Complete your coursework and transfer in any outside coursework that your faculty agrees is applicable to and appropriate for your degree. Transfer coursework needs to appear on your IU transcript prior to your Nomination of Candidacy (NTC) edoc being reviewed by the Indiana University Graduate School Bloomington (UGSB). Your academic department will assist you if you have courses to transfer.
Submit any Requests for Substitutions or Waivers of Requirements, Revalidations, or Individualized Minor Requests, if needed. All substitutions, waivers, revalidations, and/or individualized minors need to be approved prior to your NTC edoc being reviewed by the UGSB. Your academic department will assist you with these processes if they apply to you.
Pass your qualifying exams. The qualifying exams must be passed at least eight months before graduation.
Once you’ve completed your coursework and passed your exams, submit your Nomination to Candidacy edoc. This edoc needs to be approved by the UGSB before the Nomination of Research Committee (NORC) edoc can be approved. Submit your Nomination to Candidacy edoc through the IU Graduate School Bloomington One.IU task page. Track your Nomination to Candidacy edoc to ensure timely approval. To track edocs see the “How to search for an eDoc” aid under Guides and Job Aids on the IU Graduate School Bloomington One.IU task page.
Once your NTC edoc has been approved by the UGSB, you will have seven years to complete your degree, starting with the day you pass your final qualifying exams. Beginning the first fall or spring semester immediately following the semester in which you pass your qualifying exams, you are required to enroll every fall and spring semester until you graduate. If you will graduate during the summer term, enrollment in that summer term is required as well.
Submit your Nomination of Research Committee (NORC) edoc through the IU Graduate School Bloomington One.IU task page. Students may defend their dissertation six months after their NORC edoc has been approved by the UGSB. Track your Nomination of Research Committee e-doc to ensure timely approval.
Announce your defense through the Ph.D. Defense Announcement edoc, found on the IU Graduate School Bloomington One.IU task page. Your defense announcement edoc must be received by the UGSB at least 30 days before the date your plan to defend. Plan to submit the Ph.D. Defense Announcement edoc a minimum of 40 days before the defense date. This allows time for the edoc to be processed by your department, approved by your research chair, and still reach the UGSB at least 30 days before your defense date. The 30-day deadline applies to the date the UGSB receives your announcement, not when you send it or when the UGSB approves it. The summary included in the Ph.D. Defense Announcement edoc should be informative and contain a brief statement of the principal results and conclusions. Unlike the abstract, which is intended for specialists in the field, an attempt should be made in the summary to communicate the findings in language and style that can be understood by the University community at large. The summary should be no less than 150 and no more than 300 words.
Defend your dissertation in front of your research committee.
Complete any revisions to your dissertation that your committee may request post-defense. Finalize any formatting revisions as well. See the formatting guidelines on the UGSB website.
Remind your research chair to remove any R’s from your dissertation, research, or G901 hours.
Submit your dissertation to ProQuest for review by the submission deadline for the month you wish to graduate. Degrees are granted monthly. Learn more about how to submit your dissertation.
Submit any formatting changes the UGSB requests be made on your dissertation after initial review by the Graduate Recorder final deadline of the month you wish to graduate. The Defense Signatures edoc and any other requirements outlined to you by the Graduate Recorder following the initial review must also be completed by the final deadline.
Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED). Note that the SED remains confidential and is reported only in aggregate form or in a manner that does not identify information about an individual. More information about the SED and the survey can be found on their website.
If you wish to have your name appear in the commencement ceremony program, complete the Ph.D. Commencement Participation Application edoc by September 25 for the December Commencement and by February 25 for the May Commencement. This edoc is necessary to be listed in the Commencement program and not only to participate in the ceremony. Students who graduate in September through December of a year are eligible for inclusion in the December ceremony program. Students who graduate in January through August of a year are eligible for inclusion in the May ceremony program. You may be required to obtain approval from your department or program chairperson. Submit your Ph.D. Commencement Participation Application edoc through the IU Graduate School Bloomington One.IU task page.
Verify that the Office of the Registrar has the correct spelling of your name and your correct diploma mailing address by visiting Student Central on Union. The registrar mails the diploma to your home address. You will receive the diploma for your degree within three months of your degree date. Confirm your address and name at Student Central on Union.
