Master's Thesis v/s Non-thesis option

[nehs]

What are your thoughts on writing up a thesis as opposed to taking the comp? In my program, most students do the comp. We have two attempts to pass the comp and again most students do pass it in exactly two attempts. A few have trouble with this.

I'm thinking of doing the the thesis because it actually sounds easier to me. I'm not really concerned with the usefulness of a thesis after graduation( i don't even think it matters in my field - computer science). I'm just concerned with graduating on time and with lesser amount of stress. The added bonus is a thesis might be useful when looking for jobs in the industry.

It is a 30-40 page document for us( font of about 12 and single spaced) and the class is a 2 credit registration. So my advisor actually told me to do the background research and write up the proposal this coming semester(Fall 2012). In the next semester, I sign up for the thesis class which is 2-credits and write the thesis. She said if I want to graduate in june then it is better to hand it in by april. She also mentioned that this need not be an original topic like a PhD thesis , it could be an extension of an existing thesis with new data or it could be a data analysis of an existing document or a case study and so on.

i'm confused now but more inclined toward the thesis. Any opinions/comments. Happy to hear

Edited August 15, 2012 by nehs

[Dal PhDer]

Hi there,

I would not say that a thesis is easier than a comp....they are quite different and require different skills from students. I think it depends on the student and how they learn, study and most importantly- what they want to do after their masters.

I don't want to say a comp is less time heavy, because that's not true. You need to cram cram cram and the testing is very stressful...but depending on the student, the advisor, the project, the committee.....etc. a thesis can be a long drawn out and frustrating process. It requires A LOT of work, a lot of reading, data collection, data management, data analysis, writing writing rewriting throwing writing out starting over writing writing writing.....and depending on the bumps in the road that you encounter, you could experience a lot of frustration and time gaps.

You might want to check out this thread () that discusses course work vs. a thesis..it has a lot of good advice on how completing a thesis will take you on a different post-masters path.

Edit: In the end, don't pick the thesis because you think it's easier..because I promise you, it's not! (And you can still fail your thesis defence!)

Edited August 15, 2012 by Dal PhDer

[nehs]

Dal PhDer - as with many posts your replies are usually the first Thanks.

I agree that a thesis might not be easier but the comp does not sound eaasier to me either(which is what makes me wonder what motivates students to sit for the exam). I'm picking the thesis just to get some research experience( and work on a topic that wxcites me if I am lucky to get the topic approved by my advisor lol), and I feel it is less riskier than the exam. We do not have a defence for master's thesis at my university. Once the advisor approves the thesis, it is forwarded to the dept chair and then finally to the office of graduate studies for approval. My academic advisor (not thesis advisor)told me there is almost no chance that a student's thesis will be rejected because the advisor will not send it up to the Dept chair if he thinks it is not ready yet.

EDIT: Another reason for me to avoid the comp is I don't feel like going back to courses that I am done with which is what the comp is all about. We choose 3 areas(basically 3 courses) and sit for the exam.

Edited August 15, 2012 by nehs

[Dal PhDer]

Dal PhDer - as with many posts your replies are usually the first Thanks.

I agree that a thesis might not be easier but the comp does not sound eaasier to me either(which is what makes me wonder what motivates students to sit for the exam). I'm picking the thesis just to get some research experience( and work on a topic that wxcites me if I am lucky to get the topic approved by my advisor lol), and I feel it is less riskier than the exam. We do not have a defence for master's thesis at my university. Once the advisor approves the thesis, it is forwarded to the dept chair and then finally to the office of graduate studies for approval. My academic advisor (not thesis advisor)told me there is almost no chance that a student's thesis will be rejected because the advisor will not send it up to the Dept chair if he thinks it is not ready yet.

EDIT: Another reason for me to avoid the comp is I don't feel like going back to courses that I am done with which is what the comp is all about. We choose 3 areas(basically 3 courses) and sit for the exam.

It sounds like you are picking the thesis option for a lot of the right reasons!

You sound a lot like me. I would prefer the thesis option. I always hated tests and never did particularly well with that format of learning. I do better with having time to think about other options, apply my skills, learn through mistakes, and contemplate the best course of action. I think it has a lot to do with what you prefer. In my program our comprehensives are flexible, so the format of them is up to the student and a committee. I would prefer all paper submissions with defenses, rather than an examination. However, many students think I'm crazy. They would rather have a month or a few weeks of studying and then take the examination and be done with it. So it depends on what you feel suits your abilities the best!

Also, if you're thinking of going to graduate school, the thesis is the best option IMO! Like you said, you'll get really great research experience, and that's what committees will want to see. Not to mention, employers will like to see on your resume/CV that you have experience with research!

[TakeruK]

If you are looking for reassurance that you are picking the right option, I can say that I also think that your motivations for picking the thesis option are sound!

I think it's definitely the way to go if you want to gain research experience and especially for future grad work. Like you and Dal PhDer, I feel that a single exam session is not enough time for me to show what I know. I much rather have several weeks/months/etc to put my work and skills into a project that showcases my knowledge rather than have everything ride on a 2-3 hour exam (written or oral!). In fact, I think many of my grad student peers would agree -- we always petition our profs to allow us to replace a final exam with a mini project + paper + presentation instead of an in-class test! Some schools don't have exams for graduate courses at all.

Thesis defenses can be stressful too (I just defended this week, yay!) but by the time I was putting together my presentation, I already knew my project inside and out. The questioning part afterwards was scary but I really would rather do that again than sit through a 3 hour exam, or even a comprehensive exam. I was definitely much less stressed about the defense than exams during undergrad. And you won't even have to do this! (In other schools, sometimes a Masters thesis does not need to be formally defended -- as long as you have presented it somewhere, e.g. a conference, then that would suffice).

Overall, I get a sense that there are two ways to approach a masters degree. The course-based masters is usually treated like an extension of undergrad and the goal is to provide training at even higher levels. The outcome is a student who is more qualified/knowledgeable than an BA/BSc graduate. The thesis/research based masters is more like preparation for further work in academia and research. Unlike undergrad, courses are not as important -- just minimum requirements to ensure a well rounded student. The outcome is a student who has some background knowledge and basic tools to start performing independent research.

[nehs]

Dal - Yeah, I have my reasons for choosing to do the thesis. Having said that, I must mention that i'm not a bad test taker. Infact, I do better on exams than when I have to write up papers lol. However, the thesis might give me a good oppurtunity to improve writing skills.

We don't have a flexible comp format - it is a written exam.

I am definitely not thinking of a PhD right now or for the near future.

Takeru - LOL, yea may be i'm looking for reassurance. We also have many profs that allow us to replace a final exam with a project+pres+paper. However, I'm guessing that these projects are small in comparison to a master's thesis? We usually write up 10 pages for the paper and this paper is expected to be 40 pages.

God to hear that you defended your thesis . We do not have defence in my Dept. All we need to do is submit the thesis and wait for it to get approved.

[WornOutGrad]

I wish I could just do a comp and get it over with. I can't stand research anymore and I don't want to go for a PhD. A comp seems like it would be a good option to keep this thesis from dragging on.

[BrokenRecord]

In my program we have a choice between a thesis or project. Most choose to do a thesis from my understanding and usually get a job in industry. I'd say, to cover yourself both ways going into academia or industry, a thesis can't hurt as it is what is expected of those in a masters program.

[wildviolet]

In my MS program, there was no option--thesis only.

I met people in other programs who had the option and many people chose comps because it was easier. Now, I don't know if this is true in computer science.

But, I am very glad that I wrote my MS thesis. First, it gave me the opportunity to develop research, writing, and presenting skills, which led me directly to applying for the PhD. Second, it gave me the opportunity to explore a topic of my own interest. And, best of all, I have a black hardbound book with my name on it!

Edited August 16, 2012 by wildviolet