Pre-Defense Checklist
1. Your committee member appointment form is prepared and submitted to the OGS by Ellie. Email me five names and their email addresses that you and your advisor have agreed upon at least 6 weeks or so prior to your defense date. If you have the names now, please don’t wait to send them.
2. A tentative defense date (reserve conference room with Ellie or Yvette).
3. I need your abstract and bio for your dissertation defense announcement along with your preferred photo so that we may send out your announcement 3 weeks prior to your defense date.
4. I need to see a draft of your APPROVAL PAGE
If you plan to graduate in January, May, or August 2025, you must fill out the online Graduation Application by October 15, 2024. Inform Ellie that you applied to graduate so that she can pay for the graduation fee.
If you have a notice of candidacy in for May graduation but will not defend by that date, send an email to Graduate A&S Registrar by email as soon as possible and copy Ellie. There is no penalty to change, we just ask that you let the Registrar in the OGS know.
The general deadlines and instructions are summarized Graduate Studies & Research resources pages:
Process for Submitting Your Thesis or Dissertation
Theses and Dissertations Deadlines
| Graduation Term | January 2025 | May 2025 | August 2025 |
| Pre-Defense | Nov 1 | Apr 4 | July 4 |
| Defense Deadline | Nov 15 | Apr 18 | Jul 18 |
| Final Submission Deadline | Nov 29 | Apr 25 | July 25 |
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Ellie Wilkinson
Graduate Program Coordinator
W&M Physics
Revised 09.18.2024
