M.A. Thesis
Overview
The Master’s thesis is designed to demonstrate a student’s
ability to do an extended piece of research and analysis going
considerably beyond the normal graduate seminar term paper. It
is intended as an integrative experience that allows the student
to bring together substantive knowledge and research skills acquired
in courses. It should be a complete piece of research work, representing
the approximate equivalent of 5 quarter hours of graduate study,
or roughly the time and effort required for course assignments
in a seminar. The exact scope is determined by the student and
faculty supervisor.
Candidates for the M.A. degree in Conflict Resolution are required
to prepare a thesis, a manuscript usually 70-120 pages. Students
are strongly urged to begin such work near the end of their first
year of study. For a full-time student, this means deciding on
a topic, choosing an advisor, and working out a timetable for
completing the project about the time you finish your third quarter
of coursework. For further information, the M.A.
Thesis Instructions Booklet (116 k pdf) lists specific, detailed
instructions concerning typing fonts, pagination, margins, title
page form, table of contents, reference citation, and bibliography.
If a student decides to use human subjects, an application to
the DU Institutional
Review Board (IRB) is necessary. Students must complete the
IRB Education Instruction for the Protection of Human Subjects
in Research prior to applying.
Students may register for thesis credit by enrolling in CRES
4995. You are allowed a maximum of 5 hours of registration for
this purpose. You may take the 5 hours during one quarter, or
register repeatedly over several quarters for fewer credits each
time that add up to the 5 hours permitted. No one is required
to take thesis credit. Some students prefer to take additional
courses instead of the 5 hours of thesis credit. Registration
in CRES 4995 requires a special registration form and the director’s
signature. The form is available from the Conflict Resolution
office or the Registrar’s office.
Normally, a student submits several drafts of a thesis before
the final manuscript is accepted and graded. This process usually
takes six months or more. It is important that the student and
faculty advisor establish a specific time period that is considered
reasonable for comments to be provided on a student’s work,
with the understanding that this might need to be changed because
of other responsibilities.
Students should not expect professors to examine their work in
the summer, unless they have spoken with the faculty member to
confirm the individual’s availability.
The thesis is written under the direction of a professor selected
by the student and graded by the professor with a letter grade.
Grades are assigned whether or not a student registers for thesis
credit. The thesis advisor should be chosen from the core faculty
of the Conflict Resolution Institute.
An oral
defense is held after the thesis has preliminary approval
from the advisor. The defense committee consists of at least three
members of the faculty: the student’s thesis advisor, one
or more thesis readers (drawn from the Conflict Resolution Institute
faculty), and a committee chair (a member of the University of
Denver faculty outside the Conflict Resolution Institute). All
committee members must be tenured or tenure-track professors at
the University. Instructors from University college, although
they may be asked to help a student in thesis research, do not
participate in the oral defense. The composition of the oral defense
committee is chosen by the student in consultation with the Graduate
Director of the Institute.
Once the oral defense is successfully concluded, a final copy
of the thesis is submitted to the thesis advisor for a letter
grade, and under proper
formatting, the manuscript is delivered by the student to
the Office of Graduate Studies at least two weeks before the end
of the quarter a student intends to graduate.
Please Note: The Office of Graduate Studies is implementing an electronic final submission process for your dissertation or thesis. Students graduating in March 2008 have the option to choose paper or electronic submission. All Students graduating after March 2008 must submit their theses to the Office of Graduate Studies electronically. More information about electronic submission can be found at the Graduation and Program Resources page.
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