Notify the Graduate Secretary the date of your thesis. The secretary will order a current academic record. (Allow 2 weeks to order the academic record.) Note: Grades of incomplete are not acceptable.

The dissertation committee consists of:
your advisor
one other economics faculty member
one outside faculty member from another department
a Chair appointed by the University Graduate Dean

Note: A faculty member with a joint appointment may serve as a department committee member, only if his/her primary position is with the Economics Department. Otherwise, he/she may serve as an outside committee member. The thesis must be officially registered, and submitted to the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies (Lattimore 218) four weeks (20 working days) in advance of the scheduled date of the defense (and 25 days after May Graduation). The Dean's Office is very strict about this deadline.

Registration Requirements:

1. Thesis committee in receipt of a copy of your thesis (does not have to be a bound copy)
2. A bound thesis copy submitted to the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies with the following completed registration forms:
   1. Appointment Form (with Chair’s signature) includes the date, time, and place of the defense scheduled. Verify the available dates on the Graduate Calendar. Summer defenses have special date restrictions.
   2. E-mail address form
   3. Department check list
   4. Advisor’s form (signed by Advisor)
   5. Current Academic Record

1. Any incompletes? (No defense if you have one.)
2. Completed Ph.D. Qualifying exam
3. Completed 90 credit hours
4. Program of Study on file
5. Time limit of 7 years (otherwise issued an extension)
6. Continually enrolled and registered, including current semester
7. Completed UMI form
8. Paid $55.00 microfilming fee to Bursar’s Office, have receipt
9. Optional a $45 money order or certified check made payable to University Microfilms International with their UMI form when the dissertation is registered
10. Copy of Title Page with year included
11. Copy of Abstract 350 words double spaced

For further information about the format of the thesis, refer to the booklet: The Preparation of Theses included in the Ph.D. packet. It is the student's responsibility to be in touch with his or her advisor and arrange a convenient date for the defense. The principal advisor usually suggests a committee member from outside of the department. The University Dean of Graduate Studies will appoint the Chair of the committee.

After completion of your defense, 2 single-sided unbound corrected copies of the thesis must be given to the University Dean of Graduate Studies (Wallis 260), and 1 bound copy given to the Department for the Dunkman Library.

Note: Faculty sometimes take leave from the University, such as when they go on a sabbatical. Students working with non-resident faculty will be responsible for scheduling dissertation defenses, etc., at a time when such faculty is present in Rochester. Rare circumstances, such as when a faculty member leaves the University permanently, may require a late switch in faculty advisors. As a general rule, students with non-resident advisors who must defend when their advisor is away will be responsible financially for having their advisor present at their defense.