Thesis Research Seminar

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Georgetown’s Senior Thesis Seminar in American Studies is designed to guide 4th-year students through conceptualizing, researching, and finalizing an original and research-based thesis project of which they can be proud. The course is designed to complement the work that students do on a regular basis with their faculty advisers. The Fall semester will provide weekly structure to guide and support the processes involved in shaping a thesis project, conducting research, analyzing research, and crafting an overarching argument. Regardless of whether a student plans to do a traditional written thesis, a documentary, or some other type of project, each will be charged with completing the bulk of his or her research by the end of the Fall semester. This will be important in the Spring semester when students complete the analysis and synthesis of their work. Throughout the semester, students will develop a keener sense of the scope and variety of scholarly projects currently defining American Studies through contact with faculty and advisers and through their exploration of scholarly work on subjects that interest them in the field. There are few limits on the form the thesis can take or the methodologies students can pursue. The expectation is that students enthusiastically pursue research and draw upon multiple sources in order to tell a story about American culture and the American experience. In-class tutorials, workshops, and group discussions will enable students to learn with and from one another as they pursue their individual interests. A student’s specific project, as well as their classmates’ projects, will be sources of edification.