School of Graduate Studies

Doctoral Graduation

Be sure to prepare well in advance for graduation. All students are required to apply in advance to graduate. Do this by completing the Apply for Graduation process in the Student Information System (SIS).

Students who fail to meet the established deadlines must reapply to graduate. Do this by submitting another application. Adhere to deadline dates, check the calendar. The deadlines posted are firm.

You will need a PhD graduation packet: The packet contains all the necessary forms and instructions for graduation.

Download PhD Graduation Packet

Graduation Instructions for Doctoral Candidates

Download the PhD Graduation Packet

Please consult the Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin for an explanation of all the requirements for the PhD degree. When you apply for graduation, your file will be reviewed for completion of these requirements. You should consult your advisor or department chair regarding departmental requirements. DMA Candidates: Please contact the School of Graduate Studies concerning completion as some of these requirements may differ for this degree.

Please consult the School of Graduate Studies academic calendar. The deadlines posted on these calendars are firm. If you are unable to meet the specified deadlines, you will be ineligible to graduate in the term for which you have applied, and you must reapply for a subsequent term. Please notify the School of Graduate Studies if you know you will not graduate in the term of application.

What You Will Need

The Complete PhD Graduation Packet Includes:

  1. Notification for Scheduling the Final Oral Exam
    Outlines the rules and procedures for conducting your defense. The form must be completed and submitted to the School of Graduate Studies at least three weeks in advance of your defense date.
  2. Final Certification of the PhD Degree
    Two duplicate certification forms requiring all the relevant signatures necessary for graduation. Note that the signatures are obtained in succession. Step 1 signatures are obtained at the conclusion of your successful defense. Your advisor will sign at Step 2 when he/she is satisfied with the dissertation manuscript and all corrections have been made. Once Step 1 and 2 signatures are obtained, then the chair of your department must sign. Both forms are then submitted to the School of Graduate Studies with your other final materials.
  3. ETD Document Approval
    This form details important information about the electronic publishing process. It must be signed by you and your dissertation advisor and submitted to the School of Graduate Studies with your other final materials.
  4. ETD Submission Checklist
    Includes important information regarding format requirements and submission of the dissertation.
  5. Survey of Earned Doctorates
    The U.S. government compiles higher education statistics based on the information on this form. As a major research university, CWRU is committed to its representation in this national effort. The aggregated data is used for comparative purposes to be used in planning by the university, as well as used by the Government for developing funding initiatives.
  6. Request for Waiver of Registration
    If you cannot meet the deadlines to complete all the requirements to graduate in one term but can finish before the next term begins, you can apply for a waiver of registration for the next term. You must be registered for at least one credit hour in the semester preceding the one for which you intend to use the waiver.

Steps to Completion

  1. Complete and submit the Application for Graduation through the Student Information System (SIS) by the established deadline for the term.
  2. Working with your advisor and committee members, decide on a date, time and place for your final oral exam (defense), making certain that the defense date occurs before the established deadline for the term. (Note that the advisor has to agree that the dissertation is ready to defend).
  3. Submit the Notification of the Final Oral Exam form to the School of Graduate Studies at least three weeks prior to your defense date.
  4. Submit copies of your dissertation to the members of your defense committee at least two weeks prior to your defense date.
  5. At the conclusion of your successful defense, have all committee members sign the two Final Certification for the PhD Degree forms.
  6. If you are required to make corrections to your dissertation, make the corrections and then have your advisor sign the certification forms where indicated. If no corrections are required, have your advisor sign the forms at your defense.
  7. After your advisor has signed the certification forms, obtain your department chair's signature.
  8. Submit a completed copy of your dissertation .pdf file to the School of Graduate Studies for a format check.
  9. Upload the final, approved copy of the completed dissertation as a PDF file to OhioLink.

Consult ETD Submission Checklist for specific details regarding 8 and 9.

Final Materials

Submit the following to the School of Graduate Studies by the established deadlines:

  • Two certification forms with all appropriate signatures (The signature of the Dean of Graduate Studies will be provided after submission)
  • ETD Document Approval Form
  • Two printed copies of your dissertation's Title Page
  • Survey of Earned Doctorates

Registration Requirement

All doctoral students must be registered for at least one credit hour of 701 in the term in which they defend and/or graduate, unless eligible for the Waiver of Registration.

Diplomas

It is the policy of the university to hold diplomas and final transcripts until all financial obligations are met. Be sure you have cleared all financial obligations at least one week prior to graduation to avoid any delay in receiving your diploma and final transcript.

Diplomas will be available for pickup in the School of Graduate Studies on the date degrees are awarded, as posted on the Important Dates and Deadlines Calendar, for summer and fall graduates. Spring graduates will receive their diploma at Commencement. If you are unable to participate in the Commencement ceremony, spring diplomas will be available for pickup the following business day.

Students who wish to have a representative pick up their diploma are required to send Graduate Studies a request via email including the name of the representative and should ensure that the named person bring picture identification when picking up the diploma. If a student wishes to have the diploma mailed instead, Graduate Studies will offer this service for a fee. Orders and payments must be made online through the Diploma Mailing Process using Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. The costs are as follows:

US Addresses $18
Canada $30
Other International $38

The Diploma Mailing Process will be available to graduates beginning on the date degrees are awarded and will remain open for one month. These dates are posted on the Important Dates and Deadlines Calendar.

Should you have questions or need more information, please contact the School of Graduate Studies at 216.368.4390.

Commencement

Vist the CWRU Commencement pages.