Milestone 7: Final Oral Examination Preparation

Schedule Doctoral Final Oral Examination

The order  in which different actions leading up the final oral exam occur can vary based upon the timing of the final oral exam. Once students have an idea of when their final oral exam will take place they should reach out to the GPC at gophernursing@umn.edu for a timeline and order of milestones tailored to their timing. 

As of March 24, 2025, students will no longer need to schedule their final oral exams with the GSSP. You will still be required to schedule your date with your committee and inform Ifeyinwa Ikegwuani via gophernursing@umn.edu. When students become eligible for the final oral exam, you will receive an email from GSSP that will outline any remaining course requirements and also provide the link to initiate the Reviewer's Report form. This email will most likely come after you have confirmed your final oral exam committee. If you have completed all the necessary requirements for the program to be eligible for the final oral exam and did not receive the email from GSSP, please reach out to them at gssp@umn.edu. If you misplace the email, you can find it again by going to your communication center in MyU. 

When nearing the final oral exam, it is the student’s responsibility to: 

1. Ensure the  approved GPAS is still accurate. If you did not take a course listed on your GPAS, Graduate Student Services and Progress will not approve the final oral examination. Contact gophernursing@umn.edu for instructions if you need to update your GPAS. Identify a date for the exam that is suitable for all committee members. Final oral exams may be virtual, in-person, or blended format. Email gophernursing@umn.edu as soon as the date/time is set along with the intended format. 

2. Secure the final oral exam location: Rooms for in-person or blended format are scheduled through your advisor's cooperative unit.  In communicating with the Cooperative staff the student will need to provide the following information: 

• Purpose/Title 

• Date/time

• Approximate number of attendees

• A/V needs - The room should allow for a Zoom connection and any additional technology needs (e.g. room computer, cameras, etc.)

• Advisor’s name

NOTE: When scheduling the room for your final oral exam, it is advised to try to schedule WDH 6-194 or WDH 4-130 first before other rooms in WDH or HSEC. Please reach out to Ifeyinwa at gophernursing@umn.edu if you have any questions about this. 

NOTE: Ifeyinwa will set up and share the Zoom link if the final oral exam will be in a blended or entirely online format. 

As soon as the date, time, and location are finalized, submit the PhD Public Presentation Information form to facilitate the announcement of your public presentation. The public presentation is required by University of Minnesota policy.  

Reviewers Report Form

Students must initiate the Reviewers Report Form at least two weeks prior to the date of the final oral examination and must be prepared to provide a complete draft of the dissertation for review by the final oral examination committee. The Reviewers Report Form will collect committee assessment for readiness for the final oral examination. The complete draft of the dissertation may be emailed to the reviewers or included as a link within the Reviewers Report. Students and advisors are encouraged to develop the dissertation timeline to allow for adequate time for the committee to review this draft of the dissertation. 

Initiating the Reviewers Report will trigger an email to each reviewer with a link to the form from wfgen-nr@umn.edu. Reviewers will launch the form, record their decision, and submit the form. They will indicate whether the student’s dissertation/thesis is acceptable for defense, acceptable with revisions, or not acceptable for defense.

The form is complete when every reviewer has responded. Once complete, the Graduate Student Services and Progress (GSSP) processes the form and updates the student’s record. Once complete students will receive an email with a link to initiate the Final Exam form workflow after they have scheduled their final exam (if not already complete) and been cleared by GSSP to take their final exam. A guide to the Final Exam form is available.

If any reviewer indicates “not acceptable for defense,” the whole process is canceled and the student will need to submit the form again when they are ready. The student, reviewers, and GPCs will all be notified. 

A guide to the Reviews Report workflow can be accessed here. 

Apply to Graduate

Students should apply to graduate by the first day of the anticipated month of graduation. Err on the side of applying earlier rather than later as the anticipated month of degree completion can be moved out, but can not be moved up. All graduate education milestone requirements must be completed by the last business day of the month of anticipated degree conferral. To graduate at the end of any given month students must: 

• Apply to graduate no later than the first day of the anticipated month of graduation.

• Complete all milestone requirements by the last business day of the month. 

For example, if your final oral examination is scheduled for May 20th apply to graduate by May 1. If your formatting and dissertation submission is complete by the last business day of the month your degree can be awarded for May. If the formatting and submission extends into June the conferral will simply move to the last business day of June.

Graduating before the end of the term may affect eligibility for student loans, housing, etc. Check with the appropriate office if there are questions related to eligibility. The diploma will be mailed 6 to 8 weeks  after degree conferral.