- Refer to the degree completion steps for your program for complete guidance. If you have questions or would like to go over the steps, contact your Graduate Program Coordinator.
- Assign members to your doctoral final oral exam committee at least one month prior to the exam. Not all faculty may serve on your committee. Find committee members in the Graduate Faculty Role List Database; search under 'Kinesiology PhD.' If you cannot find the member in the list, please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator. Outside members need to be set up as persons of interest to the University so they can use a UMN email to complete the forms they will need to approve. This can be done by your GPC and the School's administrative director.
- Send your dissertation to your committee two weeks prior to your final oral exam date.
- Follow all steps in the degree completion checklist.
- Schedule your final defense with the Graduate Program Coordinator (to reserve a room for your exam) at least one week in advance of the date/time agreed upon by committee members. Contact the Graduate Program Coordinator to reserve a room for your exam. Refer to the degree completion steps for instructions.
- Fill out the Final Oral Defense Announcement Information Form.
- After the final defense, students should initiate the Final Oral Exam Form. Faculty committee members will receive email invitations to complete the Final Oral Exam Form as students initiate it.
Alternative to the traditional dissertation:
Although most students at the University complete traditional dissertations (i.e., a single and extensive quantitative and/or qualitative study described in detail in a five- or six-chapter dissertation), students have the option of proposing an alternative format to the traditional dissertation. This may include a series of studies completed during the PhD program and possibly published previously by the student.
The Graduate School allows the thesis to include materials that students have published while University of Minnesota graduate students, provided the research was carried out under the direction of the graduate faculty and approved by the adviser for inclusion in the thesis. Such publication is welcomed as the best demonstration of quality in a student's research, and the Graduate School encourages the practice. The adviser should notify the Graduate School in writing of the intention to publish part of the thesis material, but the Graduate School's approval is not required.
Should a student decide to propose an alternative to the traditional dissertation, s/he must develop a written proposal and present it to the examining committee and DGS for review, discussion, and approval. In addition, the student should contact the Graduate School for information on format and presentation of an alternative thesis.