Thesis prep: required courses, finding a thesis advisor, timing, and study abroad considerations

All CALS juniors planning to write the Honors thesis must take CALS 2990 (Junior Honors Seminar, for 2 credits) in the spring of junior year. Each CALS Honors College student must also take a minimum of one additional credit of research-related coursework. This required coursework varies by major. 

Some students may have already identified a research mentor by the junior year; others will do so either during CALS 2990, or in their junior year research-related coursework.

Students should consult with the CALS Honors College Program Director, Professor Janet Murray, to learn more about the junior year research requirement in their specific major.

CALS students planning to study abroad in the spring of their junior year and thus unable to take CALS 2990 during that semester must instead take HCOL 3000, the thesis preparation course offered by the Honors College, in the fall of the junior year. It is very important that students considering this possibility consult with the CALS Honors College Program Director as early as possible in order to ensure the completion of all required curriculum.

Thesis proposal: materials required, proposal timeline and deadlines

CALS students writing a senior thesis may choose to pursue the CALS Distinguished Undergraduate Research (DUR) Award. CALS procedures differ for those pursuing the DUR Award and those writing a senior thesis without applying for the DUR.

For the Distinguished Undergraduate Research (DUR) Award: a formal 6-page project proposal must be submitted to the CALS Academic Awards Committee (AAC). Specific due dates are published every year; usually the due date is the second Friday in September of the senior year. The DUR application must be accompanied by a letter of support from the project mentor. Students have a 15-minute oral defense of their project with the CALS AAC in late September prior to approval.

For writing the CALS/PLHC Senior Thesis without DUR Award application: Students must provide a brief description of the research hypothesis and proposal (no more that 2 pages) to the CALS Honors College Program Director, Professor Janet Murray by the second Friday of September of the senior year.

The thesis: structure, timing, and enrollment

All CALS seniors must take an additional 6 thesis credits across the senior year. Course names and numbers vary by department and major.

Thesis scheduling, progress reports, and other required meetings also vary by department and major.

For the DUR Award: An email update on research progress is due to the CALS Academic Awards Committee (AAC) by the middle of February of the senior year.

For CALS/PLHC Senior Thesis only: An email update on research progress is due to the CALS Honors College Program Director, Professor Janet Murray,  by the middle of February of senior year.

Thesis due date

Deadlines for thesis submission, approval, and defense vary by department. Contact the CALS Honors College Program Director for more information.

For the DUR: A DUR thesis is first defended to the student's department or major review committee, usually by mid-April of senior year.  Departmental approval or disapproval of the DUR thesis is then conveyed to the CALS AAC.

For the CALS/PLHC Senior Thesis only: The thesis is due to CALS Honors College Program Director, Professor Janet Murray, and to the student's departmental or major review committee, by mid-April of the senior year.

Defense requirements

Students must complete an hour-long oral defense before their 3-person thesis committee. Generally, the defense must be held on or before the Friday of the last week of classes of the second semester of thesis work. Specific dates may vary in different academic years.

For the DUR: Oral defense of the DUR thesis takes place by mid-April of the senior year.

• DUR oral defense is evaluated by the student's departmental/major review committee. 
• Final endorsement letters from the department or major review committee are due to the CALS AAC by the last Friday in April of senior year. A copy of the signed DUR cover page should be sent to Professor Janet Murray (Janet.Murray@uvm.edu).

For CALS/PLHC Senior Thesis: Oral defense of the thesis takes place in mid-April of senior year. 

• The oral defense is evaluated by the CALS Honors College Program Director and the student's departmental/major review committee.
• Final endorsement letters from the department Chair are due to the CALS Honors College Program Director by the last day of classes of senior year.

Additional thesis presentation requirements

As explained above, thesis approval and defense requirements vary by major and department.

Notes, web resources, and thesis contact in the college

Students should contact the CALS Honors College Program Director, Professor Janet Murray (Janet.Murray@uvm.edu, 802-656-8255) during the fall of junior year (or earlier) with any questions regarding CALS/PLHC requirements or the senior thesis process. 

Thesis prep: required courses, finding a thesis advisor, timing, and study abroad considerations

During junior year (fall or spring) Patrick Leahy Honors College students in the College of Arts and Sciences must enroll in one of the following Honors Enrichment Contract (HEC) courses:

1. HCOL 3881: a 1-credit, binding agreement with a faculty member for enriched course work in a course that is at least at the 2000 level, and at least 3 credits, taught by that faculty member. In general, a one-credit HEC would entail about three hours of additional work per week.
2. HCOL 3882: a 3-credit undergraduate research project taking place in a laboratory/field/studio setting, also specifically contracted with a faculty member. In general, for each credit of HCOL 3882, the Lab/Studio/Performance Space HEC must include around 3 hours/week in the lab/studio/performance space (working alongside and in regular consultation with their faculty mentor). Thus, a 3-credit HEC would entail approximately 7 to 8 hours of work each week.
3. HCOL 3883: At least 3 credits of focused and customized pre-thesis work in the form of a readings and research project. HCOL 3883 must also be specifically contracted with a faculty member. Students should carefully plan the semester of their HEC so that a faculty member with expertise in the area of intended research is available to work with them. Ideally, this faculty member will then serve as their thesis adviser. In general, a 3-credit HEC would entail approximately 7 to 8 hours of work each week.

These courses can be taken for variable credit and spread over two semesters. If you need help deciding between the three options, you can find more information here.

Students studying abroad for their entire junior year should either take the HEC course in the spring of their sophomore year or arrange (with approval from the CAS Dean's Office) to complete an HEC-type project as part of their junior year study abroad.

Patrick Leahy Honors College students in the College of Arts and Sciences must also take HCOL 3000. HCOL 3000 is a 1-credit thesis prep course offered in both fall and spring. Students will ordinarily take HCOL 3000 in the spring semester of junior year; HCOL 3000 should be taken in the fall semester if a student plans to study abroad during the spring semester.

HCOL 3000 may be waived via the submission of a waiver request form completed by the student and their thesis supervisor. Students eligible for a waiver of the HCOL 3000 requirement include the following:

•  Students studying abroad for their entire junior year.
•  Environmental Studies students enrolled in NR3010
•  Students who are already engaged in their honors research project.

Students typically identify a thesis advisor through courses taken in their major department, through their HEC work, or through the curriculum of HCOL 3000.

More information on junior year requirements (both the HEC & HCOL 3000), including the HON 3000 waiver request form. 

Thesis proposal: materials required, proposal timeline & deadlines

A College Honors application, formal 8-page thesis proposal, and faculty recommendation form must be submitted for approval by the CAS Honors Committee. Students can submit the proposal either during the spring of their junior year, or in the early fall of their senior year.

To submit an application, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.40 or higher at the time of application. Resources for proposing a College Honors Thesis, including the application forms, examples of successful proposals from past years, and specific guidelines and deadlines for applying for College Honors are available on the CAS website.

It is important to note a terminological item that can be confusing. CAS designates its senior honors thesis project the "College Honors Thesis." Students in CAS who are not in the Patrick Leahy Honors College, but who have a GPA of 3.40 or higher, can also write a College Honors Thesis. So, the terminological item: PLHC students in CAS must write the College Honors Thesis.

The thesis: structure, timing, and enrollment

The College Honors Thesis is a two semester, 6-credit hour research project. Students will register for the appropriate 3-credit SUBJX 4996 section (depending on the department in which they are pursuing their thesis) in the fall & spring semester of their senior year. Research updates, progress reports, and other meetings are determined by agreement with the student's individual thesis advisor. 

During the senior year, the thesis advisor will help the student find two additional faculty members to serve on the thesis defense committee. More information on the thesis defense is available here.

PLHC students in the College of Arts and Sciences must also take HCOL 4000 during their fall & spring semester of their senior year.  HCOL 4000 is a zero-credit seminar that brings together students writing their College Honors Theses in semi-monthly meetings to share their research problems, concerns and findings.

When thesis credits are spread across multiple semesters, students making satisfactory progress towards completion of the thesis in the first semester are awarded a grade of Satisfactory Progress (SP) for their first semester of thesis research, and course credit is awarded. (Unsatisfactory Progress receives a grade of UP, and no credit is awarded.) When the student finishes the second semester and earns a final thesis grade, the instructor assigns that grade for the second semester, and changes the fall grade of SP to match the final grade. 

The temporary SP grade does not affect a student's GPA. Once the final thesis grade is entered and the fall SP is converted to a standard letter grade, that letter grade is calculated as part of the GPA.

Thesis due date

The completed thesis is due to the advisor and defense committee at least one week prior to the scheduled defense.

Thesis defense requirements

Students must complete an hour-long oral defense before their 3-person thesis committee. Generally, the defense must be held on or before the Friday of the last week of classes of the second semester of thesis work. Specific dates may vary in different academic years.

Additional thesis presentation requirements

Students are encouraged to present their work at the Student Research Conference, held in the Davis Center in the spring.

Notes, web resources, and thesis contact in the college

• Specific deadlines and more information about the College Honors Thesis
• Additional College of Arts and Sciences curriculum information for PLHC students
• Information on completing and defending the honors thesis

Students may contact Amelia Wilcox (802.656.3344, amelia.wilcox@uvm.edu) in the College of Arts and Sciences with any questions about curriculum, College Honors Thesis requirements, or deadlines.

Thesis prep: required courses, finding a thesis advisor, timing, and study abroad considerations

Associate Dean Cynthia Reyes  is the contact person for CESS/PLHC students. CESS/PLHC students are also encouraged to connect with the CESS Dean’s Office and Office of Student Services to plan thesis work and learn more about requirements.

CESS/PLHC students preparing to write the thesis must take the three-credit courser EDFS 3090, Intro to Research Methods. This is the designated Honors research methods research course in the college. 

In addition, students may have research methods courses required by their major. Students should plan ahead carefully, because these courses may not be offered in both fall and spring semesters. Work with your professional and general advisors to find out when these courses are offered.

All CESS/PLHC students completing the thesis must take EDFS 2995 Thesis Proposal Preparation for 1 credit in the spring of the junior year.

In the senior year, students should enroll in EDFS 3995 Honors Thesis for 5 credits. Those credits may be divided between the senior fall and senior spring semesters as best determined in consultation with the student's thesis advisor. 

CESS students may locate a thesis advisor through discussion of their research interests with their general advisor, through the research course taken in the junior year, or in consultation with the contact person in the Dean’s Office and Office of Student Services. 

Students interested in studying abroad should speak with their advisor as soon as possible to plan coursework and research scheduling.  Some students may be able to take their required research course, listed above, during the sophomore year in order to enable them to study abroad.

CESS/PLHC students are encouraged to meet with their faculty advisor or with the CESS/PLHC contact person to plan thesis work and learn more about requirements. Professor and Associate Dean Cynthia Reyes  is the contact person for CESS/PLHC students.

Thesis proposal: materials required, proposal timeline and deadlines

See below.

The thesis: structure, timing, and enrollment

CESS/PLHC students writing the thesis enroll in a total of six credits of EDFS 2995: Honors College Research.  The six credits may be distributed across multiple semesters; arrangements may be made to fit the specific research project and the student's curriculum and student-teaching requirements.

When thesis credits are spread across multiple semesters, students making satisfactory progress towards completion of the thesis in the first semester are awarded a grade of Satisfactory Progress (SP) for their first semester of thesis research, and course credit is awarded. When the student finishes the second semester and earns a final grade, the instructor assigns that grade for the second semester, and changes the grade of SP that had been entered for the previous semester to match the final grade. Students who do not make satisfactory progress receive a grade of UP, and no credit is awarded.

The temporary SP grade does not affect a student's GPA.  Once the final grade is entered and the earlier SP is converted to a standard letter grade, that letter grade is calculated as part of the GPA.

Thesis due date

The thesis is submitted to the thesis committee at least one to two weeks prior to the thesis defense date.  Information about planning a defense is shared with seniors in the fall semester (typically around mid-October).

Thesis Defense requirements

CESS requires that all Patrick Leahy Honors College students complete a thesis defense, usually during the last week of classes. The defense is arranged by the student and their advisor. 

Information about planning a defense is shared with seniors in mid-October of their final fall semester.

Thesis prep: Action items for junior year

Please see the CEMS Honors Scholar guide for more detailed curriculum info.

CEMS students writing an Honors thesis are required to do the following during the fall of junior year:

• Enroll in CEMS 2010 (1 credit). CEMS 2010 (HCOL Research Experience) is a seminar series from industry, national labs, faculty, and students which culminates in students identifying a research advisor and a general topic area.
• You should also decide whether you will do a traditional thesis or one of the other options and the timing of your thesis semesters. See the CEMS Honors Scholar guide for more information. 
• Participate in a set of information sessions required for CEMS 2010 (the junior HCOL course).   If you are a sophomore ahead of schedule, be sure to contact the Dean to make sure you are getting the appropriate emails.   These typically include:
  • Meeting with the Department Chair to hear about the research available in the Department
  • Attending a research seminar in CEMS
  • Attending a research poster session or CS fair
  • Meet with your Dean or your faculty advisor to make sure your schedule is on track.

In the spring of junior year:

1. Enroll in CEMS 2020 (1 credit). CEMS 2020 (Research Thesis Proposal) focuses on developing the thesis idea with the academic advisor and culminates in a thesis proposal and proposal presentation.
2. Identify (with your advisor) an Honors Thesis Committee. The Committee is comprised of three members, including the advisor.  At least one Committee member must be in the student's major department.

Students with questions about the junior year should reach out to the CEMS PLHC Representatives, Professor Jun Yu (for Computer Science, Data Science, Math, and Statistics) and Professor George Pinder (for Engineering).  They may be reached at Jun.Yu@uvm.edu and gpinder@uvm.edu respectively.

All CEMS-PLHC students should be following the curriculum check sheets from the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences at CEMS undergraduate majors checksheets.

Thesis proposal: Action items for fall semester, senior year

During the fall semester, senior year:

1. Register for Honors Thesis credits under your advisor’s name.
2. Meet weekly with your research advisor (up to you to schedule a time with them)
3. Prepare a written thesis proposal and submit it to your Honors Thesis Committee by October 1; Your advisor should notify you that your project is approved no later than November 1.  Your advisor should notify the appropriate CEMS PLHC Representative that a thesis project has been approved.  They are currently:  Professor George Pinder for Engineering and Professor Jun Yu for CS, Math & Statistics
4. Complete a significant portion of your research / project.

The thesis: Action items for spring semester, senior year

During the spring semester, senior year:

1. Register for Honors Thesis credits under your advisor’s name.
2. Finish your research and write up your thesis by April 1.   Provide it to your committee.  This means getting a draft of your thesis to your advisor in early- to mid-March. 
3. Complete a thesis defense by April 15.   Set this date sometime in February to make sure you can coordinate everyone’s schedule.   The presentation should be about thirty minutes long, and must be attended by the Honors Thesis Committee and announced publicly at least one week prior to the presentation date.  No formal evaluation is associated with the presentation, but it should serve as a discussion of the thesis, with the goal of providing constructive suggestions towards improving the final manuscript. All revisions are due by April 30.
4. Your thesis defense is open to the public. 

NOTE: When thesis credits are spread across multiple semesters, students making satisfactory progress towards completion of the thesis in the first semester are awarded a grade of Satisfactory Progress (SP) for their first semester of thesis research, and course credit is awarded. (Unsatisfactory Progress receives a grade of UP, and no credit is awarded.) When the student finishes the second semester and earns a final grade, the instructor assigns that grade for the second semester, and changes the grade of SP that had been entered for the previous semester to match the final grade. The temporary SP grade does not affect a student's GPA.  Once the final grade is entered and the earlier SP is converted to a standard letter grade, that letter grade is calculated as part of the GPA.

Thesis due date

The thesis is due to the student's Honors Thesis Committee by April 1 of the senior year.

Thesis Defense requirements

The presentation should be about thirty minutes long, and must be attended by the Honors Thesis Committee and announced publicly at least one week prior to the presentation date.  No formal evaluation is associated with the presentation, but it should serve as a discussion of the thesis, with the goal of providing constructive suggestions towards improving the final manuscript. All revisions are due by April 30.

Additional thesis presentation requirements

N/A

Notes, web resources, and thesis contact in the college

Patrick Leahy Honors College students should consult the CEMS Honors Thesis Guide (pdf) for additional information.

All CEMS-PLHC students should be following the curriculum check sheets from the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences.

For more information, please contact the CEMS Honors College Representatives.  For the 2023-2024 academic year, the CEMS PLHC Representatives are Professor Jun Yu (for CS, Math, and Statistics) and Professor George Pinder (for Engineering).  They may be reached at Jun.Yu@uvm.edu and George.Pinder@uvm.edu, respectively.

Thesis prep: required courses, finding a thesis advisor, timing, and study abroad considerations

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences maintains a comprehensive thesis guide for all of its Patrick Leahy Honors College students in order to empower students to find research mentors, complete a proposal, and then complete and defend a thesis.

In order to complete required Honors and major coursework, The Patrick Leahy Honors College and the College of Nursing & Health Sciences Strongly advises students to adhere to the following timeline:

Sophomore Year
Spring Term: Discuss the possibility of conducting a thesis project with CNHS faculty in your department or others in the field, especially those with research experience in the area(s) of interest to you. You can begin this process by exploring faculty profiles on your department’s Web page or Graduate College faculty webpage, meeting with faculty to learn more about their research, and connecting with the CNHS Honor’s College Director to network further.

Junior Year
NH 2996: Thesis Preparation. The thesis project usually begins in the fall of junior year with a course designed to ready students for undertaking their thesis project.  During this semester, students are introduced to the thesis process and timeline and directed toward solidifying a research mentor who agrees to supervise their research work. In this course, students also complete and submit a draft proposal.

Junior Spring & Senior Fall
NH 3996: Thesis Research. See The Thesis: structure, timing, & enrollment. Must equal six credits

Note that all requirements and most submission deadlines are subject to modification, with prior approval by the CNHS Honors College Director.

Thesis proposal: materials required, proposal timeline and deadlines

In NH 2996 students complete and submit a draft proposal which outlines the research question and review of the literature. In some cases, students may also be at a point to identify the tentative methods for the thesis project. The supervising faculty mentor should begin conversations and guide the Honors student through the process of conceptualizing and planning their Honors Thesis as well as gaining any needed approvals to conduct the study.

The thesis: structure, timing, and enrollment

NH 3996 are the Honors thesis credits. The thesis begins in the spring of the junior year and continues into the fall of the senior year  through a sequence of courses totaling six credit-hours, with each credit hour roughly corresponding to the time devoted to collecting data and writing the thesis chapters. On occasion, students may sequence these six credit hours differently (e.g., spread over three semesters, or clustering four credit hours during one semester). Throughout the two semesters, you should work on developing drafts of the required thesis chapters. Submit your work-in-progress to your research mentor for review; students should discuss this work-in-progress timeline with their research mentor. Students generally will write and submit half of their thesis during the junior spring semester and then the remainder of the thesis during their final undergraduate fall and/or spring semester. In NH 3996, students complete and submit revised versions of the first three chapters as well as drafts of the fourth and fifth chapters depending on how many credit hours are taken and the stage of the research project.

Thesis due date

The thesis project must be completed by a date agreed upon between the mentor, the CNHS faculty of record for NH 3996, and the student.

Thesis Defense requirements

The thesis is presented at a formal defense, open to the public, and evaluated by the student's mentor and thesis committee.

During the first or second semester of research, each Honors student and his/her faculty mentor should formalize a defense committee, including at least: 1) the supervising research mentor, who serves as committee chair and “first reader,” 2) the CNHS Honors College Director and “second Reader” and 3) a third reader, usually another faculty member from the College. In rare circumstances, the third reader may be a person from outside the university, particularly in those cases where extensive research is conducted at an outside facility.

Early in a student’s final undergraduate semester, the Honors student should e-mail the members of the committee to coordinate the time and place of the thesis defense. The defense must take place before the last two weeks of a student’s final undergraduate semester.

The thesis committee should be provided (e-mailed) a copy of the thesis at least two weeks prior to the thesis defense. The thesis defense typically consists of an oral presentation and overview of your research project followed by a question and answer session. Usually defense sessions last around one hour, are held in the faculty mentor’s home building, and culminate in the faculty panel’s evaluation of the overall project and the oral defense.

Additional thesis presentation requirements

N/A

Notes, web resources, and thesis contact in the college

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences maintains a comprehensive thesis guide for all of its Patrick Leahy Honors College students in order to empower students to find research mentors, complete a proposal, and then complete and defend a thesis.

Thesis prep: required courses, finding a thesis advisor, timing, and study abroad considerations

GSB/PLHC students preparing to write the thesis must enroll in BUS 2996, Honors Research Methods, during the fall semester of their junior year.

Students begin to identify a thesis advisor and develop their proposal in the fall and spring of their junior year during enrollment in these courses.

Students planning to study abroad in the fall of their junior year must speak with their academic advisor or a member of the GSB Center for Students Services as early as possible in order to plan coursework and thesis preparation.

Thesis proposal: materials required, proposal timeline and deadlines

The GSB Honors Thesis Proposal Form must be approved by the student's thesis advisor (who will also be the faculty supervisor for BUS 4996, (Business Administration Honors Thesis), and submitted to the GSB Undergraduate Studies Committee by the Monday following Commencement of the junior year. Students work with their individual advisor; there is no committee or outside readers.

Proposal form and related information. 

In order to register for BUS 4996, students should contact GSB Center for Student Services (at 656-4015, GSBCSS@uvm.edu, or 101 Kalkin Hall) for appropriate override and registration instructions.

The thesis: structure, timing, and enrollment

GSB/PLHC students must enroll in BUS 4996 (Business Administration Honors Thesis), for a total of six credits.  Credits are usually divided evenly between the fall and spring semesters of the senior year. If warranted due to the nature of the thesis project, all six credits may be taken during one semester. A student seeking to complete all six credits of BUS 4996  in the spring semester of senior year must apply for an extension by April 15 of the junior year. The deadline for the GSB proposal is the first Monday after the May Commencement ceremony. Students, who are under special circumstances submit their thesis proposal by this deadline can request an extension (August 1st for the Fall semester or December 1st for the Spring semester).

The GSB thesis extension form.

Details of the individual research and writing schedule are negotiated with the student's faculty thesis advisor for BUS 4996.

When thesis credits are spread across multiple semesters, students making satisfactory progress towards completion of the thesis in the first semester are awarded a grade of Satisfactory Progress (SP) for their first semester of thesis research, and course credit is awarded. (Unsatisfactory Progress receives a grade of UP, and no credit is awarded.) When the student finishes the second semester and earns a final thesis grade, the instructor assigns that grade for the second semester, and changes the fall grade of SP to match the final grade. 

The temporary SP grade does not affect a student's GPA. Once the final thesis grade is entered and the fall SP is converted to a standard letter grade, that letter grade is calculated as part of the GPA.

Thesis due date

A completed thesis is due no later than the last officially scheduled day of spring classes in the student's senior year, with an electronic copy submitted to GSB Center for Student Services.

Thesis Defense requirements

GSB/PLHC students present their thesis projects (usually by preparing a poster and participating in a poster session) at the University's spring Student Research Conference.

Additional thesis presentation requirements

N/A

Notes, web resources, and thesis contact in the college

For more information on thesis research requirements, credits, and graduation requirements, please contact GSB Center for Student Services (at 656-4015, or GSBCSS@uvm.edu), 101 Kalkin Hall), speak to GSB Professor Glenn Walberg (gwalberg@uvm.edu).

Thesis prep: required courses, finding a thesis advisor, timing, and study abroad considerations

All PLHC students in RSENR take NR 3010 (Research Methods, 3 credits), regardless of program or major. This course covers research methods, project design, and thesis planning, and culminates in the preparation of a literature review and thesis proposal.  NR 3010 is offered in the fall semester only. Students who are abroad in the fall of their junior year should take it in their sophomore year. Note that other thesis prep courses (e.g. HCOL 3000) do not substitute for this 3 credit, research methods course.

RSENR Honors students are also required to take NR 2996 (Honors Seminar, 1 credit) during the spring of their junior year. Those spending the semester abroad during junior year may arrange to take NR 199 during their sophomore year or senior year.

While RSENR students may choose a thesis advisor through these courses, students most frequently identify their advisors through specialized coursework in their program and major.

Students planning to study abroad during their junior year should consult with their advisors and the Rubenstein Honors College coordinator, Associate Dean James "Jed" Murdoch (james.murdoch@uvm.edu) to plan ahead for completing required courses. 

Thesis proposal: materials required, proposal timeline and deadlines

The thesis proposal is written in the NR 3010 course.  The proposal must be approved by the instructor of NR 3010, and by the student's thesis advisor. The proposal is graded, and an Honors student must receive a grade of A- or better on the proposal in order to proceed.

In the unusual event that the proposal is not approved in the semester in which NR 3010 is taken or the proposal changes substantively, the thesis proposal must be approved by the thesis advisor and committee no later than November 1st preceding a May graduation or June 1st of the same calendar year for December graduates.

The thesis: structure, timing, and enrollment

In the senior year, six credits of thesis research are required. These six credits are usually evenly divided between semesters, but may be allocated in the way that best fits the project and the student's schedule. Honors Research course credits vary by major:

• ENSC 3996 Environmental Sciences Honors
• ENVS 4500/3996 Honors Thesis
• FOR 3996 Honors
• NR 3996 Honors
• PRT 3996 Parks, Rec and Tourism Honors
• WFB 3996 Wildlife & Fisheries Honors

Students must assemble a three-person thesis committee, consisting of the advisor and two other committee members. At least one member of the committee must be in the student's major program.  One member of the committee may be from off campus, if that person has special expertise related to the project. The committee should be formed no later than October 1 preceding a May graduation (or June 1 of the same calendar year, for December graduates).

When thesis credits are spread across multiple semesters, students making satisfactory progress towards completion of the thesis in the first semester are awarded a grade of Satisfactory Progress (SP) for their first semester of thesis research, and course credit is awarded. (Unsatisfactory Progress receives a grade of UP, and no credit is awarded.) When the student earns a final thesis grade, the instructor assigns that grade for all thesis credits. 

The temporary SP grade does not affect a student's GPA. Once the final thesis grade is entered and the earlier SP is converted to a standard letter grade, that letter grade is calculated as part of the GPA.

A final thesis grade of A- or better is required for RSENR/PLHC students to receive Patrick Leahy Honors College Scholar designation.

Thesis due date

Junior Year

• May 15: Thesis advisor finalized, Thesis Proposal approved via ENVS 3010 (and advisor approval)

Senior Year

• October 1: Thesis committee finalized
• November 1: Any changes to original proposal finalized and approved by committee
• May: Thesis presentation and defense timeline (Note: deadlines may vary for ENVS majors. Consult your ENVS advisor for details.)
  • RSENR PLHC students must submit the defense draft of the thesis to the committee at least three weeks prior to the scheduled defense.  
  • Thesis presentation and defense must be publicly announced at least one week prior to the scheduled defense. 
  • Thesis presentation and defense must be completed prior to the first day of final exams in the semester of graduation. 
  • RSENR PLHC students then have one week following the defense to make any necessary revisions to their thesis suggested by their committee.
  • The PLHC faculty advisor confirms the successful completion of the thesis presentation, defense, and final thesis document before the final day of exams.

Thesis Defense requirements

Both a public presentation (open to the University community) and an oral defense (before the student's committee) of the thesis are required of RSENR students writing the thesis. Typically, both will take place in a single event, with the committee defense following the public presentation.  The defense must take place prior to the first day of final exams in the semester of graduation and be publicly announced one week prior to its occurrence.

Additional thesis presentation requirements

RSENR PLHC students must submit the defense draft of the thesis to the committee at least three weeks prior to the scheduled defense.  The presentation and defense must be publicly announced at least one week prior to the scheduled defense.

Notes, web resources, and thesis contact in the college

Additional information from the Rubenstein School.

RSENR/PLHC students can contact RSENR Associate Dean James "Jed" Murdoch (james.murdoch@uvm.edu) with any questions about completing thesis requirements.