Important Dates

End of October		Deadline to file for January degree conferral
Last day of Fall classes		Progress Reports due (1st and 2nd years only)
End of January		Deadline to file for May degree conferral
Mid-April		Submit request for Summer Funding
Last day of Spring classes		Progress Reports Due
Last day of Spring Finals		First-Year/Second-Year Project Papers Due

First-Year Project Required Timeline

1. A paper must be turned in to your advisor by the last day of finals of the Fall semester.

2. You must submit a pdf version of your project to the graduate director and a paper version to your advisor by 5:00 pm on the last day of finals of the Spring semester.

Second-Year Project Required Timeline

1. Second-year projects are due the last day of final exams in the spring semester. A paper version should be given to your advisor and a pdf emailed to the graduate director.

Master's Required Timeline  

1. Towards the end of the first year, but no later than September 15 of the second year, students must select an advisor for their Master’s-level research.

2. Students should ask potential committee members to join the committee before April 15 of their second year of graduate study.

3. Students must file their applications for approval of M. A. candidacy to the Office of Graduate Studies before November 1 for mid-year conferral and before February 1 for May commencement.

4. Master's students must be approved for candidacy before the beginning of their fifth semester of their residency at Rice.

5. Master's students must defend their thesis before the end of their eighth semester of their residency at Rice. The date of the oral defense must be announced one week in advance of defense at Rice Events and to the department.

6. Students have a limit of six additional months from the date of defense to submit their thesis in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Here is a link to their thesis submission checklist for your use. This time bounds includes any period in which the student was not enrolled or enrolled part-time, for whatever reason.

7. Masters students are required to complete their program, including thesis defense, within five years of initial enrollment. This time bound includes any period in which the student was not enrolled or enrolled part-time, for whatever reason.

Make sure to see the graduate school regulations on time boundaries for more detail.

Doctorate Required Timeline

1. Students must file their applications for approval of Ph.D. candidacy to the Office of Graduate Studies before November 1 for mid-year conferral and before February 1 for May commencement.

2. Ph.D. students must be approved for candidacy before the beginning of their ninth semester of their residency at Rice.

3. Ph.D. students must defend their thesis before the end of their 16th semester of their residency at Rice. The date of the oral defense must be announced two weeks in advance (form for announcing oral defense) to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and one week in advance to the department.

4. Students have a limit of six additional months from the date of defense to submit their thesis in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. This time bound includes any period in which the student was not enrolled or enrolled part-time, for whatever reason.

5. Ph.D. students are required to complete their program, including thesis defense, within 10 years of initial enrollment. This time bounds includes any period in which the student was not enrolled or enrolled part-time, for whatever reason.

Make sure to see the graduate school regulations on time boundaries for more detail.