Before SCheduling Defense

You must verify with the Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) that all University and Departmental degree requirements have been met. The PhD Requirements Checksheet breaks down the requirements for degree completion. If you have not completed all of the requirements then you may have to petition. It is very important that you notify the GPC of your defense two months in advance of the proposed date so you can be assisted with the preparation process. 

Verify with the GPC that your dissertation committee membership is current. If there has been a change in the committee from the time of advancement, a Committee Form 1-A must be submitted to the Graduate Division before your defense. This will prevent any delays in filing. 

Dissertation Draft and defense Announcement

Once you have scheduled your defense, inform the GPC via email. You are required to submit an electronic copy of your dissertation draft to the GPC and dissertation committee four weeks prior to your defense. You must also send to the Front Desk Receptionist via email: your abstract, name of Committee Chair, and defense details (ie. time/date/location). Please do so two weeks prior to your defense so the announcement can be made in a timely manner. 

PREPARE Forms for defense

There are two forms that need to be ready for the committee to sign at your defense: the Doctoral Form III and your dissertation signature page. The GPC will take care of the Doctoral Form III. However, the form will not be prepared until you have submitted the electronic copy of your dissertation draft. You are responsible for taking your dissertation signature page to your defense. Before you submit the signature page to the Graduate Division (one of the requirements to meet a filing deadline) the GPC needs to make copies. The department wants to ensure that the bound copies of your dissertation have the signatures included (more details on the binding process below).

Filing Process

• Information on how to complete the filing process can be found in the Doctoral Degree Filing Checklist 
• Figure out which filing deadline you intend to meet.
• Review and use the Thesis and Dissertation Formatting and Filing Requirements resources provided by the Graduate Division.
• Check the Grad Post for upcoming Filing Workshops, Dissertation Writer's Room hours, Dissertation Writing Retreats.
• When you are ready to file Graduate Division reccommends that you stop by to have a Pre-Check with one of their advisors. You only need to print out your preliminary pages and a chapter for the advisor to review. 
• Resources on copyright, coauthorship, and reprint permissions

Dissertation Binding

The department will cover the cost to have three (3) copies printed and bound. One copy will be kept in the departmental collection, the second stays with you, and the third will be given to your advisor. Any additional personal copies may be ordered directly from the UC Bindery. 

1. Fill-out and submit the dissertation bindery form online.
2. Email the pdf version of your dissertation that you filed with ProQuest to academic@engineering.ucsb.edu