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MS with thesis graduation procedures
Registration
First, please remember to register for at least the minimum number of required credit hours in the quarter in which you wish to graduate:
- If you are self-funded, at least 3 credit hours (also applies to company/government-funded students--confirm minimum hours with funding source).
- If funded by a GRA or Fellow position (this would include making use of a Fourth Quarter Fee Authorization):
- Minimum of 9 credits for MS students funded by GRA,
- Minimum of 15 credits for MS students funded as a Fellow,
- 3 credits for PhD student who has passed the PhD Candidacy Exam, regardless of GRA or Fellow status. [Go to more about post-Candidacy enrollment limits.]
Applying to graduate
MSE students must complete the form below to receive an Application to Graduate. Upon submission of this form, the MSE Graduate Studies Coordinator will review the student's academic status. A hard-copy summary of the student's status and further instructions will be placed in the student's 479 Watts Hall mailbox.
Please download the Application to Graduate form referred to in the Student Status Summary, obtain the necessary signatures, and submit the Application to Graduate to the Graduate School (247 University Hall) by the second Friday of the planned quarter of graduation (________________).
Note: all date references below assume that the student wishes to attend Commencement on (________________).in the quarter for which s/he applies to graduate. Details about End-of-Quarter (i.e., after Commencement) deadlines are provided at the bottom of this page.
Required forms
Your submission of the Application to Graduate form will generate two forms, the Master's Exam Report form and the Master's Thesis Approval form. These are sent by e-mail from the Graduate School to the department's Graduate Studies Coordinator, typically during the third to fourth week of the quarter. The MSE Graduate Studies Coordinator will distribute the forms to your advisor.
Master's Exam Report form
You must schedule a defense of your thesis with the members of your Master's Examination Committee by the third Wednesday before Commencement (________________) (all such date references below include the Wednesday of Finals Week).
- Your exam committee is to be made up of at least two MSE faculty members, one of whom is your advisor.
- If you are co-advised by two MSE faculty, a third MSE faculty must be included.
- People from outside the MSE dept. may also be included on your committee. If they are to be voting members, you must request that the MSE Graduate Studies Committee petition the Graduate School to allow the person to take part. Please include the prospective committee member's resume/CV with your request. Please make your request of the GSC at least three weeks in advance of the exam.
- These committee members should have been listed on your Application to Graduate form; if there is any change in the committee's membership, your advisor must inform the Graduate School in writing before the committee meets.
- A room and time may be reserved with the staff in 477 WA. Available rooms include 184 WA, 145 FL, and 177 WA.
- The complete Master's thesis document to be evaluated by this committee is to be delivered to the members no later than one week prior to the exam (________________).
It is at the thesis defense that the Master's Exam Report form is signed by the examining committee.
The signed Master's Exam Report form (indicating Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory performance) must be taken to the Graduate School no later than 4:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday prior to Commencement (________________).
Master's Thesis Approval form
The exam committee may indicate that changes / corrections are to be made in the thesis. These changes should be made and provided to your examining committee. If the committee is satisfied with the document, they will sign the Master's Thesis Approval form.
You must submit to the Graduate School the following no later than 4:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday prior to Commencement (________________):
- The Master's Thesis Approval form
- Two abstracts of the thesis
- The only additional fees involved with the MS with thesis degree are for gown rental/purchase and hood purchase (prices available through the Graduate School, 292-6031).
Electronic submission of thesis
Effective WI09, all Master's theses are required to be submitted electronically--i.e., in PDF format--through the state's library network, OhioLINK (www.ohiolink.edu/etd). Hard-copy final approved theses are no longer submitted (though a hard-copy draft should be submitted for formatting review to the Graduate School prior to any electronic submission).
- Further information regarding the submission process may be found on the Graduate School web site (www.gradsch.ohio-state.edu)Link to the Graduate School procedures for electronic submission of theses & dissertations. Additionally, a tutorial on how convert a document to PDF and add multimedia to the document, workshops, FAQs, and more is available on the Graduate School's "Policies and Procedures" pageGraduate School's Policies and Procedures page, under "Dissertations and Theses."
The Electronic Thesis / Dissertation (ETD) is different from its paper predecessor in a few important aspects. First, it provides a technologically advanced medium for expressing your ideas. You may prepare an ETD by using nearly any word processor or document preparation system and by incorporating relevant multimedia objects. Second, it is less expensive for you to prepare. By creating an ETD, you avoid the requirement of submitting multiple copies on special paper. Third, ETDs promote greater access to your research. ETDs are made available to anyone that browses the web. They consume virtually no library shelf space, and never collect dust. Overall, ETDs contribute to worldwide graduate education and unlock the underutilized results of graduate research for the scholarly community.
Your thesis should be uploaded by at least the Monday (________________) between the third and second Wednesday before Commencement. This allows a minimum amount of time for Graduation Services to be notified by OhioLINK that your thesis has been uploaded, perform a formatting review, and contact you to confirm receipt.
Summary of Commencement deadlines
The following deadlines apply if the student wishes to attend Commencement in the quarter requested. Commencement occurs on the Sunday following Finals Week (________________); all dates below include the Wednesday of Finals Week.
- Application to Graduate form: to be submitted to the Graduate School by the second Friday of the quarter.
- Master's thesis document to Master's Exam committee: no later than the fourth Wednesday prior to Commencement (i.e., at least one week prior to the Master's Exam).
- Master's Exam: to occur no later than the third Wednesday before Commencement. The exam must occur during normal university business hours and may start no later than 3:30 p.m. The Master's Exam Report form is to be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m., unless prior arrangements have been made with the Graduate School's Graduation Services Office (292-6031).
- Master's Exam Report form: to be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the third Wednesday before Commencement by 4:30 p.m.
- Electronic Thesis / Dissertation (ETD) submission: submit to OhioLINK no later than the second Monday prior to Commencement. Please keep in mind, though, that revisions may be required as a result of the committee's review. Some extra time may be needed, so plan accordingly. Also, you may wish to run a hard-copy past the Graduation Services staff in the Graduate School for a formatting review prior to uploading to OhioLINK.
- Master's Thesis Approval form: to be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the second Wednesday before Commencement by 4:30 p.m.
- Other final requirements: other miscellaneous items--such as abstracts, survey, and fees listed above--are to be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the second Wednesday before Commencement by 4:30 p.m.
- And you're done! Please review the MSE dept. exit procedures with the Graduate Studies Coordinator.
Download Graduate School deadlines for submission found on the Graduate School web site, www.gradsch.ohio-state.edu (PDF, 36K) Dates assume that you wish to attend Commencement in that quarter. If you do not wish to go through Commencement you must inform the Graduate School (292-6031).
Commencement
As regards specific Commencement ceremony procedures, those who have submitted an Application to Graduate by the second Friday of the quarter will receive a Commencement Information Packet from the Graduate School. This will provide details on the ceremony, including your numbered assignment in the Commencement line.
This packet is mailed out in mid-quarter to your local address (therefore it is very important that you provide the Graduate School with your current local address).
Any questions about the ceremony should be addressed to the Graduation Services Office within the Graduate School, 292-6031.
If you must delay graduation
Missing Commencement deadlines.
You may find that you are unable to complete the final requirements in time to meet the Graduate School deadlines for submission. If so, you will not be permitted to take part in Commencement. Please inform the Graduate School that you will not be attending current quarter Commencement by contacting the Graduation Services Office at the Graduate School, 292-6031.
End-of-quarter graduates.
If the Commencement submission deadlines are missed, you have until the last business day (________________) before the start of the next quarter to submit all required items (forms, fees, documents, etc.). If this final deadline is met, you will receive the degree during Commencement at the end of the following quarter. If requested, the MSE department can provide a verification letter confirming completion of all degree requirements.
Summary of end-of-quarter deadlines
The following deadlines apply if the student is unable to meet the Commencement deadlines referred to above:
- Application to Graduate form: to be submitted to the Graduate School by the second Friday of the quarter.
- Master's thesis document to Master's Exam committee: no later than one week prior to the Master's Exam date. Thus the latest date would be one week before the last business day before the start of the following quarter.
- Electronic Thesis / Dissertation (ETD) submission: submit to OhioLINK no later than two business days before the last business day of the quarter. Please keep in mind, though, that revisions may be required as a result of the committee's review. Some extra time may be needed, so plan accordingly. Also, you may wish to run a hard-copy past the Graduation Services staff in the Graduate School for a formatting review prior to uploading to OhioLINK.
- Master's Exam: to occur no later than the last business day before the start of the following quarter. The exam must occur during normal university business hours and may start no later than 3:30 p.m. (though exams are roughly two hours in length). The Master's Exam Report form is to be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m., unless prior arrangements have been made with the Graduate School's Graduation Services Office (292-6031).
- Master's Exam Report form: to be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the last business day before the start of the following quarter by 4:30 p.m.
- Master's Thesis Approval form: to be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the last business day before the start of the following quarter by 4:30 p.m.
- Other final requirements: other miscellaneous items--such as abstracts, survey, and fees listed above--are to be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the last business day before the start of the following quarter. by 4:30 p.m.
- And you're done! Please review the MSE dept. exit procedures with the Graduate Studies Coordinator.
Registration for the next quarter.
If the required items are not submitted by the last business day before the start of the next quarter, you must register for at least three credit hours (see minimums below) and resubmit an Application to Graduate using the MSE on-line request form. The Application to Graduate form must be received at the Graduate School by the second Friday of that quarter (________________).
Minimum required credit hours.
A student's funding status and other factors will determine the minimum number of credits for which the student must register in the the quarter of graduation.
- If you are self-funded, at least 3 credit hours (also applies to company/government-funded students--confirm minimum hours with funding source).
- If funded by a GRA or Fellow position (this would include making use of a Fourth Quarter Fee Authorization):
- Minimum of 9 credits for MS students funded by GRA,
- Minimum of 15 credits for MS students funded as a Fellow,
- 3 credits for PhD student who has passed the PhD Candidacy Exam, regardless of GRA or Fellow status. [Go to more about post-Candidacy enrollment limits.]
Questions?
Please e-mail the MSE Graduate Studies Coordinator, go to 477 Watts Hall, or call (614) 292-7280 with any questions.
You may also wish to contact the Graduation Services Office in the Link to the Graduate School, 247 University Hall, at 292-6031.
