MS Thesis Guidelines

Procedures and Deadlines Relating to the MS Thesis

1. Establish an MS Thesis advisory committee no later than the end of your first semester in the program. The MS advisory committee must consist of at least three faculty members. The committee chair must be a member of the Graduate Faculty and a member (not adjunct) of the department of psychology faculty. All advisory committee appointments are subject to approval of the Department Chair and the Dean of the Graduate School (GS) through Plan of Study approval. Changes in committee membership and committee chairs must be approved via a "Revision of Existing Plan of Study" form.
2. Hold a thesis proposal meeting with your committee and have your proposal approved by the end of your fourth semester of graduate study. This approval must be documented on a departmental Proposal Defense Form signed by your entire committee at the conclusion of the successful proposal meeting.
3. Apply for IRB Protocol Approval for thesis research (no more than one semester after proposal meeting).
4. Conduct research, write thesis: Format must follow Guide to Preparation and Submission of Theses and Dissertations
5. Graduation Check - complete and electronically submit your request for a graduation check here no later than the last day of the semester BEFORE the semester you intend to graduate. Graduate School staff will compare your transcript with your Plan of Study and will notify you of any discrepancies, which you will need to resolve promptly. If you do not graduate during the semester for which you ordered a graduation check, you will need to request another graduation check for the semester you intend to graduate; they do not carry over from one semester to the next.
6. You must be registered for the semester in which you defend your thesis and graduate. If you do not register during pre-registration, you may not make it onto the graduation list. See MS Calendar for registration dates. The only exception to this is that students who have completed all requirements for the degree, including successful thesis defense and submitting the required copies of the final draft to the Graduate School, and who have secured a certificate of completion from the Graduate School by the end of the semester preceding the semester in which they intend to graduate do not have to be registered during the semester in which they graduate. If you think this applies to you, call the Graduate School during the semester before the semester in which you will graduate to make sure.
   
7. Thesis Defense - all committee members must be present; schedule with committee members at least two weeks prior to defense. Don't forget to reserve the department's conference room or other suitable venue for the event.
8. Make sure you bring to your defense Graduate School Form 9 "Report on the Thesis Defense." You can print this form from the Graduate School's website. You may also wish to bring to the defense the requisite copies of the thesis signature page so your committee members can sign each copy.
9. At the conclusion of your thesis defense, make sure that the entire committee signs the Form 9 (and the signature pages, if you brought them).
10. After making changes recommended by your committee submit the thesis to the GS for a format check (for semester deadline, see MS Calendar).
11. After the GS Rough Draft Format Check (turn-around time is about 3 days), make necessary changes in the thesis. Make a copy of the original, signed Form 9. Submit final approved draft of Thesis, copies and associated paperwork (including the original Form-9) to GS by deadline date and upload your electronic thesis (see MS Calendar) (see Guide to Preparation and Submission of Theses and Dissertations) or consult with Julie Renfro at the GS (844-4700)). Write on the photocopy of the Form-9 a brief note stating the date on which you delivered the final draft of the thesis to the Graduate School and give the photocopy to Thane for your departmental file.

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Last updated on June 18, 2007