Undergraduate Record 2024-2025 | | Universal Degree RequirementsTo be awarded a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students are required to complete universal curriculum requirements in addition to the program requirements provided below. The school universal curriculum requirements can be found on the school Degree Programs page . Interested students currently in their fourth semester in the College of Arts and Sciences are invited to apply for admission into this interdisciplinary program. As a distinguished major, the program admits only eighteen to twenty new students a year. A 3.20 cumulative GPA is generally required for admission; the average GPA of recent classes is well above this. - The program assumes the students will be in Charlottesville their third and fourth years.
It is highly desirable (but not mandatory) that students applying for the PST program should take at least one of the courses listed under the foundations of political and social thought by the end of their second year. Courses taken before admission to the major can be counted toward fulfilling its requirements. Students interested in becoming PST majors should submit: - a completed PST application form (available on the PST website);
- an official transcript
- a letter of recommendation by a faculty member sent directly to Prof. Smith
- a 300-500 word essay. This essay should address the following questions: (1) What are your intellectual goals and why are they best addressed in the interdisciplinary PST major? (2) At this (tentative) point, what three area studies will you select in constructing your PST curriculum and why? This answer does not commit students to a particular course of studies if they are accepted into the program; but it should reflect a thoughtful and coherent curricular plan.
- a writing sample–preferably a previously completed and graded term paper or essay that represents one’s work at its best.
- a brief statement of one or two significant extracurricular activities, and why the commitment is worth the time.
The above materials should be assembled in a manila file folder and placed under Professor Smith’s office door, Gibson S-396, by March 1. (Students studying abroad may submit applications online.) Candidates should hear from the committee by the end of March. The director of the PST program holds a meeting for the prospective majors in early February to answer any questions about admission procedures and program requirements. Students may also obtain this information from the PST website. Abstracts of recent PST theses are available on the website; these provide a concrete sense of how students pursue the intellectual opportunities of the program. Requirements for MajorThe major has four basic components: - PST Seminars (8 credits)
- Foundation Courses (6 credits)
- Area Studies (18 credits)
- Thesis (6 credits, full year)
PST Seminars - Credits: 8Open to PST majors only, the following must be taken by the student: - PST 4850 - Core Seminar in Political and Social Thought I Credits: 3
- PST 4870 - Core Seminar in Political and Social Thought II Credits: 3
- PST 4980 - Workshop in Thesis Research Credits: 1
- PST 4989 - Workshop in Thesis Research Credits: 1
Foundation CoursesEach student must complete at least six credits from the following list of courses, or equivalents approved by the director, dealing with political and social thought or its historical foundations: - ANTH 3010 - Theory and History of Anthropology Credits: 3
- HIEU 3782 - Origins of Modern Thought, 1580-1943 Credits: 3
- HIEU 3802 - Origins of Contemporary Thought Credits: 3
- PHIL 2690 - Justice, Law, and Morality Credits: 3
- PHIL 3640 - Political Philosophy Credits: 3
- PHIL 3710 - Ethics Credits: 3
- PHIL 3720 - Contemporary Ethics Credits: 3
- PLIR 3310 - Ethics and Human Rights in World Politics Credits: 3
- PLPT 3010 - Ancient and Medieval Political Theory Credits: 3
- PLPT 3020 - Modern Political Thought Credits: 3
- PLPT 3030 - Contemporary Political Thought Credits: 3
- PLPT 4200 - Feminist Political Theory Credits: 3
- RELG 3650 - Systems of Theological Ethics Credits: 3
- SOC 3020 - Introduction to Social Theory Credits: 3
- WGS 4810 - Feminist Theory Credits: 3
Area StudiesEach student is required to define three different area studies. An area is defined as a particular intellectual theme or subfield of interest to be investigated in the course of the student’s studies. These areas can be derived from within, between, or outside traditional disciplines. Some examples of area studies might include aspects of modern (or contemporary) political thought; ethical issues in modern economic development, human rights; religion in world politics; identity politics in modern social movements; state-building in third world societies; the modern welfare state; mass media and contemporary social communication; environmental justice. - NOTE: An area of study is more specific than simply the name of a department or discipline.
For each area, the student must complete two relevant courses, normally at the 3000 level or above. The total of six courses necessary to fulfill the area requirements must be drawn from at least three different disciplines, programs, or departments . In brief: 3 areas; 2 courses per area; 3 disciplines; Total credits: 18. Taken together, the three areas of study should be well thought-out and intellectually coherent, and form the general basis of study for the fourth-year thesis. The three areas of study define the interdisciplinary character of the student’s program and must meet a rigorous standard of coherence. In consultation with their advisors and the program director, students are expected to articulate the rationale of their choices in a brief written statement due by the end of the third year. Fourth-Year Thesis - Credits: 6- PST 4998 - Thesis in Political and Social Thought Credits: 2
- PST 4999 - Thesis in Political and Social Thought Credits: 4
Additional InformationFor more information contact Michael J. Smith, Program Director, Gibson S-396, [email protected]. Also consult the program’s website; http://pst.as.virginia.edu/ . ![](//2me.site/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif) |
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Strong Thesis Statement Examples. 1. School Uniforms. "Mandatory school uniforms should be implemented in educational institutions as they promote a sense of equality, reduce distractions, and foster a focused and professional learning environment.". Best For: Argumentative Essay or Debate. Read More: School Uniforms Pros and Cons.
Step 1: Start with a question. You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis, early in the writing process. As soon as you've decided on your essay topic, you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.
A thesis statement: tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion. is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself.
Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction. A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter (5-15 page) essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction.
Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing. Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and ...
Thesis. Your thesis is the central claim in your essay—your main insight or idea about your source or topic. Your thesis should appear early in an academic essay, followed by a logically constructed argument that supports this central claim. A strong thesis is arguable, which means a thoughtful reader could disagree with it and therefore ...
It is a brief statement of your paper's main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about. Organize your papers in one place. Try Paperpile. No credit card needed. Get 30 days free. You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the ...
Thesis Statements What this handout is about This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can discover or refine one for your draft. Introduction Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an
Example 1: In a biochemistry class, you've been asked to write an essay explaining the impact of bisphenol A on the human body. Your thesis statement might say, "This essay will make clear the correlation between bisphenol A exposure and hypertension.". Check Circle.
18. Work-Life Ballance is Essential for a Good Life. For: "Achieving a work-life balance is essential for mental health, productivity, and personal fulfillment.". Against: "The pursuit of work-life balance can lead to decreased professional ambition and economic growth, particularly in highly competitive industries.".
Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement. 1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing: An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.; An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.; An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies ...
This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the word pollution implies that something is bad or negative in some way. Furthermore, all studies agree that pollution is a problem; they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that pollution is unambiguously good.
A thesis statement . . . Makes an argumentative assertion about a topic; it states the conclusions that you have reached about your topic. Makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of your paper. Is focused and specific enough to be "proven" within the boundaries of your paper. Is generally located near the end ...
100 Thesis Statement Examples for College Essay. Details. File Format. PDF. Size: 236 KB. Download. Crafting an impactful thesis statement for a college essay requires both precision and depth. Serving as the foundation for your argument, a well-constructed thesis captures the essence of your essay topic and directs the narrative.
is used in non-creative texts. Most college writing assignments will expect that the essay is organized around a thesis statement, and for good reason as it is difficult to write a clear and well-organized argument without using a thesis statement. A solid thesis can help your writing by Making clear to readers what exactly your main argument ...
For most college essays, your thesis must include an argument. A purely descriptive claim or a statement of opinion will make for a weak and unconvincing thesis statement. If you're not sure whether your thesis is appropriate, consult your professor. An argument is a claim that reasonable people can agree or disagree with.
A thesis statement is a sentence that communicates the key idea of an essay or a research paper. It is mandatory in essays such as argumentative essays, expository essays, analytical essays, etc. It explicitly expresses the topic under discussion and is written for some specifically targeted readers.
Examples of a thesis statement for an analytical essay include: The criminal justice reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate in late 2018 ("The First Step Act") aims to reduce prison sentences that disproportionately fall on nonwhite criminal defendants.
Understanding what makes a good thesis statement is one of the major keys to writing a great research paper or argumentative essay. The thesis statement is where you make a claim that will guide you through your entire paper. If you find yourself struggling to make sense of your paper or your topic, then it's likely due to a weak thesis statement. Let's take a minute to first understand what ...
The thesis statement gives the reader insight into the topic. The statement informs them what the essay is about. Without the thesis statement the essay may lack an argument, focus, clarity and continuity. Should be approximately 1-2 sentences long. States your position on a topic. Is often your research question reworded as a statement with a ...
Good thesis statement: "Long-term smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory problems." This thesis statement is specific and provides a clear direction for the essay. It identifies the main health risks, allowing the essay to explore these specific areas.
What is a Thesis Statement? The thesis statement is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper. It's typically the last sentence of your introductory paragraph. Think of the thesis as a road map to the rest of the paper. This statement tells the reader the main idea of the paper. Sometimes the thesis is the answer to a ...
Remember that the thesis statement is a kind of "mapping tool" that helps you organize your ideas, and it helps your reader follow your argument. After the topic sentence, include any evidence in this body paragraph, such as a quotation, statistic, or data point, that supports this first point. Explain what the evidence means. Show the reader ...
Here are the top 4 ways to write stunning and impressive = essays: 1. Craft a Solid Thesis Statement. As the thesis statement is the most important part of an APUSH essay, you should pay attention to crafting a strong one. It sets the ground for the entire essay and is the first thing that any grader of your work shall see.
A prevalent issue in college student essay writing is the tendency to lose focus. Stick to your thesis statement and avoid diverging into unrelated topics. Each paragraph should directly support your main argument, ensuring that your essay remains coherent and on track. Poor Organisation. A poorly organised essay can be difficult to read and ...
The PST thesis, of about 80-100 pages, is written over the course of the fourth year. Working with a faculty advisor, students define a topic and engage in serious research, often using primary source materials. The thesis is due on March 31, followed in late April by a full day conference at which students present their completed work.