M.A. Thesis Requirement

A master's thesis, representing a substantial piece of original research, should be filed with the center's program office as part of the graduation requirements. With the adviser's approval, the master's thesis requirement may be satisfied by expanding a research paper written for an advanced course, and should have a minimum of 10,000 words in the main body of the thesis (excluding references, citations, appendices, etc.). The M.A. thesis is due at noon on the last day of classes, of the quarter in which the student applies to graduate; see the Academic Calendar for specific dates.

Students are required to attend, at a minimum, one CEAS Thesis Workshop at least one quarter prior to the quarter in which the student applies to graduate. CEAS Thesis Workshops are offered biannually.

Students are required to present their thesis topics in at least one CEAS Thesis Presentation Workshop, offered at least once per quarter throughout the academic year.

CEAS Thesis Workshop
Once during their time in the M.A. program, students are required to attend one CEAS Thesis Workshop. These workshops, offered in autumn and spring quarters, will include topics such as: developing a manageable and successful thesis topic, working efficiently and effectively with faculty, and managing a working timeline. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that they enroll in the workshop and attend prior to graduation. Ideally this milestone is completed prior to submitting the Thesis Proposal.
Thesis Proposal and Literature Review:
By the end of the quarter prior to the quarter in which they intend to graduate, M.A. students must submit an approved thesis proposal and literature review for the Master's Degree. The proposal is the statement of the research question, the rationale for the research, the theoretical and empirical background that the student is bringing to bear, and the methodology. The 5-10 page proposal must be reviewed and approved by the student's adviser. The Thesis Proposal and Literature Review Guidelines contain the cover page for the proposal, which must be printed out, approved and signed by the student's adviser, and submitted to CEAS.
Thesis Presentation
Once during their time in the M.A. program, students are required to present their thesis project at a public presentation. CEAS organizes quarterly events for this purpose, allowing students the opportunity to hone their public speaking skills by giving short informal presentations, and to receive feedback from fellow students and faculty. Each student will present for ~7 minutes, followed by 5-10 minutes of discussion with the audience. This requirement can be fulfilled at any stage of the thesis development process, and does not need to be only for 'completed' projects.

Department: East Asian Studies