Ph.D. and Thesis Information

Appointment of Committee

Change of Committee

If you need to change your Guidance, or Dissertation Committee, complete the Change of Committee form as soon as possible. Follow the same steps as for establishing your committee.

Request To Take the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination

This form should be completed at least 30 days before start of the examination. Requirements for the Qualifying Examination are: a minimum of 24 units in residence, a GPA of at least 3.0, and a Guidance Committee approved and on record.

GMCB and SBD Annual Research Appraisal Forms (ARA)

Annual Research Appraisal: After advancing to candidacy, progress on dissertation research by each student is evaluated annually with an Annual Research Appraisal (ARA) conducted by the Dissertation committee. A student’s Ph.D. thesis committee’s goal is to guide the student, and that this happens through annual research appraisals (that can occur more frequently if the student needs it) and that these meetings are documented on this specific form that is kept in the student file. Prior to the meeting with the committee, students submit a short written document describing their research (significant experiments, problems, projected studies) to the Dissertation Committee and then have a closed meeting with the Dissertation Committee. The ARA meeting is intended to be a working session between the student and his or her committee in which results and problems are discussed and the student presents a plan for the next year of work. A satisfactory ARA is required of every student for every year in residence after advancement to candidacy. It is the student’s responsibility schedule this meeting with the committee and find a location and time that works for everyone.

Graduate School -Thesis Submission

Begin this process approximately one month before you defend your dissertation or thesis. (See also the Graduation Paperwork Checklist)

Sequence for Submission of Paperwork

Step 1
Download the appropriate thesis/dissertation Submission Packet.
It will contain manuscript formatting guidelines and the following forms:

  • Approval to Submit Defended & Final Copy of Doctoral Work
  • Verification of Completion of the Requirements for the Doctoral Degree
  • Signature Page of the manuscript
  • Survey of Earned Doctorates
  • The Graduate School Documentation Review form.

Step 2
Successfully defend your dissertation or thesis.

Step 3
Pay the Publication and Processing Fee at the University Cashier’s office.

Step 4
Present all items listed in Step One to your Graduate Advisor, who will review the paperwork, sign The Graduate School Documentation Review form, and process the Verification of Completion of the Requirements for the Doctoral Degree form.

Step 5
In the semester in which you anticipate submitting your manuscript, create a dissertation or thesis submission profile on The Graduate School website.

Step 6
Submit the following items to The Graduate School by the appropriate deadline
(see Thesis/Dissertation Submission Deadlines):

  • Copy of Approval to Submit Defended & Final Copy of Doctoral Work
  • Original Signature Page of the manuscript, signed by your committee, which will be forwarded to the USC Libraries upon final approval by The Graduate School
  • Original or copy of your Publication and Processing Fee receipt
  • Original or copy of the Survey of Earned Doctorates
  • Copy of latest Appointment of Committee form or Change of Committee form (for all Ph.D. students and Master’s students whose degree is under the jurisdiction of The Graduate School)
  • Original Graduate School Documentation Review form, signed by you and your Graduate Advisor

Step 7
The thesis editing staff will inspect the above paperwork and clear you to upload your manuscript.

Step 8
Once you have been cleared to upload the manuscript, your Graduate Advisor will receive an e-mail requesting submission of the Verification of Completion of the Requirements for the Doctoral Degree form within three weeks. (This form can be included with all other graduation documents if it is completed by the time you are ready to submit your paperwork.)

Step 9
Before the appropriate deadline date and time, upload your manuscript for editing as a single PDF file.

Step 10
The thesis editing staff will review your manuscript and notify you via e-mail that corrections are available. You can view the corrections on the Thesis and Dissertation Online Processing website.

Step 11
Make all requested corrections and upload the final corrected version (approved by the thesis editing staff) of the manuscript.

Step 12
Once your manuscript has been approved by the thesis editing staff, you must upload an exact copy of the final approved PDF version of your manuscript to the USC Libraries.

Step 13
The Thesis Editor signs the Verification of Completion of the Requirements for the Doctoral Degree form (received from your Graduate Advisor) and enters the completion date on SIS, which indicates that your degree can be posted. (Your degree can be posted by the USC Office of Degree Progress only if your Graduate Advisor has accurately verified completion of all requirements.)

Thesis/Dissertation Checklist

  • Copy of the Approval to Submit Defended and Final Copy of Doctoral Work form (signed by the entire committee and dated by the committee chairperson)
  • Original Signature Page (signed by the entire committee)
  • Documentation Review form (signed and dated by student and department staff advisor)
  • Receipt for Paid Publication/Binding Fee ($115 for doctorate; payable at the Cashier’s Office)
  • Original Survey of Earned Doctorates form
  • Copy of the latest Appointment of Committee form or Change of Committee form (signed by the student, Dean, Department Chair, or Director and Dean of the conferring unit). For students whose degree falls under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. (See Guidelines, Appendix G)
  • Copy of the Verification of Completion of the Requirements for the Doctoral Degree form (completed and signed/dated by the Graduate Advisor and Dean, Department Chair, or Director).

Submission Deadlines

Please note that all submission deadlines (dates and times) are strictly enforced.
No exceptions are permitted.

Deadline dates are noted in the USC catalog. Be sure to schedule your defense and completion dates to allow sufficient time for manuscript editing and to obtain the required signatures.

You must submit your paperwork in person to the Graduate School before you are cleared to submit your manuscript. You will not be permitted to upload your manuscript to The Graduate School website if your documentation is delivered through the mail, or if your documentation is incomplete and/or lacking authorized signatures.

Allow time to make all changes and corrections and obtain all required signatures before the deadline. Please note that no exceptions will be made for professors or department chairs who are on vacation, on leave or otherwise unavailable to sign your forms by the deadline.

Degree Conferral Dates

Your degree will be awarded for the term in which all degree requirements have been met, including approval of the final version of your thesis or dissertation and submission of supporting documents. No degree will be awarded retroactively.
Submitting your manuscript by the semester deadline date and time makes you eligible for graduation in the corresponding semester. However, submission by this date does not guarantee that you will be awarded the degree in the same semester.
Your graduation will be advanced to a later semester if you have:

  • failed to make all requested corrections in the time allotted;
  • failed to make all corrections by the conferral date; or
  • submitted incomplete paperwork, or paperwork lacking original and authorized signatures.

Paperwork is processed and manuscripts read in the order received. Students with new jobs or post-docs, and international students with visa concerns are strongly advised to plan their defense and submission dates accordingly.