Graduate Student Forms

These Graduate School student forms are available for processing with automatic electronic signatures using the University’s DocuSign process. Some forms will be transitioning to Slate (see Updated Forms below).

If for any reason, you find that one of the forms below does not work correctly, please contact Eric Harris at eharris@ua.edu.

Active DocuSign Forms	Updated Forms (Starting Fall 2023)
Master’s Students Master’s Exam Form Master’s Capstone Project Form Thesis Final Defense Form Committee Acceptance Form for Electronic Thesis (See Instructions Below)	Comprehensive and Proficiency Exams (Replaces: Master’s Exam, Master’s Capstone Project, EdS Comprehensive Exam, Doctoral Qualifying Exam, Foreign Language Exams) Final Defense (Replaces: Thesis Final Defense and Doctoral Final Defense)
Educational Specialist Students EdS Admission to Candidacy Form EdS Comprehensive Exam Form
Doctoral Students PhD Plan of Study DMA Plan of Study College of Education – EdD Plan of Study College of Education – PhD Plan of Study Phd and EdD Doctoral Admission to Candidacy Form Doctoral Admission to Candidacy Form (with Committee) Doctoral Admission to Candidacy Form (Engineering) DNP Admission to Candidacy Form DSW Admission to Candidacy/Plan of Study Form Doctoral Qualifying Exam Form Doctoral Final Defense Form Committee Acceptance Form for Electronic Dissertation (See Instructions Below)
Miscellaneous Foreign Language Exam Form Request for Transfer of Graduate Credit Transfer Credit Evaluation Form Field-Related Employment Since Earning Master’s Degree Courses Drop/Add Form Approval of 400-Level Course Work for Master’s Credit Course Override Form Maximum Hours Override Form Level Override Form Reinstatement Request Form
Other Memorandum of Appointment Form – Contracts & Grants Memorandum of Appointment Form – Regular Final Semester Notification for Assistantships/Fellowships Graduate Instructor of Record Certification

Committee Acceptance Form (CAF) Instructions

PROCESSING AND SUBMISSION OF SIGNATURES

General

The Graduate School now requires submission of all Committee Acceptance Forms (CAF) using UA’s online secure DocuSign System. This uses a combination of formal protocols and online systems to process and record all signatures via email.

This new submission process supersedes all previous notices and instructions regarding the processing of the CAF

Initiating the Form

The student should contact the department administering their degree and (1) notify them of the successful defense completion, (2) confirm the student’s ETD has been submitted to the Graduate School, and (3) request the department to initiate a digital CAF.

Once the department has verified the above with the committee chair, the department administrator – not the student – will then log into myBama and click on Graduate Student forms – DocuSign under the Employee tab. Select the Committee Acceptance form for Thesis (or Dissertation) and follow the steps to complete the form.

To initiate the form, the department will need

The student’s name, CWID, and email address,
Date of the defense,
Degree level,
Degree program,
Manuscript title,
The name and email address of each regular committee member,
The name and email address of the committee chair, and
The name and email address of EITHER the department chair OR the department Graduate Program Director, whichever is the usual signatory for the department.

***Please note manuscripts will not receive an initial review until a completed Committee Acceptance Form has been received by the Graduate School.

Timing

Once the student has successfully defended their disseration, and the document has been finalized and approved by the committee, the student may upload that document to the ETD administrative system (ProQuest Submission).

Do not submit the CAF for digital signing until after the successful completion of the oral presentation and defense and the ETD has been finalized with and approved by the committee.

***Please note that the thesis/dissertation committee must be approved in the Graduate Academic Activities portal PRIOR to the defense.

Process

In summary:

Student – Completes their oral defense, finalizes the document with the committee, submits their ETD online, and sends a request to the degree administering department to initiate the digital signing of the CAF.
Degree Awarding Department – Initiates the Committee Acceptance Form on behalf of the student.
Signatures – requests are sent to each person in the following order:
- Student
- Committee chair
- External member(s)
- Regular committee members
- The department chair or Graduate Program Director as appropriate
- Graduate School Registrar.
Graduate School Registrar – Reviews and confirms committee has been previously appointed and approved by the Graduate School.
Graduate School – Reviews the ETD submission, requests corrections as appropriate, accepts the final corrected ETD, and completes the CAF digital signoff.

Completion and Notices

Once the Graduate School Registrar has noted that the committee is current, the department will be able to download and retain a PDF copy of the form once they have set it up and submitted it to the DocuSign system.

Once the Graduate School has completed its review of the ETD and accepted the final document the system will send an email confirmation to all parties who signed the form including the student and the department and committee signatories. Each party will be able to download a PDF copy of the final signed CAF.

Eric Harris, Registrar – Graduate School

Karin Bryson, Assistant Graduate Registrar – Graduate School

Active DocuSign Forms

Updated Forms (Starting Fall 2023)

Committee Acceptance Form (CAF) Instructions