Deferring MA thesis?

I've finished the modular elements of my MA and have just my thesis to submit. However, the completed 'draft' 15,000 words is due in about two months, with the final version due a month later, and I haven't started it yet. I've had various personal problems that took up a significant chunk of this year (I almost pulled out of the MA just before I started it for health reasons but figured if I did that I might never get it done) and was so behind with the modular coursework that while everyone else was writing their proposals etc. I was scrambling to catch up with overdue essays and presentations.

The supervisor I've got was hastily picked and he is insisting I go down a route with my subject area that doesn't interest me. I am conscious that we are told our thesis should have some kind of link to our career aspirations (in case any potential employers ask us what our topic was) but the angle he wants me to take would steer my research in a direction unrelated to my career plans. He isn't especially approachable and I can tell our relationship won't be too productive.

So, the only option I seem to have available is to defer the thesis element of my masters? I don't want to graduate with a PG Diploma (which I could do on the basis of my modules minus the thesis element) but I also don't think my studies advisor would be terribly sympathetic to me showing up 3 months before it's due saying I want to change supervisor and that I haven't even started it yet. I'm in Arts/Social Sciences by the way. Is deferring a straightforward enough process...or should I throw myself once more at the mercy of my studies advisor and hope he can help me? I've spent the last 9 months constantly behind (my illness has been documented if that makes a difference) and it's now catching up with me.

petethebrick

As far as I know you can only defer your thesis in exceptional circumstances and in most cases won't be able to graduate until the following year i.e until late 2010 if you did the MA this year. You're best to discuss this with the relevant college body before making any decisions in that regard.

My view is that you would be well able to get your thesis done in time even starting from scratch now. I did the bulk of mine in two months ( august, september) last year and came out with a good result. I do realist that not everyone could do this though. I tend to work best under pressure myself.

Your supervisor is only there to assist you - you can take whatever direction you want with your thesis if you think it's workable.
Good luck!

Rosita

15,000 words in 2 months is doable if you have the will and the time - without other distractions - to put in.

I wrote an MA thesis of a similar size in the same time frame while doing work experience. It wasn't the greatest one ever written (60%) but that was not really a problem of time. I'd say I wrote the bulk of it in the last 2/3 weeks to be honest.

Admittedly the actual writing would be a strong point with me - I could write a huge amount at one sitting without a bother if I had adequate research done because I am so used to writing. That is a big help.

If had genuinely had (and used) the full period to research it I'd have done quite well.

A lot depends on what else you have on your plate during the eight weeks but if the eight weeks are free for you and you know what research you need to do and how to go about it it is feasible. But bear in mind that the university libraries are closed/on very restricted hours duing the summer weekends which caused me a lot of problems accessing relevant material.

After all the work you have done catching up so far it seems a shame to trip up now.

deise-lady

OP, I'm in a similar situation (without the illness I grant you), I'm a carer and I work part-time and I have to deliver a thesis on August 31st.

The thesis is really up to you, you can take full control of this. I would advise that you change supervisor and be quite firm about the direction you want the thesis to go in.
It is doable in the time frame - 15k words is not a lot. I'm sure it seems unsurmountable at the moment, but break it down into manageable chunks and go at it systematically.

Quite a few of my fellow students are going after deferrals - some have genuine reasons such as your own - but others are simply getting cold feet and seem to be panicking. I think it's like running a marathon, we're all exhausted from two semesters of CA's and exams and we've hit 'the wall'. The last stretch is the most difficult, but get the head down and push on through...