PhD Dissertation

Ph.D. candidates must prepare and submit a dissertation based on original research that meets the requirements of the department.

Normative Time

PhD normative time to degree for full-time students is 6 years.

Extension of Normative Time Form

• International Students must consult with International Student Services & Programming (ISSP) as soon as possible if it looks like you may not graduate in time to minimize impacts to your SEVIS record. International students may also explore extensions for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT), as applicable.

• All students must file an Extension to Normative Time if you are surpassing normative time.

• The main concern surpassing normative time is funding. Even for students within normative time due to the covid-19 extension, the Department cannot offer TAships to students going into their 7th year. Due to strict funding restrictions please consult with your PI or Graduate Advisor on how you will continue to be funded surpassing normative time.

Deadlines to Graduate

Academic Calendar

Please see the Academic and Administrative Calendar for the current academic year. There, you will find a few key dates under the Announcing Candidacy for Degree/Apply to Graduate heading:

• Deadline to announce for Masters or Ph.D. This is the deadline that the Application to Graduate must be submitted to the Division of Graduate Studies. 

• Deadline to complete all requirements for degree. This is the date that all requirements must be completed or submitted. The dissertation must have been reviewed by the reading committee and have their signatures, submitted to the Graduate Division via ProQuest. All course requirements that will count towards the degree must have additionally have a passing grade. 

Upon submission of the Application to Graduate, the Division of Graduate Studies will send an informational email to you informing you on next steps and submission guidelines. In particular, they will invite you to upload your dissertation to ProQuest.

Submit PhD Application

PhD Application

Apply to graduate within the first two weeks of the quarter you intend to give your defense.

Submit an application even if you are not sure! You can always submit another one. After your application is received, Graduate Division will send you an email like the one below:

Dissertation Reading Committee 

Dissertation Reading Committee Nomination

A student's Dissertation Reading Committee is nominated when they apply to Advance to Candidacy. The Dissertation Reading Committee must have a minimum of three readers, and at least half of the committee must be members of the Santa Cruz Division of the Academic Senate.

Dissertation Writing Resources

Dissertation Review

The dissertation review will happen in two portions - internal review with the faculty advisor and reading committee, and external review by the Division of Graduate Studies. The internal review checks for academic merit and coherence, while the Graduate Division review checks technical and logistical guidelines. 

Reading Committee Review

This process is done mostly on your own accord - communicate with your faculty advisor about this process and inquire when it should begin, and how long it might take. Time should be budgeted in the case the reading committee has comments that will need to be addressed before they accept the dissertation and sign off on it. 

Division of Graduate Studies Review

This process is done to confirm validity, format, and standard. They will confirm that they dissertation follows the guides according to the resources found on the Division of Graduate Studies' website under Thesis & Dissertation Submission.

Schedule your Defense

Physics Department Conference Calendar

Astronomy Department Conference Calendar

Schedule your Defense Form

Check in with your committee's availability and the Physics and Astronomy Conference Calendars to book an available room for your defense. Submit a request to the form above with:

• Date

• Time

• Thesis Title

• Thesis Abstract

• Zoom link

• Presentation needs

• Whether you would like the department to announce your defense

Please contact physgradadvising@ucsc.edu if there are changes to the date/time of your defense after submission.

Format & Upload to ProQuest

Submit your dissertation through ProQuest. No paper copy is required. By submitting online you not only save money and paper, but your electronic copy will be in full color, and you have the ability to add supplemental files including audio, video and other supporting material.

Please review and follow the formatting guidelines on the Graduate Division website. Your paper will not be accepted until it is correctly formatted. The title page that you submit to ProQuest must be unsigned.

Your dissertation should be formatted correctly at the time of submission. Pay special attention to your margins, page numbers, and title page.

Pass & Email Your Title Page to Graduate Division

Graduate Division Regulations on Dissertations

DocuSign

Pass your Defense! Have the committee sign your Title Page. The committee signing your Title Page indicates their approval you have passed - there is no additional report required.

Wet or digital signatures are ok. Use your free UCSC DocuSign account if getting digital signatures.

Email your signed Title Page to the Administrative Assistant of Current Student Services at Graduate Division (Veronica Larkin (vlarkin@ucsc.edu)).

Your degree is posted on your transcript the quarter after you defend.

Graduate Off-Boarding and Before You Leave

1. Clean out your office. Remove all personal belongings, check the drawers, dispose or recycle of old papers or lab notebooks that may still be hanging around.

2. Turn in keys. Return all University keys to the drop box outside the key office in the Physical and Biological Sciences building across from the Perk coffee bar.

3. Complete the Doctoral Exit Packet. These surveys help us understand where you're going after graduation:

   1. National Science Foundation (NSF) Survey of Earned Doctorates

   2. UCSC Doctoral Placement Survey for all students receiving a doctoral degree.

4. Update your mailing address on MyUCSC. Your diploma will be sent to the address on your student portal at MyUCSC within 3-6 months. Keep it up to date to ensure you get your degree and other correspondence.

5. Clear any outstanding debts from your MyUCSC portal. Even 10 cent printing charges can cause financial holds or delays for your diploma - log on to your student portal to make sure all debts are cleared.

6. Return your UCSC parking pass. If you are on a long-term or yearly parking plan you can return or mail in your parking pass for possible refund.

7. Request a Letter of Degree Completion, if needed. Your student portal will update your degree status the following quarter, but if you need official correspondence from the University demonstrating you have graduated before your diploma arrives you can request a letter of degree completion from the Registrar or Graduate Division.

8. Become an Alumni Member. You get many benefits from joining the Alumni Association, including access to the Career Center, the Library, and other free resources.

9. Decide whether to keep your UCSC email. It will deactivate after 1 year, but you can request keeping it for mail forwarding purposes.