Departmental Thesis Requirements

• Original qualitative/quantitative research
• Research that emerges from an ongoing faculty-led project
• Ancillary analysis(es) from an existing dataset
• Focused review of literature
• Other --as approved by mentor

Each academic department submits the specific requirements that must be met for a successful Honors thesis in its respective major. If you are seeking more information on your department’s thesis requirements, please contact your Departmental Honors Liaison and/or the Honors Thesis Team in the Honors College.

Faculty Thesis Mentors

tenure- or career-track faculty

Do collaborators submit individual theses, or a single co-authored thesis?

The process for submission and assessment would be included to assess the individual's contribution. In some cases, collaborators may submit a joint thesis that outlines their combined research and contributions. No more than two students shall submit a joint thesis. Alternatively, they may submit individual theses that reflect their own contributions to the collaborative work. Assessing and documenting collaborator contributions can be done through various methods. This might include:

• Contributor Statements: Each collaborator may provide a statement detailing their individual contributions to the thesis.

How does the Honors Thesis relate to other aspects of the major, like a Capstone Project?

While capstone projects may be closely guided by faculty, an Honors thesis usually expects a higher degree of independence from the student. If the student opts to utilize the capstone project for their honor thesis, they commonly assume the roles of project initiation, IRB submission, measurement plan design, and project advancement to fulfill the requirements of their thesis.

Additional information for students

• Complete two or three semesters of focused work toward the thesis in order to earn the Honors (BS) in Health & Kinesiology.
• Commit approximately 5-10 hours per week while conducting thesis research.
• Engage in a preliminary period of training prior to working with your faculty mentor/laboratory and plan to volunteer approximately 10-20 total hours prior to engaging in thesis research.
• Meet regularly with your thesis mentor while writing the thesis to stay on track for your planned graduation date. It is recommended that you meet weekly.