Doctoral Defense

(Tips from your Graduate Administrator!)

PUBLICITY is required by the Dietrich School and department. Please send Emily McGurgan, Graduate Administrator, the following information to prepare the department flyer and weekly announcements, and to add to the University Events Calendar. A memo is also sent to the Dean's office.

  • Name of Student
  • Title of Doctoral Thesis
  • Names of advisor (or co-advisors if appropriate)
  • Abstract (this will also update your department "people" page
  • Date of Defense, Time, Location
  • Zoom Meeting ID and Password
  • Photo you wish us to use for your publicity flyer
  • Please note the different between applying to graduate and signing up to participate in the graduation ceremony
    • ​You must "apply" to graduate with your degree. Emails will be periodically sent reminding you of the deadline for each graduation (April, August, and December). The application to graduate closes at 5pm on the first day of the graduation month. (ex. Deadline for April graduation is April 1 at 5pm).  
  • Meet with the Graduate Administrator or DGS prior to, or at the beginning of the term you plan to graduate, review your transcript for any "incomplete" grade issues and to make sure academic requirements have been met.
  • Committee members must have the dissertation at least FOUR full weeks prior to the defense.  Read the Chair's message.  Some faculty have indicated they will not participate in "last-minute" defense dates, so take this seriously.
  • DocuSign: At the present time, students do not have "sending" power in DocuSign. Following your defense, you and your chair must contact the Graduate Administrator to confirm that the committee passed the student for both their oral and thesis components of their dissertation. A DocuSing packet will then be sent to the student and their committee by the Graduate Administrator which includes: 
    • Report of Examination for the Doctor Degree (one for oral component and one for thesis component)
    • ETD Approval Form, Dissertation Attendance Form
    • These are SIGNED AT THE DEFENSE and return to the Graduate Administrator for further processing to the Dietrich School. However the research advisor and committee members can delay signing the approval form, if they wish to first see any requested revisions
  • The dissertation advisor(s) sign off when the document is in final form ready for submission.
  •  A degree certification memo is then prepared, signed by the Director of Graduate Studies and sent to the Dietrich School.
  • Provide Graduate Administrator and department payroll coordinator with forwarding address and, if known, job title.  Particularly important for proper mailing of any University tax statements and, of course, for our alumni page.
  • Complete the department's EXIT SURVEY for placement data required by the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and the American Institute of Physics.
  • Return desk keys to the department's facility coordinator.
  • Return any departmental textbooks you may have used when assigned to be a TA.
  • Visit our departmental Alumni Page to keep us informed of your professional promotions, accomplishments, and location. We hope to keep you informed of the “happenings” in the department.

Details of bulleted information:
Doctoral Candidacy:
The Graduate Dean’s office will not permit a candidate to graduate if their “Application for Admission to Candidacy”, indicating your topic and doctoral committee is not approved at least 8 months prior to your defense. Your committee must consist of members as described in our “Requirements …” document.  They must be members of the Graduate Faculty. If you are using a faculty member from outside of the University, your Research Advisor is required to submit a brief memo indicating the individual’s area of expertise and the individual’s FULL CV to your “Application for Candidacy” before it can be approved by the Department Chairperson and sent to the Dean’s office for approval. If you change ANY members of your dissertation committee you MUST fill out a “Change of Committee” form, needing approval of the DGS, Department Chairperson and Graduate Dean, before you defend. 

Academic Status:
Review your Graduate Student Status Report with the Graduate Administrator or DGS to ensure that all requirements have been met.

Publicity & Distribution:
Your committee, the Department Chair,* DGS, and the Graduate Administrator must be provided with a copy of your dissertation at least 4 weeks prior to your scheduled defense date. Publicity details are stated above.

Reminded Faculty and Graduate Students 5/2020 - a message from the Department Chair:
To all graduate students nearing graduation, our department rules require submission of a thesis draft to all committee members 4 weeks prior to their defense date. If students anticipate not being able to meet this deadline, they must obtain permission IN ADVANCE from all committee members to distribute it at a later time. If any of the committee members disagree, the student must either submit it within the deadline, or postpone their defense date. Members may also agree to have most of the thesis by the deadline and one section or chapter at a later time. The rule is in place to allow thesis committee members sufficient time to review the thesis and provide feedback on any potential issues prior to the defense.

This requires particular planning in cases where the defense date is difficult to move due to faculty travel schedules, family travel plans, or other issues.  Thank you for your help in making the thesis review process manageable for all committee members.

 
Registration:
(Degrees are conferred in the months of APRIL, AUGUST, or DECEMBER for graduate students in Arts and Sciences.)
You must be registered for at least 1 credit or FTDB 3999 (0 credits) in each and every term that you think you will be graduating.  You must be registered for FTDB or at least 1 credit in a 12-month period when using university resources or faculty time and to remain on Active Status in Arts and Sciences.  In cases where you registered, defended or planned to defend, but had scheduling difficulties, it may be possible to request a "waiver of the registration requirement" (consult with the graduate administrator).

Application for Graduation:
Applications and instructions are announced and made available electronically from the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, 5141 Sennott Square just prior to the term in which you wish to graduate.  The deadline is typically at the VERY beginning of the term.   This is a free application, if done before the deadline.

ETD:
Review information about Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD): https://etd.pitt.edu/etd-format-guidelines