Whether project or thesis, the Interdisciplinary Studies capstone research experience should reflect students’ mastery of relevant subjects and skills in their course work, experiential learning opportunities, and research.
A thesis is a rigorous piece of research that requires the collection of original data, makes an original contribution to knowledge, and is presented in a traditional, formal, written format. Students interested in pursuing a PhD should seriously consider the thesis option.
A project involves the mobilizing existing research and applying it in a novel way. The project option enables students to produce a non-traditional deliverable. Interdisciplinary Studies projects can be:
A project should not be regarded as “easier” than doing a thesis, because both projects and theses have to make an original contribution, and the same quality of work is required. Also, all projects require a formal framing statement that includes a statement of the research problem, a literature review, and discussions of methodology and the significance of the results.
Project |
Thesis |
Requires a formal proposal, which is created as part of MAIS 793. |
Requires a formal proposal, which is created as part of MAIS 793. |
Involves original research but not necessarily the collection of original data. |
Involves original research and the collection of original data. Students interested in pursuing a PhD should seriously consider the thesis option. |
Deliverables: • a framing statement that includes a statement of the research problem, a literature review, and discussions of methodology and the significance of the results. A framing statement can be very similar to a student’s proposal. However, the framing statement represents the actual goals achieved in the project. • an applied component • a traditional research monograph that makes an original contribution to knowledge, but is smaller in scale than a thesis and/or does not rely on the collection of original data • an original deliverable with a practical application, such as a curriculum, an exhibit design, a technical manual, a business plan, a white paper, or a computer model |
Deliverable: • a formal piece of writing that incorporates rigorous research requiring the collection of original data, makes an original contribution to knowledge, and is presented in a traditional, formal, written format |
Requires a 3-person committee. |
Requires a 3-person committee. All committee members must be graduate faculty. |
Committee chair requirements: • must be graduate faculty • must be selected prior to registering for MAIS 793 |
Committee chair requirements: • must be graduate faculty • must be selected prior to registering for MAIS 793 |
Stored internally for assessment purposes. |
Made publicly available through the library. |
Can be useful as a signature deliverable on the job market. |
Can be useful as a writing sample for a PhD program application. |