Master of Science in Architecture Studies (SMArchS)

Deadlines

Formatting, Specifications & Thesis Submission

Important: Consult the Formatting, Specifications and Thesis Submission information page.

Fall Term 2024 Theses Deadlines (February 2025 degree candidates)

Dual Degree only: Friday, February 9, 2024: Registration Deadline (Penultimate Term)

  • For Dual Degree students only
    • E/signed OGE General Petition due to kbertin@mit.edu
    • Attachments must include approved dual degree coursework plan and, where relevant, indication of co-thesis advisor in secondary department (some dual degrees require additional paperwork).
  • Thesis Committee (Thesis Committee Guidelines)
    • Email kbertin@mit.edu the names and email addresses of all thesis committee members.
    • You and your committee will then be sent a DocuSign version of the Thesis Proposal Form to fill in and collect esignatures.
    • Each DocuSign form must be generated separately and cannot be created until all names and email addresses are collected.
    • The form only has a space for your working thesis title and esignatures. An abstract is not required, and you may update your thesis title (see dates below).

Tuesday, April 23, 2024: Drop Date (Penultimate Term)

  • 9am Completed Thesis Proposal Form due via DocuSign

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 – Friday, June 14, 2024

  • PreRegistration for Fall 2024: 4.THG, 36 units

Friday, September 6, 2024: Registration Deadline

  • Registration deadline for Fall 2024. Note: You will be unable to register until your completed Thesis Proposal Form has been received with all esignatures.
  • Degree list: Put yourself on the February degree list by applying for a degree
  • For Joint Thesis students only esigned OGE General Petition due to kbertin@mit.edu
    • Please note the Institute requires joint thesis writers to graduate on the same degree list (September, February, or May/June). So, if joint thesis writers decide to unjoin their thesis, each writer must submit a wholly separate thesis to the Institute.
    • This petition is filled out by one student (but includes both students’ information), then is esigned by the thesis advisor(s) as “Academic Advisor,” then comes to Kateri as “Graduate Administrator,” and it includes a pdf attachment with a 1- or 2-page proposal (see https://archthesis.mit.edu/joint for guidelines).

Week 2 of term: International Students Only

  • Earliest date to begin OPT authorization process
  • It is important to plan ahead as processing times for F-1 Post-Completion OPT, by application with USCIS, can take on average 90 days for USCIS to process. J-1 Academic Training requires that a student secure a training position/job that begins within 30 days of degree completion in order to apply for AT authorization.

Friday, October 4, 2024: Add Date

Tuesday, October 15–Friday, October 18, 2024: Discipline Area Reviews (scheduled by each discipline area)

Monday, November 4, 2024:

Friday, November 15, 2024:

  • GoogleForm for Review requests closes

Tuesday, November 12–Friday, November 15, 2024: Formal Thesis Defense (scheduled by each student and committee)

Wednesday, November 20, 2024: Drop Date

  • Submit digital information and images about your thesis for the Final Review Pamphlet via Dropbox by 9am: Dropbox link (please reach out to Joél Carela for access issues)

Thursday, November 28–Sunday, December 1, 2024: Thanksgiving Break

  • Review pamphlet proof (due 9am TBA). This for typos only: this will not be a time to switch images or content.

Thursday, December 12, 2024: Final Reviews

  • With invited internal critics
  • Held concurrent to SMArchS Thesis Proposal Reviews for May 2025 degree candidates

Friday, December 13, 2024

  • Last date to change thesis title via WebSIS
  • You must return to the online site of your application and add or make a change to your thesis title by this deadline. The title on your final thesis must be an exact match of the one you submit on your Application for Degree. If you add your title after this date, you will be charged a late fee

Monday, January 6, 2025: Thesis Document due

  • 9am department thesis deadline via the Department Thesis Submission Tool (note: this link is only for February 2025 degree candidates)
    • (choose “Single Sign On” and log in with your MIT email address)
    • Note: Your final thesis book must be reviewed and approved by thesis advisor(s) before submission to the department portal
    • If you are having difficulty when logged into Office 365 or Sharepoint under a different log in, try clearing your cache on your browser so that you can log in to the form with your MIT Kerberos account
    • This is for the purpose of making certain the document is in compliance with MIT archive requirements. You will be contacted quickly via the portal if adjustments are needed. Please do not email separately.
    • Dual degree candidates must abide by their home department’s deadlines and protocols (for example, Architecture cannot accept digital copies of the thesis with signatures).

Friday, Friday, January 17, 2025

  • All theses must be cleared by each department (multiple departments for dual degrees) and submitted to the Institute.
  • If a thesis is not approved by this point, the student may be pulled from the February degree list.

Wednesday, February 19, 2025: Degree award date

Last week of May 2025

  • TBA – Architecture Department’s End of Year Celebration / Awards Ceremony on TBA
  • Commencement
    • 11am–12:30pm, Thursday, May 29, 2025, SA+P Advanced Degree Ceremony in Kresge Auditorium
    • 3–4:30pm, Thursday, May 29, 2025, OneMIT Ceremony on Killian Court for all graduates
    • More details, as they become available, will be posted on https://commencement.mit.edu/

Formatting, Specifications & Thesis Submission

Important: Consult the Formatting, Specifications and Thesis Submission information page.

Spring Term 2025 Theses Deadlines (May 2025 degree candidates)

Dual Degree only: Friday, September 6, 2024: Registration Deadline (Penultimate Term)

  • For Dual Degree students only
    • E/signed OGE General Petition due to kbertin@mit.edu
    • Attachments must include approved dual degree coursework plan and, where relevant, indication of co-thesis advisor in secondary department (some dual degrees require additional paperwork).

September 30, 2024

  • Thesis Committee (Thesis Committee Guidelines)
    • Email kbertin@mit.edu the names and email addresses of all thesis committee members.
    • You and your committee will then be sent a DocuSign version of the Thesis Proposal Form to fill in and collect esignatures.
    • Each DocuSign form must be generated separately and cannot be created until all names and email addresses are collected.
    • The form only has a space for your working thesis title and esignatures. An abstract is not required, and you may update your thesis title (see dates below).
    • See Thesis section of Architecture’s Graduate Handbook: https://architecture.mit.edu/graduate-programs#thesis

Friday, October 4, 2024: Add Date

  • 9am Completed Thesis Proposal Form due via DocuSign.

Wednesday, November 20, 2024: Drop Date

Thursday, November 28–Sunday, December 1, 2024: Thanksgiving Break

  • GoogleForm for Review requests open
  • December Review Schedule Draft emailed
  • Review pamphlet proof (due 9am TBA). This for typos only: this will not be a time to switch images or content.

Thursday, December 12, 2024: Thesis Proposal Reviews

  • With invited internal critics
  • Held concurrent to SMArchS Final Reviews for February 2025 degree candidates

Monday, December 2, 2024 – Monday, January 6, 2025

  • PreRegistration for Spring 2025: 4.THG, 36 units

Friday, February 7, 2025: Registration Deadline

  • Registration deadline for Spring 2025. Note: You will be unable to register until your completed Thesis Proposal Form has been received with all esignatures
  • Degree list: Put yourself on the May degree list by applying for a degree
  • For Joint Thesis students only esigned OGE General Petition due to kbertin@mit.edu
    • Please note the Institute requires joint thesis writers to graduate on the same degree list (September, February, or June). So, if joint thesis writers decide to unjoin their thesis, each writer must submit a wholly separate thesis to the Institute.
    • It is filled out by one student (but includes both students’ information), then is esigned by the thesis advisor(s) as “Academic Advisor,” then comes to Kateri as “Graduate Administrator,” and it includes a pdf attachment with a 1- or 2-page proposal (see https://archthesis.mit.edu/joint for guidelines).

Week 2 of term: International Students Only

  • Earliest date to begin OPT authorization process
  • It is important to plan ahead as processing times for F-1 Post-Completion OPT, by application with USCIS, can take on average 90 days for USCIS to process.  J-1 Academic Training requires that a student secure a training position/job that begins within 30 days of degree completion in order to apply for AT authorization.

Friday, March 7, 2025: Add Date

Monday, March 17–Friday, March 21, 2025: Discipline Area Reviews (scheduled by each discipline area)

Monday, March 24–Friday, March 28, 2025: Spring Break

Friday, April 11, 2025

  • Last date to change thesis title via WebSIS
  • You must return to the online site of your application and add or make a change to your thesis title by this deadline. The title on your final thesis must be an exact match of the one you submit on your Application for Degree. If you add your title after this date, you will be charged a late fee

TBA, 5:30–7:30pm in Long Lounge

  • Open Studios + Happy Hour in collaboration with ASC
  • You can bring one thing or a set of things you would like to share: artifacts from your research, drawings, videos, machines, note cards, even a printed out or audio-recorded question would work … it was always meant as a way to seed a culture of sharing your work socially, not as yet another loophole to jump through. You may be compelled to stand next to your material with a drink, but even that is not a requirement… just seeing what the whole cohort is up to and sharing the work casually would be great. Inviting faculty… up to you.

Monday, April 21–Friday, April 25, 2025: Formal Thesis Defense (scheduled by each student and committee)

  • Tuesday, April 22, 2025: Drop Date
    • Submit digital information and images about your thesis for the Final Review Pamphlet via Dropbox by 9am: Dropbox link (please reach out to Joél Carela for access issues)
    • GoogleForm for Review requests open
    • May Review Schedule Draft emailed
    • Review pamphlet proof (due 9am TBA). This for typos only: this will not be a time to switch images or content.

Friday, April 25, 2025: Thesis Document due

  • 9am department thesis deadline via the Department Thesis Submission Tool (AirTable link forthcoming)
    • (choose “Single Sign On” and log in with your MIT email address)
    • Note: Your final thesis book must be reviewed and approved by thesis advisor(s) before submission to the department portal
    • If you are having difficulty when logged into Office 365 or Sharepoint under a different log in, try clearing your cache on your browser so that you can log in to the form with your MIT Kerberos account
    • This is for the purpose of making certain the document is in compliance with MIT archive requirements. You will be contacted quickly via the portal if adjustments are needed. Please do not email separately.
    • Dual degree candidates must abide by their home department’s deadlines and protocols (for example, Architecture cannot accept digital copies of the thesis with signatures).

Friday, May 9, 2025

  • All theses must be cleared by each department (multiple departments for dual degrees) and submitted to the Institute.
  • If a thesis is not approved by this point, the student may be pulled from the February degree list.

Wednesday, May 14 and/or Thursday, May 15, 2025: Final Reviews

  • With invited external critics
  • Held concurrent to SMArchS Preliminary Reviews for February 2026 degree candidates

Last week of May 2025

  • Thursday, May 29, 2025: Degree award date
  • TBA – Architecture Department’s End of Year Celebration / Awards Ceremony on TBA
  • Commencement: Thursday, May 29, 2025
    • 11am–12:30pm, SA+P Advanced Degree Ceremony in Kresge Auditorium
    • 2–4:30pm, OneMIT Ceremony on Killian Court for all graduates
    • More details, as they become available, will be posted on https://commencement.mit.edu/

Formatting, Specifications & Thesis Submission

Important: Consult the Formatting, Specifications and Thesis Submission information page.

Approved summer extension

  • If your thesis advisor(s) approve a summer extension, you would still present in May, but your thesis committee would decide whether that presentation is more of a meeting to discuss your progress or if it will be open to the public and/or have external critics, as we do not have public reviews/external critics over the summer. Some thesis committees request their students to present (usually via Zoom) their final work over the summer, and if this is what is decided, it would be up to the student + thesis committee to schedule. Some thesis committees may just ask the student to submit the final book to be reviewed and graded when it’s complete, without a final presentation of the work.
    • Monday, June 2, 2025: Summer registration for 4.THG
    • Friday, August 1, 2025: 9am department thesis deadline via the Department Thesis Submission Tool
    • Around Friday, August 9, 2025: All theses must be cleared by each department (multiple departments for dual degrees) and submitted to the Institute. If a thesis is not approved by this point, the student may be pulled from the September degree list.
    • Around Wednesday, 9/17, 2025: Degree award date

SMArchS Thesis Contacts