Thesis, Scholarly Research Project and Dissertation Checklist

Thesis, Doctoral Scholarly Project and Dissertation Resources

The Checklist

  • All UNC communication regarding your degree must come through your UNC Bear Mail account.
  • Please check the graduate graduation deadlines.
  • If you are planning to leave UNC before graduation, please make sure to finish any Graduate School business before you leave.
  • All graduation applications need to be fully completed. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
  • Doctoral students and educational specialists please note the following. Make sure your Plan of Study is filed with the Graduate School by the end of the first semester of enrollment after admission.
  • If you need to fill out a form, please visit the Graduate School forms page.
  • Submit the graduation application.
  • Thesis format check: You may schedule an appointment with Carol.Steward@unco.edu. Please allow 15-30 minutes.
  • Confirm that your thesis committee chair has reported results of comps and/or defense of thesis in lieu of comps or equivalent. These need to be reported to the Graduate School by the published deadline.
  • Final review: Prior to the deadline, email the following documents to Carol.Steward@unco.edu from your UNC email. All committee signatures must be obtained prior to submission of thesis.
  • After Graduate School approval, you will receive final instructions from Carol Steward.
  • Submit the graduation application.
  • Format check: You may schedule an appointment with Carol.Steward@unco.edu. Please allow 15-30 minutes.
  • Confirm that your committee Research Advisor has reported results of the defense of your Doctoral Scholarly Project to the Graduate School by the published deadline.
  • Final review: Prior to the deadline, email the following documents to Carol.Steward@unco.edu from your UNC email. All committee signatures must be obtained prior to submission of your scholarly research project.
  • IRB or IACUC Approval
  • Thesis, Scholarly Project or Dissertation Processing Form
  • Signed signature pages: Two originals with hand-written signatures for the Graduate School.
  • After all documents are received, it will be 2-3 weeks to complete your review. There is a limit of three reviews per student per semester.

After Graduate School approval, you will receive final instructions from Carol Steward.

  • Submit a Request to Appoint a Doctoral Committee to the Graduate School. Once it has been appointed, the student and committee members will receive a letter through UNC email.
  • Required Steps in Doctoral Candidacy:
    • Pass the Written Comprehensive Exam. The program generates a form to send results to the Graduate School.
    • Oral Comprehensive Exam. Schedule using the Request to Schedule a Doctoral Examination form at least two weeks prior to the requested date. Allow time to make changes or address committee concerns.
    • The Graduate School will send the results form to the committee research advisor.
    • Pass oral comprehensive exam. Committee Research Advisor sends results to the Graduate School within one semester. (Results form must originate from the Graduate School.)
    • Discuss with the Research Advisor which publication style manual you are going to use to write your dissertation.
    • Proposal: Submit a committee-approved proposal to the Graduate School from your UNC email address. This should include the following Dissertation Proposal Requirements:
      • A digital copy of your proposal in a MS Word or PDF file may be turned in by email or on a flash drive.
      • Verification of Research Subject Compliance form. This should be signed by you and the Research Advisor. This form is needed even if you do not need to go through the IRB or IACUC.
      • IRB or IACUC Approval
      • Signed signature page
    • A Candidacy Letter will be emailed to student’s Bear Mail. A copy will be sent to the committee Research Advisor.
  • Upon being admitted to candidacy, the Graduate School will complete and email a Grad Check to the student through student’s Bear Mail.
  • Submit the graduation application.
  • Dissertation Defense is scheduled using the Request to Schedule a Doctoral Examination form. This should be at least two weeks prior to the requested date. Once approved, it will be scheduled on the University Events Calendar.
    • Format check: You may schedule an appointment with Carol.Steward@unco.edu. Please allow 15-30 minutes.
    • Confirm that your committee Research Advisor has reported the results of the defense of your Dissertation Defense. This is to be reported to the Graduate School by the published deadline.
    • Final review: Prior to the deadline, email the following documents to Carol.Steward@unco.edu from your UNC email. All committee signatures must be obtained prior to submission of dissertation.
    • Verification of Research Subject Compliance form. This includes signatures from you and your research advisor
    • IRB or IACUC Approval
    • Thesis, Scholarly Project or Dissertation Processing Form
    • After all documents are received, it will be 2-3 weeks to complete your review. There is a limit of three reviews per student per semester.
    • After Graduate School approval of your dissertation, you will receive final instructions from Carol Steward. These will include uploading your final document to ProQuest and UNCOpen (formerly Digital UNC).

Submit the Application for Graduation.