The following provides some guidance to graduate students as to identify research topics, to pursue a research topic, and to conduct research with a graduate faculty. The students are encouraged to meet with different graduate faculty and identify a research topic and a thesis advisor. After conducting preliminary research studies in the chosen topic, the students are required to prepare a prospectus outlining the research work towards their thesis. The students are also expected to form a thesis committee consisting of a thesis advisor and two graduate faculties from the Department of CIS and an external thesis advisor. The students are then expected to present their prospectus to the committee members and others in public forum. Once the prospectus is approved by the thesis committee, the students conduct and complete the proposed research, write the thesis and defend their thesis.

Students planning to graduate during a given semester should be aware of the schedule regarding prospectus and thesis preparation and presentation outlined under Policies and Forms.