Honors Thesis Information
While most students research a topic of interest in their majors and develop a paper on that topic to complete their honors thesis requirements, there are multiple ways to approach this capstone to your honors education. For example, past students have written or directed plays, written children's books, developed marketing plans, created and edited videos, organized campus events, designed airplanes, and written articles for publication in their fields. The main focus should be on developing a thesis or project that represents original scholarly or creative work.
Typically, work on the thesis begins at the end of the junior year or beginning of the senior year. All students must do 6 hours of thesis (usually 3 hours of thesis prep and 3 hours of thesis).
The first step is to develop a short list of topics you are intersted in pursuing. Once you have a general idea of your subject area, you will need to select a faculty member in your major who is well-versed in the area you plan to study as well as someone you will feel comfortable working closely with for an extended period of time. You also will need to select a faculty second reader who will also serve on your thesis committee.
Before you begin your thesis work, you will need to file the "Approval of a Thesis
Proposal Form." This form, which requires a working title and signatures from your
thesis director, second reader, and College Honors Director, indicates to The Honors
College that you are beginning your thesis semester and that you are on track to file
it at the end of the semester. The form should be filed by the end of the second week
of the semester.
The Honors College does not specify requirements for length or format of the thesis.
These are determined by your discipline and by your thesis committee. You will, however,
present and defend your project at the end of the semester. Some of the undergraduate
colleges have specific colloquia designed for honors thesis presentations, and others
are open to scheduling by you and your thesis committee.
Need help? Check out the thesis handbook below, and feel free to contact your honors
advisor at any time throughout the process.
Honors Thesis Handbook
Are you about to begin your honors thesis semester? Be sure to file the appropriate Thesis Proposal Application form before you start.
Completed your thesis and ready to file? Complete this form, upload a .pdf file of your paper, and submit! Your Completion Form will be routed to your faculty thesis director, second reader, and College Honors Director for approval. If you have questions about the process, don't hesitate to contact the Honors College office at 405.744.6799 or honors@okstate.edu.