What does it mean to be Advanced to Candidacy?
A student who has been advanced to candidacy has been officially recognized by the university as a candidate for the degree. In order to be advanced to candidacy a student must have an approved Program of Study (POS) on file, completed a minimum number of POS units, and have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students are typically nominated for advancement by their department, and reviewed for advancement by the GRA at the time the POS is submitted. If approved for advancement to candidacy, the student becomes eligible to file the Appointment of Thesis/Project Committee form in preparation for enrollment in thesis (Plan A), or to sit for the comprehensive examination (Plan B). For a list of advancement requirements, and for exceptions to the rules listed above, please refer to page 39 of the 2007-2008 Graduate Bulletin.

How soon should I think about thesis?
It is never too early to start thinking about the thesis. Preparing a dissertation or thesis (from the proposal development stage to the final manuscript) requires advance planning. Purchase and read the SDSU Dissertation & Thesis Manual (available from the Aztec Bookstore) as soon as possible. Beyond the research and writing of the thesis, a student is required to efficiently manage a wide array of resources. As you progress through the Program of Study, a topic of interest will develop. Seek out the advice and counsel of faculty members within your academic department and determine their willingness to chair your thesis committee. Two additional members (one within your department, one from outside your department) must also be secured in order to complete the thesis committee. If the research involves human or animal subjects, prior approval must be obtained from the appropriate university office, i.e., the Institutional Review Board or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Once a student has been advanced to candidacy, the Appointment of Thesis/Project Committee paperwork may be filed, and the final step in the culminating experience (writing and publication of the thesis) can officially begin.