Thesis

The thesis comprises an original investigation, including a written document on a subject approved by a departmental or interdepartmental graduate committee prior to the beginning of the research. Thesis credit cannot be granted for work done prior to registration as a graduate student at the Institute nor for work initiated without prior approval by the department of registration. The thesis must be completed while in residence, except as noted below.

A thesis may not be presented on research work done at the Institute while on academic, administrative, research staff appointment, or hourly payroll at MIT (including Lincoln Laboratory), the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, or other affiliated research entities. Supervision by a faculty member of the Institute or a staff member approved by the department is a fixed requirement for doctoral, engineer’s, and master’s theses. Preliminary plans for pursuing an approved thesis may be required by thesis supervisors according to the requirements and time schedules of the departments. A thesis supervisor may, at his or her discretion, require progress reports in oral or written form as deemed necessary. Before the final written document is submitted, a draft may be required for editorial comment. An oral examination of the doctoral thesis will be held after the thesis has been submitted. The thesis process is not complete until the thesis document is signed, and therefore accepted formally, by the department.

Expectations for collaborative research

Policies on thesis research

Information on patent application and the publication of a thesis

Special circumstances for theses requiring security review before publication

Information on distribution of publications that may jeopardize the privacy or safety of the author, other individuals, or companies

Expectations for students conducting research off-campus

Expectations for non-residential students

Information for preparing a thesis

Information on the Institute’s policy concerning ownership of copyrights

Information on rights to intellectual property

Information on brief thesis holds