Both Uses

thesis
in
The House on Mango Street
(Auto-generated)

...they wouldn't count toward my MFA thesis.
Chpt Intr *

thesis = research paper
I didn't argue; my thesis advisor reminded me too much of my father.†
Chpt Intr

Definitions:

(1) (thesis as in: the thesis of her editorial)
a proposition (unproved statement or theory) put forward as a premise for evaluation
(2) (thesis as in: her Master's thesis)
a formal and lengthy research paper advancing a new point of view -- usually a requirement for an advanced academic degree
(3) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
A comprehensive dictionary will have more specialized definitions of thesis that are used in such areas as music, poetry, and philosophy.