THE GAINES FELLOWSHIP SENIOR THESIS COMMITTEE AGREEMENT
THE THESIS:
As a major part of the Gaines Fellowship Program, each participant is required to undertake a senior thesis during the second year of the Fellowship. The thesis should be at least 50 pages in length, with the essay based on careful research. If the participant is carrying out a creative project, a significant written component must be included.
The thesis must meaningfully address at least one of the disciplines of the humanities, must demonstrate command of the material and appreciation of scholarship in the related field(s), and must be clearly written. (We suggest the MLA Style Guide.)
THE FELLOW'S RESPONSIBILITY:
Each Fellow is responsible for selecting the thesis topic and providing a prospectus for it. The thesis committee is selected in consultation with the Gaines Center Director, and will consist of those individuals most appropriate to the subject, according to their own scholarly interests.
THE COMMITTEE'S RESPONSIBILITY:
The thesis committee has the major role of overseeing the research and writing of the thesis. Committee members should offer critical advice to the Fellow undertaking the thesis. Such advice should be directed to bibliography, methodology, critical commentary in the field, and organization of the thesis.
The committee should establish the particular requirements of the thesis. However, the general requirements of the Fellowship Program, as described above, must be respected.
Typically, theses count for 6 credit hours, with these hours distributed over two semesters. In rare cases, subject to mutual agreement, the propose thesis might count for 9 credit hours.
THE SCHEDULE:
Drafts of portions of the thesis will be submitted in the fall semester. A full draft of the thesis will be submitted to all members of the thesis committee in March.
The finished thesis will be submitted at least two weeks prior to the oral defense for final approval.
The thesis committee will hold an oral defense of the thesis on a date and time to be arranged by the Fellow and the committee members. The thesis must be completed and a letter grade assigned by the deadline noted in the senior academic schedule in order for the participant to be eligible for the senior trip to New York in mid-April. There are to be no exceptions to this policy.
I have read and agree to the above guidelines. A copy has been given to me by the senior fellow named below.
Thesis committee member:Name: ______
Department: ______Email: ______
Senior Gaines Fellow:______