So you want to write a MALAS thesis! Episode 4, the paperwork…

So you want to write a MALAS thesis!   Episode 4, the paperwork…

Katelyn May, MALAS Alum

You’ve heard me mention Graduate Affairs a few times now, and you might be thinking, “sounds ominous.” As much as Grad Affairs tends to be stricter on policies and procedures, don’t let yourself get psyched out. Coordinating with them is just another part of the process, and while it won’t be as much fun as researching and writing, it’s still important. Unless you’re like me who had avoided Grad Affairs for a year because they seemed scary...I was rather unprepared for the technical side of the thesis process, and I would love to spare you my same mistakes. 

First of all, nail down exactly what Grad Affairs needs from you ASAP. I decided to switch from the exam to the thesis option late in the game, and had to file a petition to enroll in 799A (the thesis course standard university-wide). It was a pain. Spare yourself. Get the paperwork done early. Depending on what kind of research you will be doing, you may have to fill out either the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) forms. These apply to research conducted on human or animal subjects respectively. Be warned! Grad Affairs may take 4-6 weeks to review your IRB proposal (I told you to start early, remember!). 

If your research doesn’t fall into one of these categories, great! You can now start completing your thesis committee form. Let’s break this down into 9 easy steps: 

1. Choose your thesis Chair! Which super-cool professor will you give the honor of supervising your epic work? Whoever it is, they will be chosen in conjunction with your Graduate Advisor (aka Bill). And just an FYI, Bill is also a great option for Chair. Once you’ve got a Chair locked in, work together with them and Bill to build the remainder of your awesome committee team.

2. Have all members of your committee sign the thesis committee form. Your thesis Chair and Bill will give the final seal of approval with their signature(s). 

3. If you’d like someone to serve on your committee that fits most of the criteria but doesn’t have an SDSU affiliation, now is the time to get any additional documents you might need to petition Grad Affairs to allow them to serve on your committee. 

4. If your dope research requires either IRB or IACUC paperwork to be reviewed, do that now. 

5. Multilingual and want to write your thesis in a language other than English? Go for it! Make sure that all faculty members in your committee are fluent in whatever language you’re working in. Still, Bill will have to verify your competency in standard written English before you can start. 

6. Complete the "Rights To Thesis Data And Publication Authorship" page of the thesis committee form. 

7. Turn in all your completed forms and any additional docs to Graduate Affairs. You can find their headquarters in Student Services East (SSE) 1410. 

8. Get approved! It can take up to one week to get email verification of approval. Registration info for the thesis course 799A will also be sent to you. 

9. Celebrate the completion of these definitely-not-boring forms and the official start of the writing process!