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Final Oral Defense
If you’ve completed your thesis proposal during a prior term and there are no changes you’ll be requesting to your dissertation committee, then you are ready to proceed with your final oral defense.
Registering for the term
Depending on the defense date you and your committee settle on, you must register for the corresponding full term (for 8 hours of EECS 995 – candidacy, under your advisor’s section). If you’ll be defending during June, July, or August, you must register for the full Spring/Summer term (and not the Spring half nor Summer half term/s), and you should hold off on registering until after you’re absolutely certain of your June, July, or August defense date. If you end up registering for the full Spring/Summer term and you’re assessed a late registration fee, let the CSE Graduate Programs Office know so that a request can be made to have the fee expunged.
If you are using the grace period deadlines, please refer to Rackham’s website for more information on defense deadlines. If you are an International student, please consult with the International Center regarding the use of grace period deadlines.
Rackham’s policies for registering for the Oral Defense
Please see Rackham’s website for up-to-date information about how to register and prepare for your final oral defense.
When you submit your pre-defense registration request to Rackham, please enter Jasmin Stubblefield’s name and uniqname (jstubb) as your department contact.
Preparing for the Oral Defense
Now that your defense date, time, and location have been provided to the Rackham Graduate School’s Academic Records and Dissertations area, you must email the following information to [email protected] for your CSE defense flyer at least ten business days prior to your defense date:
- Your abstract title and text (of 350 words or less) in the body of the email
- Chair(s) name
- Date, time and location/Zoom info (if it is a hybrid event, you must provide us with both the room location and the Zoom info – if you would like to reserve 3725 BBB, please let us know)
- A headshot photo (in .jpg format)
- Your shirt size
Lastly, please complete the CSE Graduate Programs Exit Survey.
Completing degree requirements, Graduation, and Commencement
Your doctoral degree requirements will need to be completed with the Rackham Graduate School’s Academic Records and Dissertations area.
You need to be sure you apply for graduation by Rackham’s Apply for Graduation deadlines. Information on Commencement, Rackham Graduate Exercises, or the diploma can be found on Rackham’s Commencement Eligibility page.
If you have any other questions, please contact the Graduate Program Office, [email protected].