When should I register for thesis credits?

Ideally, you should register for Thesis credits (Engl. 6970) after you have completed your coursework and have nothing left to do but finish your Plan A or Plan B project(s). Leaving your Thesis credits to the end of your program of study also allows you to teach while only taking three credits of Thesis (see paragraph 2 under “How many credits do I need to take in order to be a GI?” above).

However, there may be situations when it is smart to register for Thesis credits before you complete your coursework, and perhaps even before you begin work on your thesis. For instance, you might take Thesis credits during fall or spring semester of your first year if there happens to be a dearth of appropriate classes in your program that term. And if you are fortunate enough to receive a one-semester tuition waiver, that term would be a good one in which to take Thesis credits as well as a couple of seminars (in order to make the most of the tuition waiver).

On the other hand, if you take your Thesis credits during your first year, you might find yourself having to take labor-intensive seminars during your final semester, at the same time as trying to complete and defend your thesis. When that happens, the thesis defense often gets postponed till the following semester, during which you may have to register for three additional credits to fulfill the Grad School’s continuous registration requirement (see above).