Post-Candidacy, Dissertation & Defense

Post Candidacy

Advancements generally go into effect on the 1st of the month following your exam. If you do not receive a confirmation letter from the Graduate School please contact the BISI office. The BISI office will confirm your advancement to candidacy with your payroll office and you will be increased to Step III.

If you do not see a change reflected in your paycheck within a month of your official advancement, contact the BISI office. You will be registered for 6 credits of BISI 899 Doctoral Research every Fall and Spring semester by the Registrar's Office. You are responsible for confirming that they have done so before the first day of the semester.

If there is a hold on your account for any reason during the month before the semester starts, you must resolve it and notify the Registrar once it is resolved so they can register you. If you need to be registered before the office normally handles registrations, please contact registrar-graduate@umd.edu. The registration requirement cannot be waived without an official leave of absence. Summer registration is not required unless you plan to graduate during the Summer semester.

Annual Meetings

You are expected to meet with your committee approximately once a year. The BISI Office will help you schedule the meeting and prepare the appropriate forms needed for each meeting. These forms will be available for you 1 business day prior to your meeting.

The Semester Before You Want To Defend

  • Review the Graduate School deadlines for the semester you would like to graduate. 
  • Review the Graduate School policies. All policies regarding your defense can be found on the Graduate School website.
  • Make sure your committee agrees with your timeline.
  • Tell the BISI Office your plans.
  • If you have off-campus committee members, consult with the BISI Office to ensure that they are eligible to serve on your committee.
  • If you plan to defend and graduate in the Summer, discuss this with the BISI Office in April so you can be registered for 1 credit of BISI 899 during the Summer semester. 
  • Review the graduation checklist and the list of forms to make sure you have submitted all paperwork to the BISI Office. Though the checklist is not exhaustive, it is very helpful in planning out the process. 
  • The defense must occur within 9 years of admission to the Ph.D. program or within 4 years of advancement to candidacy - whichever is longer. The defense cannot occur less than 6 months after the advancement to candidacy. 

Notify The Office

The Semester You Defend

  • Ensure you are registered before the first day of classes. You must be registered for classes in the semester you graduate.
  • Apply for Graduation.
  • If you want to defend in Spring and plan to graduate in either Spring or Summer, you need to apply for Spring graduation. The application for graduation rolls over to subsequent semesters if needed.
  • Complete the Nomination of Dissertation Committee Form and submit it to the BISI Office along with the relevant research approvals before the Graduate School deadline for the semester. If you are defending early in the semester, make sure you submit a minimum of 6 weeks before your defense, if that is earlier than the deadline. Your approved committee will roll over to subsequent semesters if you do not graduate.
  • Determine the date and time for your seminar and defense with your committee, and the BISI Office will assist in reserving your rooms. Try to schedule your seminar as part of an existing seminar series. BE AWARE OF GRADUATE SCHOOL DEADLINES WHEN DETERMINING YOUR DEFENSE DATE.
  • If you want to participate in the CMNS Graduate Commencement Ceremony held annually in May, be sure to RSVP to CMNS that you will attend. Contact the Bookstore about regalia. 
  • Throughout this process, please communicate with the BISI Office so we can help ensure a smooth defense and graduation.

The Breakdown

Here is a overview of what students can generally expect from the dissertation and defense.

The Dissertation

The Seminar

  • The Dissertation Colloquium must be held on the University of Maryland campus and be an open presentation.
  • Please send your title and abstract to the BISI Office (bisi@umd.edu) 3 weeks before your colloquium.
  • The BISI Office will announce your colloquium to faculty, graduate students, and staff.

The Defense

  • Generally held immediately following the Colloquium.
  • Members of the Graduate Faculty may attend, although only your advisory committee may ask questions.

After Your Defense

  • Dissertation Assessment Forms should be submitted to bisi@umd.edu. 
  • Once your revisions are complete and you are ready to submit your dissertation, your advisor can electronically sign the Report of Examining Committee sent to them by the Graduate School. 
  • You are responsible for contacting your payroll person to let them know that you will be leaving and your official graduation date. 
  • If you need official proof of degree completion before you receive your diploma, you need to request the letter from the Registrar's office. 
  • You should provide the BISI Office with your personal email address and placement information before leaving campus.