HIST A498-000 Thesis Orientation (1 credit hour)

The purpose of the Thesis Orientation is to determine the viability of the proposed project and to permit the mentor and the student to determine if they can work together satisfactorily.

The course should be scheduled in the second-to-last semester before graduation (e.g., the fall for semester for a May graduation). The grade will be Pass/Fail. Exceptions to the GPA standard (see above) may be made when, in the judgment of the faculty, they are warranted. The student should also take Historiography (HIST A400) during this semester.

The Thesis Director will meet four or five times during the semester with all the thesis students to advise and guide them in their preparation. Each student will briefly present her or his proposal to the group and to the director in order to receive feedback, suggestions and constructive criticism.

The thesis or project proposal, its outline and a preliminary bibliography, must be submitted and signed by the student, the mentor and the Thesis Director. The mentor and student will agree on a title for the thesis or project and on a faculty referee by the fourth week of the semester. The mentor and student will meet regularly to discuss the student's progress on the topic. By the end of the semester, the student should have completed the research for the thesis or project.