This information is offered to guide BPhil degree candidates as they plan for graduation and the thesis defense; students are encouraged to share this information with their thesis advisors.
You are responsible for reading the following information. Not adhering to the requirements listed below could jeopardize your graduation.
If you have any questions or require any assistance as you progress, please contact David Hornyak, assistant dean of the David C. Frederick Honors College, at hornyak@pitt.edu.
Final Deadline
The entire defense process must be completed by NOON on the LAST WEEKDAY OF CLASSES of the term in which you will graduate.
Specifically, this means that you must have successfully defended your thesis before your committee, incorporated and received approval for any revisions required by your committee from your defense, and submitted the final version of the thesis in proper Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) format by this deadline.
If you are unable to meet the requirements by the deadline, you will either need to defer your graduation or forego receiving the BPhil degree and graduate with the standard bachelor's degree associated with your major(s).
NO EXCEPTIONS will be made to this deadline, so careful planning is important to successfully complete the BPhil degree.
Graduation Application Procedures
Although the BPhil degree replaces the standard bachelor's degree associated with your major(s), it is jointly awarded by the Frederick Honors College and another school/college at Pitt (e.g., Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Swanson School of Engineering, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, etc.). Therefore, you must follow all procedures, regulations, and deadlines established by the school associated with your major(s) regarding applying for graduation. You do not need to note that you are pursuing the BPhil degree on your graduation application. The Frederick Honors College does not require you to complete a separate graduation application form with us.
Scheduling the Defense
The thesis advisor and student should coordinate a time and location for the defense with the committee members. Scheduling should take into consideration that all requirements for the BPhil degree must be completed no later than noon on the last weekday of classes of the term in which you will graduate. If you anticipate any problems meeting this deadline, you should contact David Hornyak immediately. For specific steps to follow in the BPhil defense process, including a suggested timeline, please review the checklist for BPhil degree candidates at the bottom of this web page.
Forming the Defense Committee and External Examiner Procedures
As you consider the formation of your examination committee for your thesis defense, please remember that this committee must consist of at least four individuals: your thesis advisor, who is the chair of the committee; two additional faculty members from the University of Pittsburgh; and an external examiner from outside the University of Pittsburgh, who will receive an honorarium from the Frederick Honors College for serving on your committee. Although deciding on the composition of the committee is usually a collaborative effort between you and your thesis advisor, the final composition is the prerogative of your thesis advisor.
The external examiner may participate in the defense remotely or they may travel to Pittsburgh to participate in person. The Frederick Honors College will reimburse the cost of travel and lodging for an external examiner who is traveling to Pittsburgh for your defense.
Once your committee has been formed and a date for your defense has been set, please complete this BPhil defense information form (Word) at least one month before your defense date.
Suggested Structure for the Defense
Thesis advisors should model the defense after a graduate defense within their discipline. The thesis advisor is considered the "chair" of the committee, facilitating the process. It is the student's responsibility to bring the ETD Approval Form to the thesis defense.
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Procedures
After successfully defending the thesis and making any necessary revisions required by the committee, the final BPhil theses document must be submitted as an ETD. For specific information about ETD formatting, see the University's ETD website.
NOTE: It is highly recommended that students review the information on the University's ETD website prior to beginning to write the thesis and attend the available training workshops offered.
Students are to follow these steps to complete the BPhil process once any necessary revisions have been made to the thesis:
- Give the completed ETD Approval Form directly to David Hornyak. The first two pages must be completed entirely, including all appropriate signatures. Remember to include any written permission statements from owners of copyrighted matter used in your thesis along with the approval form. All documentation may be sent via email, especially if forms are signed electronically (e.g., through DocuSign).
- Submit final version of your ETD (properly formatted) to the Frederick Honors College.
Checklists for BPhil Candidates
This information is offered to guide BPhil degree candidates as they plan for the thesis defense by providing a suggested timeline and a checklist of items related to the defense.