-The University Thesis Writing Guide
All Master of Science students must write and orally defend a University Thesis. It is never too early to start writing!!!
Click HERE for a complete guide to writing and submitting your University Thesis.
For a concise description of this process for students in the Department of Biology, see below.
- With guidance from your thesis advisor (and your committee), write your University Thesis. Some tips included here:
- Review past theses written by students in the Biology Department.
- How to write an abstract (Nature's guide to authors).
- How to write an abstract (another example)
- Elements of Style for Scientific Writing
- Format your thesis using the most recent University Thesis Writing Guide (UTWG) .
- Distribute your advisor-approved thesis to your committee for additional comments and suggestions BEFORE your oral defense. In practice, you may not be able to incorporate comments made by your thesis committee until after the oral defense.
- Schedule an oral defense. You should schedule your oral defense before the format review deadline (or earlier). You will need time to incorporate committee suggested edits to prepare for final submission.
- Remind your thesis advisor to post flyers announcing your oral defense.
- Once you pass the Oral Defense remind your thesis advisor to email the graduate coordinator to let them know when and if you passed your oral defense.
- Submit your approved thesis draft and the “Thesis Submission Information Form” to thesiseditor@csueastbay.edu by the "Format Review" deadline. The thesis editor may suggest format corrections. For official instructions read the section here entitled, "Format Review".
- Once corrections have been made, return the final draft of your thesis to thesiseditor@csueastbay.edu with the title “Revised Thesis” in the subject line for a final check.
- Once you have been given permission to publish by the thesis editor, submit your committee-approved thesis by the “Electronic Library Submissions Due” deadline. For official instructions read the section here entitled, "Publishing your Thesis".
- For a table listing both "Format Review" and "Electronic Library Submissions" deadlines for each semester, click here and open up the section called "deadlines".
- Once you have passed your oral defense and submitted the final draft of your thesis as described above, ask your thesis advisor to submit a Change of Grade form to have each of your Biol 691 courses changed from RP to CR. If you notice that your grade is listed as CR prior to passage of your oral defense, you need to ask your thesis advisor to first change your grade changed back to RP. Also, please alert the graduate coordinator of the problem.
- CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! YOU'RE DONE!
OPTIONAL. Print and deliver hard copies of your thesis for binding to the Academic Programs and Graduate Studies Student Services office (SA 4500) by the same deadline. For payment, make a cashier’s check or money order payable to Valley Library Bindery (no personal checks!). Hard copies must be collated with the pages in the proper order with a sheet of colored paper between each copy. The copies should be placed in a stiff corrugated box (a box that one would use for shipping glassware). Pick up your bound thesis copies at the Academic Programs and Graduate Studies Student Services (SA 4500) when available, 510-885-3716.
What to do if you need to postpone your graduation?
Click here and find the online form to "Request to Postpone or Cancel Graduation" (eForm on BaySync). If your intended semester of graduation was Spring, you can postpone to Summer or Fall. If your intended semester of graduation was Fall you can postpone to Spring. IMPORTANT: You are only allowed to postpone your graduation once. You cannot postpone a second time, instead you must cancel. If you need to cancel and you want to graduate in the subsequent semester, you MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE GRADUATION APPLICATION DEADLINE!!!! This will allow you to re-apply for graduation before the deadline.
