Upon the completion of the dissertation, the candidate is to submit to a Final Oral Defense Examination. A student must be in good academic standing to schedule the defense. The examination focuses on the dissertation itself but can include general questioning related to the field(s) of study within the scope of the dissertation.

The exact time and place of this examination must be scheduled with the Graduate Degree Certification Office at least 7 working days in advance, and announced publicly in Lo Que Pasa at least one week in advance. Final Oral Examinations should be scheduled during days when the university is in session and during normal business hours. Permission to hold examinations during University holiday closures or outside of normal university business hours may be granted by Graduate College.

The dissertation director presides over the examination. The examination is closed to the public, except for an initial seminar portion during which the student presents the dissertation and entertains questions.

There is no minimum time limit for the Final Oral Examination, but the entire proceedings may not exceed three hours. Members of the committee must be present for the entire examination.