Guidelines for Thesis Preparation and Submission

A thesis should be prepared in accordance with the standards of the discipline for which the thesis is being written. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, The Chicago Manual of Style, and the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (among others) all provide discipline-specific guidelines for preparing a master’s thesis (or similar culminating experience). These guidelines should not be construed to replace or contradict those style guides.

Students should work with their graduate deputy to identify an appropriate faculty mentor who will assist them in the research, writing, and submission of their master’s thesis. Students must meet with their graduate deputy prior to registering for the appropriate thesis writing course. Once registered for the thesis writing course, a student will be assigned a grade of SP until their thesis has been approved by their faculty mentor, their graduate deputy, and the school dean. Upon approval of the thesis, the SP grade will be changed to a P grade (a letter grade is generally not assigned for the thesis writing course).

Students whose research involves human subjects may require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Projects involving vertebrate animal subjects must secure the approval of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Prior to beginning any thesis related research that includes these subjects, contact the Office of Research Compliance (1306 James Hall, 718.951.5000, ext. 3829) for guidance.

Note: Some graduate programs offer a choice between writing a thesis or taking a comprehensive exam. Once a student has elected the thesis option, he or she may not elect to take the comprehensive exam if he or she is unable to complete a thesis.

Thesis Title Submission

The first step in the thesis writing process is for the student to submit his or her approved thesis title through the Thesis Submission Online application in BC WebCentral (E-Services > Graduate Student Transactions > Thesis Submission Online). Once students submit their thesis title, it will be reviewed and approved by the program’s graduate deputy.

Final Submission and Approval

Once the student has completed the thesis, it should be submitted to his or her faculty mentor along with the Thesis Approval Form (pdf) for initial approval. Once approved by the faculty mentor, the student must upload the thesis through the Thesis Submission Online application in BC WebCentral. The graduate deputy and the appropriate school dean will then review the thesis. Following approval by the school dean, the Registrar’s Office will update the student’s record and the thesis will be archived in the library.

Deadlines for Submission

Thesis titles approved by the faculty mentor shall be uploaded through the Thesis Submission Online application in BC WebCentral by the following deadlines:

• Fall Semester (and Winter Intersession)—last Friday in September
• Spring Semester—last Friday in February
• Summer Semester—first Friday in July

Theses approved by the faculty mentor shall be uploaded through the Thesis Submission Online application in BC WebCentral by the following deadlines:

• Fall Semester (December 31 graduate)—first Friday in December
• Winter Intersession (February 1 graduate)—first Friday in January
• Spring Semester (June 1 graduate)—first Friday in May
• Summer Semester (September 1 graduate)—first Thursday in August

College-Wide Requirements

• Theses must include a title page that conforms to the style guide of the academic discipline for which the thesis is being submitted.
• Theses must be uploaded to the Thesis Submission Online application in BC WebCentral for final review and approval.

Institutional Resources

• The primary resource for the preparation and completion of your master’s thesis is your faculty advisor and your graduate deputy.
• The Learning Center has a graduate writing tutor on staff who will be able to assist you with writing your thesis (1300 Boylan Hall, 718.951.5821).
• The Office of the Associate Provost for Faculty and Administration (3208 Boylan Hall, 718.951.5771) can help you navigate other institutional resources  that may be helpful in the preparation of your thesis.

Instructions for using Thesis Submission Online

1. Student submits approved thesis title through the Thesis Submission Online application in BC WebCentral (E-Services > Graduate Student Transactions > Thesis Submission Online).
2. Graduate deputy receives notice that student has submitted thesis title online.
3. Graduate deputy confirms that thesis adviser has approved the title. Note: Due to the large number of thesis advisers, only graduate deputies have access to the online review and approval system.
4. Graduate deputy approves thesis title.
5. Student uploads a PDF copy of his or her thesis through the Thesis Submission Online application following approval by his or her thesis adviser (E-Services > Graduate Student Transactions > Thesis Submission Online),
6. Graduate deputy confirms that thesis adviser has approved the thesis.
7. Graduate deputy reviews and approves the thesis.

Once the graduate deputy approves the thesis, the school dean is notified that there is a thesis to review and approve. Once approved by the school dean, the Registrar’s Office is notified and updates the student’s transcript. Once the student’s transcript has been updated, the library receives a digital copy of the student’s thesis.