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CHECKLIST FOR PHD STUDENTS

 CHECKLIST FOR PHD STUDENTS

This list is intended for student’s use only as a reminder of the forms and requirements required for a graduate degree. This checklist is not comprehensive and should not be submitted. Students should always check the graduate school website for updated forms and deadlines. The history department Guidebook provides detailed instructions you will need to complete most of these forms and requirements. Graduate services are available only to registered students. Please note that the Graduate School minimum requirements are sometimes superseded or addended by mandatory departmental requirements.

Note: PDF forms should be downloaded first, then may be completed on your computer and saved.

Year 1

  • Advisory Committee* Must be appointed by end of the first year in residence. Submit in GradStatus.uga.edu, unless you have a non-UGA member. In this case, please see the graduate coordinator's assistant (Laurie Kane). If a faculty member outside UGA is requested to be on the committee, please submit the following documents to the graduate coordinator's assistant (history@uga.edu) before submitting an original or revised Advisory Committee form: (1) a letter of justification from the major professor as to why an outside faculty member is necessary to the committee and (2) a current CV of the "outside" committee member. Note: an "outside" committee member is an additional member to the minimum of three UGA graduate faculty.
  • Course requirement worksheet for U.S. fields of studyThis form is a worksheet to assist students and should not be submitted. Retain for your own record.
  • Course requirement worksheet for non-U.S. fields of study. This form is a worksheet to assist students and should not be submitted. Retain for your own record.

Year 2  

  • Foreign Language/Research Skills Requirement. One language/research skills requirement appropriate to the student’s program of study as approved by the major professor and the graduate coordinator. Check the guidebook for options.
  • 2nd-Year Review. Required early in the second year of study (3rd semester). Check the graduate program guidebook for complete instructions.
  • Final Program of Study* Must be submitted by the end of final course requirements (prior to directed reading, research or thesis hours being taken). This form must be approved prior to submission of the comprehensive portfolio. Complete a paper copy of the form as fully as you can, then take it to the graduate coordinator's assistant for initial review (history@uga.edu). Students can check past and in-progress courses and grades in Athena on their unofficial transcript. Once approved, submit in https://gradstatus.uga.edu/.Once approved, submit in GradStatus.uga.edu.
  • Preliminary Comprehensive Doctoral Portfolio. During the fourth semester of coursework, doctoral students will constitute a portfolio committee and submit a preliminary draft of the portfolio to the major professor for review and approval. Check the guidebook for detailed instructions.

Year 3

Note: all PDF forms should be first saved to your computer, completed, re-saved, and emailed. These forms are not designed for your smartphone.

  • HIST9010. Directed Readings for comprehensive exams. This course is only taken the semester of comprehensive exams. During the 5th semester students will enroll in HIST 9010 for up to 9 credit hours as they complete the doctoral portfolio/examinations.
  • Final Comprehensive Doctoral Portfolio. This signed form is required prior to scheduling oral comprehensive exams. Students will complete and submit the final comprehensive doctoral portfolio by the 6th semester. Check the guidebook for detailed instructions.
  • Scheduling Oral Comprehensive Examinations--FORM. The oral comprehensive exams will take place in the sixth semester of study. The exams will be scheduled only upon approval of the final comprehensive doctoral portfolio by the advisory committee and the graduate coordinator. Please submit this scheduling form to the graduate coordinator's assistant (history@uga.edu) at least 2-3 weeks in advance of your oral exam. We are required to post your exam to the graduate school at least 2 weeks in advance.
    • All members of the student’s advisory committee must be present simultaneously for the oral examination and prospectus (proposal) presentation. The student and committee chair must appear in person for the oral comprehensive examination, but if needed, other committee members can participate via video conference, provided that the comments of all participants can clearly and consistently be heard. If the major professor is not able to attend the oral comprehensive examination in person, they can designate a substitute chair who is a current member of the committee. Further, the oral comprehensive examination can be held completely remotely if approved by the graduate coordinator and the unit/department head.
  • Advisory Committee* It is common, but not required for a doctoral student advisory committee to change one or more times as the program of study, comprehensive exams, and dissertation work progress. If the committee changes at any time (for comprehensive exams, for the dissertation etc., an revised advisory committee form should be submitted. If a faculty member outside UGA is requested to be on the committee, please submit the following documents to history@uga.edu before submitting an original or revised Advisory Committee form: (1) a letter of justification from the major professor as to why an outside faculty member is necessary to the committee and (2) a current CV of the "outside" committee member. Note: an "outside" committee member is an additional member to the minimum of three UGA graduate faculty.

Years 3-4

  • HIST 9300. Dissertation writing hours. The graduate school requires any degree candidate to be registered for HIST 9300 during the semester in which the dissertation is to be completed and the degree received. A minimum of 6.0 hours is required for graduation. Students should register for HIST 9300 only after successful completion of the oral comprehensive examinations.
  • Dissertation Proposal. Required. By the end of the first full semester after a student has passed the comprehensive examinations. Check the instructions at the Dissertation Proposal link here.
  • Application for Candidacy. To be submitted only upon approval and submission of the dissertation proposal. Students must first contact the Graduate Coordinator's assistant for instructions.

Years 4-5

  • Application for Graduation. Student should apply to graduate in Athena. An application for graduation must be filed with the Graduate School no later than Friday of the second full week (the first full week for summer) of classes in the semester of the anticipated graduation date.

    All requirements for the degree must be completed and reported to the Graduate School no later than one week prior to graduation. A student must enroll for a minimum of three hours of credit the semester in which graduation requirements are completed unless additional stipulations are required by other units of the university.

  • Dissertation. Must be submitted to reading committee at least 4 weeks prior to defense. IMPORTANT: please read the graduate school's information page about the Electronic Thesis & Dissertation (ETD)  submission approval for release at least 4-5 weeks in advance of your defense.
  • Approval to Defend. Written assent of the committee members (other than the major professor) will be required before a dissertation will be approved as ready for a final defense. No more than one dissenting vote may be allowed for the approval of the dissertation. Email approvals to: history@uga.edu.
  • Graduate School Policy on the defense. Please read before scheduling the defense, includes policy on requesting a remote defense.
  • ETD Format check.* The format check is required at the ETD site.
  • The ETD Submission Approval for Release is required and detailed information may be found at the graduate school web site. The online ETD form is available to the student at gradstatus.uga.edu.
  • Dissertation Defense/Final Oral Examination. The graduate coordinator’s office must be informed of date of defense at least 3 weeks in advance: Email history@uga.edu the title of your thesis, the date, time (2 hours), place, and list of committee members. Note: The Graduate Coordinator’s Office (Laurie) will submit your Final Defense form. It will be made available to the committee at the time of the defense for defense results and approvals in Grad Status.
  • Students are no longer required to submit a bound copy of the thesis to the dept. Please submit a final corrected ETD for graduation prior to the graduate school deadline.
  • Exit Interview. Please schedule with the graduate coordinator as soon as possible after the defense.   

* GRADUATE SCHOOL FORMS and information for current students are found at the Graduate School web site

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