THESIS GUIDELINES
Submitting Your Thesis Proposal
The semester prior to the semester you will begin working on your thesis, you will have to submit a proposal, along with a writing sample, to your proposed thesis director. This proposal is meant to help you articulate plans and goals for your thesis. It will also allow your thesis director to get a sense of what you would like to achieve, and help him or her advise you accordingly.
The following are meant to guide you through the process of writing the proposal:
Ø Your thesis proposal should include a brief statement (approximately two pages) that outlines your project. For example, you may describe your plot; the themes you have explored and would like to continue exploring; the scope (or length of the project); and issues or arguments you'd like to present in your poetry or fiction. You may also discuss the work you've already written, and in what direction you'd like to take it. The proposal should be accompanied by a bibliography that provides a theoretical and/or literary frame for your proposed project.
Ø Along with this proposal and bibliography, you should include a sample of poems (10 poems or sequence) or fiction (20 pages, or short story or chapter) that will serve as a foundation for the project.
Ø Although the proposal is the first step to securing a thesis director, you might consider meeting with your proposed thesis director prior to writing the proposal. Since your proposed thesis director is ideally someone who knows your work and tendencies, he/she can help you clarify the direction your thesis should take, and assist you in developing the proposal and bibliography.
Ø The proposal should be submitted and approved by your thesis director and the graduate studies director prior to registering for Thesis I (the first semester of your thesis writing year). The proposal should be submitted first to the thesis director; after he/she endorses it, submit the proposal to the Graduate Studies Director. The cover page of the proposal should include two signature lines, one for the thesis director and the other for the Director of Graduate Studies (see below).
____________________________
César Vallejo, Thesis Director
____________________________
Gertrude Stein, Director of Graduate Studies
Ø Please note, the thesis director and/or Director of Graduate Studies may ask for revisions prior to formal approval. Therefore, submit the proposal with enough time to address any concerns prior to registering.
Forming a Thesis Committee
Once your thesis proposal has been approved and you have secured your thesis director, start thinking about your thesis committee. A committee consists of your director, and two additional readers (referred to as your second and third readers). Your thesis director and second reader should be Department of Creative Writing faculty; the third reader is considered an "outside reader," or someone not from the Department of Creative Writing. Ideally, these second and third readers should have some familiarity with your genre and with you as a student. During Thesis I, begin approaching potential readers, and secure a commitment from them. Normally, you will work closely with your director throughout the year and follow his/her recommendations and advise as you produce several versions of your thesis. Your second and third readers will read a late or final draft as the defense approaches. You should, however, ask your second and third readers how they'd like to work with you. Some second and third readers like to see a version of the thesis well in advance of the defense, in order to offer suggestions; others will only want to see the final version.
Writing Your Thesis
You will spend two semesters working on your thesis. During this time, you will work closely with your thesis director. It is important that you discuss a work plan and mutual expectations; in other words, how often you will meet, how many pages or drafts you are to present for each meeting, etc.
Aside from the creative work, an important aspect of your thesis is the 5-8 page critical preface. The preface, like the proposal, outlines the scope and details of the project, and situates it within an historical, literary, and/or theoretical frame. These prefaces have sometimes included biographical influences, but a critical approach is emphasized. During Thesis I, begin discussing with your thesis director what he/she considers a successful preface, and the issues that will need to be explored in your particular preface. Ask you director when he would like to start seeing first drafts of your preface.
Remember, the preface forms part of your thesis and is circulated, along with the creative work, to your committee.
Thesis Defense/Graduation
As you approach the semester you plan to defend your thesis, and therefore graduate, you should familiarize yourself with Graduate School deadlines. On their website, you will find information regarding thesis formatting guidelines, when to submit your thesis, application for graduate degree, and commencement:
http://academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?alias=academics.utep.edu/graduate
Be aware that deadlines for graduation begin early in the semester you plan to graduate. Also, you must submit a draft of your thesis to the graduate school prior to your defense, and then a final version after.
During Thesis II, discuss with your thesis director whether he or she thinks your thesis will be ready for a defense. If so, set a defense date that is acceptable to your committee, and reserve a room with our administrative assistant. Defenses have often been conducted in the Dept. of Creative Writing office, but if it is not available, it can be scheduled in any room in Liberal Arts. On the Graduate School website you'll find a Defense Completion Form that is to be presented to your committee after the defense. If you successfully pass your defense, it will be signed by the committee. You will then file a final version of your thesis with the Graduate School.