Appointment for Thesis/Project/Dissertation Defense (AFD)
Description
- All defenses are public. All committee members must attend the defense at the date and time registered with the School of Graduate Studies. While in-person defense is preferred and recommended, members of the committee may participate remotely with both audio and video interaction. Students should work with their committee members to arrange defense participation and details prior to submitting an Appointment for Thesis/Project/Dissertation Defense (AFD) form at least 10 workdays prior to their defense.
- Changes in the membership of a supervisory committee cannot be made during the six weeks prior to the defense without a written request from the department head and approval of the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies.
- Students should submit their thesis, plan B paper/project, or dissertation to each committee member at least 4 weeks prior to their defense date for review.
- When students fill out the AFD form, they will need to review their official committee to make sure that it is correct.
- Students should check on the progress of approvals for their AFD by following up with their GPC and/or committee members to make sure it is approved in a timely manner.
- If the Appointment for Thesis/Project/Dissertation Defense (AFD) is not fully approved before the date of defense, the defense is not official and will need to be rescheduled. If necessary, an appeal can be made to the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies.
- Once an Appointment for Thesis/Project/Dissertation Defense (AFD) has been approved by the committee and the School of Graduate Studies, any changes to the date, time, and/or location require the submission and approval of a new Appointment for Thesis/Project/Dissertation Defense (AFD).
- No committee member should agree to proceed with a defense until they have carefully read and agreed with the defensibility of the dissertation. The final defense should be scheduled by the student after all courses and the thesis, Plan B paper/project, or dissertation are completed.
Requirements to Schedule a Final Defense
Prior to scheduling a final defense, the following forms must already be submitted:
- Supervisory Committee Approval form (SCAF) (changes cannot be made to a student’s committee during the six weeks prior to the defense).
- Program of Study (POS) (submitted after the Supervisory Committee Form (SCAF) has been submitted and approved).
- Application for Candidacy (ACCD) form (doctoral students–must be approved at least three months prior to defense date).
- Master’s Thesis/Project Approval form (all Master’s Plan A students and, if required by the department, Master’s Plan B students).
Full-time students must be registered for at least 3 credits during the semester in which they defend their thesis, dissertation, or Plan B paper/project.
Domestic students may be registered for 1 credit during their defense semester; however, they will hold part time status. Students receiving financial aid are likely to be required to maintain full time status, so it is strongly advised to check with the Office of Student Financial Support before electing to take only 1 credit.
International students must be registered for 3 credits if they defend in Fall or Spring semesters with an approved Full-Time at 3 Credits (FT3) form. However, they may register for 1 credit if they are defending in the summer semester with an approved Reduced Course Load (RCL) form in their SEVIS record, and their program’s policy allows for it.
If International Students have any questions about the Full-Time at 3 Credits (FT3) form or the Reduced Course Load (RCL) form, they should contact the Office of Global Engagement.
Due Date
Submit this form at least 10 business days before your defense.
Signatures Needed
- Student
- Major professor/Advisor
- Committee members
Students Who Need This Form