Dissertation Defense Scheduling Timelines

According to the revised 2007 Dissertation and Thesis Handbook, the latest allowable dissertation defense date is three weeks before Study Day in fall or spring semesters. The latest allowable date for a summer defense is three weeks before the last day of graduate summer classes. One week after a successful dissertation defense, the final copy of the successfully defended dissertation must be submitted to the Dean's Office. Doctoral candidates must meet the deadlines below and must graduate in the semester they defend their dissertation.

Scheduling the dissertation defense:

No later than three weeks before the established (agreed upon by the student, department, and Dean's Office) defense date, the candidate should deliver one printed copy of the defensible dissertation document to the Graduate Dean's Office with Form 3: Authorization to Schedule Dissertation Defense with signatures of all Committee members. Submission of Form 3 with Committee member's signatures signifies that all Committee members have read the defensible dissertation and have approved it for defense. Candidates should also submit Form 4 Candidate Questionnaire which will be used to prepare the Daily Digest announcement of the dissertation defense. Please submit Form 4 Candidate Questionnaire by email to Gaurav Mathur (gaurav.mathur@gallaudet.edu).

** Form 5 Announcement of Formal Dissertation Defense is no longer used.

All required Forms are fillable and printable (they cannot be saved) on line and are available at the Dissertation and Thesis Handbook link below:

Summer 2011 Timelines

June 24 Last Day to Schedule a Defense (for an August 2011 Graduation)
July 15 Last Day to Defend a Dissertation
August 5 Study Day/Last Day of Classes (all Program and Graduate School deadlines and requirements must be met for an August 2011 graduation)

Fall 2011 Timelines

November 1 Last Day to Schedule a Defense (for a December 2011 Graduation)
November 22 Last Day to Defend a Dissertation
December 13 Study Day (all Program and Graduate School deadlines and requirements must be met for a December 2011 graduation)

Spring 2012 Timelines

March 20 Last Day to Schedule a Defense (for a May 2012 Graduation)
April 10 Last Day to Defend a Dissertation
May 1 Study Day (all Program and Graduate School deadlines and requirements must be met for a May 2012 graduation)

Summer 2012 Timelines

June 22 Last Day to Schedule a Defense (for an August 2012 Graduation)
July 13 Last Day to Defend a Dissertation
August 3 Study Day/Last Day of Classes (all Program and Graduate School deadlines and requirements must be met for an August 2012 graduation)

Fall 2012 Timelines

October 30 Last Day to Schedule a Defense (for a December 2012 Graduation)
November 20 Last Day to Defend a Dissertation
December 11 Study Day (all Program and Graduate School deadlines and requirements must be met for a December 2012 graduation)

Spring 2013 Timelines

March 26 Last Day to Schedule a Defense (for a May 2013 Graduation)
April 16 Last Day to Defend a Dissertation
May 7 Study Day (all Program and Graduate School deadlines and requirements must be met for a May 2013 graduation)

Summer 2013 Timelines

June 28 Last Day to Schedule a Defense (for an August 2013 Graduation)
July 19 Last Day to Defend a Dissertation
August 9 Study Day/Last Day of Classes (all Program and Graduate School deadlines and requirements must be met for an August 2013 graduation)