Deadlines and forms required for the thesis and dissertation are available below. All forms may be completed and submitted electronically to gradservices@du.edu. We are unable to make exceptions to these deadlines, so please take care to record and meet those that apply. If degree requirements are not met during the quarter for which the graduation application is entered, the student will be required to delay their graduation to a later quarter and a $20 delay of graduation fee will be assessed.
Upcoming Deadlines
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Winter 2026 Quarter Deadlines
- Deadline to apply for Winter 2026 Quarter Graduation: September 15, 2025
- Oral Defense Committee Recommendation Form due: January 5, 2026
- Schedule of Oral Defense Form due: January 30, 2026*
- Final Date to submit the thesis/dissertation to the oral defense committee: February 13, 2026**
- Final date to hold and pass the oral defense: February 27, 2026
- All thesis/dissertation content and revisions approved by director (and committee) due: March 6, 2026
- Submit the approved thesis/dissertation to ETD/ProQuest by: March 6, 2026
- Thesis/dissertation formatting approved by: March 20, 2026
*The completed Schedule of Oral Defense must be scheduled by the candidate and thesis/dissertation director and received in the Office of Graduate Education at least four weeks prior to date of oral defense.
**The thesis/dissertation is due to the oral defense committee at least two weeks prior to date of oral defense.
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Spring 2026 Quarter Deadlines
- Deadline to apply for Spring 2026 Quarter Graduation: January 12, 2026
- Oral Defense Committee Recommendation Form due: March 30, 2026
- Schedule of Oral Defense Form due: April 23, 2026*
- Final Date to submit the thesis/dissertation to the oral defense committee: May 7, 2026**
- Final date to hold and pass the oral defense: May 21, 2026
- All thesis/dissertation content and revisions approved by director (and committee) due: May 28, 2026
- Submit the approved thesis/dissertation to ETD/ProQuest by: May 28, 2026
- Thesis/dissertation formatting approved by: June 11, 2026
*The completed Schedule of Oral Defense must be scheduled by the candidate and thesis/dissertation director and received in the Office of Graduate Education at least four weeks prior to date of oral defense.
**The thesis/dissertation is due to the oral defense committee at least two weeks prior to date of oral defense.
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Summer 2026 Quarter Deadlines
- Deadline to apply for Summer 2026 Quarter Graduation: April 6, 2026
- Oral Defense Committee Recommendation Form due: June 15, 2026
- Schedule of Oral Defense Form due: July 3, 2026*
- Final Date to submit the thesis/dissertation to the oral defense committee: July 17, 2026**
- Final date to hold and pass the oral defense: July 31, 2026
- All thesis/dissertation content and revisions approved by director (and committee) due: August 7, 2026
- Submit the approved thesis/dissertation to ETD/ProQuest by: August 7, 2026
- Thesis/dissertation formatting approved by: August 21, 2026
*The completed Schedule of Oral Defense must be scheduled by the candidate and thesis/dissertation director and received in the Office of Graduate Education at least four weeks prior to date of oral defense.
**The thesis/dissertation is due to the oral defense committee at least two weeks prior to date of oral defense.
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Fall 2026 Quarter Deadlines
- Deadline to apply for Fall 2026 Quarter Graduation: June 22, 2026
- Oral Defense Committee Recommendation Form due: September 8, 2026
- Schedule of Oral Defense Form due: October 2, 2026*
- Final Date to submit the thesis/dissertation to the oral defense committee: October 16, 2026**
- Final date to hold and pass the oral defense: October 30, 2026
- All thesis/dissertation content and revisions approved by director (and committee) due: November 6, 2026
- Submit the approved thesis/dissertation to ETD/ProQuest by: November 6, 2026
- Thesis/dissertation formatting approved by: November 20, 2026
*The completed Schedule of Oral Defense must be scheduled by the candidate and thesis/dissertation director and received in the Office of Graduate Education at least four weeks prior to date of oral defense.
**The thesis/dissertation is due to the oral defense committee at least two weeks prior to date of oral defense.
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Winter 2027 Quarter Deadlines
- Deadline to apply for Winter 2027 Quarter Graduation: September 15, 2026
- Oral Defense Committee Recommendation Form due: January 4, 2027
- Schedule of Oral Defense Form due: January 29, 2027*
- Final Date to submit the thesis/dissertation to the oral defense committee: February 12, 2027**
- Final date to hold and pass the oral defense: February 26, 2027
- All thesis/dissertation content and revisions approved by director (and committee) due: March 5, 2027
- Submit the approved thesis/dissertation to ETD/ProQuest by: March 5, 2027
- Thesis/dissertation formatting approved by: March 19, 2027
*The completed Schedule of Oral Defense must be scheduled by the candidate and thesis/dissertation director and received in the Office of Graduate Education at least four weeks prior to date of oral defense.
**The thesis/dissertation is due to the oral defense committee at least two weeks prior to date of oral defense.
-
Spring 2027 Quarter Deadlines
- Deadline to apply for Spring 2027 Quarter Graduation: January 11, 2027
- Oral Defense Committee Recommendation Form due: March 29, 2027
- Schedule of Oral Defense Form due: April 22, 2027*
- Final Date to submit the thesis/dissertation to the oral defense committee: May 6, 2027**
- Final date to hold and pass the oral defense: May 20, 2027
- All thesis/dissertation content and revisions approved by director (and committee) due: May 27, 2027
- Submit the approved thesis/dissertation to ETD/ProQuest by: May 27, 2027
- Thesis/dissertation formatting approved by: June 10, 2027
*The completed Schedule of Oral Defense must be scheduled by the candidate and thesis/dissertation director and received in the Office of Graduate Education at least four weeks prior to date of oral defense.
**The thesis/dissertation is due to the oral defense committee at least two weeks prior to date of oral defense.
-
Summer 2027 Quarter Deadlines
- Deadline to apply for Summer 2027 Quarter Graduation: April 5, 2027
- Oral Defense Committee Recommendation Form due: June 14, 2027
- Schedule of Oral Defense Form due: July 2, 2027*
- Final Date to submit the thesis/dissertation to the oral defense committee: July 16, 2027**
- Final date to hold and pass the oral defense: July 30, 2027
- All thesis/dissertation content and revisions approved by director (and committee) due: August 6, 2027
- Submit the approved thesis/dissertation to ETD/ProQuest by: August 6, 2027
- Thesis/dissertation formatting approved by: August 20, 2027
*The completed Schedule of Oral Defense must be scheduled by the candidate and thesis/dissertation director and received in the Office of Graduate Education at least four weeks prior to date of oral defense.
**The thesis/dissertation is due to the oral defense committee at least two weeks prior to date of oral defense.
Forms
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Oral Defense Committee Recommendation Form
This form should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Education as soon as your proposal has been approved. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain the appropriate signatures before submitting the form. The form can be filled out and signed electronically and submitted back to gradservices@du.edu.
Download Form
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Schedule of Oral Defense
Four weeks prior to your oral defense, you must submit a copy of this form to the Office of Graduate Education and your department to schedule your oral defense. The form can be filled out electronically and submitted back to gradservices@du.edu.
Download Form