Master's Thesis

If you have received approval from faculty to complete a master's thesis in lieu of COMPS or a culminating experience, please follow the steps below:

1. Ensure you have registered for thesis credits as required by your degree requirements. Students must be registered for at least one class at the time they defend their thesis. Students who have completed their coursework requirements, including thesis credits, should register for CAND 5940 Candidate to Degree. Please contact your academic advisor for guidance on registration.
2. Adhere to all deadlines and submit all required forms as instructed in the master's thesis deadlines table below.
3. Email your thesis as a PDF to your academic advisor for format review.
4. Two weeks prior to defense, submit the master's thesis exam request form to SEHD and use the student room request form to schedule a room for your defense.
5. After successfully defending your thesis, submit the master's thesis approval form to your academic advisor via email
6. Submit your final thesis to ProQuest.

Additional Information for submitting your final thesis

All approved theses must be submitted electronically in PDF format through the ProQuest website. You will receive an automatic email confirming your thesis submission. Within 2 weeks, SEHD will verify that your thesis meets publication standards and you will be notified that your submission will be published. 

In the event that corrections need to be made, you will receive an email with additional information for resubmission. Once corrections have been resolved and your resubmission has been approved, you will be notified that your submission will be published. 

During the submission process, you will have the opportunity to choose traditional publishing, Open Access publishing, and/or copyright. Please visit the ProQuest Resources & Guidelines page for additional information on these options.

Additional information on the master's thesis is available in the Student Policy Handbook.

Master's Thesis Deadlines

• Deadlines: Students are responsible for following the above deadlines. If posted deadlines are missed, a student’s graduation may be postponed to the next term. Please touch base with your academic advisor immediately in the event that you miss a deadline.
• Registration: Students must be registered for at least one class at the time they defend their thesis. Students who have completed their coursework requirements, including thesis credits, should register for CAND 5940 Candidate to Degree. Please contact your academic advisor for guidance on registration.
• Format Review: Format Review is a check to ensure that your thesis is formatted appropriately for publication only. Format Review does NOT review content, so drafts are permitted to be reviewed. Your thesis, submitted as a PDF to your academic advisor, should comply with the Thesis Style and Policy Manual upon submission for Format Review. Allow two weeks for Format Review and take this time frame into account in order to meet all other posted deadlines.
• Commencement: Applying to graduate is separate from participating in the ceremony. Please visit the commencement website to register to participate in the ceremony. Master’s students must complete all degree requirements before they are able to participate in commencement. There is no summer commencement ceremony. Students completing their degree in the summer can choose to participate in the following Fall ceremony.