Theses and Papers

Comparatively few students go on to take a Master's degree, but there are some aspects of these courses where there could be improvements.

Some departments do not require a thesis and in others it is optional, but—except in the languages — the most common formula in Arts subjects seems to be four papers and a thesis with value equivalent to two papers. In fact, many students put as much work into their theses as for three or four papers, and I think there is a case for allowing the student to nominate the value of his thesis up to a limit of, say, four papers.

In a course of the type mentioned, this would enable a student whose bent lies specially in research to devote more time to this and to strike a better balance in his course. There is room for more flexibility here than is at present permitted.