As a prospective Master's student, should I do a dissertation in undergrad?
TL;DR : Is not doing a philosophy dissertation going to work against my favour when applying for a criminal justice/criminology master's?
EDIT: the uni is a mid-ranked uni, for reference. Not a top one
EDIT 2: only one person in final year of my course actually chose to do a dissertation this year, so that shows how discouraged and unpopular it is, so you can see my hesitation to just do a dissertation. They also will only accept your proposal if one of the lecturers actually wants to take you on, in terms of the topic you've chosen. If none of them know any particular amount about it, or they don't think it's a good enough topic to write about, you can't do it anyway
I study Philosophy right now and I want to apply for a master's in a criminology/criminal justice type subject eventually (avoiding specifics). I have had really good grades so far and so I'm almost certain I'll surpass the entry requirements for the subject (which only requires a sociology or humanities subject, which philosophy is)
The issue is that I wasn't planning on doing a dissertation. It's fairly discouraged on my course unless you're really passionate about something and very good at essays and time management- they say that it's difficult and grades tend to be lower than people would've got had they just done a module instead, and so it's not compulsory unless you're really sure you can do it and achieve well. I also literally have no idea what topic I'd do it on, as nothing has leapt out at me right now. I'm not much of a reader at all (but I try my best anyway lol)
But now I'm wondering if the university I'm applying to would look down on my application if I don't have dissertation experience. I know it wouldn't be a sociology dissertation either way, but it would still be experience of writing a dissertation.
I could certainly put my all into it if I were to do it, but tbh the fact it's been so discouraged is naturally off-putting - instinctually I'd rather do a module instead and most likely get a higher mark.
I'm interested to know (particularly from staff who might make these kinds of decisions!!) if not having a dissertation would work against an applicant's favour. I imagine it's not all that common as I know most degrees require a dissertation.
I already have an award for academic achievement from my first year, as well as work experience not explicitly related to criminal justice/sociology, but in volunteering for mental health helplines and other charities which does have an overlap in the skills you would use when dealing with victims of crime and such, and also just for working with charities which I'm most interested in going into. I'm also doing 2 sociology modules this year as elective modules, one about crime and punishment over time and one about animals, and I hope I can maybe do some more sociology modules in my final year. I'm on track for a first (finger's crossed) and so I think I'm a good candidate otherwise.
EDIT: the uni is a mid-ranked uni, for reference. Not a top one
EDIT 2: only one person in final year of my course actually chose to do a dissertation this year, so that shows how discouraged and unpopular it is, so you can see my hesitation to just do a dissertation. They also will only accept your proposal if one of the lecturers actually wants to take you on, in terms of the topic you've chosen. If none of them know any particular amount about it, or they don't think it's a good enough topic to write about, you can't do it anyway
I study Philosophy right now and I want to apply for a master's in a criminology/criminal justice type subject eventually (avoiding specifics). I have had really good grades so far and so I'm almost certain I'll surpass the entry requirements for the subject (which only requires a sociology or humanities subject, which philosophy is)
The issue is that I wasn't planning on doing a dissertation. It's fairly discouraged on my course unless you're really passionate about something and very good at essays and time management- they say that it's difficult and grades tend to be lower than people would've got had they just done a module instead, and so it's not compulsory unless you're really sure you can do it and achieve well. I also literally have no idea what topic I'd do it on, as nothing has leapt out at me right now. I'm not much of a reader at all (but I try my best anyway lol)
But now I'm wondering if the university I'm applying to would look down on my application if I don't have dissertation experience. I know it wouldn't be a sociology dissertation either way, but it would still be experience of writing a dissertation.
I could certainly put my all into it if I were to do it, but tbh the fact it's been so discouraged is naturally off-putting - instinctually I'd rather do a module instead and most likely get a higher mark.
I'm interested to know (particularly from staff who might make these kinds of decisions!!) if not having a dissertation would work against an applicant's favour. I imagine it's not all that common as I know most degrees require a dissertation.
I already have an award for academic achievement from my first year, as well as work experience not explicitly related to criminal justice/sociology, but in volunteering for mental health helplines and other charities which does have an overlap in the skills you would use when dealing with victims of crime and such, and also just for working with charities which I'm most interested in going into. I'm also doing 2 sociology modules this year as elective modules, one about crime and punishment over time and one about animals, and I hope I can maybe do some more sociology modules in my final year. I'm on track for a first (finger's crossed) and so I think I'm a good candidate otherwise.
A dissertation is one of the more daunting academic activities you do at undergraduate study as the hand rails come off to a greater degree. However it is a valuable experience, and teaches you a lot particularly about how to write & structure reports to a more professional standard as well as how to investigate & research new topics whilst critically evaluating them.
Id do it, not for need for a masters application but for what you get out of it, but just remember to push yourself with a dissertation & stay focused on the end goal.
Id do it, not for need for a masters application but for what you get out of it, but just remember to push yourself with a dissertation & stay focused on the end goal.
(edited 4 months ago)
Original post by mnot
A dissertation is one of the more daunting academic activities you do at undergraduate study as the hand rails come off to a greater degree. However it is a valuable experience, and teaches you a lot particularly about how to write & structure reports to a more professional standard as well as how to investigate & research new topics whilst critically evaluating them.
Id do it, not for need for a masters application but for what you get out of it, but just remember to push yourself with a dissertation & stay focused on the end goal.
Id do it, not for need for a masters application but for what you get out of it, but just remember to push yourself with a dissertation & stay focused on the end goal.
Thank you for replying 🙂 I forgot to add one bit of info to my post so I'll add it here
I can get a £2000 scholarship at the uni I'm applying to if I get a First. My worry is that I would do not so well on a dissertation and that would push me out of a First into a 2:1. I would be very happy with a 2:1 but of course a £2000 discount on my master's would do absolute wonders for my finances.
Does that change your opinion on it at all, or not really? I also did think about the fact that the experience a dissertation gives is pretty valuable and would make a Master's dissertation less alien and scary to me, probably
(edited 4 months ago)
Original post by gjd800
What sort of philosophy course 'discourages' dissertations?! I am honestly amazed.
It is a bit weird. It does seem to be motivated by wanting the students to get higher grades. Whether that's for the student or for the uni... I can only speculate but I can make a pretty good guess, haha
Original post by orangecatluca
It is a bit weird. It does seem to be motivated by wanting the students to get higher grades. Whether that's for the student or for the uni... I can only speculate but I can make a pretty good guess, haha
It's so mad. I understand giving alternative options, but actively rallying against them is bonkers.
I always recommend that my able students do one. Yes they can be demanding etc but it's a great opportunity to deep dive into something, to do very well indeed, and will make a (compulsory?) Master's dissertation way less intimidating for students.
Is there a specific reason you think you wouldn't hit a first in a dissertation?
(edited 4 months ago)
Original post by gjd800
It's so mad. I understand giving alternative options, but actively rallying against them is bonkers.
I always recommend that my able students do one. Yes they can be demanding etc but it's a great opportunity to deep dive into something, to do very well indeed, and will make a (compulsory?) Master's dissertation way less intimidating for students.
Is there a specific reason you think you wouldn't hit a first in a dissertation?
I always recommend that my able students do one. Yes they can be demanding etc but it's a great opportunity to deep dive into something, to do very well indeed, and will make a (compulsory?) Master's dissertation way less intimidating for students.
Is there a specific reason you think you wouldn't hit a first in a dissertation?
The Master's dissertation would be compulsory yes
Mainly I'm just worried about being able to delve deep enough into a topic and produce something so lengthy and involved. I love talking about philosophy, particularly ethics, and I do my best to do the readings and often find them interesting, but I haven't read in my free time in years and I generally don't ever get lost in a book, reading is always a bit of a chore and I have to make a conscious effort to focus. Often that means reading a small part of something every day, as I can't really stay focused for long enough to read 20+ pages
I will say that I'm sure partly that is a case of learning discipline, and that I would be able to at least consistently do a little every day over a longer period of time if I were to do a dissertation. But I don't have the advantage of already having read up about any particular topics
I just hear so much about people being disappointed in their dissertation grade, about dissertation supervisors not being very helpful, people getting overwhelmed with it, no one has really ever sold doing a dissertation to me up until this point lol
I'm also quite insecure I guess, I always worry that my grades are a fluke and I never think I'll do as well as I end up doing. So part of it is just unfairly low expectations for myself I'm sure
EDIT (I got an award for getting the best grades in my year in Philosophy last year, and I still don't truly believe I'm in the top of my cohort in ability, even though the data says otherwise at least for last year)
(edited 4 months ago)
Best to do a dissertation if you are healthy and have strong writing skills.
Some of the more social media addicted philosophy & theology lecturers that habitually grumble about their workloads or bemoan having to talk to the students that they are meant to be supervising/ acting as personal tutors for in their offices do try to discourage as many students as possible from opting for dissertations.
Some of the more social media addicted philosophy & theology lecturers that habitually grumble about their workloads or bemoan having to talk to the students that they are meant to be supervising/ acting as personal tutors for in their offices do try to discourage as many students as possible from opting for dissertations.
Original post by londonmyst
Best to do a dissertation if you are healthy and have strong writing skills.
Some of the more social media addicted philosophy & theology lecturers that habitually grumble about their workloads or bemoan having to talk to the students that they are meant to be supervising/ acting as personal tutors for in their offices do try to discourage as many students as possible from opting for dissertations.
Some of the more social media addicted philosophy & theology lecturers that habitually grumble about their workloads or bemoan having to talk to the students that they are meant to be supervising/ acting as personal tutors for in their offices do try to discourage as many students as possible from opting for dissertations.
How do you go about picking a thesis topic? I had an idea a while back (applied ethics type thing, is x morally permissable) but I thought it was too controversial and quite intense (quite a mature topic) and maybe not 'philosophy' enough. so I'm not certain it would get accepted. although I have seen shorter papers on very similar topics tbh. I'm struggling to a) know how to pick something that I can write a whole 10,000 words on, and b) differentiate between writing about applied ethics in a philosophical way and drifting too far into maybe sociology and stuff.
So then I started thinking well maybe it's better to just choose something that I know is definitely a philosophy topic and is less intense, I don't want to make my life unnecessarily difficult lol
(edited 4 months ago)
bump 
Just to add a different spin, purely from an admissions perspective, if may not make any difference either way. This depends what a unis selection criteria are. But agree, from a skills POV, (and likely for writing your personal statement), it can only help.
(I'm a postgrad admissions tutor.)
(I'm a postgrad admissions tutor.)
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