Doctoral Students


What You Need to Submit Online to LGS

Your dissertation should be submitted through the ETD Repository.

Aside from your dissertation, you will need to submit several distinct items.

A. You will need to collect two items that are not available in the LC Hub. You will need have these available when you complete the forms in the Hub.

  1. A signed Distribution Agreement and Approval Page-- for your committee to affirm that they approve your thesis or dissertation.  (This signature form is a DocuSign Power Form. If you are not sure what that is, read this and find out.)
    • When the form has been signed by all, save it as a pdf. You will need a completed approval page before you start the completion form in the Laney Connect Hub.
  2. Certificates that show you have completed the PhD Graduate Education Exit Survey and the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) Completion certificates
    • The link above takes you to the Exit Survey.  When you complete the Exit Survey, there will be a link to the SED Survey.  Certificates are available at the end of each survey; save them as pdf files or screen shots to attach to your Laney Connect form. 

B. You will need to complete three or four items available in the Laney Connect Hub.  Log in and click on “Degree Completion” to see links and instructions.

  1. An Electronic Theses and Dissertations Repository Submission Agreement (ETD FORM) -- to confirm how your thesis or dissertation will be available in the ETD system.  Your advisor will review and confirm this form in the Laney Connect system.  You should discuss how you intend to complete it with your advisor before you submit it.  To understand the decisions you need to make, you can look at {the old pdf version of the form}. 
  2. A Doctoral Completion Form -- for your program to affirm that you have completed all program degree requirements.  Your Director of Graduate Studies will review this form in the Laney Connect system.  Your completed Distribution Agreement and Approval Page will be uploaded here.
  3. Certificate Completion Form (if applicable) -- for a certificate director to affirm that you have completed all requirements for a certificate (if you are completing one).  The certificate director will review this form in the Laney Connect system.
  4. An Apply to Graduate Form.  This is the form that ties all the items together and allows us to review and process your full set of documentation. Your completed Distribution Agreement and Approval Page will be uploaded here, as will the Survey of Earned Doctorate and Exit Survey.

Deadlines

All completion items are expected to be submitted by 11:59 p.m. of the Degree Completion Deadline. If you need an extension to submit your dissertation and forms after the posted deadline, see instructions below

Guidelines, Checklist and Templates

Read this document, "Submitting Your Thesis or Dissertation." It has a helpful submission checklist and details about each item to be submitted. You will also find templates for items such as the dissertation cover page, the approval sheet, and more.

Electronic Theses and Dissertation Repository

Before you submit your forms and related materials, you need to submit electronically to the Electronic Theses and Dissertations Repository, or ETD. Read more on our Electronic Theses and Dissertations Repository page. 

Your ETD record should be submitted online before you turn in your forms and paperwork.

Required Surveys

The Laney Graduate School requires doctoral students to complete two online surveys: the PhD Graduation Education Exit Survey and the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED). Both surveys are confidential and are essential for producing aggregate data that helps Emory and the national higher education community understand how graduate students progress through their programs and view their educational experiences.

  • Complete the surveys before you upload your forms to LGS. 
  • Be sure to upload the required certificates to demonstrate that you have completed the surveys. Each certificate is available at the end of the survey.

Submission Deadline Extension

In certain circumstances students may need an extension to submit a dissertation or thesis and associated forms after the posted deadline. These request are reviewed by the Laney Graduate School, and must be for an approved reason:

  • advisor, committee member or DGS/Program Director is unavailable
  • illness or other personal emergency
  • I need more time for writing or corrections
  • defense date is on or near the posted submission deadline and I need more time
  • defense date is after the posted submission deadline

If you seek an extension for another reason, you can explain and the Dean may approve. 

To request an extension, visit the Laney Connect Hub to submit the "Request for an Extension of the Deadline to submit Graduation Documents" form.