The Final Examination is a presentation and defense of your dissertation. The MSE department establishes its examination policies and procedures in accordance with UW Graduate School requirements.
Students are generally expected to complete their Final Examination around their fifth year in the program.
For additional information, see the UW Graduate School Graduation Requirements.
Eligibility for the Final Examination
You may schedule your Final Examination after meeting the following criteria:
- You have passed your General Examination in a previous quarter.
- A reading committee has been established in consultation with your faculty adviser.
- Your reading committee has reviewed a complete draft of your dissertation.
- Your supervisory committee agrees that you are ready to schedule your Final Examination.
Final Examination format and preparation
The exact format of the Final Examination is determined by your supervisory committee in accordance with UW Graduate School requirements and MSE department guidelines.
Dissertation draft deadline
Submit a complete draft of your dissertation to your reading committee at least two weeks before your examination date.
Oral presentation and defense
The Final Examination consists of a public presentation and defense of your dissertation, followed by a closed session with your supervisory committee.
- Public presentation: Typically 40–50 minutes, highlighting the major findings and contributions of your research. You are not expected to cover every part of your dissertation in equal depth. Time is allotted for questions from the audience following the presentation.
- Closed session: Your supervisory committee conducts the final evaluation in two parts: a discussion with you, followed by committee deliberation and a vote on the examination outcome. You will be excused during the committee's deliberation.
The entire examination typically lasts 2–2.5 hours. You are encouraged to reserve the examination room for 2.5 hours.
Committee attendance
At least four members of your supervisory committee must be present, including the committee chair, the Graduate School Representative (GSR), and at least one additional member of the Graduate Faculty.
Scheduling an examination room
You may reserve an appropriate examination room anywhere on campus, subject to room availability and the hosting department’s reservation procedures.
MSE conference rooms are also available to reserve through UW CORAL. Roberts 321 and Wilcox 243 are equipped with projection systems and display screens suitable for examinations and presentations.
For information about MSE room reservations, account registration, and available spaces, visit the MSE Administrative Resources for Students page.
Examination outcome and DocuSign process
Approximately one day before your Final Examination, the Graduate Program Manager (GPM) will initiate the DocuSign workflow and send the examination outcome form to your supervisory committee.
Following the examination, the committee will complete the form through DocuSign to document the outcome. The completed form must be routed to the GPM by the last day of the quarter, which is the last day of finals week.
If the examination is unsatisfactory, the supervisory committee may recommend that the Dean of the Graduate School permit a second examination following a period of additional study. Any committee member who participates in the examination but disagrees with the majority opinion is encouraged to submit a minority report to the Dean of the Graduate School.
Registration and degree completion
You must be registered as a graduate student during both:
- The quarter in which you take your Final Examination
- The quarter in which you submit your dissertation
Your degree will be conferred at the end of the quarter in which the Graduate School accepts your dissertation, provided all other degree requirements have been met.
Dissertation submission and final deadline
You must submit your final dissertation electronically through the UW ETD Administrator (ProQuest) by 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the quarter in which you intend to graduate.
Before submitting your dissertation:
- Ensure that your reading committee has approved your dissertation electronically through MyGrad Program.
- Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) and obtain your Certificate of Completion.
Both the dissertation submission and the SED Certificate of Completion must be completed by the last date of the quarter you intend to graduate.
After submitting your dissertation, monitor your UW email for confirmation of acceptance or requests for formatting revisions. Your degree will not be conferred until the Graduate School accepts your dissertation and all other degree requirements have been satisfied.
For dissertation formatting instructions, submission procedures, and official graduation deadlines, visit the UW Graduate School Thesis/Dissertation webpage.
Ph.D. graduation summary
For a summary of the steps required to complete your Ph.D. and graduate, including Final Examination scheduling, dissertation submission, and important deadlines, visit the MSE Ph.D. Graduation Requirements page.