Preparing for the Final Examination

-Review this web page to ensure your understanding of the requirements, processes and deadlines for scheduling your final examination. Schedule an appointment with the BME graduate programs office for questions not answered on the website.

-Write your thesis or dissertation. You must use one of the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars (OGSPS)-provided templates to format your thesis or dissertation.

-Students are strongly encouraged to submit their thesis or dissertation file to the OGSPS for a format consulation. This is a free service with a set deadline each semester. Most files can be submitted for asynchronous review as an email attachment to thesishelp@purdue.edu. After the consultation, content changes can still be made at the student and faculty advisor's discretion up to the applicable final deposit deadline.

-Work with your research advisor(s) to formalize and arrange an appropriate thesis/dissertation examining committee.

-Arrange the date and time of your final defense with your research advisor(s) and thesis advisory committee members.

-Schedule an acceptable conference room or classroom in which to hold your final defense and/or create a virtual meeting link.

-Submit the electronic GS Form 8 to officially schedule your final exam with the Purdue OGSPS.

-Two weeks prior to your final exam, email to smmay@purdue.edu the following information:

a. Your name.

b. Title of the Thesis Research.

c. Names of Thesis Committee members, with Major Professor designated.

d. Date, time and place of the final examination (including virtual meeting link as applicable).

e. An abstract (no more than 250 words) of the thesis proposal clearly defining the problem and its significance.

-The BME graduate office will coordinate the required final examination forms with your research advisor(s).

-Following successful completion of your defense, complete the electronic thesis/dissertation deposit following the steps found on the OGSPS Thesis/Dissertation website.

Detailed instructions and information related to the final exam:

When to Schedule: Refer to the Purdue Graduate School Graduation Deadlines and PhD students should be aware that two semesters must pass between the preliminary and final exams.

Examining Committee: The master's thesis examining committee is comprised of at least three faculty members, including your major advisor, and is often the same as the plan of study committee. The PhD dissertation examining committee is comprised of at least four faculty members, including your major advisor, and could be the same as the preliminary examining committee. For both master's and PhD students, the examining committee must consist of at least 51% regular certified Purdue graduate faculty members.

Thesis/Dissertation document: You must utilize the templates found on the OGSPS Thesis/Dissertation website to format your thesis / dissertation. The student’s research advisor(s) should provide guidance on the thesis/dissertation and designate a deadline by which the student should provide the document to the committee members. It is highly recommended that along with your thesis or dissertation document you provide your committee members with a copy of your CV and a list or copies of your publications with the status indicated. Neither the Purdue Graduate School nor the Weldon BME graduate program requires a bound hard copy of your thesis or dissertation.

Room/Virtual Meeting Scheduling: Generally a two-hour period should be reserved for the final exam to include a 45-60 minute presentation by the candidate and questions by his or her committee members. To reserve MJIS 2001, the preferred room for in person exams, complete the reservation form at https://forms.office.com/r/c3YZakRNd0  providing your name, email address, faculty advisor name, purpose for reservation, date, and start and end times. If MJIS 2001 is not available on the date and time you need it, contact smmay@purdue.edu for other room suggestions. Virtual (or hybrid) exams are also acceptable with the faculty advisor's approval. In that case, the student or faculty advisor should create the virtual meeting link.

Submitting GS Form 8: Log in to myPurdue and on the 'Graduate Students' card click on the link for 'Graduate School Plan of Study'. This form must be initiated by you and signed by the BME graduate office, your research advisor and the BME Head at least 14 days before the proposed date of the exam. In the case of co-advisors, only one of them will need to sign. The exam is not officially scheduled until the Purdue OGSPS grants the final approval.

Evaluation and Results: Evaluation of the written document and oral presentation will be conducted by the student's thesis/dissertation advisory committee. The committee members will be given the opportunity to complete a BME Final Exam Evaluation Form. Copies of the evaluations will be provided to the student for his or her benefit. The BME graduate office will coordinate the required final examination forms with the primary research advisor(s). If a student fails the final examination, at least one academic session (fall, spring or summer) must elapse before a re-examination is permitted and only with the approval of the advisor and committee.

Thesis/Dissertation Deposit: Refer to the deposit timelines, checklists, and formatting instructions on the OGSPS Thesis/Dissertation website for steps necessary to deposit the final thesis or dissertation with the Purdue OGSPS. The student should initiate the electronic GS Form 9 Thesis/Dissertation Acceptance form shortly after completing the defense. The dissertation deposit should be completed only after your document has been given final approval by your research advisor and committee members. The degree title for master's degree students is Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering. The degree title for PhD students is Doctor of Philosophy. On the required faculty form (included in the OGSPS-provided templates), the 'approved by' representative for BME and IBSC students should be listed as Vitaliy L. Rayz.

Commencement ceremony: See Commencement for information and important to do items and deadlines related to the Purdue commencement ceremony. Students whose names appear on the semester candidates for graduation list will have a “Commencement” tab in your myPurdue account with more information and a mechanism for you to sign up to participate in the ceremony if you choose to do so.

BME Check-Out: The Weldon BME graduate office will provide the student with BME check-out form to be completed and signed before you leave Purdue.