Senior Thesis Process

Steps to complete prior to the Thesis I term:

  1. Attend Getting Started Meeting
  2. Proposed Thesis Assignment (PTA) Due
  3. Proposed Thesis Assignment Approval
  4. Initial Contact
  5. Plan of Attack

Steps to complete during the Thesis I term:

  1. Conduct Research
  2. Meeting (Thesis 1 or Thesis II term)

Steps to complete on academic term between Thesis terms:

  1. Attend "Completing Your Thesis" meeting
  2. Chapter 1

Steps to complete during the Thesis II term:

  1. Submit Preliminary Thesis to Employer Advisor
  2. Submit Preliminary Thesis to Thesis Coordinator
  3. Preliminary Thesis Approval
  4. Title Pages & Eval by Employer Advisor Completed
  5. Final Thesis Due to Thesis Coordinator
  6. Final Thesis Approved
  7. Graduation

What you need to know to complete each step of the Senior Thesis Process.

Steps to complete prior to the Thesis I term:

  1. Getting Started Meeting:

The first step to getting started on your thesis is to attend the "Getting Started Meeting". You should attend this meeting the academic term prior to submitting a proposed thesis assignment (PTA), for A-Section (JRII Work term), for B-Section (SRI Work term). The meeting is focused on providing direction in submitting the initial documents to start your thesis project, working with Co-op Navigator and a process overview. Meeting dates are posted on the website.

  1. Proposed Thesis Assignment (PTA):

When students attain 88 earned hours, they will receive e-communication to electronically complete and submit the Proposed Thesis Assignment (PTA) form on our secure Co-op Navigator website. In addition, students will also complete and submit the Pre-Thesis Checklist and Graduation Plan on Co-op Navigator.

  1. Proposed Thesis Assignment Approval:

Once the PTA is submitted, the employer advisor will receive an e-mail to approve the PTA via Co-op Navigator. Upon approval from the employer advisor, the PTA will be forwarded to the students degree department to locate a faculty advisor. This may take four to six weeks. Upon faculty acceptance, the PTA is processed, the student is registered for thesis terms and a confirmation e-mail is generated out to the student, faculty advisor and employer advisor.

  1. Initial Contact:

It is the student's responsibility to make Initial Contact with the Faculty Advisor upon receiving notice that his/her PTA has been approved by Kettering University. Typically, this step comes during the student's academic term prior to beginning the Thesis I work term. This Initial Contact should be an introduction of the student to the Faculty Advisor. It presents a good opportunity for the student and Faculty Advisor to briefly discuss the direction of the project and set up a meeting date and time for a Faculty Advisor's Meeting.

  1. Plan of Attack:

Students should complete a Plan of Attack in preparation for the thesis. A student will identify the various steps, methods employed and timelines for completion of his/her thesis project. It should also reflect the student's ability to analyze the problem and develop a logical approach to its solution. Typically, students will create a Gantt chart specifying the timelines and deadlines for thesis submission. It is suggested the Plan of Attack be completed and e-mailed to the Faculty and Employer Advisors by week 1 of Thesis I. A sample Plan of Attack & Gantt Chart are available on the website.

Steps to complete during the Thesis I term:

  1. Conduct Research:

The student should adhere to the timelines accordingly while conducting testing, research, experimentation, design work and investigation that results in a solution for the co-op employer.

  1. Meeting (Thesis I or Thesis II term):

Students should conduct a Meeting with their Faculty and Employer Advisors. This meeting provides an opportunity for the student, Employer Advisor and Faculty Advisor to consider collectively the student's approach to the thesis assignment. It should be held at the Employer Advisor's work-site, but if that is not feasible, it may be held at Kettering University or through a conference call. Arrangements for the Meeting are prepared by the student. The student should also facilitate the meeting. During this meeting, the student's work assignment, the time available for the testing and/or investigation associated with the project, the facilities required, and the type of reports expected by the advisors, among other items, may be discussed. Changes to the Plan of Attack can be made, and the final approach to the thesis must be agreed upon by the conclusion of the meeting. A meeting may be conducted at the beginning of the project during the Thesis 1 term or at the end of the project during the Thesis 2 term.

Step to complete on academic term between Thesis terms:

  1. "Completing Your Thesis" Meeting

The second meeting Thesis Services offers is the "Completing Your Thesis" Meeting. You should attend this meeting the academic term between your Thesis I and Thesis II terms. The meeting is focused on providing information about the writing and submission of the preliminary and final thesis including the formatting template. Meeting dates are posted on the website.

  1. Chapter 1:

A student is to submit a completed Chapter 1 directly to their Faculty Advisor. Chapter 1 will be reviewed by the faculty advisor and returned to the student prior to the student's Thesis II term. Chapter 1 is the introductory chapter to the thesis and should contain the following information:

  1. Problem Topic: A single clear statement describing the exact problem being addressed and the nature of the end result sought.
  2. Background: Provide an orientation regarding the problem being addressed by the thesis.
  3. Criteria and Parameter Restrictions: Identify the criteria and parameters of the project if the project involves the creation of a design. If the project does not involve a design, the heading may just be Criteria.
  4. Methodology: Give the major steps of the procedure used in solving the problem, so the reader will immediately know the solution was achieved in a systematic and valid way.
  5. Primary Purpose: State that the thesis presents the results of the investigation.
  6. Overview: Summarize the introduction.

Steps to complete during the Thesis II term:

  1. Submit Preliminary Thesis to Employer Advisor

The students will need to submit one hardcopy of the thesis to his/her employer advisor. The copy will be reviewed and a determination will be made by the employer advisor whether to approve the thesis. Upon approval the employer advisor will need to sign the Employer Company Approval Letter.

  1. Submit Preliminary Thesis to Thesis Coordinator

The student should submit a completed draft of the thesis (referred to as Preliminary Thesis) to their Thesis Coordinator to be reviewed by his/her Faculty Advisor. The thesis should be complete and in its final form, which includes all illustrations, content and pertinent data. It should be grammatically and mechanically correct and should also be formatted according to the template available on this website under "Students" and then "Formatting Template w/Program Outcomes". Failure to do this could result in the Preliminary Thesis being unapproved by the Faculty Advisor.

Students should include the following with the Preliminary Thesis submission:

  1. Preliminary Company Approval Letter (available on website)
  2. Preliminary Thesis Submission Form (available on website)
  3. Abstract Form (submitted through Co-op Navigator)
  4. 1 copy of your Preliminary Thesis
  1. Preliminary Thesis Approval

If the Faculty Advisor approves the Preliminary Thesis, the Thesis Coordinator will conduct a format review of the Preliminary Thesis.

  1. Thesis Title Pages and Evaluation by Employer Advisor Completed

Prior to leaving your employment, you will be responsible for getting each title page signed by your employer advisor. As well, the employer thesis evaluation should be completed by the employer advisor via co-op navigator.

  1. Submit Final Thesis to Thesis Coordinator

The Final Thesis submission follows the Faculty Advisor approval of the Preliminary Thesis. Students must make all content and formatting changes denoted on the Preliminary Thesis before submitting the Final Thesis manuscripts and paperwork to the Thesis Coordinator. Missing the deadlines for the Final Thesis submission may jeopardize a student's ability to participate in commencement and graduate by his/her intended graduation date.

Students should include the following for their Final Thesis submission: (Degree Departments may require additional documents)

  1. Two clean manuscripts of Final Thesis
  2. Two title pages signed by student & Employer Advisor
  3. 1 CD of your thesis, required to be in 1 PDF format file (CD Requirements)
  4. 1 hardcopy of Abstract Form (via Co-op Navigator)
  5. 2 copies of Final Thesis Submission Form (website)
  6. Senior Thesis Project Assessment by Employer Advisor
  7. Senior Thesis Project Assessment by Faculty Advisor
  8. Senior Thesis Project Assessment by Student

(All assessments are submitted via Co-op Navigator.)

Once the manuscripts and paperwork are submitted, the Thesis Coordinator will perform another format review to ensure all formatting changes have been made. Students will have to make all formatting changes to the manuscripts before the faculty advisor reviews the final thesis.

  1. Final Thesis Approval

Missing the deadlines for the Final Thesis approval may jeopardize a student's ability to graduate by his/her intended graduation date. Upon approval of the Faculty Advisor, the student is issued a grade for the thesis. Faculty Advisors have the discretion to award "Pass", "Fail" or "Pass with Distinction" grades. A student who has received a grade of "Pass" has fulfilled the thesis as a graduation requirement. A student who has received a grade of "Fail" will be required to select a new thesis topic and start over. A student who has received a grade of "Pass with Distinction" will have the grade denoted in transcripts and will receive a certificate expressing exceptional achievement.

  1. Graduation

When all audits are completed and the student has met all graduation requirements, the Office of the Registrar will send a letter of verification to the student's co-op employer. At that time, it is recommended that the student be considered a full-time employee and no longer a co-op student, even though this change of status could occur well before graduation.

Additional Information:

Binding Procedures:

Final thesis copies are sent to the binding company once a month and are dropped off the following month; therefore, approximately a six to eight week time frame before sending the bound copies to the Employer Advisor. Two bound theses will be sent directly to the Employer Advisor - one copy for the employer and one copy intended for the student. However, it is up to the discretion of the student's employer to provide the student with a copy. Kettering University will mail the student copy directly to the student if the company gives the university approval on the "Bound Copies Distribution Approval Form" (available on website under "Employer" and then "Thesis Forms"). Extra bound copies can be made for students at a charge of $20. Extra copies will be sent to the employer advisor and require approval on the "Bound Copies Distribution Approval Form".

Confidential:

To declare confidentiality, a letter of confidentiality must be received in Thesis Services. Until the letter is received, the thesis won't be handled in a confidential manner. A form letter is available on the website under "Student" or "Employer" "Thesis Forms".