Thesis Option for the M.S. Degree
If you choose the thesis plan, you must complete 30 hours of combined coursework and thesis credit hours. Your 30 hours must include a minimum of 4, but no more than 6, thesis hours. In addition, you may count a maximum of 3 hours (total) of independent study and/or graduate level internship. Graduate internship or independent study projects must consist primarily of research.
Thesis Advisory Committee
You must form a 3-person advisory committee consisting of members of the graduate faculty, with at least two from the regular UC Denver faculty. Your committee membership must be approved by your graduate advisor.
First Meeting of Your Committee
You must meet with your committee before the end of your first year.
Committee members must be presented with a document describing the thesis research plan in sufficient detail so that members can understand the design and goals of the project. Your graduate advisor may specify the format this should take. Committee members should receive this document at least 1 week prior to the meeting.
At this meeting, you will give an oral presentation describing your proposed project, including background from the literature, your hypothesis based on this background, proposed methods, and possible outcomes and pitfalls. Your committee members will then have the opportunity to provide input in the design and methodology of your project. At the end of the meeting, the members will sign a Thesis Project Approval Form (pdf) that will approve the basic research plan. The document should also specify any changes agreed to at the meeting. If the plan is not approved, a new meeting and presentation must be scheduled as soon as possible.
Progress Check Meetings with Your Committee
You should schedule meetings with your entire committee at least once per year to keep members abreast of your progress and of any changes in goals or design of your projects. A Thesis Project Approval Form should be signed at each meeting when changes are proposed.
Thesis Research, Writing and Submission
Your thesis committee will help guide the development of your research. And you can rely on them for direction in your chosen topic.
Additionally, there are a number of steps that you must take regardless of your topic or discipline. These steps are part of a venerable university process applicable to all who undertake thesis research. Please see the following centralized resources:
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Thesis Guidelines (forms, deadlines, and links to required research protocol approvals)
UCD Instructions for Preparing a Master's Thesis (specifics on format, citations, printing, submitting to the Graduate School, etc.)
The Thesis Defense
The thesis defense will be held separately from the oral comprehensive exam, even if your committee members are the same for both. Your thesis defense may be scheduled at the convenience of you and your thesis committee, but only AFTER you have passed your oral and written comprehensive exams. The Exam Report Form will be signed, but will be turned into the Graduate School only after you have passed your thesis defense as well.
Do not count on your committee members to be available during the summer — plan ahead!
The thesis defense consists of a seminar on your thesis research, which you should publicize with posted fliers a week ahead of time. All Biology faculty and graduate students will be invited to attend. The seminar will be followed by a question and answer session involving only you and your thesis committee.
If you have kept your committee members informed and provided them with ample opportunity for input ahead of time, the thesis defense should be a very positive experience.
