Description
The MA thesis is based on original research and makes substantial use of primary material and professional literature. As a rule, the thesis is written in English (exceptions possible) and reflects the scholarly virtues of originality, focus, and concision. The thesis must show the student’s ability to conduct original research under supervision and contribute to scholarship in a way that inspires confidence in his/her ability to prepare written reports of good quality. MA theses Classics and Ancient Civilizations generally imply working with primary sources in the original languages or relevant archaeological data.
The thesis process includes the Ancient World Thesis seminar with sessions about academic and technical writing skills.
You have to submit the final version of the MA thesis by e-mail to your supervisor and second reader. When doing so, you have to put the e-mail address of MAthesis in cc. If the supervisor and/or second reader request a paper copy, the student should hand in a paper copy to the supervisor and/or second reader.
Thesis application form
The Board of Examiners has to approve the thesis plan and appoints the thesis supervisor and an (independent) second reader. Students themselves approach one of the staff members possessing the appropriate expertise in the field addressed in the thesis as a supervisor for their MA thesis.
Students are required to (digitally) hand in the Thesis application form to the Board of Examiners. Students planning to graduate in June/July/August have to submit the form before 15 March at the latest. When graduating after the first semester, students have to submit the form before 15 October at the latest.
The Thesis application form is available via the website of Classics and Ancient Civilizations > Study > Education information > Thesis and paper writing
NB 1) All theses in the Classics specialization are based on a substantial amount of primary texts in Greek or Latin relevant to the line of investigation, which is either of a linguistic or literary nature or a cultural-historical nature; in the case of the latter, one of the two (either the supervisor or the second reader) should be from a language section and one from the cultural-historical disciplines. In these cases, both the supervisor and the second reader must approve the thesis plan before the start of the writing process.
NB 2) Students in the Egyptology specialization have to orientate on their thesis topic, read secondary literature, and formulate a research question in the second block before leaving for the excursion in Egypt. Upon their return in March, students can start writing the MA thesis.
Deadlines
Students should be able to write their MA Thesis in one semester. Make sure that you start early with the orientation on your thesis subject.
Semester 1
1 December: Deadline Thesis for students who want to graduate on 1 February.
As 1 September – 1 December is a short semester, and students will need to start orientating early on (May or June).
Supervisors have a maximum of 4 weeks to grade the thesis (7 January at the latest). If the grade is insufficient, the student will have at least two weeks to rewrite based on the feedback given.
21 January: resit date for students who want to graduate 1 February
When the university is closed due to the holidays, the student is not entitled to supervision.
NB. This date can also be used by students who have not used the first deadline to hand in their thesis. However, a thesis handed in between 1 December and 21 January will count as a resit.
If the thesis turns out to be insufficient on this occasion, or if the deadline is missed, the student can formally request an extra resit (a new deadline somewhere in the second semester) to the Board of Examiners. The student will do so by resubmitting their graduation form with the new intended graduation date. The Board of Examiners will, in consultation with the supervisor, decide whether the thesis project is still feasible and if the supervision structure can be maintained. If the Board of Examiners does not grant an extra resit, the student will have to start over with a new topic and a new supervisor.
Semester 2
15 June: Deadline Thesis for students who want to graduate on 1 September.
Supervisors have a maximum of 6 weeks to grade the thesis (31 July at the latest). If the grade is insufficient, the student will have at least two weeks to rewrite based on the feedback given.
As soon as it becomes apparent that the student will not meet the deadline (but before 15 June at the latest), the student will need to ask the supervisor for permission to continue working on the thesis without supervision until the resit date.
15 August: resit date for students who want to graduate 1 September
After 15 June, the student is not entitled to supervision.
NB. This date can also be used by students who have not used the first deadline to hand in their thesis. However, a thesis handed in between 15 June and 15 August will count as a resit.
If the thesis turns out to be insufficient on this occasion, or if the deadline is missed, the student can formally request an extra resit (a new deadline somewhere in the second semester) to the Board of Examiners. The student will do so by resubmitting their graduation form with the new intended graduation date. The Board of Examiners will, in consultation with the supervisor, decide whether the thesis project is still feasible and if the supervision structure can be maintained. If the Board of Examiners does not grant an extra resit, the student will have to start over with a new topic and a new supervisor.
Mode of instruction
Independent research.
Assessment method
A Master Thesis has a maximum of 15,000 words, including footnotes and appendices, and excluding the bibliography.
More information about the official regulations regarding the MA thesis can be found in the attachment of the Teaching and Examination Regulations
NB. The date on which the thesis is submitted via Turnitin is the exam date of the thesis.
Please put the following information on the cover/title page of the thesis:
Title (and subtitle)
Name and student number
E-mail address
Name of supervisor(s)
Date
Master Thesis Classics and Ancient Civilizations
Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University
Registration
Registration for the MA Thesis in uSis is not required. Registration for the Ancient World Thesis seminar via uSis (code: 5864VAWS) is mandatory.
Contact and more information
For questions about enrolment and admission, contact the coordinator of studies
For other questions contact the Student administration Arsenaal
Remarks
Students have to upload the MA Thesis in the Student Repository after grading. The repository forms an independent part of the Leiden Repository and offers an online archive that makes Leiden University student Thesis easily searchable and publicly available (if desired). Students have to fill in the form of consent for the publication of a thesis and hand in the form at the Arsenaal student administration.