MAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master's Thesis Award

The Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools MAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master's Thesis Award recognizes recent master's graduates who have demonstrated exceptional scholarship in their theses. Eligible students may self-nominate. Programs may nominate multiple eligible students for this application cycle. 

The two master's graduates selected to represent UC in this regional competition will each receive a $150.00 prize.

MAGS offers four categories for this award, soliciting for two categories each year. The categories alternate:

• Odd years: Disciplines of Social Sciences; and Mathematics, Physical Sciences & Engineering
• Even years: Disciplines of Biological & Life Sciences; and Humanities

The Graduate College is accepting nominations in the categories of Biological & Life Sciences and Humanities for the current 2026 MAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Awards competition, for nominees certified for their master's degree between the dates of  July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2025.

The Graduate College is also accepting nominations for the upcoming 2027 award competition, for the categories of Social Sciences and Mathematics, Physical Sciences & Engineering, for nominees certified for their master's degree between the dates of  July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2026.

The nomination application must include:

1. The abstract of the nominated thesis.
2. The thesis.
3. The student's resume (one page only, please) with current contact information (email, phone and address).
4. A letter from the student's faculty mentor.

1. To be considered, a thesis must contain original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline. It must be in a format that conforms to accepted disciplinary standards, and it must have been accepted as final by UC. Theses submitted electronically will normally be in PDF format; hyperlinks to additional materials may be included but must be verified prior to submission. Any program wishing to submit a thesis in another electronic format should consult with the Graduate College Office (megan.tischner@uc.edu) prior to doing so.
   
2. Original works accepted by an institution “in lieu of thesis” (such as musical compositions, published books, works of art, computer software, etc.) may not be nominated. 
3. Since the intent of the competition is to recognize scholarship by students who are pursuing their first graduate research degree, individuals who received a Ph.D. (or comparable research degree) in any discipline prior to the writing of the master’s thesis are not eligible. However, recipients of a first professional degree awarded prior to the writing of the thesis may be nominated. 

All nomination materials must be submitted electronically via the 2026 MAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Awards form. Incomplete and late submissions will be rejected. Applications for the 2026 cycle (Biological & Life Sciences and Humanities categories) are due by Thursday, October 23, 11:59 PM. Students selected for the two categories for the 2026 cycle will be annouced by November 21, 2025.

For questions or technical issues with application submission, contact Megan Carroll (carrolm2@ucmail.uc.edu).