The culmination of each student’s graduate career is the Final Exam, or dissertation defense. This is an opportunity for the student to present their dissertation research in a public forum, and to discuss this work in depth with their Supervisory Committee.
The Final Exam Timeline is also available in the form of a checklist (download).
Timeline
Before Final Exam
| Task | Deadline |
| Review Graduate School Thesis Submission Deadlines Review Graduate Final Thesis Submission Instructions and Guidelines |
|
| Receive approval to graduate from Supervisory Committee | |
| Upload Supervisory Committee Report to Annual Committee Documents Portal | At least three months before exam |
| Schedule graduation advising meeting with Maia | At least three months before exam |
| Set Final Exam date with Supervisory Committee
The UW Graduate School and the MCB Program requires the Chair and GSR to attend the Final Exam. Virtual attendance by the Chair and/or GSR requires prior approval by the MCB program. |
At least three months before exam |
| Establish three member Reading Committee
The Chair is required to be on the Reading Committee |
At least three months before exam |
| Hold draft submission timeline meeting with Reading Committee | At least three months before the exam |
| Reserve venue for Final Exam
For assistance, email: |
As soon as Final Exam Date is set |
| Email Maia with Reading Committee members and confirmation of draft submission timeline | At least three months before exam |
| Submit thesis to Reading Committee | According to draft timeline |
| Schedule Final Exam on MyGrad | At least three weeks before exam |
| Email your dissertation title, date, time, and location of exam to Alice Ven MCB will promote your defense via social media, email and print |
At least three weeks before exam |
| Receive Committee Signature Form, MCB Exit Survey and other exam materials from Alice Ven | At least three weeks before exam |
| Activate Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (ETD) account through UW ETD Administrator Site | At least three weeks before exam |
| Send Reading Committee Electronic Thesis Approval Instructions | At least three weeks before exam |
Day of Final Exam
Remember to bring all required documents to your final exam.
| Required document | Submission instructions |
| Committee Signature Form | Entire committee must sign by hand or digitally using Adobe signature. Send signed form to Maia. |
After Final Exam
| Task | Deadline |
| Submit MCB Exit Survey | Last day of quarter |
| Format thesis for submission to ETD | One day before submission |
| Upload dissertation to ETD | By 11:59 p.m. PST on last day of quarter View UW Academic Calendar for exact date (last day of finals week) |
| Doctoral Dissertation approval by Reading Committee submitted via MyGrad | By 11:59 p.m. PST on last day of quarter |
| Upload survey of Earned Doctorates (via SED) | By 11:59 p.m. PST on last day of quarter |
Information about ETD Submission
Have questions about ETD publishing? Contact the UW Libraries ETD team.