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Kim Sang-ok, 25, who finished his studies in the Department of Physics at Kyung Hee University last August, fulfilled his graduation requirements by opting for alternative courses rather than submitting a thesis. Kim mentioned, “Not many students in the department go for a thesis,” and noted, “There’s no justification for rejecting alternative courses that also contribute to major credits.”

Graduation theses are becoming less common in undergraduate programs. Numerous universities have removed thesis requirements or substituted them with practical training, course registration, obtaining certifications, or other options. Some schools permit students to replace theses by attaining specific scores on nationally recognized economic examinations.

The practice of undergraduate students skipping thesis submissions started in 1997, following universities’ acquisition of autonomy in awarding degrees. In the last two or three years, more and more universities have ceased requiring theses. Even those that still maintain the system are relaxing the conditions, claiming it’s for the students’ convenience. This change indicates greater competition in the job market, as undergraduates concentrate on preparing for employment, while professors give priority to mentoring graduate students and conducting research.

In June, the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies introduced a regulation that allows students with a major course grade point average of 4.2 or above to skip submitting a thesis. Professor Lee Jae-mook, who instructs within the department, provided an explanation for the adjustment: “Students have regularly asked for more flexible conditions, and faculty members also experienced challenges in overseeing approximately 10 thesis submissions each semester.”

In 2023, the Department of Civil Engineering at Pusan National University eliminated theses by updating its rules to allow final reports from project-oriented required courses as alternatives to traditional theses. This adjustment was designed to ease the burden on students who are primarily preparing for their careers.

As per this newspaper’s investigation, among the economics departments of 10 major Seoul universities—Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, Sogang University, Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, Chung-Ang University, Kyung Hee University, University of Seoul, and Ewha Womans University—only three (Seoul National, Chung-Ang, and Ewha Womans) require a thesis. The other seven either do not have a thesis requirement or provide different options. In the physics departments at these institutions, only Seoul National, Sungkyunkwan, and Hanyang require students to submit a thesis.

Some people believe that theses should continue to be a fundamental part of undergraduate studies. Professor Lee Sung-soo from the Department of Electronic Information Engineering at Soongsil University said, “Undergraduate programs mainly focus on gaining knowledge and information,” and he added, “Theses are valuable because they allow students to independently identify issues and investigate solutions.”