AM Thesis

All CMES AM degree candidates have the option to write a thesis under the guidance of and in close consultation with the Director and/or thesis adviser. The minimum thesis standards for the CMES AM degree are:

  • The thesis should demonstrate original research and fresh interpretation of a subject.
  • The thesis should employ a significant degree of original sources in one or more Middle East languages.
  • The thesis should demonstrate the candidate's familiarity with previous scholarship related to the subject matter.
  • The thesis should follow the appropriate scholarly format and include proper scholarly apparatus, including footnotes and bibliography (see The Form of the PhD Dissertation on the Harvard Griffin GSAS website).
  • The typical thesis is approximately 50 to 60 pages in length (with Times New Roman font size 12, double spacing, and standard margins as required by Harvard Griffin GSAS) or of a length deemed appropriate by the student’s thesis adviser.

The AM thesis often begins as a seminar paper. Since a thesis is substantially longer than most seminar papers, seminar papers usually need to be significantly developed if they are to meet the CMES Steering Committee's requirements for a thesis. Students are encouraged to think about their thesis topic as early as possible and to discuss their choice of topic with the Graduate Program Administrator. Students should certainly have a clear idea about their thesis topics at the beginning of their second year.

All students are expected to observe the Committee's specified deadline for completion of the thesis. Note that this deadline is different than the FAS dissertation submission date. Students are required to submit to the CMES Graduate Program Administrator one hard copy and one PDF of the completed thesis. Late submission of a thesis will result in a delay in graduation.

All AM theses are evaluated by at least two faculty readers. The first reader is the thesis adviser. The Committee designates the second reader, normally another faculty member with academic interests close to those of the thesis topic; students are welcome to make suggestions to the Committee on the designation of their second reader. Eligibility for the degree depends on the final acceptance of the thesis by the two faculty readers.

The final version of the thesis will be submitted by the deadline to the CMES Graduate Program Administrator.

Outstanding theses may be nominated by their readers for the Best Thesis Prize, an annual prize given by the Committee for the best AM thesis or theses. The CMES AM thesis is a part of the academic record and as such is deposited in the Harvard Archive.

See our list of recent AM thesis titles for a snapshot of the areas of interest to recent grads.

CMES Thesis Prize

CMES awards a thesis prize of $300 for the best master's thesis in Middle Eastern Studies as determined by a faculty committee. The thesis prize is awarded annually at the end of the spring semester.

Writing Resources

All AM students are strongly encouraged to make use of the Fellowships and Writing Center and to explore the Harvard Griffin GSAS web page for graduate student writing resources.