Graduating

This process may have changed. Check here and here and the resources below to make sure you have to most up to date information.

Master’s Graduation

After you finish your master’s project, it may seem easy to graduate. Drexel, unfortunately, has a few more hoops for you to jump through to actually get that diploma. Of course, to graduate, you must complete your thesis project, but you also must apply for graduate, get papers signed saying your project is approved by your thesis committee, and print out your thesis and get it bound. Here’s the breakdown of everything you need to do to graduate. Read the Graduate College’s checklist here.

Apply for Graduation

It may seem silly, but you actually have to “apply” to graduate. This just means filing out a form online telling Drexel you intend to graduate that term. You typically need to apply two months before the end of the term you are graduating. So if you are graduating this Spring, you need to apply before the end of April. See the application due dates here, on Drexel’s website. You can also read more about the application here.

Thesis Approval Papers

What is needed:

It is not enough for your thesis committee to say “You passed!” You must get all of their signatures,  your program’s advisor, and department head to sign it too. You can find the form here (pdf). Print this out and bring it to your final defense. You might think this is wishful thinking, but faculty travel a lot.  You don’t want them to jet right after you pass your defense and miss getting their signature. Also, sometimes they will sign it even if you don’t pass, or need to work on your thesis slightly more. That way you have the form ready for when they finally approve your thesis work.

You must also fill out a Completion Form (pdf) and get your advisor and department advisor’s signature. This form will need to be signed by the library as well, proving you bound your thesis. After that, you take it to the Graduate College. I discuss this process in the next sections.

Read about this whole process on Drexel’s website too.

Bounded Thesis

What is needed:

Honestly, this part is the biggest pain in the ass. After your thesis is approved, you must print it on special paper and bring it to the library to bind it. You must also send or bring (on a USB drive) a digital version of your thesis when you drop off your fancy prints. You cannot graduate if you do not do this. Buy your paper, print your thesis,  bring it to the library, and get them to sign your Completion Form. Now, your Completion Form should be complete, so bring it to the Graduate College. 

Read about this process on here. You also need to meet certain criteria, like having the right thesis format and a Drexel logo on the cover. Read about the criteria here.

Hand it in on Time

Take your Thesis Approval Form and Completion Form to the Graduate College. They are moving around a lot so double check where they are. Last I heard they were in Main Building room 301.  The forms are due the first week after the term you intend to graduate. For example, if you intend to graduate in the Spring, these forms must be handed in by the end of week 1 in the Summer term. Check the dates here. Make sure you keep a copy of your forms with their signature once you hand them in! If they forget to give you one, ask for it.

That’s all I got! Congratulations on your Master’s degree!

Take some time to review the links below in case Drexel changed anything. They do this a lot. It used to be you needed to pay the library $25 to get your thesis bound. It looks like it is free now!

PhD Graduation

TBD

Resources