Thesis

Many Honors students say that the senior thesis was the most rewarding project of their undergraduate education. It is important preparation for graduate work, and a demonstration to future employers that you are capable of independent, creative, thorough work. This is a time for you to explore an academic area in which you are passionate, to engage in the process of discovery, and to make a creative contribution in your areas of interest and expertise. Perhaps the most important component of an Honors thesis is the opportunity to work closely with the faculty member who will serve as your thesis advisor.

In general, a thesis reflects 3-6 credit hours of academic work, which may include library research, a laboratory project, an education project, a business plan, or a creative performance or exhibition.

Thesis Presentation

The thesis experience includes a public presentation. Student Showcase in April will be required for the spring graduates, and highly encouraged for fall graduates who are ready. Student Showcase includes both poster and paper presentations. Not sure where to start? We've given you suggestions for preparing for your presentation.

Thesis Guidelines and Format

In Fall 2006, Honors introduced the first edition of the USU Honors Program Thesis Guidebook. This guidebook specificies the Honors Program's expectations for your thesis, including length, bibliography, formatting, and the timeline to completion. Download the thesis guidebook here, as a pdf.

As noted in the Thesis Guidebook, you are required to include an Author's Biography as part of the thesis you submit to the Honors office. We've included a sample author's biography to help you.

Also, please note that completed theses must be hand-delivered to the Honors office, Old Main 015. Please do not send them in campus mail.

Note for Biology students: Biology requires an Honors committee of two faculty members. The first will always be the student’s thesis advisor. The second should be a faculty member who works in a similar or complementary field, but is not necessarily the Department Honors Advisor. Students are asked to remember that faculty members doing research in biology might be in many departments around campus. The Department Honors Advisor will continue to sign off on each thesis.

Thesis and Graduation Paperwork

Associated with successful completion of the thesis and graduation with Honors are a series of deadlines and forms. Each of these forms, with the exception of the Graduation Audit, must be downloaded from this website as Word documents, completed in typeface, and submitted to the Honors office on the following schedule:

Two semesters before your final, thesis semester:

In the semester before your final, thesis semester:

  • You should submit the Thesis Formal Proposal to the Honors Office.
  • Meet with Danene Dustin to complete your Honors Graduation Audit form prior to the end of the third week of classes. The purpose of this form is to check that you have earned enough Honors credits to graduate with Honors. Please meet with Honors early in the semester, so that you will have time to earn additional Honors credits, if necessary. You will then take the graduation audit form and have it signed by your Thesis Advisor and your Departmental Honors Advisor, then return it to the Honors office.

After you have completed your thesis:

  • The Thesis Evaluation Form is completed by the faculty thesis advisor after you have completed and presented your thesis. When you turn in the final copy of your thesis to your faculty thesis advisor, print this form and give it to your faculty thesis advisor.
  • Once your senior thesis is finished and has been approved by your faculty thesis advisor, download and complete the Thesis Cover Page which applies to your Honors degree and submit it with your thesis to the Honors office:

At the end of your final semester:

In sum, there is a total of six forms that will need to be on file with the Honors office before you will graduate with Honors:

  • Thesis Preliminary Proposal, to be completed two semesters before your final, thesis semester
  • Thesis Formal Proposal, to be completed the semester prior to your final, thesis semester
  • Graduation Audit, to be completed the semester prior to your final, thesis semester
  • Thesis Evaluation, to be completed by your faculty thesis advisor after you've completed and presented your thesis
  • Thesis Cover Page (see above), to be submitted with the final copy of your thesis to the Honors office
  • Senior Exit Survey, to be completed before picking up your gold cords for commencement