Master of Architecture (MArch) Thesis

Deadlines

Fall Term 2025 Theses Deadlines (February 2026 degree candidates)

Friday, February 7, 2025: Registration Day (Penultimate Term)

  • Deadline for Dual Degree students to submit Dual Degree petition to institute.
    • E/signed OGE General Petition due via DocuSign to kbertin@mit.edu
      • Petition must include approved pdf of dual degree coursework plan and indication of co-thesis advisor in secondary department (some dual degrees require additional paperwork)

Tuesday, September 2, 2025: Registration Date

  • Deadline to Submit Thesis Committee Members: Email kbertin@mit.edu with names, roles, and email addresses of both 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 email addresses are collected
  • You will have a registration hold until your DocuSign is fully signed by your committee, so PLEASE EMAIL YOUR COMMITTEE INFORMATION EARLY!

Friday, September 5, 2025

  • Registration deadline: 4.THG, 24 units
  • Degree list: Put yourself on the February degree list by applying for a degree
  • 9am ESigned Thesis Proposal Form due via DocuSign (this includes a working thesis title and signatures; it does not include an abstract)

Week 2 (September 8–12, 2025): Proposal Review (scheduled in conjunction with Thesis Coordinator)

TBA

Friday, October 3, 2025 – Add date

  • Critic requests due to Thesis Coordinator

Week 7 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.

Weeks 7 or 8: (October 14–17 or 20–24, 2025): Midterm Reviews, Long Lounge and adjacent dome spaces

TBA: Floor Plans due to Student Services

  • Needs to include furniture requests, MIT AV requests, catering requests, and—most importantly!—floor plans (map of where pin-up boards, tables, etc. will be placed) 

TBA

  • Lord Jim visits MArch Thesis
  • Kateri visits MArch Thesis: Thesis book Formatting Q&A

TBA: Thesis need requests due to this GoogleForm

  • Available materials:
    • 3 iPads without tripods (STOA)
    • 3 TV screens on wheels (Architecture)
      • 4: 65”, 2: 70”, 2: 55”, 1: 47” from studios (7-434 65” * 2 70” 55” 47”  7-403 65”  3-415 70” 55”  10-485 65”)
    • TV Wall in Silverman Room (Media Lab)
    • 1 Projector in Lecture Hall (Media Lab)
    • 4 projectors in the Multi-Purpose Room (2 each on 2 walls adjacent to each other) (Media Lab)
    • Banquet tables, conference tables, high top tables, etc. (see furniture list from Media Lab)
  • Notes on space:  We are unable to pinup anywhere except on the pinup boards specifically rented for the event and nothing may be placed on the glass floor in the Winter Garden: Media Lab Space Restrictions. We work to accommodate accessibility principles (no less than 36” between doorways or around presentations to allow for access, etc.): ADA compliance. Scaled version of Media Lab 6th floor
  • There are 48 pinup panels (4ft x 8ft) and 42 lights, which can be attached to the top of individual panels

TBA (if website is developed by cohort): Website Materials due to cohort’s Dropbox

  • Please note that we don’t expect what you put in the folder to be finalized; we will collect final content towards the end of the semester
    • 1. A text document (Word, Pages, txt, or rtf), including Thesis Title (exact formatting), Name(s) as you would like it/them displayed on the thesis website (i.e. Jim or James), Committee (advisor and readers indicated), Thesis statement (200-500 words)
    • 2. Media 5 – 10 images (JPEG or PNG), each file as compressed as possible, Thesis PNG ‘icon’ or ‘logo’ (i.e. a ‘cut out’ image without a background, maximum dimension 250px for main page), Audio recording (MP3) of you reading your thesis statement

TBA

  • STOA visits MArch Thesis

Week 10 (November 3–7, 2025): Penultimate Review (scheduled in conjunction with Thesis Coordinator)

  • TBA time and location(s)

Wednesday, November 19, 2025: Drop Date

TBA TIME: Thesis Book Formatting Review Session/Q&A: TBA Zoom link

  • We will use this time to go over the important thesis formatting required for publication by the library. This is always the final step that your book must pass to be accepted by the department and be cleared for graduation.
  • You will not be approved on the degree list without your thesis book meeting library publication standards.
  • To make this session productive, please upload your front matter (title page, committee page, and abstract page) via the Airtable form, here: TBA February 2026 AirTable link

Monday, December 1, 2025

  • Submit digital information and images about your thesis for the Final Review Pamphlet via Dropbox folder (provided to you by Communications Team) by 9am

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

  • Review pamphlet proof due by noon. This is for typos only: this will not be a time to switch images or content
  • Final pamphlet link

Week 15 of term (December 8–10, 2025)

  • If applicable, final website (https://marchthesis.mit.edu/) submissions due via cohort’s Dropbox
  • Note video files are not compatible with the platform, so moving media is restricted to GIF-type files
  • Please include any images, thesis statement, and roles/names of thesis advisor and readers

Friday, December 12, 2025

  • Last date to submit 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.

Wednesday, December 17, 2025: late afternoon/evening

  • Load-In (details below from Lord Jim):
    • The “All clear” to start bringing your materials over will probably be after 2pm (may be as late as 5pm!).
    • MIT ID card will allow you to swipe your way through the main doors to E14 at any hour and use any E14 elevator card reader. There is a freight elevator by the loading dock at the rear of the 1st floor.
    • A representative sample only of Long Lounge model bases will be brought over by truck. These will be available on a first-come, first-served basis in E14 6th floor. If you have some special requirement or need for a particular shape or size base, then contact Lord Jim well in advance.
    • If you have a large, heavy model that would be best transported by truck, please contact Lord Jim well in advance. It must be ready for pickup on (date TBD), at 8:00am in one of the thesis studios.
    • Anything that we transport will be returned by truck on (date TBD).
    • PLEASE NOTE: OUR TRANSPORTATION OF YOUR MODEL IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE WILL NOT BE REPSONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE OR LOSS.  We will make every effort to move your work carefully, but these are movers, not art conservators.
    • The E14-670 catering kitchen will be used as a storage area for your materials. Do not block the circulation path or the rear door of the freight elevator.

Thursday, December 18, 2025: Final Review & Load-Out

  • With invited external critics
  • From Lord Jim: ALL MATERIALS MUST BE REMOVED FROM E14 BY 8:00AM ON TBA 2025. We are under a lot of pressure to return these rooms promptly to a clean and empty condition.  YOUR COOPERATION IS EXPECTED AND APPRECIATED.

TBA December 2025:

  • Documentation in TBA location with professional photographer
    • Please arrive 15 mins early to the space. Outside, you will find a table and brushes for dusting off your model.  Please clean and assemble your model (including the bottom) outside of the space before you enter the room.
    • A single speck of dust on the camera lens can trigger the sensors and ruin not only your photos, but those of your colleagues.
    • If you have any questions or concerns, please email arch-comm@mit.edu.

TBA 2026: 9am deadline to submit theses to the Department Thesis Submission Portal

(choose “Single Sign On” and login with your MIT email address)

  • Note: Your final thesis book must be reviewed and approved by thesis advisor(s) via eSignature pdf before submission to the Department Thesis Submission Portal.
  • This is for the purpose of making certain the document is in compliance with MIT archive requirements. You will be contacted quickly 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, January 16, 2026

  • 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 both thesis advisor and the Department this point, the student will not be approved for the February degree list.

Monday, February 23, 2026

  • Degree award date.

Last week of May 2026

  • TBA (likely Wednesday, May 27, 2026) – Architecture Department’s End of Year Celebration / Awards Ceremony on TBA location
  • Thursday, May 28, 2026
    • Spring 2026 Thesis students’ degree award date
    • SA+P Advanced Degree Ceremony in Kresge Auditorium
    • 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.

Tuesday, September 2, 2025: Registration Day (Penultimate Term)

  • Deadline for Dual Degree students to submit Dual Degree petition to institute.
    • E/signed OGE General Petition due via DocuSign to kbertin@mit.edu
      • Attachments must include dual degree coursework plan and indication of co-thesis advisor in secondary department (some dual degrees require additional paperwork)

Wednesday, November 19, 2025: Drop Date (Penultimate Term)

  • Deadline to Submit Thesis Committee Members
    • Email kbertin@mit.edu with names, roles, and email addresses of 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 email addresses are collected
      • You will have a registration hold until your DocuSign is fully signed by your committee, so PLEASE EMAIL YOUR COMMITTEE INFORMATION EARLY!

Friday, December 12, 2025: End of Reading Period (Penultimate Term)

  • 9am Thesis Proposal Form due via DocuSign

Monday, December 1, 2025

  • Pre-Registration: 4.THG, 24 units

Friday, February 6, 2026

  • Registration deadline. Note: You will be unable to register until your completed Thesis Proposal Form has been received with all e-signatures
  • 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 (Monday, February 9–Friday, February 13, 2026):

  • Proposal Reviews (scheduled by each student with thesis committee)
  • 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 6, 2026: Add Date

Week 7 or Week 8 (Monday, March 16–Friday, April 3): Mid Reviews (scheduled by each student with thesis committee)

Spring Break: Monday, March 23–Friday, March 27, 2026

April 2026 Friday, April 10, 2026

  • TBA Early April deadline: Committee conflicts for 5/14 emailed to thaynes@mit.edu
  • TBA mid-April deadline: Fill out Review/Space Needs via GoogleForm submission
  • Friday, April 10, 2026: Last date to submit 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 mid- to late April: Final review schedule draft emailed out
  • Tuesday, April 21, 2026
  • TBA TIME: Thesis Book Formatting Review Session/Q&A: TBA Zoom link
    • We will use this time to go over the important thesis formatting required for publication by the library. This is always the final step that your book must pass to be accepted by the department and be cleared for graduation.
    • You will not be approved on the degree list without your thesis book meeting library publication standards.
    • To make this session productive, please upload your front matter (title page, committee page, and abstract page) via the Airtable form, here: TBA Spring 2026 AirTable link

Week 10 (Monday, April 13–Friday, April 17, 2026): Penultimate Reviews (scheduled by each student and committee)

Reading Period (Wednesday, May 13–Friday, May 15, 2026): Final Review Scheduling

Monday, April 27–Friday, May 1, 2026

  • Review pamphlet proof (due 5pm TBA). This for typos only: this will not be a time to switch images or content.
  • TBA deadline: front matter of thesis due via the Department Thesis Submission Tool
    • Front matter includes: Title page, Committee page, Abstract page, Table of Contents with placeholders for page numbers, List of Figures, Bibliography
    • (choose “Single Sign On” and log in with your MIT email address)
    • 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)

May TBA 2025

  • Thesis due via the Department Thesis Submission Tool TBA AirTable link Spring 2026
    • (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: Fill in your name & signature, then send to your advisor(s) to fill in their name & signature, which acts as their approval of your thesis: The required Signature Form must be submitted along with your completed thesis document to the department by the department due date. 
    • 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 15, 2026

  • 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 not be approved for the May degree list.

TBA May 13–15, 2026: Final Reviews

  • With invited external critics

TBA May 2026: Studio Clean Out

  • The deadline for removing all belongings from 7-303 and studios 3-415, 5-414, 7-403, 7-404, and 7-434 will be ***TBA May 2026***Anything remaining will be discarded or recycled.  In order to allow for maintenance, classes, and research in the studios over the summer, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE STORAGE FOR YOUR BELONGINGS.  EVERYTHING MUST BE REMOVED.
  • ***You need to be out in advance of the deadline.*** 
  • Please do not leave ANYTHING behind.  Clean out your locker, return your library books, and dispose of drawings and models according to the Trash and Recycling Guidelines sent out in an email from Lord Jim.  Please sweep the floor under your desk.  Again, anything remaining after the deadline will be disposed of without further warning and without regard to any posted notes.
  • As in previous semesters, there will be a $75 fee imposed if staff must clean up for you.  Cleanup and disposal costs at MIT are significant and this fee can help support these efforts if we must clean up for you — but we do not rely on the fees.  We will be pleased to find the studios empty and in broom clean condition with no need for further accountability.  Please do your part.

Last week of May 2025

  • TBA (likely Wednesday, May 27, 2026) – Architecture Department’s End of Year Celebration / Awards Ceremony on TBA location
  • Thursday, May 28, 202629 (expected)
    • Spring 2025 Thesis students’ degree award date
    • SA+P Advanced Degree Ceremony in Kresge Auditorium
    • OneMIT Ceremony on Killian Court for all graduates
    • More details, as they become available, will be posted on https://commencement.mit.edu/
    • If you plan to attend the ceremony, you should RSVP at degreeapp.mit.edu. Information about accessing your tickets will be sent out in mid-May. Note, you will receive 4 tickets to the SA+P Ceremony and 4 tickets to the OneMIT ceremony, should you choose to attend both. This year, Masters cords will be distributed at the procession check-in. PhD students will receive their hood on stage as part of the ceremony. I will follow up with additional procession and ceremony-specific details in the coming weeks.
  • TBA date: Student offices: Desk Clean Out

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.

See Applying for an Extension in the registration section of your handbook: https://architecture.mit.edu/registration and the Extension Agreement.

  • Monday, June 2, 2025: Summer registration for 4.THG
  • Friday, August 1, 2025: 9am department thesis deadline via the Department Thesis Submission Tool
  • Friday, August 8, 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 will be not be approved for the September degree list.
  • Friday, September 19, 2025: Degree award date

MArch Thesis Contacts