Requirements
Guide for First-Year Students (PDF format)
Cumulative Exams and Second-Year Oral Exams
Thesis Preparation
Current Student Information (Certificates Required)

The following information is provided to assist Chemistry graduate students as they prepare their theses. If you have any questions that are not answered by this guide, please contact Lynn Marie Guthrie-Libby at the Chemistry Graduate Office, Room 6-205, telephone (617)253-1851.

For Final Submission to the Chemistry Education Office (Jennifer Weisman):

• 2 copies of Thesis
  
• UMI Form (PDF) with copies of the abstract and title page attached (use the appropriate UMI subject codes).
  
• MIT Doctoral Student Exit Survey
  
• Laboratory Clearance Form
• Forwarding & Employment Information
  

1. Please fill out the Degree Application via WebSIS at the start of the term. For the June 2013 Degree List, the deadline to fill out the online Degree Application via WebSIS is Friday, February 8. A late fee will be applied after this date. The Institute deadline for submitting thesis titles for the June 2013 degree list is Friday, April 5. After this date, an $85 late fee is charged.
   
   
2. All PhD candidates must have a Thesis Defense. Please let Lynn Marie Guthrie-Libby know the date, time, and location of your defense so that it can be announced to the Chemistry Department Faculty.
   
   BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY STUDENTS ONLY: Biological chemistry students receiving the PhD degree are required to present a seminar as part of the thesis defense. This seminar is open to the department. You are responsible for reserving the room and any A-V equipment needed for your talk, preparing and posting a seminar notice, announcing your seminar in Chemformation. Following the seminar, the candidate will meet privately with the thesis committee.
   
   
3. Your thesis committee must consist of an MIT Chemistry Department faculty member in your area of chemistry as chairperson, an MIT faculty member, and your research advisor. The committee must receive a copy of your thesis at least one week before the defense.
   
   
4. The Institute has designated Friday, May 3, 2013, as the date when theses for the June Degree List are due.
   
   For the June 2013 degree list, Chemistry will extend the thesis deadline to Friday, May 24.
   
   
5. The Institute has very specific requirements for the way in which your Thesis must be prepared. Specifications for Thesis Preparation is available online and should be read very carefully. Some important points are:

a. margins and spacing

b. double-sided or single-sided printing

c. You must submit two (2) copies of your thesis to the Chemistry Graduate Office: these copies go to the Library and must be on Archival Bond paper (see paper list for exact types of acceptable paper). Nothing else is acceptable.

d. The first copy of your thesis must have original signatures on the Title Page and the Thesis Committee Page. Original signatures are not required on the second copy.

e. All copies of your thesis should be submitted in Thesis Covers, which can be found either at 14-0513 or 14N-118. Each copy should have a label which tells the thesis title, author's name, PhD (or SM) Chemistry, and the dated degree list (e.g. February 2013 or June 2013). The copy number (1 or 2) should also be marked on the label.

f. Title Page: (PDF)

• In the section which begins "Submitted to the Department of Chemistry in Partial Fullment...", the date should be the Degree Date;
• Where the Copyright information appears, be sure to include the year. © 2013 (along with the appropriate MIT copyright disclaimer)
• The date under Signature of Author should be the date of the Thesis Defense; or in the case of SM, the date submitted to the department;
• The final name on the Title Page should be: Robert W. Field, Chairman, Departmental Committee on Graduate Students;
• Number the pages consecutively starting with the Title Page, including figures, charts, etc. DO NOT TYPE PAGE NUMBER ON TITLE PAGE.

g. Page 2 of the Chemistry PhD Thesis should be the Thesis Committee.

h. Abstract layout: (PDF) Please adhere to the abstract format. Be sure to include the Thesis Supervisor and Title at the end of the abstract. Sample layout: (PDF)