Doctoral Degrees

Each program and department establishes its own degree requirements for doctoral level study (at minimum, equivalent to three years of full-time study and research).

You must be admitted to candidacy within five years after admission to the doctoral program. Once you have fulfilled all the requirements for candidacy, please submit the Application for Admission to Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy form.

Check with your Graduate Program Director and the Graduate School Catalog for more information about:

  • Admissions to Candidacy
  • Preparation of your Dissertation
  • Dissertation Examination Committee
  • Final Examinations
  • Ph.D. Exit Survey

Back to Top

Doctoral Degree Completion Requirements

Nomination of Members for Final Doctoral Examination Committee
Due six (6) months prior to defense. Complete the Nomination of Members for the Final Doctoral Examination Committee form and include a current curriculum vitae for any nominees who are not members of the Graduate Faculty. The Graduate School will notify the student, advisor(s), and doctoral program of the approved/appointed committee via an email that shows Graduate School approval and identifies the appointed Dean’s Representative for the committee.
Registration for Doctoral Students: Doctoral students are required to register for 899 from Admission to Candidacy through the semester in which they graduate. Course 899 is a fixed 9-credit course. There is a minimum graduation requirement of 18 credits of 899, which must be taken in two semesters of 9 credits each. Students cannot exceed 9 credits of 899 per semester.

In the event that a doctoral student has held a dissertation defense in which the outcome is that significant revisions are required, the student may enroll in one credit of 8800 for their final semester before graduation. The student and/or committee chair must inform the Graduate School of this intended enrollment and acquire approval before foregoing enrollment in 899.

*Registration during the summer is not required, except in the following circumstances:

  • Student is graduating in the summer and was not registered in the preceding spring semester.
  • GAs with an appointment in the summer must be registered for 3 credits in order to retain FICA exemption during the summer.
  • All GAs with appointments during the summer are required to register for the graduate assistantship course GRAD 603.
Apply for Graduation
The application window by which you can apply are listed per semester below:

  • Fall: July 1 – September 15
  • Summer: April 1 – June 15
  • Spring: December 1 – February 15

Apply Now

Academic Regalia
If you plan to participate in the graduation ceremony:

  • Order regalia. Orders can be submitted through our Herff Jones vendor*. Official information regarding ordering and picking up graduate regalia can be reviewed on the UMBC Commencement website.
  • Complete the commencement ceremony registration for Tassel. Eligible graduates will receive an email with the link to the registration page.

*Late academic regalia orders have a $25 late fee assessment.

Announcement of Ph.D. and Readiness to Defend
Due two (2) weeks before the defense. Submit to the Graduate School the completed Announcement of Ph.D. Dissertation form (via email to nmoone1@umbc.edu) and the completed Certification of Readiness to Defend the Doctoral Dissertation form (via DocuSign). The Graduate School will then send the Procedure for the Conduct of Final Doctoral Oral Examination and the Examining Committee form to the Dean’s Representative of your committee. Please note: if the defense is hybrid or remote, the web link must be included in the email with the Announcement of Defense.

Examining Committee Report
Due within two (2) business days after the oral defense. The Dean’s Representative ensures that the Report of the Examining Committee form is completed in DocuSign within 48 hours of the completion of the defense.

Outstanding University Balance
Pay the cashier all outstanding university debts.

Final Dates for Submission
Listed below are the final dates per semester to submit the following: signed Approval Sheet; Electronic Dissertation to UMI/ProQuest; Survey of Earned Dissertation form; and the PhD Exit Survey.

  • Fall: December 1
  • Summer: August 1
  • Spring: May 1

Commencement Ceremony
The graduation commencement ceremony will be held on the following dates per semester listed below:

  • Fall: December 16, 2026
  • Summer: No Ceremony, however, we invite all August graduates to participate in the December Commencement ceremony.
  • Spring: May 20, 2026

The dates above coincide with conferral dates that will appear on your transcript.

Conferral Dates

The degree conferral date that appears on your transcript will be the same date as the commencement ceremony dates for Spring and Fall. The conferral date for Summer is August 15, 2025.

Diplomas for Pickup
If you are not participating in the ceremony, your diploma will be mailed to the address you provided on your graduation supplemental application. If your address changes before the conferral date, you are responsible for notifying the Graduate School of this change. If you wish to pick up your degree in person, please contact gradgraduation@umbc.edu to make arrangements. Your Campus ID is required for in-person pick-up.

Back to Top