Important Dates & Recommended Timeline


Sophomore Year

  • Spring term: begin considering topics; ideally you will narrow your possibilities to 3-4 by end of term

Junior Year

  • Fall term: enroll in H 303, the Thesis Orientation seminar; continue working on topic refinement and research design and also complete a thesis proposal by end of term
  • Winter term: thesis proposal vetted by Faculty Senate Honors Committee (either in January or February)
  • Spring term: enroll in H 353, the Thesis Development seminar; also continue research; complete an outline, timeline, and expanded annotations; and begin writing a key section of the thesis (often the literature review)

Senior Year

  • Fall term: continue drafting your thesis chapters
  • Winter term: continue drafting; ideally submit some chapters to advisor for feedback
  • April: near-complete draft submitted to thesis advisor(s); thesis title also submitted to Honors Director for inclusion in Commencement Program
  • May: revise and resubmit draft to thesis advisor(s)
  • Early June: final revisions
  • Mid June: Commencement
  • June 25; camera-ready copy submitted to Honors Director for copying and binding

This timeline is designed for a student who begins the thesis process in fall term of her junior year and completes the project — and graduates — 18 months later, in June.  Students who are graduating mid-year should adjust the timeline accordingly.  In rare occasions, students might finish their thesis later than the June Commencement.  Those students can still walk during Commencement but, depending on the date of completion, may be designated summer (not spring) graduates.  If graduating in spring is your goal, plan to adhere to the recommended schedule.