GSEHD Dissertation Defense Information
Spring 2024 Due Dates at a Glance
Timeline 1 (Graduate in Spring 2024):
- February 14: Last day to submit dissertation materials for a spring 2024 graduation
- March 15: Last day to defend for a spring 2024 graduation
- April 10, 5pm: ProQuest submission deadline
Timeline 2 (Graduate in Summer 2024):
- May 1: Last day to hold a defense during the spring semester (materials due 30 days in advance)
- May 1: Last day to submit materials to defend in the summer semester while enrolled in CE
Materials Due for Dissertation Defense
- Request for Dissertation Oral Examination – Google Forms. While completing this form, which constitutes your formal submission of materials and request for defense, you will be asked to attach the following additional materials:
- Dissertation Approval Form
- CVs of any committee members who are not current GW faculty members, if not previously submitted
- Your completed dissertation in Word format. Please be sure that your dissertation is formatted correctly to ensure you will not have any issues with ProQuest upload and approval. Your dissertation must follow the University Formatting Guidelines and Digital Accessibility Guidelines, and must match the template provided on the GSEHD Style Guide.
- Submit an online Application for Graduation for the appropriate semester. All graduation application deadlines are listed on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
- For students following timeline 2, submit a Continuous Enrollment Form for the summer 2024 semester, filled out and submitted via email to docgsehd@gwu.edu.
Please note, these materials must be submitted in full at least 30 days before your dissertation defense. Partial submissions cannot be accepted.
Full Information: Spring 2024 Due Dates and Timelines
During the spring 2024 semester, students can choose between two formats to defend their dissertation:
- A virtual defense, which will be conducted via a scheduled WebEx meeting.
- An in person defense, which will be conducted on either the Foggy Bottom or VSTC campus. One committee member (not the chair) may participate virtually. If more than one person plans to participate virtually, the defense must be held virtually. This policy is stated in the Doctoral Handbook and applies for the spring 2024 semester; it may be altered in future semesters.
Our due dates are driven by the university’s ProQuest submission deadlines, the date by which the university requires you to submit the final, approved version of your dissertation in order to graduate. The date of your ProQuest submission determines your graduation semester, regardless of when you defend. As a result, we provide several different defense timelines. Timeline 1 allows you to graduate this semester, while timeline 2 allows you to submit your dissertation materials this semester and graduate next semester at no additional cost.
- To be a spring 2024 graduate:
Students must submit all materials no later than February 14. The last day to defend is March 15. Your final document must be uploaded to ProQuest by April 10 at 5pm; this final deadline is set by the University provost. Please be aware that April 10 is a fixed deadline, so you will have less time to make your final edits if you choose a later defense date.
- To submit your materials and/or defend during the spring 2024 semester but be a summer 2024 graduate:
Students who are unable to meet the above deadlines for spring graduation may still submit their materials and/or defend later in the spring 2024 semester as summer 2024 graduates.
Students may submit their dissertation materials until May 1. Students may also hold an oral defense until May 1. Any student submitting materials between February 14 and May 1, and/or defending between March 15 and May 1, will be a summer 2024 graduate and eligible to enroll in Continuous Enrollment (CE), a zero-credit, no-cost option, for the summer 2024 semester.
This option is designed to allow students greater financial flexibility as they plan their defense timelines. Please note: international students living in the US are not eligible for CE; instead, they may take a reduced course load.
NB: Students who submit materials after May 1 can still defend and graduate in the summer 2024 semester, but will enroll in and pay for normal dissertation research credits instead of in Continuous Enrollment (CE). You are not required to follow timeline 2 in order to graduate in summer 2024, unless you wish to enroll in CE or (for international students) a reduced course load.
These pathways apply for the spring 2024 semester only, and exceptions or extensions will not be granted. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Dannels (sdannels@gwu.edu).
Summer 2024 Due Dates at a Glance
Timeline 1 (Graduate in Summer 2024):
- June 19: Last day to submit dissertation materials for a summer 2024 graduation
- July 19: Last day to defend for a summer 2024 graduation
- August 15, 5pm: ProQuest submission deadline
Timeline 2 (Graduate in Fall 2024):
- August 15: Last day to hold a defense during the summer semester (materials due 30 days in advance)
- August 15: Last day to submit materials to defend in the fall semester while enrolled in CE