Follow these steps toward the completion of your doctoral degree, preparing to meet milestones from your first months on campus to graduation day.
March 4: Format Check Deadline for Thesis/Dissertation
March 15: Graduation Application Deadline
March 22: Defense Deadline
April 8: Final Submission Deadline
May 3: Master's and Certificate Commencement by College, 3 p.m., Colonial Life Arena
May 4: Master's and Certificate Commencement by College, 9:30 a.m., Colonial Life Arena
May 4: Doctoral Commencement, 1 p.m., Koger Center
May 4: Master's and Certificate Commencement by College, 3 p.m., Colonial Life Arena
July 5: Format Check Deadline for Thesis/Dissertation
July 15: Graduation Application Deadline
July 15: Defense Deadline
July 22: Final Submission Deadline
August 15: Official Date of Graduation*
*Summer 2024 graduates will participate in commencement ceremonies December 16, 2024
Your degree program may have additional requirements and deadlines, such as a language proficiency exam. Check with your advisor about specific degree requirements for your program of study.
Your Comprehensive Examination and Dissertation Committees may be appointed at the same time.
These committee members may be the same, similar, or completely different from each other.
Comprehensive Exam Committee
Should be approved before or when your comprehensive exam is scheduled.
Dissertation Committee
Should be approved before you enroll in your first Dissertation Preparation hours.
Sign up for the Qualifying Exam
All candidates for a Doctoral degree must take the Qualifying Exam. Sign up with your
program's graduate director.
You must submit your approved program of study to the Graduate School.
Make any adjustments to your program of study using this form.
Within the first 24 months of course work (earlier if possible).
Check with your program for specific course requirements.
All candidates for a doctoral degree must pass a written and oral comprehensive examination conducted by your academic program under the direction of your Written and Oral Comprehensive Examination Committee.
By your final term of study.
If your doctoral program requires a dissertation, this is at least a four-step process:
1. Propose a topic and gain approval from your major professor and dissertation
committee to pursue the topic.
2. As soon as possible, typically near the completion of required core course work.
Submit a draft of what you propose for a preliminary format approval here
See the calendar above for format check deadlines.
3. Complete your dissertation and defend.
See the calendar above for defense deadlines.
4. Address any required corrections and submit a final version of your dissertation.
See the calendar above for final submission deadlines.
Once the dissertation has been successfully defended and the final revision of the document has been accepted, complete and submit via email the PDF of the Dissertation Signature and Approval Form to the Graduate School Coordinator for your program.
Upon completion of your dissertation, you must also complete a Survey of Earned Doctorates, and submit via email the certificate of completion to the Graduate School Coordinator for your program.
Typically in your final term of study; see the calendar above for deadlines.
Apply on my.sc.edu. Click the "Apply to Graduate" link under the "Student" tab. The attendance question refers to participation in the university Hooding program at the Koger Center.
Early in your final term of study; see the calendar above for deadline.
Submit information to be printed in the Doctoral Commencement program through the Doctoral Hooding Information Portal. This is required of all doctoral graduates, even if you are not planning to attend the ceremony.
In your final term of study.