Apply to Graduate

Within Pathway, you will need to apply for graduation. Deadlines are March 31 for Spring, June 30 for Summer, and October 31 for Fall.

Ph.D. Students in the Interdisiplinary program: You will need to “apply” in Pathway for all three lines, including Interdisciplinary Ph.D., primary discipline, and co-discipline.

View the Instruction Guide

After you have applied to graduate, please check in with your graduate program advisor. They will be able to help with any needed updates to your program of study or other paperwork required by the Registrar’s Office.

If you are working on a thesis or dissertation, then please see the “Theses and Dissertations” page for important deadlines for format review, defense, and upload.

Theses and Dissertations

Required Survey

Research doctoral students must also complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates before uploading the final version of their dissertation to ProQuest.

Complete the NORC survey:

1. Visit the Survey of Earned Doctorates
2. Register at the survey site.
3. Complete the survey.

The Survey of Earned Doctorates site provides background information on the purpose of the survey.

 Your department may also have an exit survey for you to complete.

Commencement

• Keep in touch with your School’s Commencement Coordinator regarding the Commencement Ceremony. They will have information about how to RSVP, how many guests are allowed, how to order regalia, etc. You can also visit the Commencement website for updated information.
• Keep in mind that attending Commencement is not the same as finishing your graduation. The Registrar’s Office will wait until final grades and any pending documents are submitted, and no degrees are conferred before the end of the semester. If you need an updated transcript or have questions about when your diploma will be ready, contact the Registrar’s Office at (816) 235-1125.