Graduating

1. Develop and file your Plan of Study online. This must be completed within the first semester of study. Please add the BIOE Program Coordinator as your committee member. Your Plan of Study is complete when all information is up-to-date, all fields are entered, and the Program Coordinator and Graduate Studies Director have signed. (A BIOE tutorial can be found on the forms & documents tab of our website)

2. Complete all required coursework. 

3. Within the semester of graduation, file your application for graduation through Enroll & Pay by the semester deadline.

Path:  Enroll & Pay > Degree Progress & Graduation

4. Complete the Graduation Report Form.

5. Complete the online Graduation Checklist and upload all necessary documentation.

6. Congratulations!  You have graduated!

1.  Choose a faculty advisor and thesis committee of at least three (3) total members. All committee members must be members of the KU Graduate Faculty, but students may request to have committee members from outside the university. See the BIOE defense committee requirements.

a.  To determine if a proposed committee member is part of the the KU Graduate Faculty, please contact the BIOE Program Coordinator.

2.  Complete your Plan of Study online. This must be completed within the first semester of study and should reflect your advisor's feedback. Your Plan of Study is complete when all information is up-to-date, all fields are entered, and all committee members have signed. (A BIOE tutorial can be found on the forms & documents tab of our website)

3.  Complete all required coursework and thesis research.

4.  Within the semester of graduation, file your application for graduation through Enroll & Pay by the semester deadline.

Path:  Enroll & Pay > Degree Progress & Graduation

5.  When the student and advisor determine that the thesis is nearing completion and the student is ready to graduate, the student requests a final oral exam (defense) date from the committee. The student must submit the thesis document to the committee and inform the BIOE Program Coordinator at least three (3) weeks prior. At this time, your Plan of Study should already be completed (per step 2). Please do not attempt to set the date for your oral thesis defense until this is done. You will not be cleared by the BIOE program or the School of Engineering to defend until this is completed.

a. When notifying the BIOE Program Coordinator of your defense, please fill out the Masters Defense Form.

b. Please remember that you must be enrolled in at least one (1) credit hour for the semester that you graduate unless you meet the early graduation deadline.

6.  After you pass your defense, make all necessary changes to your thesis as recommended by your committee. Committee members must sign the title page and the chair will sign the title and acceptance page of your thesis. (Sometimes, committee members will sign after the defense without the changes required.)

a. Upload both pages to the Graduation Checklist linked below (step 10.)

7. Complete and upload the Thesis/Dissertation Release form (Embargo) to the Graduation Checklist (step 10.)

8. Submit your electronic thesis to ProQuest/UMI. This is required.

a. For more information about how to submit your thesis or dissertation electronically, visit KU's Graduating Students page

9. Complete the online Graduation Checklist and upload all necessary documentation.

a. All documents must be attached at the time of form completion. It cannot be saved to return at a later date.

10. Congratulations!  You have graduated!

1.  Choose a faculty advisor and dissertation committee.  All committee members must be members of the KU Graduate Faculty, but students may request to have committee members from outside the university.  See the BIOE defense committee requirements for all guidelines.

a. If a proposed member of your committee is not appointed to the KU Graduate Faculty, please contact the BIOE Program Coordinator immediately.

2.  Along with your advisor, develop and file your Plan of Study online. This must be completed and approved in the second semester of study. Your Plan of Study is complete when all information is up-to-date, all fields are entered, and all committee members have signed.  (A BIOE tutorial can be found on the forms & documents​ tab of our website)

3.  Take and pass the qualifying exam at the end of your first year.

a. The student must satisfy and complete all requirements and conditions specified by the BioE Graduate Program and the SOE to address general and track deficiencies.

b. The student will select three 3 credit BioE track DEPTH courses numbered 700-990 (excluding internship and independent study courses) with the approval of his/her advisor and the qualifying committee track chair. To satisfy this criterion, the student must complete the three qualifying courses with an average GPA of 3.5 or above. 

c. The student must pass the QE, which consists of both written and oral exams. 

4.  Complete all required coursework (core, track requirements, etc) and dissertation research, while fulfilling the research skills, responsible scholarship, and residency requirements.

5.  Schedule your comprehensive oral exam with your committee, send all members a copy of your proposal, and inform the BIOE Program Coordinator at least three (3) weeks prior.  At this time, your Plan of Study should already be completed (per step 2). Please do not attempt to set the date for your comprehensive examination until this is done.  You will not be cleared by the BIOE program or the School of Engineering to take your comprehensive exam until this is completed.

a. When notifying the BIOE PA of your comp. exam,  please fill out the Comprehensive Exam Form and include the following information:

Title of your thesis, date & time of your defense, the location of your defense, and committee members and what role they fulfill (chair, outside member, etc.)

b. If you need assistance with securing a location, please let the BIOE Program Coordinator know.

6.  After you pass the comprehensive exam, you become a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

a. After completion of 18 post-comp hours, you are eligible to be considered full time with one credit hour per semester. Email us at bioe@ku.edu so we can assist in filing the form.

7.  Complete your dissertation.   

8.  File your application for graduation through Enroll & Pay by semester deadline.

Path:  Enroll & Pay > Student Center > Academics (pull-down menu) > Apply for Graduation.

9.  Submit your dissertation to your committee. 

Note: At least five (5) months must pass between the comprehensive exam and the final oral exam (defense)

10.  Your committee accepts your final draft of the dissertation.

a. Determine with your advisor if the embargo is necessary. 

b. Please remember that you must be enrolled in at least one (1) credit/research hour for the semester that you graduate unless you meet the early graduation deadline.

11.  After all degree requirements are met, student requests a final oral exam (defense) date from the committee and inform the BIOE Program Coordinator at least three (3) weeks prior.  Please do not attempt to set the date for your final oral exam until all of the above steps are completed.  You will not be cleared by the BIOE program or the School of Engineering to defend until this is completed.

a. When notifying the BIOE PA of your comp. exam,  please fill out the Doctoral Defense Form and include the following information:

Title of your thesis, date & time of your defense, the location of your defense, and committee members and what role they fulfill (chair, outside member, etc.)

b. If you need assistance with securing a location, please let the BIOE Program Coordinator know.

12.  The request for your final oral exam (defense) is scheduled by the program and notification will be sent to the School of Engineering for approval and the Dean’s office for publication in news medium.  

a. Your eligibility will be verified at each level.

13.  After you pass your defense, make all necessary changes to your dissertation as recommended by your committee.  Committee members must sign the title page and the chair will sign the acceptance page of your thesis.  (Sometimes, committee members will sign after the defense without the changes required.)

a. Submit one set (wet-signed originals) to the Graduation Checklist

14. Submit your electronic thesis to ProQuest/UMI. This is required.

a. For more information about how to submit your thesis or dissertation electronically, visit the KU Graduating Student page.

15. Complete and upload the KU Scholarworks Electronic Theses and Dissertations Release form (PDF) to the Graduation Checklist.

16.  Complete the Doctoral Student Completion Survey. 

17. Fill out Doctoral Checklist and return to the BIOE Program Coordinator

18.  Next, verify with the School of Engineering Research and Graduate Programs that all degree requirements are complete.

19.  Congratulations!  You have graduated!