Planning to defend? Here are a few reminders ….
*items indicated by an asterisk can be found at The Graduate School (TGS) website on the Current
Students - Student Information page
http://www.gru.edu/gradstudies/current_students/
Enrollment: Students are required to be enrolled in the semester in which they defend. Students are
not enrolled the semester(s) after they defend unless they fail or pass with major revisions (see
details at end of this document).
Thesis/Dissertation Format: In the preparation of a thesis/dissertation, the student should consult the
*Thesis/Dissertation Preparation Guide and follow the instructions for the required format. In no
instance should another thesis/dissertation be used as a guide for the style and format of a
manuscript. It is the responsibility of the Major Advisor to see that the student adheres to these
policies. The Graduate School will not approve thesis/dissertations that do not follow the format
outlined in the manual.
International Students: It is the student’s responsibility to meet with Ms. Beverly Tarver in Student
Diversity International to discuss graduation plans to determine if/how their visa and
student compliance status will be affected. If a student is planning to apply for OPT he/she
must allow sufficient time for the application process. It is the student’s responsibility to
ensure that he/she remains in compliance with all his/her official paperwork for student
status and has completed all appropriate applications and paperwork that may be required
for his/her post-graduation plans in the US.
Approval of Readers: The student must send a memo for the selection of reader(s) to the TGS Dean’s
office for approval.
Oral Defense Date and Time: The student must coordinate a time and date that is agreed upon by
his/her advisor, all committee members, reader(s) and the TGS dean (or dean’s designee). The
student must then schedule and coordinate the final oral defense through the TGS Dean’s office.
• The oral defense must take place no later than 3 weeks before the end of the term
(graduation).
• ALL final documents and forms must be submitted 1 week prior to the end of the term
(graduation).
• No oral defenses will be scheduled to take place between semesters.
Application for Graduation: Once a final oral defense is scheduled, the student must complete the online Application for Graduation that can be found at: http://gru.edu/registrar/healthsciences.php
Oral Defense Room location: The student is responsible for scheduling the room location and
coordinating distance technology for the committee members that will not be present face-to-face
at the final oral defense. Prior to the final oral defense, the student should send copies of his/her
powerpoint presentation to any committee members/readers participating via distance technology.
Thesis/Dissertation Draft Distribution: Please note the student’s thesis/dissertation “draft” must
follow the policies and required style and format outlined in the*Thesis/Dissertation Preparation
Booklet.
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Advisor-approved draft of thesis/dissertation should be submitted to Advisory Committee
5 weeks (or more) before final oral examination.
•
Corrected draft copy of thesis/Dissertation must be submitted to the Major Advisor,
Advisory Committee, Reader/readers and The Graduate School 2 weeks (or more) before
final oral exam.
TGS Requirements - Two Weeks Prior to Oral Defense: The following must be submitted to The
Graduate School 2 weeks (or more) before final oral exam:
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Corrected printed hard copy of Thesis/Dissertation draft (in required format)
Signed *Faculty Agreement for Final Oral Exam Form (signed by committee members and
reader/readers)
Signed *Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form (indicating Advisory committee’s approval
that the thesis/dissertation is acceptable (content and format) for the purpose of
administering the Final Oral Examination)
An electronic copy of thesis/dissertation announcement
Thesis/Dissertation Announcement: The student is responsible for producing and sending his/her
thesis/dissertation announcement to faculty and students. The announcement should be mailed
via campus mail at least 2 weeks before final oral exam.
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The announcement template will be emailed to student upon request
Campus mailing labels can be picked up in TGS
Oral Defense Results:
•
Pass /Minor Revisions: If a student passes with minor revisions, he/she will not be
enrolled (nor will be allowed to enroll) for the following semester (or any subsequent
semesters) in the degree program in which he/she has just defended his/her dissertation.
The student will be expected to graduate at the end of the semester in which he/she
defends. The student’s final approved revised thesis/dissertation and ALL final paperwork is
required to be submitted to TGS one week prior to the end of the semester/graduation.
•
Pass/Major Revisions or Fail: If a student passes with major revisions or fails, a
subcommittee will be appointed and he/she must enroll for the following semester. The
subcommittee will establish a list of necessary revisions and a timeline for
completion that are required to be fulfilled to the satisfaction of the subcommittee
in order for the thesis/dissertation to be approved and subsequently accepted by
The Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the MS/Ph.D. degree requirements. The
student’s final approved revised thesis/dissertation and ALL final paperwork is required to
be submitted to TGS one week prior to the end of the semester/graduation.