sigelphoenix

Okay, so my Women Studies advisor recently sent an email out to the department mailing list clarifying the requirements for the major. Turns out, what I thought was the 5-credit thesis course ... isn't. It's a "capstone" course headed by an instructor who determines your area of study and requires a long paper, but isn't as self-directed or intense as a thesis. If I want to do a thesis, I have to replace that capstone course with a 3-quarter series of 3-credit classes, starting this autumn.

BUH??

I ... am not at all prepared to start my senior thesis. The course that I thought was the thesis is offered in the spring, so I figured I had plenty of time. And that it would take only one quarter, not all frigging three. I've thrown around some ideas for a topic, and I know what my general area of focus will be (feminism and pop culture, maybe with race thrown in). I've half-jokingly said I could write my thesis on gender in Preacher. I just didn't think I'd have to decide how serious I was now.

Yeah, okay, it isn't right now. I have over a month before the quarter starts. Maybe that's enough time for me to decide what I want to research and write about for the next nine months. But I don't have any ideas for a faculty sponsor - I was hoping I would be able to take more courses in the department and get to know more faculty members before I had to choose. And my advisor just told me that I have to choose someone within the department (which makes sense, but I was hoping the English and Philosophy departments would be open to me). It seems like the more I find out, the more reason I have to worry.

And since I wasn't planning on doing my thesis this quarter, I already registered for a full load of classes that I really want to take. Technically, I can add on 3 more credits and still be within the limit. But could I really start my thesis on top of a full load of courses? To add to that, this is the quarter I start doing my peer presentations with C.O.R.E., and I already signed up to do another project with that group and its sister organization. This ... might cause me to spontaneously combust.

But I really want to do a thesis. I won't be doing one for my English major (ironically enough), and while the capstone course requires a final project, it's more like a 10-20 page paper. I've done those. I want to try my hand at a real thesis - both for the practical purpose of having material to submit in grad school applications, but also to know if I can do it.

I have a month to think, and an advisor who is willing to field my frantic questioning. I hope that's enough to help me decide. :/