Struggling to decide on a topic for your thesis paper?  So has just about every graduate student before you.  Southeast makes sure you are prepared for your thesis paper through extensive and thorough coursework and by offering the support of a three-person faculty member team to oversee and guide candidates throughout their thesis process.  Although the idea of completing such a challenging task may be intimidating, Southeast is here to help you and will offer you the tools to succeed.  

Requirements for Thesis Submission 

Students whose plan of study requires completion of a thesis should be enrolled in GR 699 the semester they plan to complete the thesis and oral exams. That semester should also be the semester in which you apply for graduation. Students should work closely with their advisor while meeting deadlines and completing the thesis and thesis defense. 

• The entire process begins when the student submits a Topic Approval Sheet for Thesis or Creative Project. This document is signed by three committee members who agree to serve as Committee Chairperson, Second Committee Member, and Third Committee Member. The Department Chairperson is also required to sign this form. It is important the student submit a brief and tentative description of the proposed thesis when submitting the Topic Approval form. This form should be completed no later than the semester prior to completing the thesis.
• Graduate Studies will review this form and sign if approved. 
• Students will then begin working closely with the committee chair and advisor to ensure all deadlines are being met. Deadlines are available on the Graduate Studies website. 
• When the thesis is completed, students will defend their thesis before the thesis committee.  
•  If the student is successful in defending the thesis, a pdf file of the thesis and a signed acceptance sheet should be sent electronically to graduatestudies@semo.edu. This sheet will be signed by Graduate Studies once the thesis meets final approval from the thesis reader.  
• Once the thesis has been received, the administrative assistant for the Graduate Studies will forward it to the thesis reader. The thesis reader will check it for context, format, and grammar. The Graduate Studies office will return the thesis to the student if corrections are needed. (Deadlines for submission of final copies of thesis are posted on the Graduate Studies website.) 
• When the thesis is approved, the student will be contacted and will then be able to upload his/her thesis to ProQuest.Do not submit your thesis to ProQuest until you have final approval to do so and a signed acceptance sheet by Graduate Studies. In addition, the acceptance sheet will also need to be uploaded in the correct placement in the paper, which can be done in ProQuest.  Student resources for uploading to ProQuest

• Submit your Thesis by selecting the following link and following the instructions.
• If any further questions arise, please feel free to contact the Graduate Studies Office at (573) 651-2062 

Thesis Checklist 

The following checklist is provided as a general tool to check the format of a thesis; however, the format of each thesis may vary.

• Title Page 
  • Use professional font 
  • Include the following: Title, Student name, “Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment”, Degree, University, Date.
• Acceptance Sheet 
  • May be signed or unsigned.
• Dedication (optional)
• Abstract – Required 
  • Must be between 150 – 300 words.
• Table of contents 
  • Look for consistency;  
  • Paragraph and selection headings should be included.
• Appendices  
  • Look for consistency;  
  • Make sure all appendicies are referenced and correctly labeled in the paper.
• List of tables (If any tables) 
  • Look for consistency;  
  • Make sure all tables are referenced and correctly labeled in the paper.
• List of figures (If any figures) 
  • Look for consistency;  
  • Make sure all figures are referenced and correctly labeled in the paper.
• Author Interpretation 
  • Avoid “Stacking” - multiple citations/summarizations without current author’s interpretations.
• Plagiarism check
• Reference check 
  • All references must be cited in text and appear to be relevant.
• Proofing & Editing 
  • Do not forget to proofread thoroughly and spell check.

Non-Thesis Option 

In some cases, graduate students may opt-out of a thesis paper for a non-thesis option.  This option may require students to write a separate comprehensive paper and/or complete a comprehensive exam.  If you are interested in the non-thesis option, contact your advisor or the Graduate Studies Office for consultation about this option for your graduate program. 

Acceptance sheet for Thesis, Non-Thesis paper, or Creative Project 

Topic approval sheet for Thesis or Creative Project