While some of the items on this bullet/checklist are required, others are simply recommended to make your experience as a graduate student easier.  This timetable is structured for a full-time student (9 credits per semester), beginning in the fall semester.  Deadlines given are approximate; consult the appropriate university publications for exact dates in any given semester.  If you have any questions, please contact the graduate advisor. Good luck!

SEMESTER 1

• Enroll in POL S 515 (Research Design and Analysis in Political Science) and POL S 601 (Seminar in the Scope and Methods of Political Science). If you are a full-time student you should also enroll in one additional seminar in your field of specialization.

• If you were admitted as either unclassified or conditional classified status, work on fulfilling requirements to attain classified standing and when you have met the requirements, complete a Change of Status form, available at http://gra.sdsu.edu/Graduate/Studentsvcs/forms.html, and give it to the Graduate Advisor for processing.

SEMESTER 2

• Enroll in POL S 516 (Statistics for Political Scientists)

• Throughout this semester, think about possible thesis topics.  You may find it helpful to carry a notebook to record ideas or questions as they arise, or ask professors about the possibility of expanding a Seminar paper into a thesis.  By the end of the semester you should have a rough idea of your topic.

• Plan your remaining classes in a manner most beneficial to researching your thesis.  Don’t forget, if you have the time and financial capacity, you can enroll in undergraduate classes in departments around SDSU.  If you do so, it is highly suggested you enroll in these classes for credit/no-credit.

• Begin considering which faculty members you would like on your thesis committee so you can take classes or an independent study with them.  Keep in mind that the third member must be from outside the Political Science Department.

• Fill out an ‘Official Program for the Master’s Degree’ form with the graduate advisor.  This form specifies the courses you plan to take until graduation; you can pick up a worksheet from outside the Graduate Advisors office or one can be downloaded from the link above. Once you have completed the worksheet, drop by during the Graduate Advisor’s office hours to electronically file your program.  Any changes made to your official program after it is approved must be made on a ‘Change in Program’ form. 

• If you are eligible for advancement to candidacy, you will be advanced when you file your official program. If you are not eligible, your file will be reviewed at the end of each semester for advancement.  You must be advanced to candidacy before you can officially form your thesis committee.

SUMMER

• If possible, do an independent study (POL S 798) or begin your research and literature review for your thesis.  Ideally, you will be able to formulate your thesis plan (prospectus and outline) during this time.

SEMESTER 3

• If you didn’t do an independent study over the summer, do one now. You should plan to pursue the Special Study with a professor who will ultimately serve on your thesis committee.  This will allow you to establish a solid foundation for your final semester.  Doing your entire thesis from research to finished product in your 4th semester is unrealistic; working on it during your 3rd semester (or earlier) will save you many headaches and much stress.

• If you have been advanced to candidacy, form your thesis committee and file the ‘Appointment of Thesis/Project Committee’ and ‘Rights to Thesis/Dissertation Data and Publication Authorship’ forms with the GD. These forms must be approved and on file before you can register for POL S 799A (Thesis).  Being able to register for 799A during regular registration will save you time and help you avoid and problems related to financial aid your last semester.  If your research involves human subjects (i.e. surveys) you will need to obtain approval from the committee on Protection of Human Subjects BEFORE you file your ‘Appointment of Thesis Committee’.

• Purchase the Master’s Thesis and Project Manual, San Diego State University at the Aztec Shop Bookstore.  It explains the requirements for the preparation and submission of the thesis.

SEMESTER 4

• If you plan on using a professional formatter (highly recommended). Call her/him early in the semester to make an appointment.

• Apply for graduation.  The form may be obtained from the GD and must be submitted to the Cashier’s Office (SS 2620) with the appropriate fee by the deadline of the term in which you expect to graduate.  This comes early in the semester, so plan ahead (in 2002 the deadline was February 11 and the fee was $35).

• This semester is devoted to writing your thesis.  Although you may not be attending classes with formal meeting time, treat your thesis this way; it will help you remain disciplined.  Keep in contact with fellow students and see what the PSGSA has planned during the semester- you can help each other stay focused and burn off stress.

• Submit your thesis by the ‘Without Risk’ deadline to ensure that the thesis reviewer will return it to you at least one week before the Montezuma Publishing deadline to allow for possible revisions and re-review (in 2002, the deadline was April 8).

• After picking up your approved thesis from the Thesis Review Service, make an appointment with the Thesis Processor at the Montezuma Publishing division of Aztec Shops for (1) producing the Library copy and/or binding the thesis, (2) preparing two microfiche copies, (3) preparing one bound copy for the Political Science Department, and (4) preparing any additional bound copies as desired (in 2002, the deadline was noon on May 22-the noon deadline MUST be met in order to graduate during the current semester).

• If you do not complete your thesis during the fourth semester, you will need to register for 799B in each subsequent semester that you utilize campus facilities to work on your thesis. Some students are eligible to register for 799B through Open University and this can be a less costly option, although you will need to purchase a semester library card if you are not a regular full-time student.

• If you complete your thesis during the fourth semester…Congratulations! At this point you can relax and wait for graduation.

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