Finishing Your Ph.D. Degree
Unofficial information for graduate
students in the CEE department at
Virginia Tech
READ THROUGH COMPLETELY
1
Major Requirements
• You must be registered for classes in the semester you plan to
take your final (research, class, or defending student status—DSS)
• NOTE: LINK TO ALL FORMS LISTED BELOW:
http://graduateschool.vt.edu/forms/index.html
• You must apply for your degree (AFD form)
• You must apply to be admitted to the final (ONLINE form)
• Request a room for final/defense—email Jeny with date and time
• Following your final exam, you must make final corrections to
your dissertation and have your Chairman approve the final
version in the ONLINE exam system. Once that approval is
completed, you will upload your ETD in the same system that you
scheduled your final exam.
2
Registration – Two Kinds
• Regular – register for class online for three or more hours
• Special – also called Defending Student Status (DSS)
• You do NOT register online for DSS. FORM:
http://graduateschool.vt.edu/sites/default/files/u12/forms/academ
ics/Defending_Student_Status.pdf
• Caution: special deadlines apply to DSS. See Graduate School
website to see if you qualify
http://graduateschool.vt.edu/content/Academics-Dates-andDeadlines
• Jeny Beausoliel signs the DSS and final exam forms AFTER your
advisor/committee has signed
• DSS is generally more flexible for a summer semester
• DSS is inexpensive compared to regular registration IF you qualify
3
DSS Registration, cont.
• International students may defend within the first
15 days of the semester OR any time during the
semester using DSS, IF your principal activity is other
than being an F-1/J-1 student enrolled full-time in
pursuit of a degree (i.e., already on OPT or Academic
Training). For more information, go to
http://graduateschool.vt.edu/igss/academic_issues/ind
ex.html .
• International students should check with Ruth
Athanson or Zelma Harris in the Immigration Office
(540) 231-8486 about DSS registration.
4
Application for Degree (AFD)
• The AFD alerts the Graduate School that you plan to
complete your degree that semester. Complete the
AFD through your HokieSPA account by the posted
deadline for the semester that you will complete your
final
• Pay the fee: the $25.00 fee is good for one year
• NOTE: If you do not finish in the semester you applied
for your degree, change your AFD in HOKIESPA to the
correct semester
• The deadlines for AFD coordinate with your name
appearing in the commencement bulletin. Your name
can only appear in one semester’s bulletin
5
Final Exam Request--notes
• Confirm a date and time with your faculty BEFORE
completing online form
https://gradexam.stl.vt.edu/pages/login.php. Your
committee will need to sign electronically. The form confirms
your plan to defend with the Graduate School
• The electronic form MUST be submitted to the Graduate
School at least TWO WEEKS before your final. Plan enough
time for your committee to sign. Use this form with both
regular and DSS registration
• An official email from the Graduate School will confirm
scheduling your exam. Your final exam card should be signed
by faculty ONLINE following the exam.
• Check your Graduate Student Requirement Checklist located 6
Electronic Dissertation (ETD)—Four
Steps
• The ETD must be submitted through the online final exam
scheduling system within TWO WEEKS following your final exam:
• Step ONE: submit final version of dissertation and gains approval
from Committee Chairman
• Step TWO: Committee Chairman returns to the ONLINE final
exam scheduling system and approves the ETD for submission
• Step THREE: Student returns to the ONLINE final exam scheduling
system and uploads the ETD
• Step FOUR: The other committee members return tot eh ONLINE
final exam scheduling system and approve the final version of the
dissertation
• The Graduate School then completes the final approval of the
dissertation and awards the degree. NOTE: The Graduate School
will contact the student if format corrections are needed
7
DEADLINES
• Commencement Deadlines:
http://graduateschool.vt.edu/content/Academics
-Dates-and-Deadlines
• NOTE: The deadline page contains lots of
information. Be sure to identify the correct
registration information for your specific needs
• NOTE: there are early final exam deadlines for
PHD students to attend commencement
ceremonies
• Help is available—Jeny Beausoliel
jeny15@vt.edu; (703) 538-8431
8
Summary
• Decide on registration for class—regular or special—
and REGISTER
• Apply for your degree (AFD)
• Request a final exam (form)
• Defend and confirm with your advisor that you have
completed all degree requirements
• Submit your electronic dissertation and confirm that
the faculty turns in the ETD approval form. Check your
VT email account to see if changes need to be made to
the ETD. Respond accordingly
• Check your Graduate Student Requirement Checklist
on your HokieSPA account
9
Glossary
• AFD – application for degree
• ETD – electronic thesis and dissertation web
site
• DSS—Defending Student Status
• Final Form – Request Candidate to the Final
Exam form
• Final Exam – any final work such as an oral
exam, project presentation, or a thesis
defense
10