Ph.D. Degree
Description
A student earning a Ph.D. degree conducts independent research that contributes significantly to scientific knowledge and presents this work in an oral defense and a written dissertation. This program leads to a high degree of specialization, but opportunities for breadth during this program are available.
All of the forms listed in this table are available at the Graduate School Forms Website http://graduateschool.colostate.edu/policies-and-procedures/forms/.
If you are part of the Agricultural Biology department, but earning your degree in Cell and Molecular Biology http://www.cmb.colostate.edu/ or in the GDPE program, https://ecology.colostate.edu/ you are required to follow the procedures of these programs.
Procedures and Deadlines
Step
Apply for residency
Timing
Immediately. All domestic non-resident graduate students, including permanent residents, must obtain Colorado in-state tuition classification prior to the start of their second year of employment as a graduate student. You must initiate filing for residency as soon as you move to Colorado in order to meet the deadline. Instructions on how to apply can be found here: http://catalog.colostate.edu/general-catalog/financial/residency/. Failure to do so may result in ineligibility for tuition coverage, starting in your third semester of graduate school.
Select 4-person graduate committee
End of the first semester is preferred.
End of the third semester is required.
Determine coursework and file program of study form (GS-6)
End of the second semester is preferred.
End of the third semester is required.
Complete the notice of preliminary exam form (GS-15)
During the fourth semester is preferred.
No later than two semester prior to thesis defense date is required.
Preliminary Exam (Prelim)
During the fourth semester is preferred.
No later than two semester prior to thesis defense date is required.
Complete the report of the preliminary exam form (GS-16)
Within two working days of the prelim results.
Apply for graduation (GS-25)
By the sixth week of the fall or spring semester or the first week of the summer semester.
Submit dissertation to thesis committee
Three weeks prior to defense date is preferred.
No later than two weeks prior to the defense date is required.
File the notice of defense form (GS23)
Two weeks prior to defense date.
Advertise thesis defense
One week prior to defense date.
Submit signed dissertation to the graduate school along with the GS30 form
Prior to the end of the twelfth week of the fall or spring semester or the end of the fifth week of the summer semester.
Thesis defense
Prior to the twelfth week of the fall or spring semester or the fifth week of the summer semester.
File the report of final thesis exam (GS24)
Within two working days of the defense results.
Forms
The graduate school forms website, http://graduateschool.colostate.edu/policies-and-procedures/forms/, has other forms that may be important for your graduate work, including:
Request for change of department or degree program (GS7)
Petition for change of committee member (GS9A)
Study abroad transfer credit request (GS11)
Report of department examination (GS14)
Request for letter of completion (GS26)
Dissertation embargo request (GS31)