thesis

Core Course, "Studies"

As the final part of their general education requirements in the honors college, students in the Program compose an undergraduate thesis, generally within the departmental major. This project includes two parts: first, the composition of a thesis prospectus, during the Honors Program Thesis Seminar (HON 407, offered Fall, Winter, Spring quarters), in which the student concisely outlines the topic and its significance to the field of study, showing how the anticipated project falls in relation to significant other work in the domain or field. To that prospectus should be appended a working bibliography of substantial merit and scope. (The student will give copies of this prospectus to you, to the department's designated adviser for honors college students, and to the Honors Program office; it is due to the Program office by the eighth week of the quarter.) The remainder of the project is carried out under the HON 403 (Thesis) heading; that component generally carries six hours' credit, so that the student receives eight hours' credit for the entirety of the thesis project.

The last part of a student's work in the honors college is the baccalaureate thesis; it bears emphasizing that this is a serious project, representing a valuable opportunity for the student to work closely with senior faculty, and it should not be undertaken frivolously. It should also be emphasized that the project is one for which you will have received substantial preparation, in both the general education curriculum of the honors college and in work done in the departmental major. Consequently, your final thesis will be expected to represent your best effort at demonstrating skilled application of the writing and research skills in which you have been trained.