honors thesis umich

The Honors Experience

University of Michigan

Application Dates & Deadlines

While we do have deadlines specified below, please send us your essay as soon as possible.

Your response will go to either (1) the email account linked to your U-M application, if you have not yet decided, or (2) your umich.edu account, if you have accepted U-M’s invitation.

February 14, 2024  – All applications received by 11:59pm (Eastern Time Zone) on this date will have a decision sent out via email by 11pm on March 7, 2024. In your notification, you will fall into one of 3 decision categories: admit, defer, or deny.  

March 6, 2024  – All applications received after February 14, 2024 but by 11:59pm (Eastern Time Zone) on this date will have a decision sent out via email by 11pm on April 4, 2024. In your notification, you will fall into one of 3 decision categories: admit, defer, or deny.  

April 9, 2024 – All applications received after March 6, 2024 but by 11:59pm (Eastern Time Zone) on this date will have a decision sent out via email by 11pm on April 25, 2024. In your notification, you will fall into one of 2 decision categories: admit or deny. We cannot accept applications for admission into Honors for fall 2024 after April 9th.

In your notification, you will fall into one of 3 decision categories: admit, defer, or deny.  If your decision is a defer, you will be notified by 11pm on April 25, 2024 at the latest , to inform you of our final decision.

May 1, 2024—If we admit you into Honors on or prior to April 25, 2024 you must confirm by May 1, 2024 that you plan to join the Program. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the LSA Honors Program?

The Honors Program is a Michigan learning community that provides its students with academic and extracurricular opportunities to help them grow intellectually, personally, and professionally.

Is Honors a 4-year program?

Students applying for Honors as a high school senior are applying for the lower-division program. Lower-division Honors encompasses a student’s first two years of study at U-M and is meant to provide a more engaged experience with the liberal arts. Upon finishing their sophomore year, Honors students have the opportunity to interact further with the program through the upper-division by declaring an Honors major. Honors majors, which usually span the student’s last two years of study, typically culminate in a senior thesis. Honors major requirements vary by field of study, so students can go directly to the website of their desired/declared major to learn more about the declaration process and requirements.

Is Honors the Honors College?

We are intentional in calling ourselves a  program  and not a  college , as the LSA Honors Program is a program within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). Our students are held to the same policies and standards as all other LSA students. While we do not have many additional requirements for our students, we provide a plethora of additional opportunities that we encourage our students to take advantage of.

What are the program requirements?

In order to remain in good standing in the Honors Program, students must adhere to the following requirements (both to be completed by the end of the second semester of their second year):

• Complete an Honors Core Course that fulfills the First Year Writing Requirement (FYWR)
• Achieve a cumulative 3.400 GPA

What are the advantages of Honors?

The Honors Program has three pillars: academics, community and engagement. In addition to having access to the academic offerings of LSA, Honors students also have the unique ability to enroll in Honors Core Courses and Honors-specific sections and to pursue Honors conversions. Students are able to build community by living in Honors housing with other Honors students and participating in various extracurricular activities. Honors also contains its own advising unit; all Honors students are assigned to one of our advisors who is knowledgeable on Honors, LSA, and University requirements.

When should I apply to Honors? You must be admitted to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA) prior to applying to the Honors Program. You do not, however, need to decide if you are attending U-M before applying. We encourage you to apply as soon as you are admitted to LSA, as we are a space-limited program. Application dates are posted on your left.

How do I apply? You will apply by completing the essay questions on the  Apply Here  page and submitting them through the linked online application portal. The application consists of one essay. Be creative—we want to see how your mind works!

Do I need to be invited? The Honors Program is available to all LSA students. Anyone who is admitted to LSA is encouraged to apply!

I am applying to the Ross School of Business/School of Music, Theater, and Dance/Stamps School of Art & Design. Should I apply to Honors? If you have expressed interest in another school or college in your U-M application, you should consider applying to Honors if you also plan to pursue a degree in LSA as well as Ross/SMTD/Stamps.

How many students apply and are accepted each year? Our application reviewers read approximately 1700 applications to fill an incoming class of approximately 350 students.

Should I apply if I’m not sure I’m attending U-M? We strongly urge you to apply to Honors even before you know that you are going to come to U-M. That way it is likely that you will be able to base your decision, in part, on whether or not you are in Honors.

Is it possible to complete a joint degree with LSA and another U-M school? Yes! Several special degree programs are offered by the joint cooperation of LSA and other colleges or schools within the University. You will want to work with your Honors Academic Advisor to discuss your options.

When will I hear if I am accepted into Honors?

Refer to the application date guidelines on the left for a reply timeline. Your Honors decision will go to either (1) the email that is linked to your friend account and U-M application or (2) your umich.edu email address, if your deposit has been paid. If you do not receive a reply–either to your inbox or spam folder–and have a record of submitting your essay, use the “Contact Us” quick link below.

Can I or my parents call prior to the notification date for an admission decision?

Due to our compliance with FERPA regulations, Honors cannot notify parents or discuss a student’s application decision without the explicit consent of that student. Furthermore, we do not release admissions decisions early. Students can expect to hear back from us via email on the date corresponding with when they applied.

Can I visit campus and meet with an Honors student or Honors advisor?

Yes! Honors participates in every Campus Day date and you can talk with one of our advisors during the Q&A. If you are visiting campus and/or are unable to attend a Campus Day, we offer meetings with current Honors students so you can learn more about the program. You can access the meeting request form on our Visit Us & More Information page, underneath the Honors Ambassadors section. We also host virtual sessions from February-April. Our advisors are unable to meet one-on-one with prospective students due to limited availability.

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Undergraduate Research

BSPS students interested in research are encouraged to explore  faculty research profiles  and watch out for open research positions posted in the BSPS Canvas site. Students should reach out to faculty members or PhD students directly to apply to serve as a research assistant around registration or before the add/drop deadline. Research projects vary by department and area, e.g, laboratory/benchtop based research vs. clinical research suitable for publication. 

Students participating in COP research are required to enroll in at least two research credits in consecutive Fall and Winter terms (MedChem 470, Pharmacy 470, or PharmSci 470). The faculty member must give permission for an override by emailing [email protected] or completing an Independent Study Request Form. Students are responsible for making sure they are officially enrolled in 470 before the semester add/drop deadline. 2 credits equates to 6 hours of research per week in a full term. Students receive a letter grade for 470. 

Honors Thesis

The Honors Research Thesis is an opportunity for students to identify a COP faculty mentor and work on independent research. Honors is usually completed in senior year and may serve as excellent graduate school preparation. Undergraduate research with a COP faculty member may evolve to an Honors research project but the student must investigate a new topic or expand upon an ongoing project. Students who successfully complete the Honors thesis will graduate from the BSPS program “with Honors” and this designation will be noted on their transcript & diploma.

Honors Research Thesis criteria:

• Cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 through graduation  
• Submit a research proposal with the faculty mentor copied to Student Services and COP Registrar in the summer leading up to senior year by July 1  
• Register for BSPS research for academic credit via override (MedChem 470, Pharmacy 470, or PharmSci 470; graded on an A-E scale by the faculty mentor); enroll in a minimum of 2 credits per term for at least two terms (minimum of 4 total credits)  
• Present a poster at the College of Pharmacy's annual Research Forum  
• Complete a 15-20 page thesis paper in a style appropriate for submission to a scientific journal by April 1 of your graduation term (submit a preliminary thesis draft to your faculty advisor for feedback in March)

Past Honors Research Project Examples

• Characterization of the biofilm-forming ability of Mycobacterium abscessus isolates in synthetic cystic fibrosis sputum medium (SCFM)
• The Transcription Factors FOXK1 and NFIC Regulate the Cellular Response to Bisphosphonates, Commonly Prescribed Osteoporosis Drugs
• Comparing Carboxylesterase 1 Protein Levels Between the Human Liver and HepG2 Cells Using a Data-Dependent Acquisition Proteomics Assay
• High-Throughput Screening to Identify Dengue Virus Replication Compartment Inhibitors
• Discovery of Biocatalytic Reactions through High-throughput Activity Profiling
• Physicochemical Characterization and Functionality Comparison of Humira ®  (adalimumab), Remicade ®  (infliximab) and Simponi Aria ®  (golimumab)
• Cholesterol-mimicking compound Binding to Steroidogenic and drug-metabolizing cytochrome P450 enzymes
• Temporal Changes in R-loop Levels in Human B Lymphocytes Under Pharmaceutically Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Other Research Opportunities

• UROP Changing Gears – designed for community college students and students transferring from 4-year institutions
• Department-specific research opportunities; they usually have course section affiliated with the managing faculty member
• COP may co-sponsor research in another department if you wish to earn credit for the work through 470

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Dissertations and Theses (Ph.D. and Master's)

Search within this collection:

Dissertations and theses submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for master's or doctoral degrees at the University of Michigan. This collection also includes theses written by U-M faculty.

Ph.D. dissertations at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor are awarded by the Rackham School of Graduate Studies .

Recent Deposits

About Honors

Capstone Experience

As the culmination of their Honors experience, students in the program will complete a capstone project or honors thesis to synthesize their learning and demonstrate their work. They will present their work at Design Expo at the end of the semester.

Capstone Project/Focus Area

Students must choose a capstone experience that falls into the focus area they selected, such as:

• Entrepreneurship
• Global Operations/Business (EGL Specialization)
• Public Service

Additional areas may be approved if the student submits a detailed plan indicating how it will meet their specific educational goals.

Students are encouraged to explore various   focus areas   before committing to a specific area. The Honors Seminar will provide students with opportunities to learn about the various capstone focus areas. Students will be required to select a capstone project proposal no later then the start of their senior year to allow ample time for project completion.

Senior Design / Major Design Experience

Students may complete a capstone experience that is a continuation of their design experience, but must take it a step further to demonstrate their individual scholarly or professional work. Students may also select a project completely independent from the senior design experience

Capstone Supervisor

Each student will identify a capstone supervisor (a College of Engineering faculty member) to oversee the Honors Capstone Experience. Honors capstone proposals must be approved by the student’s capstone supervisor, and the Honors Program Faculty Advisory Board. Students should meet regularly with their capstone supervisor throughout the duration of the project to assess progress and establish goals.

Capstone supervisors can click here to read a letter from Honors Faculty Advisor, Professor Jason McCormick, outlining the expectations of a capstone project.

Capstone Completion

The project will be considered complete once it has been publicly presented, published online in the Honors Capstone Library, and certified by the capstone supervisor and Honors Faculty Advisory Board. The Honors Faculty Advisory Board will work with the capstone supervisor to establish criteria for ensuring the quality of capstone projects.

Students will display their capstone project during the Design Expo’s Honors Capstone Showcase event, which includes a poster session and an interactive presentation forum.

Current Students - Capstone FAQs

Current students: visit Canvas for more information or for the Capstone Proposal

Stacie Edington

[email protected]

(734) 763-0505

251 Chrysler

Honors Location: 251 Chrysler Center 2121 Bonisteel Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2092

Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM EST 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM EST

Walk-In Peer Advising Hours: Monday – Friday 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM EST (September – April)

Contact Us: Email:  [email protected] Phone: (734) 763-0505

• Mardigian Library
• Subject Guides

PSYC 498: Psychology Honors Seminar

• Archive & Browse Honors Theses
• Online Library Access
• Develop Your Hypothesis
• Start Finding Sources
• Search Psychology Databases
• Identify/Justify Methods and Populations
• Identify/Justify/Find Tests
• Read & Analyze Your Articles
• Select Your Articles
• Use Your Articles
• Avoid Plagiarism
• Cite in APA Style
• Write Your Literature Review
• Write Your Research Proposal
• Browse Journals
• Publish Your Research
• Write Your Annotations

Nadine Anderson, Behavioral Sciences and Women's & Gender Studies Librarian

Honors Thesis: Submission to Deep Blue

Nadine Anderson, your Behavioral Sciences Librarian, will upload your Honors Thesis to  Deep Blue ,  the University of Michigan online institutional repository, an open-access database which is also searchable through Google Scholar. To have your Honors Thesis submitted to Deep Blue, send Nadine (by email at [email protected]):

• The Word file and the PDF file of the final version of your Honors thesis
• Your ORCID ID: this is a Researcher unique identifier, required for Deep Blue. Go to  the ORCID Registration page  to get your ORCID ID number. 
• The names of your First Chair and Second Chair
• Up to six (6) keywords - words or very short phrases - describing the subject matter of your thesis 
• Your Thesis Abstract (if it isn't already included in your Honors Thesis document)

UM-Dearborn Psychology Honors Theses

• Bondy, Sarah: Gamification: Engagement and Memory Retention against a Standard vs. Competition against Others
• Daklallah, Mahdi:  Attachment Style, Self-esteem, and Locus of Control in Adult Children of Divorce
• Dupret, Andre R.:  The Effects of Evaluative Feedback on Novel-Task Self-Efficacy and Future Performance 
• Irvin, Zoe: Interpersonal Coaching Styles and Attachment Status in Athletes: The Relationship Between The Athlete and The Coach as an Attachment Figure
• Makki, Nadine:  Arab American Women's Ethnic Identity and Religiosity: Their Relationship to Perceived Discrimination and Psychological Wellbeing
• Paron, Nicholas: Evaluation Biases Regarding Gender Norm Violators
• Sommer, Zenon: Cognitive Elaboration and the Formation of False Memories from Fake News
• << Previous: Write Your Research Proposal
• Next: Browse Journals >>
• Last Updated: Apr 24, 2024 2:32 PM
• URL: https://guides.umd.umich.edu/psyc498

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• Past International Studies Honors Theses

Since 2012, the Program in International and Comparative Studies (PICS) has graduated 80 students with International Studies Honors . PICS students spend an entire year in the International Studies Honors Plan working on a Senior Honors thesis in International Studies. Students then present their work at the end of the academic year to their peers, the public, and a faulty panel during an Honors thesis defense. Writing an Honors thesis is a huge commitment, and PICS congratulates all the International Studies Honors students on this achievement.

College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) senior theses are archived in the University of Michigan’s Deep Blue online library . Honors theses are a permanent part of the University’s intellectual legacy. Deep Blue makes these works accessible to the scholarly community for the long term, providing a single, permanent URL for reference. Please use the information below as reference to search for past International Studies Honors theses in the library database.

2022 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Paulina Buchta The Media During Lockdown: A Study of Poland and Czechia during COVID-19 and their Government Communication Strategies

Natalie Gilbert China and Taiwan: Understanding the Impact of Political Factors on LGBTQ Progressiveness

Liam Walsh Inglorious Barons: The Inherent Flaws of Nazi Political and Economic Institutions

Armando Otero Feedback Loop Cycles : Puerto Rican Independence and violence in the United State's Forgotten Colony

Kayleigh Crabb Supporting Climate Resilience in Low and Lower-Middle Income Economies Through Effective Global Health and Poverty Alleviation Programs

Noa Sreden The Third Pillar of Prosperity: Supporting Poverty Relief Through State-Sponsored Zakāt

Tara Snapper Nonprofit Microfinance Organizations’ Ability to Help Borrowers and Financially Succeed in Argentina

Brooke Weichel The Rainbow Paradox: Exploring Government's Influence on LGBTQ+ Social Climates in Poland & North Macedonia

Sam Volger Convenient Allies: Why Governments and Organized Crime Cooperate in the Western Balkans

2021 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Benjamin Bronkema-Bekker Displaced Pensioners and Peace in the Donbass Conflict

Camille Cummings Lessons in Gender Equality: The Potential Translation of the Scandinavian Policy Model in Burundi and Rwanda

Nicholas Daniel Leapfrogging Development: Analyzing the Trends of Urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa: Westernization Versus the Informal Economy

Haley Gritz Stories of Success: Strategic Connections Between the Madres de Plaza de Mayo and the Marea Verde in Argentina

Grace Kraimer Primary Education Inequality and Policy: Sweden and China

Jalal Mawri Ansar Allah in Yemen: History and Ideology

Madeleine Mozina How Social Enterprises Coordinate Cross-Sectoral Solutions for Informal Settlements: A Case Study of Terra Nova in Brazil

Hannah Schneider Ujamaa and the Egalitarian Paradox: The Correlation between Socialism and Contemporary Public Service Disparities Among Villages in Rural Tanzania

2020 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Zoie Chang   Muslim Minorities in China: A Comparative Study on the Impact of Ethnic Minority Policy on Uyghur and Hui Identities 

Anna Beatrice Rose Chewter  Microfinance and Social Hierarchy and Implications on Rational Choice Theory in Senegal and Kenya

Erin Elizabeth Hahn    Distinctions in Diaspora: A Comparative Study of Palestinian Identity in Jordan and Saudi Arabia 

Sarah Molly Jacob Those Who Return: An Evaluation of State Facilitated Extremist Reintegration Programs in Indonesia and Malaysia 

Refael Kubersky Hezbollah’s Disinformation Campaign During the Syrian Civil War 

Brooke Elyse Lennox The Achievement of Sovereignty by a Former Soviet State: Kazakhstan’s International Policies to Diversify Its Partnerships Beyond Russia Recipient of Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and  Texas National Security Review   2020 Janne Nolan Prize for Special Recognition

Megan Li-Lian Rossiter Breaking the Silence: Exploring Variation in Acknowledgement and Redress of the Comfort Women Issue in South Korea, the Philippines, and Malaysia

Madeleine Ekeberg Schneider Wastewater and Wasted Water: A Comparison Environmental Management Institutions in Israel and the West Bank 

Josefina Maria Scriven   Cultivating the Next of Kin: The Affinities in Argentine Women’s Collective Action through the Madres de Plaza de Mayo and the Ni Una Menos Movement 

Sachika Tomishima Balancing Environmental and Economic Development of Chinese CAFOs—a recommendation to the 2016-2020 Guideline on Live Pig Production

2019 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Courtney Caulkins Framing the Newcomers: Asylum Seekers and Border Militarization in the US and Australia

Marielle Dewicki Combating Terrorism in the Digital Era: How Facebook and Twitter Can Aid American Counterterrorism Efforts

Audrey Gilmour Bonds Beyond Borders: the Basis for Black-Palestinian Solidarity from Black Power to Black Lives Matter

Skylar Gleason 'No es tan malo’: Investigating the Effects of Denial of Mass Violence on Perceptions of Justice in Contemporary Argentina

Dominika Kocz The Israeli Defense Force and Palestine: Examining the Effects of Military Socialization on Inter-group Relations

Maureen Makiko O'Bryan Dutiful Daughters: an exploration of kinship politics through Park Geun-hye of South Korea and Keiko Fujimori of Peru

Chelsea Racelis The Work of Memory: Justice for the Indonesian Genocide of 1965-1966

Neil Schwartz A Historical Institutionalist Perspective on Israel's Basic Law: Nation State of the Jewish People

Aliza Sitrin Managing Histories of Human Rights Abuses: Democratic Transitions and the Manifestation of Transitional Justice in Post-Dictatorship Spain and Chile

Cassandra Zavislak Women in Terrorism: An Analysis of the Patriarchy via Al Qaeda and Hamas

2018 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Haley  Dow Learning from the Past: An Examination of Discrimination & Progression in Italian and Syrian Immigration Narratives in the American Media 

Julia  Sofo Perpetuating Inefficacy: Comparing Counterterrorism Policies in the Bush, Obama, and Trump Administrations

Zoe  Lauricella   The Concretization of "Autonomy" and "Dignity": the Zapatista Uprising, the Nation, and Communal Organization

Cheryl  Gordon   Cubs of the Caliphate: The Indoctrination of Child Soldiers and the Perpetuation of the Islamic State Recipient of  Goldstein-Marshall Sahlins Social Science Award

Casey  Chmura The Case of Pohm Sammnang: Gastrointestinal Health in Rural Cambodia

Sarah  Fisher   America's Europe: Examining the Impact of American Involvement in European Integration

Mira  Ruder-Hook   Organizational Adoption of AI Through A Sociocultural Lens

Jacob  Bailey   Green Gold? An Analysis of Saudi Renewable Energy Policy from 1960 to 2010

Merin  McDivitt   La Tierra Más Hermosa, La Provincia Más Fiel- Land Most Lovely, Province Most Faithful: Tourism, Sustainability, and Revolution in Holguín, Cuba

2017 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Sabrina Bilimoria Lethal Patriarchy: How U.S. Intervention Institutionalized Violence Against Afghan Women

Elisabeth Brennen National Identity and Refugee Policy: The Divide Between Sweden & Denmark

Megan Cansfield Cooperation Amid Competition: The Korean Peninsula Security Crisis in US-China Relations

Brendan Failla ISIS the Governor: Strategies of Urban Control and its Sustainability

Charlotte Garrett Inspired Lone Wolves: A Threat of Their Own

Jillian Goldberg The Western Faces of Violent Extremism: Homegrown Terrorism in the United States and France

Emily Jablonski The Potential Impact of Big Data in International Development and Humanitarian Aid

Tsukumo Niwa Welcome “Home,” Students: Role of Japanese Education System in Supporting Kikoku shijo's Resettlement

Natalie Salive Lions and Kings: The Diachronic Transformation of Lions as an Index of Power in the Middle East

Shefali Sood Responsibility, Protection and Adaptation: The Climate Change Refugee Discourse in South Asia

2016 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Laurel Cerier A Look at How the Dublin III Regulation has Facilitated the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Greece

Emma Costello Justice for Whom?: The Gacaca Courts and Restorative Justice for Survivors of Sexual Violence in Rwanda Recipient of  Virginia L. Voss Memorial Award-Academic Writing

Margi Goelz Human Security, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, and Vulnerable People: Rhetoric, Solidarity, and Silences in International Human Rights Discourses on Syrian Women Refugees

Gabriella Hassan Revolutionary Effects on Identity: Iran

Sarah Khan The Racialization of Violence: A Study on Imprisonment and Torture Policies in the U.S., and the Impact on the International Discourse of Security

Nicole Kleiman-Moran Implementation of the Peace Accords in Guatemala 1990-the Present: Cooperation, Complementarity, and Competition in relation to the government and NGOs

Michelle Ng The Integration of Western Biomedicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Comparative Analysis of Perceptions in Beijing and Chicago

Daniel Sack Family Planning Messaging Sources at Primary Health Centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Miranda Veeser International Goals Made Local: A Case Study of HIV Reduction in the Dominican Republic

2015 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Monique Becker An Escape from the Perceived Rationalist-Constructivist Binary: A Look into Derogable International Human Rights Agreements

Pranavi Midathada The Politics of Blame: Indian Media Framings of Rape and Gendered Sexual Violence after the 2012 Delhi Gang Rape

Mariam Salman The 1990 Persian Gulf War, Sanctions, and the Impact of Health and Nutrition in Iraq

Minami Seki The Dissemination of Gender Ideology by the State, Changing Gender Roles, and the Gender Gap in Employment in Post-2008 Financial Crisis Japan Recipient of  Patricia Kennedy Prize

Nour Soubani Understanding the Vision of the Islamic Resistance Movement Through Its Rhetorical Strategies of Mobilization: A Historical Analysis of Hamas’s Documents and History from 1987-2006

Layne Vandenberg Police Pacification of Rio de Janeiro Favelas in the Context of the 2014 FIFA World Cup" Recipient of  Goldstein-Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Award

2014 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Michael Casey A New Age of Terrorism and the Emergence of a Global Intelligence

Zeinab Khalil A Tough Transition: The Post-Coup Election and Its Prospects for Democracy 

2013 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Andrea Alajbegović Comparing the Politicization of Abortion in the U.S. and Canada

Samuel Birnbaum The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt:  Reinterpreting a Mass Movement

Aaron Brewer On the Merits and Logical Validity of Foreignizing Translation

Jordan Kifer Como Ser Afro-Latino/a? -Expressing Afro- and Latino/a Identities in the United States

Brian Koziara The Eurozone: an Optimal Currency Area?

Ephraim Love The Effect of District Magnitude on Electoral Accountability and Public Goods Provision

Alyssa Maluda We Ask the Prime Minister: Where is the Justice in that?

Christina Pechette All's Fair in Drugs & War: An Analysis of the Southeast Asian Drug Trade and Its Implications

Michael Schmid Cooperative Enterprises in Kathmandu, Nepal: Addressing Market Challenges through Cooperation

2012 International Studies Student Honors Theses

Maha Al Fahim ICTs, Domocracy, Activism and Dictatorship: The Role of Modern Information Communication Technologies

Kevin Carney The New Economic Policy: Affirmative Action in Malaysia

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Honors Program

Students with strong intellectual interests and the commitment to pursue those interests in a rigorous and challenging environment are great candidates for the Movement Science Honors Program. The program offers qualified students advanced coursework and independent research opportunities in exercise physiology, biomechanics, and motor control and development.

How to Apply

Qualified incoming movement science students will be invited to enter the Honors Program. These invitations are based on evidence of exceptional scholarly ability and motivation. Admission decisions will be based on the following:

• High school GPA (suitably adjusted for the difficulty of work elected - typically above 3.8)
• Class standing
• National test scores (SAT of 1200 or above, ACT composite of 32)
• Counselor/teacher recommendations
• Admissions essay 

First-year movement science students who are interested in joining the Honors Program may  apply to be considered . Only those students with a GPA of 3.5 in at least one full semester comprised of content-based, challenging classes will be admitted to the second year level of the Honors Program.   Second-year movement science students may  apply to begin the Honors Program  as juniors. Only those students with distinguished academic performance (cumulative GPA of 3.5 in a minimum of 50 credit hours, including completion of MOVESCI 250 or equivalent, ENGLISH 225, and all core pre-requisite courses both inside and outside Kinesiology) will be considered for admission.   The U-M School of Kinesiology is committed to achieving an Honors student body characterized by ethnic and racial diversity as well as gender balance.

Coursework and Research

Honors students are expected to pursue a rigorous and diversified course of study. Students must complete the regular movement science curriculum as well as advanced coursework, independent study, and the successful completion of an honors thesis, completed during the senior year. Students must maintain a 3.5 GPA throughout the program. Each April, a subcommittee of movement science faculty will review each student’s academic record and recommend continuation or termination. The program will be administered by the associate dean for research.

The Honors program requires students to take the Honors sections of some movement science core courses, and to complete independent research experiences, culminating in a senior honors thesis. Each requirement is described below.

Honors Sections . Students complete the honors sections of MOVESCI 320, 330, and 340 by the end of junior year. To receive honors credit, students will complete a special project connected to the course as well as the regular course requirements. In consultation with the faculty instructor, such special projects may, for example, take the form of a literature review or class presentation. Honors students in the same class may work together on a project approved by the faculty instructor. Honors students will fill out a contract with the faculty instructor stating precisely the scope of the honors work. In situations where a student elects to take a core course in his/her second year and has not yet been accepted into the Honors Program, the student must make arrangements with the appropriate faculty member to complete the honors requirement of the core course.

Honors Independent Study and Honors Research Proposal.  Students must complete a minimum of six credits of independent study with a research focus by the end of the junior year. Up to three independent credits obtained prior to a student’s junior year can be counted. Honors independent research study experiences typically involve supervised and directed participation in the laboratory of a movement science faculty member. In many cases, these independent research study experiences assist the student in identifying a research mentor and help lay the groundwork for the senior honors thesis. Honors students will fill out an  independent study contract form (Qualtrics form) with a faculty member stating the nature of the research experience.

A thesis proposal must be submitted to the sponsoring faculty member by the end of winter semester of student’s junior year. The proposal should include a rationale for the project, the specific questions to be answered or hypotheses to be tested, the methods to be used, the potential results of the student’s proposed research, and a bibliography. The proposal must include the signature of the faculty mentor indicating support of the proposal. It is highly recommended that students arrange to start doing honors thesis research during the spring and/or summer semesters between their junior and senior years. Typically, financial support will be sought from the faculty mentor. In some instances, some financial support may be available from other sources.

Senior Honors Thesis - MOVESCI 490-491 (5 credits). The honors thesis is due three weeks before the end of the winter semester. In March of each academic year, students will make oral presentations of their thesis work in a school-wide forum, to be arranged with their thesis advisors. While there is no set length requirement, the honors thesis is expected to reflect a rigorous and in-depth analysis of a specific problem in movement science requiring a sustained period of investigation but appropriate for study at the honors undergraduate level. The goal of the honors thesis is to generate new and relevant information that may lead to an abstract submission to a national conference, form the basis for a peer-reviewed manuscript, or provide pilot work for graduate studies.

Most Searched

Common questions, honors program.

Our  Honors Program  attracts students who are driven to go above and beyond an ordinary course of study. This four-year program for academically ambitious students in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) is the best known of the  Michigan Learning Communities  for good reason — every aspect of the program is designed to offer a more intense level of intellectual challenge.

How to Apply

Once you have been accepted into LSA, you are eligible to apply for the Honors Program. This involves writing one supplemental Honors essay, which will be considered alongside your Common Application. Only students who have been admitted to LSA can access the application. To review the essay question and submit your application, please refer to the Honors Program website .

Lee Honors College

Honors thesis handbook.

The honors thesis is a long-standing tradition in honors programs and colleges, including the Lee Honors College at Western Michigan University. An honors thesis is defined as an original work of undergraduate research or creative scholarship completed by an undergraduate honors student. Completing an honors thesis is required in order to graduate from the Lee Honors College. More importantly, your honors thesis is an opportunity to demonstrate what you are capable of contributing to your chosen field rather than just what you know. Examples of honors theses include senior engineering design projects, creative works of fiction, original documentaries, novel educational curricula, original performances or works of art, and traditional research papers. 

Your honors thesis will be published online in ScholarWorks alongside your fellow Lee Honors College graduates dating back to the 1960s. Publication allows you to use this accomplishment to market yourself to future employers and graduate schools. Your thesis title and thesis mentor will be listed on your official university transcript. 

Please note that this handbook is a generalized overview designed to support honors students enrolled in all majors at the university. More detailed information may always be obtained by attending a thesis workshop and/or meeting with an honors advisor. 

PLEASE NOTE: Students with majors in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (except for graphic and printing sciences), graphic design, product design and data science may use their senior design projects for their honors theses. Applicable students will need to refer to specific instructions received via email during their senior year to count their projects as their honors theses. Please also see the ‘creative works and group projects’ section below in Step 9. 

Steps and Timeline

Step 1: Attend a thesis information workshop (during sophomore year) 

Workshops are facilitated by honors advisors and designed to help you learn the process of completing an honors thesis specific to your major and help you begin thinking about potential topics and faculty mentors. 

Step 2: Enroll in your thesis preparation course (varies by major)

Most honors students will enroll in HNRS 4980: How and Why to Write an Honors Thesis, but some academic programs have approved substitutions for HNRS 4980. A full list can be found on the honors college requirements page of the website. Students required to enroll in HNRS 4980 should complete the course by the end of their junior year. This course is designed to prepare you to begin your thesis and counts toward your honors course credit hour requirement. 

Step 3: Select a thesis topic (during the junior year)

It is never too early to begin thinking about a thesis topic! Ideally, the thesis topic should be chosen early in the junior year for most majors. Please note that students majoring in biology, biomedical sciences, chemistry, physics and psychology should meet with faculty in their department about gaining access to a research lab to complete their thesis and NOT select a topic on their own. 

When thinking about potential thesis topics, ask yourself: 

What interests me about my major?

What areas of expertise do my department’s faculty have?

What project will most effectively demonstrate my education, skills and abilities to future employers and/or graduate schools?

What skills do I possess (e.g., bilingualism, video editing, graphic design) that could help make my project more unique?

What project is robust enough to help leverage it as an honors graduate AND practical to complete within my degree plan?

What projects are published in ScholarWorks written by students in my or similar majors?

If I plan to pursue a career or graduate school outside of my major, what thesis project could allow me to demonstrate my ability to successfully transition outside my major?

What experiences have I had in classes, internships, study abroad, etc., that I can incorporate into my thesis?

Do not worry if your ideas are still a bit nebulous when you proceed to step three. It may be helpful to schedule an appointment to discuss your ideas and questions with an honors college administrator or advisor. 

Step 4: Choose your thesis committee chair (in your junior year)

With a thesis topic in mind, the next step is to find a thesis committee chair (also referred to as the thesis mentor or advisor). The thesis chair should have significant expertise not just in your general program of study, but in an area closely related to the topic you have chosen for your honors thesis.

*Note: The thesis chair must be a full-time faculty member at WMU, and may not be a family member, even if they are full-time WMU faculty.

There are many ways to find a thesis chair. It may be a faculty member from a course you took; or it may be a professor you identify through looking up their research interests, work, and publications that align with your interests (look at their profiles on departmental websites). Also check ScholarWorks to see which faculty have served as chairs for prior students. Another option is to schedule an appointment with an honors advisor to see if they can help you find an appropriate honors thesis chair or introduce you to a faculty member you found by searching the internet. Hint: Faculty will be the most receptive to students who are professional and well prepared.

How to reach out to a faculty member:

Office hours.

After or before class if you are currently one of their students.

Networking – use connections such as peers, graduate students, or individuals in the honors college to help introduce you to a faculty member.

When deciding on a thesis committee chair remember that this is a long-term professional working relationship. Below are some things to consider when choosing a thesis committee chair:

Expertise/Knowledge: a faculty member need not be the world’s expert on the exact topic of all aspects of your thesis. Below are some areas of expertise that a chair could help with.

Discipline expertise – familiarity with the discipline, ideas, theories, or concepts you are using.

Area/Location/Population expertise – familiarity with the place and people you may work with.

Methods/Skills – familiarity with how you will go about doing your thesis.

Availability: how available do you need your chair to be for you?

Busy – faculty can often be quite busy. If they are up for tenure, in demand for guest lectures, or travel often, these can limit the amount of time they have available for you.

Graduate and honors students – if a faculty has a large number of graduate or honors students, that they have already agreed to work with, this will also cut into the amount of time they are available.

Communication/Working Relationship:

Hard to know beforehand but knowing what type of working relationship you want with your committee chair may help you decide.

A good working relationship or ability to communicate will make the whole thesis process much smoother.

Note: a good working relationship is also important as your thesis committee chair will be a prime candidate to write you letters of recommendation for future endeavors (graduate school or job applications).

Make sure that your first contact, whether by email, or an in-person appointment, leaves a good impression. Be on time for your appointment, and if you must reschedule, do so early - do not be a no-show! Keep in mind that faculty are very busy, and certain times of the semester may not be ideal to set up a meeting with them, especially if they do not know you.

Prepare to demonstrate that you have done preliminary research on your topic by reading some textbooks, journal articles or other scholarly or artistic materials. Be ready to discuss what you are interested in and why you think this faculty member would be a good fit. The more prepared and enthusiastic you are about your potential project, the more likely it is that a busy faculty member will want to take the time to serve as your thesis chair! Also, be open-minded in your discussions. It may be that your topic will be difficult to research, or that there is already a great deal of work that has been done in that area. A potential thesis chair might suggest some other ideas for a thesis topic – listen to these and consider them carefully (you are coming to them for their expertise, after all), but do make sure that you settle on a topic that is interesting to you, as well as to your thesis chair.

Step 5: Submit your thesis declaration form (in your junior year)

Ideally, you should submit this form at least three semesters before you intend to graduate. You can find it in the forms section of the honors college website. 

To submit your declaration form, you will need a less-than-one-page description of your project that has been approved by a full-time faculty member who has agreed to serve as your thesis chair. Your thesis declaration form will either be approved or recommended for amendment by the honors college; this decision will be communicated to you and your thesis chair via WMU email.  

Recommendation for amendment usually occurs for one of three reasons: (1) questions or concerns exist regarding institutional compliance; (2) the proposed thesis chair is not a full-time WMU faculty member, or is ineligible to serve as chair for some other reason; or (3) the thesis topic is not sufficient in scope with respect to your field of study and/or honors standards. You will be informed what the problems are that must be addressed before the proposal can be reconsidered and are encouraged to make an appointment to come in to the honors college if you need more information.  

On the declaration form, you will be asked four compliance questions relating to the following: 1) will you be collecting data from humans; 2) will you be using vertebrate animals; 3) will you be using recombinant DNA; and 4) will your project be funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) or National Institutes of Health (NIH). Below is more information on each.   

The WMU Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for oversight of all research related to human subjects. This includes the use of surveys, even if they are completely anonymous. If you write a thesis that needs WMU-IRB approval, and you have not received it before you begin your research, the study is invalid and the thesis must be destroyed. This is also a research ethics violation which may subject you to discipline by The Office of Student Conduct. This is a federal, not a University or honors college regulation. Only the WMU-IRB can determine whether approval is required, and only the WMU-IRB can grant approval for research that involves people. If there is any question that your proposed research might need WMU-IRB approval, you should check with your thesis chair, an honors advisor, or directly contact the WMU-IRB before you proceed with your work. CITI training is a required set of modules that all researchers must complete before beginning IRB-approved research and will be extremely helpful to prepare you for the IRB process. Depending on the population you would like to study and the methodology you have chosen there are varying levels of IRB review, so please be sure to submit early in the process and not collect ANY data prior to approval. If your research changes after you have received IRB approval, you may need to update your IRB protocol or submit a new one. More information is available on the WMU-IRB website .

If your project involves animals, you must contact the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at (269) 387-4484.  Only the IACUC can grant approval for research that involves animals. Further information on conducting research with animals is available on the animal care website . 

If your project involves the use of recombinant or synthetic DNA, or microbiological agents and their products, or life sciences research, you must contact the Institutional Biosafety Committee (WMU-IBC) at (269) 387-8293. Further information on conducting research with any of the materials listed above can be found on the biosafety website .

Check with your thesis chair to make sure you are aware if your project will receive any funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) or the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

When you complete your thesis declaration form, you will answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the above questions. You do NOT have to be approved by the respective compliance offices prior to submitting the thesis declaration form.  

Step 6: Choose additional committee members (in your junior year)

In addition to the honors thesis chair, you must select at least one, ideally two, other expert(s) to serve on your committee. You should consult with your thesis chair regarding possible members of your committee soon after you choose a topic. The committee members need not be WMU faculty but should have expertise relevant to your topic of study. When deciding who will be a good committee member, discuss with your thesis chair how the potential member would add to your project, provide diversity of thought, or provide expertise outside of that possessed by your chair. The committee could include faculty from the same or another department or college at WMU, faculty from another institution, graduate students, WMU staff, or members of the broader community. Note that your committee may NOT be comprised of only a faculty member and a graduate student who is advised or supervised by that faculty member. Also note that you may NOT include family members, partners or significant others on your committee. If you wish to include a graduate student advised or supervised by your thesis chair, you may do so, but you must then select an additional committee member who does not work in the research group of your thesis chair. 

Step 7: Register for HNRS 4990: Honors College Thesis (for the semester you plan to defend your thesis)

Most honors students will enroll in HNRS 4990: Honors College Thesis, but some academic programs have approved substitutions for HNRS 4990. A full list can be found on the honors college requirements page . Honors students must enroll in and complete at least one credit (up to a maximum of three credits) of HNRS 4990: Honors College Thesis, or an approved substitute, prior to graduation. This course must be completed the semester you plan to defend your thesis, and not before. This course counts toward the Experiential portion of the honors credit hour requirement. The thesis chair serves as instructor of record for your credit(s), which means that the thesis chair will be responsible for assigning the grade for your work on your honors thesis. 

In order to be registered for HNRS 4990, you must complete and submit the HNRS 4990 registration form at least one week prior to the semester in which you wish to enroll in the course . 

Please note! If HNRS 4990 credits are being used to meet your minimum credits required for university graduation, you must successfully complete and defend your thesis by commencement to graduate on time. Be sure to discuss HNRS 4990 credits with your academic college advisor when applying for your graduation audit. 

Step 8: Submit your thesis defense certificate request form (at least one month before thesis defense)

Once you have decided on a thesis defense date, you should submit your thesis defense certificate request form . This form must be filed at least 30 days before your thesis defense. This form includes your final thesis title as you would like it to appear on graduation materials, your intended date of graduation, the date you will defend your thesis and names of your committee members. We strongly encourage all students to defend during Thesis Celebration Days, which are held in the honors college at the end of each fall and spring semester. The defense request form will be used by the honors college staff to record your thesis title for graduation, to advertise your thesis defense and to generate a packet of materials for your thesis committee. Your packet will be delivered to you via email and should be taken to your defense to be completed by your committee members, and then returned to the honors college according to the instructions included in the packet.

Step 9: Defend your thesis (before you graduate)

We recommend that you defend your thesis at least one semester before you intend to graduate, but most honors graduates defend during their final semester. You MUST defend before you graduate, or you will not graduate from the Lee Honors College.

You should make sure that your whole committee has a final version of your written thesis at least one week, (preferably two), before your defense so that they have plenty of time to review it. You should plan for your defense to take about an hour– check with your thesis committee in advance. Rooms are reserved for one hour during the Thesis Celebration Days at the honors college. If your committee anticipates that more than one hour will be needed for your defense, please make certain that your room is available or make plans to continue the closed-door portion of your defense in another location.

The defense consists of three parts: 

An oral presentation of your work, open to the public; 

A public question and answer session; 

A closed-door oral examination with your thesis committee. 

The oral presentation typically consists of a 15-20 minute overview of your thesis work. In the sciences, social sciences, business and education, this is generally a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation including a description of the motivation for your work, a summary of related work, the approach you used, the results obtained, your conclusions and their significance. In the humanities, this might include a reading from your original paper. Engineering and the fine arts defenses are typically handled a little differently (see below). 

After you complete your presentation, allow 5-15 minutes for questions from the public audience. Following this period, your committee (at a minimum, your thesis chair and one committee member must be present for the exam) will conduct a closed-door oral examination. Many students are very worried about the oral exam – don’t be! This is your chance to show off your knowledge, discuss what you might have done differently in retrospect and what you would do if you were to continue this project, for example, as a graduate student. 

Engineering Students: College of Engineering and Applied Sciences students typically use their senior design project as the honors thesis and the presentation given at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Senior Design Day will serve as a substitute for the oral defense. Engineering students may also choose to present their work during the Thesis Celebration Days. In this case, the committee does not need to be present and no oral examination follows the presentation.

Fine Arts Students: BFA students in curricula in the College of Fine Arts typically review their creative work and artifacts such as portfolios and/or recordings with their committee during their oral defense because their public portion is typically a recital, performance or exhibit that occurs at a separate time. 

Creative Works and Group Projects: A brief reflection paper is required for creative works and group projects. For creative works, this paper should address why you made the choices you made for your creative project and a self-evaluation of the final product along with any other information you wish to include, as well as any additional writing required by your thesis advisor. For group projects, this paper should address the role you played in the group project, how your own education, experiences and contributions are demonstrated in the final copy, as well as any additional writing required by your thesis advisor.

Step 10: Submit your final approved thesis

After your successful thesis defense, your committee may recommend some further revisions to your written thesis. You have 30 days after you graduate to turn in your final, revised and approved thesis. The thesis and the abstract should be submitted electronically as a PDF or MP3, MP4 or WAV file, together with a signed copy of each of the documents in your thesis packet (completed and signed ScholarWorks agreement and signed defense certificate). For detailed instructions on the submission of your final thesis project, please read carefully the instruction sheet included in your defense packet. 

Note: For some students, research conducted for the honors thesis contains proprietary information that cannot be released to the general public. In that case, the final thesis should be submitted via the regular process laid out above, but students should select the appropriate level of publication visibility as described in the ScholarWorks agreement included in the thesis packet. If you have questions about the ScholarWorks form, please contact Jennifer Townsend . 

A cautionary note! Please consult with your thesis chair before responding to any requests from publishers or conferences regarding your honors thesis. Predatory publishers send unsolicited requests for articles, may send false information about their journals and typically charge large fees to authors. Likewise, sham conference organizers will send targeted emails asking for abstract or article contributions with substantial submission fees. 

Questions? Schedule an honors thesis advising appointment . 

Thesis Checklist

Now that you've carefully and thoroughly read through the thesis handbook, bookmark or print out this handy thesis checklist to help keep you on track during your thesis process!

Medallion Scholarship Program

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