A student must register for PSY999 with the Program Coordinator and follow the procedure below. NOTE: Steps 1 and 2 must be completed by the end of the semester preceding that in which the student is registered for PSY999. Students often complete their proposal in a directed study course (PSY 875/876) with their thesis director (faculty sponsor).

The student must form a three-member Thesis Committee to approve a proposal for a thesis research project (proposal is often completed in PSY875/876) and, at the completion' of the study, to approve the awarding of credit for the thesis. Each Thesis Committee shall be composed of three members: a thesis director (faculty sponsor), second and third readers. The second and third members (readers) may be from outside the department. The thesis director will be a full time tenured or tenure-track faculty member who is selected by the student. The thesis director is the instructor and faculty member of record for the thesis. The director will supervise the thesis and be responsible for grading the completed thesis work/course. The Coordinator of the Program must approve, in writing, all members of the thesis committee.
This committee must approve, in writing, the student's proposal for the thesis. This proposal should clearly set forth what the student needs to accomplish in order to complete the thesis. This proposal should be in APA style and format.
The student must then complete a Graduate School Application for Thesis Registration Form which must be approved by the thesis director, program coordinator, the second reader of the thesis (and if possible, the third reader of the thesis), and the Dean of the Graduate School. This application includes a summary of the thesis proposal.
If for any reason, a faculty member is unable to complete his or her responsibilities as a member of a thesis committee, a student may, with the consent of the Program Coordinator, make a request for a replacement committee member. It should be recognized, however, that such a replacement member must follow the guidelines of the already approved thesis plan.
Amendments may be made to the thesis plan at any time during the course of the thesis. Such amendments must be made in writing and be approved, in writing, by all members of the student's thesis.
Thesis must receive IRB or IACUC approval.
Satisfactory completion of the thesis shall include a formal presentation and an oral defense.