Dissertation Defense and Graduation Instructions

Step 1

Update your committee with the Graduate School if it has changed

• Check committee membership.

• Make an appointment with the Graduate Advising Team to discuss paperwork and plan.

• If your dissertation committee has changed, contact the ECE Grad Advising Team more than 30 days before the defense date for assistance with preparing and submitting a Request for Change in Doctoral Committee Form to the Graduate School.

• Resolving committee changes should be completed at least 30 days before you defend. If you are within 30 days or less of your defense, page 2 of the form must be completed also.

• More information is provided about committee changes elsewhere in the handbook.

Step 2

Review the Graduate School's Submission Webpage

• The Graduate School has critical information regarding deadlines, paperwork, and scheduling. Review this at least one semester before your defense. Note that you must accumulate at least 6 or more hours of Dissertation course credits, including the hours of Dissertation you take in the final semester of defense, in order to graduate with your PhD degree.

Step 3

Meet with your supervisor(s)

• Discuss your plan to defend and any important requirements/expectations for your defense with your supervisor(s).

Step 4

Apply to graduate

• Submit the application to graduate at the beginning of your last semester. The application is available on or around the first day of classes each semester. 

• Failure to submit the application by the deadline means you cannot graduate that semester. 

• If you submit the application and end up not defending, there is no penalty. Your application will be cancelled and you may submit a new one during the next semester. 

Step 5

Schedule your defense

• You must defend at least two weeks prior (or earlier) to the submission deadline in your final semester; see steps 6 and 7.

• All committee members should be present. Required participation is N-1. 

• If a member is not able to attend, list their name on line 4 of the Request for Final Oral Exam form so they can sign the form and check the "I will read" box (not the "I will attend" box). Their name will appear on page 2 as the absent member when the form is complete. An absent member must still sign the final Report of Dissertation Committee form after the defense to approve the dissertation and pass the candidate.

• On the day of the defense, contact the ECE Graduate Advising Team if more than the one, approved absent member will miss the defense so the Graduate School can be notified, and tell ECE and the defending student how to proceed.

• Members may participate virtually or in person. 

• Make use of services such as Doodle or When 2 Meet 

• Use the UT Room Reservation System to reserve your space. If defending in person, reserve the space at least 30 minutes in advance for set up time and about two hours for the defense.

Step 6

Send your dissertation to your committee

Due at least four weeks prior to your defense

• Once your supervisor approves, send your dissertation to the rest of your committee at least 4 weeks prior to your final oral exam.

Step 7

Submit the Request for Final Oral Exam form - emailing this completed form to the Graduate School is how you formally schedule your defense

Due at least two weeks prior to your defense

• Fill out the Request form that is available via DocuSign HERE. When the DocuSign process is complete, you will receive a fully signed copy of the form. The member whose name is on line 4 must check the "I will attend" box if they will attend the defense, or check the "I will read" box if they will be absent. Only one member can be absent from the defense.

• Email the fully signed Request form, and the four required documents listed on page 1 of the form, to gradstudentsvcs@austin.utexas.edu for a format check. The four documents include the dissertation abstract, title page, doctoral committee membership page, and a table of contents and lists of tables and figures. In addition, send a Statement on Research with Human Participants form with IRB materials, if necessary. Note that the doctoral committee membership page is unsigned.

Step 9

Prepare your presentation

• Most candidates will use PowerPoint or a similar program to present. Discuss format and style with your supervisor.

Step 10

Prepare forms

• There is only one form you need to have signed after your defense - the Report of Dissertation Committee form. You have two options for collecting signatures on this form:

  • The form will be emailed to you by the Graduate School, pre-populated with the names of all your committee members, about one week prior to your defense. Download this form and circulate it for digital or physical signatures. After collecting all the committee members' signatures, send it to the ECE GSC chair, Dr. Vijay K. Garg, to collect his signature.

  • OR use the DocuSign version of the report of dissertation committee form to collect signatures. Three steps are required for this form:

    • On the first page, you need to designate signers, including your supervisor(s), all committee members, and the ECE GSC Chair, Dr. Vijay K. Garg.

    • On the second page, fill in your EID, your dissertation title, and any other required fields, and click Submit. 

    • IMPORTANT: We recommend releasing the form right after your defense has concluded so your committee can easily find the request in their inboxes.  Do not submit the DocuSign form on a date prior to your defense.  It will not be accepted by the Graduate School if any committee members happen to sign it before your defense has concluded.

Step 12

Coauthor Permission Form- if applicable

• The Coauthor Permission form is required if your dissertation includes multi-author work, whether published or unpublished. This form can be accessed at the following DocuSign link HERE. Even your supervisor, fellow students, and postdocs sign it (for example), if applicable.  You can start collecting those signatures early.

Step 13

Confirm with your committee

• Be sure to confirm your committee's attendance and send a reminder at least a few days in advance. Committee participation is set by the Graduate School at N-1. The absent member must have been listed already on the Request for Final Oral Exam form as the absent member; see step 5. The Graduate School does not distinguish between virtual and in-person participation. 

Step 1

Arrive early

• Set up the room and media, and greet your committee and attendees.

Step 2

Distribute forms and paperwork, if applicable

• Distribute immediately after your defense.

Step 3

Conduct your defense 

• The process can take up to a few hours, including the presentation, questions, and deliberation.

Step 4

Collect signed forms

• If completing paperwork by DocuSign, you will receive an email notification with a link to download the completed form. Download and save a copy.

• If your form is not signed in a timely manner, contact the Graduate Coordinator. 

Step 5

Request delay of publication - if applicable

• To request a delay of publication, you and your supervisor must sign and submit a form to gradstudentsvcs@austin.utexas.edu 

Step 1

Upload your dissertation to the Texas Digital Library

• You must upload your dissertation to the Texas Digital Library by the Graduate School's deadline. Your dissertation must be uploaded prior to submitting final paperwork to the Graduate School. ECE doctoral students who don’t submit their dissertation in the semester of their defense are allowed one more subsequent semester to submit the dissertation, or they are required to re-do the entire defense process outlined on this page.

Step 2

Submit your final paperwork to the Graduate School

• Submit the Report of Dissertation Committee form and the Request for Delay of Publication form (if applicable) to gradstudentsvcs@austin.utexas.edu by 3 PM on the submission deadline