3.4 commencement
Doctoral candidates who have completed all degree requirements during a given academic year or will complete during the summer term following the University’s May ceremony are eligible to participate in Commencement, provided:
1. There is agreement between the student, the Research Mentor, and the Dissertation Committee Chairperson that all degree requirements will be met by the University’s August deadline for completion of dissertation requirements for September diploma, found in the published Academic Calendars.
2. They have received approval to participate from the Executive Committee. Official graduation dates can be found here: https://www.mghihp.edu/academics/commencement.
3. A summer dissertation defense date has been scheduled. The date must be scheduled in the Program calendar by May 1st and planned to occur by August 1 to allow time for revisions, signatures, and final document filing before the University’s degree completion deadline.
Doctoral candidates slated for graduation will be asked to provide the title of their dissertations to the PhD-RS Program for publication in the Commencement Program, usually by the first month of the calendar year (January) in which they will graduate. The Program Award Ceremony, honoring graduates, is typically held the week before/of Commencement. Candidates who have completed all degree requirements before the May Awards Ceremony or have two papers submitted before the ceremony and a summer defense date scheduled to occur before August 1 will be honored at the ceremony; candidates who plan to complete degree requirements within the calendar year, but after August 1 will be honored at the Awards Ceremony the following May.