To be eligible to earn an advanced degree, students must fulfill appropriate requirements as established by their major department and the Graduate School, and have an approved Candidacy Application.Procedures and final deadlines required by the Graduate School are described below.

Note:Please submit paperwork first to your department and allow time for review before Graduate School deadlines.

Commencement Dates &Requirements​

For December 19, 2024*

  • October 1, 2024
    • Doctoral students who have not already done somustapply online to graduateٳdzܲon the “apply for graduation” card in order tohave the degree awarded in December.This is required even though there is no university-wide ceremony.PhD students must enter their dissertation title as part of the online graduation application; you may update the title through the portal until this date.This title will appearon your transcript after your degree is awarded.
  • November 14, 2024
    • Doctoralstudents must complete the PhD dissertation defense or final examination by this date.Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the doctoral final examination form two weeks before the exam.
  • November 21, 2024
    • PhD students must submit the dissertationwith Thesis Approval Form to ProQuest by this deadline. The dissertation must befor review and approval by Gradaute School staff by the end of the business day. Thesingle-pageThesis Approval Form(TAF) must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.Students whose dissertationsare received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,must apply to graduate at the following semester'scommencement.
  • November 21, 2024
    • PhD and DMA students must fill out the by this deadline..
  • December 2, 2024
    • Grade changes must besubmitted for incomplete courses taken during previous or current semesters
  • December 13, 2024

For May 8, 2025

  • March 1, 2025
    • Doctoral students who have not already done somustapply online to graduateٳdzܲon the “apply for graduation” card in order tohave the degree awarded in May.This is required whether or not you plan to attend the university-wide ceremony.PhD students must enter their dissertation title as part of the online graduation application; you may update the title through the portal until this date.This title will appearon your transcript after your degree is awarded.
  • April 8, 2025
    • Doctoralstudents must complete the PhD dissertation defense or final examination by this date.Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the doctoral final examination form two weeks before the exam.
  • April 15, 2025
    • PhD students must submit the dissertationwith Thesis Approval Form to ProQuest by this deadline. The dissertation must befor review and approval by Gradaute School staff by the end of the business day. Thesingle-pageThesis Approval Form(TAF) must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.Students whose dissertationsare received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,must apply to graduate at the following semester'scommencement.
  • April 15, 2025
    • PhD and DMA students must fill out the by this deadline..
  • April 21, 2025
    • Grade changes must besubmitted for incomplete courses taken during previous or current semesters
  • TBD

*Note: although there is no campus-wide ceremony, students may have degrees awarded in August and December.