How to Prepare for Your Honors Thesis

A recommended timeline for completion of the honors thesis

Every student’s thesis timeline can look a bit different, but here are some ideas for things you should be doing each year to prepare for and complete your Honors Thesis.  

After reviewing the suggestions below, reach out to your Franke Honors advisor if you have any questions or are considering a different timeline.  

Please note that some academic programs have a culminating project that will fulfill the honors thesis requirement. The list includes College of Engineering majors, Accounting , Entrepreneurship, Finance, BFA Film and TV, and College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture majors. If you are in any of these programs, your thesis and timeline will be guided by your major department, and you should defer to them for instructions.  

It’s never too early to start thinking about your thesis! In fact, you can start in your first year.  

While you don’t need to be actively planning your project as an incoming, first-year student, it can be helpful to take steps now to make the process easier later. Here are our recommendations for your first year to get yourself ready for your future thesis:   

  • Acclimate to the university – explore your interests, make connections with other students, and meet with faculty.  

    • For example, start going to your professors’ office hours to get to know them, solidify your understanding of course material, and to learn more about their research. 

  • Ask your major advisor and professors about internship, preceptorship, and research opportunities. 

  • Reflect on your preferences and passions. Start considering what you like learning about and how you like learning. You can use this worksheet to begin your reflection. 

Your second year (a.k.a. sophomore year) doesn’t necessarily require active planning for your thesis, but there are some things we suggest you do this year to prepare:  

  • Consider getting involved in research opportunities like: 

    • Quest 

    • Independent study 

    • Labs – check through your major department or the UR website for opportunities to work in a lab! 

  • Connect with faculty  

    • Keep attending your professors’ office hours

    • Seek potential mentorship opportunities with a faculty member, like through preceptorships 

  • Consider taking HNRS 321 – Ignite in your third year 

    • Ignite is an honors thesis preparation course that will get you ready for independent study or your thesis. 

  • Take stock of your learning! At the end of your second year, reflect again on your interests and learning preferences. You can use this worksheet to guide your reflection. 

Your penultimate year of school—sometimes called Junior year—is the time to start actively planning your thesis. Here are the steps you should take:  

First semester third year-  

  • Connect with your department about the requirements for an Honors Thesis in your potential area of study. Your department may require a presentation or a research prep course before you even begin the project. You might not know until you ask, so, go talk to your major/minor advisor about departmental expectations! 

    • Some of the departments that require additional steps or considerations for an Honors Thesis include English and Creative Writing, Psychology, History, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and others. If you are in one of these programs, start the conversation now about your thesis requirements.  

    • If you’re unsure how to approach the project, please contact your department's honors faculty liaison or your departmental academic advisor.  

  • Continue to network with professors. Now is the time to have more in-depth conversations about topics of interest and potential areas of research you could explore for your project.  

  • Take HNRS 321. If you have not already taken the honors thesis preparation course HNRS 321-Ignite, now would be an excellent time to do that!  

  • If you would like to do research with human subjects, please reach out to potential faculty thesis mentors now and learn about the IRB process.  

 

Second semester third year -  

  • Take the Honors Thesis preparation course, HNRS 321-Ignite! 

  • Find a mentor. Easier said than done, we know. Follow these steps for guidance. 

    • Confirm your mentor  

    • Make sure your mentor is on board with your idea and agrees to oversee your year-long project. 

    • Check with your department that you can work with that professor. Contact the major or minor advisor for the program in which you’re doing the project or your honors faculty liaison.  

  • REQUIRED: Submit your prospectus. EVERY STUDENT DOING A THESIS MUST SUBMIT A PROSPECTUS BEFORE THEY BEGIN THEIR PROJECT. 

    • The prospectus is due the last day of classes before your first semester of thesis.  

  • REQUIRED: Make sure you are enrolled in your Honors Thesis units for the upcoming semester.  

    • In most majors and minors, you will need to speak with the advisor for the program in which you’re doing your thesis to register for Honors Thesis units. In some departments, like Engineering, they will enroll you in thesis units that are called something else like “Senior Design.” If you are unsure, reach out to your departmental academic advisor!  

    • Example: I’m doing my thesis in my Physiology major. I need to contact my major advisor in Physio to enroll in my Honors Thesis units for next semester, PSIO 498H.  

It’s your senior year! Woo! This is the year you’ll be actively working on your thesis.   

Our recommendations for this year? 

  • Make sure you are enrolled in Honors Thesis units. The Honors Thesis is a 6-unit project, 3 Honors Thesis units in each semester, and you must have those units reflected on your schedule.  

    • Reach out to the academic advisor for the major or minor in which you’re doing your project to register for Honors Thesis units.  

    • In many programs, honors thesis units are listed under the number 498H. Examples: PSIO 498H, SPAN 498H, and PSY 498H. Some programs, like Engineering, will enroll you in thesis units that are called something else like “Senior Design.” If you are unsure, reach out to your departmental academic advisor!  

  • Determine a detailed work plan with your faculty thesis mentor ahead of time. Set some preliminary due dates throughout the year, at which time you should submit outlines, notes, and drafts before you ever submit your final draft at the end of the year.  

    • Note: Set due dates for work in your first semester of thesis too! Decide with your mentor what you will turn in that first semester of your senior year. It could be an annotated bibliography, research notes, an outline, or something else. This will help your mentor ensure you are on track and assign your first semester grade for the honors thesis units.   

  • Stay in touch with your mentor throughout the process. You can even set up meetings ahead of time, like every other Friday at 1pm, to check your progress.  

  • In your final semester of thesis, submit a rough draft to your mentor at least a few weeks ahead of the final due date, so your mentor can provide feedback.  

    • Example: Gina’s thesis is due in early May, so she should provide a rough draft to her mentor no later than mid-April.  

  • REQUIRED: You will submit your final honors thesis online in a PDF at the end of your second semester of your honors thesis.  

  • REQUIRED: You must have separate grades for your work first semester and second semester of thesis. Please check your record to ensure you have received two letter grades for all 6 units of thesis work.  

    • Example: David received a grade of B for PSY 498H for their first semester of honors thesis and an A for their second semester of PSY 498H.