1. Complete the Online Diploma Application by the appropriate deadline.

2. Schedule your Dissertation Defense.

3. Complete the Application for Admission to Candidacy [DOCUSIGN] form.

• Prior to starting the form, include the name and email address of your dissertation committee chair, as well as your graduate director’s name and email address.
• This form requires you to list all coursework contributing to your degree. If you need additional space, attach a supplemental document.
• The electronic form must be completed by the appropriate deadline for the Dean’s Office to conduct the final review and graduation certification.
• PhD Graduation Application DocuSign Sample

4. Complete the Dissertation Title Page [DOCUSIGN].

• Prior to completing the form, include the names and email addresses of your dissertation committee chair, committee members, and graduate director.
• Please write your title and name in all capital letters.
• Note that this page follows Rutgers’ style guidelines for ETD submission, but this signed page cannot be uploaded with your dissertation. Upload a formatted, unsigned title page (see below).
• A copy of your title page will be automatically sent to your graduate director once it is signed by all committee members.

5. Upload your approved dissertation.

• Your final approved dissertation must be uploaded to the Rutgers ETD site by the appropriate deadline. Be sure to follow all style guidelines outlined in the Dissertation Style Guide. Include a copy of the unsigned title page with the dissertation as part of the electronic submission.
• A graduate assistant will collaborate with you to refine the formatting, as these will be published in Rutgers’ ProQuest repository. If you prefer to keep your work private, please inform us, and we can place a permanent embargo on it.
• Failure to comply with the style guide may delay and/or prohibit your certification for graduation.

6. PhD Exit Surveys

• Remember to complete the PhD Exit Survey before the graduation deadline mentioned above. Please include the confirmation page in your completed graduation application.
• Remember to complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates before graduation, following the deadline mentioned above. The current questionnaire can be found here: https://sed-ncses.org/GradDateRouter.aspx. Include the confirmation page in your completed graduation application.

1. Complete the Online Diploma Application by the specified deadline.

2. Complete the Application for Admission to Candidacy [DOCUSIGN] form.

• Use this tool to input the credits that satisfy your degree requirements. (You might not have the final grade for your last class at the time of application — we’ll take care of that.) Please be aware that, in the past, certain programs considered ‘coursework’ as the final project requirement, but going forward, it’s labeled as a ‘capstone’ for upcoming graduations.
• Please include your graduate director’s name and email address before starting the form.
• Please include the name and email address of your capstone advisor as well as your graduate director before starting the form.
• The electronic form must be completed by the specified deadline for the Dean’s Office to finalize the final review and graduation certification.

3. Complete the Capstone Title Page [DOCUSIGN].

• You will need to include the name and email address of your capstone advisor and graduate director prior to completing the form.
• Please write your title and name in all caps.
• Please note that this page is modeled on the Rutgers style guidelines for ETD submission, but this signed page cannot be uploaded with your capstone. Please upload a formatted, unsigned title page (see below).
• A copy of your title page will be automatically sent to your graduate director once it is signed by all of your committee members.

4. Upload Your Approved Capstone to the Capstone Repository.

• Capstones do not need to adhere to a strict style guide. Your only requirement is to append an unsigned title page to your capstone, all saved as a PDF, before submitting to the repository. Capstone Style Guide (Suggested, not mandatory)

1. Complete the Online Diploma Application by the specified deadline.

2. Complete the Application for Admission to Candidacy [DOCUSIGN] form.

• Use this tool to input the credits that satisfy your degree requirements. (You might not have the final grade for your last class at the time of application — we’ll take care of that.) Please be aware that, in the past, certain programs considered ‘coursework’ as the final project requirement, but going forward, it’s labeled as a ‘capstone’ for upcoming graduations.
• Please include your graduate director’s name and email address before starting the form.
• The electronic form must be completed by the specified deadline for the Dean’s Office to finalize the final review and graduation certification process.

Complete the Application for Admission to Candidacy for Certificate [DOCUSIGN] form.

• Use this tool to input the credits that satisfy your degree requirements. (You might not have the final grade for your last class at the time of application — we’ll take care of that.) Please be aware that, in the past, certain programs considered ‘coursework’ as the final project requirement, but going forward, it’s labeled as a ‘capstone’ for upcoming graduations.
• Please include your graduate director’s name and email address before starting the form.
• The electronic form must be completed by the specified deadline for the Dean’s Office to finalize the review and graduation certification process.

1. Complete the Online Diploma Application by the appropriate deadline.

2. Complete the Application for Admission to Candidacy for Degree [DOCUSIGN] form.

• Use this tool to input the credits that satisfy your degree requirements. (You might not have the final grade for your last class at the time of application — we’ll take care of that.) Please be aware that, in the past, certain programs considered ‘coursework’ as the final project requirement, but going forward, it’s labeled as a ‘capstone’ for upcoming graduations.
• Please include your graduate director’s name and email address before starting the form.
• Please include the thesis advisor’s name and email address, as well as your graduate director’s name and email address, before starting the form.
• The electronic form must be completed by the appropriate deadline for the Dean’s Office to finalize the final review and graduation certification.

3. Complete the Thesis Title Page [DOCUSIGN].

• You will need to include the names and email addresses of your thesis advisor, thesis committee members, and graduate director before completing the form.
• Please write your title and name in all caps.
• Please note that this page is modeled on the Rutgers style guidelines for ETD submission, but this signed page cannot be uploaded with your thesis. Please upload a formatted, unsigned title page (see below).
• A copy of your title page will be automatically sent to your graduate director once it is signed by all of your committee members.

4. Upload Your Approved Thesis.

• Your final approved thesis must be formatted according to the university guidelines in the Thesis Style Guide and uploaded to the Rutgers ETD site by the appropriate deadline. A copy of the unsigned title page must be included with the thesis as part of the electronic submission.
• Failure to comply with the style guide will delay and/or prohibit your certification for graduation.

Q. When is graduation? And do we receive our diplomas at the graduation ceremony?

A. Graduation is in May for all graduating students. You do not receive your official diplomas at the graduation ceremony. It is either mailed to you or you can pick it up.

Q. Who do I meet with to find out if I qualify for graduation?

A. You should meet with your graduate director.

Q. How many graduation months are there/what months am I able to graduate in?

A. There are graduation cycles for October, January, and May.

Q. How will I know if I submitted my admissions to candidacy form?

A. You should have received a confirmation email, if you have not, please try to submit the form again.

Q. What if I still have edits to make on my thesis after it has been approved?

A. If your director approves your title page, then you are good to continue editing your thesis.