PhD Completion Schedule

General Completion Schedule

(For deadlines, "semester" means "non-summer semester after entering graduate school at UGA." All completed forms should be forwarded to the Graduate Program Administrator.)

First Year

1. Meet with Graduate Admissions Committee to select first-semester courses the week before the start of the first semester.
2. Meet with three or more faculty members to discuss research options; get signatures on Selection of Major Professor form during the first semester.
3. Have selected research advisor sign Selection of Major Professor form by the end of the first semester.
4. Select Advisory Committee; submit Advisory Committee for Doctoral Candidates form by the end of the second semester.
5. Submit Preliminary Doctoral Program of Study form by the end of the second semester.

Second Year

1. Schedule and present the Prospectus to the Advisory Committee. Have the Advisory Committee sign the Prospectus form by the end of the third semester.
2. Give first graded seminar by the end of the fourth semester.
3. Distribute a one-paragraph abstract summarizing the independent research proposal for the preliminary examination to the Advisory Committee for their approval (this can be conveniently accomplished via e-mail) no later than six weeks before the exam date.
4. Submit Final Doctoral Program of Study form to the Graduate School through the Graduate Program Administrator before the preliminary examination.
5. Schedule the date for the preliminary oral examination with Advisory Committee. At least two weeks in advance of the oral preliminary examination, provide the date, time, and place to the Graduate Program Administrator, who will forward this information to the Graduate School so that an announcement can be placed on their website. An approved Advisory Committee form and an approved Final Program of Study form must be on file with the Graduate School prior to this announcement. The preliminary examination must be taken and passed by end of the fourth semester.
6. Distribute the written independent research proposal and research progress report for the preliminary examination to Advisory Committee at least two weeks before the oral exam.
7. When the announcement of the preliminary examination has been received by the Graduate School, the Report of the Written and Oral Comprehensive Examination form will be placed in the student's mailbox. This form should be taken to the preliminary examination for the Advisory Committee to complete. After the preliminary examination, the student should return the completed form to the Graduate Program Administrator, who will forward it to the Graduate School.
8. Submit the Application for Admission to Candidacy form after fulfilling the following criteria:
   • Final Doctoral Program of Study approved
   • Grade Point Average of 3.0 or better
   • Preliminary examination passed
   • 30-hour coursework requirement met
   • Advisory Committee confirmed and notified

Third Year and Beyond

1. Give the second graded seminar by the end of the third year (i.e., the sixth non-summer semester after entry).
2. File the Application for Graduation form with the Graduate School no later than Friday of the second full week (the first full week for summer) of classes during the semester the student plans to graduate. The Graduate School strictly enforces this deadline!
3. Submit completed dissertation to the research advisor for approval before distributing this to the Advisory Committee.
4. Distribute dissertation to Advisory Committee at least two weeks in advance of the Final Oral Examination.
5. Schedule the date for the Final Oral Examination with the Advisory Committee. At least two weeks in advance of Final Oral Examination, provide the date, time, place, and title of the dissertation to the Graduate Program Administrator who will forward this information to the Graduate School for announcement on their website. Failure to provide this information could jeopardize the validity of the Final Defense.
6. Present and defend the dissertation in the Final Oral Examination [no more than one Advisory Committee members may disapprove of dissertation].
7. Make any suggested changes to the dissertation and submit the completed Approval Form for Doctoral Dissertation and Final Oral Examination to the Graduate School through the Graduate Program Administrator immediately after Final Oral Examination or after suggested changes are made.
8. Submit the final dissertation to the Graduate School for approval.  Submit this electronically as a .pdf file according to the instructions on the ETD Submission Form on the Graduate School webpage by the end of the semester in which the Final Oral Examination was taken.
9. Register for at least three hours of coursework during the semester of graduation. Complete all requirements and have all forms filed with the Graduate School at least one week prior to Graduation.

First Year Academic Plan

All first-year graduate student TAs must register for the Chemistry-specific GRSC 7770 (TA training) during their first fall semester.