Material for Current Graduate Students

The Guide to Graduate Study (with degree milestones for the 2024 cohort) explains all policies and practices for degree progress in the Sociology PhD. See this guide for details on each of the milestones listed below. The following milestones must be completed consecutively. 

Year 1

  • Transfer Course Request form for the Department of Sociology - Use this to petition for the transfer of graduate-level courses in Sociology from previous degree programs. 

Year 2

Year 3

  • Reading List approval - Your committee must have completed their review and approval of your reading list by March 15th. Be sure to create a timeline with them that gives them sufficient time for review. Email the GPC your final reading list and committee members' names and they will solicit your committee members' decisions and inform you of the outcome. See page 13 of the Grad Guide for details.
  • GPAS Planner for the Graduate School - Schedule a time with the GPC to audit your degree progress and submit your GPAS Planner to the Graduate School for review by May 15th. See page 13 of the Grad Guide for details.
  • If you would like to complete a master's degree on the way to the PhD, submit the GPAS form Add a Master's Degree to Doctoral Program (GPAS) (linked under the Degree and Graduation tab) to the GPC - See pages 14 and 18-19 of the Grad Guide for details.
  • Assign/update your committee (go to step 4 of the linked page) - Submit your committee members for both the doctoral preliminary oral examination committee and for the master's final exam committee to the Graduate School by June 15th. See pages 11-12 of the Grad Guide for details.

Year 4

  • Preliminary Written Exam approval - Your committee must have completed their review of your written preliminary exam by September 15th. Be sure to create a timeline with them that gives them sufficient time for review. Inform the GPC of the date you set with your committee for them to have completed their review and the GPC will solicit your committee members' decisions directly and inform you of the outcome. See pages 14-16 of the Grad Guide for details.
  • MA on the way - If you are completing the MA on the way to the PhD, apply to graduate from the MA following the instructions linked in step 4 of the MA Plan B Degree Completion Steps.
  • Preliminary Oral Exam approval - Schedule your preliminary oral exam with Holly upon approval of the Written Preliminary Exam and once all committee members have agreed to the date and time, but no later than October 1st. Reach out to the GPC if you have not received an email from GSSP with the Preliminary Oral Exam Report for Doctoral Students form initiation link by one week before your oral prelim. At least one day before your exam, initiate that Preliminary Oral Exam Report for Doctoral Students form, which will send your committee chair the form they will submit with your results. If you are completing an MA on your way to the PhD, initiate the Final Exam Form for Graduate Students (linked in step 5) as well. Conduct your Preliminary Oral Exam by October 15th. Your committee chair will submit the outcome upon completion through the Preliminary Oral Exam Report. If you are completing the MA, they will also submit the Final Exam Report. See pages 16-18 of the Grad Guide for details.
  • Prospectus Hearing approval - Your committee must have completed their review of your written prospectus and held your prospectus hearing by May 15th. Be sure to create a timeline with them that gives them sufficient time for review. File your written prospectus and signed prospectus approval form with the GPC upon completion. See page 19 of the Grad Guide for details. 

Dissertation Defense

  • Final committee - Assign/update final oral examination committee for the Graduate School at least six months before your final oral exam.
  • Schedule your defense - Set your final oral defense date with your committee and submit the Defense Scheduling Form to the GPC. They will help you schedule a room and prepare any necessary tech.
  • Apply to graduate - Apply to graduate no later than the first day of the anticipated month of graduation.

  • Reviewers' Report Form - Initiate your Reviewers’ Report form at least one week before your final exam at: https://z.umn.edu/ReviewersReportForm. All committee members designated as “reviewers” submit their responses before your final exam.

  • Final Exam Form - When you have completed all of the eligibility requirements for the final oral exam, you will receive an email from GSSP. This email will include a link to initiate your Final Exam Form for Graduate Students. A copy of this email will be in your Communication Center in MyU and may have been sent to you a long time before you are ready to defend. If you have not received an email from GSSP with the Final Exam Form for Doctoral Students initiation link by one week before your oral defense, reach out to the GPC. At least one day before your exam, initiate the Final Exam Form, which will send your committee chair the form they will submit with your results.

  • Dissertation Approval & Deposit Agreement - Initiate your Thesis/Dissertation Approval & Deposit Agreement at: https://z.umn.edu/thesis-dissertation-approval-deposit. This will solicit your advisor's approval of your written dissertation. Their approval must be submitted before the last day of the month, so please plan enough time in for their review.

  • Submit your dissertation - Submit your dissertation to ProQuest no later than the last business day of the anticipated month of graduation.
    • Ensure your dissertation meets University formatting guidelines and is free of errors prior to submission. Details about dissertation formatting requirements and submission are available at https://z.umn.edu/thesissubmit.
    • You will receive an email within 5 business days either confirming approval or requesting revisions.
    • Any revisions must be completed and your dissertation approved by the last business day of the anticipated month of graduation, so please plan accordingly.

  • Informational & General Purpose​

  • Request for Extension to the Maximum Time Limit - PhD students must compete their degree within eight academic years of matriculating. Students can apply for a time extension of up to 24 months with the approval of their advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies. Work with the GPC using the Request for Extension form to submit a request at least six months before reaching the end of your 8-year limit.