Graduate Programs – Graduation information

Ready to Graduate?

You’ve made it to your last term or to put it another way are nearing the end of your master’s degree or doctoral degree, so now what?  Here is some information to help you along the way.

First all graduate students must schedule an exam to go with their 700 (thesis credits), 702 (special project or comprehensive exam credits) or 800 (doctoral dissertation credits). This is an official exam form filed through your myWSU Portal to the Graduate School. Please work with your advisors and committee members to firm up your exam dates early and get these on every calendar, the exam will come faster than you can imagine. Here are a few useful links:

• How to apply for your Degree & Graduation in myWSU
• Graduate School Master’s Degree Deadlines and Procedures
• Graduate School Doctoral Degree Deadlines and Procedures

Non-Thesis Exam Information

These examinations may be either a Non-Thesis Ballot meeting, where you turn in your paper or special project to the entire committee and may or may not have a presentation or gala type presentation to go with this type of exam; the other type of exam is a Non-Thesis Final Exam where you will have a presentation to give to your entire committee. A note on defenses – the deadline to defend for a fall term is in November of each year and for spring term in April, so plan accordingly as this is earlier than the end of the term and finals week.

Q: I’m enrolled in a non-thesis masters degree, do I have to file a Scheduling Examination form?

A: Yes you do, even if its to just turn in a paper for your 702 special project credits.

These are public/university exams. There will be announcements sent to you, your committee and the department, and your committee will vote on your exam with ballots generated in myWSU.

Graduate School Scheduling Exam Form: Doctoral/Thesis Final, Non-Thesis Final, and Preliminary Exam

Scheduling forms are due at least 15 business days before your exams (not counting weekends, holidays or your defense date), this is to allow 5 processing days in the department before its due in the Graduate School. Ultimately the form with full departmental approval must be submitted to the Graduate School via myWSU a 10 full business days before but not including the day of your defense.

With the changes to Graduate School forms, there are no need for ink signatures* on this form, the WSU faculty will add their electronic approvals within the myWSU Portal. A student’s upload and subsequent approvals by committee members and the department chair count as ink signatures and become binding for all.

*If you have a faculty member who is not a WSU faculty member, please contact the CESHS Office of Graduate Education at ceshs.gradstudies@wsu.edu, for additional information and current procedures.

Thesis (T2) or Dissertation (D2) Final Exam Information

These examinations are face-to-face examinations with your written document (thesis or dissertation).  A good rule of thumb is to have your first draft in the WSU thesis/dissertation format an entire term before you plan to graduate to allow for editing and proofing.  Now I know sometimes this is not possible, but as these documents go through multiple reiterations/versions please allow the needed time for this dialog to happen.  You are ready to defend if you are on the final home stretch and your document is done except for minor corrections at least two months/eight weeks before your defense.  A note on defenses – the deadline to defend for a fall term is in November of each year and for spring term in April, so plan accordingly as this is earlier than the end of the term and finals week.

It is highly recommended students attend the Graduate School formatting your thesis or dissertation workshop. Please contact the Graduate School at gradschool@wsu.edu for dates and times.

You will be combining/merging both the APA formatting with WSU style/look to a thesis or dissertation.

• Writing a Paper, Thesis or Dissertation? Some helpful links on APA formatting and WORD Styles
• WORD Template Thesis and Dissertation found on the Graduate School forms page

Scheduling the Exam and other Tasks

Scheduling forms are due at least 15 business days before your exams (not counting weekends, holidays or your defense date), this is to allow 5 processing days in the department before its due in the Graduate School. Ultimately the form with full departmental approval must be submitted to the Graduate School via myWSU a 10 full business days before but not including the day of your defense.

You will need to submit a copy of your thesis or dissertation through the WSU Graduate School via the ETD Administrator/Proquest for your official formatting check and to the CESHS Office of Graduate Education (ceshs.gradstudies@wsu.edu) for the CESHS exam announcement.

With you upload through the Graduate School via the ETD Administrator/Proquest, this will generate an official email to the email you have listed in your Proquest account.  Included with this email will be a list of formatting issues you must complete to graduate and a link to upload the final corrected document after your defense. Please do not loose this email and the information contained in it.

With the changes to Graduate School forms, there are no need for ink signatures* on this form, the WSU faculty will add their electronic approvals within the myWSU Portal. A student’s upload and subsequent approvals by committee members and the department chair count as ink signatures and become binding for all.

*If you have a faculty member who is not a WSU faculty member, please contact the CESHS Office of Graduate Education at ceshs.gradstudies@wsu.edu, for additional information and current procedures.

• Defense Announcements

After Your Defense

Within ten (10) business days after you defend you will complete the following items, both thesis and dissertation students:

1. Upload the Thesis/Dissertation Approval form through your myWSU Portal.
   • Note: when filling out this form your Program name is your degree major, not your department name.
2. Upload the Hold Harmless/Copyright Acknowledgement Form through your myWSU Portal.
3. Upload your final corrected thesis or dissertation to the link provided by the ETD Administrator/Proquest formatting email.

Doctoral Students, have one additional item to complete:

• The online Survey of Earned Doctorates

Please email your certificate of completion directly to the Office of the Graduate School at gradschool@wsu.edu.

Questions? College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences (CESHS) students are welcome to ask the CESHS Office of Graduate Education at ceshs.gradstudies@wsu.edu for help.