Ph.D. Timeline
Task | Deadline |
| Attend both the Chemistry Department and the Graduate School Orientation (RSVP for Graduate School Orientation here) | Review Admissions packet for date |
| Download your registration form from UAOnline, fill out with your advisor, and return to Department Office | Registration forms are only required for the first semester of study |
| Turn in Appointment of Advisory Committee | By the end of the first semester of study |
| Turn in Graduate Study Plan | By the end of second semester of study |
| Turn in Report of Graduate Advisory Committee, Progress Report, and Department Program Assessment Form | Every year to the Chemistry Department Office by May 10th to make sure paperwork is processed by May 15th Graduate School deadline |
| Complete core coursework | Usually first two years of study |
| Complete three 4-hour or two 6-hour Comprehensive Exams | Usually summer after second year of study |
| Complete research proposal in the format of a fellowship or grant in the student's research area and show to all committee members | Two weeks before the scheduling of oral examination |
| File Report on Comprehensive Examination with Graduate School | |
| Request outside examiner for oral examination | 3 weeks prior to examination |
| Oral Examination | No later than the end of the semester following your written comprehensive exams |
| Turn in Advancement to Candidacy | After completing comprehensive exams, and at least one semester prior to graduation. See Graduate School website for due dates |
| Attend thesis formatting workshop or review thesis guidelines | Before turning in final thesis draft |
Turn in a final draft of your dissertation to your advisor | At least 6 weeks before Graduate School thesis submission deadline |
| Request an Outside Examiner | 3 weeks prior to defense |
Reserve a room for defense | 2 weeks prior to defense |
Provide Department Office with details of your defense, including date, location, thesis title, and thesis abstract (these details will be forwarded to the Dean's Office) | 2 weeks prior to defense |
Prepare a flyer from a department template (choose 1 or 2) and email to Chemistry Department Office | 2 weeks prior to defense |
Make sure that the defense on the UAF Science calendar | 2 weeks prior to defense |
Dissertation defense - approximately 40 minute public presentationfollowed by a closed session oral examination. | At least 4 weeks before Graduate School thesis submission deadline. When possible, do not schedule defense during last two weeks of a semester. |
| Turn in Dissertation Defense Report | Within 15 days of your defense |
| Apply for graduation | Visit Graduate School website for deadlines |
| Make any changes to your thesis that were suggested by your committee | Before obtaining committee signatures |
| Bring signature page to Graduate School to be double checked before anyone signs it | Before obtaining committee signatures |
| Obtain committee member signatures on signature page on thesis paper | Before submitting to Department Chair |
Email post-defense electronic thesis to Chemistry Department Chair. You will get comments and send a finalized electronic version back to the Chair. | At least 2 weeks before Graduate School thesis submission deadline |
The chair will email the finalized electronic version of the thesis to the Dean's office for this stage of review. | At least 1 week before Graduate School thesis submission deadline |
| Fill out Dissertation Submission Form and bring to Chemistry Department Office to obtain payment form (department pays for thesis binding). Make sure to order 2 copies for the library, 1 copy for our department, 1 copy for your advisor, and 1 or 2 copies for yourself. | |
| Bring thesis, signature page(s), Thesis Submission Form with department payment form, and 50 word abstract to the Graduate School | Graduate School thesis submission deadline |
| Make formatting changes to the thesis required by the Graduate School | |
| Fill out Doctoral Dissertation Publishing Agreement Form and Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) online form. | |
| Submit all final copies of thesis to Graduate School for binding (Graduate School will send thesis copies to Library for binding) | |
| Complete anonymous Exit Interview | |
| Return keys, catalog experimental samples and data, release lab notebooks and clean research area | |
| Graduation! | See posted graduation date and UAF's walk-through policy |