You may now apply online for graduation through the new Self-Service Banner system.  Please continue to view this Graduate College website for graduation instructions and important deadlines. Undergraduate (bachelor's) students need to contact the Advising Centers for specific information about applying for the undergraduate graduation.

All Master's and Doctoral students must apply for graduation in order to be considered a candidate for graduation.  The deadline to apply for Spring 2013 graduation is March 1, 2013.  If you believe that you are an eligible candidate for Spring 2013 graduation and have missed the deadline, you may send a request to apply after the deadline to Dr. Mike Willoughby, Dean of the Graduate College at gradcollege@txstate.edu.  The request should include the reason(s) for missing the deadline and why you should be given the opportunity to participate in the Fall commencement ceremony.  If you apply after April 16, 2013, your name will not be in the commencement program.

NOTE: If you are applying for a bachelor's degree, you must contact the appropriate undergraduate Advising Center for information about graduation application procedures or the ceremony.

FOR GRADUATING CANDIDATES:

The name on your diploma will appear as the name we have on file (class schedule/transcripts). To change your name to your legal name you must follow the procedure directed by the Registrar's Office.

You must be registered for the thesis course (5399B) during the semester in which your thesis is completed and submitted to Alkek Library. The following steps are required:

1. You must have an approved thesis proposal on file in the Graduate College prior to submitting the thesis for review. One copy of the Proposed Thesis Research form, with original signatures of committee members and department chair, and attached thesis proposal is submitted to the Graduate Dean for approval. If your thesis topic involves human subjects or vertebrate animals, you must secure compliance with the Texas State Institutional Review Board (human subjects) or the Texas State Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (vertebrate animals) prior to submitting your thesis proposal form to the Graduate College and prior to beginning research.

2. While writing the thesis, please refer to the Graduate College Guide to Preparing and Submitting a Thesis or Dissertation available online. You must follow the formatting (margins, page numbering, etc.) specified in the Guide.

3. The completed thesis should be presented to the thesis committee with sufficient time allowed for careful review. The committee should receive copies of the thesis no later than March 7, 2013.

4. Once the thesis is approved by the committee it is then submitted to the Dean of the Graduate College. Once the thesis is submitted to the Graduate College only revisions required by the Graduate College may be made to the document. There are two options for submitting the thesis: Hard-copy Submission Option and Vireo On-line Submission Option. The following must be submitted to the Graduate College:

1. One (1) copy of the thesis in final form, approved by all committee members, on standard paper (Hard-copy Submission Option) or pdf of the thesis in final form, approved by all committee members, uploaded in the on-line Vireo submission system (Vireo On-line Submission Option).
2. The signature page(s), on thesis quality paper, bearing original signatures of the committee members. Two signature pages are required for the Hard-copy Submission Option and one signature page is required for the Vireo On-line Submission Option. Extra signature pages may be included for additional copies of the thesis that the student wants bound for personal use.

5. THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF A THESIS TO THE DEAN OF THE GRADUATE COLLEGE IS APRIL 8, 2013. Note that the deadline to submit the thesis occurs prior to the deadline to submit the Comprehensive Exam form. Theses are reviewed by the Office of the Graduate College in order of receipt. It is to the student’s advantage to submit the thesis as early as possible.

6. The thesis is reviewed by Graduate College staff and the Graduate Dean and the Dean signs the signature pages. You will be notified of any required revisions. If revisions are required, you will need to correct and resubmit the thesis to the Graduate College to verify that necessary edits have been made.

7. After the Dean of the Graduate College approves the thesis, the process is as follows:

For the Hard-copy Submission Option:

• Pick up the thesis and signature pages. The Office of the Graduate College will electronically send the thesis card to the Alkek Library.
• Take two (2) copies of the thesis including the two (2) signature pages, printed on thesis quality paper, to the circulation desk in the Alkek Library. Pay the binding fee. The Alkek Library will bind additional copies submitted that the student wants bound for personal use. The student will pay the binding fee for personal copies.
• Submit the thesis to the Alkek Library no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 2, 2013.

For the Vireo On-line Submission Option:

• Complete all required revisions no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 2, 2013. No copies are required to be submitted to the Alkek Library. However, the Alkek Library will bind copies submitted that the student wants bound for personal use. The student will take the personal copies, printed on thesis quality paper, to the Alkek Library and pay the binding fee for personal copies.

8. If you do not complete the thesis requirements by the above deadlines, you must register next semester for an additional thesis course and reapply for graduation.

You must be registered for a dissertation course during the semester in which your dissertation is completed and submitted to Alkek Library. The following steps are required:

1. You must have an approved dissertation proposal on file in the Graduate College prior to submitting the dissertation for review. One copy of the Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal form, with original signatures of committee members, Ph.D. Program Director and department chair, and attached dissertation proposal is submitted to the Graduate Dean for approval. If your dissertation topic involves human subjects or vertebrate animals, you must secure compliance with the Texas State Institutional Review Board (human subjects) or the Texas State Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (vertebrate animals) prior to submitting your dissertation proposal to the Graduate College and prior to beginning research.

2. While writing the dissertation, please refer to the Graduate College Guide to Preparing and Submitting a Thesis or Dissertation available online. You must follow the formatting (margins, page numbering, etc.) specified in the Guide.

3. The completed dissertation should be presented to the dissertation committee with sufficient time allowed for careful review. The committee should receive copies of the dissertation no later than February 1, 2013.

4. Once the dissertation is approved by the committee it is then submitted to the Dean of the Graduate College. Once the dissertation is submitted to the Graduate College only revisions required by the Graduate College may be made to the document. There are two options for submitting the dissertation: Hard-copy Submission Option and Vireo On-line Submission Option. The following must be submitted to the Graduate College:

1. One (1) copy of the dissertation in final form, approved by all committee members, on standard paper (Hard-copy Submission Option) or pdf of the dissertation in final form, approved by all committee members, uploaded in the on-line Vireo submission system (Vireo On-line Submission Option).
2. The signature page(s), on dissertation quality paper, bearing original signatures of the committee members. Two signature pages are required for the Hard-copy Submission Option and one signature page is required for the Vireo On-line Submission Option. Extra signature pages may be included for additional copies of the dissertation that the student wants bound for personal use.

5. THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF A DISSERTATION TO THE DEAN OF THE GRADUATE COLLEGE IS APRIL 4, 2013. Note that the deadline to submit the dissertation occurs prior to the deadline to submit the Dissertation Defense Report form. Dissertations are reviewed by the Office of the Graduate College in order of receipt. It is to the student’s advantage to submit the dissertation as early as possible.

6. The dissertation is reviewed by Graduate College staff and the Graduate Dean and the Dean signs the signature pages. You will be notified of any required revisions. If revisions are required, you will need to correct and resubmit the dissertation to the Graduate College to verify that necessary edits have been made.

7. After the Dean of the Graduate College approves the dissertation, the process is as follows:

For the Hard-copy Submission Option:

• Pick up the dissertation and signature pages. The Office of the Graduate College will electronically send the dissertation card to the Alkek Library.
• Take two (2) copies of the dissertation including the two (2) signature pages, printed on dissertation quality paper, to the circulation desk in the Alkek Library. Pay the binding fee. The Alkek Library will bind additional copies submitted that the student wants bound for personal use. The student will pay the binding fee for personal copies.
• Submit the dissertation to the Alkek Library no later than May 2, 2013.

For the Vireo On-line Submission Option:

• Complete all required revisions no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 2, 2013. No copies are required to be submitted to the Alkek Library. However, the Alkek Library will bind copies submitted that the student wants bound for personal use. The student will take the personal copies, printed on dissertation quality paper, to the Alkek Library and pay the binding fee for personal copies.

8. Ph.D. students must also submit the following to the Alkek Library: Doctoral Dissertation Agreement; one copy of the Dissertation Abstract; dissertation publishing fee; and submission of the copyright fee (optional) by 5:00 p.m. on May 2, 2013.

9. Ph.D. students must submit the completed Survey for Earned Doctorates (SED) form to the Graduate College office by 5:00 p.m. on May 2, 2013.

10. If you do not complete the dissertation requirements by the above deadlines, you must register next semester for an additional dissertation course and reapply for graduation.

QUALIFICATIONS VERIFIED BY THE GRADUATE COLLEGE:

Even though you may have missed the deadline for submission of your thesis to Alkek Library and thus be unable to graduate for your expected semester, it still may be possible to receive a "Letter of Completion" from the Office of the Graduate College.  A "Letter of Completion" states that the bearer has completed all requirements for a degree. Please email gradcollege@txstate.edu for this letter or more information.

• The Ph.D. robe may either be  black with black trim or black with royal blue trim.
• Studens have the option of selecting the traditional mortar board cap or the tam.
• The Texas State Ph.D. hood is royal blue with the school colors (maroon and gold) on the inside.

Students renting robes from the University Bookstore are limtited to black on black. This is the only rental available through the regalia vendor.