Center for Middle East Studies

Capstone and Honors Thesis

Senior capstone projects to synthesize and apply the skills and knowledge that MES concentrators have acquired through the MES curriculum—including disciplinary perspectives, methodological and theoretical approaches, background in the historical and contemporary dynamics of the region, and language competency—to their particular interests.

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Capstone and Honors Thesis

Senior capstone projects to synthesize and apply the skills and knowledge that MES concentrators have acquired through the MES curriculum—including disciplinary perspectives, methodological and theoretical approaches, background in the historical and contemporary dynamics of the region, and language competency—to their particular interests.

Capstone

MES requires all concentrators to complete a course in their senior year within which they will produce a capstone project. This course cannot be used to fulfill any other MES concentration requirement. The purpose of the capstone is to synthesize and apply the skills and knowledge that MES concentrators have acquired through the MES curriculum—including disciplinary perspectives, methodological and theoretical approaches, background in the historical and contemporary dynamics of the region, and language competency—to particular interests developed through the concentration. Capstones offer students the opportunity to integrate and build upon their experiences within the concentration, while demonstrating intellectual creativity, research skills, and effective communication, and should serve in some sense as a culmination of or reflection on what one has gained in the concentration.

Capstone requirements: 

  • Must be taken in the final two semesters before graduation (excluding summer and winter sessions).
  • Must incorporate research in a Middle Eastern language.
  • Must be approved and overseen by an MES-affiliated faculty member (see Capstone Proposal Form and Capstone Evaluation Form).
  • Must be presented in the final semester before graduation. Presentations of honors theses will be approximately fifteen minutes long, and those of non-honors capstone projects will be approximately ten minutes long, both followed by a question-and-answer session. 

Capstone options:

  1. A substantial Middle East–focused project (for example, a twenty-page research paper or translation project) for an MES-coded or MES elective course, undertaken with the permission and supervision of the instructor. This course cannot be used to fulfill any other MES concentration requirement.
  2. A one-semester independent study or project (research, artistic or otherwise), approved by the DUS and supervised by an MES-affiliated faculty member under the MES 1970-Independent Study designation.
  3. A two-semester Honors Thesis, completed under the supervision of two faculty primary readers (with an MES-affiliated faculty member as primary reader) and a secondary reader and in coordination with the DUS. See below for more details.

All students must submit a Capstone Proposal Form due by the end of shopping period for the semester during which the capstone project will be completed or, for students writing an honors thesis, with their thesis prospectus. All capstone advisors must submit a Capstone Evaluation Form. 

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Honors Thesis

Students may graduate with honors in Middle East Studies by completing an undergraduate honors thesis under the supervision of a primary reader drawn from the Middle East Studies faculty and an additional reader from the Brown or Brown-affiliated faculty. Honors theses are substantial research projects driven by a deep interest in engaging with a selected topic of study. They require a time commitment and coordination between the thesis writer, thesis advisors and the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) to ensure completion. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for honors, students will have earned an 'A' (or 'S' with distinction)  in the majority of courses for the concentration. It is expected that honors students will have taken the “Approaches to Middle East Studies” seminar, typically no later than the fall semester of their junior year. Upon acceptance into honors, students may apply for funding from MES to pursue fieldwork relating to their honors thesis project. For more information, see the Funding section of the MES website.

Students will complete two semesters of thesis writing: the first in a thesis writing workshop (MES 1971) supervised by the DUS, followed by a second semester of Independent Study (MES 1970) to complete the thesis under the guidance of their thesis advisor.

Pursuing Honors Candidacy

Students must declare their intentions to pursue honors by the last day of exam period of their sixth semester by submitting a thesis prospectus via the Capstone Proposal Form. Before submitting a thesis prospectus, students should:

  • Consult with the DUS regarding requirements, expectations, and supervision
  • Secure faculty advisors who can commit to supervising your thesis throughout your senior year. Students are responsible for ensuring that faculty advisors are available and committed to supervising their honors work. Students must confirm a second reader by the end of September of their senior year (or end of February for mid-year students).
  • Prepare a thesis prospectus (see below).
  • Submit the prospectus to potential advisor(s) and DUS for evaluation of the project.

Thesis Prospectus Guidelines

The thesis prospectus is typically 10–15 pages long and is due by the last day of exam period of students' sixth semester. A thesis prospectus should include:

  • Thesis proposal: What are you planning to write about? What question drives the research? What is its significance and relevance to Middle East Studies? What are the intellectual and political stakes of researching this question? What approaches and methods will guide you as you undertake your research and writing?
  • A literature review and initial bibliography: What are the most relevant or important existing studies on the topic or related topics? What comparative and theoretical literature will help you as you undertake research and write your thesis? The literature review should be approximately 600–750 words and the initial bibliography should include 20–30 primary and secondary sources.
  • Research plan, including confirmed and potential thesis advisors: What are the practical steps necessary to undertake the proposed research? How will you access the sources that you plan to use? Will travel be necessary? What conceptual and practical challenges might you face in carrying out your research plan?
  • Proposed thesis outline and chapter/section description: How will you organize and structure your thesis?

 Visit Brown University’s Academic Code Page for Further Guidance on Academic Norms and IntegrityThesis Formatting Guidelines

Thesis Submission

The final thesis is due by 4 pm ET on the second Friday in April for students graduating in the spring (or the second Friday in November for mid-year students). Students are expected to submit a final product to both of their advisors and the DUS by this deadline, and to upload a copy to the Brown Digital Depository. Thesis advisors must submit Capstone Evaluation Forms to the DUS by the third Friday in April (or November for mid-year students). Submitting a thesis by the deadline is essential to give advisors and the DUS an opportunity to read and evaluate the thesis before submitting Honors recommendations to the Registrar.

For Thesis Advisors

Faculty advisors are expected to engage and evaluate the student’s progress throughout their senior year. If any issues arise, it is imperative that faculty members communicate all potential conflicts to the DUS. Thesis advisors must submit Capstone Evaluation Forms to the DUS by the third Friday in April (or the third Friday in November for mid-year students).