Students pursuing the Disability Studies Major must complete a Thesis Project as the culminating effort of their program of study. This substantial project is an opportunity to conduct independent research with the supervision of a faculty member, on specific issues related to Disability Studies (DS). Students will explore a chosen area of the field of disability studies in-depth, synthesize and apply knowledge and skills developed in their path through the DS curriculum, and demonstrate attainment of the learning goals of the DS major. Any questions or concerns about the Thesis Project requirement can be directed to the Disability Studies Academic Advisors.
Timeline
- Contact the Disability Studies Academic Advisors to plan your Thesis Project in your Junior year or sooner.
- Submit a Thesis Project Interest Form in Spring quarter BEFORE the academic year in which you plan to do your project. For example, if you want to enroll in Thesis Project in Winter 2022, you should submit this form in Spring 2021. The deadline is the end of week six (6) in Spring. By week ten (10), the DS Undergraduate Committee will notify you about who your Thesis Project faculty advisor will be. Project plans that are submitted AFTER the Spring deadline will be processed when the Committee meets on a quarterly basis. By the end of that quarter, the Committee will notify you about who your faculty advisor will be. Note that there will likely be fewer choices available for advisors by that point. Your thesis project plan will include:
- Preliminary topic ideas, research questions, methods, outcome (a paper or other creative product).
- For Departmental Honors, identify ideas for the additional ad hoc honors work to be done for the Thesis Project.
- List 2-3 faculty members with related research interests who you might be interested in serving as your Faculty Advisor.
- After your advisor has been assigned, Disability Studies Advisors will send you the INDIV 493 Proposal form and you will complete it by adding the following:
- A refined version of your earlier draft from the project interest form.
- Your signature, student ID number and email.
Once you have filled out relevant portions you will send this to disstadv@uw.edu. Disability Studies Advisors will request the faculty signature on the your behalf. You are encouraged to turn in your signed INDIV 493 proposal well in advance of the beginning of the quarter in which you plan to enroll. INDIV 493 is like other courses in that it can be added during the 1st week of the quarter for no additional fee, and can be added during weeks 2 and 3 for a $20 change of registration fee.
- You have the option to complete a 5-credit, 10-credit, or 15-credit Thesis Project. In your Senior year or sooner, enroll in one of these options for the Thesis Project:
- If you choose a 5-credit Thesis Project you will take 1 quarter: 5 credits INDIV 493
- If you choose a 10-credit Thesis Project you will take 2 quarters: 5 credits INDIV 493 and 5 credits DIS ST 499
- If you choose a 15-credit Thesis Project you will take 3 quarters: 5 credits INDIV 493 and 10 credits DIS ST 499 [may enroll during Junior year]
Note: 1 credit represents 3 hours of student effort per week. Ad hoc honors work entails additional hours.
Outcomes
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The Thesis Project will take the form of a long paper (around 15-20 pages, possibly longer for multiple quarters), a series of other written elements, or a creative expression in other media. Students may also be asked to orally present their research in an appropriate format. In completing their thesis, students will advance and polish their written and oral communication skills necessary for the public dissemination of their ideas.
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The Thesis Project with Honors should include in-depth work that significantly supplements the Senior Thesis, such as an additional paper, creative expression in other media, a final presentation, service learning, or community engagement. The Ad Hoc Honors culminating project may alternatively be an independent study project that is separate from the student’s Thesis Project.
Expectations
A successful Thesis Project should:
- Frame a significant question or set of questions,
- Focus on a specific topic,
- Draw upon sound research methods,
- Integrate knowledge using rigorous interdisciplinary inquiry, and
- Reflect on how the research contributes to the field of disability studies.
You will be expected to attend periodic meetings with your faculty advisor and be prepared to discuss progress on your topic. You are also expected to work with your faculty advisor to develop a "syllabus" that identifies the tasks and activities you will engage in during the Thesis Project. Examples of syllabus activities are listed below.
Faculty advisors are expected to guide you in defining your topic, questions, and methods, provide feedback on the your progress, make referrals to appropriate resources, and comment frequently on your written work throughout the quarter.
Example Syllabus: Tasks and Activities
- Complete or revise a research proposal: topic, research questions, methods, outcomes
- Participate in library research tutorials and/or consultations
- Attend regular meetings to discuss progress with the faculty advisor
- Write an introduction and methods section
- Write an annotated bibliography or other pre-writing that demonstrates progress in carrying out the planned reading and other research
- Submit a full draft of the paper, a process document, or a reflection essay
- Complete the final research paper or creative expression in other media
- Prepare an oral presentation, such as a DS brown bag talk, a conference paper, or a workshop