Below is a step by step guide on how to successfully complete your PhD program. Students are strongly encouraged to review the requirements, especially if they are in final year of PhD studies.
The main requirement of the degree is an acceptable thesis. This will embody an individual contribution to original research of a standard that warrants publication in the research literature.
For more information about Degree Requirements, please visit the School of Graduate Studies.
Need help creating your thesis? Please visit the links below:
UT-Thesis Document Class (how to write TeX)
Thesis Template (Special thank you to Fabian Parsch for providing this link)
Degree requirements are another important part of completing your Ph.D. program. Students are encouraged to review all the degree requirements to ensure that they've covered all (something) before they complete their degree.
If you are unsure whether you've completed all the requirements, you are encouraged to meet with the Graduate Administrator (Jemima Merisca) during our office hours.
For more information about Degree Requirements, please visit the School of Graduate Studies.
Final Oral Examination: Option 1
Eight weeks after the successful completion of the departmental oral, the student proceeds to the final oral examination. All doctoral students must defend a thesis at a Final Oral Examination organized by the graduate unit with the cooperation of the School of Graduate Studies. The examination committee consists of four to six members. The student gives a 20-minute summary of the thesis, which is followed by a question period.
Final Oral Examination: Option 2
One-defense system works as follows:
(1) a public presentation (one hour, family and friends welcome), with occasion for public questions;
(2) the actual exam, closed to the public, scheduled, with an external chair provided by SGS. At the start of that exam, the candidate waives his/her right to a 20-minute defense (since they just gave full talk on their thesis). The exam then proceeds with questioning from the exam committee members.
Please contact the Graduate Administrator for the scheduling of your exam at least six to eight weeks in advance. For more information on Doctoral Examinations, please visit the School of Graduate Studies website.
Academic fees for full-time doctoral students in the final year of their program, and who are before their maximum time limit, are pro-rated based on the 12-month academic year plus sessional incidentals. Academic fees for doctoral students in the final extension year, and who are beyond their maximum time limit, are prorated based on 50% of the annual domestic fee for the 12-month academic year plus sessional incidentals.
Doctoral students will be billed for the whole year but may choose to pay:
- The full fee;
- The minimum first payment (50% of the full fee);
- The fee based on the expected date of completion
For more information on Final-Year Fees please visit the School of Graduate Studies website.
Graduation is the culmination and affirmation of all your hard work in graduate studies. To ensure the final stages proceed as smoothly as possible, please visit the link below for more information on deadlines and graduation procedure:
School of Graduate Studies: Graduation and Convocation
Please ensure that all requirements of your PhD program are completed before you request graduation. If you are unsure whether you've completed all the requirements you are encouraged to meet with the Graduate Administrator (Jemima Merisca) during our office hours.