Preparing to Graduate

Master’s Degree Graduation Requirements
Doctoral Degree Graduation Requirements
Commencement
Important Dates for Masters Students
Important Dates for Doctoral Students

Master's Degree Graduation Requirements
Graduation requirements for the Master's degree vary from program to program in the University of Colorado Denver. For example, some programs require only the successful completion of coursework, while others require the preparation and successful defense of a thesis or dissertation. It is extremely important that you contact your own department to determine your graduation requirements. Please contact the appropriate person below for more details:

Architecture and Planning
       Pam Erickson, 303-556-3387, Pam.Erickson@ucdenver.edu

College of Arts and Media
       Karin Hunter, 303-556-8302, Karin.Hunter@ucdenver.edu

Business School
       Linda Brooker, 303-556-5875, Linda.Brooker@ucdenver.edu

School of Education and Human Development
       Lori Sisneros, 303-315-4979, Lori.Sisneros@ucdenver.edu

College of Engineering and Applied Science
       Paul J. Rakowski or Jessica Edewards, 303-556-4768, engineering@ucdenver.edu

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
       Click on Graduate Programs to access the web pages for individual departments
 OR 
       for general information contact: 
       Jill Hutchison, 303-556-2646, Jill.Hutchison@cudenver.edu

School of Public Affairs
       Dawn Savage (A-L), 303-315-2743, Dawn.Savage@cudenver.edu
       Antoinette Sandoval (M-Z), 303-315-2487, Antoinette.Sandoval@cudenver.edu

You may also review the graduation requirements for your College/School in the Graduate School Rules by clicking here.

Requests for transfer of credit from other institutions should be submitted to your department at least one semester prior to the graduation semester. For rules about transfer credit, click here. The form Transfer of Credit.pdf can be downloaded from this site.

For Master's Programs requiring a thesis.
(Deadlines are listed below.) If your program requires a thesis as part of its graduation requirements, there are a number of steps that you must complete in addition to completing the required coursework. These steps are part of a venerable university process by which students prepare original work in the discipline, and then undergo an exam of the work before a panel of experts in the discipline. The type of exam varies from program to program: sometimes it consists of a written examination, other times it consists of a public presentation and defense of the work. You should check with your department regarding the details of this examination.

Stages of the process for submitting a thesis. In the semester in which a student intends to submit the thesis for examination, he/she must first submit an Application for Admission to Candidacy. This initiates a process of determining if the student has met all of the other requirements for the degree, and is eligible to submit a thesis. A Diploma Card is submitted at the same time, to initiate the process of preparing final records for graduation. The completed thesis itself is then submitted for a format review. This review ensures that the material is presented in a readable format that is consistent with the standards of the university. The student then submits a Request for Examination, which publicly announces the exam or defense for all interested parties. At the exam or defense, the student may be asked to revise or add to the thesis before it is approved. The revised thesis is then submitted to the examination committee for final approval, and then copies are handed in to the Graduate School. These copies are permanently kept in the library as a resource for other scholars in the field.

Registration. Students must be registered during the semester of their final examinations/defenses (this also applies to students working on IP’s or IW’s). Registration for submitting only the thesis is not required if the defense was held in a previous semester. A student who wishes to schedule an examination/defense between semesters may use the previous or the following semester’s registration to meet this requirement (NOTE: Summer session is considered a separate semester.) For the purpose of this registration requirement, a new semester begins on the first day of instruction for that semester.

Thesis Preparation and Submission. Click here to obtain a copy of "Contents and Guidelines for Thesis Preparation".  Questions concerning matters not discussed in this document must be directed to the thesis committee chairperson. Theses must be reviewed by the Graduate School for format review before the final examination or defense. Once the thesis is signed by the appropriate faculty committee, submit three reproduced or original copies of the thesis, two on CU bond and one on regular paper. The University keeps all three of these copies. You may also order additional copies at this time. The binding fee is due and payable when the thesis is submitted to the Graduate School. Since fees are subject to change, contact the Graduate School for current fees.

Click the link below for the important deadlines for students in Master's programs with a thesis requirement. Missing any of these deadlines may result in graduating the following semester.  The location for submitting the form is noted on the form itself:

Schedule of Deadlines for MASTERS candidates- Dec 08-Aug 09.pdf

Doctoral Degree Graduation Requirements
Graduation requirements for the Ph.D. degree vary from program to program in the University of Colorado Denver. It is extremely important that you contact your own department to determine your graduation requirements. Please contact the appropriate person below for more details:

Architecture and Planning
       Pam Erickson, 303-556-3387, Pam.Erickson@ucdenver.edu

Business School
       Linda Brooker, 303-556-5875, Linda.Brooker@ucdenver.edu

School of Education and Human Development
       Lori Sisneros, 303-315-4979, Lori.Sisneros@ucdenver.edu

College of Engineering and Applied Science
       Paul J. Rakowski or Jessica Edewards, 303-556-4768, engineering@ucdenver.edu

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
      Click on Graduate Programs to access the web pages for individual departments
 OR
      for general information contact:
      Jill Hutchison, 303-556-2646, Jill.Hutchison@ucdenver.edu

School of Public Affairs
       Dawn Savage (A-L), 303-315-2743, Dawn.Savage@ucdenver.edu
       Antoinette Sandoval (M-Z), 303-315-2487, Antoinette.Sandoval@ucdenver.edu

You may also review the graduation requirements for your College/School in the Graduate School Rules by clicking here.

Requests for transfer of credit from other institutions should be submitted to your department at least one semester prior to the graduation semester. For rules about transfer credit, click here. Transfer of Credit forms can be downloaded from this site.

Stages of the process for submitting a dissertation. In the semester in which a student intends to submit the dissertation for defense, he/she must first submit an Application for Admission to Candidacy. This initiates a process of determining if the student has met all of the other requirements for the degree, and is eligible to submit a dissertation. A Diploma Card is also submitted to initiate the process of preparing final records for graduation, and a Title of Dissertation is submitted for publication in the graduation Commencement program. The completed dissertation is then submitted for a format review. This review ensures that the material is presented in a readable format that is consistent with the standards of the university. The student then submits a Request for Examination as well as an Announcement Form, which publicly announces the defense for all interested parties. At the defense, the student may be asked to revise or add to the dissertation before it is approved. The revised dissertation is then submitted to the student's committee for final approval, and then copies are handed in to the Graduate School. These copies are permanently kept in the library as a resource for other scholars in the field.

Here are the important deadlines for students in Ph.D. programs. Missing any of these deadlines may result in graduating the following semester. You may download the appropriate form by clicking on the underlined text. These forms must be submitted to the Graduate School:

Schedule of Deadlines for DOCTORAL candidates- Dec 08-Aug 09.pdf

Dissertation Preparation and Submission. Click here to obtain a copy of “Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines". Questions concerning matters not discussed in this document must be directed to the dissertation committee chairperson. Dissertations must be reviewed by the Graduate School for format review before the final defense. Once the dissertation is signed by the appropriate faculty committee, submit three reproduced or original copies of the dissertation, two on CU bond and one on regular paper. The University keeps all three of these copies. You may also order additional copies at this time. The binding fee is due and payable when the thesis is submitted. Since fees are subject to change, contact the Graduate School for current fees. University Microfilm Agreement and Survey of Earned Doctorates forms are available at the Graduate School office and are to be turned in with the dissertation when it is submitted.