Important Dates for Graduate Students 2026-2027

1-2 (and August 31): Written comprehensive exams

1: Last day to apply for October conferral of the M.A.

8: Fall semester begins; first day of classes

18: Oral comprehensive exams

25: Last day to submit M.Phil. applications to Graduate Program Coordinator for October degree conferral

9: Last day to deposit dissertation for October degree conferral

24: Travel grant applications due for conferences occurring between September and December

1: Last day to apply for February conferral of the M.A.

5: Dissertation proposals due to Graduate Program Coordinator

4: Mini-APSA

18: Special minor declarations due (2nd-year students) to Graduate Program Coordinator

1:  Last day to apply for May conferral of the M.A.

12-13: Written comprehensive exams

15: Last day to distribute dissertation in Fall term

19: Spring semester begins; first day of classes

22: Last day to submit M.Phil. applications to Graduate Program Coordinator for February degree conferral

29: Oral comprehensive exams

30: Deadline for completion of special minors (3rd-year students)

To maintain satisfactory academic progress and continue in the Ph.D. program, students must successfully complete ALL components of both their major and minor field exams no later than the second Friday of classes in the sixth semester of registration (or the date of January orals, whichever comes later).

This deadline applies to minors in traditional subfields, methods, and all special minors, including those requiring a paper and oral defense, or any other format.

This deadline applies to revisions of methods or special minor papers and a second attempt at passing an exam.

Students may continue to take courses upon completing comprehensive exams, and many sixth-semester students take courses required for the M.Phil. throughout the spring semester.

5: Last day to deposit dissertation for February degree conferral

23: Travel grant applications due for conferences occurring between September and December

23: Dissertation proposals due to Graduate Program Coordinator

8: Dissertation development grant applications due to Graduate Program Coordinator

16: Last day to deposit dissertation and also be included in Convocation booklet for May degree conferral

23: Last day to deposit dissertation for May degree conferral

30: Deadline to submit M.Phil. applications to Graduate Program Coordinator for May degree conferral

21: Last day to distribute dissertation in Spring term

26: Travel grant applications due for conferences occurring between May and August