PHLSPHY 7980 1-4 credits Independent Study

The amount of graduate credit allowed for independent study may not exceed a total of four credits except with the special permission of the student's advisor and the graduate dean. Approval must be secured before independent study courses are begun. Students registering for independent study must submit at or before registration a description signed by the instructor conducting the independent study of the subject to be covered. Independent study may not be used for collecting information for the seminar paper.

PHLSPHY 7990 3-6 credits Thesis Research

The thesis may be an outgrowth of a research course (e.g. TEACHING 7000 Research Procedures) or may be developed independently within the program area. The thesis will report the results of original and independent student research on a given problem or topic, by systematic and impartial methods, and will demonstrate the student's ability to use techniques customarily employed in the particular field of investigation. Although a thesis for the master's degree may not always be expected to make a significant contribution to existing knowledge, it should be a scholarly document that is accurate, verifiable, objective, and impartial. In consultation with the program advisor, the student proposes a committee of three faculty members. The committee normally includes the thesis advisor, one additional major department member, and one faculty member from another department. In some instances, a student may prefer a thesis advisor who is different from the program advisor assigned at the time of admission. An approved thesis proposal must be submitted and approved prior to registration. There is a website with useful links to guide the graduate student in grammar, style, evaluating web resources, and formats. (Thesis students will find the Texas A and M link useful for formatting procedures and other technical assistance.) The thesis advisor will provide guidance regarding the site. The site may be accessed through the University's Karrmann Library.