Senior Research in FGSS

Senior Research Requirement: In the senior year, majors must complete either a senior essay, or a senior thesis if they wish to pursue honors (2 credits). In either case, this project must be centered on a theme or topic related to the student’s concentration. Senior essays are generally supervised by the Senior Seminar instructor. Theses are supervised by a separate tutor found by the student. Students writing a thesis must register with their tutor for the appropriate tutorials:  FGSS 409 for the Fall and FGSS 410 for the Spring.

Writing a Senior Essay

Students who do not wish to pursue honors must nevertheless write a senior essay. The senior essay is a one-semester research project undertaken in the context of the Senior Seminar (FGSS 405), which is to be taken in the Fall of the senior year (exceptions to this guideline require the approval of the chair of FGSS). While there is no prescribed minimum length for the senior essay, essays are typically 25 pages. Although not as long as a thesis, the essay represents a substantial amount of research and writing and thus students should start planning for it during the summer between their junior and senior years. Essays are generally supervised by the Senior Seminar instructor, however students may wish to find an additional tutor to advise them, in which case they can additionally enroll in FGSS 409 with their tutor. A statement indicating the topic of the senior essay must be submitted to the FGSS office by the second Friday in April.

Writing and Honors Thesis

Junior Year

Eligibility:  Students wishing to write an honors thesis must have a cumulative average of at least B+ in all of the courses that count for the major (students who have not achieved a B+ average should plan to undertake the one-semester essay project). These courses include the following: 

• Gateway course,
• FGSS 209 (Feminist Theories),
• the four courses from the student's area of concentration within the major, and
• the two distribution courses.

Students who have not taken both a Gateway course and Feminist Theories by the end of their junior year will generally not be eligible to write an honors thesis without petitioning the Chair.

Students intending to write an honors thesis are responsible for finding a tutor from the FGSS core or affiliated faculty for the senior research project. A Senior Research Application Form, provided by the FGSS administrative assistant, describing the topic of the thesis must be signed by the tutor and submitted to the FGSS office by the second Friday in April. Thesis writers should consult with their tutors to draw up a preliminary plan of reading and writing to be undertaken over the summer. Students who are studying abroad in the junior year are still responsible for finding a tutor and for submitting their paperwork by the stated deadline.

Senior Year

The thesis is a two-semester research project undertaken in the context of an individual tutorial. Students must therefore enroll in both the Senior Seminar (FGSS 405) as well as individual tutorials with their advisors (FGSS 409 in the Fall and FGSS 410 in the Spring). Only students who complete the two-semester thesis project can stand for honors.

By the last day of classes fall semester, or before, the student must present to her or his tutor a substantial piece of writing (at least 20 pages). At this point the student and tutor will determine whether the work is of Honors quality. If the material is not deemed of a quality suitable for honors, the student may revise and submit the work as a senior essay as part of their Senior Seminar. Students will nevertheless receive a grade for the Fall semester honors tutorial.

Students should work closely with their advisors in establishing further deadlines for their writing. It is generally important for students to continue their work during Winter Break as the university deadline for completed theses is shortly after Spring Break. 

Tutors responsible for finding Readers for Honors theses

After consulting with the honors candidate, the tutor will be in contact with the Chair of FGSS (who will consult the core faculty) about two or three possible readers. The chair will then secure readers. Ideally, the tutor and at least one reader will be members of the FGSS faculty. Each of these readers will submit an evaluation of the thesis, a copy of which will be sent to the student and a recommendation regarding Honors, which should be sent to the FGSS office and which the student will not see.

The tutor must submit both a grade for the thesis tutorial and a recommendation for Honors (Credit, Honors, High Honors). The recommendation regarding the award of Honors should be sent to the FGSS office. The tutor will also submit an evaluation of the thesis, a copy of which will be sent to the student.