Steps in the Honors Thesis Process

1. Design and Implement Study

2. Complete Draft and Submit to Committee

3. Present and Defend Thesis Project to Committee

4. Make Revisions as Required

5. Attend Honors Cording Ceremony

6. Submit PDF of Thesis with Approval Pages Signed by Committee

7. Graduate with Honors Diploma

 

Honors students are encouraged to begin thinking about their Thesis Project at least
two semesters before they plan to graduate.  Using H-option contracts to explore literature
and methodologies related to the thesis project in advance of the thesis year is a
good idea.

The semester that a student is to complete the thesis, s/he should enroll in HONR
3007 – a 1-credit hour course that helps ensure students submit the thesis in a timely
fashion, schedule and conduct a thesis presentation/defense, complete the necessary
paperwork, and attend the Honors Recognition Ceremony.

The thesis committee consists of the thesis director, a 2nd reader, and a representative
from the Honors Program (generally the Honors Director).  It is not necessary that
the faculty member hold any particular rank, but it is important that thesis directors
be sufficiently fluent in the research and methods of the field to appropriately guide
students in meaningful academic research or creative projects.  Generally, 2nd readers
are from the same major as the student, but in interdisciplinary studies it is possible
to have committee members from different fields (e.g., biology and chemistry might
be represented on a thesis exploring some aspect of biochemistry).