RISD Center for Arts & Language 
A&L offers peer consultation in writing for all RISD students. Grads may make one-hour appointments to review the thesis at any stage; weekly mentoring is available for ongoing support throughout the thesis-writing process. A&L’s Graduate Liaison Anne West is available for tutoring biweekly. Email artsandlanguage@risd.edu to inquire about ongoing appointments.

Fleet Library
The RISD Archives collects graduate theses, which provide both practical models and inspiration. You can find them in the catalogue, as well as a selection of recent theses on the far-left side of the Mezzanine (balcony), in the Dale Reading Room for Archives + Special Collections (room 201), and on RISD’s Digital Commons. Visit the Graduate Thesis Index to sort by department and subject. See the thesis libguide to learn more about research support and methods, and reach out to librarian Kate Fox for individual research consultations or RISD Archives for an appointment to view specific theses.

Master’s Written Thesis Handbook
The Master’s Written Thesis Handbook, by long-time Graduate Studies faculty Anne West, is an invaluable guide to both the spirit and the logistics of the thesis.

Book of Thesis Books
The Book of Thesis Books is an annotated guide to 37 exemplary thesis books. The books are divided into five categories—Academic Thesis, Monograph, Project Document, Mosaic Essay, and Artist’s Book—which demonstrate a variety of overall approaches. The annotations identify each book’s special features, such as research methodologies, experimental narratives, precedent studies, and innovative imagery. The books in the Book of Thesis Books are marked with a red dot on their spines in Special Collections.

Grad Thesis Anthology
The 2024 Grad Thesis Anthology gathers sixty excerpts from the class of 2024’s graduate theses, organizing them into genres or parts of the thesis, from abstracts to origin stories to project descriptions—another great way to learn from those who came before you.

Guide to Thesis Book Design
The Guide to Thesis Book Design, by Graphic Design alum Marcus Peabody, provides a step-by-step guide to thesis book design, including overall principles, exercises, and timelines.

Departmental Guidelines
Each graduate department has a different philosophy and set of expectations around the written thesis. You will receive a set of guidelines outlining length, content, and other requirements from your Graduate Program Director.

Grad Studies Requirements
Find up-to-date Grad Studies Deadlines and Requirements here.

Thesis Committees
You will select or be assigned a thesis committee in the fall semester of your final year. These experts in your studio discipline and/or research interests will be active sounding boards throughout your thesis process. 

Written Thesis Courses 
Some departments (Industrial Design, Photography, and Graphic Design, for example) offer or require written-thesis courses that support the development of your ideas and expression. Anne West’s interdisciplinary thesis-writing courses, offered through Graduate Studies, invite deep inquiry into inspiration, process, and context.

Liberal Arts Faculty
RISD’s Liberal Arts professors are a tremendous resource for graduate thesis writers, acting as committee members or informal advisors. You can find their research and teaching interests on the LAS, HPSS, and THAD Faculty web pages.

Peer Feedback
Your peers can be very constructive thesis readers. See our Thesis Peer Review guidelines to help you identify and respond to key areas of content, organization, and style.

Outside Copy Editors
A&L compiles a Copy Editors List available for hire for those seeking comprehensive writing assistance.