Timeline for Graduation

1. Use the Master Degree Progression Checklist for requirement details.
2. Verify that all your transfer credits posted to your transcript.
3. Complete your coursework.
4. Fill out the Master's Application for Advanced Degree eDoc form. A complete application containing all necessary information must be received by the IU Graduate School Indianapolis by the 15th of the month prior to the month of graduation. Once submitted, you can check this to track the approval process. Please note that the eDoc will route to your program for additional processing before routing to the IU Graduate School Indianapolis. Once you’ve applied for your degree, verify that there are no negative service indicators on your account in SIS.
5. Verify through One.IU the correct spelling of your name, your correct student home address, and your preferred email address. Please note, the Graduate Office will email you when your diploma is ready. Your diploma will be sent to the address you indicate is your student home address.
6. Verify all R and I grades have been completed and converted to actual grades.
7. If completing a thesis, schedule a format check with the IU Graduate School recorder in the Graduate School.
8. If completing a thesis, submit it with a signed acceptance page by the 10th of the month prior to the month of graduation.

Year 1

1. During your first semester at IU Indianapolis, submit the final transcript of all undergraduate and graduate degrees earned before entry into your Ph.D. program.
2. Verify all transfer credits are posted to your transcript. (Course substitutions and revalidations are required to be submitted with the Nomination to Candidacy eDoc or before.)
3. International students, complete any needed English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.
4. Form your advisory committee. Your program or department can tell you more about how to choose the best advisory committee for you.

Years 2-4

1. Complete your coursework while maintaining good academic standing in your program.
2. Pass your qualifying exams. After you pass your qualifying exams you must enroll for class each fall and spring semester thereafter, with the exception of summers, until you graduate. If you are graduating during the summer, you must enroll for at least one session during that summer.
3. Once you’ve completed your coursework and passed your exams, complete your Nomination to Candidacy (eDoc) form. A minor form and plan of study must be submitted before the Nomination to Candidacy eDoc.
4. The Nomination to Candidacy eDoc must be approved by the Graduate School at least eight months before graduation and before the Nomination of Research Committee (eDoc) form can be approved.
5. Submit your Nomination of Research Committee eDoc. Your nomination eDoc must be approved six months before you defend your dissertation.
6. Research Committee Requirements: (minimum of four members are required. All committee members must hold IU graduate faculty appointments (either full graduate faculty or limited status graduate faculty); only individuals with IU tenure track appointments can receive the endorsement from the Graduate School; and at least half the committee must hold the endorsement as IU graduate faculty.
   • Chair:
     • Must be faculty from the major department
     • Must be on the IU Graduate Faculty List with endorsement to direct doctoral dissertations (tenure track or tenured faculty hold the endorsement). A co-chair can be added to further mentor a student in their research and educational program. In the case of co-chairs, at least one of the co-chairs must hold the endorsement as graduate faculty. Co-chairs share responsibility for supporting students during their degree progression. A plan for co-chairs to jointly guide and support a student should be developed along with the director of graduate studies for the degree program.
   • Two or more members:
     • Must be from the major department
     • Must be on the IU Graduate Faculty List
     • Outside member can serve as a 5th member (not one of the minimum four and cannot serve as chair)
   • Minor Rep:
     • Must be from the minor department
     • If more than one minor, a minor rep is required to represent each minor department
     • Must be on the IU Graduate Faculty List (may or may not be endorsed) 

7. Graduate Faculty Status: All members of a student research committee should hold an appointment as graduate faculty. Please visit Membership to Graduate Faculty to learn more about the Indianapolis nomination process for obtaining graduate faculty status and the endorsement. Contact our office in Indianapolis at gradoff@iu.edu to learn if an individual has been appointed with limited graduate faculty status. A pdf document with a list of IU faculty with graduate faculty status and the endorsement is posted on our Membership to Graduate Faculty webpage.

8.  Limited Status – Limited status can be used for committee appointments under several circumstances. Affiliate and non-tenure track IU faculty including clinicians, scientists and fellows can be recommended for this status. Limited status can also be used for the appointment of an off-campus individual who is expert in the student’s training area but who does not hold an IU appointment. A school or department is responsible for nominating individuals for graduate faculty limited status, typically following a vote of approval for the nomination by the school or department faculty. Individuals with limited status can contribute at student research meetings, mentoring students, and offering recommendations on students’ progress with this status. If the student committee members overall agree, limited status faculty may vote electronically on student progression. If a research committee member leaves IU in good standing for any reason other than retirement and wishes to remain on a committee until the student graduates, a school must submit a request for limited graduate faculty status. These requests must include the student’s name and university ID. Contact us at gradoff@iu.edu to check if an individual has been approved for limited graduate faculty status on campus or to notify us that a faculty member is leaving the institution. Once approved for limited graduate faculty status, individual appointments can be updated with new student committee service by contacting gradoff@iu.edu. Some limited status external committee experts (sometimes referred to as outside members) do not have access to the electronic voting system for approving/disapproving student progression and grades. These committee members can contribute to meetings, offer input on student progression at committee meetings, and help mentor students. Also, these individuals would typically be considered a 5th member, not one of the minimum four requirement.

9.  Each committee must have a faculty member serving as the representative for the minor (minor rep). The minor representative should be an IU faculty member or external expert with knowledge in the minor field. The term outside member is sometimes used to refer to the minor representative. However, the term outside can refer to a faculty member from another IU department or school, or an individual from another institution or business outside IU.

10.  Emeritus faculty may continue to serve on the student committee on which they held membership prior to retirement. These faculty cannot serve as the committee chair but can hold the position of co-chair. This situation does not require a request for limited status, however, if the faculty member was serving as chair, a nomination of research change form/eDoc is required along with the appointment of a new chair or co-chair.

11.  Requests for full or limited graduate faculty status, as well as the endorsement of graduate faculty, should be sent to the Graduate School Indianapolis via the Graduate Faculty/Limited Status Request form on our Membership to Graduate Faculty webpage. Requests must include a CV or resume for the faculty member being nominated. The Graduate School in Indianapolis keeps a list of individuals approved for limited status, while a list of emeritus faculty, full graduate faculty and those with the endorsement is published on our Membership to Graduate Faculty webpage. Contact gradoff@iu.edu to check on an individual’s status as well as the lists.

Years 4-5

1. Complete and properly format your dissertation, and schedule your defense with your committee.
2. At least two weeks (14 days) before you plan to defend your dissertation, submit a draft of your acceptance page and signed formatted abstract to the IU Graduate School recorder in the IU Graduate School Indianapolis. Dissertation submission.
3. Submit your defense announcement (eDoc). NOTE: Allow time for approvals as this eDoc must be received in our office at least 30 days before defense.
4. Defend your dissertation in front of your research committee. At your defense, have your acceptance page and abstract available to be signed. The committee should not sign the acceptance page and abstract until their post-defense revisions are completed and approved.
5. Verify all R and I grades have been completed and converted to actual grades.
6. Check for negative service indicators that would prevent release of your diploma.
7. Verify through One.IU the correct spelling of your name, your correct student home address, and your preferred email address. Please note, the Graduate School Indianapolis will email you when your diploma is ready. Your diploma will be sent to the address you indicate is your student home address.
8. Submit your dissertation.