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Working with Your Committee

This is the first step in the process toward completing and turning in your thesis or dissertation, which is a requirement for all PhD candidates, and most Master's candidates.

At some point in your graduate career, you will form your committee and begin working on your thesis or dissertation. If you have specific questions about the formation of your committee and the rules governing it, you should contact your college/school/discipline's graduate coordinator.

Students often ask us how long this particular step should last; we always tell them "As long as it needs to last." While there are time limits to how long students can work on their theses and dissertations, we do not set these limits; please contact the Registrar with any questions you may have concerning the amount of time you have to write, complete, and submit your thesis or dissertation.

While you are working with your committee, you will be writing your thesis or dissertation, and making edits and changes based on their suggestions. This is an excellent time to begin formatting your document; please see our many resources.

Also, it is a good idea to confirm with your committee and/or department which style manual your discipline uses (APA, Chicago, MLA, IEEE, etc.), and to begin applying that style to your document from the beginning. Neither Mason nor UDTS requires any specific style, as we work with students in many fields. It is your responsibility to confirm which style you should use, and it is your responsibility to make sure that you implement it correctly--UDTS does not check styles, and we cannot advise you as to their usage.

Once you feel that you have gotten to a good place in the creation of your document (i.e., you have all or most of the required elements, and at least a chapter or two), you will be ready for the next step in the process: the Format Review.

Other requirements that you will need to fulfill

While you are in this stage, there are other steps, outside of the auspices of UDTS, that must take place, and other requirements that you must fulfill. We like to make sure that you are aware of some of these steps and requirements, but please take note: we do not create or govern these rules, and we do not provide or collect the associated forms. We are only providing the following information as a courtesy and service to you.

Intent to Graduate: Please be aware that you will need to turn in an Intent to Graduate form. You cannot get this form from UDTS, and you do not submit it to us. Please contact the Registrar's office with any questions you might have about this form.

Proposals: Many colleges/schools/departments require their students to submit proposals for their dissertations and theses. In addition to the proposal itself, some colleges/schools/departments further require their students to submit an attached Proposal Cover Sheet, a template for which is provided here. Please note the following about proposals and Proposal Cover Sheets:

  • Please confirm with your college/school/department whether they require a Proposal Cover Sheet at all.
  • The Proposal Cover Sheet template we have provided here is only an example. This particular Proposal Cover Sheet may be used by your college/school/department, but it may not. You need to check with your college/school/department to find out whether they use this Proposal Cover Sheet, or another one.
  • UDTS does not check the formatting of proposals or Proposal Cover Sheets, EVER. You do not need to submit your proposal or Proposal Cover Sheet to us for review.
  • You do not need to submit your proposal or Proposal Cover Sheet to UDTS for any reason.