Thesis

Students generally can choose a University Thesis or Research Methods (Econ 6896) as their terminal exercise. The thesis must meet all University guidelines in addition to the Department guidelines outlined below.

Students who elect the thesis option must select a topic to research and find a faculty member to work them as a chair of the thesis committee. The chair of the committee must be a regular faculty member in the Department of Economics who will work closely with the student on substantive and administrative details throughout the period of study.

The student, in consultation with the chair of the committee, will select the other two members to form the student's thesis committee that will ultimately approve the thesis. The committee must be composed of three members, only one of whom can be from outside the Economics Department.

Each committee member is responsible for guiding the student throughout the research process. Once the committee is selected, the Graduate Advisor will approve its composition and ensure that each committee member knows the University and Departmental guidelines.

The student can replace a committee member at any time with the approval of the Graduate Advisor. If the Graduate Advisor is serving as a committee member, approval for removal should be obtained from the Department Chair.

The student must meet with the full committee upon completing a proposal. This meeting is to give the student direction and guidance in proceeding with the research. The chair of the committee and the student will decide on the appropriate time to convene this meeting.

The completed thesis must be in accordance with established University guidelines and must be approved by each committee member. The committee member's signature indicates that the thesis meets Departmental standards for scholarship.

An oral defense of the completed thesis is required. The chair of the committee must convene a meeting in which the student answers questions from the committee members regarding the research. This requirement can be waived only under unusual circumstances.