Before writing the thesis, a student must develop and write a thesis proposal. It is often wise to let a thesis proposal develop from a successful research paper originally written for a graduate course. Students should also consider taking an independent study (ENG 500) under the direction of the proposed thesis director.
The thesis proposal should comprise 6–10 double-spaced pages and must include a working bibliography. It should (a) explain clearly what topic the thesis will engage and why this topic is important, (b) describe briefly the previous scholarly work done on this topic, (c) explain how the thesis will revise or augment this, and (d) present a short, tentative outline indicating its methodologies and scope. Note that the graduate faculty realizes that scholars can't predict precisely the final argument or conclusions of an extended research project at the project's outset. Rather, thesis committees look for a clear explanation of what the writer expects to achieve.
In deciding which thesis proposals will be approved, thesis committee directors and readers will look carefully at the quality of the writing in the proposal. It should be in every respect professional: clear, well organized, persuasive, and properly documented. Permission to pursue the Thesis Option will be granted only to students who submit strong proposals.
After the thesis proposal has been submitted and approved by the committee, its writer may register for four credit hours of English 501: Thesis Research by using the Independent Study form. Only four credit hours of ENG 501 will count toward the Master's degree, and they will count as an elective in the MAE program. Note that the thesis must be completed and approved in order for the ENG 501 credits to count toward the Master's degree.