Thesis Docs

Links to Important Documents

These documents will prove useful to students and their faculty mentors as they work through the thesis project. Click on the heading to retrieve the document.

Overview of the thesis project

• Thesis Overview
  This provides a broad overview of the steps necessary to complete a thesis with some discussion of how theses may vary based on subject area.

HON 3100 & 3101: Advanced Readings & Research

• Advanced Readings & Research: Expectations for the start of the thesis
  This document explains the purpose of Advanced Readings & Research hours taken in the sophomore or junior year and describes what is expected of students and faculty. Advanced Readings & Research is the preliminary step towards the writing of the undergraduate Honors thesis.
• HON 3100 Syllabus
  The syllabus for HON 3100 outlines the beginning stages of the thesis including required research seminars and guidance on how to conduct independent reading and research. A course calendar with important dates and deadlines will be found in the course Canvas page.
• Research Contract
  This form is submitted at the end of HON 3100 and before beginning HON 3101. Once filled out, it will be signed by both the student and the student's thesis mentor before submission. The 3101 mentor will usually, but not always, continue as the thesis mentor through HON 4V87.
• HON 3101 Syllabus
  The syllabus for HON 3101 contains information related to the completion of the Readings & Research Contract and submission of the Thesis Proposal.

• Thesis Proposal
  This form is submitted at the end of HON 3101 and before beginning HON 4V87. Once filled out, it will be signed by both the student and the student's thesis mentor before submission.

  In addition to this more general document, mentors of research theses in the sciences may require the student to prepare an NIH-style research proposal to better help guide the student’s work in the HON 3101 semester.

HON 4V87: Thesis Hours

• Honors Thesis Hours: Expectations for Senior Year
  This explains the purpose of and prerequisites for the senior-level Honors Thesis hours and provides a general timeline for producing a thesis over the course of the year, as well as expectations for formatting and procedures for grading.
• HON 4V87 Syllabus
  This document provides important dates and expectations for the thesis project. Honors students generally receive a copy of this syllabus at the start of their thesis-writing semester.
• Guide to Changing Variable Hours
  HON 4V87 is a variable hour course. Most students will register for 2 hours of HON 4V87 in each semester of their senior year. This documents provides guidance on how adjust the variable hour setting in Bear Web.
• External Co-mentor Form
  This form is used in those rare instances when a non-Baylor faculty member serves as a thesis co-director. This most likely occurs when a student engages in summer scientific research at another institution.

The Thesis Defense

• Thesis Defense Scheduling Form
  This form is typically due one to two months prior to the defense of the thesis.  The form is used by the Honors thesis writer to ensure that a room, date, and time for the defense have been established and all the faculty committee members are agreeable to these arrangements. Note that online defenses are now permissible, if the student and all committee members agree.
• Guidelines for the Oral Defense
  Students should provide a copy of this form to their thesis mentor when they schedule their oral defense.  On this form, one can find helpful information regarding the nature and expectations for the concluding thesis defense, usually conducted at the end of the semester once the thesis has been reviewed by the faculty mentor.
• Oral Defense Form
  At the conclusion of the thesis defense, the Oral Defense Form is signed by members of the thesis committee and then returned to the Honors Program office.

Submitting the Thesis to BEARdocs

• View this web page for instructions and links to additional documents that will guide you through the final BEARdocs submission process. Note that this must be completed before a student will be cleared for Honors Program graduation.