You’re in the home stretch! These days you should be working on the research proposed during your advancement. This is also a good time to submit some manuscripts to journals — with any luck you’ll get some peer reviews of your work.

Now is also a good time to spend some time thinking about what comes next. Remember, your 5th year is your final year of guaranteed TA funding. The end of Year 5 is also the normative time to finish the degree for this program (i.e., defend your dissertation). While there is a maximum time of 6 years to finish your degree, the 6th year does not have guaranteed funding which might require you or your adviser [if funds are available] to pay tuition fees. Summer funding is not available from the department for the summer after your 5th year. For reference, the Time-to-Degree listing for programs can be found here.

Academia

Are you planning a career in academia? Then maybe do another small project that might result in a publication, and start talking to people who might be hiring next year. You could also be proactive and find out if you can help a potential postdoctoral adviser to find funds to hire you.

Industry

Are you planning to a career in industry? Then maybe take that extra class or start a new project that lets you either obtain or showcase a skill and make you optimally hireable soon. Start keeping an eye out for job opportunities, and start talking to people who might be hiring.

Government

Or are you perhaps looking forward to working for the government? Then certainly start talking to people who might be hiring. Reach out and make connections, and ask potential future bosses what you can do now to make yourself into their ideal candidate.

The Individual Development Plan

Before the end of Spring, you should schedule an annual feedback meeting with your primary adviser. To do so, you must complete your Individual Development Plan (link), which you can use to discuss summer research expectations if you haven’t already.

The dissertation

What the UCI Catalogue has to say

The UCI Catalogue is the sole authoritative source on academic requirements. About the dissertation, it says this:

Dissertation. Students must submit a dissertation describing original publishable research and present a public defense of the dissertation as the final requirement of the Ph.D. program as detailed below.

The doctoral defense

The doctoral defense is the final milestone in the program. After you have finished the dissertation, or when you are close to finishing it, you should set a defense date with your doctoral committee. The defense must be publicly announced no later than ten days in advance, and by the time of the announcement the dissertation should be in a final draft stage. To schedule your doctoral defense including reserving a room and announcing your defense, submit the Doctoral Defense Scheduling Request form. 

During the defense, your will present your dissertation research in a 45-minute presentation. During and immediately after the presentation, your committee members can ask you questions about the content of the paper and presentation. After that, other members of the audience may ask questions also.

When there are no more questions, the dissertation committee will meet to discuss your work, and will render a decision immediately. Note that the committee may ask you for revisions

After the exam, you need to fill out a form. Contact the Department Office for assistance.

What the UCI Catalogue has to say

The UCI Catalogue is the sole authoritative source on academic requirements. About the doctoral defense, it says this:

Requirements for the Ph.D. The requirements for the Ph.D. degree are (1) the student must formally present and defend a written dissertation proposal to a committee of at least three members selected according to Graduate Division requirements. The dissertation proposal presentation may take place as part of the examination for Advancement to Candidacy, in which case, that five-member committee will approve the dissertation proposal; (2) the proposal must be approved prior to the final dissertation defense (usually at least three months before to allow time for the candidate to incorporate suggestions and changes required by the committee); (3) the accepted proposal must be archived with the department; (4) prior to the approval of the final version of the dissertation the student is expected to defend the dissertation in a public colloquium announced with at least two weeks’ notice; and (4) all requirements for the Ph.D. degree must be fulfilled within three years after advancement to candidacy.

Plans for this summer

Of course, all of this does not mean you can’t take a break over the summer – you absolutely should! Make sure your advisers know well in advance if and when you are planning to take time off or be away, and make plans to complete any remaining requirements to write and defend your dissertation while accommodating some time away from work. Like previous summers, this is a good opportunity to hone time management and project management skills, including making progress in small steps and setting intermediate milestones for yourself. Work with your adviser to set a plan that ensures you’ll stay on track while also taking personal time.