Senior Writing Requirement

Senior majors are required to write a thesis, essay, or a senior seminar paper as part of their capstone experience.

Theses: Students wishing to write a fieldwork- or library-based thesis must submit a proposal, due on the last day of spring semester classes of their junior year. Fieldwork-based thesis projects are also eligible for partial funding through the department. If students wish to compete for these funds, they should include a budget in their proposal. In the fall semester of their senior year, students writing a thesis should enroll in ANTH400 Cultural Analysis, a research and writing seminar in which students pursue individual research projects in a group context. In the spring semester of their senior year, thesis candidates should enroll in an individual thesis tutorial (ANTH410). It is strongly recommended that students contemplating a thesis either enroll in an individual tutorial (ANTH402) in the spring semester of their junior year, in which they would begin library research on their area of interest, or else take a course that is relevant to their research concerns.

Essays: Essays involve fewer requirements but also represent a serious research commitment. In most cases, essay writers should enroll in ANTH400 in the fall semester of their senior year. In this case, they would complete a draft of their essay in the fall semester for final submission in February. Alternately, if their project is one that a particular faculty member is especially qualified (and willing) to supervise, they may take a program project or essay tutorial (ANTH403) with that person in the fall semester their senior year.

Seminar papers:  In the senior year students who select this option should take a 300-level course (or an advisor-approved 200-level course), which involves a substantial research paper. The course will ordinarily but not necessarily be one that facilitates advanced work in their area of concentration. The course must be designated and approved by the major advisor in the student's Major Certification Form prior to spring break of their senior year.