Online Ph.D. Graduation Requirements

The 7 items listed below must be completed and turned in to the COGS Dean's office before the last day of classes in the semester you expect to graduate:

1. Successful Defense Form: Download
   This form will be brought to the final defense by your Dissertation Chair. The signed form should be turned into the Dean’s Office, College of Graduate Studies.  
2. Exit Interview with Director of the Doctoral Program, CON
   An exit interview should be scheduled by contacting Dr. Gail Gilden at barbosag@musc.edu.  Interviews will generally require 30 minutes.  Please complete the Student Survey Form, Download and bring to the exit interview.  Your comments will be used to improve the program.
3. Graduate Information Form: Download
   Return the completed form to the Dean’s Office, College of Graduate Studies.
4. Survey of Earned Doctorates (PhD students): Download
   This is a national survey that gathers tracking information on all doctoral graduates.  Return the completed form to the Dean’s Office, College of Graduate Studies.
5. UMI Form: Download
   Complete the Dissertation Agreement Form so that your dissertation can be published.  Your abstract will be published in Dissertation Abstracts International. Return the completed form to the Dean’s Office, College of Graduate Studies.
6. Degree Order Form: Download
   Once your final defense is scheduled you should complete the Online Degree Application to order your diploma, regalia and announcements.  The application is completed, paid for, and submitted online.  Students planning to participate in the May commencement ceremony should submit the application before March 1st to meet the deadline for ordering regalia.
7. Three copies of the final dissertation
   Three copies of the final dissertation should be turned in to the Dean’s Office, College of Graduate Studies.  Please refer to the guide for paper formatting and instructions.

Note:  If ALL of the above information is received before the last day of classes, students will be cleared to receive the graduation date of the current semester of the defense.

If the information is NOT turned in before the last day of classes in the semester of the defense, a student will be required to register for the next semester for a minimum of one hour. This will change the graduation date to the next semester. Further, a hold will be placed on your record until all is complete. While this hold is placed, you will not be able to receive a diploma, send transcripts, or have any information released. If the hold is not removed in a reasonable amount of time, the Dean's office will notify the student’s employer that he/she has not completed the requirements for the degree.