A senior thesis or honors senior thesis in psychology allows students to conduct an original project under the mentorship of a faculty member. Successful completion of a senior thesis can also be used to satisfy the departmental requirement for a capstone course.
FAQ: What is the difference between research assistantships, senior theses, and senior honors theses?
What does a senior thesis/honors thesis involve?
The thesis is designed to expose promising undergraduate psychology majors to some of the steps involved in conducting original research in psychology under the guidance of a faculty member. The steps in completing a thesis may include: searching and analyzing the published literature; identifying important and interesting research questions about thought and/or behavior; formulating testable hypotheses; selecting appropriate research methods and participants; securing ethical approval; piloting materials and procedures; collecting, entering, and analyzing data; and writing up research results. This process will help students develop their critical thinking skills, refine their skills in research design, implementation, and analysis, and improve their writing abilities. A thesis paper can be the basis for a public presentation at a local, state, or national conference, or it can be used as a writing sample for graduate or medical school.
Requirements
Senior Thesis
To complete a senior thesis, a student must:
- be a declared psychology major
- have a GPA above 3.0 (overall and in psychology)
- have passed PSYC 2210: Research Methods
During the time students are working on their theses, they are required to be signed up for PSYC 4401 during their 1st semester and PSYC 4402 during their 2nd semester. Also, to enroll in PSYC 4402, students must meet the additional requirement of having taken at least 2 courses from the learning and cognition, biological bases, or general course groups.
Honors Senior Thesis
To complete an honor's senior thesis, a student must:
- be a declared Psychology major (see the Director of Undergraduate Studies if you have not declared your major)
- have a GPA above 3.5 overall and in Psychology
- have passed PSYC 2210: Research Methods.
During the time students are working on the honors thesis, they are required to register for PSYC 4601 during the 1st semester and PSYC 4602 during their second semester of the thesis. Also, to enroll in PSYC 4602, students must meet the additional requirement of having taken at least 2 courses from the learning and cognition, biological bases, or general course groups.
Sample Timelines
A senior thesis does not necessarily follow a strict timetable. Many students who complete theses begin by gaining experience as undergraduate research assistants. With this in mind, below is a rough timeline for students considering theses.
Sophomore Year:
Students should consider becoming involved with faculty research through an undergraduate research assistantship.
Junior Year:
Students should begin to identify potential senior thesis advisors. For example:
- a student who is participating in an undergraduate research assistantship might approach his or her research mentor about the possibility of completing a thesis (note: many faculty members prefer that students complete a research assistantship in their lab to gain experience necessary to complete a thesis)
- a student might review the list of professors accepting students for thesis and complete an online application, indicating interest in completing a thesis
- a student might begin work on a senior thesis or honors thesis in the spring semester.
Senior Year:
Students must begin senior theses no later than the fall semester of the senior year and plan to spend both fall and spring semesters on their project. A departmental thesis research symposium is held at the end of the spring semester and the thesis is generally expected to be complete at the time of graduation.
