Defending your Dissertation

PLEASE NOTE: Consult the Handbook for Theses and Dissertations and follow all guidelines provided by the Graduate School's Thesis Office.  The steps below are meant only to supplement the processes outlined in that handbook.

Proposal Defense

1. Decide with your committee chair during which semester you will be ready to defend.
2. Coordinate with all committee members to find three times that the majority of them can attend. Attendance via Zoom, Teams or similar is acceptable.
3. Submit the Dissertation Defense Request form.
4. The Graduate Student Coordinator will reserve a room in Gardner Commons and send you the reservation confirmation.
5. We recommend you visit the space at least a day before your defense to become familiar with the space and its resources. If you need cords to connect to a projector or TV, the main department office has some available for check-out.
6. When your committee determines that you have passed, please email grad-advising@economics.utah.edu and copy your committee chair so we have record of the outcome of your defense. 

Final Defense

Remember to apply for graduation before the deadline. This must be completed before setting up your final defense so we can assure all academic requirements have been met.

1. Decide with your committee chair during which semester you will be ready to defend. If you would like to graduate in the same semester, your defense date must precede the deadline for format approval listed on the Graduate School's website. 
2. Coordinate with all committee members to find three times that the majority of them can attend. Attendance via Zoom, Teams or similar is acceptable.
3. Submit the Dissertation Defense Request form.
4. The Graduate Student Coordinator will reserve a room in Gardner Commons and send you the reservation confirmation.
5. We recommend you visit the space at least a day before your defense to become familiar with the space and its resources. If you need cords to connect to a projector or TV, the main department office has some available for check-out.
6. Take a copy of the Supervisory Committee Approval and Final Reading Approval forms to your defense in case the committee members are prepared to sign off on it afterward.
7. When your dissertation has received final approval from your committee chair, you will need to submit a physical copy of the dissertation with the two approval forms listed above to the Thesis Office for release.