Graduate Student Resources

Specialist Thesis/Project

All Specialist students in the College of Education are required to plan and successfully complete an individual thesis or project. The purpose is to provide an opportunity for students to apply knowledge gained in the program to the resolution of significant needs arising from professional practice. Discussion with the Major Professor will help the student determine whether the thesis or project option is most appropriate.

As of Fall 2023, all Ed.S. programs require only two (2) total hours of enrollment in either the thesis or project course. Some Ed.S. programs require students to complete more than the 2 hour minimum; check with your Major Professor or program advisors to determine how many thesis/project hours are required in your chosen program. Students are required to enroll for a minimum of two (2) semester hours in the xxx-6971 thesis course or EDG 6975 project course during each semester they work on the Ed.S. thesis/project, and for two (2) hours in the thesis or project course in the semester they submit the final thesis/project and apply for graduation.

Please note: Once a student has selected to complete either the thesis or project, they must continue to register for those hours until the thesis or project is complete. You cannot flip between thesis and project hours, as there is a specific process and set of deadlines for each course!

The Major Professor and Supervisory Committee will guide Specialist students throughout the thesis/project work, as well as administer the final defense session for thesis students. Please see the Specialist Supervisory Committee page for more information on how to choose a Major Professor and committee members.

Ed.S. Thesis Information

Permission to Conduct Research Involving Human Beings

For both ethical and legal reasons, the USF Human Research Protection Program requires all researchers (including students) who conduct studies involving participation of human beings to have their projects reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects prior to the start of their studies. Virtually all research studies in the College of Education will require approval by the IRB as these studies involve the use of human subjects. Specialist students completing a thesis must complete IRB training and submit an application for approval of their study by the IRB.

Certification to conduct human subjects research must take place every three years from the date of initial certification through the CITI Refresher Course, or another USF IRB-approved program listed on the IRB website. Please visit the USF Research Integrity & Compliance website to access IRB training and for more information about conducting research.

Thesis Title Page Templates

All students completing a thesis must include a Thesis Title Page in their manuscript that follows formatting requirements determined by the Office of Graduate Studies. Copies of the title page templates are available below for download.

Specialist students do not have a formalized thesis defense session like the doctoral dissertation defense; rather, students will conduct an informal defense within their individual program or department. Please contact your program advisor or department to learn more about Specialist thesis defense procedures. Once the thesis is successfully defended and approved by the committee, students will need to submit their thesis electronically through the ETD office.

Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Information

Students completing an Ed.S. thesis are required to submit their thesis to the Electronic Thesis & Dissertation (ETD) Office. The ETD Resource Center website is designed to help students through each step of the thesis submission process: how students will submit their manuscript, any additional documents they need to upload, and general thesis formatting requirements. Students will need to formally register for electronic thesis submission through the ETD website; registration opens on the first day of each semester. Students should complete ETD registration as soon as possible to avoid delays when submitting their thesis and Certificate of Approval packet. Additionally, students should ensure that they are registered for at least 2 hours of Ed.S. thesis credit (xxx-6971) in the semester they submit the thesis to ETD.

After completing their thesis defense, students must submit a Certificate of Approval packet to the ETD office. The Certificate of Approval (COA) packet contains multiple documents, including a fully signed Certificate of Approval Form and a plagiarism review, which confirm that your committee approves the thesis for publication. This packet should be reviewed and signed by all committee members, then sent to both the ETD office and the Graduate Support Office to certify students for graduation. The Certificate of Approval packet should include:

  • Certificate of Approval Form, with all appropriate signatures (Major Professor, committee members, and the Academic Program Specialist. The Graduate Support Office will obtain the COEDU Associate Dean鈥檚 signature.) Note that all information should be typed.
  • Page 1 of the Plagiarism Check (conducted through Turn-it-in or similar software)

The complete COA packet should be submitted as one combined PDF file to the Microsoft Form link found on the ETD website (see the Certificate of Approval "Packet Overview" page). The Office of Graduate Studies will review the thesis submission and notify students of any necessary revisions needed before publication.

Ed.S. Project Information

Specialist students who choose to complete the project option must meet all of the project requirements as specified by the College of Education and their chosen graduate program. Every Ed.S. program has varying project options for students to complete, but some common examples of Specialist projects may include:

  • Designing and completing a research study in your field of interest, with a research summary paper similar to a thesis
  • An oral presentation examining research you have studied throughout your Ed.S. program and its implications for schools and educators
  • A comprehensive literature review of recent studies in your primary research area
  • A portfolio project consisting of previously completed assignments and field observations
  • A pilot study or initial literature review that serves as a catalyst for a doctoral dissertation or other future academic research

Please meet with your Major Professor or contact your Program Coordinator for more details about specific project requirements and deadlines. A project does not need to meet the formatting requirements of a thesis and is not submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for approval and archiving.

The number of total project hours required varies by program, but students must enroll for a minimum of two (2) credit hours each semester they work on the project. Students should register for at least 2 hours in EDG 6975 during each semester of project work (there should be a specific section of the course with your Major Professor listed as instructor). Once the project is completed and approved by the supervisory committee, the student鈥檚 Major Professor should complete the Record of Ed.S. or Master's Project Completion Form with signatures from all committee members. The Major Professor or Academic Program Specialist must submit the Record of Project Completion form and a copy of the project to the Graduate Support Office at least three (3) weeks before the end of the semester, typically the semester in which the student has applied to graduate.

Record of Ed.S. or Master's Project Completion Form