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Steps to PhD graduation
This page is for information only. Please consult the graduate school website for exact steps and deadlines.
Here are the steps for before the PhD defense:
0) (Not required but advised): have a committee meeting before the defense to ensure
everyone is happy with the progress and address last-minute questions. This is also
an excellent time to have everyone agree on a date. Your chair and advisor must be
present in person - everyone else can be online if needed.
1) Committee Approval Request—You submit this to the BME Program, which sends it to
the Grad School (GS). It needs to be done 4 weeks before your defense to give the
Grad School time to process it. Do the BME version (form on the BME website) at least
5 weeks in advance, then follow up with the GPC and cc the GPD to make sure it is sent to GS and that it was approved!
Page with BME form links: https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/bme/graduate/_current_students-forms.php
2) Doctoral Defense Announcement—This is submitted to the BME Program, which sends
it to the Graduate School (on the BME Website, it is listed under 'Doctoral Dissertation
Abstract Form'). BME requires it four weeks before your defense date. To complete
this, you'll need to have the 'lay summary' written for your dissertation. Once submitted, follow up with the GPC and GPD to ensure that the Graduate School
has approved it.
3) Announce your defense through the BME website using the Announcement Form one week in advance to give people time to mark their calendars.
4) Apply for Graduation on the Grad School website using their Graduation Google Form. Then, email the BME graduate program indicating that you applied for graduation.
5) Submit the signature page and defense to Grad School after the defense and final approval by the committee.