Deadlines for Master's Degree Candidates

To be eligible to earn an advanced degree, students must fulfill appropriate requirements as established by their major department and the Graduate School, and have an approved Candidacy Application.聽Procedures and final deadlines required by the Graduate School are described below.

Note:聽Please submit paperwork first to your department and allow time for review before Graduate School deadlines.

Commencement Dates &聽Requirements

For December 19, 2024*

DateDetails
Sept. 4Preferred Deadline- 鈥婱aster's students must submit to the Graduate School a .聽Applications follow a workflow process and must be approved by the academic department before they are directed to the Graduate School.
Oct. 1Final Deadline- 鈥婱aster's students who have not already done so must submit to the Graduate School a .聽Applications follow a workflow process and must be approved by the academic department before they are directed to the Graduate School.
Oct. 1Master's students who have not already done so聽must聽apply online to graduate聽迟丑谤辞耻驳丑听on the 鈥渁pply for graduation鈥 card in order to have the degree awarded in December.聽This is required even though there is no university-wide ceremony.
Nov. 21Master's students must complete the thesis defense or final examination by this date.聽Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the master's final examination form two weeks before the exam.聽Certain units do not require an exam for non-thesis students.聽Please contact your department with any questions.
Dec. 3Master's thesis plan students must submit the thesis聽and Thesis Approval Form to ProQuest by this deadline. The thesis must be聽聽for review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. The single-page聽Thesis Approval Form聽(TAF) must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.聽Students whose dissertations聽are received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,聽must apply to graduate at the following semester's聽commencement.
Dec. 9Grade changes must be聽submitted for incomplete courses taken during previous semesters.
Jan. 3Deadline for fall聽master's graduates to update diploma name or address in Buff Portal

For May 8, 2025

DateDetails
Feb. 3, 2025Preferred Deadline: 鈥婱aster's students must submit to the Graduate School a .聽Applications follow a workflow process and must be approved by the academic department before they are directed to the Graduate School.
March 1, 2025Master's students who have not already done so聽must聽apply online to graduate 迟丑谤辞耻驳丑听on the 鈥渁pply for graduation鈥 card in order to have the degree awarded in May.聽This is required whether or not you plan to attend the university-wide ceremony.
March 3, 2025Final Deadline: 鈥婱aster's students who have not already done so must submit to the Graduate School a .聽Applications follow a workflow process and must be approved by the academic department before they are directed to the Graduate School.
April 15, 2025Master's students must complete the thesis defense or final examination by this date.聽Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the master's final examination form two weeks before the exam.聽Certain units do not require an exam for non-thesis students.聽Please contact your department with any questions.
April 23, 2025Master's thesis plan students must submit the thesis聽and Thesis Approval Form to ProQuest by this deadline. The thesis must be聽聽for review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. The single-page聽Thesis Approval Form聽(TAF) must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.聽Students whose dissertations聽are received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,聽must apply to graduate at the following semester's聽commencement.
April 28, 2025Grade changes must be聽submitted for incomplete courses taken during previous semesters.
TBDDeadline for fall聽master's graduates to update diploma name or address in Buff Portal.

*Note:聽Although there is no campus-wide ceremony, students may have degrees awarded in August and December.