Thesis and Oral Defense

Students selecting Plan A are required to complete a Thesis (6 hours).

In their final semester of graduate coursework, students must enroll in Thesis (PSC 798). At this time the student shall form a Master's Thesis Committee, including a Chair and two additional members, and complete a significant original scholarly work. This Committee shall determine whether the completed thesis is satisfactory for permanent filing. In addition, students will be required to complete an oral defense of their thesis before the Committee.

PSC 798 - Thesis 1-6(Spec)
 CR/NC only. Prerequisite: written permission of advisor and department chairperson.

Total: 30 semester hours

Plan A Thesis Examples

• A Case Study in Foreign Policymaking:  Decision-Making, Regime Politics, and Deterrence in the Taiwan Strait
  by Joseph M. Scanlon, 2005
• The Woman Advantage?  A Look at the Difference Gender Makes When Running for the State House
  by Lisa L. Lawrason, 2004

MA Students' Plan A Thesis Papers

• Democracy Building in Egypt: The Persuasive Power of Education
  by Jessica O'Higgins 8/09
• Measuring the Attitudes and Knowledge of Students Toward the Darfur Conflict
  by Benjamin Machar 5/09
• Intellectual Property and International Trade
  by Ross Howell  10/08
• Public-Private Partnerships in Border Security Policy: A Case Study of Customs in America and Europe 
  by David Van Beveren 5/08
• Gender and Deliberation: Implications for Deliberative Civic Educators
  by Mark A. Ferguson 8/08
• Determining Factors of Voter Turnout in the 2004 European Parliamentary Elections
  by Michael J. Pomante  5/08
• Determinants of Successful Primary Education Policy under the Education for all Fast Track Initiative
  by Michael Waas Smith 12/07