MS Thesis Guidelines
Procedures and Deadlines Relating to the MS Thesis
- 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.
- 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.
- Apply for IRB Protocol Approval for thesis research (no more than one semester after proposal meeting).
- Conduct research, write thesis: Format must follow Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Guide
- 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, the Graduate School will "roll over" your graduation check for a couple of semesters. If you still have not graduated by then you should contact the Graduate School to find out if you need to submit a new request for graduation check.
- You must be registered for the semester in which you defend your thesis. You also must be registered for the semester in which you 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 Electronic Thesis, Form 9 and Electronic Thesis Approval Form 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.
- At the beginning of the semester in which you intend to graduate with the MS, let Trixie Langley know your intent to graduate. This is for purposes of arranging for the assistantship pay raise associated with earning your MS degree.**
- Format Check: After making any changes recommended by your major professor and/or committee, submit the thesis draft to the Graduate School by e-mail (as a pdf)
(email to etdmail@auburn.edu) for a format check (for semester deadline, see MS Calendar).*
- 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.
- Make sure you bring to your defense Graduate School "Report on the Thesis Defense." You can complete and print out this form from the Graduate School's website. You should also bring to the defense the Electronic Thesis Final Approval Form.
- At the conclusion of your thesis defense, make sure that the entire committee signs the Form 9 and Electronic Thesis Final Approval Form.
- After successful defense of the thesis, give me your signed "Report on the Thesis Defense" and signed Electronic Thesis Final Approval Form. I will make a copy of each for your departmental file and I will take the originals to the Graduate School. If you are trying to graduate during the semester of the defense you need to get these forms to me in time to meet the deadlines posted on the MS Calendar.*
- Make any remaining revisions to the thesis. Upload final approved draft electronically to the Graduate School via http://graduate.auburn.edu/auetd. If you are trying to graduate during the semester of the defense you need to upload the final draft in time to meet the deadline posted on the MS Calendar.* If you have questions about the process, see Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Guide and/or consult with Julie Renfro at the Graduate School (844-2135).
*The deadlines in the MS Calendar are for students who intend to GRADUATE with the MS at the end of the semester. If you do not intend to GRADUATE that semester, but do intend to complete all degree degree requirements by the end of the semester (e.g., in order to get the assistantship pay raise to the "with Master's Degree" pay rate) you need to complete all the steps on the MS Calendar by the last day of the semester and follow the directions the note below.**
** If you intend to defend your Master’s thesis, be aware that university pays higher rates to GTAs and GRAs once they have completed the Master's degree. If you will actually be graduating with the MS degree at the end of a semester then let Trixie know that fact as soon as you are certain of it. She will process the paperwork for your raise accordingly. If you will defend but NOT graduate, then in order to get the raise prior to actually graduating you must apply to the Graduate School for a Letter of Completion(which certifies you have completed all degree requirements even if you haven't technically graduated). You will need to provide the Letter to Trixie before she can process the appropriate raise. The raise will become effective at the beginning of the semester FOLLOWING the semester in which you either graduate or provide the certificate of completion. If you are going to pursue this, let Trixie know your plans as soon as possible.
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