MS (thesis-option) Graduation Check List

Below is a brief checklist of items an MS (thesis option) student should complete before graduation.

Degree Requirements Checklist

  • CIS 5935, Introduction to Research
  • at least 8 courses (24 hours) at or above the 5000 level excluding supervised teaching, supervised research, seminars, DIS, CIS 5915, CIS 5935
  • of the 8 courses, there must be at least one course from each of the core areas, Software, Systems, Theory
  • at least 9 hours of CIS 5970, Thesis, where at most 9 hours count toward the required 35 hours for the degree
  • in the final term in which the degree is granted, it may be possible to take only two hours of Thesis.
  • register, at most once, for CIS 8976, Thesis Defense (withdraw from all but one instance of this if you have registered more than once)
  • register for graduation at the Registrar's Office during the first two weeks of the semester in which you wish to graduate

Defense & Graduation Checklist

  • determine the manuscript approval deadline & manuscript submission deadline - these change each semester & are available on the Registrar's web site under the FSU Academic Calendar as well as GradSpace on Blackboard.
  • submit the thesis to your committee at least 10 days in advance (university requirement)
  • have the thesis format checked by the Office of Graduate Studies - see "Electronic Thesis, Treatise & Dissertation Preparation" at GradSpace on Blackboard for format guides and also note the deadline for this (available on the FSU Academic Calendar)
  • note deadline for thesis submission (FSU Academic Calendar) before scheduling thesis defense
  • schedule defense (at least 2 weeks in advance):
    • reserve room (typically 151 Love) with the CS senior secretary
    • reserve PC cart (if needed) by signing up on calendar on the door in the copy room in 260 Love
    • inform FSU Office of Graduate Studies of title, room, and time of defense - see "Defense Announcement" at GradSpace on Blackboard. Submit the Defense Announcement form (online) no later than two weeks before the defense date.
    • inform CS Graduate Assistant of title, room, and time of defense
  • see Grad Studies graduation checklists at the above link
  • complete graduation check with CS Director of Grad Studies
  • complete graduation check with Registrar's Office & bring the associated "green" form to defense
  • obtain the CS Defense Result Form ("green form") from the CS Graduate Assistant to record the outcome of the defense
  • have at least one copy of the thesis signature page available for your committee to sign - Graduate Studies only requires one
  • upon successful defense,
    • have the CS Defense Result Form and your thesis signature page signed by your committee
    • have the FSU green form signed by the chair of your committee, the chair of CS, and the Dean of Arts & Sciences
  • return the CS Defense Result Form to the CS Graduate Assistant
  • take signature page to Graduate Studies and they will inform you of the steps for submitting an electronic version of the thesis to the university
  • submit an electronic version (pdf) of the thesis to the CS webmaster & CS Graduate Coordinator.
  • complete the departmental EXIT survey.
  • if your employment plans are uncertain when completing the EXIT survey, inform the CS Director of Graduate Studies via email when those plans are complete