Senior Thesis

I. The Senior Thesis in the Department of German is not required of German majors, but it is necessary for those majors who wish to receive honors upon graduation. For those German majors who wish to write a thesis, there are several requirements that must be met:

1. The student must have a GPA of 3. 5 or higher in the major.
2. The thesis must be at least 40 pages long.
3. The thesis must be written in German.
4. Two bound copies of the final document are to be submitted to the department.

The student writing a thesis enrolls in German 48499 and receives one course credit (3 credit hours) for the course. Although the thesis is graded by the advisor (to receive honors, the thesis must receive a grade of B+ or higher), the thesis is read by the entire department, who act as an advisory body to the advisor.

II. Since one of the aims of the thesis is to show that you are capable of conducting sustained research in the discipline, the thesis should, in addition to these formal requirements, also fulfill the following general criteria:

1. The thesis should demonstrate familiarity with a significant aspect of German literature, culture, and/or history.
2. It should indicate control of the relevant bibliographic resources relating to the chosen topic.
3. It should present evidence of an overview of the subject from which the topic was chosen.
4. It should demonstrate the ability to organize materials drawn from a variety of sources.
5. It should show the capability to articulate and sustain a coherent argument in German.

III. The student writing a thesis does so in close consultation with an advisor. It is suggested that you seek out the person you would like to serve as your advisor before you begin to formulate your topic. The advisor will also require you to adhere to a timetable for the submission of outlines, drafts, and the final copy. Generally speaking, the thesis is due the week after Spring Break, and it is strongly advised that you begin thinking about it and start conferring with your advisor before the October Break of the Fall term.

Copyright © 2007 University of Notre Dame
Department of German and Russian Languages and Literatures
318 O'Shaughnessy Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Phone: (574) 631-5572