Completing the Doctoral Degree Requirements

Before the Oral Defense

Review your committee on Wolverine Access to verify that it is correct. This can be found on your unofficial transcript or the “View My Committee Information” link under Student Business.If adjustments need to be made, have your program submit a dissertation committee form immediately. It is recommended that you complete this step at least six months prior to the defense.

At least three weeks prior to the oral defense, register online for a pre-defense review. When registering, you will provide your name, program, U-M identification number, defense date, time, room location for in-person defenses, and Zoom meeting link as the online location; and information about your committee members, including email addresses.

Begin viewing your committee on Wolverine Access three business days prior to your defense to confirm all members have submitted their evaluation. All members must complete an evaluation before OARD can authorize the defense.

After confirming all evaluations have been received, an email with a link to your Final Oral Examination Report Form will be sent to you, your committee chair, and the graduate coordinator of your program. This form can be signed electronically at the defense and/or printed for physical signatures.

Oral Defense

Oral defenses may be held either in person or remotely via teleconference with Zoom, or both. Zoom also offers an option to record the defense. Directions for you and your committee members about how to arrange an oral defense using Zoom:

• Setting Up a Registration for a Meeting
• How to Secure Meetings in Zoom

Announcement of the Defense

Rackham OARD and your program will publicly announce the defense so others may choose to view it via Zoom.

Signing and Submitting the Final Oral Examination Report

Committee members may sign the digital PDF securely or non-securely. Some members may prefer to print the form, sign it physically, and scan or take a photo to submit it via email. The committee chair may sign for members participating remotely. The chair emails the form with signatures to Rackham OARD: [email protected].

After the Oral Defense

Submit all of the required content revisions and corrections to your committee chair for approval.

Arrange for a post-defense submission that must take place before the doctoral deadline. If the final deadline is exceeded, you will be required to enroll in the full term in which degree requirements are completed and pay tuition for 8 credit hours.

Before Submitting the Final Dissertation

• Apply for graduation via Wolverine Access Student Business (required)
• Complete the online NSF Survey of Earned Doctorates (required for Ph.D. students, optional for D.M.A. students)
• Complete the Rackham Doctoral Recipients exit survey
• Verify that your committee Chair has submitted the Final Oral Examination Report and the Certificate of Dissertation Committee Approval to Rackham OARD.

The Post-Defense Submission

Submit online a complete, final, correctly formatted PDF of the dissertation (to be the official copy on record in the University Deep Blue digital archive).

• Allow a minimum of two business days for us to review your dissertation.
• Log in using your uniqname and Kerberos password.
• Read and agree to the terms of the Author’s Deposit Agreement.
• Cut and paste your abstract into the designated space (550 word limit, no special characters).
• Select a category and topic from the drop-down menu that most closely classifies your dissertation.
• Enter at least one (up to six) keywords or phrases associated with your dissertation topic.
• During the submission process, you will have the opportunity to submit your dissertation to ProQuest. Although optional, it is recommended. You must opt out of submitting to ProQuest if you are requesting an embargo. Embargo information and form are on our website.

OARD will perform a final format check. If format revisions are required you will need to make the corrections and re-submit the dissertation before 5:00 p.m. EST on the deadline. Be mindful that more than 90% of submitted dissertations need format revisions and often need to be re-submitted more than once. The 5:00 p.m. deadline for the final corrected submission is firm and extensions are not permitted.

• No changes are permitted to your dissertation once it is submitted online and you have received final approval from Rackham OARD.
• Your dissertation will not be available in Deep Blue until after your degree conferral date.
• If the final deadline is not met, you must register and pay for an 8 hour enrollment in the term the final degree requirements are completed.
• Your diploma and transcript will not be issued if monies are owed. Verify your financial status with the Student Financial Services (phone 734.764.7447). Diploma information may be found at the Registrar’s website.