English MA Thesis

Is a master’s thesis required for this degree?

• No, a thesis is not required for this degree.

What is Directed Research?

• Directed Research is usually a semester’s preparation for writing a thesis. Therefore, it consists of defining a research topic, completing the research necessary to write about that topic, and devising a plan to complete the thesis during the following semester of study.
  However, Directed Research can be a one-semester research project you develop under the supervision of an MA faculty member.

What is a master’s thesis?

• A master’s thesis is a substantial piece of literary analysis, typically of 40-80 double-spaced pages. The thesis is a substantial product of scholarly research carried out under the close supervision of a faculty advisor and a second reader, with their guidance. A successful thesis undertakes a highly specified and self-contained inquiry that requires a significant canvassing of the available scholarship.

Is a thesis required to complete the MA in English degree?

• No. It is an optional aspect of the degree program.

What would I gain by writing a thesis?

• You would develop your academic research skills and gain specialized knowledge of a particular area within literary studies.
  However, an MA thesis is not required by PhD programs.

Why is writing a thesis not for all MA students?

• Writing a master’s thesis is an intense, year-long process that could increase your time to degree.

What is a thesis defense?

• A thesis defense is a presentation of a self-contained element of the thesis (this could be a section of the thesis, an introduction, a summation, etc.) in a conference-paper format: a 20-minute oral presentation, followed by questions and discussion.
  The student should consult with his/her advisor about the scope and focus of this presentation. The aim of the thesis defense is to replicate a professional activity expected of scholars who produce and present original work.
  The MA thesis defense is a required component of the Thesis Option.

Who keeps copies of the completed thesis once it has been defended?

• The University Library retains an electronic copy of your thesis in its digital library. The Department of Language of Literature retains the Library Copy (hard copy) of the thesis.

1. Student submits a 750-word project proposal to the English MA Program Coordinator, proposed thesis advisor, and proposed second reader. Approval of this proposal is required before admission to a Directed Research course.  
2. If the proposal is approved, the student enrolls in LIT, CRW, AML, or ENL 6910, Directed Research, staffed by the proposed thesis advisor. Student conducts research and begins preliminary writing for the thesis project in this course. The student produces a formal thesis prospectus for approval by the proposed thesis advisor, proposed second reader, and English MA Program Coordinator. 
3. If the prospectus is approved, the student enrolls in ENG 6971: Thesis. 
4. During ENG 6971, the student drafts, revises, and finishes the thesis in accordance with departmental expectations. The thesis must receive the approval of thesis advisor and second reader. 
5. The student defends the thesis. 
6. The student uploads his/her thesis into ProQuest in accordance with university guidelines. In ProQuest, the student will order the Library Copy of this work, which the Library will forward to the Department of Language and Literature. The approximate cost of the Library Copy is $25.

The semester before enrolling in thesis hours, the student must take one of the four available Directed Research courses (AML 6910, CRW 6910, ENL 6910, or LIT 6910) under the direction of the proposed thesis advisor. Please note that these Directed Research courses are electives; they do not fulfill the AML, ENL, LIT distribution requirements for the MA degree.

In order for a student to arrange a Directed Research course, he or she must apply by filling out the Directed Research Proposal Application on page 27 and writing a 750-word proposal, submitting the package to the English MA Program Coordinator. The proposal must be approved by the Program Coordinator, the proposed thesis advisor, and the proposed second reader. A successful proposal must indicate that the student has a workable and focused project in mind, and that he or she is fully capable of pursuing it. 

Because of the extra academic burden involved in completing a thesis, a student must have 3.30 GPA or higher to qualify for a Directed Research course.

In the Directed Research course, the student will write a detailed prospectus (approximately 5-7 pages), which includes an overview of the main argument, a review of existing scholarship on the subject, a fully annotated chapter outline, a working bibliography, and a workable timeline for completion of the thesis. This prospectus is the basis through which the student will become “qualified” to undertake the thesis project. The prospectus must be approved by the proposed thesis advisor, the proposed second reader, and the English MA Program Coordinator in order for the student to have permission to pursue the thesis project. Taking a Directed Research course does not automatically qualify the student for the thesis project. 

A successful Directed Research project should indicate that the student has completed most of the expected research and engaged in significant drafting of the thesis. A Directed Research project that fails this level of achievement will disqualify a student from enrolling in ENG 6971 Thesis.

A student cannot take the Directed Research course (AML 6910, CRW 6910, ENL 6910, or LIT 6910) until he or she has passed 18 graduate credit hours in English.

A passing grade in Directed Research does not constitute permission to register for ENG 6971 Thesis.

The Master’s Thesis is a scholarly product, typically of 40-80 pages. The thesis will be a substantial product of research carried out under the close supervision of a faculty advisor and one additional reader, with their guidance. A successful thesis undertakes a highly specified and self-contained inquiry that requires a significant canvassing of the available scholarship. The thesis should be built on an appropriate, measured, and sophisticated theoretical or critical foundation, arising organically from the inquiry itself. The theoretical or critical approach should not be imposed as a systematic template. In other words, whatever the critical apparatus, it should serve the inquiry.

If the Master’s Thesis is a creative product, it must include a significant contextual statement, approximately 15-25 pages. This statement offers a full discussion of both historical and contemporary influences as well as an argument for the aims, aesthetics, and/or themes contained in the project. Thus, even a creative thesis will require significant reading and research to establish a critical context for the project.

After the prospectus has been approved by the proposed thesis advisor, the proposed second reader, and the English MA Program Coordinator, and after a successful performance in the Directed Research course, the student enrolls in ENG 6971. The student and thesis advisor should meet periodically to review completed sections of the thesis. The thesis should be completely drafted by the mid-term of the semester. Please review Student and Faculty Responsibilities below.

 The second reader is expected to review and sign the thesis proposal, read the thesis after it has been drafted and reviewed by the thesis advisor, and offer comments toward a final draft. Once the thesis has gone through its revisions, the thesis advisor and second reader will decide whether or not the thesis meets department expectations.

 A student cannot take ENG 6971 until he/she has passed 24 graduate credit hours in English.

The thesis defense consists of a presentation of a self-contained element of the thesis (this could be a section of the thesis, an introduction, a summation, etc.) in a conference-paper format: a 20-minute oral presentation, with follow-up questions and discussion following. The student should consult with his/her advisor about the scope and focus of this presentation. The aim of the thesis defense is to replicate a professional activity expected of scholars producing original work.

The MA Thesis Defense is a required component of the Thesis Option.

Successful completion of the thesis, approval by the thesis advisor, second reader, and English MA Program Coordinator, and a successful thesis defense will earn a grade of “S” (satisfactory) for ENG 6971.

If one or more of the above criteria are not met, the student receives a “U” (unsatisfactory) for ENG 6971 and can take up to one year to complete all thesis requirements. If the student fails to complete all thesis requirements within one year, the student does not receive credit for ENG 6971 and is required to take another 3-credit elective to complete the course requirements for the program.

•  The student is expected to take the initiative in finding a thesis topic and in beginning to research it as soon as possible, even before submitting the initial proposal.
• It is the student's responsibility to assemble a thesis committee.
• The student should meet with his/her thesis advisor based on the demands of the thesis project.
• The student should respond actively to feedback provided by the advisor and second reader and revise thesis drafts accordingly.
• The student must meet the deadlines and conform the thesis to University specifications.

•  The thesis advisor should meet with the student based on the demands of the project, provide guidance, and respond to drafts in a timely fashion.
• After the thesis advisor approves a complete draft, the advisor will notify the second reader that the thesis is ready for review.
• The second reader will comment on the draft in written form and forward his or her comments to the student and the thesis advisor.
• Once the student—after receiving these responses—completes a final draft, the thesis advisor will convene with the second reader and formally reach a determination regarding whether the thesis meets expectations.
• To adequately serve students, a faculty member should agree to serve on no more than two thesis committees at a time, whether as an advisor or second reader. Status as a graduate faculty member indicates that the faculty member is willing to serve as an advisor or reader for qualified thesis projects.

The title page will include the

• author’s full legal name
• full title of the thesis
• name of the university and administrative unit
• year in which the thesis was approved
• The title page should be structured as shown in the sample on page 30.

The approval page (with signatures) should be structured as shown in the attached model on page 31 and must include the

• thesis title
• degree awarded e.g. MA in English
• date the thesis was approved by the MA in English faculty
• name and signature of the student
• name and signature of each committee member

• If such materials are integral to the thesis/dissertation, they must accompany each submission.
• Photographs and other illustrative materials will be printed directly on the page.
• ProQuest requires a 1-inch margin on every page of the thesis.
• Accompanying materials can be uploaded through ProQuest as Supplemental Materials/Files.

FGCU has implemented the ProQuest publication system for the purpose of archiving theses and dissertations. Candidates for master’s degrees who are completing a thesis must submit their final thesis electronically through ProQuest UMI ETD prior to the published deadline. This is a university requirement for graduation; failure to meet the ProQuest deadline will result in the student’s graduation being delayed.

Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines and Submission information can be found here under the ProQuest link (http://www.fgcu.edu/Graduate/12002.asp ) along with the Approval Sheet required for committee signatures. Keep in mind that the deadlines at this site are for final submission of the approved thesis. Therefore, you must submit the thesis to your supervisor and committee early enough for all approvals to be obtained before the published ProQuest deadline.

• Each subsequent volume will include a title page that duplicates the title page of the first volume.
• Each volume will be identified as Volume I, II, etc.
• The page numbering follows consecutively from one volume to another.

• Information on copyright registration is available from the U.S. Copyright Office (http://www.copyright.gov/). 

• The student is responsible for any fees associated with securing a copyright.
• The student is also responsible for inserting the copyright notice on an un-numbered page immediately preceding the title page.
• Please note that the current copyright laws do protect your thesis even without securing copyright registration.

• We recommend that the student select Traditional Publishing through ProQuest. This option is free. Copyright through ProQuest costs approximately $55.00.