7. Final Exam Procedures

7.1 GS 3 and GS 4 Forms
Remember these two form numbers, GS 3 (written thesis or capstone) and GS 4 (written exam and/or oral defense of thesis/capstone). Common names for these forms are included here and in Appendix A.

Students will need to contact the chair of their Examination Committee, who in turn will contact the UMD Graduate School Office in 431 DAB, so the Graduate School can prepare the necessary forms and paperwork for the student review process. The student, student Advisor or Examination Committee chair will then have to obtain both the GS 3 and GS 4 forms, as outlined below, from the Graduate School Office in 431 DAB. Student Examination Committees will use the forms for the final examination review process.

7.2 Plan A Thesis Students
The Examination Committee that is defined in the Universal Degree Program examines the student thesis. The committee must be unanimous in certifying that the thesis is ready for oral defense and their signatures testifying to this fact recorded on form GS 3. This form is then delivered or mailed to the UMD Graduate School in 431 DAB by students or by one of the Examination Committee members. Students can then be admitted to the final oral and/or written exam.

If a written exam is required it is taken after form GS 3 is completed and before the oral exam. Results from the written exam are recorded on the Final Exam Report (form GS 4) and the results of this will then be issued to students after the above GS 3 form has been approved and signed by all the committee members and delivered or mailed to the Graduate School Office by the students or by an Examination Committee member.

Oral examination: The committee must be unanimous in certifying that students have orally defended the written thesis paper successfully (all pass), and this record is then reported on the same GS 4 form used above for the written exam, which will then require the signature of all the committee members. Students or Examination Committee members will have to submit the completed GS 4 form to the UMD Graduate School Office before students can clear for graduation.

7.3 Plan B Capstone Students
The required capstone project should take a combined effort of 120 hours. The project paper may be written in conjunction with the regular courses or in specially designed courses, or other, as arranged through the student Advisor and DGS. If one project is used then it has to be in the MSEM major area.

Students submit their project paper (covering 120 hours of work) to the Examination Committee for review. The Examination Committee will then review the paper and sign form GS 3 (Reviewers Report Master’s Degree). A unanimous vote of the Examination Committee is required to pass the written project paper. Students or an Examination Committee member will then forward the completed form to the Graduate School Office in 431 DAB.

Students must then contact their Advisor and request that they contact the UMD Graduate School Office in 431 DAB to notify them that they will need to obtain an Examination Report Form (GS 4) prior to the final oral exam. Students, or one of their committee members, will then need to get the GS 4 form from the Graduate School Office for use by the Examination Committee. Students or one of their committee members will then return the completed form, containing all the committee member signatures, to the Graduate School in 431 DAB, in order to pass and maintain student graduation eligibility.