A Kenyan postgraduate student has sparked online debate after her Master’s thesis was reportedly rejected because of a dedication she included at the beginning of her academic work.
The student, identified as Faith, chose to dedicate her thesis to her boyfriend, who had promised to marry her. What she saw as a loving and heartfelt message of appreciation quickly turned into controversy when her academic supervisor strongly objected.
According to screenshots of email exchanges shared on social media, Faith’s supervisor, Prof Kutaywa, described the dedication as inappropriate for a formal academic document.
He reportedly referred to it as an “academic joke,” explaining that a thesis is a permanent document that will be stored in university libraries for years. He pointed out that such documents represent both the student and the institution’s academic reputation.
In one of the emails, the professor said he could not imagine the thesis being credited to a boyfriend who may not even understand the research tools used, including SPSS, a statistical software common in graduate studies.
He advised Faith to instead dedicate her work to people who made lasting contributions to her academic journey, such as parents, guardians, or mentors.
Faith’s co-supervisor also supported this position, saying that a thesis should maintain professionalism and reflect serious academic effort. He added that including a romantic partner in such a formal document showed poor academic judgment.
The incident has divided opinion online. While some people understand Faith’s desire to express love and gratitude, others believe that academic work must follow formal rules and traditions.
Faith will now need to revise her dedication if she hopes to get her thesis approved, highlighting the fine line between personal feelings and academic standards.
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