Graduation and Certifications

Graduation occurs 4 times a year: April, June, August and December. Dental Residents typically graduate in June, while Oral and Craniofacial Sciences (OCS) graduate students typically graduate in April. Graduation is not an automatic process. You must complete a graduation application before the deadline date listed below. If you do not meet all the requirements for graduation in the term for which you applied, you must submit a new graduation application for a subsequent term.

Pre Doctoral Students and Dental Hygiene Students: Graduation requirements and information for your programs are not listed below. Questions about graduation? Please contact Ms. Tracey Wassel in the Office of Student Affairs for pre doctoral students or Ms. Kathy Horn for dental hygiene students. 

Graduation Forms, Deadlines, and Requirements

Fulfilling all of your academic requirements is only part of what is necessary to graduate from the School of Dental Medicine. You must also complete all of the required applications, forms, and sign out process (if applicable). Forms, applications, and required paperwork can be downloaded from this site using the links below. Please read all of these materials carefully to ensure that you are in full compliance with all rules and regulations. 

Note: The name you indicate on your graduation application must match exactly as it appears in the University's student information system (PeopleSoft).

For All Graduate Candidates

• Graduation Address Change Form

Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

All ETD authors must submit the ETD Approval Form (PDF) and required documents to the Graduate Program Administrator in the Office of Student Affairs (Tracey Wassel, taw63@pitt.edu, 6650 Salk)

• Association of American Universities Data Exchange (AAUDE) Doctoral Exit Survey (PhD Graduates)
• Ask an ETD Specialist Contact Form
• ETD Website
• ETD Approval Form 
• ETD D-Scholarship Submission Instructions
• ETD Format Guidelines
• ETD Patent Form (if applicable)
• Support Contact and Walk-in Hours
• ETD Templates and Tutorials
• Survey of Earned Doctorates Website
• ProQuest ETD Administrator Submission Form
• University Library System's ETD Workshops

Graduation Ceremony

All Pitt Dental Medicine graduates are invited to participate in the Diploma Ceremony hosted by the School in May. The Office of Student Affairs will notify graduating residents/students of the time, location, and information about the ceremony, as well as regalia. 

Click here to view for more information about the Diploma Ceremony. 

Post-Graduation

• MS, DMD, MDS, and PhD: Diplomas will be mailed out at no charge approximately 6-8 weeks after the end of your term of graduation. Residents receive their certificate of completion on the last day of their program.

• Allow 30 days from the advertised ship date to consider the diploma lost for domestic mail, 90 days for international delivery.

Reordering a Diploma or Certificate

Additional copies of your diploma/certificate may be purchased anytime after graduation. Diplomas/certificates will be in the current style and font and bear the signatures of the current administrators.

• Residency Program Certificate Alumni: Please complete the Resident Certificate Reorder Form and mail a $25 check (made out to the University of Pittsburgh) to the Graduate Programs Administrator, Lainey Dworek, Suite 6650 Salk Hall, 3501 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261.
• MDS, Pre Doctoral, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences (OCS) and Hygiene Alumni: Please visit the Office of the University Registrar's website (Graduation/Diplomas Section) for more information.