The Honors Thesis
The Honors thesis is the culmination of an Honors bachelor's degree. An Honors student will conduct a significant scholarly or creative project under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Thesis projects can take on different forms depending on the major: they can consist of laboratory experiments, surveys and/or focus groups, historical analyses, artistic creations, performances, and so on. The departments determine the form and characteristics of a successful thesis.
New Beginning Fall 2026 - University Honors and Thesis Flexibility!
Beginning Fall 2026, students will no longer earn an HBA or HBS in a major. Instead, students who complete Honors degree requirements, will graduate with a BA/BS in their major from their major college with University Honors. This change applies beginning Fall 2026 to all new and continuing students.
What is not changing?
Honors requirements are not changing. The coursework, learning community, and requirement to complete an Honors thesis remain the same. Students will still complete Honors theses under the supervision of a faculty mentor, following a unit’s thesis requirements, and with permission from the cognizant DHL. Per national data, about 80% of students will continue to do the Honors Thesis in their major.
What is changing?
- How we represent the achievement of University Honors on the transcript and the diploma. University Honors is not linked to any individual major. Instead of earning the HBA/HBS in the major(s), students will earn the BA/BS in the major(s) with University Honors. The diploma (or for students with multiple majors, each diploma) will look like the example to the right.
- No more need for multiple or “joint” theses for students with multiple majors. Students with multiple majors no longer need to complete multiple theses or negotiate with multiple units to complete what has been referred to as a “joint thesis”. Instead, completing a single thesis following a unit's thesis requirements (can be their major or elsewhere) is all that is required. Of course, it will still be possible for students to have multiple mentors across multiple units, as long as the cognizant DHL—the one associated with the thesis requirements they are following—permits this.
- Thesis flexibility. Students will be able to complete a thesis in any unit that supervises Honors theses, provided they meet the requirements of that unit for thesis work and have permission from the unit's DHL.
- The Honors College will become a unit that can supervise Honors Theses. The Honors faculty will have their own thesis requirements and DHL.
FAQs
- Why was this change made? This change was made to enable students to pursue Honors Thesis work more flexibly. It also aligns us with the practices of other Honors Colleges nationally.
- If I have two majors, but complete a thesis in only one, will my diploma make this clear? Completing Honors requirements will mean that your diploma for every degree delineates that you received your degree from your major college(s) and from the Honors College.
- What happens to students who have already registered a joint thesis? There is no reason not to continue as planned, but the “jointness” is no longer necessary – the diploma will reflect that your degree is conferred from the Honors college for all majors.
- What happens to students who are currently pursuing multiple theses for multiple majors? There is no reason not to continue as planned, but the diploma will not reflect the multiple theses. All completed theses will still be recognized by the Honors College and made available through the Marriott Library.
- Do DHLs have to permit students outside their major to complete a thesis in their unit? The short answer is no--what's new is that this will be an option for units when it is appropriate for the unit and the student. We anticipate that most students will continue to complete the Honors Thesis in their major.
- What if I have multiple mentors and/or have engaged with multiple units’ thesis requirements and DHLs? The Honors College will continue to support and celebrate interdisciplinary thesis work. What’s new is that students with multiple majors no longer need to use the joint thesis mechanism. If you engage multiple units in completing your thesis, simply add the necessary signature lines to your thesis cover page.
Why do an Honors Thesis?
Whether you’re committed to working in your major field, or keeping your options open, completing an Honors thesis gives you the experience to help you get where you want to go.
Practical value of an Honors Thesis? Unlimited.
An Honors Thesis helps you to:Thesis Steps & Deadlines
Departments and majors across campus have appointed Departmental Honors Liaisons (DHLs). DHLs can help students explore ideas for a thesis, connect with other faculty in the department to supervise thesis work and, in some cases, develop a plan to complete Honors requirements.
Some departments have identified specific course requirements that must be completed to earn an Honors degree. Students need to meet with the Departmental Honors Liaison in their department/major to ensure they are meeting all department/major-specific requirements. You can look up your DHL here.
The process of identifying and refining a thesis topic may seem intimidating. A good place to start is recognizing one’s interests. By declaring a major, Honors students have already identified a broad area of interest. To narrow it down further, reflect on and pay attention to coursework that is interesting and makes you want to learn more. As you progress through your major, you may also encounter research papers or creative works that spark further interest. Focusing on these papers or works and reading into the research/creation process can be a great way to inspire future questions.
For creative projects, identifying themes, motivations, or styles in your current or previous semester’s work can inform a future portfolio, piece, or artist’s statement. It is possible that creative work you have already produced or are working on can contribute towards your thesis.
The same may be true of capstone work, but be sure to check a major’s thesis description for the best guidance on what is expected. Keep in mind that in some disciplines, laboratories, or with certain faculty, research may be guided by the funding or projects underway. This is where it can be useful to spend time learning about the faculty and work being done within your department or reflecting on past professors. It can be greatly beneficial to learn about the specific laboratories/research focuses within a department beforehand as joining such groups/projects may guide or directly translate into a thesis.
Academic majors determine who is eligible to serve as a faculty thesis mentor. Broadly speaking, a faculty mentor can be a former professor from a class, the primary investigator of a research lab, or someone whose research has inspired or piqued a student’s intellectual curiosity. They might be someone a student meets after a lecture on campus. Try to get to know faculty working in your area of interest, attend lectures and presentations put on by an academic unit, join a laboratory (if appropriate), and seek out research opportunities where possible. Finally, the Departmental Honors Liaison can serve as an invaluable resource in finding a faculty mentor.
Students are expected to identify a faculty thesis mentor and a thesis topic, and to have these approved by the mentor and the DHL by the end of the third year. Some departments have additional requirements for a thesis registration, and students should follow department guidelines and timelines for this: read the thesis requirements for your major and meet with your Department Honors Liaison to learn more about department/major-specific expectations.
Congratulations! You have completed your Honors Thesis and are ready to submit.
Department/Major Thesis Requirements
Honors Thesis FAQs
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Some majors permit students with double majors to write a single Honors Thesis that satisfies the requirements of both majors--this is called a joint thesis. It will be important to speak with both DHLs to come up with a plan for a structure and sets of methods, etc. Look up your department/major thesis requirements to find out if joint theses are permitted in your majors.
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The Honors Thesis involves scholarship or creative work in the student’s major. For this reason, each department determines what constitutes original research or creative pursuit, the appropriate thesis format, and an appropriate timeline for the thesis work. See the department/major-specific thesis requirements for more details on what is expected for your major.
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Learning Communities
Learning communities play a role in helping students understand the honors thesis process. In a student’s first year, they are introduced to what is an honors thesis and potential resources available to them. In the second year, a thesis checklist is developed in consultation with the Department Honors Liaison to determine an appropriate timeline for completing a thesis. The third and fourth year learning communities support submitting a thesis registration and ultimately the completion of an honors thesis.
