Graduate Students

Outstanding Thesis & Dissertation Awards

The Outstanding Thesis & Dissertation Awards recognize and reward graduate students whose thesis or dissertation has been identified by the Graduate School as outstanding among all those submitted during the previous academic year.

Award

Two awards will be given annually—one dissertation from a doctoral student and one thesis from a master's student. The recipients will receive a cash award of $500. The winning thesis may be forwarded by the University to the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools “Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award” competition.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the award, the nominated students must have completed their graduate degree in fall 2023, spring 2024, or summer 2024. Each SIUE master’s degree program may nominate one thesis each year, and each SIUE doctoral program may nominate one dissertation each year.

All eligible candidates are encouraged to apply.

Nomination Procedure

1. The Outstanding Thesis/Dissertation Award Nomination form found on the Graduate Faculty Forms website submitted by the thesis/dissertation advisor will require the below information:

• Nominee name and 800#
• Separate file uploads of the thesis/dissertation abstract, introduction section, and conclusion section
• The criteria the department uses to evaluate theses/dissertations internally
• Rankings and narrative to support nomination, including discussion of:
  • Clarity of composition and organization
  • Scholarship demonstrated in the thesis/dissertation
  • Suitability of the author's methodology to the field
  • Contribution the research makes to the discipline
  • Research deliverables, including any publications, presentations, or other awards the project has garnered

2.  After submission of the online nomination by the thesis/dissertation advisor, the nomination will be forwarded to the Department Chair for approval and supporting information.

Deadline for Submission

The nomination form must be submitted no later than Friday, August 30, 2024 at 4:30pm.
The Department Chair nomination support and approval must be completed by Monday, September 9, 2024 at 4:30pm.

Evaluation Criteria

Complete and eligible applications received and approved by the above deadlines will be reviewed by the Graduate Student Awards Committee using the OTA/ODA Rubric. Awards will be presented at the Graduate School's Fall Awards Reception.