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.听Procedures and final deadlines required by the Graduate School are described below.

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

Commencement Dates &听Requirements

For December 12, 2025*

DateDetails
Sept. 3, 2025Preferred Deadline- 鈥婱aster's students must submit to the Graduate School a .听Applications follow a workflow process and must be approved by the academic department before they are directed to the Graduate School.
Oct. 1, 2025Final Deadline- 鈥婱aster's students who have not already done so must submit to the Graduate School a .听Applications follow a workflow process and must be approved by the academic department before they are directed to the Graduate School.
Oct. 1, 2025Master's students who have not already done so听must听apply online to graduate听through听on the 鈥渁pply for graduation鈥 card in order to have the degree awarded in December.听This is required even though there is no university-wide ceremony.
Nov. 13, 2025Master's students must complete the thesis defense or final examination by this date.听Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the master's final examination form two weeks before the exam.听Certain units do not require an exam for non-thesis students.听Please contact your department with any questions.
Nov. 20, 2025Master's thesis plan students must submit the thesis听and Thesis Approval Form to ProQuest by this deadline. The thesis must be听听for review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. The single-page听Thesis Approval Form听(TAF) must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.听Students whose dissertations听are received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,听must apply to graduate at the following semester's听commencement.
Dec. 8, 2025Grade changes must be听submitted for incomplete courses taken during previous semesters.
Jan. 2, 2026Deadline for fall master's graduates to update diploma name or address in Buff Portal

For May 2, 2026

DateDetails
Feb. 2, 2026Preferred Deadline: 鈥婱aster's students must submit to the Graduate School a .听Applications follow a workflow process and must be approved by the academic department before they are directed to the Graduate School.
March 1, 2026Master's students who have not already done so听must听apply online to graduate through听on the 鈥渁pply for graduation鈥 card in order to have the degree awarded in May.听
March 2, 2026Final Deadline: 鈥婱aster's students who have not already done so must submit to the Graduate School a .听Applications follow a workflow process and must be approved by the academic department before they are directed to the Graduate School.
April 1, 2026Graduate students who plan to have their degrees awarded in August but would like to be listed in the commencement program must apply online to graduate听through听on the 鈥渁pply for graduation鈥 card.听Though you plan to participate in a听May ceremony, please select August 2026 as the semester of graduation if that is when your degree will be awarded.
April 9, 2026Master's students must complete the thesis defense or final examination by this date.听Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the master's final examination form two weeks before the exam.听Certain units do not require an exam for non-thesis students.听Please contact your department with any questions.
April 16, 2026Master's thesis plan students must submit the thesis听and Thesis Approval Form to ProQuest by this deadline. The thesis must be听听for review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. The single-page听Thesis Approval Form听(TAF) must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.听Students whose dissertations听are received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,听must apply to graduate at the following semester's听commencement.
April 20, 2026Grade changes must be听submitted for incomplete courses taken during previous semesters.
May 15, 2026Deadline for spring master's graduates to update diploma name or address in Buff Portal.

听

For August 13, 2026

DateDetails
April 1, 2026Graduate students who plan to have their degrees awarded in August but would like to be listed in the commencement program must apply online to graduate听through听on the 鈥渁pply for graduation鈥 card.听Though you plan to participate in a听May ceremony, please select August 2026 as the semester of graduation if that is when your degree will be awarded.
May 18, 2026Preferred Deadline: 鈥婱aster's students must submit to the Graduate School a .听Applications follow a workflow process and must be approved by the academic department before they are directed to the Graduate School.
June 15, 2026Master's students who have not already done so听must听apply online to graduate through听on the 鈥渁pply for graduation鈥 card in order to have the degree awarded in August.
June 15, 2026Final Deadline: 鈥婱aster's students who have not already done so must submit to the Graduate School a .听Applications follow a workflow process and must be approved by the academic department before they are directed to the Graduate School.
July 28, 2026Master's students must complete the thesis defense or final examination by this date.听Notice of the examination must be provided to the Graduate School using the master's final examination form two weeks before the exam.听Certain units do not require an exam for non-thesis students.听Please contact your department with any questions.
Aug 4, 2026Master's thesis plan students must submit the thesis听and Thesis Approval Form to ProQuest by this deadline. The thesis must be听听for review and approval by Graduate School staff by the end of the business day. The single-page听Thesis Approval Form听(TAF) must be uploaded as a supplemental file with the dissertation in order for the submission to be complete.听Students whose dissertations听are received after this deadline, or those not submitted with the TAF,听must apply to graduate at the following semester's听commencement.
Aug 10, 2026Grade changes must be听submitted for incomplete courses taken during previous semesters.
TBADeadline for summer master's graduates to update diploma name or address in Buff Portal.

听

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