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The Thesis Defense

Information for LHC Students and Mentors

Every student is required to have a defense or presentation in some form in order to graduate from the LHC. This can vary according to project and department. Normally, a student will give a five to ten minute presentation of his/her findings to the committee. The amount of time for the defense should be determined by the committee and the student.

The members of the committee can then ask questions of the student until it is satisfied that the questions have been reasonably answered by the student.

All members of the committee are normally required to be at the defense. There can be exceptions for members who do not live in the community, or for some reason of distance or circumstance. All members must, however, approve and sign off on the thesis project.

The venue is open to the student and committee members. There is no requirement that the defense even be held on WMU's campus. The student is also free to invite anyone he/she chooses to the defense. The atmosphere can be quite relaxed, depending on the requirements of the committee.

The student is required to pick up and fill out a Thesis Defense Certificate Request form at the Information Desk of the LHC or download it from this web page. This should be done after a defense date has been established. The LHC should have at least 48 hours to process the request. You should then pick up your two copies and take them to the defense.

After the defense the committee members will sign the forms. You keep one for your records and return one to us with a copy of your thesis. Only when we have the form and the thesis will you be considered officially finished.

When all course and thesis requirements have been checked, the LHC will put the title of your thesis on your transcript and you will have officially graduated from the Lee Honors College.

We wish you the best of luck on your thesis project. If individual questions or problems arise, please call 387-3230 and talk to Dr. Andreadis.