Step 2: Defend Your Research Before Your Committee

Each graduate program has its own protocol for scheduling and conducting the defense of theses and dissertations. Ensure that you know your department’s procedures and that you follow them. Even if defense information is supplied in your Graduate Program Handbook, it’s always a good idea to consult your advisor for details.

Link to Defense Calendar

Please take note of the graduation deadlines before you schedule your defense. In all cases, you MUST notify Enrolled Services of the date, time, location, and other details of your defense at least 10 days prior to your defense. To do that, complete the online form (Submit Defense Form in the sidebar menu) that will add your defense to the online defense calendar. Submitting this form (Clemson login required) will generate an email to Enrolled Services, and that email will serve as your official written notification.

If you have any issues accessing the defense calendar, please email Robert Freeman at the Graduate School at rjfreem@clemson.edu and let them know the issue.

If you need to modify any aspect of your defense details after you have scheduled, use the Edit Defense Details link on the Defense Calendar page. Please note that this form does not update instantly when you click “Submit.” If your details appear unchanged, please exit the form page and allow for a time delay of a minute or two. Your updated defense details should then appear in the calendar.

If you have a defense for a previous Clemson graduate degree already in the calendar, the Submit Defense Form link may not allow you to enter a new defense. You may be able to use the Edit Defense Details link to enter your new defense information, overwriting the previous one. If this does not work for you, send an email to Enrolled Services with your proposed defense details, including

• your full name
• your CUID number
• the proposed title of your thesis or dissertation
• your program name
• your committee chair’s/advisor’s name (s)
• your defense date, time, and physical location (if you plan to hold your defense remotely, you may add a videoconference link).

Your defense must be conducted by the final filing deadline for the GS7M (master’s candidates) or GS7D (doctoral candidates) form. Be sure to check the online graduation deadlines chart for more information. Be aware that scheduling your defense on or very near the deadline will leave you little or no time to make committee-required revisions to your manuscript and will likely result in delaying your graduation. Schedule your defense as early as you can, but at least several days before the GS7 deadline. A defense scheduled too close to the manuscript deadlines does not entitle you deadline extensions.

After you have successfully defended, your committee will do one of three things:

1. Sign your GS7M or GS7D form;

2. Require you to make revisions to your manuscript, then sign the GS7M or GS7D; or

3. Require you to make some committee-required revisions to your manuscript and complete the manuscript review by the Graduate School, then sign your GS7M or GS7D.

Any of these options is fine as long as the manuscript review process is completed and your GS7M or GS7D is submitted before the final ETD deadline. The completed and signed GS7 form should be returned to Enrolled Student Services, 104D Sikes Hall, Clemson, SC 29634.

How to submit your committee-signed GS7 form:

Have all required signers digitally sign the form and then submit electronically per directions on the form; or

Print the form; have all required signers sign manually, and then submit it to Enrolled Student Services (104D Sikes Hall, main campus) in person, by mail, or as a scan attached to an email.

If your last name starts with A-L, email the GS7 to Danielle Nesbitt at qhunter@clemson.edu.

If your last name starts with M-Z, email the GS7 to Shannon Coker at coker7@clemson.edu.

If your committee requires you to make major revisions and you feel you won’t be able to meet the ETD submission and revision deadlines, or you have another reason for needing to postpone your graduation, you may discuss with your advisor the option of delaying your graduation for one term. If you can complete your manuscript revisions for committee approval, get a format review and acceptance, and turn in your GS7, all by the first day of classes for the coming semester, you will be cleared to graduate at the end of that semester without having to enroll in any credit hours or pay tuition. Check the University’s Academic Calendar for the date that classes begin for each semester. Please let Enrolled Services know that you are delaying graduation, and they will ensure your diploma and academic record contain your correct graduation date and information. Also, you will need to reapply through iROAR for the next scheduled graduation.

After you have made any committee-required revisions and have compared your manuscript to the Final ETD Checklist, you’ll proceed to Submit Your Manuscript review and publication.