A graduate thesis is a permanent record of a significant contribution made by a student to a particular field of knowledge. Expectations are that the thesis should be new and original. It should be something that is publishable, leading to at least one peer-reviewed article. This represents a considerable undertaking on the part of the thesis advisor and the student and should be carefully considered in the decision to obtain the final degree. Expect that a project will take at least one year to finish, concluding with an oral examination and a written report of the research results that must be approved by a thesis committee.
Participating in a thesis is quite different from completing coursework, demanding much more time and concentration. It also demands significant capability for independent, self-guided research. It is important to note that in most cases, none of the coursework taken by students in the masters program has prepared them for the job of doing this type of research or writing this independent scholarly work.
If an advisor agrees to take on a student, there is a commitment on both parts to produce the highest quality thesis possible in a timely fashion. Students should carefully select their thesis advisor because a good working rapport will be necessary. The advisor will be responsible for directing the project, ensuring the originality and integrity of the student’s research. Switching advisors after a project has begun is not encouraged. A thesis advisor might require demonstration of facility in research and independent work by requesting a probationary Independent Study of 1-3 credits before making any decisions about directing a thesis.
Students are responsible for following the requirements set forth in the thesis guide, but some important issues to keep in mind are:
- The thesis advisor must be a full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member in the student’s department. The thesis committee will consist of the thesis advisor and two other faculty members.
- The student is required to prepare a thesis proposal/outline. This is a document that provides a clear statement of the research issue, an extended literature review, a proposed research design/methodology, and an annotated bibliography. In developing this document, it is imperative that students work closely with the thesis sponsor. Although they are not usually asked to review the outline until it is completed, other committee members may be approached for assistance. Thesis proposals may have to be rewritten and resubmitted before gaining approval of the thesis committee.
- As advised by the thesis advisor, the student should keep each member of the committee aware of his or her research progress. These informal reports are intended only as an update and to avoid major revisions at the end of the project.
- The written thesis should be available to the entire department before the scheduled defense (one copy to the Thesis advisor). A copy of the thesis will be available in the department office.
- An oral defense of the thesis will be held at least four weeks prior to the date of graduation to demonstrate an understanding of the topic and the ability to discuss related issues and concerns. It will use the following format:
- The student presentation (approximately 20 minutes)
- General questions from audience and/or committee
- Committee discussion with student (audience excused)
- Committee discussion without student.
Unanimous approval by all three committee members is necessary to pass.
