Non-Traditional Theses
Welcome to the Non-Traditional Thesis Guide!
This resource is designed to support students exploring creative and innovative formats for their thesis projects. Whether you’re planning a digital exhibit, a performance, or another unique project, this guide will help you navigate the process and access the resources you need. The information in this guide is informed by research on non-traditional thesis experience at UCalgary, including student and faculty perspectives shared through surveys and focus groups.
What is a "non-traditional thesis"?
A non-traditional thesis may best be described by what it is not. It is not a traditional five-chapter monograph or manuscript-based thesis.
It might be a digital project, a piece of creative work, or a portfolio, and it usually includes some reflective or critical writing. These theses allow students to use creative methods and new media to meet their thesis requirements.
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Faculty of Graduate Studies Non-Traditional Thesis PageFind examples and guidance from the Faculty of Graduate Studies
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Canadian Association of Graduate Studies (CAGS) Broadening the DissertationSee CAGS position paper, reports, history and examples on non-traditional theses
How to Use this Guide
This guide is not prescriptive. It offers students and faculty practical entry points for navigating non-traditional thesis work through the research lifecycle.
Explore each section for key questions and suggested contacts that can help you plan, create, evaluate, archive and share your thesis.
You’ll also find examples of non-traditional formats developed at the University of Calgary on the Examples, Research & News page.
Thesis Research Lifecycle by Expanding Knowledge Landscapes Research Group, adapted from the Research Data Lifecycle by LMA Research Data Management Working Group, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License .
Credits
We gratefully acknowledge funding from the University of Calgary's Teaching and Learning Grants program to support “Expanding Knowledge Landscapes by Generating Supports to Enhance Graduate Student Experience and Mentorship in Preparing Theses”, REB23-0724
We would like to thank all of the graduate students and faculty members at the University of Calgary who participated in our focus groups and helped shape the content of this guide.
Principal Investigator: Mairi McDermott
Co-Investigators: Christie Hurrell, Bart Lenart, Laura Reid, Kathryn Ruddock
Research Assistants: Abi Williams, Rimpu Sefat
Any comments or questions about this guide, or the research that informed it, can be directed to openservices@ucalgary.libanswers.com