Important Note About "Non-Thesis" Program Exit Options
At mid-course in the program (15 credits) the student must meet with the Program Director or Graduate Director who will determine whether the student is recommended for Option A: Thesis; Option B: Non-Thesis Master Essay/Non-Thesis Research Essay plus Self-Study. No exceptions.
Non-Thesis Option
Students who intend to complete Option B: Non-Thesis Master Essay/Non-Thesis Research Essay plus Self-Study should keep in mind that planning needs to begin at least one semester before your anticipated graduation date. It is the student's responsibility to follow the requirements. Failure to do so will affect graduation. To set up an appointment for advising, please contact Asian Studies by phone at 305-348-1914 or by e-mail: asian@fiu.edu.
Important Deadlines
Check Deadlines for Non-Thesis Exit Options
It is very important to check with an Asian Studies Director before taking any steps in the process and establish a timeline for completion. All material must be submitted to the Primary and Secondary Professor and must be approved by both within the set deadlines.
Failure to submit and get approval for the MA Essay by deadlines prescribed by the Asian Studies Program Graduate Faculty Committee will result in denial of graduation certification and lead to the recommendation that the student complete the essay in the following semester, which may require enrolling in additional credit(s).
Dates are established based on term of anticipated graduation. Also, these dates refer to when the necessary assignments or paperwork are due to the Asian Studies Program Director. Students are responsible for working with their Primary Professor to establish a schedule that will complement and not conflict with these important deadlines.
Primary Professor
Option B is carried out under the direction and supervision of a Primary Professor (and if required a Secondary Professor). The student must take responsibility to find a professor. The Primary Professor should have expertise in the field of the student's research. He or she will supervise and provide constructive criticism in content, style, and form. The Professor must be chosen and approved by the Asian Studies Program Director/Graduate Director at least eight weeks before the semester in which the essay is being completed. Please note that the Program Director can serve as the primary professor.
Primary Professors must be selected from among the following:
- Tom Breslin, International Relations
- Steven Heine, Asian Studies
- Ma Li, Modern Languages
- Matthew Marr, Sociology/Anthropology
- Asuka Mashav, Asian Studies
- Kyle Pan, History/Asian Studies
- Eric Messersmith, Asian Studies
- Shenggao Wang, Asian Studies
- Mitzi Carter, Sociology/Asian Studies
- Lidu Yi, Asian Studies
- Julie Zeng, International Relations
However, in the interdisciplinary field of Asian Studies, other professors may be approved of for Primary Professor. Please consult with Asian Studies.
Option B: Non-Thesis Master Essay
This option can be used toward graduation in one of the following ways as determined in consultation with the Program Director and/or Advisor -
- (a). A research project consisting of a final paper on a particular topic or theme in the field of Asian studies that includes a substantial bibliography. (Note: please consult with the Director and/or Advisor for page length).
- (b). A final project involving research with a creative approach that can be based on a self-study, an internship, teaching experience, grant activity, artistic design, the development of digital resources, etc.
- (c). Another alternative approach demonstrating research and/or other skills in the field that is based on the student's area of emphasis.
The following guidelines will be helpful when completing the Non-Thesis project of choice, as approved by the Program Director and/or Advisor:
Non-Thesis Master Essay
Proposal
The formal proposal has several functions and benefits. It is part of the learning process and helps the students avoid oversights and possible mistakes. The proposal also helps the Primary professor to provide appropriate assistance to the student in his/her task. The proposal should explain the problem to be investigated and convince the Primary professor that the problem merits investigation. It should show that the student has read the relevant and recent literature on the subject and it should contain a list of materials consulted during the preliminary stages of research.
The formal proposal should not exceed two (2) double-spaced pages and should include:
- Background information related to the research topic
- Purpose of the research
- Methodology
- List of reading material
Included with the proposal should be:
- M.A. Essay Proposal Agreement Form
- Plagiarism and Misconduct Agreement Form
- M.A. Essay Final Approval Form
A copy of the approved proposal and Agreement Form signed by the Primary professor and the Misconduct Agreement form signed by the student must be filed with the Asian Studies office at least four weeks before the semester in which the essay is being completed in begins. Please see table of deadlines at the end of this page for exact dates.
The Master Essay
The formatting and grammatical issues of the Master's Essay are the responsibility of the student. The Primary Professor can provide some guidance, however, they are not responsible for overall grammatical and stylistic refinement. The MAAS Committee reserves the right to deny acceptance of any submission that does not adhere to the following stylistic and formatting guidelines. Rejection of a submission based on formatting issues will affect graduation.
Formatting:
- 40 pages plus notes and appendices (where appropriate)
- Standard size 8.5 x 11 inches, one-sided
- Double-spaced (make sure it is true double-space)
- Times New Roman, size 12
- 1 inch margins
- Page numbers must always be bottom-centered
- Illustrations must be embedded in text unless instructed otherwise
The essay is arranged in the following sequence:
The Preliminary Pages:
- Title Page
- Approval Page
- Abstract
- Table of Contents
Sample of Preliminary Pages for Master Essay NOTE: The preliminary pages are to be numbered with lower case Roman numerals.
The Text
- The pages of the text are to be number with Arabic numbers.
- The first page following the last preliminary page is the first page of the text and is numbered with Arabic number 1.
- The body should be divided into chapters or sections.
The Reference Section
- Bibliography or List of References
- Appendices (where appropriate)
NOTE: The numbering for the reference section continues from the text.
Final Presentation Q&A
In addition to the written work which will be examined by a faculty advisor and the Asian Studies Program Director/Graduate Director, students will be required to make a presentation with a Question & Answer session. In addition to the two faculty members above, other faculty and students may be invited to attend this Q&A session. The Q&A session is to be scheduled during finals week of Fall and Spring semesters, and during the last week of classes of the Summer semester.
Non-Thesis Research Essay plus Self-Study
Proposals
The formal proposals have several functions and benefits. They are part of the learning process and help the students avoid oversights and possible mistakes. The proposals also help the Primary professor to provide appropriate assistance to the student in his/her task.
For the Research Essay, the proposal should explain the problem to be investigated and convince the Primary professor that the problem merits investigation. It should show that the student has read the relevant and recent literature on the subject and it should contain a list of materials consulted during the preliminary stages of research. For the Self-Study, the proposal should explain a personal experience of the student within the field of Asian Studies. The study can be based on teaching experience, grants, internships, etc. The formal proposals should not exceed one (1) page each and should include:
- Background information related to the experience
- Purpose of the study
- Methodology
- List of reading material
Included with the proposal should be:
A copy of the approved proposal and Agreement Form signed by the Primary professor and the Misconduct Agreement form signed by the student must be filed with the Asian Studies office at least four weeks before the semester in which the essay is being completed in begins. Please see table of deadlines at the end of this page for exact dates.
The Research Essay plus Self-Study
The formatting and grammatical issues of the Research Essay plus Self-Study are the responsibility of the student. The Primary Professor can provide some guidance, however, they are not responsible for overall grammatical and stylistic refinement. The MAAS Committee reserves the right to deny acceptance of any submission that does not adhere to the following stylistic and formatting guidelines. Rejection of a submission based on formatting issues will affect graduation.
Formatting:
- 20 pages for the essay and self-study each plus notes and appendices
- Standard size 8.5 x 11 inches, one-sided
- Double-spaced (make sure it is true double-space)
- Times New Roman, size 12
- 1 inch margins
- Page numbers must always be bottom-centered
- Illustrations must be embedded in text unless instructed otherwise
The essay and self-study should be arranged in the following sequence:
The Preliminary Pages:
- Title Page
- Approval Page
- Abstract
- Table of Contents
NOTE: The preliminary pages are to be numbered with lower case Roman numerals.
The Text
- The pages of the text are to be number with Arabic numbers.
- The first page following the last preliminary page is the first page of the text and is numbered with Arabic number 1.
- The body should be divided into chapters or sections.
The Reference Section
- Bibliography or List of References
- Appendices (where appropriate)
NOTE: The numbering for the reference section continues from the text.
Final Presentation Q&A
In addition to the written work which will be examined by a faculty advisor and the Asian Studies Program Director/Graduate Director, students will be required to make a presentation with a Question & Answer session. In addition to the two faculty members above, other faculty and students may be invited to attend this Q&A session. The Q&A session is to be scheduled during finals week of Fall and Spring semesters, and during the last week of classes of the Summer semester.
Electronic submission: MASTER’S STUDENTS MUST SUBMIT FINAL COPY OF THE NON-THESIS PROJECT in PDF file.
For questions, please contact an advisor at asian@fiu.edu.
Thesis Option
If the Thesis Option is recommended, the student must take responsibility to find three advisors who will form the advisory committee and make a recommendation to the Program Director and Graduate Director.
Students must take responsibility to ensure the completion of all requirements. To set up an appointment for advising, please contact Asian Studies by phone at 305-348-1914 or by e-mail: asian@fiu.edu.
Thesis Deadlines
Check Deadlines for Thesis Exit Options
It is the student's responsibility to check the deadlines for the thesis option for the University Graduate School, Green School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), and Asian Studies Program.
The FIU Graduate School (UGS) website offers up-to-date information on Thesis deadlines; however, students should be aware that there can be discrepancies with when these forms are due and where (it is very important to check with an Asian Studies Director before taking any steps in the process). Also, please be aware that the Green School of International and Public Affairs needs these forms due two weeks in advance of the dates listed on the FIU Graduate School website and Asian Studies will require forms one week in advance of the SIPA deadline. Failure to submit any of the documents by the appointed deadlines can result in delayed graduation.
Thesis Option Information
Students planning to start the thesis process should keep in mind that you must start one year before your anticipated graduation date. Please plan ahead with appropriate time allocation for your thesis preparation and submission process.
Please download a copy of the Graduate Thesis Packet. It contains the details of the following requirements:
- Information on Forms M1 through M3 and ETD Final Approval Form
- Sample of Thesis Defense Announcement to be used when announcing oral defense of Thesis (attach to form M3)
- Information on the binding of the Thesis for personal use or for distribution to committee members, etc.
The student's work is to be carried out under the direction and supervision of a major professor and committee members who will supervise it for the intellectual content. Before beginning work on a thesis, candidates must present a proposal for the approval of their major professor and committee members (Information on how to format the proposal). The major professor and committee members MUST BE members of the GRADUATE FACULTY. Below is a list of approved faculty:
- Tom Breslin, International Relations
- Steven Heine, Asian Studies
- Matthew Marr, Sociology/Anthropology
- Kyle Pan, History/Asian Studies
- Mitzi Carter, Sociology/Asian Studies
- Lidu Yi, Asian Studies/Art History
- Julie Zeng, International Relations
The Regulation for Thesis Preparation Manual is available online at the Graduate School website. It is the candidate's responsibility to follow all the requirements when writing a thesis.
In addition to these forms, you must apply for graduation on the myFIU portal in time to meet the deadline for the Registrar's Office (Graduation Department, MMC Campus, PC 130). Check the Academic Calendar posted in FIU's OneStop website.
Instructions on Filing Forms
- Form M1: To be completed at the time your committee is formed but no later than 2 semesters before the anticipated graduation semester. The following must be submitted with the M1 form:
- Thesis Topic
- 2-Page Proposal (single-spaced and submitted to the department)
- 3-Member Committee Agreement (Eligible faculty - inquire with Program Director)
- Form M2: Attach a copy of the correctly formatted proposal not exceeding five pages and submit at least 1 semester before the anticipated graduation semester.
- Students must also take the FIU Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training and present the completion certificate to the Green School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) along with the M-2
- Form M3: Announcement of Defense, and copy of thesis MUST be submitted to the University Graduate School THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE DATE OF DEFENSE or by the deadline, whichever date is earlier. Attach a copy of the thesis with form M3 and email the announcement to ugs@fiu.edu.
- Form M4: To be filed in the University Graduate School no later than two weeks after the defense.
- Form M5: To be filed in the University Graduate School after final copy of thesis is approved. Electronic submission: M.A STUDENTS MUST SUBMIT FINAL COPY OF THE THESIS in PDF file.
Forms are available online here. For questions, please contact an advisor at asian@fiu.edu.