honors thesis or honor's thesis

Honors Theses

What this handout is about.

Writing a senior honors thesis, or any major research essay, can seem daunting at first. A thesis requires a reflective, multi-stage writing process. This handout will walk you through those stages. It is targeted at students in the humanities and social sciences, since their theses tend to involve more writing than projects in the hard sciences. Yet all thesis writers may find the organizational strategies helpful.

Introduction

What is an honors thesis.

That depends quite a bit on your field of study. However, all honors theses have at least two things in common:

• They are based on students’ original research.
• They take the form of a written manuscript, which presents the findings of that research. In the humanities, theses average 50-75 pages in length and consist of two or more chapters. In the social sciences, the manuscript may be shorter, depending on whether the project involves more quantitative than qualitative research. In the hard sciences, the manuscript may be shorter still, often taking the form of a sophisticated laboratory report.

Who can write an honors thesis?

In general, students who are at the end of their junior year, have an overall 3.2 GPA, and meet their departmental requirements can write a senior thesis. For information about your eligibility, contact:

• UNC Honors Program
• Your departmental administrators of undergraduate studies/honors

Why write an honors thesis?

Satisfy your intellectual curiosity This is the most compelling reason to write a thesis. Whether it’s the short stories of Flannery O’Connor or the challenges of urban poverty, you’ve studied topics in college that really piqued your interest. Now’s your chance to follow your passions, explore further, and contribute some original ideas and research in your field.

Develop transferable skills Whether you choose to stay in your field of study or not, the process of developing and crafting a feasible research project will hone skills that will serve you well in almost any future job. After all, most jobs require some form of problem solving and oral and written communication. Writing an honors thesis requires that you:

• ask smart questions
• acquire the investigative instincts needed to find answers
• navigate libraries, laboratories, archives, databases, and other research venues
• develop the flexibility to redirect your research if your initial plan flops
• master the art of time management
• hone your argumentation skills
• organize a lengthy piece of writing
• polish your oral communication skills by presenting and defending your project to faculty and peers

Work closely with faculty mentors At large research universities like Carolina, you’ve likely taken classes where you barely got to know your instructor. Writing a thesis offers the opportunity to work one-on-one with a with faculty adviser. Such mentors can enrich your intellectual development and later serve as invaluable references for graduate school and employment.

Open windows into future professions An honors thesis will give you a taste of what it’s like to do research in your field. Even if you’re a sociology major, you may not really know what it’s like to be a sociologist. Writing a sociology thesis would open a window into that world. It also might help you decide whether to pursue that field in graduate school or in your future career.

How do you write an honors thesis?

Get an idea of what’s expected.

It’s a good idea to review some of the honors theses other students have submitted to get a sense of what an honors thesis might look like and what kinds of things might be appropriate topics. Look for examples from the previous year in the Carolina Digital Repository. You may also be able to find past theses collected in your major department or at the North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library. Pay special attention to theses written by students who share your major.

Choose a topic

Ideally, you should start thinking about topics early in your junior year, so you can begin your research and writing quickly during your senior year. (Many departments require that you submit a proposal for an honors thesis project during the spring of your junior year.)

How should you choose a topic?

• Read widely in the fields that interest you. Make a habit of browsing professional journals to survey the “hot” areas of research and to familiarize yourself with your field’s stylistic conventions. (You’ll find the most recent issues of the major professional journals in the periodicals reading room on the first floor of Davis Library).
• Set up appointments to talk with faculty in your field. This is a good idea, since you’ll eventually need to select an advisor and a second reader. Faculty also can help you start narrowing down potential topics.
• Look at honors theses from the past. The North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library holds UNC honors theses. To get a sense of the typical scope of a thesis, take a look at a sampling from your field.

What makes a good topic?

• It’s fascinating. Above all, choose something that grips your imagination. If you don’t, the chances are good that you’ll struggle to finish.
• It’s doable. Even if a topic interests you, it won’t work out unless you have access to the materials you need to research it. Also be sure that your topic is narrow enough. Let’s take an example: Say you’re interested in the efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and early 1980s. That’s a big topic that probably can’t be adequately covered in a single thesis. You need to find a case study within that larger topic. For example, maybe you’re particularly interested in the states that did not ratify the ERA. Of those states, perhaps you’ll select North Carolina, since you’ll have ready access to local research materials. And maybe you want to focus primarily on the ERA’s opponents. Beyond that, maybe you’re particularly interested in female opponents of the ERA. Now you’ve got a much more manageable topic: Women in North Carolina Who Opposed the ERA in the 1970s and 1980s.
• It contains a question. There’s a big difference between having a topic and having a guiding research question. Taking the above topic, perhaps your main question is: Why did some women in North Carolina oppose the ERA? You will, of course, generate other questions: Who were the most outspoken opponents? White women? Middle-class women? How did they oppose the ERA? Public protests? Legislative petitions? etc. etc. Yet it’s good to start with a guiding question that will focus your research.

Goal-setting and time management

The senior year is an exceptionally busy time for college students. In addition to the usual load of courses and jobs, seniors have the daunting task of applying for jobs and/or graduate school. These demands are angst producing and time consuming If that scenario sounds familiar, don’t panic! Do start strategizing about how to make a time for your thesis. You may need to take a lighter course load or eliminate extracurricular activities. Even if the thesis is the only thing on your plate, you still need to make a systematic schedule for yourself. Most departments require that you take a class that guides you through the honors project, so deadlines likely will be set for you. Still, you should set your own goals for meeting those deadlines. Here are a few suggestions for goal setting and time management:

Start early. Keep in mind that many departments will require that you turn in your thesis sometime in early April, so don’t count on having the entire spring semester to finish your work. Ideally, you’ll start the research process the semester or summer before your senior year so that the writing process can begin early in the fall. Some goal-setting will be done for you if you are taking a required class that guides you through the honors project. But any substantive research project requires a clear timetable.

Set clear goals in making a timetable. Find out the final deadline for turning in your project to your department. Working backwards from that deadline, figure out how much time you can allow for the various stages of production.

Here is a sample timetable. Use it, however, with two caveats in mind:

• The timetable for your thesis might look very different depending on your departmental requirements.
• You may not wish to proceed through these stages in a linear fashion. You may want to revise chapter one before you write chapter two. Or you might want to write your introduction last, not first. This sample is designed simply to help you start thinking about how to customize your own schedule.

Sample timetable

Avoid falling into the trap of procrastination. Once you’ve set goals for yourself, stick to them! For some tips on how to do this, see our handout on procrastination .

Consistent production

It’s a good idea to try to squeeze in a bit of thesis work every day—even if it’s just fifteen minutes of journaling or brainstorming about your topic. Or maybe you’ll spend that fifteen minutes taking notes on a book. The important thing is to accomplish a bit of active production (i.e., putting words on paper) for your thesis every day. That way, you develop good writing habits that will help you keep your project moving forward.

Make yourself accountable to someone other than yourself

Since most of you will be taking a required thesis seminar, you will have deadlines. Yet you might want to form a writing group or enlist a peer reader, some person or people who can help you stick to your goals. Moreover, if your advisor encourages you to work mostly independently, don’t be afraid to ask them to set up periodic meetings at which you’ll turn in installments of your project.

Brainstorming and freewriting

One of the biggest challenges of a lengthy writing project is keeping the creative juices flowing. Here’s where freewriting can help. Try keeping a small notebook handy where you jot down stray ideas that pop into your head. Or schedule time to freewrite. You may find that such exercises “free” you up to articulate your argument and generate new ideas. Here are some questions to stimulate freewriting.

Questions for basic brainstorming at the beginning of your project:

• What do I already know about this topic?
• Why do I care about this topic?
• Why is this topic important to people other than myself
• What more do I want to learn about this topic?
• What is the main question that I am trying to answer?
• Where can I look for additional information?
• Who is my audience and how can I reach them?
• How will my work inform my larger field of study?
• What’s the main goal of my research project?

Questions for reflection throughout your project:

• What’s my main argument? How has it changed since I began the project?
• What’s the most important evidence that I have in support of my “big point”?
• What questions do my sources not answer?
• How does my case study inform or challenge my field writ large?
• Does my project reinforce or contradict noted scholars in my field? How?
• What is the most surprising finding of my research?
• What is the most frustrating part of this project?
• What is the most rewarding part of this project?
• What will be my work’s most important contribution?

Research and note-taking

In conducting research, you will need to find both primary sources (“firsthand” sources that come directly from the period/events/people you are studying) and secondary sources (“secondhand” sources that are filtered through the interpretations of experts in your field.) The nature of your research will vary tremendously, depending on what field you’re in. For some general suggestions on finding sources, consult the UNC Libraries tutorials . Whatever the exact nature of the research you’re conducting, you’ll be taking lots of notes and should reflect critically on how you do that. Too often it’s assumed that the research phase of a project involves very little substantive writing (i.e., writing that involves thinking). We sit down with our research materials and plunder them for basic facts and useful quotations. That mechanical type of information-recording is important. But a more thoughtful type of writing and analytical thinking is also essential at this stage. Some general guidelines for note-taking:

First of all, develop a research system. There are lots of ways to take and organize your notes. Whether you choose to use note cards, computer databases, or notebooks, follow two cardinal rules:

• Make careful distinctions between direct quotations and your paraphrasing! This is critical if you want to be sure to avoid accidentally plagiarizing someone else’s work. For more on this, see our handout on plagiarism .
• Record full citations for each source. Don’t get lazy here! It will be far more difficult to find the proper citation later than to write it down now.

Keeping those rules in mind, here’s a template for the types of information that your note cards/legal pad sheets/computer files should include for each of your sources:

Abbreviated subject heading: Include two or three words to remind you of what this sources is about (this shorthand categorization is essential for the later sorting of your sources).

Complete bibliographic citation:

• author, title, publisher, copyright date, and page numbers for published works
• box and folder numbers and document descriptions for archival sources
• complete web page title, author, address, and date accessed for online sources

Notes on facts, quotations, and arguments: Depending on the type of source you’re using, the content of your notes will vary. If, for example, you’re using US Census data, then you’ll mainly be writing down statistics and numbers. If you’re looking at someone else’s diary, you might jot down a number of quotations that illustrate the subject’s feelings and perspectives. If you’re looking at a secondary source, you’ll want to make note not just of factual information provided by the author but also of their key arguments.

Your interpretation of the source: This is the most important part of note-taking. Don’t just record facts. Go ahead and take a stab at interpreting them. As historians Jacques Barzun and Henry F. Graff insist, “A note is a thought.” So what do these thoughts entail? Ask yourself questions about the context and significance of each source.

Interpreting the context of a source:

• Who wrote/created the source?
• When, and under what circumstances, was it written/created?
• Why was it written/created? What was the agenda behind the source?
• How was it written/created?
• If using a secondary source: How does it speak to other scholarship in the field?

Interpreting the significance of a source:

• How does this source answer (or complicate) my guiding research questions?
• Does it pose new questions for my project? What are they?
• Does it challenge my fundamental argument? If so, how?
• Given the source’s context, how reliable is it?

You don’t need to answer all of these questions for each source, but you should set a goal of engaging in at least one or two sentences of thoughtful, interpretative writing for each source. If you do so, you’ll make much easier the next task that awaits you: drafting.

The dread of drafting

Why do we often dread drafting? We dread drafting because it requires synthesis, one of the more difficult forms of thinking and interpretation. If you’ve been free-writing and taking thoughtful notes during the research phase of your project, then the drafting should be far less painful. Here are some tips on how to get started:

Sort your “evidence” or research into analytical categories:

• Some people file note cards into categories.
• The technologically-oriented among us take notes using computer database programs that have built-in sorting mechanisms.
• Others cut and paste evidence into detailed outlines on their computer.
• Still others stack books, notes, and photocopies into topically-arranged piles.There is not a single right way, but this step—in some form or fashion—is essential!

If you’ve been forcing yourself to put subject headings on your notes as you go along, you’ll have generated a number of important analytical categories. Now, you need to refine those categories and sort your evidence. Everyone has a different “sorting style.”

Formulate working arguments for your entire thesis and individual chapters. Once you’ve sorted your evidence, you need to spend some time thinking about your project’s “big picture.” You need to be able to answer two questions in specific terms:

• What is the overall argument of my thesis?
• What are the sub-arguments of each chapter and how do they relate to my main argument?

Keep in mind that “working arguments” may change after you start writing. But a senior thesis is big and potentially unwieldy. If you leave this business of argument to chance, you may end up with a tangle of ideas. See our handout on arguments and handout on thesis statements for some general advice on formulating arguments.

Divide your thesis into manageable chunks. The surest road to frustration at this stage is getting obsessed with the big picture. What? Didn’t we just say that you needed to focus on the big picture? Yes, by all means, yes. You do need to focus on the big picture in order to get a conceptual handle on your project, but you also need to break your thesis down into manageable chunks of writing. For example, take a small stack of note cards and flesh them out on paper. Or write through one point on a chapter outline. Those small bits of prose will add up quickly.

Just start! Even if it’s not at the beginning. Are you having trouble writing those first few pages of your chapter? Sometimes the introduction is the toughest place to start. You should have a rough idea of your overall argument before you begin writing one of the main chapters, but you might find it easier to start writing in the middle of a chapter of somewhere other than word one. Grab hold where you evidence is strongest and your ideas are clearest.

Keep up the momentum! Assuming the first draft won’t be your last draft, try to get your thoughts on paper without spending too much time fussing over minor stylistic concerns. At the drafting stage, it’s all about getting those ideas on paper. Once that task is done, you can turn your attention to revising.

Peter Elbow, in Writing With Power, suggests that writing is difficult because it requires two conflicting tasks: creating and criticizing. While these two tasks are intimately intertwined, the drafting stage focuses on creating, while revising requires criticizing. If you leave your revising to the last minute, then you’ve left out a crucial stage of the writing process. See our handout for some general tips on revising . The challenges of revising an honors thesis may include:

Juggling feedback from multiple readers

A senior thesis may mark the first time that you have had to juggle feedback from a wide range of readers:

• your adviser
• a second (and sometimes third) faculty reader
• the professor and students in your honors thesis seminar

You may feel overwhelmed by the prospect of incorporating all this advice. Keep in mind that some advice is better than others. You will probably want to take most seriously the advice of your adviser since they carry the most weight in giving your project a stamp of approval. But sometimes your adviser may give you more advice than you can digest. If so, don’t be afraid to approach them—in a polite and cooperative spirit, of course—and ask for some help in prioritizing that advice. See our handout for some tips on getting and receiving feedback .

Refining your argument

It’s especially easy in writing a lengthy work to lose sight of your main ideas. So spend some time after you’ve drafted to go back and clarify your overall argument and the individual chapter arguments and make sure they match the evidence you present.

Organizing and reorganizing

Again, in writing a 50-75 page thesis, things can get jumbled. You may find it particularly helpful to make a “reverse outline” of each of your chapters. That will help you to see the big sections in your work and move things around so there’s a logical flow of ideas. See our handout on  organization  for more organizational suggestions and tips on making a reverse outline

Plugging in holes in your evidence

It’s unlikely that you anticipated everything you needed to look up before you drafted your thesis. Save some time at the revising stage to plug in the holes in your research. Make sure that you have both primary and secondary evidence to support and contextualize your main ideas.

Saving time for the small stuff

Even though your argument, evidence, and organization are most important, leave plenty of time to polish your prose. At this point, you’ve spent a very long time on your thesis. Don’t let minor blemishes (misspellings and incorrect grammar) distract your readers!

Formatting and final touches

You’re almost done! You’ve researched, drafted, and revised your thesis; now you need to take care of those pesky little formatting matters. An honors thesis should replicate—on a smaller scale—the appearance of a dissertation or master’s thesis. So, you need to include the “trappings” of a formal piece of academic work. For specific questions on formatting matters, check with your department to see if it has a style guide that you should use. For general formatting guidelines, consult the Graduate School’s Guide to Dissertations and Theses . Keeping in mind the caveat that you should always check with your department first about its stylistic guidelines, here’s a brief overview of the final “finishing touches” that you’ll need to put on your honors thesis:

• Honors Thesis
• Name of Department
• University of North Carolina
• These parts of the thesis will vary in format depending on whether your discipline uses MLA, APA, CBE, or Chicago (also known in its shortened version as Turabian) style. Whichever style you’re using, stick to the rules and be consistent. It might be helpful to buy an appropriate style guide. Or consult the UNC LibrariesYear Citations/footnotes and works cited/reference pages  citation tutorial
• In addition, in the bottom left corner, you need to leave space for your adviser and faculty readers to sign their names. For example:

Approved by: _____________________

Adviser: Prof. Jane Doe

• This is not a required component of an honors thesis. However, if you want to thank particular librarians, archivists, interviewees, and advisers, here’s the place to do it. You should include an acknowledgments page if you received a grant from the university or an outside agency that supported your research. It’s a good idea to acknowledge folks who helped you with a major project, but do not feel the need to go overboard with copious and flowery expressions of gratitude. You can—and should—always write additional thank-you notes to people who gave you assistance.
• Formatted much like the table of contents.
• You’ll need to save this until the end, because it needs to reflect your final pagination. Once you’ve made all changes to the body of the thesis, then type up your table of contents with the titles of each section aligned on the left and the page numbers on which those sections begin flush right.
• Each page of your thesis needs a number, although not all page numbers are displayed. All pages that precede the first page of the main text (i.e., your introduction or chapter one) are numbered with small roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc.). All pages thereafter use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.).
• Your text should be double spaced (except, in some cases, long excerpts of quoted material), in a 12 point font and a standard font style (e.g., Times New Roman). An honors thesis isn’t the place to experiment with funky fonts—they won’t enhance your work, they’ll only distract your readers.
• In general, leave a one-inch inch margin on all sides. However, for the copy of your thesis that will be bound by the library, you need to leave a 1.25-inch margin on the left.

How do I defend my honors thesis?

Graciously, enthusiastically, and confidently. The term defense is scary and misleading—it conjures up images of a military exercise or an athletic maneuver. An academic defense ideally shouldn’t be a combative scene but a congenial conversation about the work’s merits and weaknesses. That said, the defense probably won’t be like the average conversation that you have with your friends. You’ll be the center of attention. And you may get some challenging questions. Thus, it’s a good idea to spend some time preparing yourself. First of all, you’ll want to prepare 5-10 minutes of opening comments. Here’s a good time to preempt some criticisms by frankly acknowledging what you think your work’s greatest strengths and weaknesses are. Then you may be asked some typical questions:

• What is the main argument of your thesis?
• How does it fit in with the work of Ms. Famous Scholar?
• Have you read the work of Mr. Important Author?

NOTE: Don’t get too flustered if you haven’t! Most scholars have their favorite authors and books and may bring one or more of them up, even if the person or book is only tangentially related to the topic at hand. Should you get this question, answer honestly and simply jot down the title or the author’s name for future reference. No one expects you to have read everything that’s out there.

• Why did you choose this particular case study to explore your topic?
• If you were to expand this project in graduate school, how would you do so?

Should you get some biting criticism of your work, try not to get defensive. Yes, this is a defense, but you’ll probably only fan the flames if you lose your cool. Keep in mind that all academic work has flaws or weaknesses, and you can be sure that your professors have received criticisms of their own work. It’s part of the academic enterprise. Accept criticism graciously and learn from it. If you receive criticism that is unfair, stand up for yourself confidently, but in a good spirit. Above all, try to have fun! A defense is a rare opportunity to have eminent scholars in your field focus on YOU and your ideas and work. And the defense marks the end of a long and arduous journey. You have every right to be proud of your accomplishments!

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Atchity, Kenneth. 1986. A Writer’s Time: A Guide to the Creative Process from Vision Through Revision . New York: W.W. Norton.

Barzun, Jacques, and Henry F. Graff. 2012. The Modern Researcher , 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Elbow, Peter. 1998. Writing With Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process . New York: Oxford University Press.

Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. 2014. “They Say/I Say”: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing , 3rd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.

Lamott, Anne. 1994. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life . New York: Pantheon.

Lasch, Christopher. 2002. Plain Style: A Guide to Written English. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Turabian, Kate. 2018. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, Dissertations , 9th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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An honors thesis is required of all students graduating with any level of Latin honors. It is an excellent opportunity for undergraduates to define and investigate a topic in depth, and to complete an extended written reflection of their results & understanding. The work leading to the thesis is excellent preparation for graduate & professional school or the workplace.

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The thesis database is a searchable collection of over 6,000 theses, with direct access to more than 4,000 full-text theses in PDF format. The database—fully searchable by discipline, keyword, level of Latin Honors, and more—is available for student use in the UHP Office, 8am–4:30pm, Monday–Friday.

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All Honors Students end their program with an Honors Thesis: a sustained, independent research project in a student’s field of study. Your thesis must count for at least 4 credits (some majors require that the thesis be completed over 2 semesters, and some require more than 4 credits). The thesis is an opportunity to work on unique research under the guidance of a faculty advisor. It often provides a writing sample for graduate school, and is also something you can share with employers to show what kind of work you can do. 

What is an Honors thesis?

Most of your work in college involves learning information and ideas generated by other people. When you write a thesis, you are engaging with previous work, but also adding new knowledge to your field. That means you have to know what's already been done--what counts as established knowledge; what's the current state of research; what methods and kinds of evidence are acceptable; what debates are going on. (Usually, you'll recount that knowledge in a review of the literature.) Then, you need to form a research question that you can answer given your available skills, resources, and time  (so, not "What is love?" but "How are ideas about love different between college freshmen and seniors?"). With your advisor, you'll plan the method you will use to answer it, which might involve lab work, field work, surveys, interviews, secondary research, textual analysis, or something else--it will depend upon your question and your field. Once your research is carried out, you'll write a substantial paper (usually 20-50 pages) according to the standards of your field.

What do theses look like?

The exact structure will vary by discipline, and your thesis advisor should provide you with an outline. As a rough guideline, we would expect to see something like the following:

1. Introduction 2. Review of the literature 3. Methods 4. Results 5. Analysis 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography or works cited

In 2012 we began digitally archiving Honors theses. Students are encouraged to peruse the Honors Thesis Repository to see what past students' work has looked like. Use the link below and type your major in the search field on the left to find relevant examples. Older Honors theses are available in the Special Collections & Archives department at Dimond Library. 

Browse Previous Theses

Will my thesis count as my capstone?

Most majors accept an Honors Thesis as fulfilling the Capstone requirement. However, there are exceptions. In some majors, the thesis counts as a major elective, and in a few, it is an elective that does not fulfill major requirements. Your major advisor and your Honors advisor can help you figure out how your thesis will count. Please note that while in many majors the thesis counts as the capstone, the converse does not necessarily apply. There are many capstone experiences that do not take the form of an Honors thesis. 

Can I do a poster and presentation for my thesis?

No. While you do need to present your thesis (see below), a poster and presentation are not a thesis. 

How do I choose my thesis advisor?

The best thesis advisor is an experienced researcher, familiar with disciplinary standards for research and writing, with expertise in your area of interest. You might connect with a thesis advisor during Honors-in-Major coursework, but Honors Liaisons  can assist students who are having trouble identifying an advisor. You should approach and confirm your thesis advisor before the semester in which your research will begin.

What if I need funds for my research?

The  Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research  offers research grants, including summer support. During the academic year, students registered in credit-bearing thesis courses may apply for an  Undergraduate Research Award for up to $600 in research expenses (no stipend).  Students who are not otherwise registered in a credit-bearing course for their thesis research may enroll in INCO 790: Advanced Research Experience, which offers up to $200 for research expenses.

What if I need research materials for a lengthy period?

No problem! Honors Students can access Extended Time borrowing privileges at Dimond Library, which are otherwise reserved for faculty and graduate students. Email [email protected] with note requesting “extended borrowing privileges” and we'll work with the Library to extend your privileges.

Can I get support to stay on track?

Absolutely! Thesis-writers have an opportunity to join a support group during the challenging and sometimes isolating period of writing a thesis. Learn more about thesis support here .

When should I complete my thesis?

Register for a Senior Honors Thesis course (often numbered 799) in the spring and/or fall of your Senior year.

This “course” is an independent study, overseen by your Thesis Advisor. Your advisor sets the standards, due dates, and grades for your project. It must earn at least a B in order to qualify for Honors.

What happens with my completed thesis?

Present your thesis.

All students must publicly present their research prior to graduation. Many present at the  Undergraduate Research Conference  in April; other departmentally-approved public events are also acceptable.

Publish your thesis:

Honors students are asked to make their thesis papers available on  scholars.unh.edu/honors/ . This creates a resource for future students and other researchers, and also helps students professionalize their online personas.

These theses are publicly available online. If a student or their advisor prefers not to make the work available, they may upload an abstract and/or excerpts from the work instead.

Students may also publish research in  Inquiry , UNH's undergraduate research journal.

University Honors Program

• Honors withdrawal form
• Discovery Flex Option
• Honors Thesis Support Group
• Designating a Course as Honors
• Honors track registration
• Spring 2024 Honors Discovery Courses
• Honors Discovery Seminars
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A Distinctive Achievement Honors Thesis

As a Schreyer Scholar, you are required to complete an undergraduate honors thesis as the culmination of your honors experience. The goal of the thesis is to demonstrate a command of relevant scholastic work and to make a personal contribution to that scholarship.

Your thesis project can take many forms — from laboratory experiments all the way to artistic creations. Your thesis document captures the relevant background, methods, and techniques and describes the details of the completion of the individual project.

Two Penn State faculty members evaluate and approve your thesis — a thesis supervisor and an honors adviser in your area of honors.

Planning is Key Project Guide

The thesis is, by design, your most ambitious undertaking as a Scholar.

A successful thesis requires a viable proposal, goal-setting, time management, and interpersonal skills on top of the disciplinary skills associated with your intended area of honors. This guide will walk you through the thesis process. Keep in mind, though, that your honors adviser and thesis supervisor are your key resources.

Planning A Thesis

An ideal thesis project should:

• Satisfy your intellectual curiosity
• Give you the opportunity to work closely with faculty
• Develop transferable skills
• Clarify your post-graduation plans

The single biggest factor in determining thesis quality is your level of interest in and engagement with the topic, so consider multiple possibilities rather than selecting the first one that seems attractive to you.

From the perspective of the Schreyer Honors College, the purpose of the thesis experience is to develop your intellectual and professional identity in the field and to help you think about your future.

Once complete, the purpose of the thesis is to advance knowledge, understanding, or creative value in its field.

Lab-Based Research Fields

We recommend avoiding the temptation to stick with your first lab placement merely out of convenience if the topic is not interesting to you. The quality of your thesis is truly dependent on the depth of your interest and the energy behind your curiosity. Your intellectual engagement is the thing that will carry you through what may at times feel like a long and sometimes difficult process.

A Thesis Needs A Thesis

A thesis is problem-oriented and identifies something of importance whose answer or best interpretation is not fully known or agreed-upon by people who make their careers in the field, and it proceeds towards the answer or best interpretation. Even with a creative or performance thesis, the purpose is not to demonstrate technical ability (writing, painting, acting, composing, etc.), but to express something you think is worth expressing and hasn't been fully expressed already.

Identifying a Topic

An interest can come from anywhere, but the problem that defines a thesis can only come from a thorough acquaintance with "the literature," the accumulated knowledge or creative value in your field.

By speaking with faculty (preferably more than one) and reading professional journals (again, more than one), you not only get a "crowd-sourced" sense of what is important, you also get a sense of what the open questions are. This is where you start to strike a balance between ambition and feasibility.

Feasibility & Realistic Ambition

You might want to come up with the definitive explanation for Rome's decline and fall, or the cure for cancer. There is strong evidence — several thousand prior theses — that your honors thesis will not accomplish anything on that scale. This realization might be disheartening, but it is an introduction to the reality of modern scholarship: Knowledge almost always moves incrementally and the individual units of knowledge production and dissemination (theses, journal articles, books, etc.) are only rarely revolutionary in isolation. This is part of what the thesis experience will test for you — whether or not you want to continue via graduate school in that kind of slow-moving enterprise.

The feasibility of a given thesis problem is bounded, as mathematicians might say, by several factors.

The honors thesis should not extend your time at Penn State by design. There are circumstances where you might defer graduation to complete your thesis, but that should not be your initial plan.

Resources are a potential issue in that even a comprehensive and well-funded university like Penn State does not have the physical infrastructure for every possible kind of research. The expense of ambitious off-campus research, such as a comparative study requiring visits to several countries, can easily exceed our funding abilities. If you expect to incur more than $300 in expenses, you should get commitments from your department and academic college before proceeding.

Proposal, Supervisor & Area of Honors

Thesis proposal.

The thesis proposal is due at the end of your third year, assuming you're on a four-year path to graduation. File your Thesis Proposal with the Schreyer Honors College via the Student Records System (SRS) . The end-of-third-year requirement is from the Honors College, but your major may expect a much earlier commitment so be sure to talk to your honors adviser as early as your second year about this. The thesis proposal needs the following things:

• Supervision
• A Working Title
• Purpose/Objective
• Intended Outcome
• How do you intend to earn honors credit?
• How often do you plan to meet with your supervisor?
• Will your thesis satisfy other requirements?
• Does your thesis involve working with human, animals, or biohazardous materials or radioactive isotopes?

The Honors College staff does not review the content of the proposal, so the intended audience is your thesis supervisor and the honors adviser in your intended area of honors.

Thesis Supervisor

Your thesis supervisor is the professor who has primary responsibility for supervising your thesis.

Ideally your thesis supervisor will be the single most appropriate person for your thesis in the whole university, or at least at your whole campus, in terms of specialization and, where relevant, resources. How far you can stray from that ideal depends on the nature of the thesis. If specific lab resources are needed then you cannot stray too far, but if general intellectual mentoring is the extent of the required supervision then you have more flexibility, including the flexibility to choose a topic that does not align closely with the supervisor's specialization.

Apart from a professor being unavailable for or declining your project, the biggest reason to consider bypassing the "single most appropriate person" is that you have doubts about whether you would get along with them. Do not put too much stock in second-hand information about a professor, but if after meeting him or her you have concerns then you should certainly consider continuing your search.

Area of Honors

Thesis honors adviser.

An honors adviser from the area in which you are pursuing honors must read and approve your thesis. If the thesis supervisor and thesis honors adviser are the same person, you must find a second eligible faculty member from your area of honors to read and approve your thesis.

Multiple Majors

If you have more than one major, you can do the following:

• Pick one major and write a thesis for honors solely in that major
• Pick a topic that can legitimately earn honors in both majors. This will be considered interdisciplinary .
• Write multiple theses, one for honors in each major

The first scenario is the most common, followed by the second depending on how closely related the majors are. You can also pick a non-major area of honors.

Second- and Third-Year Entrants (including Paterno Fellows)

If you were admitted to the Honors College after your first year or via the Liberal Arts Paterno Fellows program, you are expected to write your thesis for honors in your entrance major. You do have the right to pursue honors elsewhere, for instance in a concurrent major for which you were not admitted to the Honors College, but there is no guarantee of approval.

Topic, Not Professor

Typically, the area of honors suggested by the topic aligns with the professor's affiliation, as when you seek honors in history based on a history thesis supervised by a professor of history. But if the supervisor happens to be a professor of literature, you are still able to pursue honors in history based on the substance and methodology of the thesis.

This is especially worth remembering in the life sciences, where faculty expertise is spread among many different departments and colleges. As always, the honors adviser in the intended area of honors is the gatekeeper for whether a given thesis topic and supervisor are acceptable.

From Proposal to Thesis

Timetable & benchmarks.

The thesis proposal does not require a timetable, but you and your supervisor should have a clear idea of how much you should accomplish on a monthly basis all the way through completion. Not all of those monthly benchmarks will be actual written work; for many Schreyer Scholars the write-up will not come until toward the end. If you fall behind during the earlier part of the thesis timeline, it will be difficult if not impossible to make up that ground later.

Regular Meetings with Your Thesis Supervisor

You should take proactive steps against procrastination by making yourself accountable to someone other than yourself. Scheduling regular meetings (or e-mailing regular updates) with your thesis supervisor — even if you are working in the same lab routinely — is the best way to do that. You should also regularly update your thesis honors adviser.

Think ahead, preferably well before the time of your thesis proposal, about what your thesis work will mean for your fourth-year schedule. This is especially important if you have a significant capstone requirement like student teaching for education majors, or if you expect to do a lot of job interviews or graduate/professional school visits.

There are many reasons to plan to include the summer between third and fourth year in your research timeline: those mentioned above, plus the benefit of devoting yourself full-time to the thesis, whether it is in a lab on campus or in the field. Funding opportunities for full-time summer thesis research include Schreyer Honors College grants , the Erickson Undergraduate Education Discovery Grant , and funding via your thesis supervisor (especially in the sciences and engineering).

Department & College Thesis Guides

In addition to this guide, many departments and colleges have thesis guides with important information about their deadlines and expectations. If you do not see your college or department listed, consult with your honors adviser.

• College of Agricultural Sciences
• Smeal College of Business
• Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
• Aerospace Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Biobehavioral Health
• Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Hospitality Management
• Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management
• College of Information Sciences and Technology
• Comparative Literature
• Germanic & Slavic Languages and Literatures
• Global & International Studies
• Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
• College of Nursing
• Astronomy & Astrophysics: Thesis 1
• Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
• Chemistry: Thesis 1 | Thesis 2 | Thesis 3
• Mathematics: Thesis 1 | Thesis 2 | Thesis 3 | Thesis 4 | Thesis 5 | Thesis 6

Follow the Template Formatting Guide

The formatting requirements in this guide apply to all Schreyer Honors theses. Please follow the thesis templates provided below:

Information about using LaTeX is available from the University Libraries .

Formatting Requirements

Fonts & color.

All text should use the Times New Roman font.

Reduced type may be used within tables, figures, and appendices, but font size should be at least 11-point in size and must be completely legible.

The majority of your thesis document should be in black font, however, color is permissible in figures, tables, links, etc.

Organization

Begin each section on a new page. Do the same with each element of the front matter, the reference section, and the appendix.

Try to avoid typing a heading near the bottom of a page unless there is room for at least two lines of text following the heading. Instead you should simply leave a little extra space on the page and begin the heading on the next page.

If you wish you use a "display" page (a page that shows only the chapter title) at the beginning of chapters or appendices, be sure to do so consistently and to count the display page when numbering the pages.

Page Numbers

Excluding the title page and signatory page, every page in the document, including those with tables and figures, must be counted. Use lower case Roman numerals for the front matter and Arabic numbers for the text. The text (or body) of the thesis must begin on page 1. Follow the template provided at the top of this section.

Use the template provided as a pattern for creating your title page. Be sure all faculty members are identified by their correct professional titles. Check with the department for current information. Do not use such designations as "PhD" or "Dr." on the title page. (Ex. John Smith, Professor of English, Thesis Supervisor).

Electronic Approvals

Please submit your final thesis to your Thesis Supervisor and Honors Adviser at least two weeks prior to the final submission due date to allow them ample time for review and suggested changes. Also, please communicate with your professors to find out their schedule and preferred amount of time to review your thesis. Once your thesis is submitted, your committee will review the thesis one last time before giving their final approval.

Number of Approvals

A minimum of two approvals is required on each thesis. If one of the approvers has a dual role (e.g. Thesis Supervisor and Honors Adviser), then list both roles under the professional title. Do not list the same person twice. If the sharing of roles leaves you with fewer than the required number of approvals, an additional approver must be added (Faculty Reader).

Professional Titles

Be sure to identify all faculty by their correct professional titles. Check with the department for current information. Do not use such designations as "PhD" or "Dr." on the title page.

This is a one-paragraph summary of the content of your thesis that identifies concisely the content of the thesis manuscript and important results of your project. Some students like to think of it as an advertisement — i.e., when someone finishes reading it, they should want to examine the rest of your work. Keep it short and include the most interesting points.

The abstract follows the title page, must have the heading ABSTRACT at the top, and is always page Roman number i. There is no restriction on the length of the abstract, but it is usually no longer than one page.

Table of Contents

The table of contents is essentially a topic outline of the thesis and it is compiled by listing the headings in the thesis. You may choose to include first-level headings, first- and second-levels, or all levels. Keep in mind there usually is no index in a thesis, and thus a fairly detailed table of contents can serve as a useful guide for the reader. The table of contents must appear immediately after the abstract and should not list the abstract, the table of contents itself, or the vita.

Be sure the headings listed in the table of contents match word-for-word the headings in the text. Double check to be sure the page numbers are shown. In listing appendices, indicate the title of each appendix. If using display pages, the number of the display page should appear in the table of contents.

Formatting Final Touches

An honors thesis manuscript should replicate the appearance of professional writing in your discipline. Include the elements of a formal piece of academic work accordingly. For specific questions on organization or labeling, check with your thesis supervisor to see if there is a style guide you should use.

Acknowledgements (Optional)

Acknowledgements are not a required component of an honors thesis, but if you want to thank particular colleagues, faculty, librarians, archivists, interviewees, and advisers, here's the place to do it. You should include an acknowledgements page if you received a grant from the University or an outside agency that supported your research.

Tables & Figures

A table is a columnar arrangement of information, often numbers, organized to save space and convey relationships at a glance. A rule of thumb to use in deciding whether given materials are tables or figures is that tables can be typed, but figures must be drawn.

A figure is a graphic illustration such as a chart, graph, diagram, map, or photograph.

Please be sure to insert your table or figure. Do not copy and paste. Once the figure or table is inserted, you right click on it to apply the appropriate label. Afterwards, return to the list of tables or list of figures page, right click on the list, and "update table (entire table)" and the page will automatically hyperlink.

Captions & Numbering

Each table and each figure in the text must have a number and caption. Number them consecutively throughout, beginning with 1, or by chapter using a decimal system.

Style Guides

These parts of the thesis will vary in format depending on the style guide you are following. Your discipline will use a consistent style guide, such as MLA, APA, CBE, or Chicago. Whichever style you are using, stick to the rules and be consistent.

Appendices (Optional)

Material that is pertinent but is somewhat tangential or very detailed (raw data, procedural explanations, etc.) may be placed in an appendix. Appendices should be designated A, B, C (not 1, 2, 3 or I, II, III). If there is only one appendix, call it simply Appendix, not Appendix A. Titles of appendices must be listed in the table of contents. Appendix pages must be numbered consecutively with the text of the thesis (do not number the page A-1, A-2, etc.).

Bibliography/References (Optional)

A thesis can include a bibliography or reference section listing all works that are referred to in the text, and in some cases other works also consulted in the course of research and writing. This section may either precede or follow the appendices (if any), or may appear at the end of each chapter. Usually a single section is more convenient and useful for both author and reader.

The forms used for listing sources in the bibliography/reference section are detailed and complicated, and they vary considerably among academic disciplines. For this reason, you will need to follow a scholarly style manual in your field or perhaps a recent issue of a leading journal as a guide in compiling this section of the thesis.

Academic Vita (Optional)

The academic vita is optional, must be the last page of the document, and is not given a page number or listed in the table of contents. The title — Academic Vita — and the author's name should appear at the top. A standard outline style or a prose form may be used. The vita should be similar to a resume. Do not include your GPA and personal information.

The Final Step Submission Guide

Once your final thesis is approved by your thesis supervisor and honors adviser, you may submit the thesis electronically. This guide will provide the details on how to submit your thesis.

Public Access to Honors Thesis

Open access.

Your electronic thesis is available to anyone who wishes to access it on the web unless you request restricted access. Open access distribution makes the work more widely available than a bound copy on a library shelf.

Restricted Access (Penn State Only)

Access restricted to individuals having a valid Penn State Access Account, for a period of two years. Allows restricted access of the entire work beginning immediately after degree conferral. At the end of the two-year period, the status will automatically change to Open Access. Intended for use by authors in cases where prior public release of the work may compromise its acceptance for publication.

This option secures the body of the thesis for a period of two years. Selection of this option required that an invention disclosure (ID) be filed with the Office of Technology Management (OTM) prior to submission of the final honors thesis and confirmed by OTM. At the end of the two-year period, the work will be released automatically for Open Access unless a written request is made to extend this option for an additional year. The written request for an extension should be sent 30 days prior to the end of the two-year period to the Schreyer Honors College, 10 Schreyer Honors College, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, or by e-mail to [email protected] . Please note: No one will be able to view your work under this option.

Submission Requirements

Electronic submission of the final honors thesis became a requirement in spring semester of 2010. Both the mandatory draft submission and the final copy must be submitted online.

The "official" copy of the honors thesis is the electronic file (eHT), and this is the copy that will be on file with the University Libraries. Electronic submission does not prevent the author from producing hard copies for the department or for personal use. All copies are the responsibility of the author and should be made prior to submission. The Schreyer Honors College does not provide copies.

How to Submit

In order to submit your thesis, you must upload a draft in PDF format to the Electronic Honors Thesis (eHT) website .

What/When to Upload

• The initial submission, the Thesis Format Review, should be the textual thesis only and should be in a single PDF file (it may include image files such as TIFFs or JPEGs)
• The recommended file naming convention is Last_First_Title.pdf
• Failure to submit the Format Review by the deadline will result in removal from the honors graduation checklist. If this occurs, you must either defer graduation or withdraw/be dismissed from the Honors College

Uploading Video, Audio or Large Images

If your thesis content is such that you feel you need to upload content other than text to properly represent your work, upload the textual portion of your thesis first as a single, standalone PDF file. Then, add additional files for any other content as separate uploads.

If the majority of your thesis work is a multimedia presentation (video, slideshow, audio recording, etc.) you are required to upload these files in addition to your PDF.

Acceptable formats include:

Please do not upload any ZIP files. If uploading more than one file, keep individual file sizes for the supplementary material under 50 MB where possible. Large files will upload, but it may take a long time to download for future use.

Final Submission & Approval

Final submission.

In order to submit your final thesis:

• Refer to the thesis templates above to create your title page (no page number).
• Make sure you have correctly spelled "Schreyer Honors College".
• Be sure to include the department in which you are earning honors, your semester and year of graduation (Ex. Spring 2024, not May 2024), your thesis title and your name.
• List the name and professional title of your thesis supervisor and honors adviser (in the department granting honors). If your honors adviser and thesis supervisor are the same person, a second faculty reader signature from the department granting honors is required.
• Include your abstract following your title page (Roman numeral i).
• Make sure your thesis is saved in PDF format.
• Upload your final thesis on the eHT website .

Final Approval

When the final thesis is approved, the author and all committee members will be notified via e-mail of the approval. Your thesis will then be accessible on the eHT website within a month after graduation unless you have specified restricted access.

The honors women's studies class I'm taking right now is phenomenal. Every day I go to the class is really eye-opening. I don't know if I would have gotten that experience without being in Schreyer. Tara Golthi ' 20 Media Studies

Thesis Guidelines Published Theses

The Honors thesis represents the culminating project of your BYU Honors experience. A thesis is not just another research or term paper; it is a much more substantial piece of scholarship completed under the supervision of a faculty advisor and thesis committee. The Honors thesis represents independent, original research or creative work of superior quality that merits publication, presentation, or distribution beyond the campus community. This hallmark of academic excellence should exhibit high standards of quality in its ideas, methodology, accuracy, clarity, reasoning and presentation. The thesis should be the most developed research or creative effort of your undergraduate years.

Honors students typically complete the thesis requirement during their junior and senior years (2-4 semesters) after they have obtained sufficient training in their major to conduct research in a specialized academic field. The thesis process acquaints you firsthand and in depth with the type of scholarly work that characterizes the field you intend to pursue professionally. For these reasons, only under rare circumstances is an Honors thesis topic outside the major area approved. (In most cases, students who complete a thesis outside the major do so in a field cognate to their majors or in a minor.)

Many students report that writing their Honors thesis proved both the most rigorous and the most rewarding academic experience of their college years. Students learn to develop proficient research and rhetorical skills within their discipline while enhancing their academic or professional credentials and making an original contribution to their field.

Prerequisites: Approved Honors Thesis Prospectus

GE Credit: Together with HONRS 320, this course is certified to meet the University GE Advanced Writing & Oral Communication requirement.

While students are actively engaged in the research and writing stages of their thesis, they enroll and complete at least 3.0 and up to 6.0 credits of HONRS 499R, working under the direction of their thesis advisor. This is a variable credit (1-6 credits), independent, pass/fail course, and requires an approved thesis proposal prior to registration. Students receive a “T” (temporary) grade until after they have successfully defended their thesis (grade changes to a Pass) or have graduated without completing the thesis (grade changes to a Fail).

Honors Thesis Guidelines

(Click on Each Section for Details)

Benefits of an Honors Thesis

Essential elements of an honors thesis, creative or performance based projects, people involved, thesis timeline, steps in the thesis process, thesis funding, thesis proposal samples.

Writing an Honors Thesis

An Honors Thesis is a substantial piece of independent research that an undergraduate carries out over two semesters. Students writing Honors Theses take PHIL 691H and 692H, in two different semesters. What follows answers all the most common questions about Honors Theses in Philosophy.

All necessary forms are downloadable and may be found in bold, underlined text below.

Who can write an Honors Thesis in Philosophy?

Any Philosophy major who has a total, cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 and a GPA of at least 3.5 (with a maximum of one course with a PS grade) among their PHIL courses can in principle write an Honors Thesis. In addition, students need to satisfy a set of specific pre-requisites, as outlined below.

What are the pre-requisites for an Honors Thesis in Philosophy?

The requirements for writing an Honors Thesis in Philosophy include

• having taken at least five PHIL courses, including two numbered higher than 299;
• having a total PHIL GPA of at least 3.5 (with a maximum of one course with a PS grade); and
• having done one of the following four things:
• taken and passed PHIL 397;
• successfully completed an Honors Contract associated with a PHIL course;
• received an A or A- in a 300-level course in the same area of philosophy as the proposed thesis ; or
• taken and passed a 400-level course in the same area of philosophy as the proposed thesis .

When should I get started?

You should get started with the application process and search for a prospective advisor the semester before you plan to start writing your thesis – that is, the semester before the one in which you want to take PHIL 691H.

Often, though not always, PHIL 691H and 692H are taken in the fall and spring semesters of the senior year, respectively. It is also possible to start earlier and take 691H in the spring semester of the junior year and PHIL 692H in the fall of the senior year. Starting earlier has some important advantages. One is that it means you will finish your thesis in time to use it as a writing sample, should you decide to apply to graduate school. Another is that it avoids a mad rush near the very end of your last semester.

How do I get started?

Step 1: fill out the honors thesis application.

The first thing you need to do is fill out an Honors Thesis Application   and submit it to the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) for their approval.

Step 2: Find an Honors Thesis Advisor with the help of the DUS

Once you have been approved to write an Honors Thesis, you will consult with the DUS about the project that you have in mind and about which faculty member would be an appropriate advisor for your thesis. It is recommended that you reach out informally to prospective advisors to talk about their availability and interest in your project ahead of time, and that you include those suggestions in your application, but it is not until your application has been approved that the DUS will officially invite the faculty member of your choice to serve as your advisor. You will be included in this correspondence and will receive written confirmation from your prospective advisor.

Agreeing to be the advisor for an Honors Thesis is a major commitment, so bear in mind that there is a real possibility that someone asked to be your advisor will say no. Unfortunately, if we cannot find an advisor, you cannot write an Honors Thesis.

Step 3: Fill out the required paperwork needed to register for PHIL 691H

Finally, preferably one or two weeks before the start of classes (or as soon as you have secured the commitment of a faculty advisor), you need to fill out an Honors Thesis Contract and an Honors Thesis Learning Contract , get them both signed by your advisor, and email them to the DUS.

Once the DUS approves both of these forms, they’ll get you registered for PHIL 691H. All of this should take place no later than the 5th day of classes in any given semester (preferably sooner).

What happens when I take PHIL 691H and PHIL 692H?

PHIL 691H and PHIL 692H are the course numbers that you sign up for to get credit for working on an Honors Thesis. These classes have official meeting times and places. In the case of PHIL 691H , those are a mere formality: You will meet with your advisor at times you both agree upon. But in the case of PHIL 692H , they are not a mere formality: The class will actually meet as a group, at least for the first few weeks of the semester (please see below).

When you take PHIL 691H, you should meet with your advisor during the first 5 days of classes and, if you have not done so already, fill out an Honors Thesis Learning Contract  and turn in to the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) . This Contract will serve as your course syllabus and must be turned in and approved no later than the 5th day of classes in any given semester (preferably sooner). Once the DUS approves your Honors Thesis Learning Contract, they’ll get you registered for PHIL 691H.

Over the course of the semester, you will meet regularly with your advisor. By the last day of classes, you must turn in a 10-page paper on your thesis topic; this can turn out to be part of your final thesis, but it doesn’t have to. In order to continue working on an Honors Thesis the following semester, this paper must show promise of your ability to complete one, in the opinion of your advisor. Your advisor should assign you a grade of “ SP ” at the conclusion of the semester, signifying “satisfactory progress” (so you can move on to PHIL 692H). Please see page 3 of this document for more information.

When you take PHIL 692H, you’ll still need to work with your advisor to fill out an Honors Thesis Learning Contract . This Contract will serve as your course syllabus and must be turned in to and approved by the DUS  no later than the 5th day of classes in any given semester (preferably sooner).

Once the DUS approves your Honors Thesis Learning Contract, they’ll get you registered for PHIL 692H.

At the end of the second semester of senior honors thesis work (PHIL 692H), your advisor should assign you a permanent letter grade. Your advisor should also change your PHIL 691H grade from “ SP ” to a permanent letter grade. Please see page 3 of this document for more information.

The Graduate Course Option

If you and your advisor agree, you may exercise the Graduate Course Option. If you do this, then during the semester when you are enrolled in either PHIL 691H or PHIL 692H, you will attend and do the work for a graduate level PHIL course. (You won’t be officially enrolled in that course.) A paper you write for this course will be the basis for your Honors Thesis. If you exercise this option, then you will be excused from the other requirements of the thesis course (either 691H or 692H) that you are taking that semester.

Who can be my advisor?

Any faculty member on a longer-than-one-year contract in the Department of Philosophy may serve as your honors thesis advisor. You will eventually form a committee of three professors, of which one can be from outside the Department.  But your advisor must have an appointment in the Philosophy Department. Graduate Students are not eligible to advise Honors Theses.

Who should be my advisor?

Any faculty member on a longer-than-one-year contract in the Department of Philosophy may serve as your honors thesis advisor. It makes most sense to ask a professor who already knows you from having had you as a student in a class. In some cases, though, this is either not possible, or else there is someone on the faculty who is an expert on the topic you want to write about, but from whom you have not taken a class. Information about which faculty members are especially qualified to advise thesis projects in particular areas of philosophy can be found  here .

What about the defense?

You and your advisor should compose a committee of three professors (including the advisor) who will examine you and your thesis. Once the committee is composed, you will need to schedule an oral examination, a.k.a. a defense. You should take the initiative here, communicating with all members of your committee in an effort to find a block of time (a little over an hour) when all three of you can meet. The thesis must be defended by a deadline , set by Honors Carolina , which is usually a couple of weeks before the end of classes. Students are required to upload the final version of their thesis to the  Carolina Digital Repository  by the final day of class in the semester in which they complete the thesis course work and thesis defense.

What is an Honors Thesis in Philosophy like?

An Honors Thesis in Philosophy is a piece of writing in the same genre as a typical philosophy journal article. There is no specific length requirement, but 30 pages (double-spaced) is a good guideline. Some examples of successfully defended Honors The easiest way to find theses of past philosophy students is on the web in the Carolina Digital Repository . Some older, hard copies of theses are located on the bookshelf in suite 107 of Caldwell Hall. (You may ask the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) , or anyone else who happens to be handy, to show you where it is!)

How does the Honors Thesis get evaluated?

The honors thesis committee will evaluate the quality and originality of your thesis as well as of your defense and then decides between the following three options:

• they may award only course credit for the thesis work if the thesis is of acceptable quality;
• they may designate that the student graduate with honors if the thesis is of a very strong quality;
• they may  recommend  that the student graduate with highest honors if the thesis is of exceptional quality.

As a matter of best practice, our philosophy department requires that examining committees refer all candidates for highest honors to our Undergraduate Committee chaired by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. This committee evaluates nominated projects and makes the final decision on awarding highest honors. Highest honors should be awarded only to students who have met the most rigorous standards of scholarly excellence.

Home > STUDENTWORK > HONORS-THESIS

Honors Thesis

An Honors thesis is the capstone project for all students who plan to graduate from the Honors Program at USD. The thesis can take many forms – from a scientific experiment or literary analysis to an original novel, play, or music composition – and allows students to explore a topic they are passionate about. Honors students have a thesis advisor, a faculty member that works closely with them throughout their thesis process, and a thesis committee made up of a small number of faculty members and other stakeholders who do work related to the thesis topic. This support network helps guide students through their thesis process to a successful defense and completion of the project.

Honors Theses from 2024 2024

THE DEARTH OF KNOWLEDGE OF HEALTH INSURANCE LITERACY WITHIN THE UNITED STATES , Katherine A. Conzet

MENTAL HEALTH AMONG COLLEGIATE ATHLETES , Stella Elise Fairbanks

BEYOND AMATEURISM: EXAMINING THE POTENTIAL LABOR EXPENSES OF NCAA STUDENT-ATHLETE EMPLOYMENT , Alayna K. Falak

STRATEGIES OVER KNOWLEDGE: TRAINING GAPS PRESENT IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER FOR PEDIATRIC AND STUDENT NURSES , Jasmine E. Johnson

Development of Equipment Testing Hardware for the SuperCDMS Experiment , Oleksandra Lukina

NAVIGATING MURKY WATERS: STATE-LEVEL STRATEGIES FOR WETLAND PRESERVATION AND TILE DRAINAGE REGULATION AFTER SACKETT V. EPA , Caleb M. Swanson

Honors Theses from 2023 2023

Exploring the Relationship Between Civil Legal Assistance and the Outcomes of Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Victims: A Literature Review , Kailena E. Anderson

UNDERSTANDING DISORDERED EATING ATTITUDES AND PATTERNS IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO CAMPUS DINING SERVICES , Benjamin A. Bartling

Investigating Telomere Lengths in Chestnut-Crowned Babblers , Gabriella Rose Beberg

An Economic Analysis of the United Kingdom Given the Possible Effects of Overthrowing the Northern Ireland Protocol , Joshua P. Brink

The Migrant Communities Of South Sioux City , Graciela DeAnda

What Does the Current Research Say About Effective Strategies for Teaching Reading Fluency? , Talia E. DeWitte

Examining the Benefits of Adding Mindfulness-Based Programs in the Curriculum of Undergraduate and Graduate Social Work Programs: A Review of Literature , Sarah M. Dickerson

Physician Assistant Professional Issues: Optimal Team Practice in South Dakota , Michael J. Eggum

Disease Prevalence and Selenium Bioaccumulation in Northern Leopard Frogs (Lithobates pipiens) , Emily B. Eisenbraun

Remote Monitoring of a Dark Matter Detector Power Supply , Sedonah L. Franzen

No More Empty Stadiums: A Meta Analysis of Mega Sporting Events and Their Economic Impact , Tayte O. Gleason

Oral Health in Relation to the Covid-19 Pandemic , Anika L. Gram

Bipartisan Legislation in Supermajority State Legislatures , Ashley R. Gustafson

Genetic Influences on the Response to Neuromodulation in Craving Behaviors , Carly J. Haring

Measuring Selenoprotein Content in False Map Turtles (Graptemys pseudogeographica) Along the Missouri River , Ruby A. Hawks

HOW PHYLOGENY AND ARBOREALITY AFFECT PELVIC GIRDLE ANATOMY OF CHAMELEONS , Dakota J. John

Discrepancies in the Estimation of Vaping Rates Among College Students , Cameron J. Klug

The Relationship Between Cerebrovascular Impairment and Behavioral Abnormalities in Rats Exposed to Alcohol In Utero , Tiffany M. Knecht

HOLLOW Mn3O4 NANOPARTICLES FOR CATALYTIC OXIDATION OF ALKENES IN AIR , Nathan R. Loutsch

The Economic, Mental Health, and Social Stressors During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Native Americans in South Dakota , Savannah E. Lukkes

Wastewater: History and Impact on Society , James H. Macy

Investigating the Effects of Sex and Carvedilol on Ischemia Preconditioning Protective Effect , Casey JC Miller

Horizontal Transmission of Salmonella typhimurium Among German Cockroaches and Possible Mechanisms , Madison Anne Mond

ESG Disclosure Scores and CEO Compensation , Zane M. Rankin

Forming a Global Citizen: Personal Development Through Study Abroad , Anna L. Reiter

Ecological and Evolutionary Drivers of Chameleon Forelimb Variation , Ellie M. Schley

DETECTION OF SARS-COV-2 MUTATIONS IN VERMILLION, SD, WASTEWATER UTILIZING PROBE-BASED RT-QPCR , Matthew J. Schmitz

Assessing Gender Differences in USD Students in the Consumption of Pornography , Abbey Selleck

Using µCT scans to create 3D skull puzzles as open-access pedagogical tools for anatomy and comparative osteology classes. , Alexis Slack

Midwest Opportunity Zones: A Regional and Comparative Analysis of Tract Selection , Breana R. Spinler

Marijuana Use During Pregnancy: Outcomes for the Pregnant Person, the Fetus, and Provider Recommendations , Anna E. Sump

COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE AND ITS PERCEIVED EFFECTS ON CANCER PATIENTS , Madison A. Sundvold

WOMEN IN ORGANIZATIONS: LEADERSHIP AND OVERCOMING BIASES , Madison T. Witt

Honors Theses from 2022 2022

Study of Adaptive Radiation Effects on Sprint Performance in Anolis Ecomorphs , Alexander J. Bergeson

TICK SURVEILLANCE AND PATHOGEN DETECTION IN EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA , Holly E. Black

AN ANALYSIS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA , Alexandra J. Buss

Memorable Messages in BRCA-positive Disclosures , Alyssa R. Cam

Analysis of Protein-Protein Interaction Networks in Aging Flight Muscle of the Male Hawk Moth, Manduca sexta , Kylie N. Christiansen

Factors Affecting Emergency Department Mental Health Visits , Logan Daul

Bare: the Modern Female Nude Uncovered , Tasha A. Determan

Investigating the Effect of Meaningful Relationships on Team Chemistry , Isabel N. Fairbanks

Bilingual Behaviors: Learning Context in Second Language Acquisition , Sydney M. Fulton

Integrating History into Healthcare: Understanding Links Between Past Traumas and Current Health Disparities within the Native American Population , Alison A. Gisi

Juvenile Solitary Confinement and the Eighth Amendment , Taylor R. Graves

Qualitative Analysis of South Dakota Community Health Needs Assessments , Rachel Greiner

Convolutional Neural Network for COVID-19 Detection in Chest X-Rays , Joshua Elliot Henderson

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA FACULTY AND STUDENT PERSPECTIVES ON SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION , Morgan A. Hughes Mrs.

ANTITRUST PHILOSOPHY AND ITS IMPACT ON RURAL INDUSTRY , Logan Gary Johnson

CONSIDERATIONS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT DATA COLLECTION IN SOUTH DAKOTA: A CROSS-NATIONAL COMPARISON WITH IRELAND , Mattie J. Jones

Barriers for Small Businesses to Adopt Sustainable Practices in the Sioux Falls Area , Meredith King

EFFECTS OF PRE-LITERACY ON HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH LEARNERS (ELS) IN THE RURAL UPPER MIDWEST , Maciah L. Lorang

To Live With , Serina Lund

Cognitive Task Enhancement Through Alpha Neurofeedback , Hannah L. Meyer and Douglas Peterson

EVALUATION OF ANTIBODY RESPONSE AGAINST G4 AND G1 EURASIAN AVIAN-LIKE H1N1 STRAINS WITH HA VACCINATION IN SWINE. , Callie Jo Olson

Assessing Student Utilization, Accessibility, and Awareness of Mental Health Practices at the University of South Dakota , Melissa N. Pham

The Relationship between Pro-stress and Anti-stress Receptors in the Stress-Learning Brain Regions of Female Mice , Nathan Popp

Women's Representation and Its Impact on Global Female Physical Security , Sydnee D. Pottebaum

The Impact of Sleep on Athletic Performance: A Review of the Literature , Rylan J. Pratt

Preventative Healthcare Programs , Caileb T. Reilly

TROPHISH: BUILDING A GLOBAL DATABASE OF FRESHWATER TROPHIC INTERACTIONS , Jacob M. Ridgway

Nitro-Aromatic Polymers for Conversion-Style Battery Cathodic Materials , Brady P. Samuelson

Communication Disorders and Mental Health: A Scoping Review , Haven B. Schultze

A Document Analysis of Political Rhetoric in 2021-22 South Dakota Higher Education , Carson M. Sehr

Testing for Transferred Immunity of a Universal Influenza Vaccine in Pigs , Rachel Marie Sestak

BUY-ONLINE-PICKUP-IN-STORE (BOPIS) BUSINESS STRATEGY: A MULTIVARITE STUDY OF BOPIS INFLUENCING FACTORS ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION , Addison G. Smith

Reno-protective and Immune Effects of Growth Differentiation Factor 15 in Obesity-related Kidney Disease , Jessie T. Sullivan

Perception of the COVID-19 Vaccine Compared to Previous Historic Vaccine Programs Amongst the Influence of Modern Society , Kianna Thelen

Representation of Women & BBIA Composers in the Teaching Music through Performance in Band Series , Alicia M. Turnquist

Paleopathological Analyses of Maya Skeletal Samples to Reconstruct Childhood Health and Frailty , Kira J. Wilde

The Well-being Outcomes of Sexual Assault Survivors After Sexual Assault Kit Examinations , Brianna N. Zimmer

Honors Theses from 2021 2021

The Emergence of Neurology During the American Civil War: The Delafield Commission's Impact on Military Medicine , Michaela Ahrenholtz

DECREASED ACTIVITY OF PHOSPHOFRUCTOKINASE-1 IN FLIGHT MUSCLE CELLS OF HAWK MOTH MANDUCA SEXTA WITH AGE , Owen G. Alvine

Breaking the Cognitive Spell: Cognitive Fusion Mediates the Relation of Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity and Rumination in Undergraduate College Students , Jacey L. Anderberg

Let's Talk About (Cred)it , Taylor J. Anderson

Catabolism of BCAAs and Application , Skylar Arellano-Myers

In Loving Memory: Beginning the Conversation on Grief and Loss , Sydney Anne Bitz

Empathy Training to Combat Provider Burnout in Geriatric Healthcare , Heather N. Block

Accounting Implications Derived from Consumer Big Data , Benjamin E. Boehrns

PVN ACTIVITY IN CARDIAC SYMPATHETIC AFFERENT REFLEX (CSAR) CONTROL AND CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION , Shane H. Boomer

A Criminological Analysis of Notorious Serial Killers in the United States , Hannah E. Booth

Rhythm of the Night: Brain Activity and Performance on a Sustained Attention Task is Modulated by Circadian Typology and Time of Day , Carly R. Cooper

Overgrown: A Collection of Supernatural Narratives , Emily Dawn Cote

MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS OF HUMAN CELL PROTEINS WITH SARS-COV-2 VERSUS INFLUENZA VIRUSES , Linze Cowman

An Analysis of Dyslexia Legisation and Implementation Guidelines in Midwestern States , Josephine A. Denning

Indigenous Peoples' Trust in Police: Multi-Jurisdictional Issues and the Effect on Reporting , Anna R. Doering

Students Perceptions of Alcohol Use on University Campuses , Phil J. Dohn

Disparities in Access to Assisted Reproductive Technology Among Hispanic Women in the United States , Madison Gallagher

Selenium Burdens in Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) , Holly A. Gerberding

An Annual Training Plan for Collegiate Dance , Ashley R. German

Influence of Social Rejection and Borderline Personality Features on Emotion Perception , Ashmita Ghosh

Nitro Group Reduction for Use in Organic, Cathodic Materials , Brock G. Goeden

EFFECTS OF A SLOW-DEEP BREATHING PROTOCOL ON LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE: A RAPID REVIEW , Amanda Gravholt

ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF URANYL-PEROXIDE SPECIES , Ethan T. Hare

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Honors Thesis

The honors thesis is an opportunity to undertake original thinking and to work closely with faculty members on advanced research topics or creative endeavors.

The Honors Thesis is a substantial study of a carefully defined question or problem that’s important to you. This problem may be critical, experimental, applied, or creative in nature.

Every Honors Thesis will take the form of a written document that demonstrates critical thinking, a mastery of disciplinary material, and the communication of complex ideas. For the Creative Portfolio, your document will be accompanied by an artifact such as a musical score, film, computer program, or invention that embodies the work done for the thesis. The completion of an honors thesis concludes with a final presentation.

Why do an Honors Thesis?

The Honors Thesis is a comprehensive effort of original scholarship and is the culminating experience of your Commonwealth Honors College academic journey. 

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Honors thesis, thesis overview.

The Honors thesis is a chance for students to showcase their intellectual and creative talents.  The Honors thesis presents students with an opportunity to experience first-hand the creative processes that are fundamental to research and artistry. The thesis is the quintessential capstone for the honors experience and allows students to deeply explore academic aspects of their most passionate interests, engage in the process of discovery, make a creative contribution in their area(s) of interest, and work one-on-one with a faculty thesis advisor who is an expert in the area. This is a sustained project, typically completed in a student’s senior year.  In many ways the thesis represents the culmination of an undergraduate honors student’s experience at CSU, drawing on all the skills, knowledge, and insights acquired; therefore, c ompletion of the thesis is required for graduation as an Honors Scholar.

Honors Thesis Guide

Pre-Thesis Portal

Thesis portal, additional resources, preliminary proposal template, formal proposal template.

Thesis Advisor Guide

Committee Member Guide

Proud of Your Thesis?

Getting started

Preparing for the honors thesis

What is the honors thesis?

The honors thesis is the culmination of Barrett students’ honors experience and their entire undergraduate education.

The honors thesis is an original piece of work developed by a student under the guidance of a thesis committee. It is an opportunity for students to work closely with faculty on important research questions and creative ideas. The honors thesis can have either a research or creative focus, and enables students to design, execute and present an intellectually rigorous project in their chosen field of study.

The first step in the honors thesis process is the completion of a thesis preparation workshop.

These workshops are places for you to brainstorm topics, learn about the honors thesis process, gain feedback on your ideas, ask questions, and create a to-do list for your honors thesis. Completion of a thesis preparation workshop is required before enrolling in thesis credits, and we encourage you to participate in a workshop by the first semester of your junior year.

There are two options for completing a thesis preparation workshop.

Enroll in the online self-paced workshop

Or, sign up to attend a live workshop offered in the fall or spring semester:

Mon, Feb 5th 10:30 - 11:30am  Athena Conference Room UCB 201 (West Valley campus)  RSVP

Wed, Feb 7th 10:00am - 11:00am  Athena Conference Room UCB 201 (West Valley campus)  RSVP 

Thu, Feb 8th 2:30pm - 3:30pm  Athena Conference Room UCB 201 (West Valley campus)  RSVP

Fri, Feb 9th 4pm - 5pm  Hayden Library Room 236 (Tempe campus)  RSVP

Thu, Feb 15th 4:30pm - 6pm  Hayden Library Room 236 (Tempe campus)  RSVP

Thu, Feb 29th 5pm - 6:30pm  Virtual (Zoom)  RSVP

Fri, Mar 15th 4pm - 5:30pm  Hayden Library Room 236 (Tempe campus)  RSVP

Fri, Apr 5th 4pm - 5:30pm  Virtual (Zoom)  RSVP

Thu, Apr 11th 5pm - 6:30pm  Virtual (Zoom)  RSVP

Ready to take the next step?

Following the completion of a thesis preparation workshop, Barrett students should schedule a thesis advising appointment with their Barrett Honors Advisor to discuss and review the guidebook, checklist and the due dates that correspond with the semester they intend to complete their undergraduate degree.

Honors Thesis Student Guidebook

Please explore the resources available to you within this guidebook to ensure your success. Refer to the checklist on page 13 to continue moving forward in the process.

View the Student Guidebook

Student Guidebook sections

What is the honors thesis.

The honors thesis project is an original piece of work by a student, in collaboration with their thesis director and committee. Most students complete an honors thesis within their major department but may choose a topic outside of the major. Each department may set its own standards for methodology (i.e., empirical, comparative, or descriptive), project length, and so on. Review the relevant Opportunities in the Major documents created by the Faculty Honors Advisors (FHAs)  here , and contact the FHAs in your area(s) of interest for additional information.

A thesis can be:

• A scholarly research project involving analysis that is presented in written form. Represents a commitment to research, critical thinking, and an informed viewpoint of the student.
• A creative project that combines scholarship and creative work in which the primary outcome consists of something other than a written document but includes a written document that supports the creative endeavor and involves scholarly research.
• A group project that brings together more than one Barrett student to work on a thesis collaboratively. Working in a group gives students valuable experience and enables them to take on larger, more complicated topics. Students may begin a group project with approval of a Thesis Director.

Selecting a Topic

Because the honors thesis is the culmination of undergraduate studies, begin thinking about a topic early. Many students base the honors thesis on an aspect of coursework, internship, or research. Once an area of interest is identified, take two or three courses that concentrate in that specific area.  Selecting a topic should ultimately be done under the guidance of faculty. The honors thesis is a joint effort between students and faculty.

Consider these tips and resources as you begin the process of selecting a topic: 

• Reflect on past experience to determine interests.
• Talk to faculty including Faculty Honors Advisors about topics that are interesting and relevant to coursework, major, career interests, or from ongoing faculty research.
• View past honors theses through the ASU Library Digital Repository .

Thesis Pathways

Honors Thesis Pathways are unique thesis opportunities, where students can be paired with faculty on interesting and engaging topics. The pathway options provide students a structured experience in completing their thesis, while researching a topic that interests them.

The committee consists of a Director, a Second Committee Member, and may include a Third Committee Member. Ultimately, your committee must approve your thesis/creative project, so work closely with them throughout the process.  Specific academic unit committee requirements can be found here .

• Any member of ASU faculty with professional expertise in the project area. (This excludes graduate students.)
• Includes lecturer and tenure-line faculty.
• Primary supervisor of the project.
• Conducts regular meetings, provides feedback, sets expectations, and presides over the defense.

*Emeritus faculty may serve as thesis directors as approved by the FHA from the department which the thesis is to be completed. Directors are expected to be physically present at the honors thesis defense. They may not be reimbursed for travel related to attending the defense.

Second Committee Member

• Individual whom you and your Director decide is appropriate to serve based on knowledge and experience with the thesis topic.
• Credentials will be determined by the Director and the criteria of that academic unit.
• Conducts regular meetings, provides feedback, and offers additional evaluation at the defense.

Third Committee Member (optional-varies by academic unit)

• Faculty member or qualified professional.
• If required, credentials will be determined by the Director and the criteria of that academic unit.
• External Examiners are Third Committee Members.
• Offer insight and expertise on the topic and provides additional evaluation at the defense.

The prospectus serves as an action plan for the honors thesis and provides a definitive list of goals, procedures, expectations, and an overall timeline including internal deadlines for your work. This will lay the groundwork for your project and serve as a reference point for you and your committee. You and your committee should work together to solidify a topic and create project goals. 

Submit your prospectus online

Registration and Grading

To register:

• Be enrolled in Barrett, The Honors College and in academic good standing. 
• Have the approval of the faculty member who serves as the Director. 
• In-person Barrett thesis workshop
• Online (via Blackboard) Barrett thesis workshop. Self-enroll- search words “Barrett Honors Thesis Online Workshop”
• Major specific thesis preparatory workshop or course may be available in limited academic units.

Register for the honors thesis through the department of the Director .   First, obtain override permission from the department of the Director during normal enrollment periods. 

Thesis Credits (up to 6 hours)

• 492 Honors Directed Study: taken in the first semester during research and creation of the project (not offered by all departments).
• 493 Honors Thesis: taken in the second semester for defense and completion of the project.  
• 492 and 493 are sequential and may not be taken in the same semester.  
• You must register for and successfully complete at least 493 (or its equivalent) to graduate from Barrett, The Honors College.

Grading the Honors Thesis

When the honors thesis is completed and approved by the committee, the Director assigns a course grade. Criteria and evaluation for grading are determined by the Director and the standards of that academic discipline.   

If you enroll in 492, the Director has the option of assigning a Z grade until the project is completed.

The assignment of a Z grade indicates that a project is in progress and delays placement of a final grade until completion. 

Defense and Final Steps

• Presentation and summary of the honors thesis. Format, content, and length are determined by the Director and standards of the content area. Plan to review the origins of the project, its scope, the methodology used, significant findings, and conclusions. 
• Submit final draft to the committee at least two weeks before the defense. Allow time for revisions leading up to the defense.
• Work with your committee to set a defense and report to Barrett using the Honors Defense and Thesis Approval form. Once submitted, your Director will automatically be emailed an approval link on the date of your defense.
• All committee members must participate in the defense.
• Group projects: Each student is required to submit an individual Honors Defense and Thesis Approval form. All group members must participate in the defense. 
• Defenses are open to the ASU community and published to the Defense Calendar.
• Following the presentation, committee members will ask questions about issues raised in the work, choices made in the research, and any further outcomes.
• At the conclusion of the discussion, the committee will convene to provide an outcome that will determine next steps.

Thesis Outcomes

• Minor format/editorial corrections may be suggested.
• Director will report approval using the Final Thesis Approval link emailed to them on the defense date.
• Your next step is to upload your approved final project to the Barrett Digital Repository.

Provisional Approval (Common outcome)

• More significant revisions required.
• Once revisions are complete, Director will report approval using the Final Thesis Approval link emailed to them on the defense date.
• Your next step is to upload your approved final project to the Barrett Digital Repository after revisions are approved.

Not approved (Least common outcome)

• Basic design and/or overall execution of the honors thesis is significantly flawed.
• The Director and committee may continue working with the student to make major revisions. You should discuss this with committee and Honors Advisor about implications on Barrett graduation.

Honors College

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• Earning Honors College Credits

Thesis Day December 8th, 2023  Program Schedule

Students completing the Distinguished Honors College Scholar Award or the Advanced Honors College Scholar Award are required to complete an Honors thesis.  This page provides an overview of the thesis process; students should download and review the Student Guide to Honors Theses for full details and policies.

What is a thesis?

A thesis project is an extended piece of independent student research typically completed during a student’s final year of undergraduate study. Theses draw on scholarly resources and follow the conventions of research/creative activity in their discipline. A thesis demonstrates a student’s ability to conduct research and write effectively. Students work closely with a faculty mentor to design a feasible topic and an appropriate plan for a thesis project, but the student is responsible for all aspects of the project’s planning and execution.

What is the thesis process like?

Completing a thesis is a multiple-semester process. Ideally, students will develop their thesis proposals by enrolling in HNRS 3500: Honors Thesis Proposal at least 2 semesters prior to graduation. (If this is not possible you can work with your faculty mentor to complete your proposal outside of this class.) After your thesis proposal is approved by your faculty mentor and their department chair, you submit it to the Honors College so you can be enrolled in an independent-study style course for thesis credit.

During the semester you are enrolled for thesis credit, you will meet with your faculty mentor regularly to review your progress and stay on track. At the end of the semester, you will defend your thesis at Honors College Thesis Day.

Each stage in the thesis process is reviewed in more detail below.

Find a faculty mentor.

Thesis projects must be supervised by a full-time, permanent UNT faculty member. Most students complete theses in their major and work with a faculty member in that department. Students often work with professors they have previously taken a course with. Use UNT’s Faculty Information System to find information about UNT faculty members’ research interests and try to take classes early in your undergraduate career with faculty whose research interests align with yours. You will need to identify one faculty member to serve as your primary mentor and a second to serve on your thesis committee. 

Prepare your Thesis Proposal.

The Thesis Proposal provides a roadmap for your research project. It tells your thesis committee and the Honors College what you will do for your Honors thesis project. Most students complete the proposal through HNRS 3500: Honors Thesis Proposal , though this document can also be written as an Honors contract, Mentored Research Experience, or independently (in consultation with your faculty mentor). Speak to an Honors advisor to discuss an appropriate pathway to completing a thesis proposal.

Your Thesis Proposal will include the following information:

• An abstract,
• An introduction that clearly articulates your research question/thesis statement,
• An overview of the most relevant scholarly literature that your project draws on,
• A discussion of the methods you will use to carry out your research,
• A work plan including regular meetings with your mentor and a time table for completing your thesis, and
• A preliminary list of references. 

If your research will utilize human subjects, you must request approval from the UNT Institutional Review Board before beginning your data collection. If your project requires IRB approval, you must submit a copy of your IRB application to the Honors College with your Thesis Proposal.

Complete your thesis project.

Once your Thesis Proposal is approved by the Honors College, you will be enrolled in an Honors thesis course (either HNRS 4951 or a department equivalent, e.g. BIOL 4951). The class will not have pre-assigned meeting times; you and your faculty mentor will meet according to the schedule provided in your Thesis Proposal.

There is no single correct format for a thesis. The norms of your field should guide the writing and presentation. Choose the style manual most relevant to your field of study and use it consistently. Thesis projects must use proper grammar and syntax.

Complete your project and submit it to your thesis committee by the Honors College deadline. Your committee members will review your work and identify revisions that need to be made before your thesis can be defended.

Defend your thesis.

If your faculty mentor approves your project for defense, you will present your research at Honors College Thesis Day. Thesis defenses are open to the public and mark the completion of a substantial academic achievement.

Thesis defenses typically take the following form:

• Presentation of your research findings (15-25 minutes)
• Opportunity for questions from thesis committee members
• Opportunity for general audience questions
• Committee deliberations regarding project (everyone else leaves the room)
• Student receives feedback (Pass, Pass with revisions, or Did not pass)

Thesis resources, including important dates and faculty and student guides, can be found on the Honors College Canvas page

Senior Honors Thesis

What is a Senior Honors Thesis?

The Senior Honors Thesis is a two-semester, 6 credit research commitment on a topic that you and your faculty mentor agree on. The result is an academic paper, often of publishable quality. Honors Thesis projects are most successful if a student contacts a faculty member he or she would like to work with at least one semester before he or she plans to start researching. Senior Honors Thesis courses can be taken in any semester, including over the summer.

Why write a Senior Honors Thesis?

There are a number of reasons to consider writing a thesis. For one, it is an opportunity to explore a topic that interests you. There may have been a topic in a class or a reading that caught your attention; the senior thesis will allow you to dive deeper into the topic. You will likely master your topic and develop an educated perspective. Secondly, the thesis experience will develop your reading, research and writing skills–skills that will prepare you well for graduate school and other careers. Finally, writing a thesis is required for most Honors in the Major programs. Please talk to your departmental advisor if you have questions about this requirement. Most students find the Senior Thesis a rewarding experience in which they develop new skills through independent work.

First Steps

See our pages on how to get started with the Senior Honors Thesis process!

• Choosing a topic and mentor

Disciplinary Standards

Some departments have web pages about standards for a Senior Honors Thesis; be sure to visit your department’s website and speak with your advisor for information on these standards. If you are interested in seeing a completed senior thesis paper, the Honors Program Office has bound copies of previous students’ thesis work in the Washburn Observatory library — feel free to stop by and browse through some research from your discipline!

Funding your Thesis

Theses can be funded in several ways. First, the Honors Program offers funding each year; please check out our pages on Senior Honors Thesis funding for more information. Hilldale and Holstrom Undergraduate Fellowships are also available to students with at least junior standing at the time of their application. Hilldale fellowships provide generous research support in all disciplines, while Holstrom fellowships are awarded for research on environmental studies. For more information on those awards, contact the Undergraduate Academic Awards Office . Many departments also have funding available for theses. Please talk to your departmental advisor about funding opportunities if your department. There may also be outside agencies that will support senior thesis research.

Registering for Thesis Credits

To register for Senior Honors Thesis credits, you need to contact your faculty advisor; he or she should then get in touch with the appropriate timetable representative or academic advisor who will in turn create a unique 5-digit code for the Departmental 681 course in your first semester and a second, unique code for Departmental 682 in your second semester. Your faculty advisor should be the faculty member listed for your Senior Honors Thesis experience.

Prior authorization is needed when students intend to complete either 681 or 682 while away from UW-Madison. Consult with the Associate Director for Academic Services if this is your intention.

Writing Your Thesis

Naturally, not all theses have the same format. Formats will depend largely on your topic and area of discipline. Most theses, however, have an introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction should motivate the reader to read the rest of the thesis and explain why the thesis question is important. Generally, the introduction should also explain the key vocabulary of the topic, state the thesis and hypotheses, and outline the remainder of the paper (Lipson, 2005). An effective way to organize the body of your thesis is to create subtopics under illustrative headings (2005, pg. 167). Transitions that connect the various subtopics together facilitate a cohesive thesis. The conclusion of your thesis should go beyond summarizing the main points; it should also connect the main findings to broader issues and suggest future research.

A senior thesis seems like a lot of work. Is it worth doing?

Doing a senior thesis is a lot of work and requires a 2-semester commitment to a research project. Whether it is a good choice for you depends on how motivated you are to complete a thesis. Think about your reasons for wanting to do the research. Are you interested in doing a thesis just to complete a requirement, or because you really want the experience of diving into a topic? Those who are motivated because of their interest in reading, writing and researching are less likely to see the thesis as chore. A thesis will likely seem more manageable if you work gradually over the course of the year. This will give you time to obtain all the necessary resources and materials, confront any roadblocks and write multiple drafts of the thesis.

Are there thesis topics that I should avoid?

Lipson (2005) points to a few topics you want to avoid. Many students run into problems when they attempt to write a thesis on too broad of a topic. In general, a narrow, precise research topic is easier to organize and will allow you to narrow your sources. Lipson suggests avoiding topics about the future because it is difficult to test alternative hypotheses for speculative research. Finally, he states that under most circumstances, you ought to avoid thesis questions that start with “should.” These questions are often judgments which cannot be answered by research.

What are some tips for staying organized while working on a senior thesis?

You will likely have lots of materials for your thesis which can make it difficult to stay organized. It is probably best to set up both a computer file for online and computer-generated documents and a folder or notebook for hard copy materials. It is a good idea to record resources and web pages as you use them because they will probably be much more difficult to find down the road. Appropriate labels and folders will help you find what you are looking for. Another tip for staying organized is to record what you worked on each day. This may help you locate materials and keep you on track. A running “to do list” will also keep you focused and organized about what to do next for the thesis (Lipson, 2005).

What should I cite in my thesis?

Virtually all resources used while researching and writing your thesis should be cited. If you are unsure whether you should cite something or not, it is probably better to cite the resource. Quotations, paraphrases and personal communications should all be cited, but established facts are generally not cited. (Lipson, 2005)

What should I do when I am done with my thesis?

First, congratulate yourself on finishing a thesis! It is a good idea to thank those who have helped your with your thesis either verbally or in writing soon after you complete your project. You may also want to talk to your mentor about any next steps related to your thesis. Do you want to try publishing your work? Do you hope to do further research on a related topic? Are you thinking about using your thesis as a writing sample for graduate school? Consider your goals for the thesis and talk these over with your mentor(s). You may also want to ask your mentor(s) for a recommendation letter. Many graduate schools and jobs require letters of recommendation from professors who you have worked with in college. A letter of recommendation might be easier for a mentor to write soon after you have completed the thesis, while you are still fresh in his or her memory. Finally, if you received a grant from the L&S Honors Program, we request a copy of your thesis to be bound and placed in our library. Please drop off a copy of your thesis at Washburn Observatory so we can showcase your work!

Works Cited:

Lipson, Charles. How to Write a BA Thesis: A Practical Guide from your First Ideas to your Finished Paper. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005.

Senior Honors Thesis Pages:

• Submission Guidelines
• Dual Thesis Authorization
• Grading Senior Honors Thesis
• Senior Honors Thesis Links

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards

Honors College Thesis Guidelines

The Senior Honors Thesis in the Honors College is typically envisioned and executed entirely as a written piece of work. This kind of thesis might resemble a long research paper in form, but it is different than a class paper. It tackles a problem that others have not yet addressed adequately, or it approaches the problem from a new angle. Research into what others have said and done is the essential first step, but your thesis should go beyond prior work to include your own insights and critical thinking. You should have an acquaintance with the relevant scholarship and display originality in the formulation of your arguments. Typically, such a thesis will run 50-75 pages.

Enrollment in the HON thesis course sequence is unusual and reserved for interdisciplinary theses subject to approval by the Honors College. In most cases, students enroll in the senior honors thesis through the department of their major.

A senior honors thesis must demonstrate:

• Substantial research-based argumentation (with all the accompanying effective incorporation, analysis, and synthesis and citation of sources)
• Quality organization and prose
• Professional formatting

Deadlines and Procedures

Please refer to the formatting requirements for the college that houses your major, and use the UH Graduate School template for the front matter. Submit your signed defense form and your revised thesis following your defense to Dr. Rikki Bettinger in the Honors College for review of formatting and content by December 1 or May 1 of the semester you defend.

The thesis defense form and directions for submitting the final approved thesis to the Honors College can be found on the Defense and Graduation page . After your thesis is checked and approved, the final thesis must be submitted to the Senior Honors Thesis Electronic Portal by the last day of the term.

There are no bound copies of the thesis required for the Honors College. However, all students who complete the senior honors thesis are welcome to submit a bound copy to the Honors College for display in the Estess Library.

Senior Honors Thesis Representatives

Dr. rikki bettinger.

Senior Honors Thesis Director

[email protected]

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Thesis Information

The following information directs students on proposing, completing and presenting the Eastern Kentucky University Honors Thesis. For complete and detailed information on the Honors thesis, be sure to consult the Honors Thesis Handbook .

An Honors thesis project may take the form of a traditional research thesis or a creative research thesis. Most Honors students (approximately 90 percent) choose to do Honors thesis projects that are closely related to their majors, but it is not required that you do so. Some of our very best Honors theses over the years have been produced by students working either outside their major entirely or in interdisciplinary projects only partially related to their majors.

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The Process

Students should submit the  Honors Thesis Proposal Form at the end of the semester preceding the first semester they enroll in in HON 420. For the student beginning in the fall semester, that means May 1 of the preceding semester. For the student planning to begin in the spring semester, they must submit their proposal by December 1 of the preceding semester. This document briefly describes the thesis project and identifies a thesis mentor. It is important that the student find a thesis mentor who has similar interests and hence can provide useful assistance throughout the two-semester duration of the thesis project.  This document should be electronically submitted to the Honors director.

Most students will complete the thesis over two semesters of HON 420 enrollment, taking 3 credit hours of HON 420 each of the two semesters in order to complete the required (and maximum) six total credit hours of honors thesis credit. We strongly encourage students to begin thesis no later than the second semester of junior year so that they may seek opportunities during their final semester to present their research at conferences and/or publish their work.

The Oral Presentation

The thesis project will be presented orally to an audience of peers, faculty and guests at the Honors Thesis Conference held at the end of each fall and spring semester. The exact dates of the thesis conferences will be determined by the end of the previous semester. The Honors director is responsible for drawing up the schedule of oral presentations. In addition, students enrolled in HON 420 will serve as the discussant for one other thesis student. The discussant’s role is to draw attention to significant points for the discussion period that follows the oral presentation. The Honors director is responsible for assigning students enrolled in HON 420 as discussants.

Students should be aware that the paper they use for their oral presentation will likely not be the same as the written paper which they will turn into their thesis mentor. This is because the requirements of giving a clear and concise oral presentation are different than the requirements of producing a quality written thesis. Students whose thesis project does not take the form of a written paper will still be required to do a presentation of their work.

Grading the Thesis Project

Most students will complete their honors theses through two consecutive semesters of enrollment in HON 420. At the end of the first semester of enrollment, the Honors director, in consultation with the thesis mentor, will assign a letter grade to the student on the basis of the satisfactory completion of all assignments associated with first-semester enrollment in HON 420. Following the completion of the thesis in the second semester of HON 420 enrollment, the faculty mentor will assign a letter grade to the project, and the Honors director will record that grade.

In rare cases, students may elect to do the entire thesis project in a single semester, enrolling for all six required credit hours of HON 420 in that semester. Students should discuss this option at length with the Honors director before registering for the six-hour section of HON 420. In such cases, the faculty mentor will assign the final grade to the project at the end of the semester of the six-hour HON 420 enrollment.

Additional Information

Honors students should be aware that the responsibility for the completion of the thesis project and seminar rests with the student. All written portions of the thesis will be uploaded onto the university’s digital archive at least two weeks before the end of the semester where the mentor will be prompted to view and grade it. If the thesis project takes another form (a concert, art exhibit, etc.) it must be submitted to the archive in an alternative and permanent form.

Graduating students are recognized for their achievements at the Honors Convocation, held at the end of each fall and spring semester. Each student should retain a copy of the finished thesis project and should mention the thesis project in letters of application to graduate and professional schools and potential employers, as it is quite an achievement!

Students are expected to read and review the Honors Thesis Handbook  for complete and detailed information.

Thesis Forms and Documents

Honors Thesis Handbook Honors Thesis Proposal Form Honors Thesis Evaluation Form

Have questions about the Honors Thesis? First, consult the Honors Thesis FAQ page  and the Honors Thesis Handbook . If your question is not answered by either of those documents, email Executive Director of EKU Honors Dr. David Coleman .

Honors Thesis FAQ

Encompass Digital Archive of Honors Theses

IACUC and IRB Information

Spring 2024 Honors Thesis Presentations Honors students will present during April 9-11, 2024 in rooms 220 and 224 in the Powell Building, and room 139 in the University Building.

• Undergraduate Research and Honors Thesis

The Honors College, as the university-wide center for excellence in undergraduate education, plays a crucial role with undergraduate research at Georgia Southern University. Since the beginning of the College, students have been required to complete Honors Theses or Capstone Projects. These faculty mentored projects have spanned traditional research models, applied research, and creative activities in all academic colleges and majors.

Click through the links below to see honors theses submitted in recent years or to view past Honors Research Symposia.  Current students will want to click on the resources section to read about support the College can give them.

Honors Thesis

What is the honors thesis.

The hallmark of an Honors College student’s experience is the Honors Thesis. Students develop a unique research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor in their major discipline. This work gives students the opportunity to become an expert on a topic in their field, and the completed thesis a great accomplishment to share with potential employers, graduate schools, or professional schools.

Students engage in all sorts of projects that fit under the term Honors Thesis including creative, practical, and applied approaches in addition to traditional lab, field, and archival research.

Since 2014, Honors College theses have been uploaded to Digital Commons@Georgia Southern . Click on the link to see the list of majors and click on a major to see specific theses within that field.

What are the steps students need to take for the Honors Thesis?

Students typically start their thesis three to four semesters from their graduation date, and generally they follow these steps:

1. Take their major specific upper-level honors courses. For some majors, these include research hours, research seminars, and thesis seminars. Check your major’s Honors College curriculum sheet for full details.

2. Find a thesis mentor and develop an idea and questions for research. The order of these two actions may vary. Students might settle on a topic and seek a mentor who will work with them. Other students might enjoy a class and ask that professor to work with them on a thesis. And many students find a mentor in the course of doing research or through their thesis and research seminars.

3. Begin preliminary work and develop a Thesis Proposal. Students do this work in consultation with their thesis mentor or in the context of a thesis/research seminar.

4. Submit a Thesis Proposal Form one year prior to graduation. This is also done in consultation with the thesis mentor, and must be signed by the mentor in order to be approved by the Honors College. The deadlines are May 1 for spring and summer graduates of the following year, and December 1 for fall graduates of the following year.

5. Conduct the research and complete the writing. Again, this is in close consultation with the thesis mentor and is ongoing. It is very important that students develop a timeline with their mentor to ensure timely completion of their thesis project.

6. Submit final thesis and upload to Digital Commons. A final thesis must be approved by the mentor. Directions on submission may be found in the Honors Upper Division Handbook . Deadlines are April 1 for spring and summer graduates, and November 1 for fall graduates.

7. Present at the Honors Symposium (fall) or the Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium (spring). All graduating seniors must present their thesis research at the Honors College Research Symposium (fall graduates) or the Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium (spring graduates). See more details in the Honors College Symposium section below.

Important Links

The Thesis Proposal Form  must be submitted one year prior to graduation.

Students and their thesis mentors should also refer to the Honors Thesis Handbook as they prepare their final thesis for submission.

Honors College Symposium

Each fall and spring, graduating seniors in the Honors College present their thesis research to the greater Honors College and Georgia Southern community. In the fall, students will present at the Honors Symposium, and in the spring students will present at the Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium .

Below is a list of past symposia programs. The 2020, Fall 2020, and 2021 program links lead to video recordings for most of the presentations.

• 2022 Honors Research Symposium Program
• Fall 2021 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2021 Honors Research Symposium Program
• Fall 2020 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2020 Honors Research Symposium Program
• Fall 2019 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2019 Honors Research Symposium Program
• Fall 2018 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2018 Honors Research Symposium Program
• Fall 2017 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2017 Honors Research Symposium Program
• Fall 2016 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2016 Honors Research Symposium Program
• Fall 2015 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2015 Honors Research Symposium Program
• Fall 2014 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2014 Honors Research Symposium Program
• Fall 2013 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2013 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2012 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2011 Honors Research Symposium Program
• 2010 Honors Research Symposium Program

Undergraduate Research Fund, Poster Printing, PowerPoint Template

Honors college undergraduate research fund.

Need funding for your project or to travel to a conference? Students seeking support for their research projects may apply to the Honors Undergraduate Research Fund. Monies may be spent on research supplies (ultimately owned by Georgia Southern) or for registration and travel to present research at conferences. Full details are found on the Honors Undergraduate Research Fund Application .

Printing Research Posters for Honors College Students

Presenting a poster at a conference or at the Honors College Symposium or Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium? We’ll print it for free!

Honors College students can submit posters to be printed on the Honors College poster plotter under the following conditions:

• The poster is to be used for a presentation of research or creative activity of the honors student in an honors course or as part of an on-campus or off-campus conference or symposium.
• Poster sizes are typically either 24×36 or 36×48.  (Posters of other sizes will need to be trimmed by student.)
• The poster must include the nameplate of the Honors College.
• Georgia Southern University and the name of the student’s department and mentor should also be listed.
• Avoid overly dark backgrounds that require a lot of ink and drying time.
• File should be saved and submitted as either PDF or PowerPoint slide.
• File should be submitted at least five business days before poster is needed. Posters needed in less than five days might not be printed.
• Send files to Dr. Francis Desiderio at [email protected]

Poster Template:  Below is a suggested template in a Google Slides file. This template contains the nameplate, title section, and headers. Feel free to use this format; however, you should develop different header titles.

Keep in mind that you may design your poster however you wish, but you should strive for a clear and readable presentation.

Honors Poster Template

PowerPoint Template and Honors College Nameplate

The Honors College nameplate should be used on posters. The nameplate also includes the University logo. Please find the Honors College nameplate in this folder:

Last updated: 3/25/2024

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HNRS 4980: How and Why To Write an Honors Thesis: Home

Hnrs 4980 resources.

The information on this guide addresses common questions asked by students completing an Honors Thesis. If your question is not addressed on this page, contact your advisor, professor, or librarian.

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• Last Updated: Oct 28, 2020 2:28 PM
• URL: https://libguides.wmich.edu/HNRS4980

Frequently Asked Questions

Please see pp. 42-45 in the  Guide to Writing a Senior Thesis in Government.

However, in brief the process is such: Two readers assess the thesis (in the case of joint theses, at least one reader in each department reads the thesis). If the two readers’ grades differ by more than one full grade, the thesis is sent to a third reader. In the former case, the grades are simply averaged; if a third read is required, the median grade is weighted at 50% and the outliers at 25%. If a graduating senior is a potential candidate for highest honors, he or she may be asked to sit for an oral exam as well. If that is the case, the grade received in the oral exam is also averaged in. Next, the Faculty Concentration Committee meets to set a provisional cutoff for each level of honors (this differs from year to year). Once this is done, the thesis grades and concentration GPAs are examined in a faculty meeting open to all thesis advisors and faculty members. There, the final honors determination cutoffs are drawn. Once this is done, the English honors have been determined for the Department. However, it is ultimately the University that awards Latin honors on the diploma, so the Department forwards our honors recommendations to University Hall, where the cutoffs for Latin honors are decided separately, with an eye to their distribution across the entire graduating class.

Yes, you may. Each year, whether due to having picked a topic that proves intractable to research or deciding that other commitments are more pressing, a small number (usually not more than 10%) of thesis writers abandon their thesis project. If you know you will not continue to write past the Fall term, complete the requirements for that semester’s Gov 99 and do not register for 99 in the Spring term (it is divisible for precisely this reason). However, if you register for the second half of Gov 99 and do not drop it by the Add/Drop deadline, you’ve committed to handing in a thesis in March. Please stay in touch with the Department and, if you have any inkling that you may not be able to finish the thesis, let us know as soon as possible. Under certain circumstances, we may be able to convert the thesis into Gov 91r: Supervised Reading and Research, if you so desire (and need the credit to graduate).

Gov 99 is meant to help you write the thesis in three main ways: 1) by providing deadlines to keep you on track and get your writing; 2) by focusing on peer-review of your work; 3) and by building a small and supportive community of individuals who are in the same boat as you are.

The Department takes Gov 99 seriously, which is why only faculty members and the most experienced TF are selected to teach this course. In general, you should think of it as playing a supporting role to the advice and mentoring you get from your primary adviser. A good way of thinking about this is that your primary adviser is helping you with the content of the project, and Gov 99 is (hopefully) helping you with more prosaic details (e.g., discussing how best to organize chapters, explaining what role a literature review plays, talking about how to effectively present data or cite sources, and so on).

Note that the successful completion of Gov 99 in the Fall term is a requisite to continuing to write a thesis. Meanwhile, Gov 99 in the Spring term culminates in the physical submission of the thesis to the Department (but is completely independent from the grading of the thesis itself).

Yes. Please see “ concentration requirements ” under academics.

The “right” reasons for writing are many: the satisfaction of digging deep into a topic and seeing a long capstone project through; proving to a PhD admissions committee you “have what it takes” to become a professional academic; taking that last opportunity before finding a job to explore something you’re really passionate about; and yes, even just to get the highest level of honors you can.

However, there are other ways to make your last year at Harvard memorable, and these may even be a better use of your time. The point is, only you can determine if writing a thesis is “right” for you. You shouldn’t write a thesis because you think you need to do so in order to get into law school or business school (you don’t), or because someone told you it is what everyone does (not true). If you do write a thesis, it should be because this is something you want to do for yourself. And if you decide that instead of writing a thesis you’d rather take great class you never had time for, devote more time to an extra-curricular activity, or even study for your LSATs or GMATs—that’s okay too.

Government is an honors-optional concentration and a thesis is required to get departmental honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude in Government). 

Concentrators who don’t write a thesis can still graduate with “cum laude for the overall record” if they have a sufficiently high overall GPA (for June 2018 graduates,  the cutoff was a 3.844  out of 4). Please refer to the  Harvard College Handbook for Students  for more details about this option.

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@bucknellu social media accounts, meet our students social media accounts, preparing and submitting a thesis.

A thesis is required for candidates for honors. Candidates in creative arts sometimes submit other works in place of a thesis. In such cases a formal exhibition is required.

Your honors thesis must follow these instructions.  For a thesis being written as a submission for publication in a scholarly work (such as a scientific journal), a prelude chapter should be provided by the student to provide the general audience some background for the scholarly work. This should allow the thesis document to follow the instructions provided on this page, as well as following the publishing requirements.

One electronic copy of your thesis must be delivered to the director of the Honors Program.

Please follow Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, Dissertations, 6th ed. , University of Chicago Press, 1996 for style unless your department stipulates otherwise. Also used are the MLA Style Sheet and APA Publication Manual. Writers of scientific papers should follow styles set down by scholarly societies in their fields.

Layout and Formatting:

Margins : Left or inside and bottom margins: 1 1/2 inches. Others: 1 inch. These measurements must be respected for graphs, charts, illustrations, etc., without exception.

Spacing of text : Double-spaced for the body of text. Triple-spaced for all headings. Single-spaced for footnotes.

Type : 10 or 12 point fonts.

Illustrations, tables, charts, graphs, etc.:

Photographs or illustrations should be scanned and added to your original document file. Contact the Technology Desk in the library if you require assistance.

Pagination:

A blank page should precede the title page . It is not numbered.

Prefatory material : Use lowercase Roman numerals. The title page should be counted as iii but not numbered. Subsequent prefatory pages will have Roman numerals in the upper right-hand corner 1/2 inch from the top and 1 inch from the right edge of the paper.

Text : Use Arabic numerals.

Use of LaTex:

For students wishing to use LaTex for their thesis LaTeX, templates and class files are available here.

Order of the Thesis

• Title Page ( see example ): The names of the adviser and the department chair must be typed below the signature.
• Acknowledgments (if any)
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables (if any)
• List of Figures (if any)
• Abstract: A 1-2 page description of the thesis project and major findings. Do not omit the abstract, as it is crucial for librarians to catalog the thesis.
• Body of thesis
• Bibliography
• Appendix (if any)

Submitting a Thesis

Once you have defended your thesis, your work will proudly appear in the Bucknell Commons. Bertrand Library's copy of the thesis is submitted electronically via Bucknell Commons. Instructions for submitting your thesis are below and also available on the library's website .

Students or departments who wish to have a bound copy of a thesis should see the L&IT Graduate and Honors Thesis Guidelines for assistance.

The final copy of your work must be approved by your adviser, co-adviser or second reader and department or program chair. In order to show that they have approved your honor thesis, you will need to attain their signatures on your title page . You should scan this signed title page and then use Adobe Acrobat (not Adobe Reader) to merge your signed title page and the honors thesis document into a final submission-ready PDF. This complete digital copy of your thesis is due by the last day of exams in the semester in which you had your thesis defense. Honors will not be awarded at graduation if your thesis has not been submitted.

You have the option of making your work available to the general public or requiring a Bucknell log-in for access; please discuss these options with your adviser. (For example, if your thesis contains proprietary information or you plan to publish your work, you may wish to restrict access). A copy of your honors thesis must reside on Bucknell Digital Commons and with your adviser(s). The student is responsible for uploading their thesis to the Digital Commons.

You will need to create an account on Digital Commons and then upload your Honor Thesis to Digital Commons .

Enter data in the following fields:

• Title : Use headline capitalization. The title field supports the Unicode standard and HTML. The title should be entered exactly as it appears in the manuscript of your honors thesis.
• Author : Author information is pre-populated with email, name and affiliated institution. Select the green button to add additional authors.
• Date of submission : Select the semester of your defense, fall or spring semester, and the calendar year associated with your defense.
• Thesis type : Select either open access (honors thesis) or restricted access (honors thesis Bucknell access only).
• Degree Type
• Department : This should be your major where this thesis was approved for honors. Do not select a second major.
• Adviser Names : Check with your adviser(s) for their preferred appearance of their name (typically full first name, then initials, then full last name and suffix preferred).
• Keywords or phrases : Enter up to six, separated by commas. Check with your adviser(s) for their thoughts on these keywords.
• Subject categories : Select up to three.
• Abstract : Copy and paste your abstract into the rich text editor.
• Comments : This field may be used to link to an external related resource (related video, website, digital collection, etc.)
• Full text : Upload the digital file and any supplemental files (datasets, video files, audio files, image files, etc.)

Once your submission is complete, your honors thesis adviser will receive and email and will need to complete the submission by approving your submission as the final thesis.

Thesis Submission Process

Contact details, honors council.

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Honors Thesis

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The undergraduate Honors thesis is designed to serve as the capstone work to an undergraduate degree and are one means by which students can demonstrate their readiness to join a graduate program. Through the mentorship of a faculty committee, an undergraduate student will complete a research or creative project and is designed to add to the body of knowledge in their given major or minor. Keep in mind that theses can take a variety of forms – from conducting laboratory research or building an engineering project to arranging a portfolio of original music or writing a novel.

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Yes, you can!

The idea of working on an Honors thesis can seem overwhelming to many students. You, however, have resources and support systems which include: faculty, academic counselors, and sometimes money to see your thesis project through to completion. Most importantly, you have your undergraduate career to build upon – the skills you’ve developed, the theoretical and applied lessons learned, and the relationships you have built. You are your greatest asset!

Do I have to enroll in a class?

While enrolling in the HON 4993 course to write a thesis proposal or complete research and writing of a thesis is the most common approach (and recommended), students may elect to work on a thesis project without enrolling in a thesis course. While satisfying the hours require for your degree should remain your first priority, completing the thesis stands alone as a benefit itself. Should you find yourself concerned about going beyond the 150 credit-hour ceiling, you may elect to conduct a thesis project without enrolling in the course. Keep in mind that, unlike traditional classes, you will meet with your thesis committee at times and for durations of your choosing. Should you choose to do a departmental rather than an Honors thesis (e.g., BIO 4993 v. HON 4993), be sure to let your Counselor know so we can ensure you receive credit – the sooner the better!

Are you ready? Let's get started.

Email all required materials to Honors College.

Honors College Thesis Handbook

The Honors Thesis Handbook was developed to encourage students to write an Honors thesis that extends students’ work in a specific research project or creative endeavor. This handbook is designed to provide you with helpful information and pointers that will simplify – and de-mystify – the process of writing an Honors thesis. The answer to virtually every question ever asked about an Honors thesis can be found in the Honors Handbook (linked above). You should read this information carefully before you begin the process of developing an idea for your Honors thesis.

Recommended Thesis Proposal and Completion Dates

Opportunities within the Honors College

The Honors College offers students the opportunity to participate in a number of different programs to further expand knowledge, especially in the realms of professional development, leadership development, and public service. Special programs are fully integrated into the Honors College curriculum, making credit transfer simple and ensuring that students are working toward Honors requirements.

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Senior Honors Thesis Information

Students interested in writing a senior honors thesis in economics are invited to attend an information session on Wednesday, April 24th. Bernard Salanie and Susan Elmes will provide general information about the application and selection process. Current thesis writers will share their experiences writing a thesis. This event is open to all students who are considering a thesis including freshmen and undeclared students. This event is in-person only. If you cannot make the information session then you should review the information posted on the Honors and Prizes Page (see Senior Thesis section) at Honors and Prizes | Columbia | Economics

Senior Thesis Information Session Wednesday, April 24th 6:10 PM – 7:10 PM 1027 IAB

Students are also encouraged to submit a preliminary proposal for a senior thesis by May 17 to get feedback on their proposed project before the summer. The preliminary proposal form is posted on the wiki page. The information session will also include guidance on how to complete the preliminary proposal form.

RSVP for the Information Session at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5g588aJJRQRgoTyYp_pxp2dVfnWw0yn6g1GtVxeuLyHqucg/viewform?usp=sf_link

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Kennedy Hamblen

I'm Kennedy, a literature nerd and creative writer from the outskirts of Memphis. I'm also a senior here at Dartmouth. When I'm not working in admissions as a senior fellow, I'm a student employee at the library and a research and teaching assistant in the English department. I love music (I collect vinyl!) and analyzing teen drama TV (think Riverdale and Pretty Little Liars). I'm currently applying to law schools. I've had such a great time at Dartmouth and am excited to share that with you!

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My English Honors Thesis: Chapter Two

Kennedy's d-plan, fall hanover, nh.

Professor McCann is my advisor, but that's not the only reason I took this class. Since it was a senior seminar with only 9 students, we got to dive deep into the fascinating material, including with Victorian-era pulp fiction books, advertisements, and psychological treatises, plus some good old fashioned canonical works like The Picture of Dorian Gray and Dracula. [Fun fact: I've read Dracula three times at Dartmouth... it's an English department favorite!]

Winter Hanover, NH

This was an off term for me, but I love Hanover so much I hung around anyways! I worked for admissions and Baker-Berry Library, read a ton of J.G. Ballard, and stared out the window at the snow for an embarrassingly long amount of time. I also visited my parents in Tennessee during Christmas.

Spring Hanover, NH

Professor Nachlis went out of his way to act as an unofficial pre-law advisor for all of us in this class, not only by introducing us to some of the most pressing issues in American government, but also by dedicating the final two weeks of class to a module called "Should you go to law school?" A question I was asking myself!

Summer Hanover, NH

Another off term again, and this time I'm working full-time for admissions as a senior fellow! I'm also doing a lot of preliminary reading for my honors thesis. Anyone heard of Friedrich Kittler's Discourse Networks? Well, I'll have read it twice by the time this term is over.

First, I should explain that I'm specifically talking about her 1890 novel Wormwood: A Drama of Paris , which follows a promising young man whose life is ruined when he becomes addicted to absinthe. Today, people can buy absinthe from a liquor store just like any other alcohol. And yet, absinthe was treated like an opioid or cocaine in Wormwood , and during the fin de siècle , people really believed it was a uniquely addictive and horrible alcohol, capable of causing hallucinations and degeneration. The reason? It has a special ingredient—wormwood—which we now know contains the compound "thujone." Absinthe was a fashionable drink in France during the nineteenth century, and as France suffered failures at home and abroad, absinthe was often blamed for ruining the population. 

I read Wormwood for Professor McCann's senior seminar "Decadence, Degeneracy, and the Fin de Siècle " which was a super cool class about the late nineteenth-century artists known as the Decadents (think Charles Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde) and contemporaneous anxieties about the fall of European societies. Corelli's  Wormwood  toes a fascinating line between decadence and anti-decadence—it's an aggressively moralistic book, and the author herself saw it as a warning to her fellow Englishmen and women to avoid the excesses of alcohol and opium. At the same time, it pulls heavily from both the decadent art tradition and absinthe advertising. Corelli's descriptions of absinthe hallucinations, for instance, have direct parallels both to De Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium-Eater and to the absinthe advertisements of her time. Although Corelli was immensely popular in her day, some reviewers even accused her of being a Decadent herself as a result of this book, and her own publisher found the material absolutely sordid. But it sold incredibly well. Corelli knew how to both harness the most compelling artistic trends of her day while also playing to her audience's expectations and desires for literature.

This brings me back to my initial question: Why am I writing about this book, if it's decidedly not High Literature? (Pun intended.) Something that the English department here does extremely well is allowing space for all varieties of English academia. Literary studies in its traditional sense, cultural studies, data-based textual analysis, close reading, historicism, media studies, comparative literature, and basically everything else can coexist in this department. It's a big tent. So you don't have to only focus on canonical works of literature, or even books at all. I am interested in Corelli because she was a massive literary force in her time—she was one of the first bestsellers at a time when the pulp fiction landscape was changing rapidly. Her literature may not stand the test of time, but that is all the more reason to pay attention to how she wrote, because it appealed to her contemporaries and therefore allows us to better understand how they thought of problems such as addiction, hallucination, and spirituality in the post-Darwin era. Think about it this way—if a scholar from the 22 nd century wanted to understand the 21 st century, they would not only need to watch the best TV shows and movies we produced, they would also need to watch the most popular ones, even if they were… not that great. After all, the "greatness" or quality of a piece of art is, paradoxically, both objective and subjective. How much someone gets out of a piece of art is a result of when and where they were born, their cultural frame of reference, and their taste.

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HESP Seminar Series | Honors Thesis Defense - Avery Vess

Honors Thesis Defense

Speaker:  Avery Vess 

Title:  Disfluency ≠ Stuttering. Analysis of Language Proficiency Effects on Fluency

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