A thesis requires a substantial amount of research and writing and is expected to make a scholarly contribution. The topic you choose should be broad enough to sustain a graduate level of research, but narrow enough to make completion possible. It should also be a topic in which you have a personal and sustainable interest. Students are encouraged to choose topics that relate to their field of study, but are also relevant for the Church.

Choosing the right Thesis Adviser will greatly aid the successful completion of the project. The student should consult with the Thesis Coordinator to identify possible advisers for the project. Ideally, the Adviser will share the student's interest in the topic and be able to serve as a guide and resource for the development of the proposal and the thesis itself. The Adviser is generally a full-time member of the faculty, working in the student's chosen academic field. It is the student's responsibility to contact potential advisers and secure an initial commitment from a faculty member to serve as Thesis Adviser.

In addition to the Thesis Adviser, a second faculty member will be appointed to read and comment on the thesis. The Second Reader may be in a related field. The student may request a particular second reader when submitting the thesis proposal.

Final appointment of the Thesis Adviser and Second Reader will be made by the Academic Dean, in consultation with the Thesis Coordinator and the Academic Committee, following approval of the thesis proposal.