Thesis

The Honors thesis represents the culminating project of your BYU Honors experience. A thesis is not just another research or term paper; it is a much more substantial piece of scholarship completed under the supervision of a faculty advisor and thesis committee. The Honors thesis represents independent, original research or creative work of superior quality that merits publication, presentation, or distribution beyond the campus community. This hallmark of academic excellence should exhibit high standards of quality in its ideas, methodology, accuracy, clarity, reasoning and presentation. The thesis should be the most developed research or creative effort of your undergraduate years, adding new knowledge, understanding, or approach to your chosen discipline.

Honors students typically complete the thesis requirement during their junior and senior years (2-4 semesters) after they have obtained sufficient training in their major to conduct research in a specialized academic field. The thesis process acquaints you firsthand and in depth with the type of scholarly work that characterizes the field you intend to pursue professionally. For these reasons, only under rare circumstances is an Honors thesis topic outside the major area approved. In most cases, students who complete a thesis outside the major do so in a field cognate to their majors or in a minor. A topic or thesis committee chair outside of a student's major requires advance review and approval by the Honors Program.

Many students report that writing their Honors thesis proved both the most rigorous and the most rewarding academic experience of their college years. Students learn to develop proficient research and rhetorical skills within their discipline while enhancing their academic or professional credentials and making an original contribution to their field.

HONRS 499R

Prerequisites: Approved Honors Thesis Prospectus & HONRS 499R Contract

GE Credit: Together with HONRS 320, this course is certified to meet the University GE Advanced Writing & Oral Communication requirement.

While students are actively engaged in the research and writing stages of their thesis, they must complete an HONRS 499R contract to enroll and complete a total of at least 3.0 and up to 6.0 credits of HONRS 499R, working under the direction of their thesis committee chair. This is a variable credit (1-6 credits), independent, credit/no credit course, and requires an approved thesis prospectus prior to registration. Credits may be taken over multiple semesters, coinciding with work on the thesis project. Students receive a “T” (temporary) grade until after they have successfully defended their thesis (grade changes to credit) or have graduated without completing the thesis (grade changes to no credit). Together with HONRS 320, HONRS 499R is certified to meet the University GE Advanced Writing & Oral Communication requirement for students who complete both courses (including a successful thesis defense).

Honors Thesis Guidelines

(Click on Each Section for Details)

Benefits of an Honors Thesis

Essential Elements of an Honors Thesis

Creative or Performance Based Projects

People Involved

Thesis Timeline

Deadlines

Honors Thesis Tracker

The Honors Thesis Tracker is integrated in the on-line University Honors Progress platform. Students, faculty, and Honors personnel use this digital system to facilitate each step in the thesis process below, from forming the faculty thesis committee through to the final, approved thesis. All requisite information, drafts, and approvals are uploaded, entered and recorded electronically. Students can access the Honors Progress platform from the Honors website (http://honors.byu.edu). Faculty serving on Honors thesis committees will receive automated emails with links to their individual student’s dashboard on the tracker and can access the tracker via the faculty tab on the Honors website. All users are required to login using their BYU NetID and password.

Steps in the Thesis Process

1. Explore Potential Topics & Research Areas
2. Attend Thesis Workshops
3. Meet with Honors Coordinator
4. Identify a Thesis Committee Chair and Faculty Reader
5. Write a Thesis Prospectus
6. Research and Write Your Thesis
7. Defending Your Thesis
8. Thesis Poster
9. Culminating Presentations
10. Publishing Your Thesis

Thesis Funding

See Sample Thesis Prospectuses Below