3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition

Overview

The Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) contest is an annual event where participating graduate students have just three minutes and one slide to present their research. The winner of the McKay School of Education 3MT Contest advances to the university level contest to compete against winners from other participating colleges on campus.

Participants are critiqued by a panel of judges in three areas: 1) Comprehension - how well they know the research and was their presentation sequenced well in clearly describing background information and key or possible future results; 2) Engagement – did they convey enthusiasm for their research and engage the audience; and 3) Communication – presentation style, pacing and using appropriate language for a non-specialist audience.

BYU Competition: Individual BYU colleges hold their competition to determine one competitor who will advance the university-wide competition.

Who is Eligible to Participate?

Master's, Education Specialists, and Doctoral Candidates.
Graduate students who received funding from the MSE are invited to participate in both the 3MT and the MSE Mentored Research Conference.

MSE Date and Location

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 4:30 pm
Location TBA

BYU Date and Location

Thursday, March 5, 2026 11:00 am in the WSC Varsity Theater

Application Deadline

Saturday, January 24, 2026 by 11:59 pm

Application

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mY-RtonlWfULARZdKVZUDzVJt3UA0iPhCP9Ddvt7cbU/

Awards

1st Place: $500; 2nd Place: $300; 3rd Place: $200

BYU

1st Place: $2,000; 2nd Place: $1,500; 3rd Place: $1,000
Contestant's Choice: $500; Remaining participants: $250

Judging Criteria

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jS477q5qFi1KhsEZZp6GL3aaVOyXb85a/view?usp=sharing

Information on 3MT

https://gradstudies.byu.edu/gss/3mt

McKay School of Education (MSE) Inspiring Learning Expos

Purpose:

Create and strengthen relationships within the McKay School covenant community through sharing inspiring learning experiences that strengthen as many students as possible both intellectually and spiritually in the following ways:

1. Focus of Fall Expo – to help students and faculty to make connections that will lead to opportunities for inspiring learning through faculty recruitment of students to work on research and/or inspiring learning projects.
2. Focus of Spring Expo – to provide an opportunity for students and faculty to reflect on and share their personal experiences with inspiring learning through student presentations of their work together

FALL INSPIRING LEARNING EXPO 2025

When: Thursday, September 18, 2025
Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Where: McKay Building
Who: Students, Faculty & Staff

Faculty Participation

The Fall Expo is an opportunity for faculty to share their work with students with a focus on recruiting students to work with them. Participating faculty can have $5,000 awarded to their research/project accounts to hire students recruited at the Expo.
See FAQ link below for more details

Faculty Registration (due August 20)

Faculty registration ensures a bistro table in the McKay School hallways with a poster showing the title of their project so they can share their work with students who attend the Expo who may be interested in working with them.

Student Presentations of Belonging Experiences

The Expo will also include invited student presentations of Belonging Fieldtrips from the past year.

Student Registration

All McKay School students are encouraged to attend the Expo. Registration helps us to plan food and prizes for those participating.

Food, Prizes, & Swag

Pizza and cookies will be provided as well as a drawing for prizes.

FAQS

 

SAVE THE DATE

Winter Inspiring Learning Expo 2026
Thursday, March 26, 2026