Dissertation, Specialist Project, and Thesis Defense Submission Deadlines
Please note that master's thesis and specialist project defenses are not scheduled in the Graduate College. Please contact your committee to schedule a defense.
2026 Dissertation Deadlines and Other Important Dates for Graduate Students
2026 Dissertation Deadlines*
*Updated as of Jan. 6, 2026: Since the Spring 2026 dissertation deadline to hold the defense lands during Spring Break, we modified the dissertation deadlines for Spring 2026 in an effort to make the deadlines more easily accessible for the faculty and student alike. The Spring 2026 thesis submission deadline will remain the same, Friday, April 17, 2026.
| Friday, March 6, 2026 | Deadline to schedule dissertation defense for Spring 2026 graduation |
| Friday, March 20, 2026 | Last day for doctoral candidates to hold dissertation defense for Spring 2026 |
| Friday, March 27, 2026 | Defended dissertations due in the Graduate College for Spring 2026 graduation |
| Saturday, May 2, 2026 | Spring commencement |
| Friday, May 1, 2026 | Deadline to schedule dissertation defense for Summer I 2026 graduation |
| Friday, May 15, 2026 | Last day for doctoral candidates to hold dissertation defense for Summer I 2026 |
| Friday, May 22, 2026 | Defended dissertations due in the Graduate College for Summer I 2026 graduation |
| Friday, June 19, 2026 | Deadline to schedule dissertation defense for Summer II 2026 graduation |
| Saturday, June 27, 2026 | Summer I commencement |
| Friday, July 3, 2026 | Last day for doctoral candidates to hold dissertation defense for Summer II 2026 |
| Friday, July 10, 2026 | Defended dissertations due in the Graduate College for Summer II 2026 graduation |
| Friday, August 14, 2026 | Summer II semester ends; no commencement ceremonies |
| Friday, October 16, 2026 | Deadline to schedule dissertation defense for Fall 2026 graduation |
| Friday, October 30, 2026 | Last day for doctoral candidates to hold dissertation defense for Fall 2026 graduation |
| Friday, November 6, 2026 | Defended dissertations due in the Graduate College for Fall 2026 graduation |
| Saturday, December 12, 2026 | Fall commencement |
2026 Specialist Project, and Master's Thesis Deadlines
| Friday, April 17, 2026 | Defended master’s theses due in the Graduate College for Spring 2026 graduation |
| Saturday, May 2, 2026 | Spring commencement |
| Friday, June 19, 2026 | Defended master’s theses due in the Graduate College for Summer I 2026 graduation |
| Saturday, June 27, 2026 | Summer I commencement |
| Friday, August 7, 2026 | Defended master’s theses due in the Graduate College for Summer II 2026 graduation |
| Friday, August 14, 2026 | Summer II session ends, no commencement |
| Friday, December 4, 2026 | Defended master’s theses due in the Graduate College for Fall 2026 graduation |
| Saturday, December 12, 2026 | Fall commencement |
- Academic Year Calendar
- For other program-specific dissertation/thesis deadlines, please contact your WMU department.