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Home > MSI Degree > Master's Thesis Option Program

Master's Thesis Option Program (MTOP)

As a professional program in a research institution, the School of Information recognizes both the value of practical engagement and the value of research-oriented activities. Drawing on the substantial backgrounds of our faculty as research scholars and mentors, SI offers a new opportunity for a small number of master's students to spend part of their second year at SI writing a master's thesis.

If selected to write a thesis, you have the opportunity to work closely with a faculty advisor, exploring original research questions and applying the tools of information science to generate new knowledge. You also can share your projects with the SI community through poster sessions and speaking events. Successful completion of a thesis earns a designation on your final transcript. The two independent-study courses for thesis research, if passed successfully, count as six credits of course electives within your overall MSI program requirements.

The thesis program encourages applications from all students in all specializations, but is targeted at two distinct groups:

Academic-track students who are considering application to further degrees, such as a Ph.D. program. The thesis option provides an opportunity to get first-hand experience in substantive research. It is an excellent way to gain skills and insight into the academic process and can assist in making the decision to pursue a further degree where a dissertation is required.
Professional-track students who are planning to conduct or evaluate research upon completion of their master's degree. Many positions within the information science profession are research-intensive and benefit from the mastery of methodology. The thesis provides a cohesive opportunity to develop those skills and will generate an impressive addition to a job-seeker's portfolio.

Your application begins with a letter of intent. The list below outlines the necessary steps and timeline for the thesis program in the academic year. Questions regarding the Master's Thesis Option Program may be addressed to MTOP@umich.edu.

Master's Thesis Option Program Timeline

At the beginning of fall semester
Dean	Appoints members to and chair of the Master's Thesis Option Committee (MTOC)
At the end of a master's student's second semester (spring through summer of year one)
Student	Writes a Letter of Intent to the Curriculum Committee (CC)
	Having obtained permission from two or three faculty members, lists them in the Letter of Intent as suggestions for advisor and/or thesis committee member(s)
	Submits the Letter of Intent to the MTOC by July 22 for fall enrollment in an independent study
Mid-August through September 15 (before drop/add date, year two)
MTOC	Reviews student letters of intent
	Finds faculty to serve as major thesis advisors for the students who submitted promising letters. Finds one or two faculty and, possibly, one doctoral student to serve as members of the student's thesis committee
	Accepts no more than a dozen letters of intent
	Informs students regarding acceptance or rejection to the "first round" of the MTOP (before fall semester drop-add date in late September)
Student	Drops or adds three-credit independent study for fall term to perform directed research
Fall semester (year two)
Student and Advisor	Meet as many times as necessary to plan the research, generate hypotheses, construct data-collection instruments, draft IRB proposal, etc.
Student	Works on thesis research
December of fall semester (year two)
Advisor	Grades the student for his or her performance in the directed research independent study. Students continue in the MTOP based on satisfactory progress as determined by their MTOP advisor and MTOP committee member(s).
	Recommends or fails to recommend the student for continuation in the "second round" of the MTOP. It is expected that students who are recommended for continuation in the MTOP should have accomplished the following in the fall semester (year two) directed research independent study: chosen a topic that meets with the approval of their advisor and committee members, documented their hypotheses and/or research questions, completed a literature review, chosen a method, drawn up data-collection instruments and procedures, and, if human subjects are to be used, submitted an application to IRB for approval.
Winter semester (year two)+
Student	Enrolls in the three-credit independent study for winter term to perform directed research
	Participates in a January public poster session to announce his or her research project to interested members of the U-M community and stimulate the interest of first-year SI students in the MTOP
Student and Advisor	Meet as many times as necessary to discuss data collection, data analysis, findings, writing of the thesis, etc.
Student	Collects and analyzes data and presents results in the form of a written thesis that may take nontraditional forms such as a multimedia show
End of winter semester (before grades are due in April of year two)
Student	Defends the thesis in a public defense attended by his/her thesis committee (i.e., thesis advisor, one to two committee members, and possibly one doctoral student member)
Student's Thesis Committee	Assigns a letter grade based on the following: Students who fail to complete their thesis receive a letter grade that reflects the extent to which they made progress toward the completion of their thesis and the quality of the work completed to date. Students who successfully complete their master's thesis but are unsuccessful defending that thesis in a public forum receive a letter grade that reflects the quality of their completed work. Students who successfully complete and publicly defend their master's thesis in a public forum receive a letter grade that reflects the quality of their work and receive the designation "thesis" on their transcript.
After graduation
Student	Works on publication of thesis research with advice and assistance of committee members and advisor
MTOC	Meets with MTOP advisors and committee members to learn how the program can be streamlined and improved for the next year

Last updated: May 10, 2008 Home > MSI Degree > Master's Thesis Option Program

2006 MTOP Info Session Video
(requires free QuickTime video player; download now →)
2006 MTOP Info Session Audio (mp3)
(audio file for your iPod or other mp3 player)

Jude Yew (MSI '05) was the first student to complete the Master's Thesis Option Program. He entered the SI doctoral program in the fall 2005 semester. "The Master's Thesis Option really allowed me the flexibility to pursue my own interests and put into practice what I have learned from my courses. The University of Michigan has a wealth of resources to take advantage of in order to pursue independent studies. The diverse expertise of various faculty members across the campus and the impressive resources at the students' disposal has proven to be invaluable to the completion of the thesis. Most importantly, I would not have been able to do this without the simultaneously challenging yet supportive environment that SI has provided me."