Doctoral Graduation Checklist Fall 2025

The following checklist will help to guide you through the process of completing the requirements for degree conferral. You should refer to the graduation information on the Registrar's website and maintain contact with your dissertation committee and Graduate Program Director throughout the semester for information and any changes in deadlines.

You must be registered for 999 during the semester in which you deposit your dissertation. The last day to register for Fall 2025 is September 2, 2025 (please note that a late registration fee may apply). The CHSS Office of Graduate Academic Affairs is no longer monitoring the account. Please check with your program coordinator to obtain a code

Complete the following steps:

  1. By September 30th: File a Graduation Intent through the PatriotWeb system.
  2. Students should be familiar with the graduation process on the Registrar's website. Questions about graduation procedures can be directed to chssgradstudent@gmu.edu.
  3. Update your current mailing address, phone number, and email address at PatriotWeb.
  4. By November 3rd at 5:00 PM: Students completing dissertations are required to submit their documents for a format review to Sally Evans, the Dissertation and Thesis Coordinator in Fenwick library. She can be reached at udts@gmu.edu. Formatting guidelines and submission information are available online.
  5. Ensure all "IP" (In Progress) and "IN" (Incomplete) grades are resolved by the end of the semester.
  6. Select and schedule a defense date with your committee.
  7. At least 21 days prior to your defense date:
    • Provide your department with the necessary information about your defense (your name, department, dissertation title, committee chairperson, date, time, and place of defense).
    • Submit an electronic copy of your abstract to your department.
  8. The due date for dissertation submission to Fenwick Library is Friday, December 5, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. Dissertations submitted after this date will qualify for Spring 2026 degree conferral.

Electronic submission of the dissertation

  1. One PDF file of the entire dissertation.
  2. One signature sheet signed (in black ink) by your committee, department chairperson and program director must be submitted to Sally Evans, the University Thesis and Dissertation Coordinator along with your dissertation. 
  3. Meet with Sally Evans for your submission consultation. She will explain how to submit your Survey of Earned Doctorates and how to submit your dissertation to ProQuest.  
  4. Mason has installed an Embargo Policy. With its addition, students will have the option to make their work in MARS available immediately or to delay its availability for 2 years, 5 years, or 10 years.  Students who wish to embargo their documents will need to obtain signed, written permission from the chairs of their committees and the graduate deans of their colleges/schools. The Embargo Request Form will be submitted to UDTS at the time of Final Submission. We cannot embargo any work without signatures from both the committee chair and the dean.

If you are unable to finish your degree requirements in time to graduate in Fall 2025, you will need to file a new intent to graduate for May 2026. Please refer to the graduation timelines on the Registrar's website.

Please contact the CHSS Office of Graduate Academic Affairs at chssgradstudent@gmu.edu if you have any questions or need assistance.