Steps to Graduation

Note: These guidelines apply to both MS and PhD students (click here to find academic forms)

• Click here for a handy graduation to-do list 
  
  
• With permission of your advisory committee, write your thesis
  
  
  • Click here for the latest guidelines (they were updated in Dec 2020)
  • Note that the term "thesis" is used throughout our guidelines but they apply to both theses and dissertations
  • To find recent GSBS theses and dissertations at the TMC's Digital Commons.
    
    
• When your thesis is written, it's time to defend.  You're required to give a draft of your thesis to your committee members before they sign the Petition for Defense form.
  
  
• Submit Petition for Defense to gsbs.gradteam@uth.tmc.edu along with:
  
  
  • Electronic version of your abstract for distribution in GSBS Essential (the abstract should be in MS Word -- not a PDF)
    
    
  • Electronic version of your thesis for anti-plagiarism check that includes complete thesis/dissertation without the references.
    
    
  • PDF of the draft of your thesis for formatting check – include all pages (i.e., approval page, title page, abstract, acknowledgements, table of contents, figures, figure legends, references, vita, etc.)
    
    
  • PDF of your updated C.V. (please include your publications, presentations, awards, etc.) 
    
    
  • Note: Exit forms will be sent to you by Bunny Perez once your defense petition is approved (see list of forms below)

• For appointment purposes, if you will take a position at a Texas state institution upon graduation, it is important that you communicate with your departmental administrator and the GSBS (gsbs_finance@uth.tmc.edu) at least six weeks before you complete your degree requirements.
  
  
• Schedule a meeting with Dr. Cherilynn Shadding, Associate Dean for Diversity, Career Development and Alumni Affairs 
  
  
  • Dr. Shadding would like to talk briefly with you, one of the newest members of the GSBS Alumni Association, to hear about your experiences at GSBS -- please contact Dr. Shadding to set up an appointment either before or after your defense
    
    
• Schedule an exit interview with Dr. Natalie Sirisaengtaksin (PhD students) or Nicolle Patterson (MS students)
  
  
  • We'd love to get feedback from you on your GSBS experience
    
    
  • We're always trying to think of ways we can improve and who knows better than our graduates?
    
    
  • The timing is up to you -- either before or after your defense -- just contact Natalie or Nicolle to set up an appointment
    
    
  • You don't have to prepare anything ahead of time and meetings usually last 20-30 minutes
  
  
• Defend your thesis
  
  
• Submit a PDF of your final thesis, including a scan of the signed approval page, to gsbs.gradteam@uth.tmc.edu for a final format check
  
  
• Submit the original thesis approval page signed by your committee, the results of your defense forms (see below), and exit forms to Bunny Perez in Academic Affairs
  
  
  • MS results forms: Results of the Master of Science Defense and Evaluation of the MS Defense Performance
    
    
  • PhD results forms: Results of the Defense of the PhD Dissertation and Evaluation of the PhD Defense Performance
    
    
• Note: If you want to get bound copies of your thesis....
  
  
  • You may give Joy Lademora hard copies of your thesis and a check or money order made payable to UTHealth GSBS in the amount of ~$11 per book (check with Joy to get the latest price) and she will get them bound for you.  It usually takes several months to receive the books but the results are great -- nice leather binding with 'gold' lettering on the spine.  Talk with Joy for more information.  This is optional and there is no deadline -- you may request copies after you graduate.

Deadlines

A word of advice: Try not to wait until the last possible date to complete your requirements.  The entire process will be less stressful for you and your committee if you give yourself extra time to get things done.

List of exit forms

M.S.

• Alumni information (online)
• Application for graduation (done online through myUTH)
• GSBS exit survey (online)
• Exit clearance form (the form that requires a lot of signatures!)
• TMC Digital Commons (instructions to upload your thesis will be sent to you once the format of your final thesis has been approved by GSBS)

Ph.D.

• Alumni information (online)
• Application for graduation (done online through myUTH)
• Survey of Earned Doctorates (online)
• GSBS exit survey (online)
• Exit clearance form (the format that requires a lot of signatures!)
• TMC Digital Commons (instructions to upload your thesis will be sent to you once the format of your final thesis has been approved by GSBS)