Advisor-approved theses and final projects are to be submitted by the deadline posted on the academic calendar.
Students who are unable to complete thesis or final project by semester deadlines may be granted continuation to complete work in the following semester. When continuation is approved, the official notation “I Grade” is entered on the student's transcript to indicate that the final grade was originally an incomplete.
Important Note: Students who request continuation and receive an incomplete in thesis or project are not eligible for Dean’s List in that semester.
1. Determination of Sufficient Progress. Continuation for thesis or final project is granted only if the advisor determines that sufficient progress has been made and that the thesis or project is more likely than not to be completed by the submission deadline of the following semester. The following guidelines for thesis or project continuation apply:
a. Students registered for the first semester of a two-semester sequence for thesis (TS 401) or final project (TS 501):
- Students who make sufficient progress by the semester deadline will be awarded academic credit for TS 401 or TS 501 and be permitted to register for TS 402 or TS 502 in the following semester.
- Students who do not make sufficient progress by the submission deadline will normally be granted an extension until the deadline for completing extensions (January 15 for fall semester extensions, June 15 for spring semester extensions, or September 15 for summer term extensions), when the advisor will again determine whether sufficient progress has been made. If sufficient progress has indeed been made, academic credit for TS 401 or TS 501 will be awarded (with an “I Grade” notation on the transcript) and the student will be permitted to register for TS 402 or TS 502. However, if the advisor determines that sufficient progress has still not been made, the student will be withdrawn from the first semester of thesis or project registration (with the permanent grade W [Withdrawal]) and be required to reregister for TS 401 or TS 501 in the subsequent semester.
b. Students registered for a one-semester thesis (TS 306 or TS 310) or the second semester of a two-semester sequence (TS 402 or TS 502):
- Students who do not complete the thesis or final project by the submission deadline posted on the academic calendar may, if the advisor determines that sufficient progress has been made, be granted a one-semester continuation (see “Continuation Registration” below) to complete the thesis (with an “I Grade” notation on the transcript).
- Students who do not complete the thesis or final project after one semester of continuation may, if the advisor determines that sufficient progress has been made, be granted permission by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to register for one additional semester of continuation.
- Students who do not complete the thesis or project after two semesters of continuation will normally be withdrawn from the thesis or project registration (with the permanent grade W [Withdrawal]).
2. Continuation Registration and Fee. Students who have finished all coursework but have not completed their thesis or final project by the thesis submission deadline, which is posted on the academic calendar, or other program requirement, e.g., CPE or the M.Div. Senior Oral Exam, by the deadline for graduating students must register for continuation and pay the continuation fee in the following semester(s) in order to remain degree candidates. Failure to register for continuation and pay the fee will cause the student to be administratively withdrawn from the program. In the event that the student is unable to complete the thesis or project even after continuation registration(s), the permanent grade W (Withdrawal) will be entered on the student's transcript.
3. Request for Continuation. Any student requesting a thesis or final project continuation must complete the “Request for Continuation” form and submit it for approval to the student’s thesis or project advisor, who will in turn present the form for final approval to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
continuation registration form
