Preparing for the Dissertation Defense
Updated March 2, 2012
For students on the cusp of defending their dissertations, we congratulate you on reaching this milestone in your educational experience. To prepare for the defense, the following actions must occur.
International Students Must Visit the International Office First
Make an appointment with the International Office - preferably three to six months in advance - to start appropriate administrative action to keep you in compliance with visa regulations after your defense, as well as apply for the EAD card for Optional Practical Training, if necessary.
Review your Dissertation before Submission
Before you submit your dissertation for your advisor's and readers' review, please ensure that your dissertation format meets the University's guidelines for style and format.
Dissertation Readers
While the University requires only two readers: your advisor and another Johns Hopkins University professor, the Department of Mechanical Engineering requires a third reader. Your readers must include the following:
- Your advisor
- Another Johns Hopkins University professor from Mechanical Engineering or any department, approved by your advisor
- Any other reader, whether a JHU professor or other person, approved by your advisor
Dissertation Defense,
AKA "Final Graduate Board Oral Examination"
The Graduate Board has an alternate name for the Dissertation Defense, the "Final Graduate Board Oral Examination." When noting deadlines, please keep this in mind so you don't miss the deadline.
Be Aware of Deadlines
Visit the Graduate Board website to ensure that you are meeting the required dissertation submission deadlines.
Becoming a Postdoc or Staff Member in the JHU Department of Mechanical Engineering?
After your defense and dissertation submission, if you are being hired as a postdoc or a staff member in our department, please have your advisor contact Sr. Administrative Coordinator Deana Santoni right away to arrange the hire.
Confirm That All Academic Requirements are Fulfilled
You must check your grades on ISIS to make sure that you not only registered for 530.801/.802 Graduate Research and 530.803/.804 Mechanical Engineering Seminar for every semester that you were here but that you receive a grade other than “Incomplete” or “Missing Record” for them. If you are missing grades or registrations, please contact Mike Bernard, Academic Program Administrator right away.
Select a Date and Time for the Defense
Select a date and time for your defense. You will need about two hours. Contact Mike to reserve a room.
Send Information for the Defense Announcement
Please e-mail Mike a copy of your abstract, inlcuding the dissertation's title, about two weeks before the defense date. He will announce your defense via e-mail to the department.
Send Dissertation Readers' Contact Information
The Graduate Board requires that your readers be your advisor and another JHU professor. Mechanical Engineering requires a third reader, who can be inside or outside of JHU.
Send Mike your readers’ names and contact info. About three to five days before your defense, he will send a reminder to your advisor and readers to attend the defense.
Reader's Letter
Mike will send a template to your advisor to create a letter stating that you have met the requirements for your Ph.D. At the at the completion of your defense your advisor and readers will sign the letter and give the signed letter to Mike to send with required forms to the Graduate Board.
Submit Final Dissertation for Binding
After edits and final review of your dissertation post-defense, submit your final dissertation to the library's Commercial Binding Office (CBO) for binding.
International Students: please inform Mike Bernard of the approximate date that you plan to submit your dissertation for binding, as this will affect your status as a salaried graduate student.
You must have one bound copy ordered and delivered to the Mechanical Engineering department. This is in addition to any copy you give to your advisor or anyone else.
Send CBO Receipt and Dissertation Title to the Graduate Board
The Graduate Admissions and Academic Affairs office requires you to send an e-mail to homewoodgradboard@jhu.edu that includes the title of your dissertation typed in the body, along with an attached scanned copy of your Commercial Binding Office submission receipt.
Salary Ends for International Students After Dissertation Submission
For international students, the University is required to end the salary for grad students paid a salary effective the day of the dissertation submission. There are immigration laws that require this termination as the dissertation submission is viewed as the last act of a grad student, and such students cannot be paid under an F-1 visa after that day.
If your advisor wishes to employ you after that date, please ask him or her to hire you as a postdoc or a staff member effective the day after the submission.
Resolve Financial Obligations
Make sure that your financial obligations are paid, such as library fines or other bills owed. Your diploma will be withheld until your obligations are resolved.
Apply for Graduation
You will be able to apply for graduation online though your ISIS account. If you are unable to because of technical or administrative difficulties, Mike will give you an "Application for Graduation" that needs to be completed and returned to him. He will submit it to the appropriate offices.
The Registrar will contact you about commencement arrangements and ordering your diploma.
Questions?
Please contact Mike Bernard, Academic Program Administrator with your questions about this process.