Thesis Option

Students choosing to do a thesis have two options: they may complete a traditional thesis or a project-based thesis. The traditional thesis is recommended for students who are considering pursuing a PhD in international studies or a related field. For either option, the student must enroll in a total of six hours of thesis research, INTL 899, over one or two semesters as well as enroll in INTL 897, exam preparation, during their final semester.

The thesis will be supervised and evaluated by a three-person faculty committee, one of whom will serve as the primary advisor. The committee will be chosen by the student in consultation with the program advisor. Ordinarily, it will be composed of individuals with whom the student has taken at least one class.

• Traditional Thesis
• Project-Based Thesis
• Thesis Format
• Master's Exam for the Thesis Option
• Requirement for Continuous Enrollment

I. Traditional Thesis
A traditional thesis is a piece of original research that investigates a significant issue in international studies. The student will consult with the primary advisor and other committee members to determine the thesis topic, the research design and scope, the bibliography, and the appropriate length for the thesis; generally 50-60 pages is sufficient (excluding bibliography and any appendices). Titles of some theses completed in the international studies program can be found here.

II. Project-Based Thesis
This option is distinguished from the traditional thesis by its focus on the student's engagement in a project of applied or practical value that has direct relevance to his/her particular area of academic and professional interest. The goal of this option is to facilitate the integration of practice with an academically-informed conceptual framework. The option offers many possibilities: 

• A teacher might develop a set of internationally-oriented course modules. The thesis would include these modules and would explicate their pedagogical implications in the context of international studies research and theory.
• A community service volunteer might use a specific community project as a basis for critical analysis, drawing upon international studies literature in order to provide insights that would enhance future projects.
• A foreign area officer could develop a set of focused policy recommendations, explicitly grounding these in the relevant academic literature.
• An employee of a domestic software development company might conduct a feasibility study for marketing the company’s products in another country. The study would utilize interdisciplinary international perspectives in its analysis.

Thesis Format
The final thesis of the traditional thesis or the project-based thesis must adhere to the format regulations set forth by the Graduate School. Detailed information on these requirements is available at http://www.graduate.ku.edu/~etd/ .

Master's Exam for the Thesis Option
The oral defense of the thesis will be combined with the final general examination required of all KU candidates for the MA degree. The student is responsible for setting the exam date, time, and location according to the committee members' schedules and according to deadlines set by the Graduate School for May, August, or December graduation. At least three weeks prior to the defense date, the student must inform the program advisor in order to obtain permission from the Graduate School to hold the examination and must supply copies of the thesis to committee members.

Questions posed by committee members will focus on, but are not limited to, the topic of thesis and are intended to provoke thought and explore challenging issues. Related topics are often probed to evaluate a student's overall knowledge of international studies and ability to formulate independent judgments. The duration of the exam is usually about 90 minutes. The M.A. in International Studies degree will be awarded after the student has passed this oral examination and has undertaken any revisions in the thesis required by the faculty committee. The committee may elect to give the student honors for the thesis at the time of the defense.

Requirement for Continuous Enrollment
Students in any KU master's program are required to be continuously enrolled during the regular academic year (fall and spring semesters) from the time all courses are completed until all graduation requirements are completed. This means that if a student doesn't take the final exam during his/her last semester of coursework, the student must keep enrolling in each subsequent spring and fall semester (and summer if the student will be graduating during the summer semester) until s/he finishes, usually repeating INTL 897.

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