Thesis Option

Some Elliott School programs offer a thesis option. Exceptional students may choose this option. A student must obtain approval from the Dean and must have:

• A minimum GPA of 3.5 after 20 credits of graduate work;
• A previous, high-quality research paper demonstrating the ability to conduct original research and write cogently; and
• A formal, brief thesis proposal approved by the prospective thesis advisor, a second reader, and the student's Graduate Student Advisor.

Once this the thesis proposal has been approved, the student should contact the Office of Academic Advising and Student Services to register for IAFF 299 and IAFF 300. Students pursuing the thesis option must also complete the capstone course.

Two final copies of the thesis must be submitted to the Office of Academic Advising and Student Services no later than the last day of the semester. This implies that the thesis must be submitted to the readers well in advance of this date. The thesis is then submitted to Gelman Library for binding; there is a required university fee charged for binding of the thesis.

Payment of tuition for thesis research entitles the student, during the period of registration, to the advice and direction of the thesis director and the second reader. In case a thesis is unfinished, the student must maintain Continuous Enrollment and is allowed one calendar year to complete it. If the preparation of the thesis extends beyond the additional calendar year, the student must register again for the entire six hours of thesis credit.