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Prior to Defense

  1. Go to Graduate School Graduation Information page and make sure you meet all of the requirements to graduate. On this page, you will find graduation deadlines and graduation application instructions.
  2. You must apply for graduation. It is important to complete the graduation application early in the semester by utilizing the graduation application instructions on the web page listed above. Do not wait until you have scheduled your defense to apply to graduate. The Graduation School Coordinator will receive the graduation application, and create a customized Oral Defense Form and send it to the ME department.
  3. Next, you must meet with your Major Professor to set a date for the defense, and to make sure your Major Professor files your Oral Defense Form within the ME department. Once the date has been set, the department will notify Graduate School so the date can be added to their website.
  4. Then, you will reserve a conference room with the front desk of the ME department for the date and time decided with your Major Professor.
  5. You or your Major Professor will need to design a flyer that you will post on the bulletin boards in the halls. The flyer must include the names of the Major Professor and Committee Members involved.
  6. Make sure to submit your thesis/dissertation either in paper or electronic form to all the committee members at least two weeks prior to defense date.
  7. A week prior to the defense, your Major Professor will need to email the flyer to the faculty and graduate students in the ME department, the Dean, and any others determined by you and your Major Professor.

Day of Defense

  1. First, set up the conference room
  2. Next, get your Oral Defense Form from Callie Wooten and give it to your Major Professor.
  3. Have your Major Professor and committee members sign the form.
  4. Then, you must get the remaining signatures for your Oral Defense Form in the following order: Graduation Coordinator, Department Chair, and the Dean.
  5. After the Oral Defense form is completed, a copy will be made for your ME department file and your personal records.
  6. Then, you will take the original Oral Defense Form with all of the signatures to the Graduate School within 48 hours of the Defense.
  7. Finally, you will need to submit a paper copy of your thesis/dissertation to the ME department for us to keep on file as well as online through Vireo.

The thesis or dissertation you submit to the department and throuh Vireo must be the absolute final version.