(revised 01/05)

An Honors thesis is the hallmark of a quality Honors education as illustrated by the finest Honors Colleges in the nation. This graduation requirement provides every student the opportunity to design a unique project, which will become both the culmination of the undergraduate experience and a bridge to their future career or academic life.

Students in the Honors College complete a three-credit project, which includes:

• Preparing a proposal
• Writing a 20 page paper
• Giving an oral presentation

Every student works with a faculty member to develop the proposal and final paper. (Information for faculty thesis advisors may be found here.) Students may choose among several options to complete this requirement, including:

• The traditional thesis
• The interdisciplinary thesis
• The community service project
• The internship project
• The teaching project
• The education abroad project
• Team research
  

In all cases, a significant piece of writing that places the project in an academic framework is required. The final paper must address a research question that forms a bridge between published scholarship in a discipline and the student's personal experience or research.

There is no class associated with the Honors Thesis. Instead, students register for 3 credits under UH 450. Registration for these credits will not take place until a project proposal has been completed and submitted to the Honors College for approval.

Every year, a few theses are selected from within the entire WSU
Honors College (including other campuses) to be awarded "Completion with Distinction" based on specific Distinction Criteria. Examples of recent theses that have received "Completion with Distinction" from the Honors Council can be downloaded in a PDF file. A list of theses that received Completion with Distinction (beginning with Fall 2001) is also available.

For more information, contact:

Honors Advisor, Teresa Phimister, (360) 546-9664
Honors Director, Prof. Candice Goucher (360) 546-9469.

Vancouver Honors Deadlines(1)

Forms	Fall	Spring	Summer
Pre-Proposal Advisor Signature	2nd day of classes	December 15, previous semester	April 15
Thesis Proposal	The Monday of the second week of classes	Monday of the second week of classes	May 1
Presentation	November 1	April 1	July 1
Four Copies of Final Paper Due	The Monday of the week before the scheduled presentation
Revised Project(2)	December 15	May 5	August 1

(1) If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, then the item is due by noon on the next school day.
(2) If the Thesis Committee requires revisions, then they must be
submitted by this due date or the student may not pass the course.
The final two copies should be spiral bound.

Forms

Honors Thesis Checklist
Pre-Proposal Project Advisor Signature Form
Project Proposal Cover Sheet
Final Presentation Request