As you approach the completion of your Ph.D., it is important to communicate regularly with your faculty adviser about your anticipated graduation timeline, dissertation progress, and remaining degree requirements.
The following guide outlines the steps required to complete your Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering. We encourage you to review this information well in advance of your anticipated graduation quarter to ensure you have sufficient time to complete all requirements.
For additional details, please refer to the UW Graduate School's Graduation Requirements and Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines.
Schedule a graduation planning meeting
Before your final quarter, schedule a meeting with the MSE Graduate Program Manager to review your degree progress and confirm that you are on track to meet all Ph.D. graduation requirements.
Use the Graduate Manager Meeting Scheduler to schedule an appointment.
During the meeting, we can review:
- Remaining degree requirements and coursework
- Supervisory and Reading Committee requirements
- Your anticipated Final Examination timeline
- Dissertation submission deadlines and final-quarter registration requirements
- Any outstanding requirements that could affect your graduation timeline
Don't wait until your final quarter! Meeting early allows time to identify outstanding requirements and address potential delays before they affect your graduation plans.
Important registration requirements
Ph.D. students must be registered during the quarter in which they complete their Final Examination and submit their dissertation.
International students: Please also review the Final Quarter Checklist from International Student Services (ISS) for additional information regarding final-quarter registration, employment authorization, and immigration requirements.
Ph.D. graduation checklist
Complete the following steps as you prepare for your Final Examination and dissertation submission.
Step 1: Confirm your reading committee
Work with your faculty adviser to confirm your Reading Committee membership. Once your committee is established, provide the committee information to the MSE Graduate Program Manager, who will verify and update the information in MyGrad.
Step 2: Schedule your Final Examination
Coordinate with your faculty adviser and committee members to identify a date and time when everyone can attend. Once confirmed, reserve a conference room for your examination.
MSE room reservation resources are available on the MSE Student Resources page. You may also reserve other appropriate meeting spaces on campus.
Step 3: Submit rour Final Examination request in MyGrad
Submit your Final Examination request through MyGrad under the Request Credentials section.
Be sure to submit your request within the Graduate School's required time frame.
Step 4: Invite additional attendees
Consult with your faculty adviser about inviting additional guests to your dissertation presentation. Once the details are confirmed, share the meeting room location or Zoom information with your invited attendees.
Step 5: Prepare for your Final Examination
Plan for approximately 90 minutes for your Final Examination:
- 60 minutes: Dissertation presentation
- 30 minutes: Questions and answers
Before your examination:
- Your Reading Committee must have reviewed your dissertation
- Your Supervisory Committee must agree that you are prepared to defend
- At least four members of your Supervisory Committee, including the Chair, Graduate School Representative (GSR), and at least one additional Graduate Faculty member, must participate in the examination
Please coordinate with your faculty adviser regarding the examination format and committee expectations.
Step 6: Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED)
Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates online.
You will receive an email from SEDWEB@norc.uchicago.edu containing your Certificate of Completion. Save a copy of this certificate, as it must be uploaded along with your dissertation submission.
Step 7: Prepare your dissertation
Review the UW Graduate School's Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines carefully.
Pay particular attention to:
- Dissertation formatting requirements
- Required preliminary pages and documentation
- Copyright information
- Abstract requirements
- Electronic submission instructions
Allow sufficient time to review and format your dissertation before the final submission deadline.
Step 8: Complete your Final Examination and obtain Committee approvals
Following a successful Final Examination:
- Your Supervisory Committee must complete the required examination approval documentation. The MSE Graduate Program Manager will coordinate the approval process through DocuSign.
- Complete any revisions requested by your committee.
- Your Reading Committee must electronically approve your final dissertation through MyGrad Committee View.
Make sure all required approvals are completed before submitting your final dissertation.
Step 9: Submit your dissertation to ProQuest
After receiving Reading Committee approval, submit your final dissertation and Survey of Earned Doctorates Certificate of Completion through the UW ETD Administrator (ProQuest).
Ensure your submission meets all UW Graduate School formatting and documentation requirements.
FINAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the quarter.
Graduate Registration Waiver
If you have completed all degree requirements, successfully passed your Final Examination, received all required committee approvals, and need additional time only to finalize dissertation formatting, you may be eligible for a Graduate Registration Waiver.
The waiver allows eligible students to submit their dissertation up to 14 calendar days after the last day of the quarter without registering for the following quarter. A Graduate Registration Waiver Fee is required.
Important considerations:
- Your degree will be conferred in the following quarter, even though you will not need to register for that quarter.
- Verify that your Reading Committee has electronically approved your final dissertation through MyGrad Committee View.
- You must have been registered during the preceding quarter.
- All degree requirements, including your Final Examination and committee approvals, must be completed.
- The waiver is intended only for students who need additional time to complete dissertation formatting. It does not cover substantive dissertation revisions.
- International students should consult ISS before requesting a waiver to understand any potential immigration implications.
Please contact the MSE Graduate Program Manager if you think you may qualify for this option.
After your Final Examination
Following your examination and committee approvals, be sure to:
- Confirm that your Supervisory Committee has completed the required examination approval documentation.
- Verify that your Reading Committee has electronically approved your final dissertation through MyGrad Committee View.
- Submit your final dissertation and SED Certificate of Completion through ProQuest.
- Monitor your UW email for any formatting corrections or additional documentation requested by the Graduate School.
Your degree will be conferred once the Graduate School has accepted your dissertation and the department has submitted its degree recommendation.
Questions?
If you have questions about your degree progress, committee requirements, scheduling your Final Examination, or graduation procedures, please contact Karen Wetterhahn, MSE Graduate Program Manager karenlw@uw.edu or you may schedule a meeting here.