Honors Thesis

The honors thesis program allows qualified undergraduate students to conduct original research under faculty supervision.

Program Overview

What is an Honors Thesis?

An honors thesis is:

• A year-long independent research project
• Supervised by a PBS faculty advisor
• Completed during senior year
• Defended before a faculty committee
• Resulting in a written thesis document

Benefits

Completing an honors thesis provides:

• Deep research experience
• Close faculty mentorship
• Preparation for graduate school
• Recognition at graduation (cum laude, etc.)
• A substantial academic achievement

Eligibility Requirements

Academic Requirements

To be eligible, you must:

Requirement	Minimum
Overall GPA	3.0
Major GPA	3.3
Class Standing	Rising Senior
Major Status	Declared PBS major

Prerequisite Courses

Before applying, complete:

• PSYC 10 (Statistics) or equivalent
• PSYC 60 (Research Methods) or equivalent
• At least one lab course (PSYC 65, 89.01, etc.)

Checking Your Eligibility

1. Navigate to Honors Thesis in your dashboard
2. Click Check Eligibility
3. The system shows which requirements you meet
4. Address any gaps before applying

Application Process

Timeline

When	What
Spring of Junior Year	Identify potential advisor
April-May	Submit thesis proposal
June	Receive approval notification
Fall of Senior Year	Begin PSYC 89.01
Winter	Continue with PSYC 89.02
Late Winter	Submit final thesis
Spring	Defend thesis

Step 1: Find an Advisor

1. Review faculty research interests
2. Identify 2-3 potential advisors
3. Schedule meetings to discuss your interests
4. Confirm one faculty member's willingness to advise

Step 2: Develop Your Proposal

Your proposal should include:

• Title - Working title for your thesis
• Abstract - Brief summary of the project
• Background - Why this research matters
• Methods - How you'll conduct the research
• Timeline - Key milestones and deadlines
• Resources - What you need to complete the work

Step 3: Submit Application

1. Navigate to Honors Thesis → Apply
2. Fill in the application form:
   • Confirm your advisor
   • Upload your proposal
   • Verify eligibility information
   • Acknowledge commitments
3. Your advisor receives notification to approve
4. Submit to department for review

Step 4: Committee Formation

After approval:

1. Work with your advisor to identify a second reader
2. The second reader can be from PBS or another department
3. Enter committee members in the system
4. Committee reviews and approves

During the Thesis Year

Milestones

The system tracks your thesis milestones:

Milestone	Typical Deadline	Description
Proposal Approval	Fall Week 2	Committee approves revised proposal
Literature Review	Fall Week 6	Complete background research
Methods Finalized	Fall Week 10	IRB approval if needed
Data Collection	Winter Week 4	Complete data gathering
Results Draft	Winter Week 8	Analysis complete
Full Draft	Winter Week 10	Complete thesis draft
Defense	Spring Week 2-4	Oral defense with committee
Final Submission	Spring Week 5	Revised thesis submitted

Viewing Milestones

1. Go to Honors Thesis → My Thesis
2. See the milestone timeline
3. Submit materials as they're due
4. Track approval status

Advisor Meetings

The system supports:

• Scheduling meetings with your advisor
• Recording meeting notes
• Tracking feedback and action items
• Documenting progress

IRB Requirements

When IRB is Needed

You need IRB approval if your research involves:

• Human participants
• Surveys or interviews
• Behavioral experiments
• Analysis of identifiable data

IRB Process

1. Complete CITI training
2. Prepare IRB application with your advisor
3. Submit through Dartmouth's IRB system
4. Wait for approval (typically 2-4 weeks)
5. Record approval number in PBS Knowledge

The Defense

Scheduling

1. Work with your committee to find a time
2. Reserve a room through the department
3. Enter defense details in the system
4. Invite guests if desired

Format

A typical defense includes:

• 20-30 minute presentation
• 30-45 minutes of questions
• Private committee deliberation
• Immediate feedback

Outcomes

After the defense, the committee determines:

• Pass - Thesis accepted as is
• Pass with Revisions - Minor changes required
• Major Revisions - Significant changes, possible re-defense
• Not Pass - Thesis not accepted (rare)

Honors Designation

Levels

Based on thesis quality and GPA:

Designation	Thesis Grade	Requirements
Summa Cum Laude	High Honors	Top thesis, high GPA
Magna Cum Laude	Honors	Excellent thesis, strong GPA
Cum Laude	Honors	Good thesis, meets requirements

Recognition

Honors students receive:

• Notation on transcript
• Recognition at graduation
• Certificate of completion
• Bound thesis copy in library

Troubleshooting

Application Issues

• Ensure all fields are completed
• Verify your eligibility status
• Confirm your advisor has approved

Milestone Submissions

• Check file format requirements
• Verify file size limits
• Contact support for upload issues

Timeline Extensions

• Discuss with your advisor first
• Submit extension request in system
• Extensions require committee approval