MFA Graduation Deadlines

You must have an approved Plan of Study on file the semester before (at least!) you plan on graduating.

You should have a good rough draft of the thesis ready by the semester you plan on graduating. The graduation deadlines come up very quickly and there really is no time to write that final semester. You'll be busy formatting your thesis and putting the finishing touches on your thesis essay.

Your application for degree is due as stated on the Academic Calendar, generally close to the start of the semester.

Check out the quick reference guide and detailed reference guide for more information on these deadlines and the thesis process.

Below is a list of graduation deadlines, be sure to check exact dates on Registrar's Academic Calendar.

These procedures must be completed before the thesis is turned in.

All thesis deadlines must be discussed in consultation with your committee chair.

  • Draft of entire thesis to Thesis Committee Chair—2 months prior to Thesis deadline
  • Committee Chair Final Review—4 weeks prior to Thesis deadline
  • Committee Review of revised draft—4 weeks prior to Thesis deadline
  • Schedule Thesis Defense with Committee
  • Dept. Chair Review—2 weeks prior to Thesis deadline
  • Dean Review—1 week prior to Thesis deadline

Check out the thesis formatting video tutorials online. These will help you format your thesis. Remember that you'll need to check your thesis formatting with the Graduate College before turning it in - it's also very important to have the signature page checked for formatting before you send it around for signatures. Send it to graduatewriting@kome-shibahara.com for a formatting check.

Follow all instructions on Degree Completion as described by the Graduate College. Also, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines. For MFA students, we recommend writing in "indefinite embargo" on the ProQuest Publishing agreement under the "select publishing options" section.

The Registrar's Office will send you an email with information on how to collect your graduation tickets. You must remember to RSVP as soon as possible - if you wait too long, tickets may run out. You can find more information from the Registrar's Office.

Also see Graduate College deadlines.