Thesis Requirements

IPE Honors Theses 

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General Procedures

An International Politics and Economics (IPE) Honors Thesis is undertaken over the course of one academic year, normally in the Fall, Winter, and Spring terms of the senior year (or Spring, Fall, Winter for February graduates).

We strongly recommend that (1) students begin thinking about their thesis project and speaking with potential advisors in their junior year, (2) students enroll in PSCI 0368 or PSCI 0347 before their senior year. To launch a thesis project, students must submit to their advisors a thesis prospectus for formal approval. For deadlines and a timetable, see "Deadlines" below. IPE thesis candidates should begin their project by enrolling in an independent study project (IPEC 0500) in the first of the three terms. During Winter and Spring term of senior year (or Fall and Winter for February graduates) thesis students register for IPEC 0700 to continue their thesis project.

In order to qualify for writing a thesis, students must have a cumulative 3.3 average or better in their regular Fall and Spring term courses in political science and economics taken at Middlebury. No exception will be made to this requirement.

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Background

Students are solely responsible for coming up with thesis topics. Those contemplating writing a thesis are strongly encouraged to search for topics during their junior year. They should either take seminars or conduct independent study projects in order to come up with research ideas. Students should also use their seminars and projects to cultivate potential advisors well in advance of the actual thesis writing process.

If students are spending their junior year abroad, they should contact potential advisors via email. In this way students are encouraged to keep their advisors appraised of their research interests well before they arrive back on campus in their senior year.

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Advisory Process

Students need to have two advisors, one in the political science department and the other in the economics department. Students should designate one as a primary advisor and the other as a secondary advisor. Each potential thesis-writer must formally notify the IPE director of his or her choices when he or she submits the revised prospectus for approval. It is up to the students to seek out and schedule appointments with their advisors during the thesis writing process.

In addition to these two advisors, students may seek another advisor from outside of these departments if this is necessary for their research. In order to make this addition, formal approval is required by the two main advisors.

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Research Design

All IPE theses need to be absolutely clear on the following three points. First, students should clarify their question or puzzle, and show how and in what ways it fits into a specific theoretical literature in economics and/or political science. They should also clarify why anyone should care about their puzzle or question. Second, students should identify the most prominent explanations to answer their question or solve their puzzle. They can either use the theoretical literature to derive explanations or offer a new logically consistent explanation on their own. Instead of simply listing explanations or hypotheses, students should focus, above all, on making an argument. Third, students need to collect evidence that allows them to support their argument and refute competing explanations.

As a guide, students should consult Stephen Van Evera, Guide to Methods for Students of Political Science(Cornell University Press, 1997), and Thomas l. Wyrick, The Economist's Handbook: A Research and Writing Guide (West Publishing Company, 1994).

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Style/Format

All IPE theses should have the following parts in order: (1) A title page, identifying the title of the thesis and the name of the author. The title page should be prepared according to the example available from the department coordinator; (2) acknowledgements; (3) a table of contents, identifying parts, chapters, etc., in the thesis; (4) an abstract of no more than 300 words, which identifies the main question and argument, summarizes the key evidence, and puts forth the conclusion; (5) body of the text, with each chapter beginning on a new page; and (5) a bibliography or reference list.

The thesis should be printed double-spaced, with adequate margins. Most theses range in length from 100-120 pages, with an average of 250-300 words per page. Footnotes should be at the bottom of the page, not at the end of chapters or the thesis.

Students should make absolutely certain to cite all sources, whether primary or secondary.

Upon completion, please provide a copy of your thesis to your advisors. A third copy must also be submitted to the IPE director to be forwarded to Starr Library for cataloguing.

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Honors/Regulation

In order to receive Honors, students must meet ALL of the deadlines as set out below. Failure to meet the deadlines for the thesis prospectus, the first chapter, the penultimate draft, or the final draft of the thesis will result in the denial of Honors.

The thesis grade is based on a written thesis and an oral defense. The grade will be based on the quality of the written thesis as well as the oral defense.

The determination of Honors, High Honors, and Highest Honors is based on (1) the level of the grade achieved on the thesis and (2) the level of the average grade received in Middlebury College courses. Note that courses taken abroad do not count toward the grade point determination. Honor candidates must have an IPE course average of 3.3 and a thesis grade of B+ to achieve Honors; an IPE course average of at least 3.5 and a thesis grade of A- or higher to attain High Honors; and an IPE course average of at least 3.7 and a thesis grade of A to attain Highest Honors.

Any appeal of a thesis grade, or the award of honors, shall be made to the IPE director.

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Deadlines

The following schedules apply for all IPE thesis writers: