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  • Dissertation Defense

Dissertation Defense

Important Reminders 

Students who plan to graduate must schedule their dissertation defense before the designated deadline for the respective graduation term:

  • Fall 2025: November 19, 2025
  • Spring 2026: April 16, 2026
  • Summer 2026: July 15, 2026

Students must be admitted to candidacy TWO full semesters before their graduation date. If students are planning to defend in the Spring, Summer or Fall semester, they should review and resolve any discrepancies on their JAGTRAX report as soon as possible and/or prior to the start of the semester in which they plan to defend (the reviewed copy of their up-to-date JAGTRAX report with ANY remaining discrepancies notated must be submitted to The Graduate School). All degree requirements must be met in order to graduate.

ELECTRONIC THESIS / DISSERTATION (ETD) BOOT CAMP

ETD training videos are available on If you need specific assistance, please contact Jennifer Davis, Scholarship & Data Librarian.

Contact Information


Mailys Trochez
The Graduate School
706-721-7971
 tgsenrolled@augusta.edu


Questions Regarding Electronic Dissertations:
Jennifer Putnam Davis

Scholarship and Data Librarian
AU Libraries
706-721-8789
jdavis14@augusta.edu

Planning to Defend

You Must Be Enrolled

Students are required to be enrolled in the semester in which they defend. Students are not enrolled the semester(s) after they defend unless they fail or pass with major revisions.

International Students
It is the student’s responsibility to meet with the International and Postdoctoral Services office to discuss graduation plans to determine if/how their visa and student compliance status will be affected. If a student is planning to apply for OPT he/she must allow sufficient time for the application process. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that he/she remains in compliance with all his/her official paperwork for student status and has completed all appropriate applications and paperwork that may be required for his/her post-graduation plans in the US.

Prepare Your Dissertation

In the preparation of a thesis/dissertation, the student should consult the and follow the instructions for the required format. In no instance should another thesis/dissertation be used as a guide for the style and format of a manuscript. It is the responsibility of the Major Advisor to see that the student adheres to these policies. The Graduate School will not approve theses/dissertations that do not follow the format outlined in the manual.


Set Up Your Defense

Get Your Readers Approved
The student must send a memo for the selection of reader(s) to the Dean of The Graduate School's office for approval. While The Graduate School only requires one reader, specific programs may require more readers.

Apply for Graduation
Graduation Applications are due by midterm of the semester prior to the planned graduation term.  Application for Graduation.

Schedule Your Defense
The student must coordinate a time and date that is agreed upon by his/her advisor, all committee members, reader(s) and The Graduate School. The student must then schedule and coordinate the final oral defense through the Dean of The Graduate School's office.

  • The oral defense must take place no later than 3 weeks before the end of the term (graduation).
  • All final documents and forms must be submitted 1 week prior to the end of the term (graduation).
  • No oral defenses will be scheduled to take place between semesters.

Reserve Your Room
The student is responsible for scheduling the room location and coordinating distance technology for the committee members that will not be present face-to-face at the final oral defense. Prior to the final oral defense, the student should send copies of his/her PowerPoint presentation to any committee members/readers participating via distance technology.

Prepare For You Presentation

Distribute Your Thesis/Dissertation Draft
Please note that the student's thesis/dissertation draft must follow the policies and required style and format outlined in the An advisor-approved draft of the thesis/dissertation should be submitted to the advisory committee five weeks (or more) before the final oral defense.

The corrected draft copy of your thesis/dissertation must be submitted to the Major Advisor, advisory committee, reader(s) and The Graduate School two weeks (or more) before the final oral defense.

The following must be submitted to The Graduate School at least two weeks before the final oral defense:

  • Corrected and printed hard copy of the thesis/dissertation draft (in required format)
  • Signed (signed by committee members and reader(s))
  • Signed (indicating advisory committee's approval that the thesis/dissertation is acceptable (content & format) for the purpose of administering the Final Oral Examination)
  • An electronic copy of the thesis/dissertation announcement

Announce Your Defense
The student is responsible for producing and sending his/her thesis/dissertation announcement to faculty and students. The announcement should be mailed via campus mail at least two weeks before the final oral defense. The announcement template will be emailed to the student upon request. Successfully scheduled defenses will be posted on this page.

Dissertation Procedures


Oral Defense Results

Pass/Minor Revisions
If a student passes with minor revisions, he/she will not be enrolled (nor will be allowed to enroll) for the following semester (or any subsequent semesters) in the degree program in which he/she has just defended his/her dissertation. The student will be expected to graduate at the end of the semester in which he/she defends. The student’s final approved revised thesis/dissertation and ALL final paperwork is required to be submitted to The Graduate School one week prior to the end of the semester/graduation.

Pass/Major Revisions or Fail
If a student passes with major revisions or fails, a subcommittee will be appointed and he/she must enroll for the following semester. The subcommittee will establish a list of necessary revisions and a timeline for completion that are required to be fulfilled to the satisfaction of the subcommittee in order for the thesis/dissertation to be approved and subsequently accepted by The Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the MS/Ph.D. degree requirements. The student’s final approved revised thesis/dissertation and ALL final paperwork is required to be submitted to The Graduate School one week prior to the end of the semester/graduation.

Spring 2026 Defense Schedule

March 3

Samuel Melnyk
Physiology, PhD
CA-2109
Histone Deacetylase Inhibition Enhances Aquaporin-3 Levels in Human Corneal Epithelial Cells and Corneal Wound Healing in Normoglycemic and Diabetic Mice

9:00 am
March 12

Candee Barris
Vascular Biology, PhD
CL1101
Elucidating the Origin of the Sexual Dimorphism in the Mechanisms of Obesity-associated Hypertension: An Investigation of the Contribution of Sex Hormones and Sex Chromosomes

 
1:00 pm
March 20

Dina Kira
Biochemistry & Cancer Biology, PhD
CN-1209 
Studying The Involvement Of Lhx1 And Znhit3 In Thepathogenesis Of Mayer-rokitansky-küster-hauser(Mrkh) Syndrome

11:00 am

Graduate Fair

Spring into Graduate School

Your gateway to graduate success starts here! Explore a wide range of graduate programs, meet current students, connect with faculty and staff, and ask questions in a welcoming environment. Whether you're just starting your search or ready to apply, this event is designed to help you take the next step toward your future. Join us on March 12 in the JSAC Ballroom from 4:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Learn More Our Programs
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