Calendar Pridemail Empower
Moodle
 
 
 

Honors Thesis Information

Recent Honors Theses

Boundless options... within boundaries! While your Honor's Thesis will ultimately be a book on a shelf, don't let that hold you back. We are open to new ideas for your project; some students have done library and archival research, some have conducted scientific and social science experiments. And, we've seen fantastic art exhibitions and musical and dramatic performances. There are basically three parameters:

  1. Does the project fit with your major?
  2. Is it going to show that you have done some in-depth study?
  3. Is it going to be extraordinary, meaning above and beyond the requirements for graduation in your major?

Previous theses are bound and available for review in the George Center for Honors Studies in the James Addison Jones Library.

Should an honors student major in an academic discipline requiring its own senior project, the student would not be required to complete both the senior project in the major and the honors thesis. Instead the student would be expected to craft a single project in such a way as to satisfy both requirements. Such a project would be crafted in consultation with, and would require the formal approval of, the student’s faculty mentor, the appropriate academic department chair, and the Honors Committee.

Credit, Deadlines, and Grades

Typically during the spring semester of the third year the student enrolls in HON 312, a one-credit hour course in which the student prepares the honors thesis prospectus. Then, during either the fall or the spring semester of the senior year, the student enrolls in HON 475, a three-credit hour course in which the student undertakes the project and writes the thesis. Note: If a student enrolled in HON 475 during the fall semester needs additional time to complete the project, the student may request a Carry Over grade and complete the project during the spring semester. If the request is approved, deadlines will be adjusted accordingly. In no case, however, may a student receive more than 3 credit hours for HON 475.

The thesis prospectus must be formally approved by the George Center for Honors Studies. Students enrolling in HON 475 during the fall semester must submit the prospectus for approval to the Director of the George Center for Honors Studies no later than Monday of the third week of classes that semester. Those enrolling in HON 475 during the spring semester must submit the prospectus no later than Monday of the 14th week of classes the preceding (fall) semester. Before its submission to the Director, the prospectus must be formally approved by the thesis advisor and formally reviewed by the Chair of the Department of English and Communication Studies, who will review the prospectus for grammar, style, and form. For details on preparing the prospectus, please consult the Honors Thesis Prospectus Checklistpdf icon.

An abstract of the thesis must be submitted to the Director of the George Center for Honors Studies no later than Friday of the 12th week of classes during the semester the student is enrolled in HON 475. The thesis itself must be submitted to the Director no later than Reading Day of that semester. Please consult the Honors Thesis Style Guidepdf icon.

In addition, during the 14th week of classes during that semester, the student must summarize the completed project in a 10-20 minute formal oral presentation. The presentation will be open to all faculty, staff, and students of the College. The exact day and time of the presentation will be arranged by the Director.