School of Arts and Sciences
Film and Media Studies

Senior Honors Thesis

Overview

In the senior year, FMS majors may undertake a two-course, year-long Senior Honors Thesis project as a culmination of their coursework and experience at FMS. The thesis is an independent, in-depth, work under the direction of a three-person committee, led by the student’s project adviser. 

The thesis affords majors the opportunity to integrate, build upon and extend what they have learned in a direction of their choosing. While all thesis projects include research, the thesis can take many forms, Examples include:

  • an extended essay of film or media scholarship 
  • a short film—scripted live-action, animation, or documentary non-fiction
  • a feature-length screenplay
  • a selection of teleplays for an original TV show
  • a digital media production
  • a public relations, advertising, or marketing campaign
  • a work of long-form journalism

The Senior Honors Thesis ends with an oral defense of the finished work with the faculty committee that has overseen it. At the recommendation of the faculty committee, the Senior Honors Thesis may merit additional Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors. These are different from Latin honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) which are determined by a student's overall GPA.
 

Criteria

Students must meet the Tufts eligibility criteria for completing a Senior Honors Thesis.

Students must be FMS majors who have been on the Dean's List at least twice and have a minimum GPA of 3.4. 

Students wishing to make a film or write a screenplay for the Senior Honors Thesis must have taken at least three filmmaking and/or screenwriting courses (or their equivalent) prior to senior year.

Students wishing to be considered for an Senior Honors Thesis project must choose an adviser and submit a thesis proposal in the Spring semester of their junior year (please consult deadlines below). 

All Seniors Honors Theses, whether creative or scholarly, must have a research component. Students are required to consult the scholarship, theory, and practice relevant to the topic addressed in the thesis. 

Proposal Requirements

  • Tentative title
  • Area of research or project type
  • Brief thesis description
  • List of Tufts courses, internships, and other experiences you have undertaken to prepare for your thesis project.
  • Unofficial transcript
  • A double-spaced, 2-3 page proposal that must include:
    • the topic
    • the major research questions or creative objectives to be pursued
    • the significance of the topic (significance can be determined by theoretical or methodological issues to be explored, creative goals, artistic/social/political/economic relevance, etc.)
    • how the thesis will be completed (methodology, work plan, etc.)
    • the research that will be undertaken

Course Requirements

  • FMS-0198 Senior Honors Thesis 1 in the fall semester of the senior year, which assists students in developing and preparing the thesis
  • FMS-0199 Senior Honors Thesis 2 in the spring of the senior year, which assists students in completing the thesis under the guidance of a three-person committee
     

Thesis Funding

Students qualify for additional FMS funding AFTER applying for the Tufts Undergraduate Research Fund. FMS Senior Thesis Project Funds can be used to defray costs related to writing, research or production projects, such as travel, library-use fees, purchasing, conference fees, subscriptions, or craft services. The maximum amount is $300. 
 

FMS Funding Steps:

  • Apply for the Tufts Undergraduate Research Fund
  • Submit FMS Senior Honors Thesis Fund. ONE form per thesis project, submitting AFTER project is complete
    • Include ALL receipts (up to $300)
    • Submit by April 30 of senior year

Thesis Timeline

Junior Year: fall and spring semesters

  • Review Tufts Senior Honors Thesis requirements
  • Review FMS Senior Honors Thesis proposal form requirements
  • November: Attend optional FMS Senior Honors Thesis Workshop (offered once in the late-fall or early spring-semester) [November 21, 2024]
  • December/January: Choose a  faculty thesis advisor to discuss proposal ideas and begin formulating a proposal plan.
  • February: Complete draft proposal and review with advisor using the following guidelines:
    • create a written draft of your thesis proposal that meets the thesis proposal requirements
    • submit the draft to your thesis advisor for review
    • discuss the draft with your advisor and make recommended changes  before submitting the final proposal.
  • Initiate IRB review if applicable for empirical project
  • March: Submit Senior Honors Thesis Proposal. Your proposal will be reviewed by your thesis advisor and sent to the FMS Faculty Thesis Committee for approval. [Due March 24, 2025]
     

If thesis is approved: 

  • April: Register for FMS-0198 Senior Honors Thesis 1 for senior fall semester (section 01 for production projects; section 02 for non-production written projects) [Registration April 11, 2025]

Junior Year: summer

Begin thesis research and project planning based on the FMS Thesis Guidelines for Summer before Senior Year. Early submission materials will be due the third Friday after the fall semester starts.[Due September 19, 2025]

Senior Year: fall

Senior Year: spring

  • March: Submit draft of thesis to committee members by the first week after spring break [Due March 28, 2025]
  • March-May: Revise and finalize thesis based on committee feedback
  • May: Conduct a one-hour oral defense of thesis with all committee members by the last day of spring semester reading period
  • May: Archive your completed project in Tufts Digital Collections and Archives (via the MIRA website) any time after your thesis defense and before your graduation date. 
  • May: Archive your completed project with FMS Program Administrator.
  • May: Submit receipts for FMS Senior Honor Thesis funding

Thesis Spotlights

Projects

For examples of past thesis project, view FMS Student Film Screenings and Student Projects on the FMS Narratives blog.

Recent Senior Spotlight: Jacob Ehrlich, A20

Jacob doubled majored in Film and Media Studies and Computer Science. Learn about Jacob’s senior honors thesis process and the support he received from FMS to accomplish his goals.