Capstone Options

The master's thesis is an independent study conducted under the supervision of a faculty adviser, based on primary or secondary research. The thesis can take the form of 1) a single research paper of 45-60 pages or 2) a media project with supporting documentation. All theses must conform to the highest standards of research and writing or production. Whatever the format, a thesis should be grounded in theoretical frameworks and review of the extant literature on theory and topic and contain original analysis that could draw on fieldwork or documentary sources.

Requirements

To complete the thesis option, a student must submit a thesis that has been approved and signed by two readers, who constitute the Thesis Committee. The primary reader is the thesis advisor. The secondary reader may be a specialist on the topic of the thesis who is external to the program. External readers must be approved by the thesis supervisor.

Choosing the thesis option will require taking two capstone courses (6 credits), in sequence: 

• Thesis Workshop (3 credits). The purpose of the workshop is to prepare students to develop the research project by helping them refine their research questions, identify data sources, and construct an argument. The product of the Thesis Workshop is a thesis proposal — a framework for writing the thesis in the following semester. 
• Thesis Supervision (3 credits). The purpose of the supervision is for the student to carry out the research under the guidance of the thesis advisor and to produce the final product.  

Detailed rules on content and procedures can be found in the Thesis Guidelines.

Sample theses:

• “Re-membering the Nation: Constructing National Identity Through Lesotho’s National Museum,” Zachary Rosen, MA '19
• “A Gendered Analysis of Transportation’s Relationship to Poverty With a Specific Focus on Time Poverty,” Molly Vallillo, MA '19
• “Hermanos del Rey (Brothers of the King): Explaining Mestizo Solidarity and Coalition Building in Nicaragua’s Miskito Secessionist Movement,” Elena Teare, MA '18

A research portfolio is written in two classes which have been specifically designated as Research Seminar (3-credit) courses (5000- or 6000-level courses). Each semester, a number of seminar courses are designated as Research Seminars and as suitable for developing a capstone paper. The portfolio consists of two 8,000-word papers and a 1,000-1,500-word essay that overviews the portfolio, describing its theme and identifying its contribution. The research portfolio must be approved by a full-time faculty member, ideally an instructor for one of the two classes in which the portfolio papers were written. 

Students opting to write a research portfolio should approach a faculty member to serve as supervisor for the project in the semester the student submits the capstone declaration form. If a student decides at a later date to alter the classes to be used or the faculty member who will serve as supervisor for the portfolio, the student should submit a new capstone declaration form noting that it is an update.

Detailed rules on content and procedures can be found in the Research Portfolio Guidelines.

Students who choose the practice option may choose to complete a professional project that immerses the student in the professional world. There are two pathways to this capstone. The first is organized as a team working on an assignment for a client organization or a simulation exercise. The team must submit a set of outputs required by the client or simulation, such as a report, a film, a set of briefing papers, or other professional outputs. The second is an independent project conducted by a student that is embedded in a professional or technical skill course, such as Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) or Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Two project reports must be submitted. The project must meet the quality and timeliness standards of a professional consultancy and contain analytical and creative material that reflects mastery of subject matter, appropriate methodology, technical and professional tools, and critical thinking skills.

Requirements

Students choosing this option must take a series of two capstone classes. There are a number of classes that offer a pathway for preparing the practice capstone.

• Practice capstone 1: Several courses provide appropriate preparation for undertaking the selected project and must be approved by the practice supervisor. The options include Project Cycle Management, Studio, Policy Analysis, or a designated subject content analysis course in which the project is embedded.  
• Practice capstone 2: There are several classes that support the implementation of the professional project. These include Client Project Implementation, Studio, or a designated subject content analysis course in which the project is embedded.

Sample Practicum Projects

Past projects have included the following:

• Developing material for refugee and immigrant schoolchildren and conducting staff trainings for the International Rescue Committee
• A comparative analysis paper for Human Rights Watch on amnesties granted in Cambodia, Chile, and Mozambique
• Producing policy and analysis papers on universal children's "social security" for UNICEF, equitable aid distribution to fragile states for UNICEF, and human trafficking outreach for the International Rescue Committee
• Writing a grant proposal to construct and fund a health center in Kenya for the East African Center for the Empowerment of Women and Children
• Making an advocacy film on international HIV and AIDS activists for the ATHENA Women's Network

Practicum teams are required to submit their deliverable to their client and make a final presentation of their work at the end of the semester.

Detailed rules for applying to and professional conduct for practicums can be found in the Practice Guidelines.