The thesis requires a major commitment of the student's time and effort.In fact, students who are contemplating undertaking a thesis should be aware that most students who have chosen the thesis option in the past have taken two full semesters to complete their projects.
The thesis is undertaken at the end of the total course of study. A student will not normally be allowed to register for thesis credit hours until he or she has successfully completed at least twenty-seven hours of class work.Moreover, no student may take more than nine hours in any combination of English 698: Tutorial (3 hours), 699: Independent Study (3 hours), and 701: Thesis (6 hours).
The student who wishes to write a thesis must first complete a written proposal and a working bibliography for the project. He or she should then enlist, from among the faculties of the two institutions, a thesis director willing and appropriately qualified to direct the proposed project. Two additional appropriately qualified readers must be added to complete the thesis committee.The committee should include at least one representative from each institution.In order to register for English 701 the student must have established a full committee.
Students undertaking a thesis are expected to complete the entire process, including the oral defense and final corrections, while in residence. Those who find they cannot do so must petition the Joint Program Committee in writing for permission to continue in absentia. The petition must receive the prior approval of the student's thesis director and must contain an agreement regarding the nature of the student's oral defense.