Department of Microelectronic Engineering
Rochester Institute of Technology
Master's Thesis Guidelines for Students and Faculty
August 2014: Version 1.0
The objective of this document is to provide guidance for students and faculty committees concerning the planning, conduct and defense of the master's thesis. These guidelines outline the expectations of the Department of Microelectronic Engineering and the Rochester Institute of Technology as well as the responsibilities of the student, thesis supervisor, and committee members.
Table of contents
· Frequently asked questions
· The written proposal
· Proposal format
· Scheduling the proposal presentation
· Proposal presentation
· Conducting the research and writing up the thesis
· Organization of the thesis
· Paper stock and typing requirements
· Formats – Title, Library release, table of contents, list of tables and figures, main body
· Getting ready for the defense
· Oral thesis presentation, defense, examination
· Thesis examination report form
· Thesis binding
· Thesis milestones
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why do I have to do a Master's thesis?
A thesis is required for completion of the MS degree in Microelectronic Engineering. Normally, the thesis is undertaken once the student has completed all course requirements. Planning for the thesis, however, should begin as early as possible. Normally, full-time students should complete all their degree requirements, including thesis defense, within 2 years (six academic quarters and one summer quarter) from the date of entry.
Your thesis is the culmination of your graduate work and an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills that you have acquired through course work and research assistantships, etc. It is intended as a guided, constructive learning experience. It is a chance for you to work in collaboration with a number of faculty members on a research project of mutual interest and to publish manuscripts resulting from the thesis.
2. What is acceptable for a Master's thesis?
The expectation of the microelectronic engineering department is that the master's thesis will involve an empirical component. While theoretical frameworks or conceptual models may (and should in many cases) guide the research questions, or be the subject of empirical testing, a strictly theoretical paper is not acceptable for a master's thesis. The thesis may involve research in device, circuit or process design, development and validation and evaluations through modeling and analysis within the realm of microelectronic engineering discipline.
In some cases, the thesis may be developed in conjunction with ongoing projects or extension of existing processes. In other cases, the thesis may involve original or new devices/circuits/processes. The thesis may involve quantitative data, qualitative data, or a combination of both types of data.
3. How do I get started?
First, you need to explore possible topics and areas of mutual interest through talking with faculty members and reading the relevant published literature. You may become interested in certain areas as a result of course topics or papers. Your advisor or other faculty members may describe research projects they are currently working on that you might be interested in. Since the masters time line is quite short, it is important to start exploring and discussing possible thesis topics as early as possible, no later than the end of the first year of the program for full-time students. While students often conduct their thesis research in conjunction with their academic advisor (who then becomes their thesis supervisor), this is not always the case. There are many factors that influence the choice of thesis topics and the selection of a supervisor, including: mutual interest, projected costs and time line for the research, faculty availability during the anticipated thesis period, and a comfortable working relationship. You may not always be able to do exactly what you want to do; however, every attempt is made to match student and faculty interests. Faculty members may discourage ideas that are not suitable or feasible for a master's thesis. They are trying to assist you in choosing a project that is within your capabilities and available facilities and can be completed in a timely manner.
Thus, the initiation of ideas for possible theses can come from either the student or from faculty members. You can bounce ideas off various faculty members, but you should keep your academic advisor appraised. Once agreement is reached, in principle, to pursue a specific topic (on the part of both the student and a faculty member), you are ready to proceed to the proposal and committee selection phase of the process.
4. Who is on the Master's thesis committee?
RIT guidelines stipulate that for degree programs requiring a Master's thesis, the committee must consist of three faculty members: the supervisor from within the home department, and two committee members (at least one of whom has an academic appointment in the home department). Your supervisor will assist you in selecting and approaching potential committee members for your thesis.
Once your thesis topic has been determined and your committee has been chosen (and agrees to serve), you can proceed with development of the thesis proposal. You need to complete the Declaration of Topic and Committee Form, have it signed by your thesis supervisor, and return it to the Microelectronic Engineering Office (MEO).
5. What constitutes the Master's thesis proposal and approval process?
The proposal begins as the blueprint or plan for the thesis and evolves into a more contractual agreement between the student and his or her thesis committee. The intent of the working proposal is to develop the ideas, obtain input and guidance from the committee, and reformulate the ideas as necessary into a workable and feasible thesis project. A thesis proposal normally goes through a number of drafts prior to the more formal and public presentation. The supervisor provides feedback and guidance on early drafts of the proposal; other committee members may also be involved at this stage. It is desirable for all committee members to provide feedback on at least one draft of the proposal prior to scheduling the proposal presentation.
The Written Proposal
The questions students typically ask are: "What should be included in the proposal?" and "How long should it be?" Below are detailed guidelines for the sections that must be included in the proposal. With the exception of the abstract, however, the length of each section has not been specified for a number of reasons. What is important is that sufficient detail and clarity are provided in each section, particularly concerning the rationale, objectives and methods. As a general guideline, the text of the full proposal should be between 15-25 pages (excluding appendices). Length of each section greatly depends on the particular topic and preferences of the supervisor. For instance, in some cases, the literature review is quite extensive up front (with later searches mostly for the purpose of updates). In other cases, the proposal is shaped based on a few key articles with a more thorough literature search and write up to take place later.
Regardless of length, clarity and conciseness are strongly encouraged. Part of the master's thesis experience is to improve one's writing skills. The written proposal must include the following sections:
Title page The cover page must include the title of the thesis proposal, the student's name, degree sought, department, names of the supervisor and committee members, and date.
Abstract The one page abstract should not exceed 300 words.
Rationale Contains a statement of the problem or issues to be addressed in the proposed study.
Literature The review of relevant literature should provide an overview of the field and demonstrate that the student knows the area under investigation. Equally important, this section should provide supporting evidence concerning the rationale, statement of the problem and/or issues to be addressed by the present study.
Objectives This section describes the overall purpose, as well as the specific objectives of the present study. In some cases, the objectives may be formulated as research questions. In other cases, such as an evaluation project, the study may address program objectives and/or underlying assumptions. This section of the proposal often includes the researcher's hypotheses or a priori expectations.
Methods Subsections typically include: study design; sample selection criteria, size, and sampling process; data collection procedures and instruments; and a description of data analysis techniques and statistical software programs to be used. Be as detailed as possible, including the identification of concerns.
Time Line Develop a reasonable time line for each phase of the project, including: pilot testing of instruments or procedures, design and fabrication, data collection, data analyses and interpretation, and write-up. Specify the anticipated term/year for final defense.
Resources Itemize all costs anticipated (for instance, purchase of wafers, chemicals, equipment, software packages, etc). Often thesis research is funded, partially or totally, by faculty research grants or contracts. Neither the department nor the supervisor, however, should be expected to cover cost overruns. Work this out with your supervisor or committee members in advance.
References For the proposal, this may include a list of references already obtained and cited in the literature review section, as well as a list of articles to be obtained (listed separately).
Appendices Should contain supporting and descriptive materials, instruments, etc.
Format of Written Proposal
Format of Written Proposal
Scheduling the Proposal Presentation
Once you and your supervisor agree that the written proposal is ready for presentation, there are a number of steps that need to be followed:
1. The student must contact all members of the committee to determine possible dates and times for the proposal presentation/meeting. Make all efforts to schedule a time that does not conflict with most classes.
2. The student must provide each member of the committee as well as the MicroE Office with a copy of the proposal at least two weeks in advance of the presentation.
3. The student must book a room for the date and time agreed to by all committee members. Book the room for a two-hour period. Notify all committee members of room and time. Ensure that technical support (audio visual) has been arranged at least 3 days in advance of the defense.
4. The MicroE Office will announce the upcoming thesis proposal presentation to all departmental faculty and graduate students and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research.
MicroE Office Policy on Absent Committee Members: It is expected that all committee members will make every attempt to be present at the proposal presentation meeting. Note that the presentation cannot proceed without at least two of the three members being present. The thesis supervisor must be present. If one committee member (other than the supervisor) cannot attend, it is permissible to proceed. Ideally, there is sufficient advance warning to enable the thesis supervisor to contact the absent member to obtain his or her written questions and suggestions concerning the thesis prior to the presentation. The supervisor is responsible for relaying this information during the question and deliberation periods of the meeting. If a committee member is unable to submit comments in advance, the supervisor must obtain written feedback from the absent committee member and ensure that any and all concerns are adequately addressed by the student prior to approval of the proposal and permission to proceed with data collection. In the event that a committee member is unable to continue in this role (at any juncture, up to and including final defense), the thesis supervisor will find a replacement and inform both the MicroE Office of the change to the committee membership.
The Proposal Presentation
As noted earlier, the thesis proposal presentation is a public meeting, meaning that other students and faculty, in addition to those on the committee itself, may attend. This forum provides the opportunity for the student to describe his or her project and to receive feedback and suggestions from a wider audience. It is important to note that both committee members and other faculty recognize that the proposal is a work in progress rather than rigid document at this juncture. The meeting is intended as an opportunity to exchange ideas and refine the proposal further if necessary.
This meeting is chaired by the seminar chair and normally begins with an introduction of the student, the thesis topic and the committee members. Following the introductions, the candidate is expected to give an oral presentation lasting about 40 minutes. This presentation should provide an overview of the proposed study's rationale, supporting literature, objectives, methods, analyses and projected time line.
Following the student's oral presentation, the chair directs the committee to begin the questioning period. Questions, comments or suggestions may focus on the student's knowledge of the area, on the proposed study objectives or methodology, or on the analyses, or on any other part of the thesis.
Following this more formal process, and if time permits, the chair will solicit questions and comments from others in attendance. Typically, the chair will then ask the general audience to leave the room and the meeting will continue with the student and the committee members.
At this juncture, the discussion will focus on whether there should be any revisions to the proposed thesis plan based on the questions and suggestions arising from the preceding discussion (and, in some cases, feedback from an absent committee member). The committee will also decide what types of changes, if any, are needed before the thesis can proceed, as well as who will be responsible for approving such changes.
The committee will reach one of the following decisions, in most cases, before the meeting concludes:
(a) Approval to proceed (no changes or minor changes)
(b) Approval to proceed once specified changes are submitted as an addendum and approved by the supervisor, or other members of the committee, in addition to the thesis supervisor
(c) Submission of a revised proposal to be approved by all committee members.
If the proposal is approved outright (a), all members of the committee will sign the MS Thesis Proposal Approval Form and the supervisor/chair will return this form immediately or the next working day to the MicroE Office for the student's file.