Requirements for Completing the Master's Degree with Thesis

To complete the MA degree with Thesis, students are required to take CMS 081M in the first semester and 30 hours (24 hours of course work and 6 hours of thesis). The 24 hours of course work must include 6 hours in CMS outside of the major area of study; 6 hours outside of CMS, and two 3 hour thesis courses (698A and B) that are not taken in the same semester. A thesis is an original research document. Writing one requires that a student collect original data, analyze that data, and write about this process.

Students must be registered in the final thesis course (698B) the semester they intend to graduate.

Semester One:

(the ideal is to finish the work by each of the semesters listed herein)

• The student must take 081M.

• First Semester Mentor is assigned by the Graduate Advisor, on the basis of the student's area of study to assist in selecting courses for the first semester.

• Conditions of admission, if any, are met.

• CMS 398T completed, if desired (counts toward 9 hour minimum course load requirement and towards work plan as out of area course within CMS). Recommended for Teaching Assistants.

Semester Two:

• In early Spring, the Supervising Professor, Thesis Reader, and a tentative area of thesis research are selected by the student, with consent of the faculty members. Only members of the Communication Studies Department Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) can serve on these committees. A student may petition the Graduate Dean to permit a non-member of the GSC to serve as her/his reader. The petition should be addressed to the Graduate Advisor, and must establish that the non-member has competencies that no member of the GSC has. A vita for the non-member must be attached to the petition.

• By April 1, the Departmental Work Program prepared with the advice and approval of the Thesis Advisor and Reader and is due to the Graduate Coordinator. The Work Program must include a tentative area of thesis research and be signed by the Supervising Professor and the Reader. The student delivers it to the Graduate Coordinator. A meeting with the Graduate Coordinator will be held in late March to discuss the preparation of this document.

• In mid-April, work Program reviewed by the CMS GSC.

Semester Three:

• Student registers for CMS 698A (Thesis). Student must take one semester of 698A and one semester of 698B. Both thesis courses cannot be taken in the same semester.

• Student should meet with thesis advisor to discuss a time line for completion of the thesis. Topics of discussion could be issues such as thesis topic and how much time it takes to write and revise a thesis for this particular advisor.

Semester Four:

• Student registers for CMS 698B (Thesis).

• Student must submit an application for candidacy (apply to graduate). It is the student's responsibility to know the Graduate School's deadlines. Deadlines are listed in the University calendar.

• The Supervising Professor and Thesis Reader expect that the final draft of the thesis to be fully edited before being submitted to them. Drafts that are characterized by inaccuracies, spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors, and typographical errors will not be accepted.

• Student must turn in thesis to the Graduate School with appropriate paper work before the Graduate School deadline.

• Degree granted.