The graduate thesis is a culminating project that incorporates scholarly research on a topic studied or referenced within the CDU MA (Theology) graduate program coursework. Upon completing the thesis, the student should be able to accurately and thoroughly develop a thesis, citing approved primary and secondary sources. This thesis should be between 30 and 50 pages (7,500-12,500 words), plus bibliography. Upon registering for the graduate thesis, students will submit a topic with initial bibliography for approval to Academic Leadership. Academic Leadership will then assign a thesis advisor, who will guide and review a formal thesis outline and bibliography, a fully developed draft, and the final thesis. All work must be adhere formats and conventions as described in Kate Turabian’s A Manual for Writers, 8th or 9th Editions. Three credits are awarded once the thesis director and Academic Leadership approve the thesis. All student work must be completed within the 16-week term in which s(he) registers.

If a student proposes a project involving research on human subjects, he or she must first submit the proposal to Academic Leadership with a faculty advisor in mind. If the Academic Leadership approves the project and determines upon review of HHS standards that the topic indeed involves research on living persons (as opposed to merely anonymous data about people), both the student and the faculty advisor (if necessary) will be required to attend appropriate Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training. Please note that CDU charges a Human Subjects Thesis fee of $400 to cover the faculty training (if necessary), in addition to the cost of CITI student training that is borne by the student. These expenses are in addition to the tuition charged for the thesis course. Once the training is complete, the student submits the project for review by the institutional review board before implementation, using the IRB portal of American Public University. CDU has a memo of understanding with APUS that CDU will submit for IRB review each proposal, including any surveys, instruments, and other tools, that will be used for specific research on human subjects under the requirements of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulation 45 C.F.R. Part 46. To facilitate the IRB application process, the student is urged to take an explanatory webinar and follow this checklist and complete the Clearpath Learning App as he or she builds the application in the portal. After the IRB has the opportunity to address questions or concerns about the application, a decision will be made to approve or disapprove the proposal within one month of submission. Upon approval, a student may begin his or her research. If the project takes over 12 months, a renewal form must be submitted. The APUS website contains other useful information such as the APUS IRB Manual, which includes sample consent forms to use in the process of conducting approved research.