Master of Science in Building Technology (SMBT)

Special instructions for SMBT Thesis Students

SMBT students register for 4.THG upon approval of the thesis proposal and continue to do so each term until graduation. Units will vary according to the number of other subjects being taken. A normal course load for a term is not more than 48 credit units. SMBT students are expected to schedule a Content Review directly with their thesis advisor to take place near the end of the final term. At this point the thesis should be substantially complete; the Content Review marks the point at which the student may turn to production of the final thesis.

Deadlines

Fall Term 2024 Theses Deadlines

No off-cycle SMBT students graduating February 2025

Spring Term 2025 Theses Deadlines

Friday, February 7, 2025

  • Registration deadline. 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 24–Friday, March 28, 2025: Spring Break

Friday, April 12, 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.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025: Drop Date

Monday, April 28, 2025–Friday, May 2, 2025

  • Review pamphlet proof. This for typos only: this will not be a time to switch images or content.
  • Monday, April 28, 2025: 9am department thesis deadline via the Department Thesis Submission Tool (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 May degree list.

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

  • With invited external critics

TBA, 2025: Studio Cleanup Deadline

Last week of May 2025

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

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 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 may be pulled from the September degree list.
  • Around Wednesday, 9/17, 2025: Degree award date

SMBT Thesis Contacts