Honors Program Timeline
Timeline for the Psychology Honors Thesis: What to expect
In the fall semester before you begin the sequence, you need to apply for the thesis seminar (PSY 497), there are expectations for minimum preparation. See the current brochure and application for details.
Spring semester of junior year:
Enroll in (nine hours):
- PSY 497 Psychology Thesis Seminar (three credits)
- regular seminar for all students in sequence that year
- PSY 492 Honors Directed Study (typically three credits)
- these hours will be arranged when you select a mentor
- PSY 330 Advanced Statistics [if not taken before, recommended as co-requisite]
Timeline for thesis project activity
|
January-February |
Presentations to the seminar by faculty who are available to mentor honors thesies this year |
students not initially committed to a project will use the first six to eight weeks of the semester to select a mentor |
|
March-April |
Work with faculty mentor to develop a research question and the details of your project |
This likely will entail library work as well as pilot work on procedures or techniques |
|
End of spring semester |
Each student turns in a paper that describes the proposed project and presents his/her proposed project to the seminar (with their mentor present) |
The paper will typically be about 20 pages, in APA style. The paper identifies the research question in the context of the literature and proposes the methods of a thesis project that will help answer (parts of) that question |
summer |
Work on projects often continues through the summer, and this is time that can be well spent on thesis activities |
|
Fall semester of senior year:
Enroll in (six hours):
- PSY 497 Psychology Thesis Seminar (3 credits)
- regular seminar for all students in sequence that year
- PSY 493 Psychology Honors Thesis (typically 3 credits)
- these hours will be arranged
|
September-October |
Run projects, analyze data |
This can be a very hectic time, and students should recognize that fact in scheduling other classes |
|
October-November |
Begin writing up project, and prepare materials for graduate school admission |
Students should anticipate several drafts of the paper will be required |
|
End of Fall semester (For fall graduation, the defense needs to be before Thanksgiving) |
Each student turns in a formal Thesis document, and presents that thesis to a Committee. The thesis committee consists of the students faculty mentor (First Reader), the faculty instructor from the seminar (Second Reader), and a faculty member appointed by the Barrett Honors College (Third Reader) |
Theses are formal documents that have all the features of a research report in a Psychology journal. Thesis defenses are public occasions, and the entire seminar is encouraged to participate |
Spring semester of senior year:
|
April (usually the second Thursday) |
Psychology department honors thesis colloquium and undergraduate awards celebration |
Students present their completed thesis projects in posters form to the entire psychology department faculty |