Prior to beginning your Honors Thesis, you must submit the Honors Thesis Prospectus form to the W. A. Franke Honors College.
Overview and Purpose
The purpose of the Honors Thesis Prospectus is to encourage you to begin thinking about the thesis in a timely manner and to ensure that you have secured the support of a faculty thesis mentor. It is an opportunity for you and your faculty mentor to put your shared expectations, research plan, and desired outcomes in writing.
The Honors Thesis Prospectus is required in order to graduate with honors. If you are intending to write a thesis but did not submit a prospectus prior to starting your work, please contact your Honors Academic Advisor in order to discuss your next steps.
Once you have a topic selected and a faculty mentor secured, the next step is to complete the Honors Thesis Prospectus Form. When you complete the form, your thesis mentor will receive a copy, at which point they will either accept your prospectus or suggest edits for it. Once your thesis mentor accepts your prospectus, it will be sent to the W. A. Franke Honors College for documentation and recording.
Prospectus/Thesis Due Dates
| Step | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Start thinking of ideas. | As early as possible! |
| Reach out to potential faculty thesis advisors. | Junior year (or earlier, if possible) |
| Attend a thesis information session. | Junior year (or earlier, if possible) |
| Complete and submit the prospectus. | End of semester BEFORE you begin your thesis. |
| Have your department academic advisor enroll you in your thesis units. | As soon as possible after submission of the prospectus. |