Thesis Option

The thesis allows students to demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge and skills gained from the anthropology department's curriculum to a particular topic of their interest. A desirable goal for an excellent thesis would be a work of sufficient rigor and quality that it could be considered for publication. Fieldwork is recommended but not required for the thesis. Analysis of secondary data-whether quantitative, qualitative, visual or other formats--is acceptable as long as the research is informed by a clearly articulated research question and under-girded by a research proposal.

The traditional thesis is a single document that often incorporates a literature review, definition of a problem, discussion of methods to address the problem, the subsequent research activity and results. However, the student may design a thesis with different emphases, in consultation with their advisor. For example, students may aim to submit an article to a peer-reviewed journal. They may produce a video, museum exhibit or complete an internship with an accompanying paper. Students pursuing the thesis option should aim to develop a topic and research proposal that specifies their plans in the semester after their completion of 18 credit hours.

The thesis must be defended before a committee of three faculty, at least two of whom need to be on the Department of Anthropology faculty (including senior instructors and research faculty).

1. For the thesis, students begin by producing a full research proposal which must be approved by their thesis chair. This proposal must be completed by the semester after the student has completed 18 credit hours. Sections of the proposal should include, at a minimum:

Introduction and statement of the problem: A one sentence statement of the problem on the first page, and a discussion of its significance (i.e., why is it important that this topic be researched).
Literature review covering theoretical and topical material.
Research design and methods including a data analysis plan.

2. All students proposing to work with humans or data on modern humans must apply for and receive approval from the Human Subjects Research Committee before they begin their research.

Note : most of the material for the application will be drawn from the research proposal.

3. The draft thesis must be reviewed and approved as "defensible" by the student’s thesis committee faculty chair before a thesis defense date can be set. This means the chair has reviewed the draft and suggested changes have been made.

The draft sent to the student’s committee must be substantively complete: All references must be in the text and properly formatted in a references cited section; there should be no "track changes" comments in the text; the text should be formatted according to UC Denver Thesis requirements.
Given the complexity of faculty and student schedules, consultation on a defense date should be done as far in advance as possible.
There must be a minimum of three weeks between the agreed-upon date for the defense and distribution of the draft thesis defined as defensible by the student’s chair. If you would like feedback from your committee members before the defense, you should plan to distribute the thesis at least 4 weeks before the defense date.

Note : If you intend to graduate the same semester you defend your thesis, you must schedule, successfully defend, and complete all recommended changes in accordance with UC Denver Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines. This effectively translates to having the thesis completed and “defensible” before the middle of the semester.

The committee consists of your major advisor and two other faculty members with whom you have worked during the course of your program. You may choose committee members from outside the department, particularly if they are experts in an area that you explore in the thesis. However, at least two of your committee members must be from the anthropology department.

Click here to obtain a copy of Directions for Preparing Masters and Doctoral Theses .

In the semester in which a student intends to submit the thesis for examination, he/she must first submit an Application for Admission to Candidacy. This initiates a process of determining if the student has met all of the other requirements for the degree, and is eligible to submit a thesis. The application for candidacy form should be completed in consultation with your major advisor, and approved by the graduate director.

The completed thesis itself is then submitted for a format review. This review ensures that the material is presented in a readable format that is consistent with the standards of the university. The student then submits a Request for Examination, which publicly announces the exam or defense for all interested parties.

At the exam or defense, the student may be asked to revise or add to the thesis before it is approved. The revised thesis is then submitted to the examination committee for final approval, and then copies are handed in to the College’s Graduate Advisor. These copies are permanently kept in the library as a resource for other scholars in the field.

The exam consists of a public presentation and defense of the work. The tradition calls for the following steps to be completed:

You will provide a formal presentation of your research, which should generally not exceed 30 minutes in length.
After your presentation, the committee will ask you questions about the thesis, work related to it, and perhaps general questions about theory, method, and practical implications of the research.
When questioning is completed, you will be asked to leave the room so that your committee may discuss the defense, and decide on whether to give you a pass or fail.
A "pass" may take many forms, including a request for revision that must be approved by the full committee, or simply a request that revisions be reviewed by the chair.

Students must be registered during the semester of their final examination/ defense. Students who choose to perform these examinations or defend their thesis on a date that falls between semesters (between Fall and Spring; Spring and Summer, or between Summer and Fall), must register for the semester immediately after their exam/defense.

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Thesis Option

1. For the thesis, students begin by producing a full research proposal which must be approved by their thesis chair. This proposal must be completed by the semester after the student has completed 18 credit hours. Sections of the proposal should include, at a minimum:

2. All students proposing to work with humans or data on modern humans must apply for and receive approval from the Human Subjects Research Committee before they begin their research.

3. The draft thesis must be reviewed and approved as "defensible" by the student’s thesis committee faculty chair before a thesis defense date can be set. This means the chair has reviewed the draft and suggested changes have been made.

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Thesis Option

1. For the thesis, students begin by producing a full research proposal which must be approved by their thesis chair. This proposal must be completed by the semester after the student has completed 18 credit hours. Sections of the proposal should include, at a minimum:

2. All students proposing to work with humans or data on modern humans must apply for and receive approval from the Human Subjects Research Committee before they begin their research.

3. The draft thesis must be reviewed and approved as "defensible" by the student’s thesis committee faculty chair before a thesis defense date can be set. This means the chair has reviewed the draft and suggested changes have been made.