Critical Dates

The deadlines below do not include course registration deadlines. If you are looking for that information, please visit the Office of the Registrar. Information about graduation can be found on the GSEHD Graduation Page. For full information about Summer 2021 dissertation due dates and materials, please click here.

Fall 2020

8/31: First Day of Classes, Ed Leadership & Admin Session 1 starts**
9/3: First Day to Defend Dissertations
10/1: Applications for Comprehensive Exams Due

10/20: Last day to turn in Dissertation Defense Materials to Dean's Office - Materials always due 30 days prior to defense
10/26: Ed Leadership & Admin Session 2 Begins (ELA only)**
11/15: Applications for Graduation Due for fall graduates
11/20: Last Day to Defend Dissertations
12/2: Master's Comprehensive Exams
12/3 - 12/4: On-campus Doctoral Comprehensive Exams
12/1: Application for Certificate Clearance Due
12/11: ProQuest Approval Deadline
12/15: Last day to take PRAXIS for Fall 2020 grads

Master's Appeals Committee: November 10, 2020; December 8, 2020
Post-Master's Appeals Committee: November 18, 2020

Spring 2021

1/4: Ed Leadership & Admin Session 1 Begins (ELA only)**
1/11: First Day of Classes
1/11: First Day to Defend Dissertation
2/1: Applications for Comprehensive Exams Due
2/10: Last day to turn in Dissertation Defense Materials to Dean's Office to be a spring doctoral graduate (or 30 days prior to defense, if defense is earlier)
3/1: Ed Leadership & Admin Session 2 Begins (ELA only)**
3/5: Last day to request Credit/No Credit for Spring 2021 through a Registration Transaction Form
3/12: Last day to defend dissertations to be a spring doctoral graduate*
3/15: Applications for Graduation Due
3/26: Last day to turn in Dissertation Defense Materials to Dean's Office to be a summer doctoral graduate while defending in the spring.
3/31: On-campus Master's Comprehensive Exams
4/1: Application for Certificate Clearance Due
4/1 - 4/2: On-campus Doctoral Comprehensive Exams
4/14: ProQuest Approval Deadline
4/15: Last day to take PRAXIS for Spring 2021 grads
4/26: Last day to defend dissertations within the spring semester to be a summer doctoral graduate
5/1: Last day to submit Dissertation Defense Materials to Dean's Office to enroll in Continuous Enrollment (CE) and defend in summer
5/13 - 5/16, GW Commencement Weekend
For full information about Spring 2021 dissertation due dates and materials, please click here.
Master's Appeals Committee: January 19, 2021; February 16, 2021; March 16, 2021; April 13, 2021; May 4, 2021
Post-Master's Appeals Committee: February 17, 2021; April 14, 2021

Summer 2021

4/26: Ed Leadership & Admin Session 1 Begins (ELA only)**
5/17: First Day of Classes (summer session 1)
6/1: Applications for Comprehensive Exams Due
6/15: Last day to submit dissertation materials for a summer 2021 graduation
6/21: Ed Leadership & Admin Summer Session 2 Begins (ELA only)**
6/28: First Day of Classes (summer session 2)
7/1: Application for Certificate Clearance Due
7/14: On-campus Master's Comprehensive Exams
7/15: Applications for Graduation Due
7/15: Last day to defend a dissertation for a summer 2021 graduation
7/15-7/16: On-campus Doctoral Comprehensive Exams
7/15: Last day to take PRAXIS for Summer 2020 grads
7/21: Last day to submit dissertation materials to defend during the summer semester (as a fall graduate)
8/1: Last day to submit dissertation materials to enroll in CE for the fall 2021 semester
8/15: Dissertation ProQuest Approval Deadline at 5pm
8/15*: ProQuest Approval Deadline
8/21: Last day to defend a dissertation during the summer 2021 semester (as a fall graduate)

*Please Note: In order to be considered a graduate in the semester you defend your dissertation, final copies of your dissertation and supporting documents must be uploaded electronically and accepted by the Gelman Library and the Office of Student Services by the deadlines listed above. Although the Doctoral Handbook says you have 30 days to submit final documents to the Office of Student Services after your defense, if you defend your dissertation within 30 days of the ProQuest Submission deadline, you will have less than 30 days to submit final documents and have your dissertation accepted.

**For more info on add/drop dates for Ed Leadership & Admin, please contact Marcia Brightman at mbright@gwu.edu