Skip to content

Department of Geology & Geophysics

College of Mines and Earth Sciences

Main Navigation

"A river has many curves, but is alway reaches the ocean." -- Donald I. Hicks

Steps to Graduation (including Thesis & Defense)

Keep in mind that the March and May deadlines below related to Graduation Day Events (such as Commencement) apply to all who officially graduate the previous fall, the current spring, or the coming summer.

Time to put that smart brain and fancy degree to work! Check out these resources. 

Timeline

  • 2-3 years before graduating: 
    • Think about: What are you enjoying most? What direction(s) might you want to go next?
    • Meet new people at conferences and invite potential advisors to give seminars at your institution
    • Keep a list of people you might want to work with (interesting paper, great talk, exciting work, cool field opportunities)
  • 1-2 years before graduating:
    • Sign up for job listservs to get a sense of what is available
    • Get in touch with some people you are interested in working with
  • 12 months before graduating:
    • Start fellowship applications
    • Any non-academic informational interviews
  • 6 months before graduating:
    • Apply directly to postdocs
    • Apply for non-academic jobs

Earth Science Job Boards & Listservs

How to find an environmental science postdoc:

Written by Lily Dove and Clare Singer, last updated July 2023

What is a research postdoc?

A postdoc (postdoctoral researcher) is a ~1-3 year position that people often take after finishing a PhD. It is a time to continue building your research profile (although some postdocs can include a teaching component). There are two “types” of postdoc: funded postdocs and fellowship opportunities. A postdoc is just one direction someone can go after finishing a PhD and it is completely valid to not do a postdoc, especially if you want to take a job outside of academia or focus on teaching. It is advised to reach out early and often to potential advisors to discuss opportunities. They may have money set aside for a postdoc already or often, they are willing to apply to fellowship opportunities with you. 

This document provides some information and advice on differences in postdoc positions and how to approach attaining a postdoc position. 

Reasons to pursue a postdoc

  • To diversify your research skillset and refine your skills
  • To gain research proficiency and confidence post-PhD
  • To work in a new institution, type of workplace (e.g. national lab), or country 
  • To build your collaboration network and attain strong letters of recommendation
  • To gain experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate students
  • To try a new field or methodology 

Reasons not to pursue a postdoc

  • Because it’s the “only option”: Check out positions in industry, government/nonprofit, teaching, science communication, consulting…
  • Because someone told you have to: You don’t have to if you don’t want to! There are lots of other options. If you want to be a faculty member at an R1 institution or research scientist, a postdoc is often an important step. However, not all academic jobs require a postdoc!
  • Because you’re “leaving science” if you don’t do one: Lots of people come back to postdocs later after being in industry or other fields and it is very valid to take time away from academia for personal/financial/exploratory reasons. 

Funded postdocs

When a principal investigator (PI) gets funding for a postdoctoral project, they will often advertise the position on listservs or websites. These postdocs often have deadlines and deliverables associated with the grant. Sometimes, PIs don’t put out an advertisement, so you can find a funded postdoc by emailing PIs. If you reach out early enough (more than one year before graduating), you can also write a grant with the PI, which, if it gets funded, can fund your postdoc. 

Applications to funded postdocs often require a CV, a cover letter, letters of reference, and potentially a virtual interview with the PI.

Fellowships

Postdocs funded by fellowships allow you to have academic freedom and pursue your own academic interests. They are also often mentor-independent, meaning you can choose with whom to work. Institutional fellowships are tied to a specific institution and you often write your proposal with a PI at that institution. There are often lots of politics involved in institutional postdocs, including which PIs have received funding recently. National fellowshipsallow you to take the money where you want to go, but you still often write the application alongside a specific PI. Note that some national fellowships have citizenship requirements. If you work with a specific PI to write a fellowship proposal but are not successful in attaining the funding, the PI may seek to acquire funding elsewhere if they are excited about the project and the prospect of working with you, but this is not a guarantee.

Applications to fellowships often require a CV, a cover letter, a diversity and inclusion statement, a PhD abstract/summary, and letters of reference. Some may require an interview.

What are the benefits to having a fellowship?

  • Academic freedom - no specific deadlines, control of the direction of your research, independent control over publications and collaborators.
  • Fellowship community - often, fellowships have a “community” aspect with previous recipients who can act as mentors.
  • Prestige - having a fellowship is absolutely not required for success in academia, but does show employers that you can attain independent funding and write a competitive proposal.

What are the downsides to having a fellowship?

  • Lost in the sauce - although you often have a specific PI/mentor, if you are not funded by one of their grants, you may not get as much of their time because your success is not necessarily tied to them (e.g. funding).
  • Time - applying for fellowships takes a lot of time and effort and is very black boxy. Even if your application is excellent, department politics or other things outside of your control may impact the outcome.

What to include on a CV when applying for postdocs

  • Header with your name, phone number, email address, and website 
  • Education history (Associates/Bachelors onwards)
    • Include PhD thesis title and advisor
  • Publications as first author and co-author (published and in press)
  • Publications as first author and co-author (submitted and in review/revision)
  • Publications as first author and co-author (to be submitted within 3 months. Be realistic here: it doesn’t always look good to have lots of “aspirational” publications.)
  • Honors and Awards (including certificates, previous scholarships/fellowships, conference awards…)
  • Presentations 
    • e.g. “University of Washington Physical Oceanography Seminar, Seattle, WA. October 2022. Talk.”
    • e.g. “Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Summer Workshop, virtual. June 2021. Poster.”
  • Field work/research cruises
  • Academic and University service (e.g. journals you’ve reviewed for, conference sessions you’ve organized, seminar series you’ve run, etc.) 
  • Teaching experience
  • Mentoring experience
  • Outreach

What to include in a cover letter when applying for postdocs (template below)

  • Announce what opportunity you are applying for
  • Introduce yourself and your research background - focus on your skills that qualify you for the opportunity. Don’t just write out your CV!
  • Describe specifically what you want to do in your postdoc and why the opportunity/fellowship is a good fit for you
  • Explain any 3+ month gaps in your CV (e.g. time off for parental leave, industry work, mental health, etc.). These gaps are not disqualifying but it is important to address them upfront. 
  • Closing

Common pitfalls in the postdoc application process

  • Being close-minded: Make sure you look at lots of institutions and opportunities. There might be an opportunity outside of your PhD niche that catches your eye! A postdoc is a great time to try something new and build a new skill. If you’ve always wanted to live abroad, a postdoc can be a time to do that, too.
  • Not considering your personal needs: It is very valid to want or need to be in a specific location for personal or familial reasons. You will do your best work if you are happy in your personal life - make sure to prioritize your needs, not just your research desires!
  • Applying to all the things: Make sure you apply to several opportunities and don’t put all your eggs in one basket, but it is also important to only apply to opportunities you are truly excited about. Put in time researching institutions/fellowships to which you are applying. 
  • Going about it alone: The postdoc application process is stressful. Take care of yourself and consider forming a writing group with other people also in the application process. Also, ask previous recipients of fellowships you are applying to if you can see their materials - it is very likely they will be willing to share!
  • Feeling guilty: You may need to turn down opportunities or you may change your mind about what you want to do. In these cases, you may need to send some tough emails - and those are even harder to send if someone has been really nice and generous to you! Send those emails in a timely manner and remember that you can still work with these people in the future and that they (more likely than not) want what’s best for you. 

Environmental science and climate-related fellowships (not comprehensive)

National

Institutional 

Example introductory email

Dear Professor [XX],

My name is [name] and I am entering the final year of my PhD at Caltech. My thesis uses data from [method] to [answer a cool question]. In this work, I have [specifically done these things]. I appreciated your [e.g. recent paper on ***, presentation at ***, contribution to ***] and think it aligns well with my future research interests.

I am looking around for postdoc opportunities starting in approximately [month year]. I have several project ideas and would be happy to discuss writing a fellowship proposal or grant together and/or would be interested to hear your upcoming projects. I was wondering if you would be interested and willing to Zoom about potential opportunities in your group and at [your amazing institution] more generally. 

Thank you and best,

[YOU] 

Example cover letter for a fellowship

To the Steering Committee:

I am writing to apply for [fellowship]. I am finishing my Ph.D. at [institution] in [department] with an anticipated graduation in [month year]. My research focuses on [science question] using [methods]. Throughout my academic career, I have worked to [goal of your science]. As a recipient of [fellowship], I will [do these awesome things building on these specific skills I already have].

With my research, I seek to [answer these big questions]. During my Ph.D., I specifically focused on [related or relevant work]. This work resulted in [publications, awards, presentations, etc.].

As a recipient of [fellowship], I propose to [research this thing]. I am specifically interested in [this specific science thing]. This project will [have these results], in turn [how you plan to change the world]. 

My proposed host, [name(s) and institution(s)], has extensive experience [doing these related science things]. With their guidance, this project ideally positions me to [learn this thing] and [that thing]. I intend to pursue a career that [is relevant to this position]. Working alongside researchers at [institution] offers me the opportunity to sharpen my skills [doing this science thing] while interacting with scientific leaders in [your field].

I additionally propose [additional science, outreach component, etc.]. [How this builds on skills you already have]. 

Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to contributing to [program] as a [fellowship] recipient.

Sincerely,

[YOU]

One year before you plan to graduate, complete your Qualifying Exam. Then, secure the signatures of your Committee members on the PhD Qualifying Exam Form. Then email the signed form to the department's Graduate Advisor (staff member).  If your passing date does not show up in your Graduate Student Summary Tool (CIS) when you do your next audit, let the department's Graduate Advisor (staff member) know.

Note: Make sure your committee is approved in the Graduate Student Summary Tool (in CIS) before you take your Qualifying Exam. 

This list was compiled by class of 2021 department graduate students Courtney Wagner, Jory Lerback, and Elizabeth Berg. 

  • Find one or two people you can commiserate, celebrate, and check in with. 
  • Check out your options for group or individual therapy at the University Counseling Center. Student insurance also covers non-university therapists, if you don’t want to do that on-campus. Earlier is better than later, for just in case!
  • Professional guidance such as the Dissertation Coach (we have a friend that used this and she found it really helpful) may be worth the money in terms of starting a job a semester earlier than you might otherwise. This is definitely a hard decision but if you need more support than is available in your current situation, you might check that out, and also email them about variable pricing options based on need. 
  • Ask for help, ask for what you need. The answer is always “no” if you don’t ask; and if you do ask and they say “no,” “no” is not the End of the World!
  • Remember it is a yucky time for everyone. Some people handle it better than others, everyone’s experience is different. Be understanding of yourself and others during this tough time. It will all be over soon enough! 
  • Plan (and TAKE) a vacation! Or staycation. Just plan to relax and let your mind wander/rest. At least one one-week vacation in your last year would be important. You don’t want to burn out, and you need something to look forward to. Graduate school is a special time, and your next job might not have the flexibility for a vacation until ~6 months of working, so make sure to do something good for yourself.  

University-wide Commencement exercises are held at the end of each Spring semester. Since Commencement is held once a year, all candidates/graduates from that commencement year and the following Summer are allowed to participate in Commencement (i.e. for May 2022 Commencement candidates/graduates for Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, and Summer 2022 may participate and attend). Regarding attendance at College-specific Convocation, Summer candidates are encouraged to speak with their college to verify which year’s Convocation it is preferred that they attend.

Starting Spring 2023, we are doing a Hooding Ceremony for all graduate students (students will no longer be hooded at the College Convocations). When you RSVP (see step below), we need to know if you will be attending the Hooding Ceremony and who will be hooding you. Normally your Faculty Advisor is the one who does your hooding. If they are unable to attend, you can choose another department faculty member who sits on your committee or the department Graduate Affairs Director.

The department needs to order faculty regalia in early February, so who ever is doing your hooding needs to know they are doing it in time to get their order into the department office. 

You need to RSVP as to whether or not you will attend College Commencement and the Hooding Ceremony. RSVP HERE.

  • Please complete the form even if you do NOT plan to attend. 

Be prepared to provide the below information: 

  • Will your Faculty Advisor be the one to hood you? 
  • If no, who will hood you? (The default is Graduate Studies Director. But can be another member of your committee.) 
  • Will you be attending the College Commencement? 
  • Will you be attending the Graduate Hooding Ceremony? 
  • If attending, how many guests will be joining you? (Estimate.) 
  • What honors, awards, and other recognitions have you received? Examples include any honors earned (Dean’s List, Honors at Graduation, etc.); stipends, graduate fellowships, research or teaching assistantships; paper awards; scholarships (Honors at entrance, Departmental, etc.); elected offices or memberships in societies and/or organizations; and any other special recognition. NOTE: Honors information sent after the deadline may not be listed in the program.  

ALSO, check out the "Graduation!" section below and our graduation website.

The Graduation Fair at the University Campus Store provides a convenient, “one-stop shop” opportunity for all your graduation needs (order your cap, gown, graduation announcements, buy your diploma frame).  If you plan to walk in either the University Commencement or College Convocation ceremony (we highly recommend both!), you must get your regalia during this time.  

  • What to buy?: There are a couple different packages for Masters and Doctorate graduates. You will want to buy one that has a cap or tam, gown, color tassel, and hood. Adding on one or more Stools of Gratitude is optional. 
    • Cap or Tam: Doctorate-level graduates can choose either a traditional style cap or a tam. Tam is an abbrveviated way to refer to atam o’ Shanter, which is a traditional Scottish cap. In academia the tam signifies the wearer as the recipient of a doctoral degree. They cost more money and thus may not be worth the extra expense. However, they do look cool! And they are strongly suggested if you are planning to go into academia for a career.
    • Gown: Masters-level gowns are all black. Doctorate-level gowns are adorned with U of U-colored red strips. 
    • College color tassel: Make sure you get a yellow tassel for science degrees (orange if you are a Geological Engineering major).
    • Hood: Even if you are not attending the hooding ceremony, you should wear a hood to all other formal graduation events.
    • Optional - Stole of Gratitude: These scarves are worn during the commencement ceremony. After the ceremony, the new graduate presents the Stole of Gratitude to someone who provided extraordinary help or support, i.e., parents, relatives, or mentors who have helped with wisdom, words of support, or with financial assistance. Immediately after graduation, the graduate may take the stole from around his/her neck and place it around the neck of the recipient. More than one stole may be worn during commencement, symbolizing that there are multiple persons destined to receive Stoles of Gratitude.

(We encourage all students to place a pre-order online on the bookstore website, then pick up at the Grad Fair. ) 

Student regalia will be available to purchase through the Campus Store website beginning March 1st. Regalia will be available to pick up or will ship directly to the students the week of March 20th. In the event that students would like more information or to order in-person, our annual Grad Fair will be held March 30th- April 1st at the Campus Store. (We encourage all students to place a pre-order online on the bookstore website, then pick up at the Grad Fair. ) Student regalia will still be available to purchase in-store or online through the month of May.

At Grad Fair, you will have the opportunity to get professional photos taken, order customized graduation announcements, and visit with a variety of campus vendors.

Graduate School Calendar and Deadlines

FYI about the timing of thesis submission, defenses, and graduating:

  • Students do not have to graduate the same semester they do their defense. In other words, a student's "final" semester could be after the semester in which they did their defense. Please keep this in mind when reading the deadlines listed on this website. 
  • Students must be registered for credit hours (it’s mainly thesis research credits) in the semester they are defending. If it’s their final semester, they can register for a minimum of 1 credit of thesis research if they are paying out of pocket (approved by the department chair). If they still have tuition benefit, they need to follow the full-time policy of a minimum of 9 credits for the semester (can be thesis research hours).
  • If a student defends before the thesis submission deadline for a semester (these tend to be fairly early in the semester), they need to defend at least three weeks before the submission deadline so their is enough time to make changes to their thesis and get it approved by their committee and department chair. If they submit their thesis by the semester deadline, they can also apply to graduate within that semester. 
  • If a student successfully defends during the semester but after the thesis research deadline and before the first day of class for the next semester, the student will apply for graduation for the following semester but does not need to register for credits for the following semester.

Tutorial on how to run a an Audit. 

Make sure your committee members are correct, your exam dates are entered, and you have meet the credit hour requirements  (in total course credits and thesis research credits) needed to graduate. Refer to the Graduate Manual for details. 

NOTE: If it has been more than 3 years since your committee was approved, ask the Graduate Advisor if you have any committee members covered by a Blanket Petition who would need an updated CV. (Don't worry what this means; the Graduate Advisor will know and guide you if you need to do anything more.)

Instructions: Your Program of Study must be submitted and approved before you schedule your defense. This form is where you declare which of the courses you have taken that you want applied to your degree requirements. In preparaton for filling out your Program of Study, run an audit in the Graduate Student Summary tool in CIS. 

One semester prior to graduation AND before you schedule your defense, graduate students are required to meet with their Faculty Advisor to fill out their Program of Study Form. Then send it to your Committee to review. Your Commitee Chair and any *non-U Committee Members must sign the form. Then, email it to the department's Graduate Advisor, who will upload it into the system, where your U of U Committee members will officially approve it. 

* When you run an audit, you will noticed that your non-U of U members will not be listed on the POS tab as they do not have access to this online system. Therefore, you need to secure their approvals via email and/or in writing. 

What Courses to include? You will possibly end up with more credit hours than required for your degree. That is wonderful! Think of how much you learned! However, on your Program of Study you can only list the minimim courses need to satisfy the degree requirement. 

  • Thesis Research, GEO 6970/7970: Only up to 10 (for Master's) and up to 14 (for Phd) may be applied to your Program of Study. If you do not have GEO 6970/7970 courses that equal exactly 10 or 14, you can go a above that number but get as close as possible.
  • Master's Degree Requirements: Candidates for a Master's degree must complete 30 semester hours in graduate courses and thesis research. At least 24 semester hours must be in resident study at the University of Utah, and a minimum of 20 semester hours must be in formal course work with the balance in thesis research. A majority of the course credit hours must be earned in GEO courses taken in the GG Department.  A grade of B- or better is required for all graded courses that are counted for the degree. No more than 25% of courses to be counted towards graduation may be taken CR/NC. All course work to be counted for the degree must be approved by the student’s supervisory committee. All M.S. candidates in the GG Department are required to take GEO 6950 (“Reviews in Earth Science”), and all other courses to be counted for the M.S. degree are specified and approved by the student’s own supervisory committee. 
  • PhD's Degree Requirements: Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must complete three years (six semesters) or more of approved graduate-level course work and dissertation research. Ph.D. students entering the graduate program without having previously received a master’s degree are required to complete all coursework requirements associated with the Department’s M.S. degree program (Grad Handbook sections 4.1.3 and 4.1.4). Beyond this requirement, no minimum number of credit hours in formal courses is specified for Ph.D. candidates. However, the program of study for a Ph.D. degree must be substantial and must be approved by the candidate’s supervisory committee.  Doctoral students are expected to take courses in a broad spectrum of subject areas, which may (or may not) include some courses taken outside the GG Department, but a majority of the course credit hours must be earned in GEO courses taken in the GG Department. 
  • Do NOT include these Courses:
    • Courses in which a letter grade is given solely on the basis of attendance without any requirement of student performance and without any assessment of student learning (e.g., the Distinguished Lecture Series) may not be used to count towards the required minimum of 20 semester hours in formal course work for the M.S. degree.  
    • Continuing Registration (GEO 6990/7990)
    • Faculty Consultation (GEO 6980/7980

Missing or incorrect grades? Make sure that all the grades are posted for all the classes you have included on your Program of Study (minus those for courses you are taking during your final semester). If you have any missing or incorrect gradess from previous semesters, reach out to the instructor(s) to request that they submit/correct your grades as soon as possible (this can hold up your graduation if it is not resolved by the end of your final semester).  To submit grades, the instructor needs to send the following information in a Word document attachment to grades@utah.edu: Student name, UNID, Term, Year, Department Name, Catalog Number, Section Number, Credit Hours, Correct Grade, Date Work Completed, and Reason for Report of Credit/Change in Final Grade.

Minimum continuous registration requirements apply to students until they successfully defend their thesis.

That means…

If you plan to defend AND graduate in the SAME semester: Students must be registered for credit hours (most likely mainly thesis research credits) in the semester they are defending. If it’s their final (graduating) semester, they can register for a minimum of one 3-credit thesis research if they are paying out of pocket (approved by the department chair). This applies even if you are defending and graduating during summer semester. Note: You will need to pay all the mandatory graduate student tuition fees plus the cost of the single credit hour. HOWEVER, if the student is on Tuition Benefit, the student must register for 9 credit hours. Also, in some cases, visa and/or student loan or health insurance issues require the student to register for 3 credit hours in order to maintain full-time student status. 

Students who pass their defense after the final examination period of a semester and before the next semester begins are not required to register for the next semester. 

If you plan to graduate the semester AFTER you successfully defend: 

  • Domestic Students: If the student passes their defense, they are no longer required to register for credits; however, those who wish to check out books from the library must register for Continuing Registration (MS: GEO 6990 or PhD: GEO 7990).  
  • International Students: Your "Last Semester" is when your thesis has been accepted by the University and you officially graduate. During an authorized last semester from International Student & Scholar Services, a student may qualify to drop below full time and must request authorization to register for part time credits to complete their studies. If a student’s last semester is summer semester, they may not be enrolled at 0 credits. A last semester during the summer will be considered a student’s last semester and not a vacation semester. Read the policy and requirements here.

University Policy:

 Department Handbook Requirements:

  • Section 2.3 Registration - Masters Degree:
    • Students in an M.S. degree program that requires a thesis should maintain minimum registration by either (1) registering and paying applicable tuition and fees for at least three credit hours (Thesis Research, GEO 6970, may be used to fulfill this requirement) per semester during the academic year from the time they are admitted to The Graduate School until they have successfully defended their thesis (up to 10 hours of GEO 6970 may be counted toward the master’s degree); or (2) registering for three credit hours of Faculty Consultation (GEO 6980) during any semester in which they are not otherwise enrolled. Minimum continuous registration requirements apply to M.S. candidates until the thesis is successfully defended. Students who pass their thesis defense after the final examination period of a semester and before the next semester begins are not required to register for the next semester.
    • Students in an M.E. degree program that does not require a thesis should maintain minimum registration by either (1) registering and paying applicable tuition and fees for at least three credit hours per semester during the academic year from the time they are admitted to The Graduate School until they have completed all requirements for the degree, including the submission of a final paper or project; or (2) registering for three credit hours of Faculty Consultation (GEO 6980) during any semester in which they are not otherwise enrolled. The requirements apply to non-thesis degree candidates until the final paper or project is submitted and approved by the department.  
  • Section 2.4 Registration - Doctoral Degrees:  Students in a Ph.D. degree program should maintain minimum registration by registering and paying applicable tuition and fees for at least three credit hours per semester during the academic year from the time they are admitted to The Graduate School until they have been formally advanced to candidacy (usually after completion of all course work, the Ph.D. qualifying examination, and the language requirement). Doctoral students who have been admitted to candidacy should maintain minimum registration by either (1) registering and paying the applicable tuition and fees for a minimum of three credit hours if the candidate is in residence, uses University buildings, consults regularly with their supervisory committee, or otherwise uses University facilities. All candidates taking their final oral examination (“dissertation defense”) during the semester in question must be registered for ONE* credit hours; or (2) registering for Continuing Registration (GEO 7990) if the candidate is not using faculty time or University facilities except the library. No students may register for more than four semesters of 7990. Doctoral students who successfully defend their dissertations are no longer required to register; however, those who wish to check out books from the library must register for Continuing Registration (GEO 7990). 

Contact ISSS at international@utah.edu to see what you need to do as you finish up your degree program. This process can take a few months, so it is highly recommended you start right at the beginning of your last semester.

Course Load: As a reminder, international students in their last semester are required to maintain a full-course load. If it is not possible to maintain a full-course load in your last semester, you need to email international@utah.edu.

Post-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) Form: You need to complete OPT with ISSS to make sure you can work in the US after this semester is over. Information can be found here Forms for students on a F-1 Visa under "Employment".

For more information, visit https://isss.utah.edu.

Within first weeks of the semester in which you plan to graduate, apply for graduation.

Things to keep in mind: Review the Graduate School Calendar and Deadlines and notes listed at the top of this list. Also, you can defend and graduate during different semesters. Finally, you cannot apply for graduation until your committee has been approved; your Program of Study should also be submitted.

  • On-Time Applications: To apply on or before the due date simply click on the “Graduation” tile on your Student Homepage in Campus Information Services (CIS) and follow the instructions. Note: This link does not become active until your Supervisory Committee has been entered into Grad School Tracking.

  • Late Application/Reapplication: A Late/Reapplication for Graduate Degree may be submitted as an attachment in an email from your Umail account tograduation@utah.edu.

https://registrar.utah.edu/handbook/graduategraduation.php

Self-check your manuscript

Make sure you are using the Thesis Office's template and that it is working on your version of MS Word. 

Professional Thesis Help: 

About 5 weeks before when you want to defend: With your committee, choose a date for your defense.

    • The defense should be scheduled early enough for the student to make any changes requested by the committee and submit the departmentally-approved manuscript at least 2 weeks prior to the target date for the semester. (The date needs to be at least a month before the end of classes/start of finals week.)
  • Lock in a room to do your defense in. Check room availability here. Then send your request to Thea Hatfield. 
    • Most students use 303 (boardroom) or 295 (lecture hall).
  • Set up a Zoom link with passcode (if you plan to have people join remotely). The Zoom link can be set up by either your Faculty Advisor or you.
  • Once you have locked in all the details and not less than 3 weeks before your defense, submit the information to the Department Office (see step below for instructions).
  • Also, check in the Grad Summary Tool (CIS) to confirm your committee is approved. If it is not, let the Graduate Advisor know immediately. 

Not later than 6 weeks before the last day of the semester AND at least 4 weeks before your defense:  Submit a preliminary review

At least 3 weeks before defense: Submit your defense details (and a photo) HERE. (Make sure you have all details locked in before you submit this form.)

The Graduate Advisor will send out an email invite to the department-wide listserve, post on social media, and post on building bulletin boards 2-3 weeks before the defense. A reminder email will be send out the day before. Please note that it is university policy that defenses are annouced publically 3 weeks in advance of their date.

At least 3 weeks before defense date: Prepare for your defense.

Submit the thesis or dissertation to members of your supervisory committee before the final oral examination.

Obtain copyright permissions 

Fill out your defense form prior to your defense date. Take it to your defense and secure all the signatures before your commitee departs. Then, scan the hardcopy and email it to the Graduate Advisor.

Breathe...you are going to do amazing!! 

Defend!

Please not that no alcohol is allowed on campus, so do not plan to do a celebratory toast at your defense.

On the day of your defense (and at least 2 hours before the start time), if you schedule to use the Owl, pick it up in 383 FASB. We strongly recommend that you connect to the Owl to make sure it is working with your laptop. 

Once you are done with your defense, it is your responsiblity to leave the room neat, clean, and set up as you found it and to return the Owl (if you used it) to 383 FASB. Please be sure to nicely repackage the Owl and its cords in its container. 

After your defense, work with your committee to complete the Defense Form and then emailit to the Graduate Studies Director and Graduate Advisor (please do not drop on a hardcopy; email a scanned copy).

 Forms:

Make changes


Statement of Thesis/Dissertation Approval

AFTER the members of your thesis/dissertation committee have approved your thesis/dissertation AND when you have formatted your thesis/dissertation such that it is ready for submission to the Thesis Office in The Graduate School, there is an intermediate step where the department chair needs to read and approve your thesis.  Please allow 2 weeks for the department chair to read and approve your thesis/dissertation.  

To submit your thesis/dissertation for department chair reading and approval, please upload a pdf of your thesis/dissertation here. https://uofu.app.box.com/f/873ef6b794d64cdfbf8f2e2f2622319b

Then please send an email to Department Chair and Graduate Student Advisor, letting them know there is a thesis/dissertation from you awaiting the department chair’s reading and approval.

Please make sure that the pdf you upload:

Not later than 3 weeks before the last day of the semester: Submit manuscript. If you miss this deadline, you will need to reapply for graduation.  

You should submit your thesis/dissertation to the Thesis Office only after the department chair has read and approved your thesis/dissertation.

Refer to the Thesis Office calendar for target dates. Submit your manuscript as early as possible to ensure graduation in the semester during which you submit. Submit defended manuscripts well before the target date so any issues may be resolved by the end of the semester.

Track committee signatures

Track signatures from your Committee, Faculty Advisor/Committee Chair, and Department Chair in OnBase to ensure timely review of your manuscript. 

To submit, you will need the below. This allows OnBase to collect their signatures. You do not need to secure signatures on the paper (either handwritten signatures or digital signatures). 

  • For your U of U Committee Members, Faculty Advisor/Committee Chair, and Department Chair, you will enter their UNID. To find their UNID, go into Umail, start an email and type in their email addresses, double click on each email address and you will see their UNID email address(you will replace the "U" at the front of their UNID with a "0"), then delete the email.
  • For non-U of U faculty members, you will enter an email address.

You will receive email confirmation as signatures are submitted via OnBase. It is your responsibility to follow up on any missing signatures. The thesis editors are unable to process manuscripts before the majority of approval signatures have been received. 

Manuscript moves to working queue.

Approved manuscripts are reviewed by editors within 2 business days and are processed in the order in which they are received. 


Receive review results

Specific recommendations regarding major compliance issues will be returned to the student, the committee chair, and the department chair within 5 business days of the original receipt


Work with editor for Format Approval. Be prepared for 4-6 iterations of corrections and feedback.


Upload to ProQuest. The final manuscript should be uploaded as soon as possible, but no later than 2 days before the end of finals week. See Academic Calendar.

If you miss this deadline, it can impact your ability to graduate this semester.

Run one last audit in the Graduate Student Summary Tool to make sure there is no missing information. For example, make sure your Program of Study is complete and showing the correct credits required for your degree. And make sure your Defense details are correct. If anything is missing or incorrect, let the department's Graduate Advisor know immediately.

Tutorial on how to run an Audit. 

Please complete the department off-boarding checklist for Graduate Students.

Please also be sure to complete the Department Exit Survey and, if you would like, sign up for a short Exit Interview with the Department Chair.

Thesis Release Issued.

All processing of the manuscript must be completed by the last day of the semester for graduation in the semester. If a Thesis Release cannot be issued by the closing date of the semester, the student will need to reapply for graduation for the next semester.

Technically, grades for the current semester are not due for a few weeks after finals. However, faculty have the option to post your grades right after the last day of class / before finals week starts. Additionally, if you are done with everything and are just waiting for Thesis Office approval of your thesis, your faculty advisor can submit your last Thesis Research grade early (see instructions below). The Graduate School encourages this, though it is optional, as it helps reduce the  backlog they experience when trying to clear graduate students for graduation at the end of each semester. 

    • Grades can be posted as early as the day after the Census date for the current semester (find that date on the U of U Academic Calendar), but only submit the week before finals UNLESS you are starting a job before graduation day that requires that you already have your degree awarded.
    • Grades for theses (6970) and dissertations (7970) hours for the current semester need to be submitted after the graduate student has passed their defense.
    • For more details: Online Grade Posting - Office of the Registrar - The University of Utah.

How to Submit an Early Grade:

Your faculty instructor can submit an early grade by filling out the below grid and email it to grades@utah.edu.

Student Name:

 

uNID:

 

Term:

 

Year:

 

Department Name:

 

Catalog Number:

 

Section Number:

 

Credit Hours:

 

Change grade to:

 

Date work completed:

 

Reason for report of credit/change in final grade:

 This graduate student has completed all requirements for their degree and is only waiting on the Thesis Office to clear their thesis. The Graduate School encourages that final Research Thesis grades be submitted early in situations like this. 

 

Whew! You made it! Way to go!

There are 4 different events for graduation.  (Also check out our graduation website.)

University-wide Commencement:

  • University-wide Commencement exercises are held at the end of each Spring semester. Since Commencement is held once a year, all candidates/graduates from that commencement year and the following Summer are allowed to participate in Commencement (i.e. for May 2022 Commencement candidates/graduates for Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, and Summer 2022 may participate and attend). 
  • Note: Summer candidates who participate in the Commencement before they actually graduate are not recognized in the printed or posted programs until the following Spring semester ceremonies after they graduate (i.e. a Summer 2022 candidate who participates in the Spring 2022 Commencement will not be recognized in the program until the Spring 2023 Commencement ceremonies).
  • You do not need to RSVP for commencement.  Tickets are not required for you or your guests to attend commencement.  Please note that graduates do not walk across the stage or have their names read at the commencement ceremony.  All graduates process in together and the President of the University will confer all degrees enmass.

 

Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Graduation: The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Graduation is a celebration that honors our beautiful and complex histories, experiences, communities, and families. The event takes place in early May; find details on the U of U EDI events calendar.

 

College of Science/College of Mines and Earth Science Convocations: For all who officially graduated the past fall, this spring, and the coming summer.

  • Convocation: Thursday, May 4, 2023 @ 9-10am; Jon M. Huntsman Center. Students will line up outside the west tunnel at 8am; they do not walk in any particular order. Graduate students are encouraged to wear their hoods even though the offical hooding ceremony is not until later in the day.
  • Reception: Thursday, May 4, 2023 @ 10:30am-12:30pm; Presidents Circle (large tent set up for 1k+ attendees)

 

Geology & Geophysics Graduate Student Hooding Ceremony: For all graduate-level students who officially graduated the past fall, this spring, and the coming summer.

  • Hooding Ceremony: Thursday, May 4, 2023 @ 3:30pm, Crocker Science Center, 206. Graduate students and their invited guests are invited (Students: please RSVP; see action item previously on this list.) The event is casual and fun! The Dean and Chair will say some introductory words. Hooding is done alphabetically by degree. When it it their time, the student should come to the front with their hood in their hands and give it to the person hooding them. The hooding is done by the student's Faculty Advisor (or the Director of Graduate Studies, if the Faculty Advisor is not doing it); they will have a few minutes to talk about the student and are encouraged to share highlights of their time in the program. 
  • Reception: May 4, 2023 @ 1pm-4pm; an ongoing reception will be held in the 1st floor atrium of the Crocker Science Center – light apps and beverages for graduates and their families.

Your master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation is expected to be available to other scholars and to the general public. Our department no longer maintains a Thesis/Dissertation Library. However, all final versions are published digitally via the U of U ProQuest Database. 

Check your grades for the semester. If you have an “EU” grade(s), they need to be corrected IMMEDIATELY by contacting the
faculty and requesting that they update the grade(see instructions above "Request grades be submitted". The faculty needs to send their request to the Department Chair, who will need to approve the “EU” update, and then the Deptartment Chair send the request to grades@utah.edu.

Be sure to follow up in a few weeks to make sure the change has been made.

It's offically official! Buy a nice frame and display your diploma where you can be reminded of your amazing accomplishment!  

3 months after graduation: Diplomas are mailed to students by the Office of the Registrar approximately 3 months after the closing date of the semester of graduation. Check here for more details.

Once you graduate, you will be added to our Alumni email list. Don't worry! We try to be very considerate as to what we send to our alumni.

Please keep us updated as to the exciting updates in your life: https://earth.utah.edu/alumni/alumni_updates.php

When the time is right for you, please consider donating to our department's scholarship fund for the next generation of students: https://earth.utah.edu/gift_matters.php 

We would love to see you again! Don't be a stranger! https://earth.utah.edu/events/ALUMNI_SOCIAL.php

  • Department Virtual Alumni Social is held each November.
  • Department and College representatives host an alumni social at the IMAGE and GSA annual conferences.

If you move during the calendar year in which you graduate, you need to make sure your mailing address is up-to-date with U of U Human Resources or you may not recieve your W2 for tax season. To update your address, use this form.

 

Last Updated: 11/6/23