commentary
Do
need a dissertation? Written by Jessica Grano de Oro
D
issertations are the nightmare of every uni student. They are long, arduous and nervewracking, especially because they hold the keys to finishing your degree. Still, are they necessary to have for all degrees? Creative degrees, above all, which don’t have anything to do with research? The main dilemma stems from the fact that dissertations are focused on conducting empirical research to solve problems, while creative degrees focus more on skills and creating a product. Universities believe that it is important for students to undertake a dissertation because problem-solving is an valuable workplace skill. However, when it comes to the moment of truth, employers usually want to see evidence of creative experience. Dissertations do not help
Designed by Kayla Annakie
because, to put it simply, employers are never going to read them - not because they might be lengthy and dense, but because it does not give an impression of your creative ability. This is why building a portfolio of your work becomes vital for creative students.
Universities believe that it is important for students to undertake a dissertation because problem-solving is a valuable workplace skill. If you leave university without one, it could become difficult to win employers over with just your dissertation, which would be your most recent project. If you undertook a project where, for example, you directed a film for a media
degree, then that might be something more interesting for employers to talk about. Still, the argument that dissertations are necessary does make sense, since research is needed for everything. If journalists write an article, they need to research first to verify sources; for artists, if they are creating a comic for kids, they need to know what kids like, and so on. If you have done a dissertation in your student life, conducting research is an experience you have already gained. Companies will like this because you will be more thorough and effective with your creativity. So is a dissertation necessary for creative degrees? It depends. The ideal situation would be to have a combination of both things – undertake a project where you have to conduct research, but also use it to make something employers will love to see. N 10
