Senior Honors Thesis

All honors students are encouraged to undertake a six-credit senior Honors Thesis in their senior year. If you complete the requirements for the Honors Program and for the Senior Honors Thesis, you will graduate with University Honors and as an Honors Scholar. Both notations will appear on your transcript.

The Senior Honors Thesis should be a research paper or project in your major discipline that you are working on for a specific course or professor.

The Senior Honors Thesis is normally completed over three semesters, starting with a preparatory seminar in the spring semester of your junior year. You are invited to select your own thesis topic, which will involve in-depth research with a faculty advisor. The Senior Honors Thesis or Project provides six honors credits (with a course grade of B or higher) toward the requirements for graduation as an Honors Scholar. See the Senior Honors Thesis Student Guidelines and Senior Honors Thesis Faculty Guidelines for additional information.

Senior Honors Thesis Student Guidelines (PDF)

Senior Honors Thesis Faculty Guidelines (PDF)

Honors students who are thinking about producing a Senior Honors Thesis or Project can see some of the great work of Honors Program graduates online at Miller Nichols Library.

Preparatory Semester

This semester normally occurs during the spring semester of your junior year.

Enroll in Honors 330: Honors Thesis/Project Practicum. This one-credit course will prepare honors students to undertake a senior Honors thesis or project. In this course, students will explore different options for theses or projects; identify a topic and faculty advisor; plan the production of the thesis or project; produce a part of the thesis or project and collaborate effectively with other honors students to develop their plans. This course is appropriate for juniors who can then devote their senior year to producing an honors thesis or project.

First Semester of Senior Year

Complete the Senior Honors Thesis Contract form (first semester) with the supervising professor. This person will oversee the six-hour project. The first-semester work is normally research, planning and outlining. The honors contract must be associated with a specific course in which you are enrolled, either a course in your major (such as the Senior Seminar or Senior Capstone) or the Honors Senior Thesis course (Honors 495).

Complete a detailed prospectus outlining the scope of the senior thesis and attach this to the contract. Both are due to the Honors Program director during the first month of the first semester of work.

Upon completion of the first-semester work, send the Senior Honors Thesis Completion Form (First Semester)(PDF) to the Honors Program. Completion forms are due no later than the Tuesday following finals week. If more time is needed, email the Honors Program Director with the said request before the close of the semester.

Second Semester of Senior Year

Complete the Senior Honors Thesis Contract Form (Second Semester) with the supervising professor and send them to the Honors Program director (424 Cherry Hall) during the first month of the second semester of work. The second semester is normally reserved for writing and any other research. Like the first semester, the honors contract must be associated with a specific course in which you are enrolled. A course grade of B or higher is required.

Many students will benefit from enrolling in Honors 499: Senior Thesis/Project Writing Group during the semester in which they plan to complete their Senior Honors Thesis. This one-credit course is a collaborative research writing workshop for students of all majors. No matter what your thesis topic may be, you will benefit from the friendly critique and peer review offered by fellow honors students and the professional writing advice and support provided by the course instructor.

You will make a public presentation of your work at either the SEARCH Symposium or another conference or symposium of your choice during the second semester. Please inform the Honors Program director where you will present your work.

Provide the director with the second semester Senior Honors Thesis Completion Form (Second Semester)(PDF) signed by the supervising professor. Completion forms are due no later than the Tuesday following finals week. If more time is needed, contact the Honors Program director before the close of the semester.

At the end of the second semester, provide the Honors Program with an electronic copy of your completed work. With the student’s permission (PDF), the thesis will be stored in an online archive, MOspace, through Miller Nichols Library and can be accessed by any member of the UMKC community.

Senior Honors Thesis – Approval and Completion Forms

Resources