Final Defense

Registration requirement:

You must be registered for Dissertation (X99W) every fall and spring semester from the time you are admitted to Candidacy until graduation. At least six (6) hours of CE X99W Dissertation are required to apply for graduation (these can be taken during a single semester).  If you leave the campus without completing the requirements (incomplete courses or dissertation), continuous registration must still be maintained.

The Defense of the Dissertation is the final exam of the PhD program. It is your obligation to submit an acceptable dissertation to the Graduate School. Therefore, every effort should be made to complete the dissertation and pass the Defense of the Dissertation exam before you leave The University of Texas at Austin for employment.  You must notify the Graduate School officially of your defense using the Request for Final Examination form. Additional details are available at: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/academics/theses-and-dissertations/doctoral-candidacy/oral-examinations

Each member of your committee must receive a draft copy of your dissertation at least four weeks prior to your dissertation defense date. A defense cannot be held within two weeks of the last class day of the semester.

You must schedule the dissertation defense with the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the defense date by completing the Request for Final Oral Examination form.  Please note you'll need to include the draft pages outlined in page 1 of the form.
You may use a Docusign version of the PDF: https://www.docusign.net/Member/PowerFormSigning.aspx?PowerFormId=c6bbce9f-5f81-4212-9259-3d2bf43702c2&env=na1&acct=d40a37d5-d708-44dd-9ea7-aab378b81326&v=2

Docusign forms do not automatically link to the Graduate School.  Download the completed Request for Final Oral Exam form with the signatures as a PDF, and attach it to the draft additional pages, then email these PDF documents to the Graduate School at: Grad Student Services <GradStudentSvcs@austin.utexas.edu>

The Graduate School will acknowledge the date of the defense, and will follow up with an email including the final committee signature page, also known as The Report of the Dissertation Committee.