Not every graduate program at A&M–Central Texas requires a thesis for degree completion. Students must have full admission to a degree program and obtain permission from the graduate program coordinator to enroll in a thesis course. A thesis will not be accepted unless a student has completed a minimum of six semester hours of thesis coursework. The A&M–Central Texas Thesis Manual, which contains detailed instructions for preparing and submitting a thesis for approval, is available on the Thesis Office website. Students planning to pursue a thesis should obtain a copy of this manual early in their graduate studies.

Thesis Credit

Students who begin writing a thesis are expected to enroll each semester, including summer, in at least one thesis hour until the thesis is completed. Students not involved in human-subjects research may be exempt from summer enrollment with written permission from their committee chair. Students may lose access to university resources if not enrolled.

Students who make satisfactory progress during the semester will receive the grade "IP/S" (In Progress/Satisfactory). The "S" grade is not included in the GPA calculation for the degree. A maximum of six hours of thesis credit will count toward the degree's required credit hours. Students may not exceed the six-hour limit without the approval of the graduate program coordinator or the dean of the Graduate School.