Masters' thesis defense checklist

• Thesis committee: you need at least three faculty members from the department. You must provide the names of your committee members to Mary Jane at least one week before your examination.
• The thesis itself: this is a variable length document that describes your research. Content, length and style are between you and your committee members. It is customary to provide the thesis document to your committee two-to-three weeks before your exam. However, this can be negotiated between you and your committee members.
• Thesis abstract: this is a 20-40 line abstract of your thesis. You must email an ASCII version of your thesis abstract to Mary Jane at least one week before your examination. She will email an announcement to the dept. The purpose of this requirement is to make it easier for interested faculty/students to make it to your defense.
• Reserve a room: it might be a good idea to reserve a room well in advance. The two weeks before the end of each quarter tend to be popular for thesis defenses and proposals. So move early. It is customary to schedule your defense at a "convenient" hour :) Avoid early morning slots as far as possible. Late morning and afternoon slots are commonly used.