The dissertation is the culmination of a scholar’s Emory training. And after it’s over, most new PhDs throw a party! Many of the degree requirements must be completed well ahead of the actual defense, so make sure to familiarize yourself with the procedures starting early in any semester in which you may graduate.

The Laney Graduate School sets the requirements for the completion of the graduate degree. Scholars should familiarize themselves with these requirements. The Graduate Program Coordinator is available to assist scholars in navigating the degree completion procedures but it is the responsibility of the scholar to complete and submit all required documents.

Chemistry-Specific Degree Completion Guidelines

• A public defense is required.
• The dissertation must be submitted to the scholar’s entire committee at least seven days in advance of the scheduled defense.
• The date, time, and location of the defense must be publicly advertised at least seven days in advance of the defense.
• All committee members must be present at the defense.

Completion Extensions

If a scholar has not completed the degree at the end of the seventh year, the program may grant a one-year extension. The program must submit notice of this extension to the Dean, no later than August 1 of the seventh year (before the eighth year). The notice must contain a completion timeline signed by both the scholar and the dissertation committee chair or co-chairs. Scholars who enroll for this extension year will be responsible for some tuition.

If a scholar has not completed the degree at the end of the eighth year, the scholar may continue work for at most one additional academic year and only with approval from the Dean. To obtain approval, the program must submit a request to the Dean no later than August 1 of the eighth year (before the ninth year). The request must:

• outline the reasons the scholar has not completed
• consider whether the scholar needs to repeat any part of the qualifications for candidacy or obtain approval of a new dissertation prospectus
• present a detailed completion timeline signed by both the scholar and the dissertation committee chair or co-chairs. Scholars who enroll for this extension year will be responsible for some tuition.

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As research expertise and engagement grows, you may find it difficult to place an emphasis on degree completion. Making a plan facilitates this focus.

A scholar in their fifth year who is not graduating must submit a Timeline for Degree Completion and have it approved by their P.I. The plan should be presented as a written timeline to graduation and must be signed by the chair of the dissertation committee. The scholar should submit this plan to the Graduate Program Coordinator along with their annual report form by April 30 of the fifth year and should submit a revised plan in any following semester during which they will not graduate.

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Next: Degree Completion