Writing a thesis is particularly appropriate for students planning to pursue a PhD in rhetoric and composition.  The following guidelines are designed to help you through the thesis writing process in the MA Rhetoric and Composition program at Texas State University:

• Select a thesis director
  • Choose a faculty member with a background and/or interest in your topic
  • Keep in mind that only designated “Graduate Faculty” can direct or act as readers on thesis committees.  For a list of “Graduate Faculty,” consult the graduate catalog
• Select at least two additional faculty to serve as members on your thesis committee
• Ask committee members how they would like to be involved in the thesis process. Some faculty prefer to work with students and their directors throughout the thesis writing process.  Most, however, prefer to read the thesis only when the student and director have decided that it is in a “finished” state—typically toward the middle of the student’s enrollment in the second semester of thesis hours (Thesis B)
• Get a copy of the Graduate College Guide to Preparing and Submitting a Thesis or Dissertations: www.gradcollege.txstate.edu/Thes-Diss_Info.html
• Familiarize yourself with important procedures and deadlines detailed in the handbook.  The Graduate College observes strict deadlines for submission of thesis materials, especially in relation to commencement
• Work with your thesis director to develop a thesis proposal
• If relevant, complete all steps required to receive Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval
• Submit the thesis proposal to your thesis committee for approval and signatures
• Submit the thesis proposal to the Graduate College for approval and signatures
• Draft and revise the thesis in consultation with your director
• Schedule the oral defense of the thesis
• Submit copies of the finished thesis to committee members at least two weeks before your scheduled defense date
• Complete 1-hour oral defense of thesis