may, in some cases, approve the appointment of a reader who is not a current or emeritus member of the Academic Council, if that person is particularly well qualified to consult on the dissertation topic and holds a Ph.D. or equivalent foreign degree, via the  Petition for Non-Academic Council Doctoral Committee Members . Former Stanford Academic Council members and non-Academic Council members may thus, on occasion, serve on a reading committee. A non-Academic Council member (including former Academic Council members) may replace only one of three required members of dissertation reading committees. If the reading committee has four or five members, at least three members (comprising the majority) must be current or emeritus members of the Academic Council. Emeritus Stanford faculty, though no longer current members of the Academic Council, count as Academic Council members on dissertation reading committees.

Any member of the Academic Council may serve as the principal dissertation advisor. A former Academic Council member, emeritus Academic Council member or non-Academic Council member may serve as co-advisor with the appointment of a principal dissertation advisor who is currently on the Academic Council. This is to ensure representation for the student in the department by someone playing a major advisor role in completion of the dissertation. Professors who have recently become emeritus within two years of the student's anticipated degree completion and have been recalled to active duty may serve as principal dissertation advisors, though they are no longer members of the Academic Council. Requests for further exceptions to the requirement that the principal dissertation advisor be a current member of the Academic Council, for example for recently retired emeritus professors who are still actively engaged on campus but not recalled to active duty, will be reviewed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.

The reading committee, as proposed by the student and agreed to by the prospective members, is endorsed by the chair of the major department on the  Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee  form. This form must be submitted before approval of Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status or before scheduling a university oral examination that is a defense of the dissertation. The reading committee may be appointed earlier, according to the department timetable for doctoral programs. All subsequent changes to the reading committee must be approved by the chair or faculty director of graduate studies of the major department. The reading committee must conform to university regulations at the time of degree conferral.

Implementation Information

Doctoral students should work with their dissertation advisor and their academic department to ensure timely completion of all requirements.

Contact Information

Office of the University Registrar

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Online form access

All forms are in interactive pdf format; they can be filled out using Adobe Acrobat Reader (Mac or PC) or Preview (Mac).  If you are having problems viewing or filling out forms, you may need to upgrade your browser and / or download and install the latest version of Acrobat Reader (free). Please fill in the information fields in forms electroncially using Acrobat Reader or Preview when possible, then print for original signature.

International students should consult their international student advisor before requesting any status changes.

Enrollment & status.

These forms are for currently enrolled graduate students who need to change their status.

Application for In-Absentia Status (pdf) For students who need to leave the state of California to conduct research related to their graduate education.

Application for the Intercampus Exchange Program for Graduate Students (pdf)   For students conducting research and enrolling in coursework at another UC campus.

Application for Part-Time Status (pdf) For students who have approval to enroll for one-half (or less) of the regular course load of fifteen credits. International graduate students may be permitted to enroll in part-time status only if they qualify for Reduced Course Load approval or have advanced to candidacy. Check with ISSP for guidance. Sponsored students should check with their sponsor about whether part-time study may be permitted.

Petition for Transfer of Graduate Program (pdf) For current students to change degree objectives.

Request of Leave of Absence (pdf) Granted for approved educational reasons, health reasons, financial problems, or family responsibilities; valid for one year but may be extended if sufficient justification.

• Request for Program Extension of Normative Time (pdf) Students who have not completed their degrees within the maximum allowed time (6 academic years for doctorate, 3 academic years for Masters) or who haven't advanced to candidacy by the end of their fourth academic year must request an extension to receive financial aid.
• Request to Extend Normative Time for Child-Related Event (pdf) Extension shall be granted on request for up to one year per child-related event (childbirth or adoption, illness, etc.).

Petition for Graduate Individual Studies Form (pdf) For students to enroll in an independent study course for any summer session term. 

Graduate Studies Application for Readmission (pdf) For students who withdrew to be readmitted and resume their graduate education.

Petition for Withdrawal (pdf) This petition is to be filed by any graduate student who wishes to withdraw enrollment from all currently enrolled classes after the beginning of the quarter. If you are also requesting a leave of absence, please complete the Request for Leave of Absence form in addition to this petition.

Qualifying & Advancement

Master’s Thesis Reading Committee (pdf) To notify the Division of Graduate Studies of your committee; submit by the end of the second week of the quarter the degree will be awarded. All programs require three committee members except Computational Media, which has been approved by Graduate Council for two.

Report on Language Requirement (pdf) Must be completed by faculty who have examined the student for the faculty’s program’s language requirement for doctoral students. Faculty should complete and submit with or before submitting the student’s qualifying examination committee members.

Committee Nomination of Doctorate Qualifying Examination (pdf) For students preparing for their qualifying examinations. The committee must be approved by the vice provost and dean of the Graduate Division before the exam takes place.

Report on Qualifying Examinations (pdf) Completed by a student’s qualifying examination committee and forwarded to the Division of Graduate Studies. After passing qualifiying exams, the student advances to candidacy.

Nominations for Dissertation Reading Committee (pdf)   Requests approval from the Division of Graduate Studies for a student’s dissertation reading  committee. Committee must have at least three members, and at least half of the committee must be members of the UC Santa Cruz Division of the Academic Senate.

Thesis & Dissertation Submission

• Dissertation and Thesis Guidelines Graduate Council has established guidelines for uniformity in the physical format of the manuscript.

Guide to Supplemental Material How to include supplementary materials with your thesis or dissertation as separate attachments, including computer code, research data, audio or video files, and images or maps that are not part of the primary pdf.

• Dissertation and Thesis Checklist A to-do list for graduating students
• ProQuest Online Dissertation Submission Make your thesis or dissertation available to the research community with ProQuest ETD Administrator at etdadmin.com/main/home .

Degree Application (Graduation) & Commencement

Application for the Master’s Degree (pdf) Complete this and obtain your thesis committee’s signatures and department signature to graduate with either a terminal or non-terminal Master’s Degree.

Application for the Doctor’s (Ph.D., D.M.A., Ed.D.) Degree (pdf) Complete this and obtain your thesis committee’s signatures and department signature to graduate with a Doctor’s Degree.

Application for Filing Fee Status (pdf) For students in their last quarter before graduating who are not enrolling in classes: Obtain your reading committee and department signatures. Students on filing fee status may not enroll in classes or hold student employment positions. You cannot repeat Filing Fee status.

Graduate Commencement website Details regarding all things relating to commencement: location, time, speakers, visitor information, etc.

Doctoral Exit Packet

National Science Foundation (NSF) Survey of Earned Doctorates

UCSC Doctoral Placement Survey   for all students receiving a doctoral degree.

Academic Misconduct Reporting

Both the instructor and student should complete this form, and the instructor should forward it to the vice provost and dean of the Graduate Division , along with copies of evidence. The instructor and student should keep a copy of this form.

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4.7.2 Doctoral Degrees, University Oral Examinations & Committees: Implementation

Main navigation.

• 1. Scheduling the Oral Examination
• 2. Conducting the Examination and Reporting the Results
• 3. If the Committee Votes to Fail a Student

Last updated on: Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Related Pages: 

4.7.1 Doctoral Degrees, University Oral Examinations & Committees: Policy

1. Scheduling the Oral Examination

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2. Conducting the Examination and Reporting the Results

3. If the Committee Votes to Fail a Student

May 12, 2020

Committee Approval Forms: Master’s and Doctoral Students

In March 2020, the Graduate School updated the committee approval process for both Master’s Thesis and Doctoral Students:

• Electronic Doctoral Dissertation Approval: Final Exams scheduled after March 3, 2020 include a link for Reading Committee Members to approve the dissertation online.
• Doctoral students can monitor the approvals via MGP or their e-mails.
• The Master’s Supervisory Committee Approval Form is still a paper form. However, a second page has been added to provide instructions to students who are not able to collect ink signatures from their committee members; e-mailed approvals will be acceptable.
• We encourage GPAs and GPCs to direct graduating students to Preparing to Graduate  for an overview of the graduation process.

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Forms and policies for students

The Graduate School uses DocuSign Powerforms for all forms that require signatures, and web forms (Formstack) for all forms that do not require signatures.

With one exception only, the Application to Pursue Graduate Degree , we do not accept PDF or printed submissions.  If a printed and/or handwritten form is submitted, it will be returned and delay your approval process.

DocuSign automates the routing and collection of digital signatures. For each form linked below, a pdf version is provided solely as an instructional template for preparing the DocuSign version, not as an alternative form of submission. If you are new to using Powerforms, please read through the DocuSign instructions to understand how to initiate and complete your form. If you have questions about the process or encounter issues with our forms, please contact (775) 784-6869 or email  [email protected] .

DocuSign instructions and FAQ [PDF]  |  DocuSign instructions [PDF]

Forms are organized in alphabetical order within the four sections below:

• Admissions - Applicable to all graduate students applying to the Graduate School
• General - Forms applicable to all graduate students within the Graduate School
• Doctoral  - Forms and information specific to doctoral programs
• Master's - Forms and information pertaining only to master's programs

Please note that faculty/program director forms are located under faculty forms .  If you need assistance or cannot access a form, please contact the Graduate School office at (775) 784-6869 .

Graduate School admissions forms

Application for graduate school admission.

Applicants are required to create an account. You will use this username and password every time to protect your account information.

Online Application for Graduate School Admission

Application to Pursue an Accelerated Degree Program

An accelerated bachelor's/master's program allows outstanding University of Nevada, Reno students to obtain both a baccalaureate and a master's degree in an accelerated timeframe.

Students in College of Engineering programs:

Application to Pursue an Accelerated Engineering Degree Program [DocuSign] Application to Pursue an Accelerated Engineering Degree Program [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Students in all other programs:

Application to Pursue an Accelerated Degree Program [DocuSign] Application to Pursue an Accelerated Degree Program [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Application to Pursue Graduate Degree

Administrative and Academic faculty interested in pursuing a graduate degree through the University of Nevada, Reno are required to submit an "Application to Pursue a Graduate Degree" form when applying to their program of choice.

Application to Pursue Graduate Degree [PDF]

Declaration or Removal of Certificate

Graduate students admitted to a degree program can add or remove a graduate certificate with this form.

Declaration or Removal of Certificate [Docusign] Declaration or Removal of Certificate [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

General Course Catalog

The University of Nevada, Reno General Course Catalog.

Online General Course Catalog

Graduate Credit Transfer Evaluation Request

Use this form when requesting a transfer of credits from other institutions.

Graduate Credit Transfer Evaluation Request [DocuSign] Graduate Credit Transfer Evaluation Request [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Graduate Special Application

Use the same application portal as undergraduate students to complete the Graduate Special Application for non-degree seeking students.

Online Graduate Special Application

Notice of Reinstatement to Graduate Standing

This form is to be completed by the student requesting reinstatement to their graduate program after an unapproved leave. Once completed, the program will return this form to the Graduate School for final approval.

Notice of Reinstatement to Graduate Standing [DocuSign] Notice of Reinstatement to Graduate Standing [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Undergraduate Request for Graduate Study

A scholastically eligible undergraduate student at the University who is within 30 credits of completing the requirements for the bachelor's degree may enroll in graduate-level courses for graduate credit, provided that such credit is requested by the student and approved by the current undergraduate advisor and Graduate Dean.

Undergraduate Request for Graduate Study [DocuSign] Undergraduate Request for Graduate Study [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

General forms

Advanced degree certificate graduation application deadline appeal.

Appeals to the application deadline for certificate programs are accepted at the Graduate School until the last day of the graduation term.

Advanced Degree Certificate Graduation Application Deadline Appeal [DocuSign] Advanced Degree Certificate Graduation Application Deadline Appeal [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Advanced Degree Graduation Application Deadline Appeal

Appeals to the application deadline for degree programs are accepted at the Graduate School until the last day of the graduation term.

Advanced Degree Graduation Application Deadline Appeal [DocuSign] Advanced Degree Graduation Application Deadline Appeal [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Change in Program of Study

Add or remove courses from your program of study.

Change in Program of Study [DocuSign] Change in Program of Study [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Change of Advisory Committee

Use this form if you need to make a change to the personnel on your advisory committee.

Change of Advisory Committee [DocuSign] Change of Advisory Committee [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair

This form initial agreement between a student and their advisor/committee chair. For master's students, the Declaration of Advisor form must be submitted to the Graduate School by the end of the student's second semester. For doctoral and MFA students, the completed Declaration of Advisor form must be submitted to the Graduate School by the end of the student's third semester.

Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair [DocuSign] Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Doctoral/M.F.A. Commencement Participation Request

Doctoral/M.F.A. Commencement Participation Request [Docusign] Doctoral/M.F.A. Commencement Participation Request [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Exit Survey

Students that have graduated may be asked to complete an exit survey by their program providing valuable program-specific and high-level feedback to the Graduate School about their experience. 

Exit Survey [Formstack]

Graduation Application

Every candidate for a degree must formally apply for graduation through MyNevada  by the applicable deadline:

• May graduation: March 1
• August graduation: June 1
• December graduation: October 1

Within 3-8 weeks of applying for graduation, you will receive an email outlining any additional graduation requirements. As a candidate for graduation, it is your responsibility to confirm with your advisor that the list of requirements emailed to you is comprehensive and includes all applicable final-semester requirements necessary to graduate on your desired date.

Application instructions:

• Log into MyNevada   using your NetID and password.
• Select the Academic Records tile.
• Select Apply for Graduation from the menu and complete the steps.

Graduation Application in MyNevada

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence is a temporary cessation of study and may be granted for up to one year. Students requesting a leave of absence must be in good academic standing and submit the completed form before the period of leave begins. Time spent on an approved leave is included in the time allowed to complete the degree, i.e. six calendar years for the master’s degree and eight calendar years for the doctoral degree.

Leave of Absence [DocuSign] Leave of Absence [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Program of Study

The program of study specifies the courses and credits required to satisfy the requirements for the degree and documents the approval of the chair and members of the student’s duly constituted advisory committee. The program of study must receive final approval by the Graduate Dean. For master's degree students, the completed Program of Study form must be submitted to the Graduate School by the end of the student's third semester. For MFA and doctoral students, the completed Program of Study form must be submitted to the Graduate School by the end of the student's fourth semester.

Program of Study [DocuSign] Program of Study [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Program Change of Degree/En Route Request

Requests to declare a master’s en route to the Ph.D., change a sub-plan, or change degree levels must be approved by the student’s major advisor and graduate program director.

Program Change of Degree/En Route Request [DocuSign] Program Change of Degree/En Route Request [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Doctoral student forms

Dissertation defense calendar event.

Use this link to add your dissertation defense to the University's event calendar.

Dissertation Defense Calendar Event [Formstack]

Dissertation Filing Guidelines

Filing your dissertation at the Graduate Division is one of the final steps leading to the award of your graduate degree. This link will provide you a comprehensive overview, as well as several forms required to file your dissertation.

Dissertation Filing Guidelines Webpage

Dissertation filing templates, samples and Survey of Earned Doctorates

• Committee Approval page  for 5-member committee (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page  for  5-member committee with co-advisor (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page  for 6-member committee (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page  for 6 -member committee with co-advisor (TEMPLATE)

Sample pages

• Dissertation Title page (SAMPLE)
• Dissertation Copyright page (SAMPLE)
• Dissertation Committee approval page (SAMPLE)

Survey of Earned Doctorates

• Survey of Earned Doctorates  - The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is an annual census conducted since 1957 of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. institution in a given academic year. The SED is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) and by three other federal agencies: the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and National Endowment for the Humanities. The SED collects information on the doctoral recipient's educational history, demographic characteristics, and postgraduation plans. Results are used to assess characteristics of the doctoral population and trends in doctoral education and degrees. Read more about the purpose and methods of the SED .

Dissertation Final Review Approval

Obtain signoff on your dissertation from your advisory committee chair.

Dissertation Final Review Approval DocuSign Powerform Dissertation Final Review Approval [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Dissertation Title

Submit the title of your dissertation and the name of your advisor to the Graduate School.

Submit Dissertation Title Online

Doctoral Degree Admissions to Candidacy

This is a status for those who have completed every requirement except for the dissertation.

Doctoral Degree Admission to Candidacy [DocuSign] Doctoral Degree Admissions to Candidacy [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Notice of Completion: Doctoral Degree

This is a generic form that every student must complete in their graduating semester which relates to the cumulative project (dissertation, professional paper, comprehensive exam). Fill out the sections that apply to your requirements. The advisory committee listed on the program of study signs the form. The notice of completion must be submitted by established deadlines for graduation.

Notice of Completion: Doctoral Degree [DocuSign] Notice of Completion: Doctoral Degree [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Master's student forms

Notice of completion: master's degree.

This is a generic form that every student must complete in their graduating semester which relates to the cumulative project (thesis, professional paper, comprehensive exam). Fill out the sections that apply to your requirements. The advisory committee listed on the program of study signs the form. The notice of completion must be submitted by established deadlines for graduation.

Notice of Completion: Master's Degree [DocuSign] Notice of Completion: Master's Degree [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Thesis Filing Guidelines

Filing your thesis at the Graduate Division is one of the final steps leading to the award of your graduate degree. This link will provide you a comprehensive overview, as well as several forms required to file your thesis. The Docusign form will require you to enter your advisory committee chair's name and email address. Upon submission, the form will be routed to your advisory committee chair for final approval.

Thesis Filing Guidelines Webpage

Thesis Final Review Approval [DocuSign] Thesis Final Review Approval [PDF example; Not accepted for submission]

Thesis filing templates and samples

• Committee Approval page for 3-member committee (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page for 3-member committee with co-advisor (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page for 4-member committee (TEMPLATE)
• Committee Approval page for 4-member committee with co-advisor (TEMPLATE)
• Thesis Title page (SAMPLE)
• Thesis Copyright page (SAMPLE)
• Thesis Committee approval page (SAMPLE)

Thesis Final Review Approval

The Docusign form will require you to enter your advisory committee chair's name and email address. Upon submission, the form will be routed to your advisory committee chair for final approval.