IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR DEFENSES
ELECTRONIC THESIS / DISSERTATION (ETD) BOOT CAMP
ETD training videos are available on the graduate school library page. If you need specific assistance, please contact Jennifer Davis, Scholarship & Data Librarian.
Here are a few reminders ….
Students are required to be enrolled in the semester in which they defend. Students are not enrolled the semester(s) after they defend unless they fail or pass with major revisions (see details at end of this document).
International Students
It is the student’s responsibility to meet with Ms. Beverly Tarver in the International and Postdoctoral Service office to discuss graduation plans to determine if/how their visa and student compliance
status will be affected. If a student is planning to apply for OPT he/she must allow sufficient time for the
application process. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that he/she remains
in compliance with all his/her official paperwork for student status and has completed
all appropriate applications and paperwork that may be required for his/her post-graduation
plans in the US.
In the preparation of a thesis/dissertation, the student should consult the Thesis/Dissertation Preparation Booklet and follow the instructions for the required format. In no instance should another thesis/dissertation be used as a guide for the style and format of a manuscript. It is the responsibility of the Major Advisor to see that the student adheres to these policies. The Graduate School will not approve thesis/dissertations that do not follow the format outlined in the manual.
Get Your Readers Approved
The student must send a memo for the selection of reader(s) to the TGS Dean’s office
for approval. While The Graduate School only requires one reader, specific programs
may require more readers.
Apply for Graduation
Once a final oral defense is scheduled, the student must complete the online Application for Graduation.
Schedule Your Defense
The student must coordinate a time and date that is agreed upon by his/her advisor,
all committee members, reader(s) and the TGS. The student must then schedule and coordinate
the final oral defense through the TGS Dean’s office.
Reserve Your Room
The student is responsible for scheduling the room location and coordinating distance
technology for the committee members that will not be present face-to-face at the
final oral defense. Prior to the final oral defense, the student should send copies
of his/her PowerPoint presentation to any committee members/readers participating
via distance technology.
Distribute Your Thesis/Dissertation Draft
Please note the student’s thesis/dissertation “draft” must follow the policies and
required style and format outlined in the Thesis/Dissertation Preparation Booklet. Advisor-approved draft of thesis/dissertation should be submitted to Advisory Committee
5 weeks (or more) before final oral examination.
The corrected draft copy of your Thesis/Dissertation must be submitted to the Major Advisor, Advisory Committee, Reader(s) and The Graduate School 2 weeks (or more) before final oral exam.
Two Weeks Prior to Oral Defense, The following must be submitted to The Graduate School at least 2 weeks before the final oral exam:
Announce Your Defense
The student is responsible for producing and sending his/her thesis/dissertation announcement
to faculty and students. The announcement should be mailed via campus mail at least
2 weeks before final oral exam. Successfully scheduled defense will be posted on TGS
website.
Your defense will be evaluated by the following rubrics.
Pass/Minor Revisions
If a student passes with minor revisions, he/she will not be enrolled (nor will be
allowed to enroll) for the following semester (or any subsequent semesters) in the
degree program in which he/she has just defended his/her dissertation. The student
will be expected to graduate at the end of the semester in which he/she defends. The
student’s final approved revised thesis/dissertation and ALL final paperwork is required
to be submitted to TGS one week prior to the end of the semester/graduation.
Pass/Major Revisions or Fail
If a student passes with major revisions or fails, a subcommittee will be appointed
and he/she must enroll for the following semester. The subcommittee will establish
a list of necessary revisions and a timeline for completion that are required to be
fulfilled to the satisfaction of the subcommittee in order for the thesis/dissertation
to be approved and subsequently accepted by The Graduate School in partial fulfillment
of the MS/Ph.D. degree requirements. The student’s final approved revised thesis/dissertation
and ALL final paperwork is required to be submitted to TGS one week prior to the end
of the semester/graduation.
The Graduate School
(706) 721-3278
tgsenrolled@augusta.edu
Jennifer Putnam Davis
Scholarship and Data Librarian
University Libraries
(706) 721-8789
jdavis14@augusta.edu