MS candidates do not have to be registered the semester in which they graduate. The Department will notify the Graduate School when all requirements are met.
PhD Candidates must have continuous registration from passing the comprehensive exam through graduation. PhD students who have completed the comprehensive exam must enroll in RSOC 601 (dissertation research credits). Students planning to take their comprehensive examinations, conduct their oral defense, or graduate during the summer semester must register for the summer.
However, if students have successfully defended the dissertation before the graduation semester starts, they do not have to register for that semester. For example, a student who completes the defense in early August—past the summer defense deadline but before the fall semester begins—would not have to register for fall even though that is when they would officially graduate.
