Any deviation from the rules set forth for completing a doctoral degree must be approved by the Graduate School. Whether the deviation is having a member participate through video conference, a committee member who is not a member of the Graduate Faculty, waiving a rule or needing an additional semester to complete the doctoral dissertation, the Graduate School must approve it.
Log into GRADFORMS using your OSU user name and password, then select Graduation and Examination Forms by clicking the bright blue ‘View Graduation and Examination Forms’ button. Scroll down the list of forms to Committee and Examination Petition and click the
green ‘+Create New Committee and Examination Petition.’ The petition form will generate on the computer screen.
The five most common petition requests are already listed on the form as options.
- A one-semester extension of the candidacy period.
- A waiver of the following rule in the Graduate School Handbook. The rule needs to be specified, either by rule number or written out, before the petition can be reviewed.
- Permission to include a non-member of the OSU graduate faculty on an exam committee. An electronic copy of the person’s CV is needed for this petition.
- Continuing Graduate Committee Request. Be sure to specify if this former graduate faculty member will be serving as co-advisor or as a committee member.
- Permission to video conference the exam.
- Other – this is for any deviation which does not fit any of the options above, including committee changes, changing from thesis to non-thesis and the like.
Whatever petition option is selected the Graduate School needs to know the reason. Space for this is given in the section ‘Reason For Petition.’
- Why does the student need the additional semester to complete the dissertation or DMA document?
- Why does this rule need to be waived for the student? What hardship will the rule cause?
- Who is the non-graduate faculty person and why is s/he specifically wanted on this committee?
- Who is the former graduate faculty member and what is the reason for retaining him/her on this committee?
- Why is a video conference necessary? Who will participate via the video conference?
- Where will this person be? What method or platform will be used for the video conference?
Additional supporting documents, including CVs, letters, military orders, and the like should be attached to the petition electronically.
Select the type of application which caused the petition to be made, your graduation level, our graduation plan and degree.
Type your advisor’s last name into the space provided and wait for a drop down menu to generate. Select your advisor from the list.
Click ‘Save and Continue’ to check for any errors on the form; make whatever corrections that may be necessary before clicking the ‘Submit’ button.
Remember to check the progress of your petition by using the search function; both your advisor and program must approve the petition before it enters the Graduate School workflow. Petitions are processed as quickly as possible but it can take up to two weeks before a decision is posted.
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