/Institutions/MGH-Institute-of-Health-Professions/json/Current/CSD-Thesis-Manual-local.json

/Institutions/MGH-Institute-of-Health-Professions/json/Current/CSD-Thesis-Manual.json

CSD Thesis Manual > Overview

Overview

Students may elect to complete a thesis for the degree Masters of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). Students who successfully complete a thesis are not required to take the CSD comprehensive examinations, unless they are completing a concentration. In cases where a thesis student is also pursuing a concentration, that student must complete the associated comprehensive exam question for the concentration.

The thesis is intended to be a rigorous introduction to the processes and procedures of clinical research. It is one option for students seeking research experience. The purpose of this manual is to give students guidelines for developing and carrying out their thesis and standards for submitting their work.

The major goal of the thesis experience is to provide the students with an opportunity to address questions of clinical relevance, and to become engaged in research within an area of clinical interest. The thesis presents an opportunity to integrate theory and practice, and to stimulate critical analysis of information obtained through coursework and clinical practica.

There are four phases to the thesis process.

1. Students doing a thesis must enroll in CD-724-01 (Evidence-Based Practice and Research Methods for SLPs) for Spring of Year 1. In this course, each student will be matched with a thesis advisor based on their research and clinical interests and their goals for their scholarly development. They will be supported in identifying a research topic, reviewing relevant research literature, and drafting the introduction of their thesis prospectus (i.e., thesis proposal). The thesis advisor and student may work together to develop research aims, or the advisor may direct the student towards particular aims
2. After Spring of Year 1, students refine the prospectus introduction, finalize their research aims, and develop the methods, with the guidance of their thesis advisor. The thesis prospectus document is sent to the thesis committee (i.e., all of the selected readers; the advisor is the first reader) and the research plan is presented to the committee at the thesis prospectus meeting. Once the committee has approved the prospectus, then the student can prepare and submit their proposal to the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) if needed. The format of the thesis, the thesis prospectus meeting, and the IRB requirements are detailed below.
3.  The timeline for data collection and analysis is variable, depending on the nature of the project. During this phase, students should meet with their thesis advisor on a regular basis and keep the other readers informed of progress on the completion of the project.
4. The final phase is the preparation of an oral presentation (i.e., thesis defense) and completion of the final written thesis document. The presentation allows students a chance to share and discuss outcomes, and to receive valuable feedback about the project from faculty and students. It is also an opportunity to develop skills in presenting scholarly work in a concise, informative way. The thesis itself gives students a chance to practice writing a scientific paper, and to learn the elements required in professional writing. Although it is not a requirement for the thesis, in some cases this process will result in submission of an article for publication. The format of the thesis defense and the final written document are described below.