Honors Thesis vs. Foreign Language

[Original501]

I am a junior this year majoring in political science and European studies. One of my political science professors is encouraging me to write an honors thesis my senior year. However, I am not sure if I really want to. If I write a thesis, I would have to register for an honors class each semester of senior year. I am also thinking of using up those extra hours to take up a new foreign language. My school offers accelerated language courses, so I could pick up a new language like Arabic or Farsi in lieu of writing a thesis. The problem is, I don't know what would be the better investment for me. I plan on finding a job after college, possibly with an NGO or think tank. I know these jobs are highly-competitive, which is why I am unsure of what to do. I have some internship experience but I don't know if it will be enough to secure a job. I have also taken a few accelerated language classes at my university so I already know what to expect. Although these languages are outside my area of specialization (Europe), I speak a few European languages but I would like to venture out into the Middle East as I'm really getting into Middle Eastern politics but it is too late to switch my focus. Also, I feel like I won't get another opportunity to learn another language. My mind is telling me to write the thesis, but my heart is telling me to learn a language.

I want to eventually go to graduate school in political science or international relations, but I know for sure that I want to work right after college. What do you guys recommend? I wish I could do both but I can only pick one!

[Quantum Buckyball]

Definitely foreign language! It would be pretty awesome to learn Arabic and get credits for it.

[maelia8]

I would actually recommend that you go for the thesis. You can always learn a language later, such as through your graduate program or an intensive summer language school, but you can't go back and choose to write an undergrad honors thesis. In addition, the thesis can serve as your writing sample when you apply for your Ph.D. and may be the best example of your undergraduate work and professional interests. 

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

It depends entirely on what you hope to do in grad school. If you're thinking MA programs (governmental affairs, public policy, etc.), then go with the language. If you have any inkling you may want to do a Ph.D., most def. take advantage of the opportunity to write a thesis. It may help you on the job market for think tanks, too.

[DigDeep(inactive)]

It depends entirely on what you hope to do in grad school. If you're thinking MA programs (governmental affairs, public policy, etc.), then go with the language. If you have any inkling you may want to do a Ph.D., most def. take advantage of the opportunity to write a thesis. It may help you on the job market for think tanks, too.

 

Agreed. In the end, you can't go wrong with either route. Since you already have foreign language experience, I'm not sure how how much the other language would help. I think deep down you're trying to convince yourself that it would, because you know that an honors thesis would be much more work . Think on that one. 

 

I would, however, suggest the honors thesis. The thesis gives you your first opportunity to actually delve into something more intense than a simple class paper. If you tailor your thesis to your interests it could also help you figure out how soon you want to go to grad school, and even what exactly you would like to do. When you do apply, this thesis plus your work experience will serve as catalysts into great programs. I think you will get that internship with or without another language, as well. Plus, you can take up foreign languages as independent studies - you cannot do the same with a thesis. 

 

I also suggest a thesis because I was involved in an Education Science research program that investigated the success of students who chose undergraduate honors theses versus those that did not. Although an honors thesis is not a single identifier for success as a student (most, including my self, would agree with this) the success of honors students was clear:  An overwhelming majority of students (I have been trying to find the paper, but alas, cannot) of that chose the honors thesis route succeeded with high GPAs and went on to grad school. They were also more likely to score higher on the GRE and attain independent research. Although, eventually we figured out that those students who chose undergraduate theses were also incoming with high GPAs already, which spoke to the work-ethic of students that chose that route. But, that speaks to the qualitative aspect of having an honors thesis - it makes you stand out as an ambitious, serious, and driven student among a sea of other applicants, whom are probably just as qualified as you. 

 

Regardless, what's more important is what will set you up most to succeed (i.e., make you happy). Education is a marathon, not a sprint. And as long as you are happy doing what you're doing, then you're doing it right! 

Edited April 3, 2014 by DigDeep

[ExponentialDecay]

I would go for the thesis, even from the point of view of MA/employment in the research sector. 

 

Highly competitive jobs have the luxury of picking employees who are the closest fit. As such, if you are planning to work with the Middle East, knowing Arabic or Farsi would certainly help, but you might be outranked by people who have extensive coursework in Middle Eastern studies or who have studied abroad in the area. I take it you concentrate on Europe. By choosing the language, you are essentially betting your money on the possibility of finding a position at an NGO or think tank who works with Europe, but in some capacity that makes use of Arabic languages. It's not impossible, but it is a risk. Whereas writing a thesis would prove invaluable should you wish to apply to graduate school.

[RunnerGrad]

Personally, I would do the thesis.

 

You can always learn another language on your own, either by continuing to take university courses as a graduate or non-degree student, or through other means.

[Quantum Buckyball]

If you want to work right after college, then a foreign language would be the best option. Realistically, do you really think your future employer care if you wrote an undergrad honor thesis or not? Sure, you can always "pick up" a foreign language in the future, it's always easier said than done.

[victorydance]

If you want to work right after college, then a foreign language would be the best option. Realistically, do you really think your future employer care if you wrote an undergrad honor thesis or not? Sure, you can always "pick up" a foreign language in the future, it's always easier said than done.

 

Yeah, but the thing is taking a few classes in university will not allow you to 'learn a language.' Actually learning to an intermediate level and being able to converse in that language requires immersion and years of experience with the language. 

 

Put it this way...you take a few classes in Arabic, whether accelerated or not, and you will come out of your degree with very rudimentary understanding of Arabic anyways. This level of understanding isn't going to get you a job if one of the requirements is advanced knowledge of Arabic. 

 

Since the OP already has experience taking these language courses, how far did they actually get you? It's one thing to actually say you 'speak' a language..but if you were dropped in the country of those languages, could you actually properly function in demanding environments?

 

If I were you, I would do the honours thesis. It gives you the advantage of grad school competitiveness...and you said you are interested in the middle east but it's too late to switch. Well the honours thesis is a perfect chance to do a comparative middle east research project. 

 

Then, after university I would move to one of those countries, live there for a year and enrol in a university there to properly study and learn a language. You would get way more out of that experience than you would taking a couple courses in Arabic at a university in North America.

[juilletmercredi]

I'm going to go with the language.  I am assuming that the language courses are accelerated enough that you will actually pick up an intermediate level of Arabic or Farsi skills before you graduate.

 

You didn't say that you wanted to pursue a PhD in the future, but a language will actually be helpful for both a PhD and for a job.  Many social science programs require some language facility (especially if you wanted to do like, political science of the Middle East), and many professional programs like IR or public policy give preference to people with multiple languages.  And while it's theoretically true that you can learn a language later, it's never as easy as when you're in the context of a university/college.  If you already have a base from which to launch yourself, you can do part-time language training, immersion studies, some kind of abroad experience - but this is much easier if you already have the beginner stuff out of the way.

 

I wrote an honors thesis, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  It's what let me know that I could do a PhD and conquer a dissertation.  But plenty of people get into PhD programs without ever having written a senior honors thesis (although it certainly helps)  There are also other ways to write long research papers - if you get a research-related job at a nonprofit, work as a research coordinator, get a Fulbright grant, etc.  And I also agree that most employers won't really care if you write an honors thesis, but they WILL care that you can read Arabic or Farsi.

[victorydance]

I am sorry, but there is just no way two courses of Arabic is going to get you anywhere near an intermediate level.

[overworkedta]

Go for the thesis.

 

I thought about picking up Arabic instead of doing a senior thesis, too, but two semesters of foreign language wouldn't have helped me the way my prospectus did as a writing sample and it wouldn't have qualified as much-needed research experience.  Getting a thesis done shows something more to most programs that a language doesn't.  That said, if you wanted to apply to a very specialized program that requires a basic knowledge of Arabic, this might be the way to go.  You have to think of the end goal.

 

Also, many CP subfields require a language to be either present or learned.  If you are looking into PhD's at any point in the future, you can pick a program that would allow you to continue to work on language skills (mine doesn't but many do).

[Spinosaurus]

Thesis would be more helpful for grad school. And I agree that a few accelerated courses in Arabic will not make you competitive enough in the professional field. But if you are sure that you'll need another language to get a job, and not sure you want to pursue grad school- go for languages.