Chemistry and Biochemistry

Defense and Graduation Information

RESOURCES

OGS sets the dates by which a student must turn in a thesis each quarter, including filing between quarters (e.g., in summer or during the Fall/Winter or Winter/Spring breaks). These are posted on the OGS website. Commencement is once a year, and to be eligible to participate you must have met the Spring deadline listed on the OGS website. Information concerning ordering cap and gown, as well as dates, location, etc. is at the OGS website. You may walk in commencement for both the MS and the PhD.

The Quarter You Graduate

UCSD PhD Students

Graduating between quarters (winter break, spring break, or summer)

Students graduating in between quarters will need to pay a filing fee ($119) in order to submit their thesis to OGS. The PhD Coordinator will prepare the general petition for you.

To remain eligible for UCSD support (stipend, fees, tuition), you must:

  1. Consult with your advisor on completion plans, including registration/enrollment for upcoming quarter(s)
  2. Register for at least 12 units, as applicable.
  3. Do not turn in the thesis to graduate until fifth week of the quarter, or later.
  4. Be on support through at least fifth week (minimum support equivalent to 25% for a full quarter).
  5. You may not withdraw mid-quarter from any TA assignment!

If you will be on leave of absence the quarter you plan to graduate, remember:

  • Contact the Ph.D. Coordinator to file the needed paperwork before the first day of classes of the quarter of leave.
  • You are eligible to remain in graduate student housing, but contact their main office for details.
  • You will not be eligible for any UCSD-affiliated support (e.g., TA, research assistantships, fellowship).
  • You will not be allowed to use any campus facilities and do not have Student ID card privileges (e.g. no working in the lab, bus passes, library privileges, rec facilities).
  • You will not have Graduate Student Health Insurance coverage. Contact Student Health Insurance, 534-0903, for assistance with securing health insurance.
  • A General Petition to waive registration and pay a filing fee must be submitted to OGS at the time you turn in your graduation paperwork and thesis. You pay the filing fee to the Bursar before going to OGS.

UCSD-SDSU Joint Doctoral Program Students

You must enroll in Chem 899, Dissertation, at SDSU, the quarter you intend to graduate. Any support is via SDSU. Please contact that campus for more information.

Four to Six Weeks Before Defense

UCSD PhD Students

Confirm your Doctoral Committee Membership

If your Doctoral Committee is changing, contact the Ph.D. Coordinator ASAP. A form will need to be filled in, signed by your Thesis Advisor, signed by Vice Chair for Graduate Education, and sent to OGS two weeks prior to the exam.

REMEMBER: Students are expected to submit a draft of the doctoral dissertation to each member of the doctoral committee at least one month before the scheduled defense. Formatting is detailed on the OGS website.

UCSD-SDSU Joint Doctoral Program Students

Confirm your Doctoral Committee Membership.

If your Doctoral Committee is changing, contact the Ph.D. Coordinator ASAP. A form will need to be filled in, signed by your Thesis Advisors (UCSD and SDSU), signed by Vice Chair for Graduate Education (UCSD) and the SDSU campus officials, and sent to OGS two weeks prior to the exam.

Minimum Three Weeks Before Defense

Schedule the Exam

Confirm the date and time of your exam with ALL your Doctoral Committee members. Email Ph.D. Coordinator with date and time agreed upon by ALL your Doctoral Committee members once you have this date/time info so that degree requirements can be met.

**IMPORTANT: The committee chair and the tenured, outside member must always be present at a defense exam.

PARKING - JDP students: The defense is held on the UCSD campus. You must email Ph.D. Coordinator to coordinate parking permit needs/arrangements for your SDSU Doctoral Committee members.

Reserve a Room and Equipment

AFTER you confirm the exam date AND time with your committee, contact Ph.D. Coordinator to schedule a room. She will schedule it a half hour before the exam time, to have time to make sure all equipment is working and to settle in. Refer to room information on the accompanying/attached email.

Schedule Appointments with OGS

Call OGS (534‐9012) and schedule a Preliminary Thesis appointment. The purpose of this appointment is for OGS to review the formatting of your thesis. The rules on thesis formatting are very strict ‐‐ see the Web link above for instructions. A preliminary appointment can save you lots of work and headaches later! Rules for thesis formatting are available on the OGS website

Two Weeks or More Before Your Defense

Email Ph.D. Coordinator the title of your thesis. This is essential in order for required announcements postings.

Defense, Paperwork, and Graduation

On the day of your defense, the Ph.D. Coordinator will have the needed paperwork (see below) in your file. Instructions on who signs what will be attached to it. Your advisor will pick up your file before the defense, and then will return your file afterwards.

Make sure to bring your title page to obtain signatures from your Committee members.

After you have finished your dissertation presentation, your committee will likely ask you to leave the room so that they may have a private consult. You will then come back in the room, and the committee will tell you whether you passed the defense and what (if any) additional experimentation or revisions to the written dissertation are required. After the exam, your advisor will return the file. Ph.D. Coordinator ensures that required Departmental review/signatures are requested for Final Report and General Petition (if applicable) forms (see below). Students are responsible for following up with the Ph.D. Coordinator after defense regarding the pick‐up of “final” paperwork required for final appointment with OGS.  Be certain to ALLOW REASONABLE TIME between contacting Ph.D. Coordinator for pickup of forms and the date/time of your final appointment. Files with original paperwork may take 2‐3 days to return to Ph.D. Coordinator and/or availability of required Departmental reviews/signatures may require 1‐2 days.

Paperwork

  1. Alumni Information Form: Complete prior to picking up your Final Report form and/or General Petition form in advance of your final appointment with OGS: http://che-mf.chem.ucsd.edu/mf/view.php?id=27. This form provides your post-graduation plans and post-graduation address.
  2. Degree and Diploma Application (to OGS at final appointment): Complete with Ph.D. Coordinator at time you arrange to pickup your Final Report form and/or General Petition form in advance of your final appointment with OGS. Only your signature is needed on this form. You give this form to OGS when you turn in your other paperwork and thesis.
  3. Final Report Form (to OGS at final appointment): In your file at time of defense. Ph.D. Coordinator ensures that required Departmental review/signatures are requested for Final Report and General Petition (if applicable) forms (see below). Students are responsible for following up with the Ph.D. Coordinator after defense regarding the pick‐up of “final” paperwork required for final appointment with OGS. Be certain to ALLOW REASONABLE TIME between contacting Ph.D. Coordinator for pickup of forms and the date/time of your final appointment. Files with original paperwork may take 2‐3 days to return to Ph.D. Coordinator and/or availability of required Departmental reviews/signatures may require 1‐2 days.  (JDP students: Your Final Report form must be signed off by the SDSU Chemistry Chair also. After Departmental signatures have been acquired, the student picks up the forms and brings them to the SDSU JDP Graduate Advisor for signature. The form is now ready for your final appointmnt with OGS. Because signatures are required from both campuses, be certain to allow REASONABLE TIME to obtain signatures at two separate campuses when scheduling your final appointment with OGS.)
  4. General Petition (to OGS at final appointment): Needed if you were on leave of absence or withdrawal status the quarter you graduate *OR* if you are graduating between quarters (e.g., winter break, spring break, or summer). Signed by Vice Chair for Graduate Education and you. Ph.D. Coordinator ensures that required Departmental review/signatures are requested for Final Report and General Petition (if applicable) forms (see below).
  5. The Thesis! This is submitted/turned in after your final appointment with OGS.

POSTDOC AT UCSD (IF APPLICABLE)

If you have been approved by a professor to continue at UCSD as a postdoc, please be sure to contact PostDoc Coordinator in the Chem/Biochem Business Office to coordinator appointment for you.  Postdoc appointments must be prepared in advance of the start date, therefore, be sure that your have notified her at least three weeks before your intended start date as a postdoc.


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