The Application for Professional Exam form is used by students in professional doctoral programs (e.g., DNP, DPT) to formally schedule and gain approval for their final examination. Submission of this form is necessary to ensure the exam meets program and Graduate School standards and to initiate the reporting workflow for the final evaluation.
Important Notes:
- The application must be submitted and approved by the advisor and program at least two weeks before the oral examination date.
- You must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 graduate credit hours during the semester or summer term in which the exam is held.
- Ensure that all program requirements, including coursework and capstone or practicum requirements, are fulfilled or on track for completion.
- The application is valid for the selected term only. If the exam must be rescheduled for a future term, a new application must be submitted.
- Refer to the Graduate School Calendar and the Graduate School handbook GSH Section 7 - Doctoral Degrees | Graduate School for important details.
Submission Instructions:
Step 1: Log in to GradForms.
Step 2: Navigate to Forms > Graduation/Examination.
Step 3: Click “Create New” next to Application for Professional Examination.
Step 4: Review the Student Information section:
- This section is for informational purposes only. Consult Buckeyelink for the most up to date information about your academic record. If the “Missing Grades” field shows “Yes”, review your advising report on Buckeyelink.
Step 5: Select the term in which you plan to complete your professional exam.
Step 6: Select Exam Type: Indicate if this is a first or second attempt by using the dropdown to select First Professional Exam or Second Professional Exam.
Step 7: Enter Exam Details:
- Date and Time of your exam (exams can begin between 7:30 am and 3:30 pm, Monday–Friday). Exams need to be scheduled for two hours.
- Location including building and room number, or online platform details if virtual.
Step 8: Enter Committee Details:
- Add your Advisor, Co-Advisor (if applicable), and all Committee Members using the search dropdowns.
- If you are including a non-Graduate Faculty member, list them under “External Members” and submit a Committee and Examination Petition explaining their role and qualifications.
- External members do not count toward the minimum required Graduate Faculty members.
Step 9: Once all fields are complete, click:
- Save to return later, or
- Submit to begin the approval process.
Approval Workflow:
- Initial Review: The form is routed to your Advisor and Graduate Program for review and approval.
- Grad School Review: Once program approval is complete, the Graduate School conducts a final review.
- Upon approval, your exam is officially scheduled and the Report on Professional Exam form will be generated for your committee to complete after the exam.
Post-Submission:
- You can track your application’s progress from the GradForms Home page under Active Forms or by searching using the Forms tab.
- The History tab shows each step of the form's approval and status changes.
- Check the Comments tab for notes or instructions from your program or the Graduate School.
- You may cancel or revise the form before it is approved by contacting your graduate program office.
Troubleshooting and Tips:
- Double-check names when entering committee members; the system only accepts names listed in the OSU directory with active Graduate Faculty status.
- For external members, complete the petition in advance to avoid delays in form approval.
- If a committee member is not appearing in the dropdown, confirm their name in the OSU directory and that they are listed under your program.
GRADFORMS Support
GRADFORMS Help Page
Alternatively, you can reach out to:
The Ohio State University Graduate School
250 University Hall, 230 N Oval Mall, Columbus OH 43210
Phone: 614-292-6031 | Fax: 614-292-3656
Graduation Services Email: Grad-SchoolGraduationServices@osu.edu
Registration Services Email: Grad-SchoolRegistrationServices@osu.edu