This is your on-line guide to graduating so refer to this page often. The topics to help you on your way include the following with the most helpful probably being "Suggested Timeline". The best advice will come from students who have already been there or are currently going through the process. Use them as resources and return the favor when others ask you. Your Graduate Program Coordinatorand Advisor are also valuable resources for completing your studies at UND.

Choosing an Advisor

• When you applied to UND you likely communicated with the Graduate Program Coordinator. This person acts as your temporary Advisor until you have selected a faculty member that best fits with your interests and needs.
• Your permanent Advisor MUST be someone who represents your area of interest.
• Who you select for an Advisor is ultimately your choice. Make sure you have made an informed selection. You need not be best friends with your Advisor, but it is important that both of you are striving for the same goals.
• There may be circumstances when a change of Advisor is appropriate. Perhaps your research interests have changed, or perhaps there have been some difficulties establishing a satisfactory mentor-mentee relationship. Whatever the reason, this type of situation must be handled professionally. The first step is to go to your Advisor and explain the situation as you perceive it and offer him/her an opportunity to respond. After that, the Graduate Program Coordinator or department chairperson may help process a change if it is appropriate.

Choosing a Thesis Committee

• Your Thesis Committee is selected in consultation with your Advisor.
• Typical Committees consist of 3 members; your Advisor and 2 other Committee members.
• One or more of your Committee members could be from outside of the PXW Department if deemed appropriate by your advisor.
• The Committee selected should be one that can contribute to the planning and evaluation of your work, not one that might be the easiest.

Completing My Program of Study

What is a Program of Study?

• It is a "contract" to successfully complete a certain number of classes, plus a Thesis or Independent Study. When complete, the University grants you the MS degree. (Graduate School Forms)

Who is involved in designing the Program of Study?

• If you are a non-thesis student, it's just you and your Advisor. Your program must include the PXW department requirements, but other classes are up to you and your Committee.
• If you are a thesis student, members of your Thesis Committee are involved. Again, your program must include the PXW Department requirements, but the other classes are up to you and your Committee.

How is my Program of Study designed?

• The required credits are listed first.
• Thesis students need a minimum of 30 credits, non-thesis need a minimum of 32.
• You and your Advisor/Committee discuss your future goals and decide on a list of classes/credits. For students who declare a particular "track," there are sequences of courses scheduled to facilitate efficient completion with latitude for individual programming.
• Minors and cognates are possible-see the UND catalog for details or discuss with your Advisor and/or Committee.
• Take care to check that your chosen courses will be offered during the time line you intend to commit to your studies at UND!

When should my Program of Study be completed and submitted?

• The Graduate School recommendation is "early in the second semester of enrollment." Before the end of the first semester is possible, and is to be encouraged. Usually, we find that the sooner a student gets their Program of Study filed, the sooner, and more efficiently they complete their studies and graduate!
• The Program of Study Form can be obtained from the Graduate School or downloaded using the link provided.
• Remember, thesis students need signatures from ALL their Committee members before the Graduate School will accept their program.
• Are there any other requirements on my program of study? Yes, how the residence requirement has been met must be explained on the form. This is explained in the UND Academic catalog.

Selecting a Thesis Idea (Tips for coming up with ideas)

• Find out what research is being done in your Department.
• Look for current hot topics or controversial issues in Kinesiology.
• Read review papers and look for unanswered questions.
• Read current research in your areas of interest.
• Discuss what you find with Advisors and peers.
• Look for a logical idea for a study that will complement/add to current knowledge on the topic.

How do I get Approval for my Topic (Independent Study)?

• Usually, the final idea will largely be a product of discussion between you and your Advisor.
• Your Advisor may require some sort of proposal-either made formally or informally and your topic must be approved by your Advisor.
• Upon approval, your Advisor will sign off on the required Outline of Independent Study form that must be submitted to the Graduate School before you can advance to candidacy.

How do I get Approval for my Topic (Thesis)?

• Usually, the final idea will largely be a product of discussion between you and your Advisor. How much your other Committee members are involved at this stage should probably be determined by professional etiquette and common sense.
• Next, approval should be formally sought from your Committee. Informal meetings may be helpful, but the final approval will normally only be given after your Thesis Proposal Meeting. The Committee will want to be confident that your review of literature has been sufficient, and that your study design is sensible and appropriate. Expect to have completed a reasonable draft of Introduction/Literature Review and Method chapters to get approval.
• Please note that this is approval for your topic only and not permission to collect data for your Thesis.

Preparing for your Thesis Proposal Meeting

• Copies of the Thesis Proposal must be prepared and distributed to the Thesis Committee in time that they may thoroughly read the Thesis prior to Final Examination (Two weeks is recommended).
• The Thesis Proposal Meeting will include a short (10-15 minute) oral presentation (using PowerPoint etc.) to the full Thesis Committee at a meeting open to the public. This will be followed by a question and answer period when anyone present may ask questions about your proposal.
• After the question and answer period your committee will excuse everyone from the meeting and discuss the project. If approved, your Committee will sign off on the required Proposal of Thesis Form that must be submitted to the Graduate School before you can advance to candidacy. All Committee members' signatures must be obtained on the form.
• Once the Proposal of Thesis Form has been submitted you are then allowed to proceed with obtaining IRB approval for collecting data.

• Copies of the Thesis Proposal must be prepared and distributed to the Thesis Committee in time that they may thoroughly read the Thesis prior to Final Examination (Two weeks is recommended).
• The Thesis Proposal Meeting will include a short (10-15 minute) oral presentation (using PowerPoint etc.) to the full Thesis Committee at a meeting open to the public. This will be followed by a question and answer period when anyone present may ask questions about your proposal.
• After the question and answer period your committee will excuse everyone from the meeting and discuss the project. If approved, your Committee will sign off on the required Proposal of Thesis Form that must be submitted to the Graduate School before you can advance to candidacy. All Committee members' signatures must be obtained on the form. (Graduate School Forms)
• Once the Proposal of Thesis Form has been submitted you are then allowed to proceed with obtaining IRB approval for collecting data.

Obtaining approval to use human subjects in your research (IRB)

• Your Thesis Proposal must be approved before submitting IRB (Institutional Review Board).
• If your thesis requires you to use human subjects or animals, you must submit your project proposal to the IRB.
• Consult with your Thesis Advisor as to the write up of IRB including the consent form.
• Your Thesis Project may require a full board review, medical subcommittee review, bio-safety committee review, or an expedited review.
• Under no circumstances should you begin to collect data without IRB approval. The IRB Form is a legal document that ensures that human subjects are ethically treated. Collecting data without IRB approval is a serious offense for you and for your Advisor that carries penalties which may be severe, including expulsion from the Program and/or University.

Getting Preliminary Approval for your Thesis

• A preliminary draft of the thesis must be presented to your Thesis Committee sufficiently in advance of the Preliminary Approval deadline so that they may thoroughly evaluate and correct the Thesis.
• After the necessary corrections have been made, you get the Committee members signatures on a form entitled Preliminary Approval of Theses and Dissertations and file this form in the Graduate School. (Graduate School Forms)
• The Preliminary Approval, which indicates to the student that no major changes will be required in the final copy of the thesis, must be in the Graduate School no later than the deadline specified in the academic calendar, or the student will not be permitted to graduate that semester.

Defending your Thesis

• Copies of the Thesis in its final form must be prepared and presented to the Thesis Committee in time that they may thoroughly read the Thesis prior to Final Examination.
• The Presentation to the full Thesis Committee will include a 15-30 minute oral presentation (using PowerPoint etc.) at a meeting open to the public. This will be followed by a question and answer period.
• The Defense Meeting must be reported to the Graduate School and advertised at least one week in advance.
• The Defense may also include examination of coursework over the course of study for the degree.

Getting Final Approval for your Thesis

• The results of the Defense are reported to the Graduate School on the Final Report on Candidate Form by the deadline specified in the academic calendar.
• The Committee will indicate their approval by signing the Approval Page of the Thesis.
• Final Examinations which are failed may be repeated only with the prior approval of the Thesis Committee and Dean.

Submitting your Thesis to the Graduate School

• Each semester the Graduate School publishes a deadline for Theses submissions. They are final deadlines, they are not flexible, and you should be very aware of them.
• When the final version of the Thesis has been approved by the Thesis Committee, a copy must be deposited to the Graduate School and receive the signed approval of the Dean by the deadline in the academic calendar (usually two weeks prior to commencement).
• The Graduate School will have the final copy of the Thesis bound and catalogued in the University Library. the student must submit one copy to the Major Department and one to each committee member.

Applying for graduation

• Students who expect to receive a Degree must file an Application for Graduate Degree in the graduate school by the deadline noted in the academic calendar.
• All graduate students must have been Advanced to Candidacy the semester preceding the semester in which they expect to graduate.
• After the student applies for the degree, the Graduate School checks the academic record to ensure that the student is eligible to graduate. A new application must be filed if the student fails to graduate.
• Students must be registered for the term in which they expect to receive their degree.

Suggested Timeline

Students often run into problems meeting deadlines as a result of not planning enough time for preliminary stages.  It is strongly suggested that students “work backwards” from the posted deadlines to plan a timetable for the various stages of thesis/independent study completion. To help that process you can print off (link to pdf here) a document that will help your planning.  It’s recommended that you do that planning with your advisor.