Below is a brief outline for how to file your dissertation.  The following steps for filing your dissertation should be taken in order.

  1. Make a final appointment with Sara Miceli in UC San Diego Graduate Division and file your dissertation by the specified deadlines
  2. Submit final dissertation to the JDP
  3. Complete the SDSU Doctoral Dissertation Submission Form for Pat Walls in SDSU Graduate Studies
  4. Submit dissertation to SDSU Montezuma Publishing

Filing Dissertation at UC San Diego

Upon successful completion of the dissertation defense and once the dissertation is FINALIZED, make a final appointment with Sara Miceli in the Graduate Division at UC San Diego. The final appointment will not be held face-to-face.

Final Appointment Scheduling Window: Final appointments will need to be scheduled anytime AFTER the end of Spring quarter at UC San Diego but by the last business day ON or BEFORE June 30 of that year (see below “Important Deadlines”).  This gives students a 2-week window to complete their final appointments.

Appointments can be made online using the Graduate Division Calendar at https://gradforms.ucsd.edu/calendar.*  Please refer to the site prior to making an appointment as there are specific guidelines to be followed. *NOTE: Appointments may be made at least one full day in advance, but not more than 60 days in advance, so plan accordingly.

Once you schedule your final appointment, you will receive an email from Sara Miceli with a Final Dissertation Appointment Checklist which includes detailed instructions on how/what to prepare for your final meeting. You can also refer to the Dissertation & Thesis Submission website: https://grad.ucsd.edu/academics/preparing-to-graduate/dissertation-thesis-submission.html

For any questions regarding the final appointment, you can contact the Graduate Academic Affairs Advisor, Sara Miceli (smiceli@ucsd.edu).

Important Deadlines

Please note that we follow the deadlines at UC San Diego for filing the dissertation, however students are still required to apply for graduation at SDSU (refer to the Graduation webpage).   Students must be registered for PSY 899 at SDSU when submitting the final copy of the dissertation and will need to apply for graduation at SDSU for the semester in which the final copy will be submitted.  Even though students will apply for summer graduation, they will NOT have to register for any units during the summer term but ONLY IF the following requirements are completed by the deadlines listed below.

Summer Graduation (no registration fees)

  • Last day of UC San Diego Spring Quarter (mid-June)
    • Successful defense of dissertation
    • Dissertation signature page signed
    • JDP-5 Form signed by committee members and JDP Co-Directors
  • Starting the first day AFTER UC San Diego Spring Quarter ends and no later than the last business day on or before June 30
    • Final meeting with the Graduate Division at UC San Diego

If a student does not meet the criteria listed above by the specified dates, they will need to register for either the SDSU Summer or Fall term at their own expense.  See below for more information regarding the two additional options:

Summer Graduation (registration fees required)

Student does not need to reapply for graduation but will be required to register for 1 unit of PSY 899 at SDSU at their own expense.  For SDSU tuition and fees information, visit the University Bursar’s Office Tuition and Fees website.

Extended deadlines to still graduate during the summer term are as follows:

  • Last day of UC San Diego Summer Quarter (early September)
    • Successful defense of dissertation
    • Dissertation signature page signed
    • JDP-5 Form signed by committee members and JDP Co-Directors
    • Final meeting with UC San Diego Graduate Division

Fall Graduation (registration fees required)

Student will need to reapply for graduation and pay the $100 application fee again.  They will also be required to register for 3 units of PSY 899 at SDSU at their own expense plus the mandatory student fees.  For SDSU tuition and fees information, visit the University Bursar’s Office Tuition and Fees website.

Deadlines for Fall graduation are as follows:

  • Last day of UC San Diego Fall Quarter (mid-December)
    • Successful defense of dissertation
    • Dissertation signature page signed
    • JDP-5 Form signed by committee members and JDP Co-Directors
    • Final meeting with UC San Diego Graduate Division

Submitting Dissertation to JDP

AFTER the final appointment with the Graduate Division at UC San Diego, and Sara Miceli has approved your dissertation, submit the final copy of your dissertation and IRB approval letter by e-mail to both the SDSU and UC San Diego Program Coordinators and copy both the SDSU and UC San Diego Co-Directors.  Please follow the guidelines listed below when submitting the final dissertation:

  1. The file should be a PDF document.  The title of the file should be Final Dissertation – [First and Last Name].
  2. The subject line of the email should read [Your name] Final Dissertation.
  3. The body of the email should read:

“Attached please find a copy of my final dissertation titled “[Insert Dissertation Title here]” and IRB approval.  My dissertation has been approved by [Name of Grad Division Advisor at UC San Diego who approved dissertation].  I understand that my posted graduation date must be after the completion of my pre-doctoral internship.  In order to ensure compliance with this requirement, I have listed the necessary internship information below:

  • [Name and location of internship placement]
  • [Internship start and end dates]

I understand that the SDSU Graduate Division Evaluator will not post my degree without this information and a confirmation email from the SDSU Program Coordinator.”

Filing Dissertation at SDSU

Once your dissertation has been submitted to the JDP, the SDSU Program Coordinator will send you a confirmation email.

At this time, please complete the SDSU Doctoral Dissertation Submission Form. You will need the following to complete this form:

    • Degree: Ph.D. Clinical Psychology 778310
    • Files to Upload:
      • Completed Dissertation Signature Page
      • Dissertation
      • Certificate of Completion of the Survey of Earned Doctorates from sedsurvey.org (you should have already completed this for your final meeting with Sara)
      • Email confirmation from the SDSU Program Coordinator that you have submitted your dissertation to the JDP
      • Embargo Letter (if needed)

Within five business days Pat Walls (pwalls2@sdsu.edu) in Graduate Studies will evaluate your academic record and dissertation packet then share your documents with Montezuma Publishing.

Submitting Dissertation to Montezuma Publishing

You will receive a separate email from Montezuma Publishing after Pat Walls sends your dissertation packet materials to them (see above).

There is a $45.00 processing fee (required by the University) which includes ProQuest submission, an electronic file, metadata file, and abstract for SDSU Library. Credit card is accepted.

Once this process is complete, please forward your Montezuma Publishing receipt confirmation email to both the SDSU and UC San Diego Program Coordinators.

Montezuma Publishing will notify Pat that the dissertation has been processed. At this time, the SDSU Graduate Dean will sign your JDP-5 Form and be routed to the Graduate Division for the UC San Diego Dean’s final signature.

Degree Conferral

Degrees are only posted once the degree has been conferred on the last day of final exams of UC San Diego Summer Session II (beginning of September).

You will receive one diploma from UC San Diego and have an official transcript from each campus.

Since many students complete all program requirements prior to their degrees being officially conferred by the University, you may be required to provide a letter from the program verifying that you have met all requirements prior to starting a Postdoctoral Fellowship. For more information about how to request this letter as well as postdoc hours and licensing boards, please refer to the After Graduation webpage.

Updated 9/10/2021