SENIOR EXPERIENCE AND SENIOR THESIS

Students may satisfy the senior experience requirement within the philosophy department or within some other department.  There are two ways to meet the senior experience requirement within the philosophy department.  First, during your senior year you may take PHIL 4001 (Senior Experience) and PHIL 4395 (Senior Thesis) simultaneously.  Second, you may write an essay that reflects an intensive study of the recent literature on a philosophical topic, under the supervision (and with the permission) of a faculty advisor, during the senior year, while enrolled simultaneously in PHIL 4001 and a philosophy seminar (PHIL 4381, 4382, 4391, 4392, or 4393).  Either way, you should plan ahead.  By April 1 you must notify the department chair that you wish to take PHIL 4395 (Senior Thesis) or PHIL 4001 (Senior Experience) or both.

Rising seniors who plan to enroll in PHIL 4395 (Senior Thesis) should keep the following points in mind: 

--You may enroll in PHIL 4395 only if you propose a thesis that is acceptable to the department.  If your proposal is approved, a thesis committee will be created.  Normally, the committee will consist of a director, who will be your principal advisor and supervisor, the instructor of PHIL 4395, who will monitor deadlines and provide feedback on drafts; and a third member of the department with some expertise in the area of the thesis. 

--A thesis proposal should include the following:

--A previous essay:  a thesis will normally refine an essay previously submitted in a philosophy class, with the approval of the instructor to whom the work was submitted.  In exceptional cases students may submit an essay which they did not write for course credit.

--A thesis statement:  what position will you defend?  Will you defend your previous position, or modify it?

--An argumentative strategy:  how will you defend your thesis?  What new arguments will you construct, and which old arguments will you bolster?

--An annotated reading list:  what materials germane to your topic have you already read?  What else will you read?  You will be expected to master a range of cutting-edge work on your topic.

--The thesis course is offered only during the Fall semester.  Therefore, if you intend to write a thesis next year, you will need to sign up for it during spring registration, after notifying the department chair.

 

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