Dissertation vs. Thesis. What’s the Difference?

Schools love to overcomplicate things. Why can’t they have one name for all assignments? Instead, you’re stuck trying to wrap your head around essays, coursework, research papers, theses, and dissertations. The last two are especially annoying because no one can ever explain the difference. So, even if you decide to get help, you don’t know whether you need to buy a thesis or a dissertation.

No more! It’s time to end the confusion once and for all. In this post, we’ll go over the terminology, cover the differences and similarities, and even explain the European twist.

Terminology

Before we explore the differences and similarities between theses and dissertations, let’s ensure we’re on the same page. For reference, we’ll be using the US terminology, unless specified otherwise.

What Is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is an extensive original research paper required to complete a doctoral program. The goal of the dissertation is to develop new knowledge in your research field through experiments, data analysis, etc. So, before writing a dissertation, you’ll need to conduct your study. And after the manuscript is finished, you will need to defend it before a panel of experts. If they approve your research, you will be awarded a PhD degree.

What Is a Thesis?

A thesis is a shorter research paper required to complete a Master’s program. The goal may be to conduct original research or analyze existing data, demonstrating your research, analytical, and writing skills. Master’s programs may also require a presentation based on your research, but some may allow you to publish an article in a peer-reviewed journal instead of submitting a formal thesis. If you successfully complete a thesis, you get a Master’s degree.

Side note: Some Master’s programs require capstone projects instead of theses. They have a narrower scope and address real-life problems and practical solutions rather than theoretical concepts. If you have a choice between two Master’s programs, pick the one with a thesis if you want a career in research or academia, but choose the one with a capstone if you want hands-on experience in the field.

Dissertation vs Thesis. Differences

Although the terms are often used interchangeably in academic circles, there is a difference between thesis and dissertation. Here are the most significant differences, according to the US education system:

Characteristics	Thesis	Dissertation
Academic level	Master’s	Doctoral
Scope	Relatively narrow, focusing on one specific issue or research question	Relatively broad, extending across multiple issues, research questions, or objectives
Length	Up to 50,000 words or  Up to 100 or 120 pages	Up to 100,000 words or 200 to 400 pages
Number of references	Up to 50+	Up to 100+
Scientific novelty	Not mandatory. Research may be based on pre-existing theories, methodologies, and data.	Mandatory. Research must generate new data, hypotheses, theories, methods, etc.
Time requirements	1 to 2 years for full-time students Up to 3 years for part-time students	3 to 4 years for full-time students Up to 7 years for part-time students

Putting it in simpler terms, a Master’s thesis is the younger brother of a PhD dissertation. Both are huge and complex tasks, but a dissertation is an order of magnitude (or several) harder than a thesis.

Dissertation vs Thesis. Similarities

If there’s such a difference between thesis and dissertation, why is there so much confusion? Why do people name one when they actually mean another? That’s because there’s also a fair share of similarities between the two projects, such as:

• In-depth research into a relevant issue. Unlike undergraduate research or term papers, theses and dissertations require you to take a deep dive to explore the existing knowledge and uncover gaps your research can fill.
• Standard research paper layout. Although there may be some differences across research fields, a thesis and a dissertation structure typically requires a literature review, a methodology section, results, and discussion. The introduction, conclusion, and reference list are also mandatory.
• High writing standards. A thesis and a dissertation are supposed to demonstrate your skills at their best before you’re awarded the coveted degree. So there’s no room for mistakes, typos, or missing citations.
• Zero plagiarism tolerance. Most schools run any project of this caliber through a plagiarism checker. And in recent years, AI detection checks have also become common. If your manuscript raises red flags, you will be in big trouble.
• Exceptional ethical standards. Aside from writing original papers, you should never try to “fix” your data to make your study look better. Your results should be presented honestly and in full, without bias. If your research involves human subjects, a thesis and a dissertation will both require diligent consent elicitation procedures.
• Frequent consultations with an academic advisor. Although theses and dissertations are meant to test your independent research capabilities, you will still have an advisor. And you should make the most of the fact, getting feedback, using them as a sounding board for your ideas, and getting references if you need help getting resources or connections.

As you can see, both theses and dissertations are complex academic projects with exceptionally high standards. Still, we recommend checking with your academic advisor or department staff to learn the specific requirements. They should guide your research and writing efforts. And if you’re looking for samples or inspiration, check out the Open Access Theses and Dissertations database.

Dissertation vs Thesis. USA

Everything we’ve covered up to this point applies to the American education system. That’s where Master’s programs require a thesis, while Doctoral programs require a PhD dissertation. In most cases, Master’s programs offer classes designed to help you choose your research question and develop a research proposal before you start your independent study working on a thesis.

Besides, in some fields, Master’s theses are much more common than PhD dissertations. For example, Engineering students rarely pursue doctoral programs, since an MSc is usually enough to secure good job offers in STEM fields. In contrast, students in the soft sciences pursue PhDs more often.

Dissertation vs Thesis. Europe

In the EU and the UK, the thesis and dissertation requirements are flipped. Master’s programs include a dissertation, while Doctoral programs require a thesis. The remaining requirements are also reversed. So, in Europe, a thesis would be longer, require original research, and take more time.

While this subtle difference may not matter to you now, our world is becoming increasingly globalized. You don’t want to miss a great job opportunity just because of a mix-up between a thesis and a dissertation. So it’s always a good idea to specify your highest academic level rather than rely on vague or confusing terms.

Dissertation vs Thesis. Which Is Best for You?

The answer depends on your goals. Assuming you aren’t going after a PhD just to add a few fancy letters to your name, you want a life in R&D or academia. So, if you’re in the US, you’ll need to write a doctoral dissertation (or a doctoral thesis in the UK or the EU).

But, depending on your study field and school, you may need to get your Master’s first. For example, in the US, you can get into a STEM doctoral program without a Master’s degree, but in the Arts and Humanities, it may be a mandatory requirement of the application process. Besides, even if your dream school does not require a Master’s degree, it may give you a competitive advantage over other applicants. Moreover, writing a PhD dissertation will be easier if you’ve already gained the necessary skills while working on a thesis. In Europe, most students are supposed to progress through academic levels in order, from Bachelor’s to Master’s to PhD. But since higher education is free across most of the EU, it’s less of a drain on a budget.

Whichever academic route you take, remember you can always outsource the hardest tasks. At EssayMarket, you can buy a dissertation one chapter at a time or the entire manuscript. You can even start with a professional editing service to see how great our writers are.