Questions?

  • Dissertation Completion Process: Meghan Peck (6-3413), GSAS
  • Patentable inventions or new technologies disclosed in your thesis (before it's published): Loretta Shagoury (6-2128), Office of Technology Licensing

Other Information

  • Proquest/UMI will post your dissertation to the web and print a soft-bound copy approximately 4-6 months after your degree is conferred.
  • Proquest/UMI can produce a hard-bound copy of your dissertation. Please place your order through Proquest/UMI directly.

Dissertation Completion Timeline


arrowStep 1: Apply to Graduate Before or By the Application Deadline

Submit your Application for Degree, available here. You must complete and turn it in to Office of Student Financial Services, Usdan Student Center.  A doctoral fee of $235.00 must be paid with the submission of this form, check or cash (sorry, no credit cards can be accepted for this fee). 
Form/Payment Deadlines:  Thursday, November 1, 2012 for February 2013 graduation; Friday, March 1, 2013 for May 2013 graduation; Friday, June 14, 2013 for August 2013 graduation.  A new application form is necessary if you do not complete all requirements for the degree by the dates listed, however the fee is a one-time payment.

arrowStep 2: Submit Dissertation Examining Committee (DEC) Form Two Weeks before your Defense

Dissertation Examining Committee (D.E.C.) Form: This form states the proposed title of your dissertation, your defense date, time and location, and lists the members of your defense committee.  The form must be signed by your program chair and delivered to Meghan Peck, GSAS (Kutz 206) at least two weeks before your defense date. Dean Watson will review form and sign, giving GSAS approval.
Last Day to Defend: Friday, December 14, 2012 for February 2013 completion; Thursday, April 18, 2013 for May 2013 completion; Thursday, August 1, 2013 for August 2013 completion.

arrowStep 3: Bring Your Dissertation Defense Form and Signature Page to Your Defense

Ph.D. Dissertation Defense Form: Obtained from the Registrar’s website here. This form should be signed by your committee at the defense and returned to the Registrar’s Office.  If revisions are requested, additional form, the Report on Ph.D. Revisions Form is required. This form must be submitted by the doctoral candidate after the committee has accepted the revised dissertation.

Signature Page (template available here): for committee members to sign at your defense. Please Note: Signed version of the Signature Page is required by GSAS and should be turned in to GSAS. An unsigned Signature Page should be included in the prefatory pages of the final, ready-for-publication dissertation.

Dissertation Submission Formatting Information is available here.

Dissertation Submission Deadlines: Thursday, January 17, 2013 for February 2013 degree; Wednesday, May 1, 2013 for May 2013 degree; Thursday, August 15, 2013 for August 2013 degree.

arrowStep 4: Submit Your Dissertation--Don't wait until the last day!

Electronic Submission: Submit your dissertation to ProQuest/UMI here. The Doctoral Dissertation Agreement Form, Title Page, and Abstract are all part of the online submission process.

Publishing Options: ‘TR’ (Traditional Publishing) restrictions and/or embargo on dissertation access is available through TR option; ‘OA’ (Open Access Publishing) no restrictions available to researcher (author must pay additional $95 fee for Open Access). For additional information on TR or OA publishing, please go here.

arrowStep 5: Complete GSAS Exit Survey and Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) by Your Dissertation Submission Deadline

GSAS Exit Survey: Completed online; GSAS will send you the link to its Exit Survey once your DEC form is submitted.

Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED): Print the survey out and turn in the hard copy to Meghan Peck, GSAS. The SED is conducted by NORC, University of Chicago and collected for NSF, NIH, USED, NEH, USDA, and NASA.