UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA - GRADUATE COLLEGE
Application For Approval Of The Master’s Thesis Topic And Committee Membership
Master’s candidates in a thesis option program should file this form as soon as they can get approval from their
committee. In all cases, this form must accompany the Admission to Candidacy form. Dates for the filing of the
Admission to Candidacy form, thesis defense, and other important dates are listed in the Norman Campus Class Schedule
and in brochures prepared by the Graduate College (http://gradweb.ou.edu/Current/deadlines.asp). Graduation is based on
the date by which a student defends the thesis and completes all remaining degree requirements (including, but not limited
to, courses, payment of tuition and fees, and deposit of the thesis). If you must graduate within a specific semester, it is
important that you review the filing dates and contact the Graduate College if you have questions.
Before a student can receive authorization for the thesis defense, the Admission to Candidacy form, the Application for
Approval of the Master’s Thesis Topic and Committee Membership form, and the student’s thesis reading copy must be
approved by the Graduate College. The student must bring the reading copy of the thesis to the Graduate College one
week prior to the thesis defense. Under no circumstances should a student defend a thesis without first receiving the
appropriate authorization from the Graduate College.
The following information must be either typewritten or legibly printed. If the information cannot be easily read, the
form will be returned for correction. Complete only the top portion of this form. Minor changes in the thesis title can be
made after this form is submitted (prior to the deposit of the thesis). Changes in the thesis committee membership or
the thesis topic, however, will require the filing of a new application and a minimum waiting period of 14 days before the
thesis defense can be held. A member who is being removed from the committee must sign the back of the new form,
indicating that he or she is willing to be deleted from the committee. If the University of Oklahoma no longer employs
the committee member, the Graduate College should be contacted for instructions on completing the new form. No
substitute forms will be approved by the Graduate College, and only forms correctly completed with original
signatures will be evaluated.
ID#:
Student Name (First, MI, Last):
Proposed Thesis Title (Print/type) :
THESIS COMMITTEE (ALL MEMBERS OF THE THESIS COMMITTEE AND THE GRADUATE LIAISON MUST SIGN
THIS FORM. The names of the chair and members should also be legibly printed below their signatures.):
Chair: _________________________________________
Member: _________________________________________
Print name here ____________________________
Print name here _____________________________
Member: _________________________________________ Member: _________________________________________
Print name here______________________________
Print name here______________________________
Graduate Liaison: _________________________________________
Print name here______________________________________
-------------------------------DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE - GRADUATE COLLEGE USE ONLY-------------------------_________________________________________
Dean of the Graduate College
________________________________________________
Date Deposited
Student’s Degree Major Code: _____________________
________________________________________________
Student’s Degree Title
Student’s Degree Major:__________________________
Thesis Received in the Bizzell Acquisitions Department by: _____________________________________________________
Date Received in the Bizzell Acquisitions Department:
________________________________________________________
For any research that includes human or vertebrate animal subject involvement of any kind, approval must be obtained from the
appropriate office prior to beginning any research. This includes the administration of all surveys and the use of existing data collected
on any human or animal subjects. For information about human subject involvement, the IRB web site can be accessed at
http://research.ou.edu/irb/default.asp. For information about vertebrate animal subject involvement, the IACUC web site can be
accessed at http://iacuc.ou.edu/. Only the Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects and the Institutional Animal Use and Care
Committee for animal subjects have the authority to determine whether a study is exempt from full board review. Do not proceed with
the collection of new data or analysis of existing data until you have received a letter of approval, which authorizes you to do so from
the appropriate committee (IRB or IACUC). Failure to secure the proper approvals for research involving human or animal subjects
could result in disallowance of the data collected or analyzed without appropriate authorization. In order to graduate, all students
using humans or animals in research conducted as a degree requirement must have a letter of approval of that research from the
appropriate review board.
The following is to be completed and signed by student and verified by the major professor
1. Does this thesis contain any research that involves human and/or other vertebrate animal subjects in any way?
 Yes  No
If “Yes”, please move on to question 2. If “No”, please skip to question 4.
2. Does the research in this thesis involve the use of human subjects and has been or will be submitted for approval by the
Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
 Yes  No
A. 
B. 
C. 
Approved – (Attach a copy of the approval.)
Pending – (submitted _________ (date) to IRB, approval will be secured prior to any data collection)
To be submitted - (will be submitted later to IRB for approval but prior to any data collection)
3. Does the research in this thesis involve the use of vertebrate animal subjects and has been or will be submitted for approval
by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)?
 Yes  No
A. 
B. 
C. 
Approved – (Attach a copy of the approval.)
Pending – (submitted
(date) to IACUC, approval will be secured prior to any data collection)
To be submitted - (will be submitted later to IACUC for approval but prior to any data collection)
4. Does the research in this thesis include intellectual property which may be potentially patentable?
 Yes  No
5. Does the research in this thesis include confidential material? The final copies should be held in confidence until OTD
notifies the Graduate College and the Library to release the thesis for publishing.
 Yes  No
6. Has a research contract has been signed which provides the thesis be held for confidential purposes? The final copies should
be held in confidence until OTD notifies the Graduate College and the Library to release the thesis for publishing and public
viewing.
 Yes  No
If the answer is “yes” to any of questions 4-6, the Graduate College must receive a copy of the letter from the Office of
Technology Development (OTD) which indicates that OTD has received a reading copy of the thesis and is reviewing it
for confidentiality and/or patentability purposes. If this letter is not submitted prior to the authorization of your thesis
defense, the final copies of your thesis shall be published and open for public viewing.
Student’s signature
Major Professor’s signature
Revised 04/01/2008