University Honors College Thesis and Creative Project Information and Other Useful Material

Graduation Requirements  20 hours lower-division Honors coursework (any 1000 or 2000 level courses)  11 hours upper-division Honors coursework, including:  1 hour Honors Lecture Series  3 hours Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar—Required unless waived for Study Abroad Credit or UH 4010 Institute of Leadership Excellence (summer course)  3 hours upper-division Honors coursework  1 hour Thesis Tutorial (UH 4900) recommended 2 nd semester of junior year  3 hours senior independent research or creative project (UH 4950) (upper-division can be substituted for lower-division)

Honors Contract Information OR  Receive Honors credit for a non-Honors upper-division course (3000 and 4000 level) OR a 2000 level course that is never offered (check with Laura Clippard if in doubt)  Juniors and Seniors eligible  Must have completed 12 or more Honors lower-division coursework  No more than four (4) hours can be counted toward the 31 hours Honors College requirement

For Spring 2014  Take the Lecture Series, UH 3000  Complete an Honors contract  Register for a UH interdisciplinary seminar class  Take an upper-division Honors class if your major offers them

What is ILE?  ‘Institute of Leadership Excellence’ which can be substituted for UH 3500 or UH 4600  Leadership development and personal growth and skill development  Limited enrollment — must be nominated and apply by December 1  Meets during May for one week (9 a.m. — 6 p.m.)  for more information

Ways to Earn Additional Honors Credit  Having a 4 or 5 on Advanced Placement (AP) test scores (up to nine Honors hours awarded).  Having an “A” in Governor School course (up to three Honors hours awarded).  Study Abroad college credits (must have approval prior to trip) for up to nine hours Honors credit.  Earn one point higher than the score required for International Baccalaureate (IB). (Nine hours total), in any combination — Form online:

What if I am short on lower-division hours?  Study abroad can count up to hours for Honors  Lecture Series can be taken times  Collage can be taken times  Take an extra interdisciplinary course * If you are very short on Honors hours, please schedule an individual meeting.

Research vs. Creative Thesis RESEARCH  Must have strong methodology as determined by your major  IRB approval may be needed  Timeline needs to allow time for research and write-up  Students should consider publishing their research in professional journals CREATIVE  Always has a written academic component  More flexible in content  Resources and medium are important  Samples are available for viewing  Timeline is key

Challenges of Doing a Thesis  Communication breakdowns between student and thesis advisor  PROCRASTINATORS BEWARE  Checking your MTSU is vital  Technique issues for science students  Working on your thesis during summer  Timeline is the key to your success  Financial aid issues — Incompletes may affect you  Be prepared to revise TIME MANAGEMENT IS CRUCIAL

Benefits of doing a Thesis  Academics and Research can be  Prepares you for graduate school and other challenges  Makes you in the job market or when competing for graduate school  Other intrinsic benefits

Summary of Steps Preparation needed to sign up for UH 4900 (early fall f unior year)  Choose a topic  Read thesis guide and books  Vet thesis ideas with potential faculty mentor  Choose faculty mentor  Select tentative working title for your project  Complete degree audit with Honors College advisor HOW TO WRITE A BA THESIS A Practical Guide From Your First Ideas to Your Finished Paper By Charles Lipson

Summary of Steps Enrolling in UH 4900 (late fall of junior year)  Jointly determine class time slot with faculty mentor  Complete UH 4900 enrollment form and secure signatures  Return form to HONR 205 and get course reference number and permit  Register for UH 4900 online Ms. Clippard helping a student

Timeline and Summary of Steps UH 4900 Deadlines  Proposal Due, (electronic and paper copies) — Basically one month: Late-September or Mid-February.  Committee Meeting, early-to-mid October or late February.  Revised proposal, end of October or late March: CHECK WITH ADVISOR FOR DEADLINES

Summary of Steps Enrolling in UH 4950 (late spring of junior year)  Obtain UH 4950 enrollment form at proposal committee meeting  Complete form and secure signatures of faculty mentor and department chair  Return form to HONR 205 to get course reference number and permit  Register for UH 4950 online

Timeline and Summary of Steps UH 4950 Deadlines  Final version of thesis project, Mid-October or late March, ready for defense, due in HONR 205  Thesis Defense Mid-November or early April  Revised thesis (if required), by last day of classes, printed on cotton paper, with signatures, due in HONR 205 for binding and archiving CHECK WITH ADVISOR FOR DEADLINES

Commonly Asked Questions  What format should I use? It is up to your major.  Does my thesis advisor need to be Honors faculty? No.  How can I pick my thesis advisor? Check out the list of past thesis advisors or select a professor that you are comfortable working with.  Is a thesis just a longer term paper? Definitely not.  How can I sign up for the thesis class? Meet with Laura to make sure that you have enough hours and complete the UH 4900 form.  How do I pick my topic? Find out what research is going on in your field and meet with faculty about your specific ideas.

More Commonly Asked Questions  What happens in the UH 4900 meeting? Faculty give very specific feedback on how to strengthen the proposal and then students revise it.  What kind of feedback do students receive? Narrow the topic, more research needed, and more references needed are some examples.  How can I prepare? Meet with your thesis advisor weekly.  What happens in the UH 4950 meeting? First, dress in a professional manner and bring all relevant materials. There will be an academic discussion about the thesis, including your recommendations on the topic. At the end of the discussion, the student will leave the room while faculty discuss the thesis. You can bring family/friends with you to wait. The last stage is a ringing of the bells on campus, and having pictures made.  How can I prepare for the meeting? Review your materials and remember YOU are the expert. Be prepared to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the thesis.

Summary of Steps You may pick up a hard copy of the complete Thesis Guide in HONR 205, or find it online at the bottom of the following Web page:

Honors Study Abroad Information Don’t forget to ask for credit and funds for your study abroad! Form on our Web site:  Study Abroad Fair, November 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Watch for information on Fulbright workshops Gilman Scholarships, Students with Pell Grant may be eligible to compete for these national scholarships for study abroad Honors College Signature Italy Summer 2014 trip Information: Monday, Sept. 4 p.m. or Tuesday, Oct. 11:30 a.m., HONR 106. Special Honors funding available for selected participants

Fellowships and Funding  URECA Funding for Research and Creative Projects: Get paid to do academic work! Check out their MTSU Web site:  Learn more about national scholarships: Honors Lecture Series, Nov 11 th, Monday, 3:00 p.m., Room 106 or view the Honors College Web site link: Students can apply for Fulbright, Truman, D.A.A.D. and many more!

Important Things to Remember: 1.See your major advisor before Nov 8 th. If you wait until the last minute, you may not get an appointment. 2.Check your Pipeline for Holds! You receive holds for parking tickets, library fines, or if an advisor wants to see you. You cannot register if you have holds! 3.Students who are approved can register on Friday, Nov 8, 2013 for Spring 2014 classes.

Honors College Academic Advisors  Ms. Laura Clippard — HONR 227 OR  Ms. April Goers — HONR 228  Honors Web site: