XVI. Thesis Requirements
- Submitting the Thesis Proposal
- Prior to January 1 of his/her fourth year, the student must discuss the proposed subject with the member of the Faculty
with whom he/she desires to work. The thesis topic must be submitted, with the written approval of the referee, to the
Registrar when classes resume for the second semester. The Registrar will convey the proposed thesis topic to the Committee
on Academic Affairs for its written approval by February of the student's fourth year. Thesis proposals that are not
submitted by the deadline will not be presented to the Committee on Academic Affairs.
- In determining approval of a thesis proposal, the Committee on Academic Affairs will address itself to the following
questions:
- Is the area into which the proposed thesis falls represented on the Faculty of the College-Institute?
- Has the student, either by completing a sufficient number of elective courses in the thesis area or by presenting
equivalent academic credentials, demonstrated the academic ability to pursue research in the area?
- Does the proposed thesis lend itself to systematic research? Does it conform to generally accepted criteria for
dissertations? Does the proposal include an adequate corpus of sources to be studied?
- If the Committee on Academic Affairs withholds approval of the proposed thesis topic, the Dean or Committee Chair will so
inform the thesis referee. The student may, after consulting with his/her referee, reformulate the thesis proposal and
resubmit it to the Committee on Academic Affairs.
- A request to change the thesis topic or referee must be submitted to the Deans' Office no later than July 15 and be
approved by the Committee on Academic Affairs no later than the first week of classes in the first semester. If for reasons
of medical emergency or unusual crisis a student is unable to present the completed thesis by the date announced in the
Academic Calendar as the "Last Day for Submitting Theses," he/she may, upon written permission of the program director (who
will consult with the thesis referee), be granted a one week extension. The Registrar shall be notified on such
occasions.
- Ordinarily, a thesis is written under one referee, a member of the Cincinnati Faculty. When a thesis involves more than
one area of study or methodological approach, a second and, if necessary, third faculty member from our schools or associated
institutions may be co-opted as minor referees.
- No faculty member may serve as major or minor referee for more than four rabbinical theses to a given Senior class.
- As a rule, students may not request a faculty member to serve as thesis referee if that faculty member will be on
sabbatical during the student's Senior year. Students should check with the Registrar for a list of faculty members who will
be on sabbatical the following year.
- A rabbinical student whose thesis has not been recommended for faculty approval by his/her advisor, in writing, may not
participate in senior placement interviews.
- Thesis Conferences: During the time between the approval of the thesis subject and the submitting of the finished thesis the
candidate is required to attend regular thesis conferences with the member of the faculty under whose guidance he/she is writing
his/her thesis. As a rule, thesis conferences are held on the Cincinnati campus. It is the responsibility of the candidate to
contact his/her thesis advisor and arrange for the periodic conferences.
- Submitting the Completed Thesis
- In his/her Senior year, the student presents a final draft of his/her thesis to his/her thesis referee no later than
February 1. The completed thesis must be presented to the Registrar no later than March 1, or the date announced on the
Academic Calendar as the "Last Day for Submitting Theses."
- The referee presents a final thesis report to the Registrar no later than March 24, or the announced due date.
- If, for reason of illness or other similar extenuating circumstances, a student is unable to present the completed thesis
by March 1, he/she may, upon the written permission of the program director (who will consult with the thesis referee), be
granted up to a three-week extension.
- Failure of the student to meet any of the above deadlines or failure to fulfill any of the above requirements will
prevent a student's certification as a "Candidate for Ordination."
- The student should request from the Office of the Registrar a copy of the "Rabbinical Thesis Regulations."
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