An inherent part of your graduation is writing and submitting a thesis. This thesis must comply with specific rules on both form and content.
You must first select a topic and a supervisor. You may have a look at the titles (and supervisors) of theses others wrote before you. Any member of SEAS may be a supervisor. To select an external supervisor, you must get the relevant head of department’s approval. A supervisor’s commitment to support you in writing your thesis is valid for three terms including the term when the title is announced. If you fail to submit the thesis during this period (slightly more than a year), the request for supervision has to be renewed. If your request is rejected, you have to look for a new supervisor.
Your supervisor may assign you certain tasks or taking certain courses, this should be made clear before you submit your thesis title. Some departments require you to submit more than the title of your thesis (an abstract or some references, too), check this in due time.
If the person you have selected agrees to supervise you with the given topic, you must get their signature and you must also get a signature from the head of the department of the supervisor. (If you have an external supervisor, not affiliated with SEAS, select the department according to your topic.) Once you have both the supervisor’s and the head of department’s consent, you are ready to submit your thesis title. Each term there is a deadline for this, about seven months before the submission of the thesis itself.
If you change the topic/title or the supervisor of your thesis, you have to do the thesis title announcement procedure again. You have to do this at least four months before your final examination.
The next step is to write up and submit your thesis.
You may put the name of your supervisor on your thesis only if they consent to this. They will consent to this if you have adequately cooperated with them during the thesis writing period.
Your thesis will be read by a reviewer. You can read this review before the defence and prepare your responses for the defence, which typically takes place at your final examination.