Dissertation Timeline
Adjust timeline for Spring and Summer semesters.
Final Clearance Deadline: TAD Process Complete is Friday of week 12
We strongly recommendusing your college’s template. Begin using your college’s template as early in the writing process as possible as doing so will format your dissertation according to university guidelines.
Planning for 6 Months to Completing the TAD Process (Dissertation): Begin in May
These dates are only suggestions. The process may take more, or less, time than allotted in this sample schedule.
1st week of full Summer semester:
Schedule Oral Defense
4 th week of full Summer semester:
Send TAD Submission Form with your pre-defense document (80%) of content complete to tad@ohio.edu for a pre-defense format review. Be sure to place your draft document into your college’s template.
Your email to TAD will begin a virtual conversation with us. This exchange will include emails back and forth and meeting on Teams if that is helpful to you. Once we are back on campus, we will work with students in-person as allowable.
9 th week of full Summer semester:
Send document to TAD for post-defense format review after you have made the changes your committee instructs you to make.
13 th week of full Summer semester:
Once you make all formatting changes instructed by TAD, we will ask you finalize and send your final document in Microsoft Word and PDF formats.
3 rd week of Fall semester:
Complete Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED).
7 th week of Fall semester:
Check with your College about sending Oral Defense Report to TAD (if it has not already been sent to TAD by your College).
Upload to OhioLINK.
TAD will instruct you when to upload and will send you a link to do so.
TAD Process Complete: TAD will send you, your advisor, your graduate chair, and the Registrar an email signifying your completion of the TAD Process.
Congratulations!
This timeline is subject to change. This is only a sample. Students are responsible for knowing the deadlines and work with their college to confirm dates.
Planning for 3 Months to Completing the TAD Process (Dissertation): Begin in August
These dates are only suggestions. The process may take more, or less, time than allotted in this sample schedule.
We strongly recommend using your college’s template. Begin using your college’s template as early in the writing process as possible as doing so will format your dissertation according to university guidelines.
13 th week of full Summer semester:
Schedule Oral Defense
3rd week of Fall semester:
Send TAD Submission Form with your pre-defense document (80%) of content complete to tad@ohio.edu for a pre-defense format review. Be sure to place your draft document into your college’s template.
Your email to TAD will begin a virtual conversation with us. This exchange will include emails back and forth and meeting on Teams if that is helpful to you. Once we are back on campus, we will work with students in-person as allowable.
7th week of Fall semester:
Send document to TAD for post-defense format review after you have made the changes your committee instructs you to make.
9 th week of Fall semester:
Once you make all formatting changes instructed by TAD, we will ask you finalize and send your final document in Microsoft Word and PDF formats.
11 th week of Fall semester:
Complete Survey of Earned Doctorates.
Check with your College about sending Oral Defense Report to TAD (if it has not already been sent to TAD by your College).
Upload to OhioLINK.
TAD will instruct you when to upload and will send you a link to do so.
TAD Process Complete: TAD will send you, your advisor, your graduate chair, and the Registrar an email signifying your completion of the TAD Process.
Congratulations!
Planning tips: Start with the end date (final deadline) and work backwards setting your own small internal deadlines.
These sample planning documents are only intended as examples. Students should create their own planning documents according their own timelines in coordination with their advisor, as necessary.
Keep in mind semester breaks, when your advisor and committee members will be available to review your document, and schedule your defense, etc.
This timeline is subject to change. This is only a sample. Students are responsible for knowing the deadlines and work with their college to confirm dates.
Planning for 1 Month to Completing the TAD Process (Dissertation): Begin in October
These dates are only suggestions. The process may take more, or less, time than allotted in this sample schedule.
We strongly recommend using your college’s template. Begin using your college’s template as early in the writing process as possible as doing so will format your dissertation according to university guidelines.
7 th week of Fall semester:
Schedule Oral Defense
Send TAD Submission Form with your pre-defense document (80%) of content complete to tad@ohio.edu for a pre-defense format review. Be sure to place your draft document into your college’s template.
Your email to TAD will begin a virtual conversation with TAD. This exchange will include emails back and forth and meeting on Teams if that is helpful to you. Once we are back on campus, we will work with students in-person as allowable.
8 th week of Fall semester:
Send document to TAD for post-defense format review after you have made the changes your committee instructs you to make.
9 th week of Fall semester:
Once you make all formatting changes instructed by TAD, we will ask you finalize and send your final document in Microsoft Word and PDF formats.
10 th week of Fall semester:
Complete Survey of Earned Doctorates.
Check with your College about sending Oral Defense Report to TAD (if it has not already been sent to TAD by your College).
Upload to OhioLINK.
TAD will instruct you when to upload and will send you a link to do so.
TAD Process Complete: TAD will send you, your advisor, your graduate chair, and the Registrar an email signifying your completion of the TAD Process.
Congratulations!
Planning tips: Start with the end date (final deadline) and work backwards setting your own small internal deadlines.
These sample planning documents are only intended as examples. Students should create their own planning documents according their own timelines in coordination with their advisor, as necessary.
Keep in mind semester breaks, when your advisor and committee members will be available to review your document, and schedule your defense, etc.
This timeline is subject to change. This is only a sample. Students are responsible for knowing the deadlines and work with their college to confirm dates.
Thesis Timeline
Creating a Timeline for Finishing your Thesis in Fall Semester
Adjust timeline for Spring and Summer semesters.
We strongly recommend using your college’s template. Begin using your college’s template as early in the writing process as possible as doing so will format your dissertation according to university guidelines.
Planning for 6 Months to Completing the TAD Process (Thesis): Begin in June
(these dates are only suggestions. The process may take more, or less, time than allotted in this sample schedule).
4 th week of full Summer semester:
Schedule Oral Defense (see early deadlines* for PCOE and CHSP)
9 th week of full Summer semester:
Send TAD Submission Form with your pre-defense document (80%) of content complete to tad@ohio.edu for a pre-defense format review. Be sure to place your draft document into your college’s template.
Your email to TAD will begin a virtual conversation with TAD. This exchange will include emails back and forth and meeting on Teams if that is helpful to you. Once we are back on campus, we will work with students in-person as allowable.
13 th week of full Summer semester:
Send document to TAD for post-defense format review after you have made the changes your committee instructs you to make.
3 rd week of Fall semester:
Once you make all formatting changes instructed by TAD, we will ask you finalize and send your final document in Microsoft Word and PDF formats.
7 th week of Fall semester:
Check with your College about sending Oral Defense Report to TAD (if it has not already been sent to TAD).
11 th week of Fall semester:
Check with your College about sending Oral Defense Report to TAD (if it has not already been sent to TAD by your College).
Upload to OhioLINK.
TAD will instruct you when to upload and will send you a link to do so.
TAD Process Complete: TAD will send you, your advisor, your graduate chair, and the Registrar an email signifying your completion of the TAD Process.
Congratulations!
This timeline is subject to change. This is only a sample. Students are responsible for knowing the deadlines and work with their college to confirm dates.
Planning for 3 Months to Completing the TAD Process (Thesis): Begin in September
These dates are only suggestions. The process may take more, or less, time than allotted in this sample schedule.
We strongly recommend using your college’s template. Begin using your college’s template as early in the writing process as possible as doing so will format your dissertation according to university guidelines.
13 th week of full Summer semester:
Schedule Oral Defense
3 rd week of Fall semester:
Send TAD Submission Form with your pre-defense document (80%) of content complete to tad@ohio.edu for a pre-defense format review. Be sure to place your draft document into your college’s template.
Your email to TAD will begin a virtual conversation with TAD. This exchange will include emails back and forth and meeting on Teams if that is helpful to you. Once we are back on campus, we will work with students in-person as allowable.
7 th week of Fall semester:
Send document to TAD for post-defense format review after you have made the changes your committee instructs you to make.
9 th week of Fall semester:
Once you make all formatting changes instructed by TAD, we will ask you finalize and send your final document in Microsoft Word and PDF formats.
11 th week of Fall semester:
Check with your College about sending Oral Defense Report to TAD (if it has not already been sent to TAD by your College).
Upload to OhioLINK.
TAD will instruct you when to upload and will send you a link to do so.
TAD Process Complete: TAD will send you, your advisor, your graduate chair, and the Registrar an email signifying your completion of the TAD Process.
Congratulations!
This timeline is subject to change. This is only a sample. Students are responsible for knowing the deadlines and work with their college to confirm dates.
Planning for 1 Month to Completing the TAD Process (Thesis): Begin in November
These dates are only suggestions. The process may take more, or less, time than allotted in this sample schedule.
We strongly recommend using your college’s template. Begin using your college’s template as early in the writing process as possible as doing so will format your dissertation according to university guidelines.
11 th week of Fall semester:
Schedule Oral Defense
Send TAD Submission Form with your pre-defense document (80%) of content complete to tad@ohio.edu for a pre-defense format review. Be sure to place your draft document into your college’s template.
Your email to TAD will begin a virtual conversation with TAD. This exchange will include emails back and forth and meeting on Teams if that is helpful to you. Once we are back on campus, we will work with students in-person as allowable.
12 th week of Fall semester:
Send document to TAD for post-defense format review after you have made the changes your committee instructs you to make.
13 th week of Fall semester:
Once you make all formatting changes instructed by TAD, we will ask you finalize and send your final document in Microsoft Word and PDF formats.
14 th week of Fall semester:
Check with your College about sending Oral Defense Report to TAD (if it has not already been sent to TAD by your College).
Upload to OhioLINK.
TAD will instruct you when to upload and will send you a link to do so.
TAD Process Complete: TAD will send you, your advisor, your graduate chair, and the Registrar an email signifying your completion of the TAD Process.
Congratulations!
This timeline is subject to change. This is only a sample. Students are responsible for knowing the deadlines and work with their college to confirm dates.