Students are strongly advised to begin thinking about the thesis requirement early; researching and composing a quality thesis demands extensive preparation and execution.
The thesis should be a professional achievement, a product resembling the standard of publishing in the field of the thesis project. The thesis should indicate that the student has mastered the current state of the critical conversation in the field, the current issues engaging professionals, and is making an original contribution to these. Such mastery appears explicitly in the research article, through discussion of relevant and important publications, but it is equally necessary, even though it appears implicitly, in fiction, the essay, and comparable forms.
The thesis should be between 40 and 60 pages.
Theses that include explicit documentation of their research should follow the guidelines in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Other theses should supply a bibliography conforming to guidelines supplied by the student's major professor. An online thesis guide (pdf) is available through the Graduate School.
Work on the thesis is directed principally by the student's major professor. Ideally, this professor should be the member of the faculty with the greatest expertise in the subject area of the student's thesis project. Students should formulate their thesis project early and discuss it with the Graduate Adviser, who can often direct them to the faculty member best suited to help. Students should keep in mind the Graduate School requirement that before the completion of 18 course hours they must file a program of study formally approved and signed by their major professor. For more information on the procedures the Graduate School provides an online Guide to Success.