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Electronic Dissertation Defense Process

Step 1:  In order to be eligible for the degree, you must complete the Application for Degree (myUK / Student Services / myRecords / Application for Degree). This must be submitted by the deadline for the semester in which you intend to graduate. For the exact due date, see the University Calendar or the Graduate School Bulletin.

Step 2: After consulting with your advisor, submit the Notification of Intent to Schedule a Final Doctoral Examination form a minimum of 8 weeks prior to the anticipated date of your final examination date. Upon receipt, the Graduate School will audit your file to make sure that all requirements to this point have been met, and will begin the process of identifying an outside examiner for your defense. Do not finalize a defense date with your committee before the outside examiner has been identified and has been consulted for their availability. You will be notified by email when your Outside Examiner has been assigned.

The final examination must take place no later than eight days prior to the last day of classes of the semester in which the student expects to graduate. Final examinations may not be scheduled during the period between semesters or between the end of the eight-week summer session and the beginning of the fall semester. Consult the University Calendar for deadlines on the scheduling of final examinations.

Step 3:  A Request for Final Doctoral Examination form should be submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to the specific date of the defense. At this time you should deliver a copy of the dissertation to your outside examiner (note that your committee and the outside examiner will probably want a paper copy of the dissertation for purposes of the final examination, but it can be in pdf format if all involved are in agreement). Dissertations must be received by your committee two weeks prior to your exam.

Step 4:  After your Final Examination, you have 60 days to submit the final copy of your dissertation to the Graduate School in pdf format (or less than 60 days if you want to graduate that semester and the semester deadline is sooner) and a completed ETD Approval Form [PDF] , signed by your advisor and Director of Graduate Studies. Off-campus students can scan the ETD Approval Form after signing it and forward electronically to the advisor for signature who in turn can pass it to the DGS for signature, and lastly forward to the appropriate Degree Certification Officer. The ETD Approval Form may be submitted to us before or after you first submit the ETD to UKnowledge.

You are required to submit your dissertation for a format check to UKnowledge (click here for submission instructions). Your dissertation will be checked to ensure that it meets format requirements of the Graduate School. It is your responsibility to ensure that the ETD will display clearly and properly on a monitor when accessed, including working links so the ETD can be readily navigated (whether it is composed of a single or multiple files), that the printed pdf version will be clear and legible (including any figures or images); and that fonts have been properly embedded. You must also submit any reprint permission letters and any required third party software licenses (email message printouts are acceptable).

Final Submission checklist:

• Final submission of electronic dissertation via UKnowledge (see submission instructions)
• Printed confirmation page of the Survey of Earned Doctorates (link to survey will be sent to you in an email following your first submission to UKnowledge)
• ProQuest/UMI Dissertation Agreement form (sent to you in email noted in item above)
• ETD Approval Form [PDF] completed and signed
• Reprint permission letters and/or third party software licenses, if required
• Above printed items must be delivered to Room 106 Gillis, Office of Graduate Academic Services
• Embargo request, if desired, sent from Advisor and DGS to Dr. Cleo Price

Checklist of common errors [PDF]

FAQ's

If you have any questions about this process, contact the Degree Certification Officer for your program.

Dissertation Fees

The base dissertation fee is $74. Applicable fees will be determined by the Degree Certification Officer after the final dissertation is accepted by The Graduate School. The charge must be paid at Student Account Services, 18 Funkhouser Building or via myUK website. No diplomas will be released without payment of the applicable dissertation fees.

In order to register the dissertation copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office, the candidate must (1) sign and complete the Copyright Authorization statement page included with the ProQuest/UMI Dissertation Agreement Form; (2) pay the copyright fee of $65 (this copyright charge is in addition to the $74 dissertation fee); and (3) include a copyright notice in the dissertation.

Publishing the Dissertation

In addition to publishing your electronic dissertation on UKnowledge website, The Graduate School publishes dissertations through ProQuest/UMI, Ann Arbor, MI.

Survey of Earned Doctorates

The University of Kentucky Graduate School participates in the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), which is conducted each year by the National Opinion Research Center. It is required that doctoral candidates complete this survey as part of the final submission process.

Direct questions to the Degree Certification Officer for your program.

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