Thesis format
The Film & Media Arts Department (F&MAD) allows both creative and scholarly research projects for an Honors Thesis. The project should be of sufficient scope to warrant an Honors designation as deemed by the thesis mentor. This includes any work that fall within the disciplines offered by the department including, but not limited to: narrative/fictional films, documentary films, media arts, animation, screenwriting, critical essays, video essays, and research papers.
Creative work should be accompanied by a paper putting the work into context that includes elements of an Artist's Statement along with insight into the process.
Who is eligible to be a faculty thesis mentor?
Any full-time faculty member of the FMAD is eligible to be a thesis mentor, including tenure-line and career-line faculty. In some instances, faculty and researchers outside of the department, and adjuncts/visiting faculty can be eligible if approved by the DHL. Graduate students are not eligible to act as thesis mentors. Should a mentor leave the University before the thesis is completed, the DHL will arrange for the replacement or take the role of mentor, as appropriate.
Are collaborative theses permitted?
A collaborative thesis is one where an Honors student works with one or more collaborators on the thesis.
At this time, the F&MAD is willing to consider a collaborative thesis but has not done so to date. Requirements for such an undertaking would be need to be tailored to the proposed thesis itself. With most of the thesis work falling into the `creative' category, each case would have to be considered on its own merit.
Are joint theses permitted?
A joint thesis is a single thesis that satisfies the requirements of multiple majors.
Joint thesis proposals will be considered if it is considered sufficient in scope to satisfy the requirements of the F&MAD as well as the student's second major thesis requirements.
How does the Honors Thesis relate to other aspects for the major?
Creative project capstone coursework accompanied by the contextual document (as explained above) can be considered for an Honors thesis.
Additional information for students
In their third-year, department Honors students should propose their idea(s) for a thesis project to the department DHL as well as their potential Thesis Mentor. Once the form, scope, and timing have been worked out, the student should submit their Thesis Proposal form to their mentor and then to the DHL. The form should contain an abstract or description of the work that will be submitted. It is essential that the Thesis Mentor and student define the process that they will follow to ensure the work progresses throughout the semester.
Upon completion, the student will submit their thesis for review and approval by their thesis mentor and DHL. The DHL, upon those two approvals, will forward the work to the department chair for their approval. All three department level approvals secured, the student will then submit their work and signed approval form to the Honors College for final review.