Thesis Submission Deadlines
Fall (December) 2023 deadline -- To be considered a December graduate your final* thesis and required documentation must be submitted to Vicki on or before December 15, 2023.
Spring (May) 2024 deadline -- To be considered a May graduate your final* thesis and required documentation must be submitted to Vicki on or before May 1, 2024.
Summer (August) 2024 deadline -- To be considered an August graduate your final* thesis and required documentation must be submitted to Vicki on or before August 1, 2024.
Selecting a defense date. Set your defense date to allow enough time to make the anticipated committee-requested changes to your thesis by a thesis submission deadline noted above.
Submitting your draft thesis to your committee. You are expected to submit a substantially complete version of your dissertation to your PhD committee no less than 30 days before your defense date (unless otherwise agreed upon by your committee) to allow them sufficient time to review your dissertation. If you fail to submit your dissertation 30 days before the defense date without prior approval by your committee, you may need to reschedule your defense.
Early Finish for tuition adjustment -- Fall and Spring Semesters only
If you are an ABD student receiving a stipend or tuition support from CMU (EPP), you may qualify for a tuition adjustment if you finish early in the fall or spring semesters as described in the university’s Doctoral Student Status policy. To qualify, you must be registered full time (36 units) for EPP research course 19-799. You cannot be registered for any other course or courses during that semester. Tuition will be assessed and must be paid, but if you submit your final* dissertation and required documentation to the department by Noon on February 23, 2024 for the spring semester, and September 27, 2024 for the fall semester, the tuition will be adjusted to zero and any tuition charged to that point will be refunded. Officially you will be considered a December or May graduate and will have to pay student fees for the semester as these will not be refunded. As noted in the Doctoral Student Status policy, there is also a 50% tuition adjustment. The deadline for a 50% tuition adjustment for Fall 2024 will be October 25, 2024.
NOTE: Because you must be registered for 36 units, if you do NOT make the early deadline in the fall or spring semesters, you or your advisor will be responsible for the full-time tuition charge. EPP department funds will not be used to cover tuition. Students should refer to the University’s Doctoral Student Status policy for more information.
Doctoral Student Status Policy
*The final dissertation must be complete, all committee-requested changes satisfied and must be accompanied by a signature sheet signed by your committee chair (and co-chair if applicable). The committee chair’s signature will indicate to the department that all committee-requested changes have been satisfied. Vicki will produce the signature sheet prior to the defense.