Comments on: Master Thesis?

By: Jay

Jay — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:41:22 +0000

I definitely agree with Jim, but for most MA students, a conference presentation is grounded in a thesis. Furthermore, I don’t find conferences very conducive to Master’s students, but that may just be my perception. Or, more frankly, I don’t think I’m alone in thinking few Master’s students’ presentations have much substance and therefore aren’t worth going to… If you’re brave enough to go that route and can do so apart from a thesis, then it’s the best way to go…

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:44:02 +0000

I think that having presented a paper or two at the SBL or ASOR (regional included) helps a lot more. A thesis is nice, but actually having put something out for peer review will suit you better. (Not to mention the fact that it gets your name out there etc.)

By: Calvin

Calvin — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:39:20 +0000

Jay – I’ve often thought that writing a thesis would help with the writing sample. This seems an even more important issue since the majority of papers that one writes at seminary are exegesis papers.

Ian – I didn’t know you had written a thesis. Again, I agree with what you a Jay are saying…I’m just not sure its that path I’ll go down. I certainly want to have a good writing sample, and having something in a peer-reviewed publication would be very good (and something that I might shoot for even without writing a thesis).

By: Mandy

Mandy — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:42:33 +0000

I probably won’t end up writing a thesis in favor of the extra coursework. However, I do see the benefits of having a good writing sample and the experience with a lengthy writing project. I just don’t know if it’s something I’m going to be able to squeeze in.

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:14:45 +0000

You probably know that I decided to write a thesis. I did it for the reason outlined by Jay above, that is, it gave me the opportunity to do extended, independent research on a topic of my choice. This may or may not be beneficial in the PhD application process. However, with a little extra work, a thesis can turn into a peer-reviewed publication, which is definitely a big plus on the application.

By: Jay

Jay — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:51:21 +0000

I’m of two minds in regard to writing a master’s thesis. I agree on your thought that more coursework could be more beneficial and that a thesis does not necessarily help in the application process.
However, as far as the application process, all programs require a writing sample, generally about 20 pages. Obviously, this can be accomplished with a term paper, but a thesis (or a part thereof) would work well.
Furthermore, there is much to be said for the experience of taking on a long-term research project. Even the longest term paper is typically composed from a couple month’s worth of research (at most). By contrast, a thesis generally reflects six months, if not longer. That kind of experience in sustainability should be underscored. Part of me wonders if students who have never undertaken such long-term projects are then ill-prepared for dissertation research/writing.
More can be said, but that’d be boring…perhaps my own post?