Three Minute Thesis @ UNI

Present your research

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia. The 3MT® competition challenges graduate students to summarize their research in three minutes or less. 

The 2025 competition will take place on Friday, November 7 at 11am. Interested students can register for the competition here!

2025 Competition Registration
Division of Graduate Studies

Eligibility

  • Students must be enrolled in a master’s, doctoral, or EdS program to be eligible to compete in the 3MT® competition.
  • The presentation topic must cover student's original research project.
  • Students must have been enrolled at some point during the academic year, including the previous summer, in which the MAGS competition is held.
  • The November competition is available to in-person participants only. 

Awards

  • First Place: $500
  • Second Place: $300
  • People's Choice: $200
  • First Place will have the opportunity to represent UNI at the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools regional 3MT® competition with all travel expenses paid for by Graduate Studies.

How it Works:

Enter

Students will compete in preliminary heat(s) to determine who will advance to the final round. 

Prepare

Graduate Studies will host workshops to prepare students for the 3MT® Competition. Students may use one static PowerPoint slide to enhance their presentation.

Compete

All rounds will take place on the same day. All finalists will compete for prizes and the winner will have the opportunity to continue on to the regional 3MT® competition hosted by the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools.

Preparing for the 3MT® & Keys to Success

What are the rules?

Research presented must have been conducted at the University of Northern Iowa and be the student's original research. Presentations must be completely oral (no poems, raps, or songs; spoken word only) and are limited to three minutes maximum. Presentations exceeding three minutes will be disqualified. Presentations commence upon the presenter starting through movement or speech. A timer will be in the room and the student may elect to have the counter face them or to have it face away from them and to receive a 30 second warning.

Do I need to be on a thesis track?

No, you only need to be conducting original research. Masters and Doctoral research is permitted.

Do I have to memorize my presentation?

Yes, note cards are not permitted during the presentation.

Am I permitted to use visual aids?

Students may use a single static PowerPoint slide. This is not required. No additional media or props are allowed. No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.

What should be included on my slide?

Content will vary depending on the topic and manner of research. The Golden Rule is less is more. Detailed guidance on slide formatting best practice can be found on the official 3MT competitor guide.

Can I use quotes or statistical examples?

Yes, quotes and statistics are permitted so long as they are properly attributed to its primary source.

How will my presentation be judged?

Events with fifteen or more participants will be broken into two groups for judging purposes, and students selected to advance will compete in a final heat. Additional preliminary heats may be added based on number of registrants. Events with less than fifteen participants will be conducted in a single round. All decisions made by the judges’ panel are final. You can find a sample judging rubric here.

Does my data collection need to be finalized to participate?

You can be at any stage of the process you and your research advisor deems acceptable. The winner will have the chance to fine-tune their presentation prior to regional competition and should plan to continue practicing in the interim between the UNI competition and MAGS.

Examples & Further Reading

 

3 Minute Thesis Logo