Professional Paper Timeline

Timeline for Completing the Professional Paper in Spring 2026

April 21, 2025 from 2:30-3:30 CDT: Capstone and Professional Paper Information Session

• Recording of the 4/21 information session

• PowerPoint slides from the 4/21 session 

April-September 2025: Consider paper vs. capstone options

Use this time to consider your choice of professional paper versus capstone. If you plan to complete a professional paper, start to form your research question and find your paper supervisor and committee. 

September 2025: Professional Paper Information Session

Date and time to be determined.

This session will provide an overview of the spring 2026 professional paper process including timelines, policies and how to register. It will also include information on the required PA 5082: Professional Paper Preparation Workshop and PA 8082 Professional Paper Writing Seminar. 

This meeting will be via Zoom and will be recorded for students who are not able to make it.

October 3, 2025: Paper topic approval form due

October 3rd is the deadline to submit the paper topic approval form. 

October 22, 2025: PA 5082 Professional Paper Preparation Workshop begins

A new course to support Professional Paper students in focusing their research question, planning data collection, and beginning the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process if needed.

This course is required for students completing a Professional Paper in Spring 2026.

Meets weekly on Wednesdays from 8:15-9:45 am during the second half of the semester.

November 11, 2025: Spring 2026 registration begins

Register for the PA 8082 Professional Paper Writing Seminar. 

January 21, 2026: Spring semester begins

Spring semester 2026 officially ends on May 4. You'll need to submit a digital copy of your final paper to Humphrey Graduate Student Services by May 20.

May 1, 2026: Deadline for faculty to nominate professional papers for End of Year awards

Before May 1, faculty must nominate professional papers for End of Year awards.

May 20, 2026: Deadline to submit a digital copy of the final paper for housing in the UMN's Digital Conservancy 

The professional paper must be submitted to the Humphrey Career and Student Success Office (hhhcss@umn.edu) and your degree program coordinator to be permanently housed in the University of Minnesota Libraries Digital Conservancy.

There are three required components for submitting the professional paper:

1) Digital Conservancy Agreement form

• Download the Digital Conservancy Agreement Form.

• The Digital Conservancy Agreement Form must be signed by the paper author.

• Note: On rare occasions, clients prefer not to have their information posted in a public database. If this occurs, include in your email the reason why the report should not be uploaded to the Digital Conservancy.

2) Digital copy of final paper

• Title page of the paper must include: a) name of paper; b) paper author; c) name of instructor(s) and client(s), subject keywords, and a short abstract. The keywords and abstract are used to upload the paper into the Digital Conservancy. — This copy does not include signatures.

• When the final version is approved by instructor(s), create a pdf.

• Attach the signed scanned Digital Conservancy Agreement form (step 1) and the final paper with title page to the email.

• Email PDF to hhhcss@umn.edu and your degree program coordinator by the deadline listed above.

3) Signed copy of the title page to indicate committee approval of the final paper

• A copy of the title page of the paper (only that one page) must be signed by the paper supervisor and other committee member(s).

• Either a paper copy or a digitally signed copy is acceptable.

• Submit the signed cover page to hhhcss@umn.edu