Graduation Guide
Graduation Timeline
Students nearing completion of degree requirements should familiarize themselves with the schedule of deadlines for each academic year. Questions regarding these deadlines should be directed to the office issuing them. Participation in the May Commencement Ceremony is contingent on meeting the appropriate deadlines. Please note that Ph.D. and WSE master's degree students completing all requirements by the first eight weeks of the fall semester are eligible for a reimbursement of tuition and should speak with a Student Accounts Officer for more details.
Ph.D. candidates and Krieger School Master's candidates should refer to the Graduate Board Calendar for the current schedule of deadlines.
Whiting School Master's candidates should refer to the Engineering School's Office of Graduate Academic Affairs website for the current Completion Schedule of deadlines.
The Graduate Board considers candidates for the Ph.D. and the Krieger School's M.A., and M.S. degrees twice a year (November and April). The Whiting School of Engineering considers candidates for its master's degrees four times each year (end of summer, end of first eight weeks of fall, end of fall and end of spring).
Although the degree becomes effective when the candidate's application to graduate is approved, diplomas are only awarded in May. Soon after the candidates are approved the Office of the Registrar mails to the candidates an interim certificate of completion that serves as official documentation of degree completion.
Graduation Forms
All graduate students expected to graduate must submit a series of forms (listed below). All documents listed below are to be submitted to the indicated office by the deadlines specified in either the Graduate Board Calendar or the Completion Schedule per degree/School. All Ph.D. candidates and Krieger School Master's candidates should follow the Graduate Board Calendar and all Whiting School Master's candidates should follow the Whiting School's Completion Schedule.
Application to Graduate (all candidates)
This form is not available online and must be submitted to the Registrar's Office. Either the Registrar or the department administrator can supply this form.
Graduate Board Oral Exam (all Ph.D. candidates)
If the student's GBO exam was a Preliminary Exam the Graduate Board should already have this document, please consult the department administrator to verify. The GBO Form is available online (scroll to School of Arts & Sciences and School of Engineering GBO Form).
Readers Letter (all Ph.D. candidates and Krieger School Master's candidates)
This document is provided to the Graduate Board by the student's advisor.
Certificate of Advanced Degree (all Ph.D. candidates and Krieger School Master's candidates)
This form is only available to department administrators to fill out and should be submitted to the Graduate Board.
Certificate of Advanced Degree (Whiting School Master's candidates)
Each WSE department has its own paperwork that is submitted to the Engineering School's Office of Academic Affairs. Graduate students should check with their department's Graduate Program Coordinator to acquire the appropriate form.
Doctoral Dissertation (all candidates)
Dissertations are to be submitted to the Binding Office. Please review the Guidelines for the Preparation of Dissertations and Theses prior to submitting the dissertation. The fee scale and most current UMI/Proquest Form and Instructions document are provided. The Payment and UMI form must be submitted at time of dissertation submission.
Master's Essay* (all candidates)
If required for the degree, the Master's essay is to be submitted to the Binding Office. Please review the Guidelines for the Preparation of Dissertations and Theses prior to submitting the thesis. The fee scale and most current UMI/Proquest Form and Instructions document are provided. The Payment and UMI form must be submitted at time of dissertation submission.
The Graduate Board's Information for Degree Candidates site provides further detail regarding the documents listed above.
Scheduling the Graduate Board Oral Exam
The Graduate Board's website provides information on the purpose of the exam, on scheduling an exam, on the committee composition, and on the examination procedures. Graduate Board Exams may be held throughout the academic year. The GBO Form to schedule a GBO examination should be submitted in writing at least three weeks prior to the proposed examination date. Students must be registered for the semester in which they take their exam.
Dissertations should be provided to the examiners at least two weeks before the date of a final exam. Students and advisors are responsible for distributing copies to the examiners.
Thesis Guidelines
The Binding Office provides detailed information on properly formatting a dissertation or thesis. Dissertations not formatted according to our guidelines will not be accepted. Additionally, the Binding Office provides information on the submission process including the fees and payment form associated with submitting a thesis.
Student Employment after Graduation
The University has strict employment guidelines regarding continued University employment for both international and domestic graduate students following the completion of degree requirements. Students should refer to the After Graduation section of the Student Employment Service's Employer Handbook for information on this matter. International graduate students should be sure to read the information pertaining to them, as the regulations are different than those for domestic students.
*Only if an essay is required for the degree.
Jennifer Zosh
Graduate Student
Psychological and Brain Sciences
Laboratory for Child Development
“During the past year I have been focusing on short-term memory limits in infancy and asking if language and pervious experience can help infants overcome those limits.”
Learn more about the Laboratory for Child Development