Master's Thesis
The M.A. English program includes a thesis requirement. Writing the thesis (40 to 50 pages, not including the bibliography) is a two-step process that normally takes place during the students' last two semesters. In their second-to-last semester, students take English 7800, a preliminary research and proposal writing course. It is highly recommended that, at this point, they should be completing the last of their nine courses (see Degree Requirements) and ideally should have already completed the foreign language requirement.
Upon completing English 7800, students must find a professor who will supervise their thesis projects; this is pre-requisite to registering for English 7810 (Thesis). Ideally, in their last semester, students are working exclusively on the thesis projects.
The course descriptions for English 7800 and 7810 make the process clear:
English 7800: Introduction to Literary Research: Introduction to methods of research as preparation for the M.A. thesis. Topics include: building a bibliography, using print and online research sources; incorporating secondary critical resources; and the varieties of criticism practiced in recent decades. The final assignment is to produce a thesis proposal.
English 7810: Thesis Project: An extensive research project, normally based on the thesis proposal developed in English 7800X, which is supervised by a member of the faculty, and which leads to the submission of a master's thesis. Students may receive credit for this course only after approval of the completed thesis.
Online Thesis Submission
To obtain permission to register for English 7810, students who have secured a thesis adviser should submit a Thesis Title Form on the Brooklyn College Portal (Student Transactions tab, then e-Services). When the thesis is complete and approved by the adviser, students should use this same portal function to submit the thesis electronically for approval by the English Department.
- M.A. Thesis Formatting Requirements (pdf)
- Thesis Guidelines
- Approved M.A. English Theses From Recent Years
