Thesis/Final Project
Students who wish to pursue a doctorate degree are encouraged to conduct original research and complete a master’s thesis. Students who do not plan to continue their graduate education may opt to complete a professional project or a thesis.
Thesis Guidelines
The graduate student has the primary responsibility for the thesis research and writing. The student is responsible for ensuring that the thesis manuscript meets accepted standards for scholarly writing, including spelling, punctuation, and grammar. The student should read the Graduate School ’s Thesis Guidelines thoroughly and know the requirements and guidelines for preparation of the thesis.
The student also should identify and become familiar with a recognized academic style manual appropriate to his/her academic discipline. Both documents should be used in the preparation of the thesis. Other student responsibilities include:
Academic Honesty
Students are expected to conduct themselves in an absolutely and uncompromisingly
honest manner. Evidence of plagiarism may result in program dismissal.
Institutional Review Board
By federal law, all research involving human or animal subjects requires prior ethical
review and approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Copies of the necessary
forms and instructions for submission are available here.
Copyright Permission
The student has the responsibility to obtain permission to include (or quote) copyrighted
material unless the student is the owner of the copyright or unless the material meets
the "fair use" criteria.
The thesis advisor must be a member the graduate faculty, and he/she accepts and assumes
the major responsibility to work directly with the graduate student in the research
or creative project.
The thesis committee is comprised minimally of the thesis advisor, a second departmental
reader and an outside reader. The members of the committee are available to the student
for consultation and advisement.
The graduate school oversees and implements all policies and procedures governing graduate theses. Students are responsible for reviewing these policies and ensuring that they have followed the guidelines for preparing a thesis. Click for forms, deadlines, and documents.
Steps and Timing
Ideally, the student writes a thesis proposal and submits it to the chairperson and the committee for approval during his or her final semester of coursework.
Once the proposal is approved, the student is solely responsible for submitting appropriate research material to the Institutional Review Board for approval.
Recommended proposal timeline:
- Mid-April of the spring semester for fall graduation.
- Mid-April of the spring semester for summer graduation if summer graduation is approved by the committee.
- Mid-October of the fall semester for spring graduation.
A student must complete the appropriate paperwork and register for the professional
research hours during the semester in which the thesis will be completed and defended.
Students must confer with their thesis chair before enrolling for research credit.
Working backward from the defense date, the student is encouraged to provide the thesis
to the chair six weeks before the defense and a revised copy to the committee three
weeks before the defense. Graduate School deadlines must be followed for scheduling
and administering the final presentation and defense, which must be undertaken and
passed no later than one week prior to the Graduate School ’s deadline for submitting
material for graduation. Deadline dates in a given semester are available here.
After the thesis defense, the student must meet with the Director of Graduate Studies
in the College of Arts & Sciences for final approval and submit the appropriate signed
forms.
Elements
- A statement of rationale, including research questions and/or thesis statement.
- A description of the method to be employed in carrying out the research.
- A comprehensive literature review.
- A selected bibliography and/or list of individuals to be consulted or interviewed
- A project timetable.
- A list of instrument or scales to be used in research study.
The Research
Non-Thesis Guidelines
The Master of Arts degree in Communication is a broad-based degree program that integrates
theoretical and research components of mass communication and rhetorical communication.
The program is designed to prepare recent graduates and experienced professionals
for doctoral studies, professional advancement, and personal enrichment. The Department's
graduate faculty combines applied knowledge with communication theory and works to
engage students to think critically as they address communication practices and issues.
Courses examine how communication creates, sustains, and changes personal lives, organizations,
political and cultural institutions, and society.
Degree Requirements And Courses
Students must complete a minimum of 33 semester hours of credit in approved 500-level
courses. This includes 6 hours additional course work. A minimum of 27 semester hours
must be completed at the University of South Alabama. At least 27 semester hours must
be taken in communication. All students are required to pass a written qualifying
examination and non-thesis tracks students are required to take two additional courses
numbered 500 or above.
For more information about Non-Thesis Guidelines click here.