Thesis Process
To obtain your Master of Arts in Sustainable Communities
degree, you must author and present a thesis to the public and to your
committee.
Your thesis prospectus
A thesis prospectus is a document outlining your plans for
your thesis that may include:
- resources
you will use
- literature
review
- proposed
committee members
- research
questions
- purpose
and outcomes of your research
- theoretical
assumptions
- methods
- timeline
of progression
You will have to defend your thesis prospectus to the
department chair and your committee members. All will have to sign off on the
prospectus before you begin your thesis. Your thesis prospectus should be
completed by the end of your third semester.
Guidelines for SUS committees
SUS prospectus approval form
Prospectus guidelines
Prospectus approval meeting guidelines
Your thesis
To assist in your research and writing, six credit hours of
Thesis Development is required to graduate. Usually, your last semester is
dedicated solely to writing your thesis.
After you have written your thesis, you must defend your
work to the department chair and committee members and give a public
presentation. The public presentation is more of a celebration of your work and
anyone is invited.
The oral defense, however, determines the approval of your
thesis.
Guidelines for SUS committees
Guidelines for oral defense
Report on final oral
exam
Thesis formatting checklist