The senior thesis is the final requirement of a student’s college journey at Bates. All American Studies majors must complete a semester-long thesis. Thesis students enroll in AMST 457 during the fall semester or AMST 458 during the winter semester. Some students might request to engage in a two semester honors thesis.

The nature of any thesis involves independent, original, and creative scholarly research, analysis, and writing. As an interdisciplinary studies major, you will draw on scholarship from various disciplines and methods. These guidelines are designed to guide you through this process, and we strongly recommend reading them carefully. Additionally, you are encouraged to regularly consult with the Program Chair and relevant Program faculty for ongoing support.

SECOND FRIDAY IN APRIL: (Pre-Proposals): Junior AMST majors will submit pre-proposals to the AMST Academic Administrative Assistant Matt Von Vogt (mvonvogt@bates.edu) by the second Friday in April. Students considering honors should  signal their interest in the pre-proposal.

THIRD FRIDAY OF SEPTEMBER: Submission of one semester (Fall) or two-semester formal thesis proposals is due to the Chair.

END OF FINALS PERIOD IN DECEMBER: Seniors completing a one-semester (Fall) thesis will submit their completed written thesis to their thesis adviser.

SECOND FRIDAY IN JANUARY: Submission of one semester (Winter) formal thesis proposals is due to the Chair.

END OF FINALS PERIOD IN APRIL: Seniors completing a one-semester (Winter) or two-semester thesis will submit the completed  thesis to their thesis adviser. Exception: According to guidelines set by the campus Honors Committee, Honors thesis students have an earlier deadline to submit their completed year-long written thesis. Please review the Honors Calendar for a list of important dates.

Guidelines for Starting Your Thesis

Select a subject you are passionate about. An appropriate topic should be sufficiently specific to enable research and writing within a limited timeframe, yet sufficiently comprehensive to relate to broader questions and fields of inquiry.

We advise choosing a topic with which you possess familiarity. Consider the research conducted during your AMST courses, along with the questions and issues you have identified throughout that process. Review the syllabi of courses you found engaging, and reflect on the texts, novels, stories, films, and other analytical or creative works you have encountered. All these resources can assist in developing a compelling thesis topic.

Selecting an Advisor

Students are advised to meet with a prospective advisor from the AMST faculty (listed on the website and catalog) during the semester preceding the initiation of their thesis. While faculty members prefer not to restrict your thesis options, it may be advantageous to select a research area related to your coursework or a methodology that a faculty member specializes in. This approach facilitates more effective guidance on your reading and enhances the critique of your contributions to the literature.

We acknowledge that there may be occasions when a student wishes or requires to select an advisor who is not affiliated with the program. In such instances, the student should formally petition the AMST Committee through their program chair, providing a clear explanation for selecting an external advisor. The AMST committee reserves the final decision on the assignment of an advisor.  In addition to student preferences, advisor selection is based on faculty expertise in a student’s topic and equal distribution of theses.

If you are pursuing a double major, we  invite you to consider writing a combined thesis, one that would allow you to write about one topic over two semesters and cover the thesis requirement for both of your majors. Not all academic units allow a combined thesis, so we encourage you to meet with your AMST advisor to discuss this possibility. The AMS chair and your advisor  will consult with the other department or program to determine if one advisor can oversee a single, combined thesis. 

Honors

Students interested in writing and defending an honors thesis should satisfy three criteria: first, they must maintain excellent academic standing; second, they must demonstrate proficiency in writing and the ability to conduct ongoing research and inquiry (To this end, they should submit a paper to the AMST committee from a recent writing-intensive course); thirdly, they should obtain the recommendation and sponsorship of a member of the AMST faculty. In the case of a double major, we strongly discourage writing two theses when possible. The chair and advisor will consult with other departments/programs and when possible select one advisor. 

Second Friday of April: Students considering honors should first signal their interest in the pre-proposal, which is due on the 

Third Friday of September: The full proposal is due.  In addition to the proposal the student must attach a paper from a writing intensive course. 

First Friday of November: Submit one chapter for review by the AMST faculty committee.

Second Friday of November: The AMST faculty will either approve the chapter or request a revision and resubmission. 

If revision is required, your revised chapter must be submitted by the First Friday of December. 

Second Friday of December, the committee will inform you if they are advancing you for honors consideration. 

Second Friday of January: Honors nomination form submitted.

The Pre-Proposal

The pre-proposal  encourages you to contemplate a potential research topic and review relevant literature. It is not required for your thesis plans to be entirely developed or finalized at the point of submission. The pre-proposal should include the following components:

Please provide a general topic and preliminary research question for your thesis, along with an explanation of why this subject holds your interest. Kindly share the motivations that led you to choose this particular topic.

Could you please specify your capacity? What strengths and knowledge do you bring to this work? Additionally, what areas of growth do you identify for yourself?

An annotated bibliography encompassing five readings pertinent to your topic or preliminary question, of which three sources should be peer-reviewed.

Your preferences for a thesis advisor.

The pre-proposals are due by the Second Friday in April, and should be emailed to Matt Von Vogt (mvonvogt@bates.edu), the AMST Academic Administrative Assistant.

The Thesis Proposal

The proposal should include:

A clear statement of the problem proposed for study and the specific research question(s) to be addressed.

Discussion of relevant scholarly literature. The proposal should explicitly demonstrate that pertinent scholarship has been reviewed by highlighting significant disagreements or unresolved questions within the literature, and illustrating how your inquiries integrate into the existing body of knowledge.

A detailed discussion of the methodology, which both explains the suitability of your methods to your research problem and articulates your understanding of the complexities of the methods to be employed.

Description of the materials to be used in the research (e.g., texts, documents, empirical data, interviews and interview subjects, etc.), as well as the locations and/or availability of these materials. Include a rough timetable for research (and budget, if applying for research funds).

The proposal should demonstrate your understanding of the fundamental themes of the American Studies program as outlined in the description provided on the AMST website.

Theses and methodology

Considering that our majors undertake some of their coursework within traditional disciplines, what precisely are our expectations regarding an interdisciplinary thesis? We anticipate that our students will employ their training in American Studies to broaden or alter the perspective that a conventional discipline might apply to a given problem. We certainly expect students to utilize a method or combination of methods that most appropriately align with their research topic. Interdisciplinary methodology necessitates an awareness of how approaches and techniques employed in traditional disciplines can be advantageously interconnected to facilitate scholarly inquiry. Essential steps in devising an interdisciplinary methodology include delineating the approaches and methods derived from each discipline; explaining how they relate, complement, and/or extend one another; and discussing how their integration promotes investigation into a specific subject matter. Consequently, this interdisciplinary approach provides the researcher with strategies and tools suitable to the topic and the central question or idea under investigation. The methodology section should be as comprehensive as possible; referencing notes and materials from INDS 250 (“Methods and Modes of Inquiry”) may prove beneficial. The evaluation of the thesis encompasses both the process undertaken and the final product produced.

Please be advised that all students intending to conduct research involving human subjects or participants are required to submit their proposals to the Bates College Institutional Review Board, unless their research plans qualify for exemption as specified on the Bates IRB website.

Theses may take multiple forms

For students with appropriate expertise, gained through previous coursework or other experiences, the Program Committee welcomes research theses founded on community-engaged research or public scholarship methodologies. Additionally, other formats are encouraged, including the publication of a graphic novel, zine, magazine, or online blog/website; the performance of a play, dance, performance art, public intervention(s), musical, musical performance, album, spoken word, or similar; participatory projects such as workshops, socially engaged art, public demonstrations (e.g., gatherings or protests), curated events (including film screenings, symposia, or art exhibitions); as well as cinematic projects like videos (fiction, non-fiction, or hybrid) or television/online episodic programs. All submissions in these formats must include an artist statement explaining the rationale for the choice of medium.

A senior thesis in American Studies should:

Be well-written, with arguments constructed in thoughtful, compelling, and critically informed ways.

Demonstrate the ability to understand and interpret evidence.

Demonstrate investigative skills, including the ability to locate, understand, and critically assess sources, as well as to distinguish between valid and invalid claims.

Demonstrate proficiency and awareness of various methods and methodological choices.

Be the result of autonomous work conducted in close collaboration with and with responsiveness to the faculty advisor.

It can serve as an opportunity to explore and develop individual voice and insights.

Thesis writers are expected to:

Adhere to deadlines and meetings with the advisors in a timely manner, as you will be evaluated on the process, not only the end result.