Skip to the content of the web site.

Thesis Phase This page was last reviewed on March 22, 2011   

Deciding On Your Thesis Project

As your studies progress, you are encouraged to narrow your focus and decide on a topic for your thesis project, your major academic project. You then need to find professors and experts who specialize in your area of research and work who will agree to be your thesis project supervisors. These experts may be in any program or programs at the University of Waterloo. You may also choose to work with professors at other universities or experts in your field of interest, but you must include at least one Waterloo professor.

With your academic advisors' help and approval, you submit and present a thesis project proposal to the Independent Studies Academic Board. In this proposal you describe your post-secondary studies to date, the studies you plan to carry out for your thesis project, and include a timetable for your thesis project. The members of the Board will base their decision to approve your proposal on:

  • whether you're ready to do third-year-level work
  • whether your thesis project proposal is suited to this academic level
  • whether there are professors at the University, working in your area of interest, who are willing to evaluate your work

 

The Thesis Project Phase

The second stage of the Independent Studies program - the thesis project phase - lasts at least two full-time terms. When the members of the Independent Studies Academic Board approve your thesis project proposal, they also formally appoint your thesis project supervisors, the professors and experts who specialize in your area of interest and who have agreed to work with you. You meet regularly with your thesis project supervisors as you work toward completing your thesis project.

When you complete your thesis project, your supervisors submit written evaluations of your work to the Academic Board in the form of a letter which is included in your record as a part of your official transcript. Depending on their assessment of your work, you may be considered to have achieved the equivalent of honours standing.

 

The Academic Board awards the Bachelor of Independent Studies degree (BIS) after reviewing the evaluations of your supervisors, your Description of Studies, your grade transcripts, and other relevant academic material.

 

To see a selection of IS  thesis abstracts and certain IS theses, we invite you to visit the After Your BIS section of our web site.

Back to Program Overview