Important Semester Dates
Fall 2026
*Portfolio exam items need to be presented to the exam committee/DGS by the 1st week of the semester.
**Masters theses should be submitted to Dr. Donnelly 1 week before your scheduled defense. Dissertations should be submitted Dr. Donnelly 2 weeks before your scheduled defense.
Italicized events are only for Graduate Assistants.
| Dates | Important Events |
|---|---|
| September 6 |
Last day to drop with no grade |
| September 7 | Labor Day – NO CLASSES |
| September 8 | GTA Inter-Office Form is due. Ph.D. Preliminary Exam(s) sign-ups due. Last day to submit Intent to Graduate form to CGS for December graduation. |
| September 15 | Submit David Lavery Travel Award in Film Studies and Popular Culture Applications to Graduate English Office |
| October 10-13 | Fall Break – NO CLASSES |
| October 16 | Graduate English Prelim exams administered (1 of 2) from 1-5pm |
| October 19 | Students using fee waivers may start requesting a spot on the Wait List for classes in Spring by emailing the English Graduate admin. assistant. |
| October 23 | Graduate English exams administered (2 of 2) from 1-5pm |
| October 28 | Last day to drop with a W |
| November 1 | Submit VPTF Kevin Donovan Graduate Award for Excellence in Scholarship Applications to Graduate English Office |
| November 2-14 | Priority Registration for Spring 2027. |
| November 17 | Last day for Spring 2026 graduates to upload their theses/dissertations to ProQuest. The signed Publishing Agreement form is also due on this date. |
| November 25-28 | Thanksgiving Holiday – NO CLASSES and University Closed |
| December 2 | Last day of classes |
| December 3 | Study Day – NO CLASSES |
| December 4 | Last day to submit theses/dissertations for Spring 2027 graduation without being required to register for residency hours. Students submitting after this date must register for the Spring semester and submit a new Intent to Graduate form |
| December 4-10 | Final Exams |
| December 12 | Fall Commencement |
| December 13 | Deadline for Final Grades by 11:59 pm |
| December 18 | Deadline for the submission of Spring 2027 First Time Thesis/Dissertation Research hours, Master’s Portfolio, Directed Readings, Master’s/Doctoral Readings, and Directed Creative Writing Courses. Please see the Student Handbook for further information on the proposal guidelines. Your committee director will need to submit the proposal to Dr. Donnelly. Deadline for Spring 2027 Custom Prelim Exam Proposals and Exam Short Reading lists. This will need to be submitted to Dr. Donnelly by the professor you worked with on the proposal. |
| December 21 | Graduate Students using a fee waiver will receive their course information and may begin registering. |
For additional important dates from the College of Graduate Studies, visit the Graduate Studies Calendar.
