WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS
2002-2003 WAGS/UMI DISTINGUISHED MASTER'S THESIS AWARD

The Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS) and University Microfilms International (UMI) are pleased to announce the 2002-2003 WAGS/UMI Distinguished Master's Thesis Award competition. Each member institution may submit one nomination for the award.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

This award recognizes distinguished scholarly achievement at the master's level. Nominations will be accepted in any discipline in which the institution offers a master's degree but no graduate degree beyond the master's. Departments or programs offering a doctoral degree through correspondence relationships with doctoral granting units are ineligible to submit a master's thesis for consideration in the WAGS/UMI Distinguished Master's Thesis competition.

The scholarly "product" eligible for this competition is a formal written thesis. If a nominating department offers both a thesis option and a project option, only the thesis is acceptable for consideration for this award. An outstanding project will be considered for a department in which the project is the ONLY culminating master's experience. Each nomination requires a written endorsement of the Dean of the Graduate School (College) or equivalent office. The internal institutional selection processes are the responsibility of the endorsing official.

GUIDELINES FOR THE 2002-2003 WAGS/UMI DISTINGUISHED MASTER'S THESIS AWARD:

1. A nominee must have earned the master's degree within the period of July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2002. Nomination materials must include:
   1. An original plus eight copies of the written endorsement cited in the Eligibility Requirements above.
   2. An original plus eight copies of an expanded abstract or summary prepared by the student (1000-1500 words) describing the research and its significance.
   3. An original plus eight copies of the table of contents for the nominated thesis.
   4. An original plus eight copies of the letter from the department head or major professor. This letter should include information regarding the significance of the thesis, the contribution of the thesis to the program of the degree granting unit, and the impact of the thesis on the knowledge base of the discipline.
2. All nomination materials must be postmarked no later than August 16, 2002, and mailed to Dr. Elizabeth L. Feetham, Secretary-Treasurer, Western Association of Graduate Schools, c/o The University of Washington, Graduate School, Box 353770, G-1 Communications Building, Seattle, WA 98195-3770.
3. Initial screening will be based upon four criteria: originality, significance of the study, methodology, and overall quality. The student's contribution to the degree program may also be a consideration. Finalists will be asked to provide three complete copies of the thesis.
4. The 2002-2003 award consists of a certificate of award, $1000 to the recipient, and travel expenses for the student and the student's adviser to receive the award at the annual meeting of the Association to be held in Salt Lake City, March 2003.