1.  Apply for Degree via ULink

THIS IS A REQUIREMENT in order to receive your Master’s degree.  You must apply for your degree and submit your thesis by the deadline scheduled for the applicable semester. If you miss the deadline to apply for degree for the semester in which you plan do you defense, you can still turn in the thesis to your committee, give the seminar, pass the defense and have your thesis approved by your committee, however you will not be able to apply for degree, submit your thesis to the graduate school, or officially earn your Master’s degree until the following semester. Additional information can be found here http://louisville.edu/registrar/commencement-information.html

2.  Prepare the Master’s Thesis for Committee

There are specific requirements regarding how the Master’s Thesis is formatted and sections that should be included.  These requirements can be found on the Graduate School’s website or via this link: Graduate School Thesis Guidelines.  You will not be able to officially get your Master’s degree from the graduate school until your Thesis meets the graduate school’s requirements.  If the format is unclear to you, there are plenty of examples in the departmental conference room in the Knoefel Conference Room HSC Tower 1305 available for perusal.

Your Thesis must be presented to your Graduate Committee AT LEAST 2 weeks prior to your defense date.

3.  Schedule the Committee Meeting/Master's Defense Seminar Date & Notify Administrative Staff

All members of your Graduate Committee should be present for the seminar and subsequent meeting for your Master's defense.  If it is impossible to find a time when one of the members can attend, it is best to have their permission to proceed with the seminar on that date despite their absence with them "attending" via Skype, however this is up to your committee.  It is recommended, but not required, that the seminar portion be planned for the usual departmental seminar time on Thursdays at noon in the Knoefel Conference Room HSC Tower 1305.

Upon confirmation by your Committee of the meeting/seminar date immediately email the following information:

• Title of your Thesis
• Date of your Master's Defense Seminar

THIS INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE RECEIVED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AT LEAST 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR DEFENSE DATE.

4.  Present your Seminar & Pass the Oral Exam.

5.  Bring a Graduate Student Report to the Seminar/Defense to obtain Committee Members & Graduate Program Director's signatures.

6.  Bring 4 copies of your Thesis Signature Page to the Seminar/Defense to obtain Committee Members & Graduate Program Director's signatures.

7.  Schedule an appointment with the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies to review a final copy of your Thesis.

All theses/dissertations MUST be reviewed by the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies prior to the final copy being submitted. Call (502) 852-6495 or email to set up an appointment to have your thesis/dissertation reviewed. Courtney Kerr (courtney.kerr@louisville.edu, 852-6497) is the Coordinator for Academic Services for the SIGS.  She will check that your Thesis complies with all formatting requirements and provide you with the final forms necessary to submit your tTesis to the graduate school.  The thesis guidelines set by the graduate school can be found here Graduate School Thesis Guidelines.

8.  Submit your Thesis, a Signature Page with original signatures in ink, and any additional forms from SIGS BEFORE the Thesis deadline.

9.  Make 3 copies of your Thesis and bring it to the Administrative Office for binding.

After your appointment with SIGS, you will need to print out a copy of the finalized and approved Thesis on watermarked paper, which is available in the Department of Pharmacology's Administrative Office (1319).  The department will pay to print and bind 3 copies of your Thesis – one for you, one for your mentor, and one to stay in the departmental conference room.  You may print the copies at IT Design & Printing Services in the dental building, and then bring all three copies to the Administrative Office for binding.  One Signature Page, with original signatures in ink, should be included with each copy.