Thesis Requirements & Guidelines

Bachelor of Arts, General Studies in Music

Topic Selection, Proposal and Approval

The topic should be selected after adequate research to determine the following:

1. that sufficient material exists on the topic,

2. that the topic has not been exhausted,

3. that the topic is manageable.

The topic proposal must use the department form, be submitted to the full faculty for approval, and contain the following information:

1. Name of the candidate

2. Thesis advisor

3. Proposed Title of the Thesis

4. Description of the problem, that is, what is lacking in the research to warrant this thesis. This description should both include references to works that address related topics and show how these works fail to address the subject of the proposed thesis.

5. Description of the procedure to be used to address the problem. This description should include references to sources that will be used, and a bibliography that demonstrates the student’s knowledge of current research on the topic.

6. Conclusion. The conclusion should include the intended outcome of the thesis, that is, what will be added to the corpus of knowledge regarding the subject, as well as the value of the thesis as an impetus for further research.

7. Signatures of both the candidate and the thesis advisor.

Ideally, the format of the final paper will follow that of the proposal, so it is very important for the proposal, particularly the methodology, to be clearly defined and articulated. The faculty will either approve the proposal as is, return it with recommended changes, or deny it within fourteen days of submittal.

Thesis Format

The thesis should be long enough to address the topic adequately. This is generally twenty-five pages or longer. The Turabian style book, in it latest revision, must be followed. Notes must be included at the foot of the page. Ideally, the structure of the paper will follow the same outline as the thesis proposal.

Thesis Submittal

The final copy and a separate one page abstract (in addition to the one submitted within the final copy) must be submitted to the music office no later than one week prior to the end of classes, that is, two weeks prior to the end of the semester. The final copy must be bound in the following order:

1. Blank page

2. Title page, including thesis advisor signature

3. Abstract page

4. Table of contents

5. Body of the thesis

6. Bibliography

7. Two blank pages.

Role of the Thesis Advisor

The role of the thesis advisor is to guide the candidate successfully through the process outlined herein, and to offer adequate counsel to the candidate, including the review of the rough draft(s) to ensure the quality of the final product. The signature of the advisor on the final copy signifies that the thesis meets department standards.

Responsibilities of the Candidate

The candidate is responsible for all research and writing, the production and timely submittal of all required materials, the arrangement of sufficient meetings with the advisor in order to obtain adequate counsel, the timely submission of rough draft(s) to the advisor for review, and, ultimately, the quality of the final copy.

Library Submittal

At the recommendation of the thesis advisor and approval of the full music faculty, any thesis that demonstrates an especially high standard of work will be submitted to the library for inclusion in the collection.

Recommended Timeline

The following is a recommended timeline for students intending to submit a thesis for the Bachelor of Arts in Theory and Literature:

• September 1 - Secure a thesis advisor and arrange regular meeting times
• October 15 – Submit thesis proposal,
• March 15 – Complete rough draft,
• April 15 – Complete final copy.