When beginning to think about writing a thesis, the student should ask a department member with interest in the topic of the thesis to be the thesis advisor. When an advisor is determined, the student should form a thesis committee. The committee is composed of the student' s advisor, one or two other philosophy department members and one faculty member from a department other than philosophy.
Students write their theses in consultation with their advisors.
When the advisor and other committee members believe the prospectus is sufficiently coherent, interesting and complete, the student will begin writing the thesis itself. Before the student is examined on the thesis, he or she should receive approval of the thesis first from the advisor and then from the other committee members. Generally, students who consult carefully with their committee members do well on their exams, because they do not take their exams until the committee is satisfied with their work. Examiners have pass, fail and revision options on evaluating the thesis. They may, in other words, pass the thesis as it is, fail it or ask for revisions on it.