THE MASTER S THESIS. The Master s Degree

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1 THE MASTER S THESIS The Master s Degree The Master s Degree is now the most common graduate degree in the United States. In 1960, there were seven times as many Master s Degrees awarded as Doctoral Degrees; in 1988, there were nine times as many Master s as Doctoral degrees awarded. Sixty percent of students taking the Graduate Record Examination in 1990 indicated that the Master s Degree was their ultimate objective. Building on the Bachelor s Degree, the Master s Degree prepares researchers, professionals and practitioners. It provides a stepping stone to the Doctoral Degree as well as a capstone for a professional career. It is primarily built on the knowledge gained in undergraduate study, but it may also provide advanced work in a field new to the student. It is the entry level degree for many professions, a fact which is being rapidly extended by American education and business. THE MASTER S THESIS The Master s Thesis is a crucial part of the Master s Degree program. It is a written, scholarly presentation of original research that is submitted and defended as partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master s Degree. It may be original in the sense that either previouslyunknown information is uncovered and presented or previously-known information is presented in a creatively new way leading to new applications. The prescribed format for the written Thesis is outlined on the following pages. THE THESIS ADVISOR AND COMMITTEE The Thesis Advisor is a faculty member, with particular expertise in the student s projected area of research, who has primary responsibility for guiding the student through the research. The Thesis Committee is a faculty group of three (3) with expertise in the student s area of research or in areas related to it. The Thesis Advisor is both a member and the Chair of the Thesis Committee. It is the responsibility of the student to seek out a Thesis Advisor and a Thesis Committee, and to submit to them in writing a research proposal. It is the responsibility of the Thesis Committee to grant final approval to the student s research proposal, to oversee the research, to approve the written Master s Thesis and to conduct a final examination of it. This final examination will be, first, a public presentation and defense of the Thesis followed, secondly, by a private defense before the Thesis Committee. The selection of a research topic should be made as early in the program of studies as possible. Once approved, the research proposal becomes part of the student s permanent record.

2 GUIDELINES FOR MASTERS THESIS OR DOCTORAL DISSERTATION Submitted in the Graduate School Of Creighton University The basic guide for matters of style in preparing the final copy of the Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation should be determined in consultation with the thesis/dissertation director and the Department Chairman. The following stipulations must be met to achieve the format required for final copies of theses and dissertations submitted in fulfillment of degree programs in the Graduate School. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: 1. Type used must be letter quality, 10 point or larger. Preferred font is Times New Roman. 2. Paper should be standard size (8 ½ x 11 ), 20 pound bond, white and opaque to ensure good contrast of black letters on white background. 3. Text, typed on one side, should be double spaced with a 1 ½ margin on the binding edge of the page, and one inch margins on the remaining sides. Chapter headings and the like are to be included within these margins. 4. Pagination: Each page in the manuscript, including blank pages, should be assigned a number, beginning with the title page. For the preliminaries, use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.). For the remainder of the manuscript (including the text, illustrations, appendices, and bibliography), use Arabic numerals beginning with One electronic copy of a thesis or dissertation, submitted to the Digital Repository on the Health Sciences Library website, is required. 6. Binding services are available through the Graduate School Office. The cost of binding is $35.00 per each copy bound. You may bind as many copies as you wish to pay for. Present a check for binding at the cashier s window of the Business Office and submit the receipt to the Graduate School with the final copies of your thesis. The spine of each bound copy must show: author, title (full or shortened), and year of degree conferral. The cover of each bound copy must show: author s full name, full title, and year of degree conferral.

3 FORMAT SPECIFICATIONS ORDER OF MATERIAL: 1. A blank page (not counted for numbering). 2. A signature page (see template) 3. Title page (see template). [First counted page, number not printed.] 4. A blank page OR the copyright page (number not printed). 5. Abstract (not to exceed 350 words). 6. Optional preface, dedication, acknowledgments, and (if applicable) permissions to quote from unpublished materials. 7. Table of contents. 8. List of graphs, charges, tables. 9. List of illustrations. 10. Text, composed of: [Arabic numerals begin this section] a. Introduction b. Main body, usually consisting of well defined divisions such as parts, chapters, sections. 11. Back matter composed of: a. Appendix or appendices (if applicable). b. Endnotes (if applicable). c. Glossary (if applicable). d. Bibliography OR References.

4 THESIS/DISSERTATION (Select one) APPROVED BY Date [Committee Chair Name], Ph.D., Chair Gail M. Jensen, Ph.D., Dean

5 [Title Page] TITLE OF THESIS/DISSERTATION CENTERED, ALL CAPS By STUDENT NAME A [THESIS/DISSERTATION select one] Submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School of the Creighton University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of [Master of Arts, Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Education Select one] in the Department of [Name of Department] Omaha, NE [month, day, and year]