PhD Graduation Check List

Below is a brief checklist of items a doctoral student should complete before graduation:

Degree Requirements Checklist

  • Four core courses in the areas of Software, Systems, and Theory (one from each category, plus one)
  • At least four courses past the MS degree requirements with at least a B- in each
  • Pass CIS 8962, Qualifying Exam
  • Pass CIS 8964, Preliminary Exam
  • Be admitted to candidacy at least 6 months prior to the awarding of the degree
  • Defend a prospectus and submit a defense result form to the Graduate Coordinator. Defense result forms are available in 203 LOV.
  • Complete at least 24 hours of CIS6980, Dissertation, with a minimum enrollment of 2 credit hours of Dissertation each semester after being admitted to candidacy until completion of degree.
  • Register, at most once, for CIS 8985, Dissertation Defense, and withdraw from all but one instance if you have registered for this more than once.
  • All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within five years from the time the student passes the preliminary examination, or the student’s supervisory committee will require that a new preliminary exam be passed.
  • Register for graduation at the Registrar’s Office during the second and third week of the term in which you wish to graduate using the apply for graduation link on the my.fsu.edu portal.

Defense & Graduation Checklist

  • Determine the manuscript approval deadline found at https://gradschool.fsu.edu/academics-research/thesis-treatise-and-dissertation/manuscript-clearance-deadlines. The manuscript format check, defense date submission, and defended manuscript must be submitted to the Portal Website: https://clearance.fsu.edu.
  • Submit the dissertation to the doctoral committee at least 4 weeks in advance
  • The Manuscript Clearance Overview can be found at https://gradschool.fsu.edu/academics-research/thesis-treatise-and-dissertation/manuscript-clearance-overview that includes what needs to be submitted to the ProQuest ETD Website: https://www.etdadmin.com/fsu and the Manuscript Clearance Portal: https://clearance.fsu.edu.
  • Schedule defense (at least 2 weeks in advance):
      Reserve room (typically 151 Love) with the CS senior secretary
    • Reserve PC cart (if needed) by signing up on calendar on the door in the copy room in 260 Love
    • Complete the defense announcement form found at https://clearance.fsu.edu (due no later than two weeks before the defense date).
    • Inform the CS Graduate Coordinator of your presentation title, reserved room, defense date and time, and committee list so an announcement can be sent to the department at least one week in advance.
    • Obtain the CS Defense Result Form (“green form”) from outside office (203A). Take this form with you to the defense to record the outcome of the defense.
    • Return the CS Defense Result Form to the Graduate Coordinator.
    • For students defending a Master’s Project, please send the project report after any revisions have been done once successfully defended to the Graduate Coordinator.
    • To be cleared for graduation, please send a list of all teaching activities (including recitation and solo instructor TA appointments), publications (accepted and published), and conference presentations done while enrolled as a PhD student.
    • Complete the departmental EXIT survey (sent electronically towards the ent of the semester).
    • If your employment plans are uncertain when completing the EXIT survey, inform the CS Director of Graduate Studies via email when those plans are complete.