This form is required to report the results of the doctoral qualifying examination.

The qualifying examination must be passed no later than the end of the fifth semester of enrollment in a doctoral program. Enrollment on the date of examination is required.

Submit Form 4

This form is required to establish a plan of study and committee for the doctoral degree program.

Form 5 must be submitted by the end of the semester in which the student passes the qualifying examination. If changes to the plan occur at any time, a Form 5A  must be submitted.

Select the link below that corresponds with your catalog year to create a formal plan for the doctoral degree program and discuss the plan with your academic advisor. Your catalog year is determined by the date of admission to the degree program. If you are unsure of your catalog year, you can run a degree audit. The catalog year is listed in the upper right-hand corner under your name and degree program.

Form 5/ Form 5A Course Plan (Catalog Year 2019 - 2020 and prior)

Form 5/ Form 5A Course Plan (Catalog Year 2020 - 2021 and beyond)

Once you and your advisor are in agreement that the plan meets minimum departmental and university requirements and is acceptable for the doctoral degree, use the link below to submit the form to the approval workflow.

Submit Form 5

This form is required to report the results of the doctoral comprehensive examination.

After the candidate has completed at least 50% of the coursework required for the doctoral degree, as listed on their approved plan of study, the advisory committee must administer the comprehensive examination. Enrollment on the date of examination is required. A candidate will be considered to have passed the examination if all, or all but one, of the advisory committee members recommend that the candidate pass. 

Submit Form 6

This form is required to notify the department and Graduate Education of the details of the final doctoral defense.

When the dissertation is completed, the candidate arranges a date, time and location for the final defense of the dissertation and distributes a copy to each member of their advisory committee at least seven days prior. The defense should be scheduled only during days the university is conducting normal business operations, enrollment on the date of the examination is required and there must be at least twelve weeks between passing the comprehensive examination and holding the defense. Details of the defense, along with the dissertation title and abstract, must be publicized by Graduate Education at least one week prior to the defense.

Submit Final Doctoral Defense Notification Form

This form is required to report the results of the doctoral final defense.

A candidate will be considered to have passed the defense if all, or all but one, of the advisory committee members recommend that the candidate pass. Once this form has been approved by the advisor, committee, and department chair (or designee), no other content changes can be made except for changes to the format outlined by the dissertation specifications.

Discuss the appropriate dissertation release and research grade selection with your advisor. Use the link below to submit the form to the approval workflow once you have determined the appropriate selection. This form can be submitted before or after the exam; please discuss submission preference with your department.

Submit Form 7

This form is required to request approval for enrolling in continuous registration (6050).

Per Policy Memo II-20, "After passing the comprehensive examination and completing all coursework and residency requirements for the doctoral degree, the student must remain enrolled each fall and spring semester and summer session until completion of the degree. Failure to do so may invalidate the candidacy".

To maintain continuous enrollment as required by Policy Memo II-20, doctoral students can enroll in research OR for students that have left campus, continuous registration (6050). Continuous registration is not considered full-time enrollment and therefore not appropriate enrollment for students on a GRA/GTA/GA appointment.

Registration and billing will be automatic after the form is approved for each semester/session until the degree is completed.

Submit Request for Continuous Registration

This form is required to request a leave of absence.

Once admitted to a doctoral degree program, a student will be given eight years to complete the program. A student may take a leave of absence, up to one year only, which will not count toward the specified time limit.

Submit Request for Leave of Absence

This form is required to request a change of catalog year.

Degree requirements are updated annually and published in the graduate catalog. The catalog year is what determines the degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. The catalog year is determined by the date of admission to the degree program, however, students may request to change to a subsequent catalog year if the requirements of the later catalog benefit the student. If a student changes their catalog year, they are responsible for fulfilling all of the graduation requirements in the newly chosen catalog and are not permitted to use a combination of catalogs to satisfy degree requirements.

Submit Request to Change Catalog Year