Admission requirements
This course is intended for Research MA students in Arts, Literature and Media.
Description
In the thesis seminar, students will be guided through the process of preparing and writing their MA thesis through information sessions, group discussions, brainstorming, peer-review, and collective writing sessions.
The seminar runs throughout the academic year. In the first (fall) semester, the thesis seminar comprises three sessions and forms the preliminary stage to the actual writing of the thesis. During these meetings, the students get acquainted with the practicalities of the proces, the steps of developing an MA thesis topic, distinguishing between methods, methodology, and theoretical framework, collecting sources, formulating a research question, setting up a thesis proposal, and making a feasible plan for writing the thesis.
In the second semester, the thesis seminar operates primarily as a ‘writing lab’ that involves brainstorming and sharing collective wisdom about the challenges of writing a thesis and possible ways to tackle them, as well as peer-reviewing. In some of these meetings, the thesis seminar coordinator will be present and chair the discussion, but students are advised to self-organise more meetings in the form of a writing and peer-review lab, during which they meet in a common space in order to write together, discuss both the thrills and problems they encounter during the writing of their thesis, and organize peer-review sessions, during which they provide feedback on each other’s work-in-progress.
The Brightspace module of the thesis seminar will be used as a resource for information about practicalities regarding the ResMA thesis, as well as for exchanges of tips, best practices, and other relevant information.
- Attendance and active participation is compulsory for all 2nd-year students in the ResMA Arts, Literatures and Media. Students who start the program in February can choose to attend the thesis seminar either in their second and third semesters (recommended) or in their third and fourth semesters.
Assessment
Not applicable.
Weighing
Not applicable.
Resit
Not applicable.
Inspection and feedback
Not applicable.
Course objectives
Students who follow this seminar will:
Get acquainted with the process of writing a ResMA thesis, in both its practical and content-related aspects;
Practice diverse research skills, including how to collect primary and secondary sources, how to formulate research questions, how to identify useful methods and determine methodologies, how to write a thesis proposal etc.;
Learn how to make a feasible thesis planning;
Be trained in offering and receiving feedback on work-in-progress by their peers, and collectively finding solutions to challenges related to writing a thesis.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable
https://rooster.universiteitleiden.nl/schedule).
Mode of instruction
- Seminar
Assessment method
Assessment
Students do not receive a grade for this seminar, but are expecte to submit (drafts of) thesis proposals and/or chapters for peer-reviewing and in-class discussion.
Reading list
Not applicable.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Arsenaal.
Remarks
Not applicable.