A. Purpose
Oral defense of the dissertation and the field with which it is concerned.
B. Preparation
Prior to Defense
1. Carefully review the Graduate School’s Degree Requirements for the most comprehensive information on defending and graduating, which includes:
- Preparing to Graduate
- Thesis/Dissertation Information
- Concurrent Graduate Degree Requirements
- Dates and Deadlines
- Policies and Procedures
The above Degree Requirements page serves as the most exhaustive explanation of instructions, while this document serves as a supplemental document to focus on essential steps with the department.
2. Register for the final quarter you are to defend. Registration as a graduate student is required the quarter the exam is taken and the degree is conferred.
3. Meet with your committee prior to the quarter you will defend about potential dates for your defense, who will serve on the Reading Committee and Reading Committee responsibilities.
4. Email your Graduate Program Advisor (GPA) the Reading Committee members list to input and approve in MyGrad, ideally by the start of the quarter you will defend.
5. Finalize a defense date and time that works for you and your supervisory committee. It is highly recommended to schedule your exam no later than the last day of instruction in case any unexpected issues arise.
6. Email your GPA to reserve a room, including what equipment you will require. At least a 25-person capacity room is recommended. Health Sciences Room Matrix
7. Schedule your exam in MyGrad and notify your GPA once doing so. Departmental approval will then be granted.
8. Submit your preferred name, defense title, and location/day/time to the GPA at least three weeks before the exam for School of Dentistry and OHS announcements. (*If you have chosen No Directory Release, the GPA will obtain written permission from you to announce the defense beyond the department.)
9. Send your reading committee a draft of your written thesis two weeks before the exam.
10. The GPA will email you the Supervisory Committee Signature Form prior to the exam date.
Day of Defense
11. Print and bring the Exam Committee Signature Form to your defense, if defending in person, for committee signatures. What to do if a committee member is late or missing.
- Virtual Doctoral Examinations
- Contact Health Services at 206-543-6729 for classroom technology emergencies.
12. Submit Signed Committee Signature Form
After the defense (or within the next day or so), submit the signed Committee Signature Form to the GPA or GPC via email or in person. Those defending remotely may have the form signed electronically and emailed with committee members’ signatures. This form is used to submit your exam results to the Graduate School by the final day of the quarter and will also be retained in departmental records.
Dissertation Submission
13. By 11:59pm on the final day of your graduating quarter, submit your dissertation and Survey of Earned Doctorates certificate to the UW ETD Administrator Site
- Your Reading Committee members electronically approve your dissertation in MyGrad.
- Complete all steps outlined on the Graduation Requirements page (see Checklist tab).
Dissertation Format
The department is following the formatting guidelines outlined by the Graduate School on Thesis/Dissertation submission via Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (ETD).
C. Defense Outcomes
Satisfactory
If the Final Examination is satisfactory, the supervisory committee members who participate in the examination sign the Committee Signature Form and return it to the student’s graduate program by the last day of the quarter (last day of finals week). Committee members who participate in an examination but do not agree with the majority decision are encouraged to submit a minority report to the Dean of the Graduate School.
Unsatisfactory
If an examination is unsatisfactory, a supervisory committee may recommend that the Dean of the Graduate School permit a second examination after a period of additional study. One retake is permitted.