Master's Degree Plan A
The Plan A option for a master's degree requires preparation of a thesis. Between 6 and 15 thesis credits are required.
The following publication is required in preparing your thesis: Publication Guide for Graduate Students.
The semester during which a student registers for thesis credit should correspond as closely as possible to the semesters in which the thesis work is done and faculty supervision is provided.
The thesis for a Plan A master's degree is to be a contribution to the field of knowledge, based on the student's own research or a treatment and presentation of known subject matter from a new perspective. The student and major professor should decide upon a problem or subject for the thesis study by the end of the student's first semester of graduate study.
Master's Degree Plan A Forms
Supervisory Committee Approval form
Click here to download the form.
Due: By the end of the first semester
Signatures needed: Department head, initials from all committee members
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A Supervisory Committee Approval form confirms and formalizes the names of authorized individuals who will serve on a student's committee.
The Supervisory Committee Approval form must be filed by the end of the first semester for Plan A master's students. When completing the form, please follow instructions 1-5 in the lower left corner of the form.
No changes can be made on a Supervisory Committee Approval form within the 6 weeks prior to a student's final defense.
NOTE: A master's degree supervisory committee must include at least 3 faculty members who are approved by the department head and the dean of the School of Graduate Studies. At least one member must represent the student's area of specialization, and at least one must be from outside the specialization area. Adjunct faculty can be members with the approval of the dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Upon recommendation of the department head, emeritus faculty may serve on supervisory committees, but may not chair new committees.
For information about the guidelines for supervisory committee appointments, click here.
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Program of Study form
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Due: Before the end of the second semester
Signatures needed: Major professor, committee members, department head, student
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The Program of Study form constitutes a contract between the student, the committee, and the School of Graduate Studies regarding what courses a student will take in completion of his or her program requirements.
The original Program of Study form with signatures in ink should be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies by the student before the end of the second semester following matriculation. Amendments to the Program of Study form can be made with an e-mail from the major professor to Laura Holley (Laura.Holley@usu.edu) and carbon copies (CCs) to all committee members. No changes can be made to the Program of Study form within the two months prior to the defense.
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Proposal Cover Sheet
Click here to see a sample.
Due: Following the proposal defense
Signatures needed: Major professor, committee members
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A thesis proposal cover sheet, signed by all members of the committee, must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies following the proposal defense. A filed proposal cover sheet formalizes an agreement between the student and committee members regarding the topic and content of the student's thesis.
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Appointment for Examination form
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Due: At least 10 working days before the defense
Signatures needed: Major professor, committee members
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The Appointment for Examination form formally notifies the School of Graduate Studies that the student will be defending his or her thesis. This allows the School of Graduate Studies to confirm that all required paperwork has been submitted by the student and ensures the student that committee members have read the thesis ahead of time and agree that it is ready to be defended.
The final defense should be scheduled by the student after all courses and the thesis are completed. At least 4 weeks prior to the defense, the student should give a copy of the thesis to each member of the supervisory committee for approval or corrections.
An Appointment for Examination form must be completed by the student and committee indicating approval of the proposed time and place for the examination and defense and submitted by the student to the School of Graduate Studies a minimum of 10 working days prior to the defense.
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Data and Copyright form and Plans for Publication form
*These forms are not available online.
Due: Following the final defense
Signatures needed: Major professor, committee members, student
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The Data and Copyright form and the Plans for Publication form formalize an agreement between the student and major professor about copyrighting the thesis, publishing the student's thesis and the ownership of the data. Filing these forms makes these agreements clear should future misunderstandings or disputes occur.
The student and all committee members are required to sign a Data and Copyright form and a Plans for Publication form. The forms are given to the student at his or her final defense of the thesis. The form must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies following the final defense.
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Thesis/Dissertation Format and Style form
Click here to download the form.
Due: With the thesis when it is submitted to the School of Graduate Studies
Signatures needed: Major professor, departmental format/style reviewer (check with your department to identify your format/style reviewer)
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The student is responsible for proofreading the thesis and having it read and approved by the department before submitting a final, committee-approved and signed copy-with the Thesis/Dissertation Format and Style form attached-to the assistant dean of the School of Graduate Studies. The Thesis/Dissertation Format and Style form communicates which thesis format has been chosen by the student and major professor and who will be responsible for communications about thesis revisions. The assistant dean will review the thesis for proper format and conformity to departmental and School of Graduate Studies standards. The assistant dean will attach a check sheet of formatting, stylistic, and mechanical problems and will mark examples of needed changes on the thesis.
Format corrections and required rewriting must be completed before the assistant dean will submit the thesis to the dean of the School of Graduate Studies for approval. The dean of the School of Graduate Studies examines each thesis before approving and signing it. Any thesis may be selected for further review by members of the faculty not on the student's supervisory committee or by expert reviewers at other institutions before being accepted by the dean.
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Thesis/Dissertation Processing Date form
*This form is not available online.
Due: Optional, following the thesis defense
Signatures needed: Major professor
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The student may reserve a processing date for the thesis by completing the Thesis/Dissertation Processing Date form after the thesis defense. This is optional but, if used, guarantees the thesis will be read within 3 days of the processing date reserved. The final committee-approved and signed thesis should be submitted to the assistant dean by at least the day before the reserved processing date. If a processing date has not been reserved but the student would like to finish by the end of a semester, he or she must submit the final committee-approved and signed thesis to the assistant dean of the School of Graduate Studies at least 7 weeks before the last day of the semester. At other times, the signed thesis must be submitted at least 4 weeks prior to anticipated program completion.
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Master's Degree Plan A Checklist
Click here to download a printable checklist
- Committee form approved and up-to-date (end of the first semester).
- Program of Study form approved (before end of the second semester). All courses listed on the form have been taken and grades submitted. If there is to be any change on the Program of Study form, an e-mail from your major professor, sent to Laura Holley, is needed authorizing the change.
- Thesis proposal submitted, signed by committee members.
- No coursework (excluding transfer credit) on the Program of Study form is out-of-date (older than 6 years). If so, has the major professor been notified? If revalidation is allowed by the department, the major professor must send a letter to the dean of the Graduate School outlining how the courses will be revalidated.
- Appointment for Examination form submitted to the School of Graduate Studies at least 10 working days before the final examination.
- Registered for at least 3 credit hours the semester of defense.
- Record of Exam Completion form signed by committee and submitted to the School of Graduate Studies.
- Data and Copyright and Plans for Publication forms submitted to School of Graduate Studies.
- Graduation forms completed, fees paid, and forms returned to the School of Graduate Studies (these forms are listed below and are given at your final defense):
- Commencement data card
- Diploma Fee ($15)
- Alumni file card
- Student survey
- Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Approval form is signed (this form is also included with the forms given at your final defense).
- Thesis/Dissertation Format and Style form is signed (this form is also included with the forms given at your final defense).
- Incomplete grades for research credits changed.
- Thesis completed and signed by all committee members. When this step is completed, the thesis should be submitted to the assistant dean for review. When the assistant dean is satisfied that it meets the requirements, the thesis will be submitted to the dean of the School of Graduate Studies for a signature. When the dean has signed the thesis, it must be picked up from the School of Graduate Studies Office, copies made, and taken to the second floor of the Merrill-Cazier Library for hard binding. Binding and microfilm fees will be paid to the Merrill-Cazier Library at that time. Please note that the university requires two copies of the thesis; one remains in the library and one goes to the department.
- After the dean has signed the thesis, the student's file will be reviewed for completion and processed for graduation.
- Binding Clearance form returned to the Graduate School. This is the final document signaling completion of degree.
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