Thesis Option
Thesis committee:
Crucial early steps in the process include selecting your committee, preparing a proposal and getting it approved by your supervisor. If your research involves human subjects you will have to submit your proposal to the Dalhousie Ethics Review Board for ethics approval at Research Services.
The Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations require that your thesis committee consist of at least two faculty members who are both members of your department and of the Graduate Faculty of the University, one of which will be your supervisor. While it is helpful to have someone with an interest in your area when selecting a thesis supervisor, it is just as important to choose someone who will encourage and support your work and with whom you will be able to work well. It is best to choose people who will offer different strengths to your project (methodologically, theoretically, substantially).
Please visit the individual faculty profile pages to find out the interests of the various faculty members at SSW Faculty.
Important Forms and Information:
Forms to be Submitted during the Thesis Process:
Thesis document:
The thesis itself generally includes an introduction, a literature review, a discussion of methodology, the findings, and a conclusion. Once the thesis is complete and has been submitted, you will be required to defend your thesis orally to your committee and an external examiner, the latter of whom will be chosen by your supervisor. Further details of the thesis process are governed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and can be found in the graduate calendar, including the rules and regulations concerning selection, time frames, the defence, and so on at Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Financial considerations:
One critical issue is financial stability. Success in completing a thesis depends on ensuring this stability during the process. As such, we advise you to start investigating possible funding agencies, prior to entering the MSW program. A list of funding agencies can be found at the Faculty of Graduate Studies Funding and the School of Social Work also lists internal scholarship opportunities.
Note: students may choose whether the thesis option is full time or part time.