Overview

Graduate advising is primarily handled within academic departments. Please contact your department directly with your advising questions (e.g., registration, course selection, program requirements, independent study, comprehensive exam schedule). Please see also AU Graduate Resources & Services for links to career advising, wellness, and other resources.

If you have questions regarding CAS's graduate admissions process or application procedures, please contact CAS's Office of Graduate Admissions.

Orientation

Many of our departments provide their own orientation sessions. Please keep in contact with your department or program to inquire about any scheduled orientation sessions for new graduate students.

Forms

• Independent Study Registration (portal login required)
• Internship Registration (portal login required) 
• Consortium registration guidelines

Thesis & Dissertation Information

Beginning in spring 2011, CAS graduate students will electronically submit a final copy of their theses/dissertations to ProQuest/UMI and to the American University Digital Repository. CAS students will no longer need to deposit a print copy with the library.

The following is a summary of steps for submitting your dissertation or thesis to ProQuest/UMI and to the American University Digital Repository:

1. Ensure that your thesis/dissertation follows AU's thesis/dissertation formatting guidelines.

*Note: Students who use LaTeX may continue to use LaTeX template. If possible, begin using the template as soon as you start writing your thesis/dissertation.

2. Convert your document to a PDF (the UMI submission site also has a tool you can use to convert your document during the submission process) and review it to make sure that no formatting or pages were lost during the conversion.

Important: Before converting to PDF, make sure that you have embedded all fonts in your document. You may also include supplementary files if you have media or spreadsheets you would like to share. Information on accepted file types can be found on the UMI site.

3. Submit your thesis to the Dean's Office via the AU/UMI ETD submission site. The Dean's Office will review your document and notify you if any changes to your formatting are necessary. Make any requested changes and re-submit.

4. When you have been notified via email by Dean's Office staff to do so, bring your thesis/dissertation completion form (which will have been signed by your committee chair) to the Dean's Office to be signed by the Dean.

5. Take the thesis/dissertation completion form, along with a check for the thesis processing fee ($45 for theses, $55 for dissertations) to student accounts and have the completion form signed.

*Please note: the processing fee covers costs to the university associated with digitally archiving your thesis, as well as the cost of a microform copy. This fee will need to be paid regardless of any additional services you may purchase from UMI during the submission of your thesis.

6. Thesis authors: drop thesis completion form off the Dean's Office to be signed by degree audit staff.

Dissertation authors: make an appointment to meet with Michael Hunnicutt, who will sign your dissertation completion form and collect your completed Survey of Earned Doctorates.

7. Return completed thesis/dissertation completion form and American University Digital Repository license agreement to Dean's Office. Once paperwork has been received and document is complete, Dean's Office staff will make final submission to UMI and a copy of your thesis will be sent to the AU Research Commons.