Thesis Process
Honors Thesis Deadlines:
- For December graduates, the deadline to upload to eThesis is November 15th
- For May graduates, the deadline to upload to eThesis is April 15th.
- The honors college can grant extensions as long as the student and mentor have a completion plan.
By no later than the first semester of the junior year, Honors Scholars should have begun to choose a thesis topic. After choosing a topic, Honors Scholars should schedule appointments with professors in their field of study to discuss their programs of research and opportunities for them to join faculty research teams. Scholars often interview 3 to 5 faculty before choosing a faculty mentor. For an interdisciplinary study, a scholar may choose to work with more than one professor.
In addition to the Thesis Mentor, scholars choose a Thesis Reader in their thesis discipline. Thesis Readers should be chosen at the beginning of the thesis process before submitting the Thesis Contract Form. Thesis Readers provide additional input and support during the research, are responsible for reading the final drafts of the thesis and for providing comments and suggestions. They will attend the final presentation of the thesis and sign the bound final draft of the thesis prior to submission and uploading to eThesis.
Working together, the Honors Scholar and Faculty Thesis Mentor should refine the thesis topic to one appropriate for an undergraduate thesis experience. Honors Scholars usually complete a literature review prior to settling on a final research question. Honors Scholars should plan on spending a minimum of 6 to 9 hours each week on the thesis for at least two semesters. Careful planning, diligence, patience, a sense of humor and enthusiasm are all required by the scholar for a positive thesis experience. In addition, scholars must display academic honesty and be in full compliance with ethical standards appropriate to their fields of study.
Sometimes Honors Scholars in some majors may need to complete the research prior to the senior year. Student teaching, internships, field experiences or study abroad may impact the scheduling of thesis hours and completing thesis work. Although most students complete the thesis during their senior year, there is no stipulation against finishing a thesis early. In these cases, Honors Scholars should consult with their Thesis Mentor and their program Director early.