So You Want to Write a Senior Thesis …
(Kimberly Johansen/The Santa Clara)
When a Command+F search revealed that I had written the word ‘pornography’ 42 times in the span of my senior thesis, I started to question what the point of a thesis was. While my work is more nuanced than this sentence might lead you to believe, it got me thinking about what the purpose of a thesis is.
A thesis is an independent research project taken on senior year, often to graduate with honors or a similar type of distinction. Theses vary from department to department at Santa Clara University, so take all advice with a grain of salt as my perspective comes from the humanities.
Santa Clara University’s Honors Program requires students to engage in a year-long project, such as a research paper or study, that results in an extended thesis. Some students might not be aware of other thesis opportunities outside of the Honors Program. For example, the history department offers opportunities for summer research funding or a quarter long five unit class—HIST 197: Senior Project—for students looking to get involved in senior research projects. Completing a fully funded research project was not on my radar, but it paved the way for me to consider a senior project I had not previously considered. Check your department for thesis and research funding opportunities.
A history thesis requires a narrow research question, a faculty advisor and the skills to carry out the researching and writing of a thesis. Other fields of study such as natural or social sciences might require lab results or other scientific findings to make an original argument. A thesis serves as a nice way to wrap up studies by putting the skills you’ve acquired to use in grad-school trials of sorts.
For current seniors, it is officially crunch time to wrap up these research projects. To avoid last minute stress in your senior year, it is important to question what a thesis could mean to you. A senior research project is a good way to encapsulate the entirety of your studies for the last four years and build upon previous research. My research has made the ending of my senior year feel more complete as I have found something to strive towards, in a period of uncertainty caused by looming graduation.
One thing I did not consider when I decided to pursue a thesis was the impact of senioritis.
As someone who has never burnt out academically, I thought I was immune. However the culmination of a stressful fall quarter and worries about upcoming graduation caused me to hit writer’s block like never before. I powered through the urges to lay out in the sun outside the Mission ChurchGardens, but as spring quarter called, it became increasingly difficult. Consider whether you will have the motivation to complete a thesis and if you will have a schedule that allows you time to allot time towards research and writing.
Independently driven research challenged me as a person. Setting your own deadlines and sticking to them with no one constantly checking up might set you up for careers that require self-accountability. I would advise you to not get too far behind and set achievable goals to keep you on track. While you have hopefully mastered regular coursework by your senior year, a thesis can provide a good kind of challenge.
Despite all this, writing a thesis has ultimately been very rewarding. Having the opportunity to carry out research in a topic you actually find interesting is a privilege, especially if the stakes are relatively low compared to PhD work or further graduate research.
My thesis ended up being a combination of prior research combining both of my majors, so it was worth it. My thesis gave me something to strive for in a period that I lacked motivation. Moreover, academic achievement is an easy way to boost your resume before you graduate. Speaking of the post-grad future, a thesis might help you should you choose to pursue further degrees.
If graduate school is at all in your future, having a strong writing sample for applications might be helpful, especially if you are waiting to apply. For my fellow gap year students, a thesis might work out nicely with the next admission cycles.
Additionally, thesis writing is an underutilized method of building a close relationship with a faculty advisor and gaining genuine mentorship. Taking advantage of Santa Clara University’s small class sizes gives students the opportunity to get to know professors who can guide your research.
My thesis has distracted me from the impending doom that is graduation, and as I have just finished writing, I am now totally focused on making the most of the remainder of the quarter. GPA isn’t a good enough motivation for many seniors graduating this year; however, accomplishing a research project checks a major box in terms of academic achievement without the conventional class structure.
Ultimately, it is crucial to understand individual circumstances to assess whether a thesis would benefit you. Academic achievement, graduate school preparation, and strengthening relationships with faculty all pushed me to write a thesis, and I’m glad I did.