Degree Plan – Master’s Plan A

By the End of the First Semester

Decide on a Topic for the Thesis Study

• The student and major professor are encouraged to decide upon a problem or topic for the thesis study.

By the End of the Second Semester

Establish a Supervisory Committee

• A completed Supervisory Committee Approval form should be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies for final approval by the end of the student’s second semester.
• A master’s degree supervisory committee must include at least three faculty members who hold a master’s degree or higher and are members of the Graduate Faculty.
  • At least one member must represent the student’s area of specialization, and at least one must be from outside the specialization area.

Please review the Supervisory Committees page for more information pertaining to supervisory committee policies and procedures.

Finalize a Program of Study

• For more information about a Program of Study, please review the Program of Study section (D6) in the Graduate School Catalog.

Deadline for Submitting a Program of Study

• Master’s Degrees: Master’s students are encouraged to submit a Program of Study to the School of Graduate Studies for approval before the end of the second semester.
• A program of study is created in DegreeWorks.
  • To finalize a Program of Study, log into Access Banner and enter the list of courses into the “Plans” section of DegreeWorks.
• If a student needs assistance with making revisions to their program of study, they may contact their Graduate Program Coordinator, who will update the courses listed in DegreeWorks and submit a ServiceNow Program of Study request to the School of Graduate Studies for processing.
  • The student’s major professor and department head will receive the Program of Study revision and will follow the same approval procedure.

Successfully Defend a Thesis Proposal

• The student should finalize what they will be doing for their thesis and present it to their supervisory committee.

Obtain Necessary Regulatory Approvals to Conduct the Proposed Research

• Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) CITI Training is required for all MS/A (thesis), MA, and MFA students who entered their programs after March 2020.
• It is also required for all students funded by NIH, NSF, or USDA-NIFA.
• The training is also available for any master’s students whose committee deems it appropriate for the student’s thesis.
• All university research involving human subjects, animal subjects, radiation materials, recombinant DNA, biohazardous materials, or certain highly toxic chemicals must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate university committees before the research is started.
• Students should consult with their advisor on which approvals and training are needed for your research and degree.
• For updates on IRB regulations and to determine whether your research requires IRB approval, visit the IRB website.

Submit the Thesis/Project Approval form

• A Master’s Thesis/Project Approval Form should be submitted after the committee approves the research proposal.
• This form is also used to document that the student has obtained any necessary regulatory approvals and completed any safety training and should therefore be submitted prior to the student conducting the majority of their thesis research.
• NOTE: Students are encouraged to submit this form during their second semester, after the Supervisory Committee Approval Form, Program of Study, a successful thesis proposal defense, and all regulatory approvals are in place.

Students should not wait until their final semester to submit required forms, as it could impede their ability to graduate in a timely manner.

Forms to Submit:

• Supervisory Committee Approval Form (SCAF)
• Program of Study (POS)
• Master’s Thesis/Project Approval Form

Preparing for the Defense

Review the Defense Process and Requirements

• It is crucial that a student understands the procedures related to a thesis defense.

View Defense Requirements

Determining the Credit Load for the Defense Semester

• Students must be registered for at least 3 credits the semester of their defense.
• To maintain full-time status at 3 credits, students should submit a Full Time at 3 Credits (FT3) form and receive departmental approval.
• NOTE: International Students with questions about Full Time at 3 Credits, may contact the Office of Global Engagement.

Submit an Appointment for Examination form

• The Appointment for Examination form confirms that all required paperwork is complete, and your committee members have read the thesis/dissertation and agree it’s ready to be defended.
• This form should be submitted by the student and approved by the School of Graduate Studies at least 10 workdays before the final defense.

Forms to Submit:

• Appointment for Examination (AFE) Form
• Full Time at 3 Credits form

After the Defense

Submit the Thesis/Dissertation Format & Style and Electronic Publication Approval form

• Students should notify the School of Graduate Studies of the format their thesis will be in and provide their approval for electronic publication by submitting the Thesis/Dissertation Format & Style and Electronic Publication Approval form.

Submit the Authorship & Copyright Form

• This form is used to specify a student’s plans for publication and confirm data copyright by submitting the Authorship & Copyright form.

Make Any Necessary Thesis Revisions

• Students should notify their graduate program coordinator (GPC) once your committee and department reviewer have approved all the revisions to the thesis.

Title Page

• To gain final approval of a student’s Master’s Plan A Thesis, the committee members agree that the student’s final document is ready to be put before the School of Graduate Studies and the Vice Provost for final approval.
• The Title Page is required before it can be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies for review.

Fill Out an Embargo Request Form (if desired)

• An embargo means that the student’s work will be unavailable to read online for 5 years.
• If desired, a student may submit an embargo request form.

Ensure All Degree Requirements Have Been Met

• Please review the Reasons Students Will Be Denied for Graduation (H4) section of the School of Graduate Studies Catalog.

Apply for Graduation

• Complete the graduation application by the university deadline and pay the $15 graduation fee.

Students who do not complete ALL required forms will not be awarded a degree.

Forms to Submit:

• Thesis/Dissertation Format and Style (F&S) and Electric Publication Approval
• Authorship and Copyright (A&C) Form
• Title Page
• Embargo Request (If desired)
• Graduation Application