Graduate Degree Timeline Summary
Semester
M.S. Degree Program
Ph.D. Degree Program
1
- Draft POS form (to COGS)
- Draft Grad form (to COGS)
- Start putting together graduate committee
- Semester progress form (to DES)
- Draft POS form (to COGS)
- Draft Grad form (to COGS)
- Semester progress form (to DES)
2
- Successfully defend proposal for committee > advisor sends "successful proposal defense" email to Graduate Program Director
- Semester progress report form (to DES)
- Start putting together graduate committee
- Semester progress report form (to DES)
3
- Committee meeting (sometime in 2nd year)
- Semester progress report form (to DES)
- Semesters 3-4: complete qualifying exam and defend proposal for committee > advisor send "successful proposal defense email to Graduate Program Director
- Submit Application for Candidacy form to COGS
- Semester progress report form (to DES)
4
- Semester progress report form (to DES)
- Semester progress report form (to DES)
...
...
- Annual committee meetings
- Semester progress report form (to DES)
Semester of Graduation
- Apply to graduate this semester (COGS). This will trigger COGS to conduct a degree audit to ensure you've met all requirements and let you know what changes are needed on your final POS form.
- Confirm all committee members are current members of Grad Faculty
- Submit updated, final POS form (COGS)
- Submit updated, final Grad form (COGS)
- Submit thesis draft for format review (currently optional)
- Give committee at least 2 weeks to review FINAL thesis and determine if it is defendable > submit Defense Request Form (DES)
- Formally schedule and advertise defense day/time for 1 week
- Submit Defense Acceptance & Intellectual Protection Form (COGS)
- Public thesis seminar and oral defense with committee > committee signs Approval of Thesis Form (COGS); advisor sends "successfully defended" email to Graduate Program Director
- Make final thesis revisions recommended by committee
- Upload thesis in OhioLink by deadline - usually last day of finals week
- Same as MS, except use Approval of Dissertation Form
COGS = College of Graduate Studies
DES = Department of Environmental Studies